So Many Wonders

Chapters

Chapter 1 : Of Fate and Fox Squirrels
Chapter 2 : An Oasis
Chapter 3 : A Short Flight
Chapter 4 : Further and Further
Chapter 5 : The Gentle Giant, and Noodles
Chapter 6 : Totoro
Chapter 7 : A Rude Awakening
Chapter 8 : All Shapes and Sizes
Chapter 9 : A New Look
Chapter 10 : The Great Escape

Chapter 1 : Of Fate and Fox Squirrels

It had been such a picturesque day too, Fluttershy thought.

She stared around at the desert for the thousandth time. It stretched in every direction before her.

The sandy ground went all the way to the sunset, which loomed in the distance. Wanly, the golden orb washed across the sky and horizon with its dimming presence. The deep reds, greens and pinks played an unfamiliar setting before Fluttershy. The colors were strange to her. Our sun... Princess Celestia's sun never looks like that.

Fluttershy tried to recall an instance when it had, but couldn't. Her hooves began to plod her tired body up yet another steep sand dune slowly. At her sides, her wings hung limp, nearly dragging across the ground. Overhead, stars had begun to slowly appear in the darkening sky.

Fluttershy caught a glimpse of them during her climb, only to stop and stare for nearly a full minute. Her eyes flickered from them, and back to the dimming sunset. She didn't recognized any of the stars or constellations at all, just like the sun.

I'm not as good at stargazing as Twilight, but those are all wrong... She decided that perhaps their strangeness was merely her own fault, that she hadn't been paying attention well enough during her unicorn friend's star gazing excursions.

Unbidden, the warm memory of Twilight instilled Fluttershy with an unwelcome sense of loneliness. Despite that, she kept going, sucking in one lung-full of arid desert wind after another.

Off in the distance to the west, Fluttershy could just make out mountains silhouetted in the strange sunlight. To the north though—the direction she was now headed—was what looked to be greenery. I hope it's a familiar forest, I'd even take the Everfree forest...

Fluttershy had gone over the day in her mind as the hours passed, several times in fact. She held out hope for understanding what had happened, but it didn't seem to help one lick. Instead, the memories of that morning replayed endlessly while she wandered in the desert, and in far too much clarity for her to so easily ignore them.

The wind and its currents shredded through her mane and tail. It felt as though her body were being tugged in every possible direction at once. Fluttershy tried to look for a way to escape it, but all around her were cascades and clouds of various colors. None of it looked real, nor did anywhere look like as though it offered sanctuary or a way out. Her wings had been flapping ever since the new surroundings had seized her, but they were useless against the chaotic forces pulling, pushing and tossing her along like a rag-pony. The Pegasus' limbs hung listlessly after several minutes of trying to gain the upper wing over the powerful gale. Exhaustion had come before an end to the wind-wrought tumultuous-tumbling revealed itself.

Around her, the supernatural surroundings flashed and shifted in oceans of blinding color. At times it was darker, almost black, with specks and dots of pigment prancing across her eyes. She tried to keep her eyes shut, the light show coupled with the rough movements made her feel as though she would lose her lunch at any second. Her wings tried to take up the fight once more, if only to lessen the constant spinning.

It was hopeless though, she just wasn't strong enough, she doubted anyone was! Even the powerful Rainbow Dash couldn't fight this. Fluttershy only tried to hold her wings against her flanks now, pressing them tight against herself, along with her legs. It was all she could do to prevent them from getting hurt further. The air itself continued to wrench her this way and that, never ending. For what seemed like hours, she merely held onto herself for dear life.

Warmth spread across Fluttershy's muzzle. Bright sunlight peeked through her shut eyelids at her.

Fluttershy's eyes flickered open from the sensation, tear filled and aching. Sitting up proved far more difficult than she thought it should be. She flinched, every part of her body feeling as though it had been through several games of hoof ball with the Apple family. Not that she had ever played more than once. That had been an unfortunate afternoon that thanks to Rainbow Dash she hadn't gotten out of.

The ache she felt now was far worse than being smooshed beneath a tripped Big Macintosh, though.

Fluttershy's knees, wings and sides all pinched at her from soreness. Her pained expression remained while she looked around herself, taking in her new surroundings. All she could see was sand, more sand, and a blinding sun that loomed over her from its perch in the sky. It was far brighter and hotter than she could ever remember it being.

The land was completely unfamiliar to her.

There was no sign of anypony else, either.

Exhausted, Fluttershy paused in her pathetic walk across the alien desert. She returned to the here and now from the confusing, painful memories, again facing the present.

The crest of the dune had been reached, and its steep inclining slope was behind her now. She looked out across the desert's width and breadth in all directions from her new vantage point. It was the same everywhere that her tired, dust covered face gazed. There was nothing; barren and lifeless sand covered the entire landscape.

W-where am I...? I— Could this be near Appleloosa? It looked nothing like the dusty, flat plains in southern Equestrian, but Fluttershy couldn't fathom where else it could be. I couldn't be somewhere other than Equestria? Could I? It almost looked like a picture of Saddle Arabia, but she couldn't be someplace so far from her home, surely.

Fluttershy felt her resolve break from sheer confusion and crumbled there onto the ground with a soft pomph. Collapsing had taken the pressure off of her over-worked muscles, at least.

Fluttershy let out a pair of, small, choked sobs, laying there.

After the terrifying and abusive manner in which she'd come to be here, she had begun walking immediately. She would have flown, but her wings ached even worse than her legs... They still did, too.

"Maybe I should have stayed back there." Her legs twitched slightly, the muscles fitfully adjusting to motionlessness. Maybe somepony would have found me if I had stayed put? Dust covered yellow hooves slid up under her chin to support her resting head.

"Twilight... Pinkie Pie... anypony...?" Fluttershy whimpered out. "Help, please..." She watched the sand in front of her face scatter slightly from the breath her unheard words produced. There was nopony there to help her. Her mind began to run over the day again, it relived the fateful little five minute encounter that had first brought her to this desolate world...

A strange rustling came from directly in front of Fluttershy. Immediately, she eeped and dropped the basket of wildflowers she had held in her mouth, taking cover behind the improvised hiding spot.

A strange creature poked its head out of the bush, looking for all its worth like the most adorable and curious little thing that Fluttershy had ever had the pleasure to lay eyes on. It cocked its head curiously and peered back at her. She unclasped her ears from where they had laid down against her head, as always, from being expectant of danger.

"Ah! Well, hello there, little one. Who are you...?" she asked timidly.

In a similar timid fashion, Fluttershy stood and began to reach a hoof out to the creature. Quickly, its head dropped back into the foliage, and disappeared in a flash of orange fur.

"No, wait! I don't want to hurt you, come back!" The basket of wild flowers tumbled over to its side, forgotten, as she gave a spirited hop, planting her face squarely into the bush. The creature had been one she'd never seen before and curiosity had taken over.

Fluttershy heard a feral hiss all of a sudden, causing her to freeze in the soft leaves. The sound of scurrying feet came from up ahead, over in the next clearing. The strange animal was zipping away from her.

Her usual worries began immediately. Oh no, did I scare him?

Fluttershy took to the sky, floating above the low growing flora of the forest and up into the forest's branches. Higher up it was easy to spot her quarry. The animal was crouching just on the other side of the bush, glaring into its depths.

Is it waiting for me to come out? Fluttershy wondered, tilting her head curiously. It hadn't seen her from the airborne vantage point she had taken by flying up.

A rare, momentary spark of mischief flared up with her, and she found she couldn't resist herself. Maybe the urge she suddenly got came from being around Pinkie or Rainbow so much over the last few years, but she felt like being playful with the grumpy little guy.

Turning on the soft breeze, Fluttershy banked herself towards the ground to land once again, this time behind the little creature.

It didn't notice her.

Fluttershy studied the stranger a moment after she landed; she decided it looked a bit like a squirrel with huge ears. Oddly, it had a tail a bit like a fox's, but the colors were all wrong. Her playful grin returned to her muzzle, still silently standing behind the growling animal. After taking a breath, the pegasus prepared her surprise.

"Boo!" Fluttershy shouted. It was actually more of a whisper, she supposed, but being loud had never been her strongest suit.

Still, her furry acquaintance lept backwards in sheer surprise from the act.

Fluttershy giggled and smiled happily at him... or her. "Hello! I'm—" Strangely, the bizarre animal began to snarl menacingly and swipe at the air in her direction.

"Uhm, is something wrong?" Fluttershy tilted her head a little, frowning slightly. "I'm sorry, that was mean of me... I should have introduced myself before pranking you like that. It was wrong of me..."

The squirrel-like creature continued to spit and hiss.

Fluttershy was starting to get a little nervous now. "I-I'm Fluttershy, what's your name?" she tried. Despite the of behavior it exhibited, she felt she couldn't just ignore the poor dear. Oh no, he could be hurt, or lost! She knew quite well that animals would often lash out when scared or hurt.

The odd squirrel began to back away in the direction of the bushes.

Fluttershy leaned forward, unhindered, and daintily held out one hoof towards him. "There there, it's alright, nopony's going to hurt you..." She cooed the words, hoping it would try and speak with her. A terrible curiosity struck her as to where he had come from or what—

Suddenly, the strange animal sprang towards Fluttershy's outstretched leg. Little teeth sank into the soft skin beneath her fur coat.

"Aah!" Fluttershy cringed back. The act had surprised her, more than that, the teeth hurt quite a lot. She bit back the pain and her whimper though, resisting the urge to jerk away. She considered it her duty to find out what was wrong, as she saw it. This sort of behavior was very uncharacteristic of any animal she had ever met, certain species from the Everfree not withstanding.

The animal growled over gripping the pony's leg, keeping a strong grip with its surprisingly sharp teeth.

A weak smile crept onto Fluttershy's face and she met its eyes with a calming demeanor. "I'm not afraid. ...See? You shouldn't be, either. Nopony's going to hurt you, you're perfectly safe and alright."

The squirrel tightened and eased its jaws several times while Fluttershy spoke.

After a moment more of patience by Fluttershy, the growling ceased altogether. The little creature's strange, solid green eyes softened, and met her own. Their eyes stayed locked for a moment, then, slowly it released its bite to instead lick her fetlock gently.

Fluttershy smiled, not wanting to undo what had been accomplished on accident, but d'awed inwardly. Her calm smile bloomed into a wide grin more and more.

The critter's body language was very easy for her to read. The poor dear was frightened of me terribly, but that had been my own fault. She thought so at least. In the future I should try to act less scary.

Fluttershy waited until the creature relaxed some more, sitting back and blinking up at her. When she felt she could, she spoke to him. "Now that we've settled things, what's your name?" She smiled even more warmly down at him, and sat on her haunches.

For some reason, Fluttershy got the feeling it really was a him, she could usually tell on instinct. She sat, watching him expectantly.

However, Fluttershy's new friend didn't chitter a greeting—as she had expected he would—or introduce himself. Instead, he ran several strides away from her and hopped up onto a rock further into the clearing.

Fluttershy blinked and watched him go. I... that was unexpected. I thought we had come to an understanding? Even more unexpected for her was the way that the creature watched her back; it was a calculating manner, she thought. Does he want to be left alone? Or... Rising from her comfortable meadow seat, she followed after him.

The critter's tail flicked behind him in rapid succession every few seconds while his sparkling green eyes remained locked with her own.

Fluttershy came closer and closer. He would seemingly motion her nearer in silence, with subtle tilts of his head. "Do you want me to follow you mister... squirrel, thing?"

The strange animal merely blinked at her question.

Why was he so shy, and what is he? she wondered. Well, he looks a bit like fox...

After coming closer, almost enough to reach out and touch him, he quietly leaned forward a little towards Fluttershy.

She copied him, and came closer down to his level.

Around them, the sun played through the leaves in flickering shadows and motes of Celestia's light. The trees rustled quietly in the building wind, giving the clearing a calming, dream like feel.

Fluttershy waited, but her curiosity got the better of her and she addressed the creature. "A-Are you going to tell me what's wrong little guy?"

Without warning he sprang into a crouching position, then hissed loudly.

Fluttershy eeped once again, much louder than she had during her first encounter. Her legs stiffened and she tumbled over backwards, paralyzed in surprise. Her eyes stared skyward a moment, the branches of the friendly looking trees swaying slightly in the wind overhead as if trying to snap her out of the comatose state. Slowly, amidst breathing heavily, she regained her senses.

Nearby, a serious of chirps in the form of what sounded to be an animal-like giggle, danced through the air to Fluttershy's outstretched ears. She sat up quickly, and crossed her hooves smartly in front of her. "Well that was just... Alright, I deserved that." She giggled back from her new grassy bed despite herself.

The little creature danced around in a circle and hopped in a playful seeming way off of the rock.

"Oh! Dear me, careful." Surprised, but still having fun from the encounter, Fluttershy couldn't help but laugh more. Her new friend scampered up her side, his little claws tickling as he went, certainly feeling just like any of her other squirrel friends. He practically flew across her shoulder, then began to toss her pink mane about while brushing through it as a striped blur.

"Hey now, you still haven't introduced yourself." Fluttershy craned her head around on its flexible neck, and those strange, solid emerald eyes met hers again. "Just what are you, little one? I've never met a creature like you before." Briefly, she recalled another mysterious animal with solid colored eyes that she had met once upon a time... She hoped he wasn't anything like those infamous parasprites; it didn't seem likely though.

The creature wiped a paw over his head several times, then looked back at her from his perch. Fluttershy blinked in confusion, still waiting. She held a hoof up to her mouth in a thoughtful fashion. "Can... you not talk?"

He gerbiled at her in answer, remaining quite indecipherable.

It was very strange that his speech was too difficult for Fluttershy to make out. She had always been rather good at sensing what animals thought, or were saying. They didn't speak in words, usually, but somepony that listened carefully could understand just as well as if they had been spoken to. However, she couldn't understand even a sliver of what the strange new animal had said.

Fluttershy struggled to apologize to the stranger. She hoped she didn't come off as rude. "I'm... I'm sorry, I couldn't understand you. Would you try again, please...?"

Unflinching, the animal merely stared at Fluttershy. It seemed he might be able to understand her, at least. He tilted his head thoughtfully, then sat on her back, continuing their staring contest.

Why is he so different? Fluttershy considered the question, relaxing except for the occasional twitch of her wings from having a ticklish squirrel seated atop her. Oh, a new species! This is so exciting. I should show him to Twilight!

"Hm, well, you look like a fox, and you certainly act like a playful little squirrel..." She grinned, pretty sure of what she was going to call the little guy, at least until he would speak up on the matter. "Would that make you a fox-squirrel?"

The fox-squirrel, as he'd been dubbed, only tilted his head in answer.

"Well, if you—"

Around the pair, a long, strong wind interrupted, blowing through the forest clearing.

Fluttershy eeped loudly as long strands of mane covered her face, while the rest of her tumbled onto the ground. The wind had been more of a gale, but one that ended quickly.

She looked up—her mane still plastered over her eyes—eager to see what had happened. What was that? As soon as the wind stopped, she hurriedly tried to brush her mane out of the way in order to find her prospective new friend once more.

"Hello? Are you still there?" After getting her mane and tail back in order, she found him, again perched on the rock at the center of the clearing. He was staring off into the trees, in the direction the wind had traveled. "There you are. Strange weather we're having, huh?" A few nervous chuckles escaped her, the wings on her back flapping slightly to readjust themselves.

The fox-squirrel spared the pony a glance, tail flitting slightly, then lept off into the brush once more.

Oh, not again! Fluttershy allowed herself an uncharacteristic frown, directed at the stubborn critter that seemed so determined to give her the silent treatment. Unlike with ponies, though, she wasn't quite so ready to give up.

"Wait! Where are you going!? Come back!" Scrabbling up to her hooves, Fluttershy clumsily chased after him. At the edge of the brush his emerald eyes peered back at her, before diving out of sight into the thick wilderness. She dove in after him into the bushes. He was nearby, the sound of him bouncing through the leaves was easy to pick out, even over the growing breeze. Dirt replaced the grass of the forest floor the deeper in she went.

Fluttershy felt another burst of wind coming from the trees. The branches and their trunks were bigger here too, strangely. She could still hear the sound of the miniature fox though, scurrying farther away from her. "Little friend!? Where are you going?" The wind grew in intensity even more as she pressed on. Still, she had thought if she could catch her playful acquaintance, she could invite him to meet all of her other animal companions.

He must be from so very far away. We could have a tea party to welcome him to the area. He's obviously... uhm, very fri-frightened? Fluttershy's eyes widened. "W-wait, w-w-what's happening!?"

The wind wasn't blowing from deeper inside the forest, she realized; it was coming from behind her. Her thoughts skipped and became as panicked as her hooves, which frantically began to dig at the ground to stop her forward momentum. It had started before she realized it, but she wasn't the one moving herself forward anymore.

Fluttershy started to let out a scream mixed from confusion and surprise. While her wings flapped in a panic, the wind forcefully pushed her farther into the forest.

A final branch snapped out of the pony's way.

A chasm lay before Fluttershy, a wide, black pit that stretched down into the ground and out of sight. The roots of the surrounding trees grew out into the opening, and hung out over the vast darkness.

"What's going on!?" Fluttershy's panicked question transformed into a scream. The wind forced her down towards the earth as her hooves grabbed at roots left and right, her wings flapping wildly. But it was all useless against the gale's strength.

Fluttershy raised herself once more to her hooves from where she had stopped to rest atop the dune. Slowly, she began the easy, sliding climb downwards to the next one.

It would be night soon. If she remembered one of Twilight's many speeches on desert climates correctly, that meant the sweltering heat would instead be replaced by a chilling cold. She could get really sick from exposure, or even...

No, ponies never die from things like that, Fluttershy told herself. "I'll be fine, I just need to... need to find help."

Ponies were all in touch with nature, which welcomed them at every bend. At least, that's what Fluttershy had grown up learning. The sun beating down on her yellow coat seemed to disagree very intimately with what she repeated over and over in her head.

Fluttershy sighed after reaching the bottom of the dune. I'm worrying over nothing. Her eyes looked up the next hill wearily. She began climbing quickly, trying to beat the tiredness that threatened to return to her. Surely everypony will come looking for me, even here. As she climbed, her hoof sunk a little further than usual into the sand, causing her to stumble.

Fluttershy pitched forward into the sand with a yelp. Gingerly, she tried to lean up. Her ankle began to throb with pain, in response to the movement. She whimpered, and rolled over to sit upright, her wings fidgeting at her sides. The offending hoof was cradled like a newborn foal in front of her.

"Ow, ow, ow..." She looked sadly down at it, tears slightly wetting the dust sticking to her face's coat. The leg felt sprained.

Fluttershy gulped, then put weight on the leg in a delicate test. Her face scrunched up into a wince as a sharp pain made its reply to her. I... I guess, I'm resting here now. She let out the last remnant of her labored breath, and began to relax again. She did not think she had not made it very far from where she started.

The sun left only traces of deep purple in the sky, and the unfamiliar stars over head twinkled faintly.

A warm breeze brushed Fluttershy's hair over her face. She supposed that it wouldn't stay warm out for long.

It was difficult finding ways to reassure herself while sitting there in the open, surrounded only by her own fur and lonely thoughts.

"I want to go home..."

Author's Note

Yay! Edited after several months!

If anyone thinks it needs more touching up please send me your recommendations in the comments below. :twilightsmile:

Chapter 2 : An Oasis

It was a beautiful spring day, the morning air was crisp, and the grass was delightfully cool beneath Fluttershy's tummy. Nearby, a bright blue song bird alighted on a nearby branch, then whistled a friendly tune to the yellow pony.

Fluttershy—along with her mare-friends and Angel Bunny—was enjoying a picnic at the lake, which was set up nearby beneath the deep shade of a walnut tree.

All of their pets were with them too, and were happily playing along with the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

Fluttershy couldn’t be more at ease here. She was overcome with giggles as Angel leaped up on her shoulder to give her a hug. Afterwards, Angel proceeded to affectionately lick her cheek.

Oddly, this sensation felt very real. It was far more powerful, and vivid than anything else happening around her. Fluttershy lost focus on the friendly faces that were all around, even her bunny Angel, now cradled in her forelegs. There was only the sensation of something licking her cheek....

The sudden presence of an unfamiliar voice made her ears perk up. "This isn't where you belong," it said, its voice stranger than strange, like cracking wood or marbles clicking together.

The voice spoke again, heat in its tone. There was the unmistakable sound of leaves being crushed, or perhaps snow, accompanying it.

"Wake up, return to your tomb. You can't die, yet."

Everything felt hot, scalding hot, to Fluttershy.

One of her sand encrusted eyes wearily cracked open and was met by bright light. She realized right away she was still deep within the desert wastes she had fallen asleep in, not at home. The unforgiving sun began to attempt burning its way into her retina, which made her wince and shield her eyes with one hoof immediately. The slight movement made her body feel as if it were ablaze in another kind of way.

Unable to help it, a whimper escaped her.

Fluttershy took a moment to gather her thoughts and let the aching subside before rising. Her turquoise eyes blearily looked about under her foreleg for whatever had caused her to stir. As the shimmering and blurry scenery came into focus, she took notice of a familiar yellow quadruped, sitting patiently at her side.

“...Hello… little guy.” Fluttershy managed to pant from her parched lips. The fox-squirrel stared at her with an uneasy looking calm. She wasn’t sure given his stillness, but it felt as though he was waiting for her.

He walked towards her slowly, and nuzzled her withers soothingly.

Fluttershy smiled weakly. “I’ll... be okay... Just need... water...” She croaked.

Fluttershy had trouble understanding the creature when fully rested and conscious, let alone now. But, she thought she saw a glint of understanding in his eyes. He began to nuzzle and wipe his cheek on her more and more urgently, tail swishing.

Does he want me to get up...? Fluttershy thought. I hope I can... how long was I asleep? Her hooves slid beneath herself wearily. “Okay...” Her words were clearer, but still felt dry in her throat. “I’ll get up. I'll come along...” With what little energy she had left to muster she struggled up, barely managing to stand. Her leg still hurt some, the twist from the day before throbbing slightly.

Overhead, the heat of the sun seemed to intensify as she became more aware. It felt as though it were actually singeing her back. Sand cascaded off of her in droves, she had been well on her way to being buried.

Weakly, Fluttershy turned her head to look for the critter that had led her into this mess. She reflected on that, but quickly fought off blaming him. Oh, but it isn’t his fault. I shouldn’t have followed him like I did... That wind was strange... though. Where did he go?

Fluttershy spotted him at the base of a nearby dune, skittishly pacing and flicking his ears. He was looking back in her direction, appearing very anxious. Releasing a tired sigh, she limped up to him, only to whimper when he began scaling the sandy slope.

Despite the pain, Fluttershy trudged after him. Never had she felt so tired before, so dead on her feet.

You can do it Fluttershy... You can make it through this. Just put one hoof...in front of the other... She encouraged herself. Her wings flexed slightly on her back. They seemed no less strained or cramped than they had when she fell asleep.

Fluttershy focused on following her only company. Countless steps followed the first as her cloudy mind pushed her hooves to keep moving. After what seemed like an eternity of exhaustion, Fluttershy finally crested the sand dune.

It turned out to be rather close to the edge of the desert. Fluttershy spotted the forest, several miles away, and just beyond the bottom of the hill, maybe a mile away on the vast plain’s floor, she saw...

“Water... Glorious water.” Fluttershy squeaked out... Her little guide was already racing down the steep rocky slope before her, glancing back after every other stride. Beyond him, was a little pool of the life giving liquid, surrounded by sparse vegetation. I had been so close. Oh, thank Celestia! She took a step down the decline, and yelped. “Ouch!” The little pony looked down forlornly at her ankle, which was busy throbbing at her with retaliatory pain.

“Fine.” Fluttershy set herself with a determined look, focused onto the tiny, glistening pool just on the horizon. It had no trees, and only a few plants around it, but the pool was unmistakable for what it was. Her wings snapped out with fervor, maybe something had snapped a little inside of her, as well—or maybe she was just really, really thirsty...

The next hour passed by in a blur as Fluttershy glided down the slope and across the coarse expanse that separated her from the prize. Behind the pool was the forest from the day before. A part of her wondered how she hadn’t noticed how much closer she had come to the edge of the desert. It was highlighted intensely by the rising sun. The sight itself felt surreal, along with her even being there. A part of her supposed that perhaps this was another dream.

That part of her was promptly ignored. “Water!” Fluttershy cried out, desperation from thirst clear in her voice.

A few gnarled shrubs soared past her as she drew nearer. They became more numerous, and livelier as she got progressively closer to the little oasis.

Fluttershy's glide managed to get her to the edge of the pool. Her wings still ached, but actually felt a little better after being used. Her body collapsed by the pool’s edge, muzzle dipping straight into the water without waiting a second longer.

It was cool. The pool's water was the greatest thing she had ever tasted or drank in her entire life. If Celestia herself had told her it was some special liquid with magic powers, she would have believed it based on taste alone.

Fluttershy took great gulps, eyes shut. After a few glorious moments of bliss, she pulled out of the cool waters of the wasteland spring. "Aaah..." Her tired eyes teared up a little as she opened them to look up at the blue sky for a moment. She had to resist the urge to simply dive into the water.

Beside the pony, a familiar chitter came.

Fluttershy looked over, spotting the little fox-like squirrel that had guided her. She smiled, extending a hoof over to pet him slightly. He stayed still and allowed it. “Thank you so much for helping me get here. I’m not sure if I would have lasted up there much longer.”

The squirrely little guy let her finish, then took a few drinks of the water itself.

As Fluttershy sighed and laid back down beside the pool. The ground here was cool, as well, slightly damp from the water. It felt marvelous to her. She lowered her head back into the water, absently eying the part of her long mane that had been dipped, and was therefore soaked. Her injured leg found a home in the water while she drank, the swelling brought down by the water. She relaxed more and more, shutting her eyes slowly and picturing a happier place for the time being.

The snapping sound of a twig came from nearby.

Fluttershy lifted her dripping muzzle from the desert oasis and felt a presence watching her. She gulped in sudden terror, finishing her drink with a final swallow. Looking up slowly, she saw a little red headed creature staring at her. Odd, but odder still was the way in which it stood on two legs. It wore a look of awe and wonder on its young face.

Beside Fluttershy, her friend hissed loudly and ran off without explanation into the nearby brush.

Fluttershy herself stared after him dumbly for a moment, before looking back at the strange creature.

Her eyes widened, spotting the tooth filled smile of the bizarre creature staring straight at her. “Eep.”

“Hime!?” a strong, authoritative voice shouted and a larger silhouette stepped out from the plants ringing the oasis. Its head searched around until it spotted the smaller one, and rushed over to it.

With the approach of this new, intimidating creature that also seemed to speak clear as day, Fluttershy quickly followed suit with her friend. Her wings flapped until she reached the half alive bush her companion had hidden in. Behind her, she thought she heard the shorter stranger laugh... Even though the creature had looked harmless, she was still wary.

More so because they didn’t seem much like a forest animal.

Fluttershy found her friend in the bush.

He jumped with widened eyes at the pony's presence, hair standing on end. After a second he calmed and seemed to let out a surprised breath at seeing who it was.

“Sorry!” Fluttershy whispered and tried to hunker down lower to the ground. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.” She watched the fox squirrel blink at her several times, then turn away to watch the strangers on the other side of the pool.

“Oh, who or what are they?” Her eyes looked over them, they wore clothes much like a pony, but far more than was normal. It wasn’t cold out either, quite the contrary it was scalding hot, and there was certainly no formal event nearby, was there?

It grew quiet, the one that had been watching Fluttershy at the pool must have suppressed its joyous laughter. The laughter had been very feminine, settling in the pony's mind that it was a little filly. She began to study what must be a child and what may be the parent.

The strange filly sheepishly responded to something the other, taller, scarier stranger had said. “Otōsan...” Her words just barely reached the pony’s hiding spot.

Fluttershy noticed that they were saying made no sense. She couldn't understand them at all.

The filly turned back to the pool, looking around for something, still speaking in a language that Fluttershy didn't recognize. She could read the filly's expression though, which seemed disappointed.

In an attempt to make out the details better, Fluttershy leaned her head out of the shrubbery a bit.

The scary stranger was wrinkled and older, if not terribly so. He had a very... kindly face, the pony thought. They both had claws though, like spike.

Fluttershy's brow wrinkled in thought. Mmm, nope wait, that’s not a claw, what is that? She thought she recognized the other strange being's anatomy, but couldn't come up with a name. It's... it's a hand. Yes, a hand. Of course, minotaurs have hands. How silly of me. Oh, Iron Will... What ever happened to him? She hadn't really thought about that before.

The thoughts distracted her momentarily from how dangerous the stranger looked, but now she watched him warily again.

It would be better for me to stay hidden, Fluttershy decided. They could help me though, maybe... Her thoughts argued back at her, but she shook her head in refusal. Be quiet common sense! Her eyes shut defiantly in firm opposition.

When Fluttershy opened them again, she saw the tall figure visibly tense up, and its hand quickly found purchase on the handle of something at its waist. Small eyes scanned the immediate area, looking for something. For her, she realized. She gulped, hurriedly considering why it would want to look so threatening while doing so, and searched her mind for the answer.

Before Fluttershy could find one, another voice came from behind the red maned creatures. Whatever it said, the adult of the two creatures eased its aggressive stance and looked back. After a moment, it answered back to the other, with what must have been a male voice. Whatever they were saying was still indecipherable, but they sounded wary.

Fluttershy watched the taller one lead away the smaller, who looked sadly over a shoulder towards the bushes as she went. The pony sagged, a ragged sigh drawing itself out of her as she did so.

Fluttershy eased down against the ground, the tension leaving her body. She spoke down to her new friend, a little breathless. “That was close, huh little fella...?”

The squirrel looked up from where it had laid down beside her, staring up blankly.

Still, Fluttershy thought he didn’t seem eager to leave her side, judging by how close he had scooted up against her. She smiled at him, still sagging in the dirt, then perked up along with her ears as an idea came to her. “Hey, you need a name! I can’t just keep calling you ‘little fella’, now can I?”

He stared at her a moment, chirping a response a moment later.

Fluttershy supposed that may have well been his name, but she still couldn’t understand a word he said. “Well, how about I call you...Nutella! If that’s okay with you, because... you’re a squirrel looking sort of animal.”

Her audience flicked his tailed once and appeared to deadpan at the suggestion of a name.

Fluttershy's ears drooped a little and tried again. “Mr. Squirrel?”

He put his head down into his paws and wiped one down his face.

“Oh, dear..." Fluttershy held a hoof up to her mouth to cover it, a little embarrassed, while searching around herself to try and come up with a better idea. "Uhm, well, let’s see.”

The foxish critter pawed her other hoof, and Fluttershy looked down from searching the bush branches. She tilted her head, curious as to what he was doing. His paws were quickly digging at the ground, spurts of sand were being kicked up behind him.

“Oh!” Fluttershy said, once again struck by name choosing genius. “How about Sandy!” She grinned enthusiastically, sure that he would love that one. That is such a nice name.

Her friend turned around and hissed at her, before continuing his underground quest.

Fluttershy murmured to herself, hooves folding ashamedly in front of her. “Oh, well, I thought it was nice...”

His tail caught Fluttershy's attention by whisking rapidly in front of her nose. She blinked and followed one of his paws, pointing at the ground. It took her a moment, but she realized he was directing her attention towards the roots of the bush which they were both hiding beneath.

“Roots?” Fluttershy quirked an eyebrow and looked back her squirrely friend.

He was sitting straight up, looking from the roots, to staring at her, then down again.

Fluttershy's ears flicked absently. “You would like to be called Root?” she asked him, smiling a little at the name.

Root's piercing green eyes locked with hers.

Fluttershy nodded once. “Well, Root it is then. Thank you for saving me, Root.” She leaned down to nuzzle him appreciatively for the earlier gesture. She felt the water and his company were truly a blessing from Celestia.

“Now..." Fluttershy sighed and sat down, hunching slightly underneath the bushy branches surrounding them. "I just need to find a way home. You can understand me. I don’t suppose you would know where to go to get back where we came from?”

Root’s head was already shaking ‘no’.

Fluttershy frowned. “Really? I hope my friends will find me, then." She fell over onto her side with a thump and stared up through the gnarled foliage. "Fluttershy, just what have you gotten yourself into...?”

The ground was somewhat cool in the shady underbelly of the plant that Root had sought refuge under.

Fluttershy rolled onto her back and stretched her wings out lazily. “This can’t be Equestria, Root. I remember..." She didn't want to, but she could clearly recall everything. "I fell into the ground, and then out of the sky. What does that mean? Just where are we?”

Root purred beside her casually, laying atop one of her wings. He didn’t have any answers for her, though.

“At least I’m n-not alone...” The corners of her muzzle turned up in a weak smile. “I suppose I should try and approach those other creatures and ask for help."

Root nuzzled into Fluttershy's side, while she stared up through sparse leaves at the clear blue sky, deep in thought. I need to find somepony to help me. She held a hoof over her head, watching the shadows play over her fur. Are there even any ponies here that could help...? I’ve never seen anything like Root before. Or those other things, either...

A little while later, and no closer to coming up with any ideas... Fluttershy heard a rustling noise come from somewhere nearby.

Root raised his head, ears mirroring the pony’s as they worked to decipher the sound. The two stared around themselves, but remained quiet.

“Konnichiwa?” The voice said, as though it were asking something.

Root let out a low growl beside Fluttershy, the both of them crouching low in their cover.

“Konnichiwaaaa...?" The voice asked again.

It sounded familiar to Fluttershy, but she didn't recognize the voice, or the language. That dispelled the faint glimmer of hope that her friends had found her already.

The voice continued to speak more of the strange language, pacing around outside the bush.

Fluttershy matched the voice to the creature from earlier, and realized it was the same red-headed filly. She seems... nice. Is she trying to speak to me?

Cautiously, Fluttershy sat up and looked out into the oasis' clearing, making sure to stay hidden. The young one was there, and by herself, looking about into the shrubs and bushes around the pool of water. More than that, however, the pleasant smell of warm bread began to waft towards the pony's nose.

Fluttershy gasped quietly, then smiled despite herself and how hesitant she felt. She looked down at Root sadly. Her animal companion looked back up at her, in what seemed to be the animal's version of anger mixed with mistrust.

He doesn't think she means well at all... but she seems friendly. Fluttershy's stomach rumbled, agreeing with her. "It smells so good, Root. I'm sure I'll be okay." She bit her lip, still holding back from trotting out to meet the stranger. It was obvious to her that they were looking for her, and perhaps to make friends; considering that they had brought food.

Root appeared to remain doubtful of the prospect Fluttershy suggested. The sound of movement came closer. Both Root and the pony froze in response.

Fluttershy peaked up again, looking out of her cover.

Just outside the shrubbery was the basket, and the filly had retreated to the pool's edge.

Fluttershy made her decision. She stood up from the dusty ground and crawled out, the low growl of Root following her. Words tried to form before she stepped out into the sun, but died in her throat.

Almost as soon as Fluttershy crawled out into the sun, the stranger gasped.

Fluttershy watched the filly carefully from underneath the relative safety of her own mane. Well, here goes nothing, Fluttershy. Just be polite, not too forward about being hungry, and everything will be alright. The basket was sitting right beside her, but she didn't want to presume to just dive into it. Though the thought was tempting.

The filly began speaking again in its strange language, its voice soothing and its face smiling enthusiastically. They were calm though, obviously not wanting to cause fear.

Fluttershy was somewhat mesmerized by the child's voice and language; it was so strange. The dialect sounded a little familiar, after all, she thought. Her face raised out from under her mane, and her eyes stuck to meeting the green ones looking back at her.

"Wooow," The strange creature cooed at her. That at least seemed like a pretty universal phrase.

Fluttershy snapped out of her revery at the response and hid once more beneath her mane. She finally managed to murmur a quiet response. "Uhm, hi. I'm Fluttershy, nice to meet... you...?"

After a moment, it was clear to Fluttershy that the stranger hadn't heard her. She shuffled her hooves, trying to work up the courage to speak again.

The filly giggled and sat cross legged by the pool instead of answering, then gestured to the basket. She did not act as if she had expected a response at all. Instead, she was studying Fluttershy, looking over her curiously.

Fluttershy thought the filly was studying her a bit like Rarity might look over a strange piece of clothing. Still, her stomach rumbled again, and she found herself staring intently at the basket. Tentatively, she grabbed the little piece of cloth covering the food with her mouth. The food she had smelled inside sat there, waiting.

The filly stayed seated some distance away, and gestured again.

Fluttershy held up the bread roll in her hooves and bit into it. Oh, it's sweet. She smiled around the food, then took another bite.

Fluttershy looked over at the filly, her resolve to speak strengthened by the food. "My name's Fluttershy..." She said, louder than before.

The filly gave her a strange look, then rubbed her eyes as though she were tired. In a questioning tone she spoke a few more strange words.

Fluttershy wasn't sure how to respond to that exactly. "Uhm... yes...?" she managed to answer.

The strange filly gasped once more, then grinned ear to ear. She pointed to herself and began saying more things.

Fluttershy picked up on what she thought she the filly asking, which was whether she could understand. "I'm sorry, I can't understand a word you're saying." She shook her head hesitantly in answer and sat down.

The breeze swirled around them briefly as the filly began to look crestfallen.

Oh dear, I hope I didn't hurt her feelings. Fluttershy wilted a little at seeing the change in the newcomer. Briefly, the pony wondered how much she could trust her. Their smile was warm and welcoming, though.

Beside Fluttershy, Root had crept out and sat down calmly next to the yellow pony. She spotted him from the corner of her eye and looked down at him with a smile. "See Root, she's friendly."

The filly said more words excitedly, waving a hand towards Root.

The little animal turned his nose up at the filly though. Fluttershy gasped a little, but couldn't help giving out a giggle. She was caught off guard when the filly joined her.

"Nausicaa."

Fluttershy slowed her laughter and looked up again at the child. She was pointing at herself and grinning. "Nausicaa," she said again, gesturing to herself. Next, her hand pointed with one digit at Fluttershy, making the pony flinch slightly. "Fluttershy," she said happily.

Fluttershy relaxed and nodded, smiling. "Yes, my name's Fluttershy." She pointed up at herself with a hoof.

Nausicaa pressed her hands to her cheeks and made another happy noise, then began speaking rapidly with excitement.

Fluttershy sat back, chewing every so often on some of her gift, listening to, if not understanding Nausicaa.

A few minutes past in peace, until Nausicaa's strange language and attempts to communicate were cut off.

A crack of thunder rolled over the oasis from somewhere in the distance. The trio all looked up in shock at the nearby hills.

Fluttershy stood up, mouth opened slightly, but not yet saying anything. Her wings unfurled on her back, instinctively readying themselves.

Shouts and screams reached them from the in the distance, sounding like faint echoes. They were accompanied by a dozen more blasts of harsh sound, all of them coming in rapid succession.

The three beings present stood still, save for Root, who jumped to his paws and began hissing, fur standing up on end.

"Wha-What's that?" Fluttershy stammered out, now that her smaller companion had acted. The filly looked back at her, a frightened look on her face.

Whatever she answered with, it was in a frantic, panicked voice. Nausicaa leaped up to her two legs and ran for the hill. "Otōsan!"

Fluttershy wasn't sure what to do as she watched Nausicaa go, stumbling along the way in her peculiar and bulky looking dress. She watched the filly climb the hill, running towards whatever those scary noises over there were.

"Wait! Uhm, oh dear," Fluttershy called after Nausicaa. The air was deafening, and she couldn't even see what was causing it. Her ears folded back and her hooves carried her after the filly, the basket of bread forgotten.

Fluttershy's thoughts screamed at her that there was danger on the other side of that hill. Her regard for the young girl overrode her fear though. It isn't safe, but...Oooh, pony feathers! She charged up the hill after Nausicaa. Her legs complained, having just gotten used to rest again. She could see something that came as a surprise, namely, Root running up the hill alongside her.

Author's Note

A shrubbery! :P

Chapter 3 : A Short Flight

The top of the hill revealed a scene unlike any other Fluttershy had ever seen. Firstly, there were more of the two legged strangers, running in every which direction around a forest of tents. Secondly, she was at a loss as to what was transpiring. What are they doing?

Fluttershy's face wrinkled in confusion, trying to understand the strange setting that lay before her. When the realization of what she was watching struck her, a state of shock immediately set in. They are fighting one another. Her eyes widened to their fullest in pure disbelief at the violence taking place at the foot of the hill.

Fluttershy's ears were still held down against the thunderous noises coming from down the hill, but it did little good. There were cries of pain and the screams of mares bounced around the landscape under the loud bangs and the ring of metal. M-maybe they're just playing? The hopeful thought did a poor job of convincing her with the evidence of the contrary taking place so nearby.

Another much closer scream somehow managed to get through to Fluttershy. It was Nausicaa's voice, following it, she became aware of two more strangers sharing the top of the hill with her and Root.

To Fluttershy, they looked... unsettling. She watched as they laughed to one another, somehow immune to the chaos and horrors that filled the air and played out so close to them. Those same horrors had her rooted to the spot she stood in.

They weren't looking at her, that was all that mattered, they were walking away from her. I- I- What is this? Her mind itself was too confused by the impossible happening all around to feel grateful for being left alone. No creature is capable of all this. Her mane dragged across the ground, her head hung while she took an unknowing step towards the calamity.

Fluttershy let out a strangled yelp and shrank to the ground, tears forming in her eyes. Her hooves clasped down around her head. Beside her, Root pulled ferociously at her tail. Nothing got through to her though, she just watched, and watched the scene.

Another yelp caught her attention, it came from somepony else, though. Fluttershy became aware of the struggling shape that was being carried down the hill, it was Nausicaa. The strange filly was crying, too.

She must also be sad and frightened by all of this. Mud had already formed on Fluttershy's face from her tears mixing with the sand. Despite the bleariness of her vision, she saw Nausicaa beating on the back of the creature that was carrying her, crying out.

A little something clicked inside Fluttershy, that overrode the fear that had strangled her breath and kept her limbs frozen to the ground they stood on.

The air rushed past Fluttershy's face; she could feel her mane streaming in the wind as her wings beat furiously to achieve a speed that she rarely attempted. On her back, Root was digging his claws into her sides to hold on, but that was okay, her focus was on gulping air. Despite the action she'd lept into, her mind was still in a panicked state. What am I doing, what am I doing!?

The filly's expression froze and she quieted upon seeing Fluttershy.

I guess I don't know what I'm doing, but this is no place for a child. Fluttershy frowned sadly, then swooped in. Her hooves wrapped around Nausicaa tightly. She had time to add, "Excuse me," before again taking to the sky, hauling Nausicaa along with her. Below herself, Nausicaa seemed to be laughing and cheering.

"Domo, Fluttershy, domo!" The filly laughed into the wind and held her skinny arms out to either side of herself. The words the filly said still made no sense to Fluttershy, but she understood her own name.

Fluttershy gritted her teeth and concentrated on flying. "Oh, hold still please!" The wind drowned her voice out some, not that the girl she carried in her forelegs could understand her.

One last glance behind herself revealed that the two creatures weren't giving chase, they were only standing on the hillside staring after her. Oh good, they can't fly. She hadn't really consider they might be able to, but breathed out in relief all the same.

As Fluttershy soared away, it dawned on her how badly her body was shaking. Still, she felt relief from the clean getaway.

Amidst the symphony of noise and loud, cracking sounds, a much closer sounding one rang out; Fluttershy thought it came from just behind herself. Her eyes widened, and her body tensed up. The filly in her hold quieted her cheering as well. Curious, and afraid to see what had happened, she craned her head around quickly to look.

Both of the creatures on the hill created another series loud noises, matching those that were coming from down the hill. The reverberations could be felt in Fluttershy's bones, even from this far away, and made her jump despite being airborne. She cried out, and instinctively her wings snapped shut.

Are those...weapons? Fluttershy thought fearfully, plunging earthward. The word was strange and foreign in her mind, she almost didn't procure it at all.

The sand below them began to rush up towards Fluttershy, and the fear she had of falling torqued her mind further. Her resolve was cracked. I c-can't do this! I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry everypony! The thoughts weren't clear about who she was apologizing to.

As Fluttershy fell, wind rushing past her mane, she realized somepony else was also crying out too. The girl's voice mixed with hers from where she hung in Fluttershy's forelegs. "Nausicaa!? Oh, dear, don't cry!" The wind and noise was too much for her to even hear herself.

They fell for just a moment more before the filly's screaming got through to Fluttershy. She wasn't sure how, but her wings were flapping again, as hard as they could. The cracks of noise quickly became quieter. She stared straight ahead into the desert, not really seeing anything, only concentrating on breathing and flying. The sharp pain from little claws in her back was vaguely becoming discernible as she flew further from the noise behind her.

Fluttershy kept going, despite not knowing what else to do. She didn't dare look back again. I just have to get away.

The trio flew for a time in their random direction, and Fluttershy stayed aloft by distracting herself. I just want to stay in flight, leave everything back there far behind, never face such frightening creatures again, go home to find refuge in my cottage and never come out. Distracting her panicked mind with what it wanted seemed to work.

The filly beneath her kept speaking in its strange language, but it sounded like it was having fun of all things, so Fluttershy wasn't concerned, yet. Still, her wings were beginning to lose what little strength they had, and then all she would be able to manage to do is glide. The simple effort of holding them all up in the air was almost too much for her to bare any longer.

A couple sand dunes later, and Fluttershy had to set the filly down on the ground, her limit reached. When enough altitude was lost, she gently dropped the little passenger. "Aah, hold on- AAH!" She, however, was unable to slow enough for herself as she attempted her landing.

The pegasus plunged into the sand.

Fluttershy cried out and was cut off just as quickly, her body pitching forward. She made full contact with the ground; her hooves tripped up, then she rolled to a stop. Together, she and Root tumbled into a pile on the sparsely vegetated hillside. They came to rest on the blistering sand and odd grass after sliding down a meager slope.

She made no effort to get up right away.

Fluttershy's breathing made ragged noises, and the sensation of her chest rising and falling was so hard that it caused pain in her lungs. Her thoughts sang a different tune, however. We're safe, thank you, Princesses, we're safe. That was all she could think while her aching body absorbed the rest of her attention.

Dimly, Fluttershy became aware of the filly kneeling beside her, gently stroking her side and whispering softly. Oh, that feels nice. The thought was accompanied only by her eyes shutting slowly. She released the last bits of tension she'd kept in her body, finally beginning to breath more calmly.

After a smidgen of her adrenaline and panic faded, Fluttershy felt she could have laid there forever, even with that burning, horrible sun overhead. The tugging at her mane told her that might not be what was in store for her, though. She looked up quickly when the sounds of angry shouting reached her sand encrusted ears.

Together with Root and Nausicaa, Fluttershy looked across the open desert terrain. Two shapes were busy sliding down a far dune, clouds of dust kicked up in their wake.

Fluttershy gasped, her expression a mixture of fear and shock. "Oh, no, nono. Who are they!? Why are they doing this?" She looked over at Nausicaa for an answer. The sight of the two-legged filly glaring angrily at them, rather than sharing in her fear, caught her by surprise. Her furrier companion stood with his fur raised and a similar, albeit squirrelier expression of hate. She looked back to the two wicked strangers her companions both glared at. Oh dear.

Root began hissing again, but ceased to look up patiently.

Fluttershy saw the filly and Root both watching her intently. She realized that she was the one in charge, and that she had initiated this flight from the dangerous, scary creatures. The images alone from the valley had nearly made her faint, she thought, being in charge was just as frightening a concept.

Fluttershy began to shake. " I- I can't lead, you two. I- Where's Twilight, Twilight would know what to do. She's always the one with a plan. Or Rainbow, why can't Rainbow Dash be here to 'kick butt'!?"

A calming, but scared voice from the filly kept Fluttershy on her hooves. She stilled herself, swallowing hard while her knew friend hugged her neck.

We have to reach safety, Fluttershy decided. She spotted something at the edge of her vision, just behind her mane. She turned towards the big forest in the distance. Or, we just have to get away from them, no matter what! The nearby vegetation would have to do for a place to hide, she decided.

Fluttershy started forward, and something tugged on her tail again. She was starting to feel like Rainbow Dash whenever Applejack was around. Turning, she found the little girl holding two little bunches of long pink tail in both of her hands, her head shaking side to side furiously.

Aside from that, the little girl had produced a very, very bizarre looking mask from somewhere, and placed it on her face.

The new head-ware wasn't Fluttershy's immediate concern though.

"But we need to get away from these two!" she tried pleading with the girl, even knowing she wouldn't understand the words. Nothing made any sense, but getting away from those other two legged creatures was certainly not a bad idea. "I don't understand, Nausicaa, we have to run! They... they tried to hurt us, to hurt you!"

Fluttershy's eyes and expression were fearful and pleading as she tried to reason out things with the filly.

The filly looked back with her own uncertainty from beneath the mask's lenses, then at the pair of wrong doers approaching them from behind. She seemed to sigh, confusing the pony further, then looked out along the border of the forest. With only a few more seconds lost, she pointed one of her strange little digits towards what looked like a big rock on the edge of the forest.

"We'll go there?" Fluttershy asked, looking from the filly to the enormous rock-thing.

Nausicaa studied Fluttershy a moment, then nodded.

Together, a relieved Fluttershy and Root followed after her. The three of them slid down the next hillside together, angry voices following behind them.

I knew she couldn't have been thinking about staying... but why not go to the forest? Fluttershy didn't understand things fully, but trusted her new friend. Those two creatures behind them, whoever they were, were scary and obviously meant harm. She didn't want anything to do with them.

Gargantuan tree roots stood in their way towards the cave; they were almost a forest unto themselves. Still, they ran, tumbled and stumbled through them.

Fluttershy scrambled desperately under one particularly gnarled root, her young ward leading the way as they avoided the pursuing strangers. The shout of their odd language cut through the thin foliage. Knowing they were still there made Fluttershy move faster. We're like prey to these horrible creatures! It was a rare thing in nature, but there were predators, creatures that were evil or held no regard for Harmony and living in peace. Their followers were much like timber-wolves, or something just as foul. The creatures after them seemed equally wicked.

That made it all the stranger, to Fluttershy, because Nausicaa was the same species as them. So why? Why are they chasing her like this? Why are they so... evil? The question in her thought made no sense. She couldn't come up with an answer. Rainbow Dash... Twilight... Pinkie Pie... anypony, I just wish you were here. I can’t do this by myself. She hopped over a raised copse of plants, and nearly tripped. Her wings beat for a moment to hover, before landing again with an oof. While she paused there, her labored breathing fought to catch up with her pace.

Root stopped slightly ahead of her, looking back.

Beside the mare, a quiet sniffle drew her attention away from her scared inner dialogue. She glanced at the little girl that had managed to keep up on their pell-mell escape through the forest border. The respirator worn by the young Nausicaa muffled her breathing as they maneuvered across the landscape.

"Fluttershy," the girl breathed, taking a few steps towards the pony. She leaned onto Fluttershy's side.

Fluttershy looked back towards the sound of the voices. They were coming closer again. "Come on, Nausicaa. We're almost there." She struggled to get her hooves moving again, pushing the filly with her head slightly until again they were races through the brush.

Eventually, they came upon the hill they had seen from a distance.

Fluttershy continued to pant heavily, her sides heaving as they neared the hiding spot. She hoped that Nausicaa's plan would work. Their destination sort of looked like a giant face, she thought. It was a large, smooth sided lump of solid rock, pockmarked with a couple potential hiding spots and canted to one side.

The filly pulled Fluttershy along until they stood next to the thing. It towered over them. Their hands and hooves quickly found purchase on the strange-feeling rocky substance.

This world is so wrong, Fluttershy thought as they climbed, shaking her head in despair. She had never really considered anything wrong before. Not even Discord, though she supposed he did fit the description, too. "Nothing like any of this is in Equestria. What have I gotten myself into?" Root looked over at her from hopping up the ledges as she spoke her doubts aloud.

One of the small passages, halfway up the hill, became their chosen hiding place. They quickly bolted in, Nausicaa leading the way. They ran to the back of the cave until there was no where else to go. It was a dead end.

Fluttershy collapsed into a corner, hoping against hope that they wouldn't be found, that she could rest finally. She hadn't seen the creatures following them as they made it inside. Maybe they would look elsewhere.

Nausicaa brought her into a hug.

It surprised Fluttershy, to find that she was crying again. She wouldn't have thought that she had the strength to still cry. The girl seemed to be trying to calm her down. Stop it Fluttershy, she chided herself with a short burst of ferocity. You're a grown mare, and we should be quiet... Oh, why do they even want to chase us? Her nose sniffled a couple more times, and she buried her head against her new friend for comfort.

Fluttershy thought over why a timber wolf would chase her. To eat her, of course. She hoped that wasn't why they strangers chased her. Why are they chasing us? Her head nuzzled into the filly hugging against her, seeking comfort.

While the three waited in their refuge, they were alone with their thoughts. It was completely quiet here, the contrast of the atmosphere was incredible. A moment ago they had all been breathing heavily, and before that the loud crashing of the creature's strange tools was deafening. Now, there was nothing... except Root's breathing, he seemed to be having trouble calming down.

Fluttershy brought the poor dear closer and wrapped him up in her wing. I’m not strong... But I have to be strong. If not for me, then for them. Nausicaa’s just a little filly. Why would anypony do this to a little girl? And Root's so small, he's helpless, too. Fluttershy looked over sadly at the huddled figures she supposed she now protected. Those other ones make even that wicked Chrysalis actually seem nice... this is just horrible.

“Otōsan...” The little filly mumbled through her gas mask, her eyes watching the mouth of the cave.

A menacing form filled up the cave entrance completely, cutting off the light of the sun. The dark shadow the shape cast promised nothing good for the mare and little girl cowering in its depths. A quiet laughter picked up from a soft chuckle, to a satisfied cheer. The creature began calling out loudly behind himself.

The strange object with the tube—which had been used earlier—raised up in the creature's arms as he pointed it at Fluttershy.

Nausicaa flinched in her hug and cried out towards the new presence.

Fluttershy couldn't understand her, but it sounded a bit like the girl was yelling at them to leave. I wish they would just go. The lone thought was all she could come up with to think, trapped now as they were.

Time seemed to crawl as the creature slowly advanced upon their trembling forms. The tension reached its climax with an ominous click of the metal stick he held. The form said a few words down to Fluttershy and pressed the tube against her. Root hissed weakly, much of his earlier ferocity mysteriously vanished, while Nausicaa lept up.

She cried and fought to attack the stranger from Fluttershy's hooves, but was held back by the mare.

"No, Nausicaa!" Fluttershy yelled.

Outside, a pop of noise grabbed the four's attention, and the tallest creature halted his advance. He flinched, and looked behind himself slowly, calling out, likely to get an answer from his partner.

The world exploded into noise around them as an earth-shattering roar replaced the silence of nature. The sound evoked confusion in the entire cave, more so when the ground itself began shifting and rumbling.

The creature's face beneath its mask lost the glee it had just possessed. He grew pale and stumbled about, before turning to run as quickly as he could. He even dropped his metal stick. Screams of terror were heard from outside as the creature left them alone and the cave continued to rumble.

Fluttershy didn't feel relief though, as rocks and dust were filling their impromptu hiding spot and the sudden noise was just as frightening as the stranger. The ground moved more, causing them to slide around like candies in a pinata. Without thinking, she followed after the wicked creature, desperate once again to find safety and get outside. The filly followed her, along with Root.

“What’s happening!?” Even if there was somepony present to understand her, she doubted there was an explanation that she would understand.

Outside, there was no sign of the creature that had been chasing them all. What Fluttershy saw instead made her scream, not that it could be heard over the roaring landscape.

Fourteen beacons of red light came to life from beside their cave. The sound cut off briefly, creating the most stunning quiet that Fluttershy had ever experienced. She realized the beacons weren't merely lights, they were eyes; and they belonged to a monster.

“...Ohm...” Mumbled a horrified Nausicaa beside her.

“What-” Fluttershy began to ask, before another lurch of the hill sent them across the ground and towards the nearby slope. She let out an undignified squeal as they flew out the entrance of the cave. Had she not grabbed onto a small crag, she would have fallen down the steep incline.

There, they bore witness to the chaos within the canopy of odd trees. Flashes lit up the landscape with loud bangs as creatures who weren’t scrambling about seemed to try and attack the behemoth that stirred nearby.

Beside the hill, the red lights moved. They all curved around the front of what looked like a massive, carapaced bug. It began lumbering past their little hill towards the flashes and noise. Its body was nothing short of enormous, easily as large or larger than even a dragon.

A small crowd of the two legged creatures ran before the bug and out of the sparse vegetation into the desert.

Fluttershy climbed up from her hoof-hold and steadied herself on the cliff. She looked again to her right at the multitude of huge, glassy orbs, each burning a deep crimson. Those must be the monster's eyes, she decided. So many eyes... and I can’t even see them all. How big is this animal!?

The creature seemed to be dragging itself along the ground through the use of dozens of thick legs at its front. The whole thing together was shaped a bit like a loaf of bread. Slowly, it seemed to gain speed after the ant-like creatures running from it.

Nausicaa was hugging the mouth of their cave fiercely, and holding Root in one arm. Fluttershy went to her now that the rumbling was dying. "Nausicaa! Are you okay?"

The filly looked up at her, spoke again in that strange language, but that was all.

Not sure why I expected an answer... Fluttershy sighed and sank to her haunches, exhausted.

“HIME!” A shout came from just behind Fluttershy, making her stiffen right up and fall onto the rocky wall ground. "Hime!"

"Yupa-sama!?" Nausicaa's jubilant tone of voice reached Fluttershy after the softer repetition of the unfamiliar word. She looked up and saw another one of the two legged creatures that had looked so dangerous in the valley. This one also had one of the noise making sticks...but it was hugging Nausicaa fiercely.

Fluttershy got to her hooves slowly, but remained crouching. She backed a little ways into the cave as well. In front of her, Nausicaa began jumping happily and pointing at her, which made her sink lower to the ground. Finally, she was again laying down when the new stranger turned to look at her. They audibly gasped when they did.

"H-hello...I don't suppose you understand me?" The stranger looked shocked underneath his mask when Fluttershy spoke to him. He spoke more words to her, but when she didn't give an answer he looked down to again speak to Nausicaa.

Hearing the language again pulled at Fluttershy's memory as it had before, and then she had an epiphany. She realized where she recognized it from. That's Neighponese! I've heard of that before. Her eyes widened as she came to a hopeful thought. Is that where I am? If this was Neighpon...no, nothing here feels like Equestria at all. The thoughts left her with less than she'd begun them with.

Whatever was being exchanged between them was lost as more explosions came from nearby, again making Fluttershy squeak. Everyone's attention was again on the bug and those it chased. Nausicaa shouted out across the open area, hands cupped in the direction of the noise. The one she had called 'Yupa' sighed and shook his head sadly, a hand of his own went up to his eyes.

On the open field, each lash of the strange bug's whip-like legs crushed into the powdered loam of the forest floor. Each such thrash of its chitinous body saw another of the poor fleeing creatures trampled by it.

Fluttershy knew that even if they were incredibly lucky, that none of them would make it after that happened to them. It seemed to her as though they had angered the guardian of a forest, and in its fury, it had decided it would hurt everypony responsible.

Oh, oh dear. This is too much. Fluttershy had been able to take back to the air, the extra height from being high up already had been enough. I can't believe how violent this place is. Her wings pushed against the air as she sped after the big bug, and what she guessed were the ones that had chased her earlier. It has to stop, this isn't how you settle your differences! The bug was just below her in no time, she gritted her teeth and dove downwards. It was close to overtaking more of the creatures she had met.

"Excuse me!?" Fluttershy pulled up at the last moment and began flying along sighed the red-eyed behemoth. "Excuse me, mister bug!? I think I understand that you're angry right now!" An air trembling roar from the creature seemed to answer her. "But this isn't right, you're hurting them!" She looked ahead again, another creature was stumbling over a dune not far away. They won't make it.

"You!" The monster's face was unreadable, but Fluttershy pulled in front of it and began to do what she did with every other unruly creature, expression to read or no. "What you're doing, is wrong. Hurting others is not how you solve your problems! Now, you might be upset right now, or maybe they wronged you in someway, but if you don't stop this right now and try to settle this nicely, then you'll be no better than them! Is that what you want? To be nothing more than a big, cruel hearted BULLY!?" She gestured her hooves wildly while flapping backwards as best she could; the bug was fast. By the end of her tirade though, her stare had never wavered once.

The bug continued on with its stampede, but it slowed.

Fluttershy concentrated on staring deep into the nearest red eye, glaring as best she could. "Stop! Now!" she tried commanding once more. "Please." Her glare faltered into a sad look.

Strangely, or perhaps not so strangely, the massive behemoth's eyes turned from red to purple, then to blue slowly. Its multitudes of legs slowed their assault on the ground before stopping altogether. The rumbling quieted as its body ground slowly to a halt.

Fluttershy began to fly ahead of the monumental bug, still moving as fast as she could. She stopped her backward flight and circled around the bug instead.

"Oh thank goodness." Fluttershy smiled weakly from up in the sky. "I really hope this is over, I can't... keep this up." A tired breath escaped her lungs as the rest of her body wilted, wings still flapping, but tiredly. She spotted Nausicaa some ways away, and half glided, half limped back towards the filly.

Fluttershy was aware of the massive creature behind her moving again. She gave it a glance; this time, it was turning away, leaving the skittering dots of the two legged creatures that had been running from its wake.

Fluttershy watched as it began to return to the strange forest it had emerged from. I wonder what is going on around here... I wish there were somepony who could tell me. She winced as her wings twinged in agony from over exertion. But for now, I need a good, long nap... Her hooves clambered down onto the rocky earth to the sound of clapping from Yupa-sama and cheering from Nausicaa.

"Fluttershy!" The filly threw her arms around the exhausted pony.

Fluttershy sagged in the girl's embrace, listening to the two creature's voices getting quieter and quieter.

Oh, I'm so glad that this is... I t-think this is over now.

Author's Note

Crossover Spoiler : Nausicaa

Chapter 4 : Further and Further

Fluttershy felt as though she were drifting for the longest time. The feeling of soft fluff beneath her was so incredibly welcome, yet so unexpected, that she didn't dare open her eyes to see what it was, lest it go away. Eventually, something shifted beside her, and on impulse she flinched, partially breaking the peace she was enjoying.

A voice responded to her movement. "Are you going to remain like that for this entire dream, Fluttershy?" It sounded a little sarcastic, but had an edge of amusement and kindness to it that immediately made yellow pegasus sit up.

"Princess Luna!" Fluttershy exclaimed, then stared up in disbelief at the royal equine sitting adjacent to her, that had appeared as if from nowhere. Her mouth hung open as her mind was overwhelmed with thoughts of what was going on, beyond being able to make sense of anything. "I- ah, where... a dream?" She remembered everything from before, Was that all real, then? The question was hopeful that those events were the actual dream still. Her breathing quickened out of being overwhelmed, searching eyes explored the area, there was nothing to see but clouds, a beautiful sunset, and the princess.

"Yes, this is a dream, Fluttershy," the princess responded to the other pony's speechlessness. She let out a deep breath and seemed to sag at the shoulders ever so slightly. "We have been searching for you for just over a week now. All of your friends say hello, by the way. Do you know at all where you are?"

Fluttershy could barely contain the joy that sprang into her heart. My friends, they've been looking for me! A memory tickled her brain, and she blinked in confusion before investigating the thought. "Oh, Princess, do you mean you were looking for me, or 'we' as in everypony else?"

The princess blinked back before shaking her head and answering. "Do forgive us, fair Fluttershy, it is still habit of ours to speak with the Royal 'We'. I meant everypony else, as well as myself. I... consider you a friend, as such I do not presume to use such formalities. I also apologize for not getting the chance to have a casual encounter with you or your other friends yet. We- I, have been... busy." She briefly looked around before continuing. "Ahem, so, we, as in Celestia and I, have been scouring both land and sea in Equestria, tirelessly. I, myself, have been doing the same here in the dreamscape each night. I bear ill news even as I have just found you I'm afraid, Fluttershy, but it can wait."

Fluttershy noticed the tall mare had a very exhausted expression.

The princess beside her sighed, before pressing the matters forward again. "You have been missing for days, Fluttershy. It is no small relief to find that you are well. It is good to know you're... alright." Luna moved her hoof as if to reach over to Fluttershy, but replaced it in front of herself after her pause. "I must ask right away, do you know at all where you are?" Her words had yet to become the promises of rescue that Fluttershy wished to hear. Worse, the taller pony had a measure of melancholy and uncertainty to her question.

"A week!?" Fluttershy blanched first, then wilted from the lack of sense that made, but the princess wouldn't make that up. She couldn't have been gone more than a day, at most. "I've only been gone a day though, Princess, maybe two." Her eyes searched the clouds for why that could be. The portal maybe? She thought, before continuing. "A-and I don't know where I am at all, they speak Neighnese though, I think. I recognized it from Twilight, she sometimes spoke it. Could I be there?" Her brow furrowed as she again looked up at the royal pony, hoping the quick thought would play out to be the truth. That wasn't Celestia's sun overhead though, Fluttershy. Her thoughts reminded her.

Princess Luna's eyes widened and in what was clearly surprise. "Neighnese? As in Neighpon? Well, that's new... I mean, well, I really don't know, Fluttershy. I..." She hesitated and her eyes flickered to the ground for a moment. "I don't want to get ahead of ourselves here just yet, the situation is dire and... Tell me, what are the ponies there like. Are there any?"

Fluttershy opened her mouth to answer, but the Princess continued abruptly, having an after thought it seemed.

"Or are some strange, alien-like creatures called humans there, instead?" The princess's expression was serious. When Fluttershy did not answer immediately, Luna added, "They're two legged creatures, ones that you have never seen nor heard of before? I've never seen them... in first hoof, myself, so forgive my crude descriptions. They are not native to Equestria. But, they wear lots of clothing and their only hair may be atop their head and face."

Fluttershy's mouth opened a little in wonder as she recognized the description, and thought in surprise, Luna's encountered them before? But not in Equestria? "Yes, yes that sounds like them. They... Princess, what happened, where did I go? I landed in this horrible world, well it wasn't all horrible, I made a friend... but it- it's-"

Fluttershy sniffed and wrinkled her face to hold back her emotions. The images she had seen before, so much fighting, and for no apparent reason, it was unbearable. "I can't quite explain it. I've never seen, or thought that anything like what I-I saw, could be possible." She wasn't crying, as much as it felt she should be, for some reason she wasn't. Her head laid down to rest in front of herself on her forelegs instead.

Luna didn't answer her right away, as though she were expecting more. "Fluttershy, I- Are you alright where you are?"

"I don't know." Fluttershy's response was barely above a whisper.

The princess watched her through sad eyes a moment, then laid down beside the distraught mare to put a wing over her back comfortingly. "Fluttershy, my subject, there's no easy way to say this, but yourself, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Twilight, have all gone missing. I fear that you are no longer in Equestria or any land surrounding it." She stopped talking a moment, perhaps to let the words sink in.

Fluttershy picked her head up to meet her gaze, then the other mare continued.

"You are somehow in another world, and your only bridge to home right now is this," her gesture took in the dream around them. "My powers extend far, it seems, but not completely." Stopping for a breath, she pressed on matter of factly. "Twilight is still unaccounted for. We don't know where exactly any of you are. We do know, that both Pinkie and Rarity are not in Equestria, or even our world any longer... I have yet to find Twilight as I found you three. It is, however, a great relief to know you're alright, Fluttershy."

The wing over Fluttershy's back gave a small, reassuring squeeze as Luna finished speaking.

It was so much to take in, Fluttershy didn't know how to feel or react to any of the news. When something tragic had happened in her past, she could come together with her family or friends and solve it, even if she was scared. But now what do I do? "Rarity and Pinkie are okay? That's good." She spoke flatly and continued to watch Luna absently, a pang from inside her chest growing. "S-so," she began quietly, "where is she, Twilight, I mean. She's okay, isn't she?" The words that the princess had already said replayed in her thoughts, checking that she had actually heard them, and not imagined what was said.

When Princess Luna's face saddened, and ceased to meet Fluttershy's eyes, the smaller pony gasped and held a hoof up to her muzzle. Her body began to tremble from a sensation that could only be described as 'heartbroken'.

"We have to find her, Princess! Please, I'm fine where I am, it's... it's scary, and v-violent, but I'm okay! Please, find Twilight, you have to..." Fluttershy's voice weakened into silence. "Please." She replaced her upheld hoof on the princess's front shakily.

The Princess of the Moon took Fluttershy's hoof in her own, then replied confidently. "We will Fluttershy, everypony that can be, is dedicated to helping us find them. Celestia herself is looking into matters whenever she can. This is a crisis for all of Equestria, not only for them as Element bearers, but as missing friends as well." The other mare bit her lip a moment, then continued. "You have obviously faced hard times, my little pony, but I must ask the details of what has happened to you. How were you taken from Equestria? Where were you? Did... did you see anypony that may have been responsible?"

Fluttershy blinked away a tear that finally begun to form. "You think somepony could have done this to us? Who would do such a thing?"

Almost right away, Princess Luna darkly muttered, "Discord is missing from the gardens..."

Fluttershy's eyes bugged as her head swung to look up at the other mare disbelievingly.

Luna sighed and fell onto her side at the same time in a show of exasperation, her head resting on the clouds. "Yes, that was my reaction. I do not think he is solely responsible, though. The fool was still imprisoned up until a day ago. At least, he was still there just two days ago. As much as I want dearly to simply place the blame on him, which I am not ruling out, it may be presumptuous. Somehow, he is just gone, along with every single spell of protection and warning placed over him. None of our precautions alerted either myself or my sister. It doesn't make any sense." She huffed out an angry sounding breath, and swiped a leg across the cloudy-scape beneath her.

Fluttershy winced a little at the princess' show of disagreement. "No, it doesn't make any sense," she agreed, then considered carefully the thought of Discord returning. To her, he was a strange one indeed. It's so wrong to imprison somepony like that, even if we don't have a choice... I wish that Princess Celestia had let me try and help, to show him kindness. She still felt regret over merely returning the rogue draconequus to his stony prison.

Celestia had explained to them all though, that if it served harmony, the elements would not have done what they did. She did say he was fine in there though, just bored more than anything. Twice, Fluttershy had gone and spoken to the stranger, though he didn't do much talking back. I wish I could have done more...

Luna sat up again and ruffled her wings, shuddering as though she'd thought of something unsettling, then began to speak in a serious tone. Her eyes were set on the horizon of clouds. "Equestria, the Elements, as well as Celestia and I have only a handful of enemies, Fluttershy, but of those none are unaccounted for..." Princess Luna's voice gained a hardened edge as she spoke. "Still, all of these incidents, while isolated, are too closely related to be purely coincidental. Rainbow Dash and Applejack were also targeted." Fluttershy gasped again, then Princess Luna continued. "But, they managed to evade the means by which they were attacked. They are safe, and now that I have found you, I only need look for Twilight from here out."

Princess Luna paused long enough to give Fluttershy a warm smile. "Everything is unclear at the moment, but we will get to the bottom of this, magical fluke or not. For instance, we do know from Spike and Applejack that Twilight was working on a teleporting potion, or something of the sort. Perhaps she did cause something that linked to the rest of you, as you are all connected through the Elements of Harmony?"

Fluttershy took in the Princess' words calmly, or as calm as she could make herself at the moment. Even with the relaxing atmosphere she was hard pressed to do anything but feel like a coiled spring from the stress of it all. "I'm not really sure, Princess..." Was all she could come up with to say. She thought on the princess's theories in the following silence. I do hope this is all just a big mistake on Twilight's part. A wince came when she realized that was a little mean, even well meant and only heard by herself as her thoughts were. Oh, I don't mean that Twilight, uhm.

The yellow pony sighed and nudged a nearby fluff of cloud, giving up after trying to defend against herself, for herself, while apologizing on Twilight's behalf.

"Princess," Fluttershy said in a tired tone. "How will we get home?" She looked up calmly, but her face and eyes felt weary.

The princess's expression hardened, the smile fading. "I do not know, my subject." She stood slowly, looking away. "I am sorry to tell you that. Never before has something of this nature occurred in all of my sister's reign, and my own experience is hardly a candle to her burning sun. We knew of other worlds... but nothing like this."

Luna stopped a couple strides from Fluttershy, then swirled a hoof in the cloudy floor. When she finished, a bright moon began to float from the fluffy surface. "The moon, is such a world. It is like Tartarus, or the Dreamscape, places that are not places and within the boundaries of our world itself." Walking around her brief, fading creation she again approached Fluttershy. "Where you three are, and I highly suspect Twilight as well, is simply... completely unprecedented. Celestia has spoken of no knowledge that such things as this were possible." She sat on the clouds with a thump. "Which is why I personally believe, though I hope it is not so, that somepony is responsible."

Fluttershy stood up resolutely to match the princess, though her knees shook. In her head she wondered briefly if her knees should be shaking in a dream. "I believe in you, Princess. I'm sure we can get through this together." She nodded and took in a shuddering breath before returning to nervousness. "S-so, can I speak with Rarity, or Pinkie? I'm sure they're just as lonely as me... That is to say-! Not that you aren't great, Princess, uhm, but I would like to see them." Normally, a sheepish smile would have been put on at her slip, but instead it was just a tired one.

Princess Luna smirked at the little stumble in words, then let the smile fall. "That is not possible, Fluttershy. Two ponies other than myself cannot occupy the same dream. At least, as far as I've found. There is... however, a loophole."

Fluttershy's ears perked up hopefully.

"In the case of two ponies sharing a bed, or rather, merely in contact while sleeping, it is possible and has precedence that they can both dream together. Not only that, but I can interact with them both." Princess Luna spoke sagely and matter of factly on the matter while deferring the information. "I once had to still the uneasy nightmares of a couple from Ponyville in this way, something about worrying over their children."

Fluttershy reddened slightly at the news, and slid back beneath her pink mane. "O-oh, I see. I suppose that isn't, uhm, going to help me then."

Luna allowed herself a grin while Fluttershy was out of sight, then schooled herself back to regal aloofness. "Yes, but it may come in use... We will need every tool at our disposal under the circumstances." She grew serious again, and met Fluttershy's eyes resolutely when the mare revealed herself from under her mane. "We will get you home, Fluttershy. All of you, and we will find Twilight. She is a resourceful, brilliant young pony. If there is anyone in... from Equestria that could make the impossible, possible, it is her."

Fluttershy craned her head up and smiled broadly at Luna as she continued her speech. Her eyes were still tinged with sad, but it was beyond relieving to hear the royal princess speak so. "I know, Princess, thank you." A moment passed, and Fluttershy looked around herself uncertainly. "Uhm, so now what?"

Luna blinked her eyes while confusion crept onto her face. "What- Uhm, what do you mean, my little pony?"

"Oh, well, I expected to wake up for some reason. Uhm, I don't want you to go though, if that's alright." Fluttershy rubbed one of her forelegs demurely with the other and stared at the ground. "I mean, unless you have to."

The other mare smiled a little. "Time works oddly here. Fluttershy. It could be an hour or a day before I must awaken and return to Equestria. It is how I am so able to see to everypony's dreams so dutifully. So, I will stay as long as you wish me to, and I am able." She hummed a bit, looking up, then continued, "It is also how I will also visit Rarity and Pinkie tonight, as well and Rainbow Dash and Applejack." When Fluttershy's figure began flapping its wings intensely, hovering in the sky with widened, expectant eyes, Luna held up a hoof calmly and continued. "And I will of course tell them right away that you are alright, my dear subject. I wouldn't forget that."

Fluttershy fell back onto the clouds and made an embarrassed noise. "Oh of course, please tell them that I miss them too? Oh my gosh, and my-"

"Some of Ponyville's residents have seen to taking care of your animal friends Fluttershy. They are all in good hooves, rest assured." The princess smiled again at Fluttershy as the other pony let out a breath of relief.

"I do hope that they'll be alright, oh, they all get so fussy sometimes." Fluttershy sat, worrying over the state of her home and what may become of her little friends while she was away. After all, she was one of the sole animal caretakers for Ponyville. Her job was important, and she took it very seriously. It was why she insisted on helping every animal on a case by case basis.

Princess Luna coughed, garnering Fluttershy's attention.

"Oh, sorry princess Luna, I was just busy worrying." Fluttershy lowered her hooves from where they had been holding her face and still the swishing of her tail. "I suppose I don't have anything else to say then."

The princess held a hoof up to her muzzle and hummed again. "I'm not sure. I think you have told me everything that could be of help... Yes, you explained how you were taken from Equestria, what the land is like..." She paused at this, giving Fluttershy a sympathetic look. "Stay strong for us, my little pony. We are doing all that we can to save you. Be wary also, of the humans, they betrayed Pinkie once already... but you have encountered worse from them, so I need not bring up such things. Merely stay safe, and trust in Harmony, Fluttershy. Somehow, in the end it will see us through to your rescue."

Fluttershy almost began crying as she had earlier, though out of relief and gratefulness towards Luna. "I know." She whispered. She took a deep breath to compose herself before speaking again. "In that case, what should we do?"

The slightly eccentric Princess of the Night began grinning for some unexplained reason. "Well, if you're up to it, how about we relax some? Have you ever played ping pong, Fluttershy? It is a game, a new one."

Her head felt as though it were pounding. Fluttershy felt her ears twitch and heard the sound of gentle tapping, as well as ponies talking. She cracked her eyes open to find what might be a tent around her. A fire burned in the center, there were more of the creatures she realized, as well. Humans. So that's what they're called... There was no sign of Nausicaa.

Careful to be as quiet as she could be, Fluttershy groaned slightly from the sharpness of the pain in her limbs. The last few days had not been kind to her body. Princess Luna wasn't very nice either, she could have gone easier on me. She briefly moped over accepting to play games with the princess, then losing. She didn't mind losing, not being the most athletic pony. Then again, it had been fun seeing the lighter side of one of her rulers. And she was just trying to cheer me up, after all.

The consideration of Luna's enthusiasm brought a smile to Fluttershy while she lay on the scratchy human cot. In the end though, the princess had professed that she should be going, Twilight was still out there, somewhere. It was her duty to find the Element of Magic, she had said.

The princess had left wearily, but not before Fluttershy gave her the strongest hug she could manage.

A light chatter suddenly came from one corner of the large tent, the smell of something cooking accompanied it.

Fluttershy looked up and saw two humans stirring a pot. She ignored them for now, remembering what had transpired when last she was awake. Don't think that way, Fluttershy, these humans took you in and gave you a bed. It was a kind gesture, but she was still uneasy about it. She continued to go over things, remembering all the little details her and there.

Where's Root? Oh no, I hope he's okay. Fluttershy was afraid to move, lest she attract somepony's attention. She liked Nausicaa, but she'd seen what those others had done earlier. It hung as a confusing, unexplainable horror in her mind, she took the moment of quiet and calm to consider its implications. Nothing like what she had seen had ever happened in Equestria. Not even the worst of the worst of accidents or tragedies could compare to the outright evil she had bore witness to. I should have spoken to Luna about it... Why couldn't I have woken up at home, in my own bed? The thought was a sober, tired one.

The tent flap flung open, and two more humans came in. One was the bushy bearded human called 'Yupa-ama', at least she thought that was his name.

Fluttershy decided to think of him as 'Yupa' for short. Well, he is certainly a he with a beard like that.

After Yupa approached he knelt down, Fluttershy tensed up as he began speaking to her. She was dimly aware that he was looking back at her own open eyes, and that it was not just her watching him any longer. One of his hands brushed against her mane suddenly, his voice still soothing.

"Uhm!" In a flash, Fluttershy had rolled over and began backing out of the blanket she had over herself. "Oh, well I really hate to just go, but-!" She squeaked and leaned forward on her hooves. Looking down, she saw bandages wrapped up her forelegs and front. Why are those there?

Fluttershy looked up again and saw that the entire tent of creatures was watching her. Her eyes widened to their fullest at the sudden mass of attention directed at her. She did the thing that made the most sense given the circumstances. Nnnope. The tent flap opened again as she wasted no time darting out into the cold, desert air.

"Wait!"

Fluttershy skid to a halt again as a familiar word reached her ears, one that she knew at least, something spoken in Equestrian. She turned around and faced Yupa, who stood at the entrance to the tent, calmly watching her. He wore a kindly smile, like that of a father or a close friend.

"Thank you." Yupa nodded to her, and she stared back dumbly until her brain started working.

"You speak Equestrian!" Fluttershy said back in a rush. She hid behind her mane a little after the excited outburst, but waited for an answer rather than let her flightiness take hold again. I think... I can trust him. He seems nice.

The tall stranger wrinkled his face in confusion at her question though. "Eck-west-reen? English, and some, old talk, is common not. You speak fine, I understand."

Fluttershy sat down on her haunches and frowned. The one pony... well... human, I guess, that I find that can speak some Equestrian, and it's barely any. Her shoulders sunk a little and she wilted. Don't be so cold, Fluttershy. Oh, I should find Root... I bet he's scared, and I don't want to lose my only other friend in this place. She looked up again at the stranger, waiting expectantly on her to answer.

"D-Do you, know where my friend is?" Fluttershy held a hoof beside herself at a small height, then looked up at him again.

Yupa-sama just tilted his head and scratched at his scraggly, bushy mane with one hand though. He spoke to himself again in the strange language that mirrored one of her world's own... The human was again trying to communicate with her, he was gesturing back into the tent casually.

Fluttershy wasted no time shaking her head. "N-no, thank you though, but I'm fine, I don't want to be any trouble." She gave a sheepish smile before coughing and trying to ask her prior question again. "I need to find my friend though, Root? He's a squirrel, kind of fox thing? Oh, uhm..." Improvising, she bit over her bottom lip with her teeth and held her forelegs up in the way a squirrel would while sitting upright on its haunches. To accompany the pose, she chittered briefly, charading clumsily what she hoped would get the question across.

For a moment Yupa raised an eyebrow and held his mouth open, then realization struck across his expression. "Oh!" He exclaimed in his deep voice, pounding a fist into his other hand. He chuckled some, walking away and gestured for Fluttershy to follow him. She did so, only hesitating a moment.

While Fluttershy followed him in the bright moonlight, she took note of her body's state. Her mane felt filthy and from what she could see was in and even worse state than before. In the dream, it had been its normal shiny, clean, sheening self. But that was just a dream, I guess. All she could do about her condition was wince and move on. The bandages were strange, she had never had an injury so bad she needed bandages before. It was very rare that a pony would need to wear them for that matter, even just to keep out dirt while a wound healed.

I hope my poor coat wasn't torn up too bad. Rarity will have a cow if I've let that happen. Fluttershy couldn't help but smile while thinking about her friend and spa partner. She smiled again as the tent Yupa had poked his head in suddenly opened further, and Nausicaa and Root all but sprang out.

"Fluttershy!" The little filly said with her strange accent. Root, for his part, immediately lept onto Fluttershy's back and began twirling in a tight circle.

"Everypony's okay, oh thank goodness." Fluttershy and her aching muscles melted a little at the sight of her friend and the strange acquaintance being alright. Looking up, she saw the tall stranger named Yupa smiling warmly at the three of them from under his bushy beard.

Fluttershy blinked tears back, not wanting to show emotion over making it through the day before. "Thank you." Her voice squeaked.

"You're welcome." Yupa responded curtly. He looked over to Nausicaa, and spoke a few more words for a moment. Their conversation lasted until he nodded towards Fluttershy, and stood up again.

Nausicaa grinned, and hugged Fluttershy. "Domo, Fluttershy. Yupa says, means thank you, in Eck-west-reen." The filly leaned back, still smiling.

"Oh." Fluttershy smiled in understanding. "Well, thank you, too, Nau-"

The mare was abruptly interrupted by a slicing noise.

The four assorted beings all jumped as one and looked towards where a multi-hued light filled the relative darkness with its colors. The hole that hung in the air itself and nothing else widened until it was a stride across then stopped. There was a gentle breeze that began to pick up, rushing towards the tear.

Fluttershy gasped and backed away from the mysterious phenomenon as quickly as she could, ending up behind Yupa and half stuck into Nausicaa's tent.

Nausicaa, oooed and made as if to approach it, before Yupa shouted a warning and nabbed her by the shoulder.

Root hissed at the thing, and Fluttershy's eyes remained glued to it. It looks just like everything did when I first came here. Before she knew it, she was already half way towards the mesmerizing pool of lights. The wind was growing stronger she realized. Will it take me home? Oh, I should speak to the princess again before I do anything hasty!

Fluttershy knew thanks to Luna, that she was not in Equestria any longer, or somewhere remote in the world as she had thought. She had never heard of the things she had seen, so another world besides her home made sense, she supposed. Going back through the way I came, is the risk worth it? The question she asked herself was almost made pointless when one of her front hooves slipped and she skidded closer to the opening. Her wings quickly flapped open and she ran further away again, back towards the tent.

Once further back, the wind was considerably less strong here. It was clear that it was less a wind and more like the strange portal was sucking in air around it.

Breath rapid and panicked at the close call, Fluttershy crouched low beside Yupa and traded glances with both him and Nausicaa. She didn't know what to think, she wondered what caused the thing, why it had taken her here, what would happen if she took it again. Shouldn't it put me back in the forest? Surely going in one side of a tunnel should take you to the other again... She wasn't sure at all if it worked like that, but it was a welcomed, if optimistic idea.

The two acquaintances beside her were speaking to one another, and her.

"Where is it?" The taller human asked her plainly in his strange accent.

Fluttershy looked up at Yupa with a confused look. "Do you mean 'what'?" I don't know." She shook her head and looked at the hole again. A gasp escaped her as she noticed a change in its shape. It's shrinking! The hole's edge were beginning to rescind and move back in one themselves again.

"Oh no!" Fluttershy became frantic, her breath hurried. "Root, what do I do? Oh no, that thing could lead home!" Her hooves danced on the dirt and she looked fearfully between Yupa and Nausicaa.

The filly unhelpfully hugged her, and kissed her cheek. The act made Fluttershy's heart ache. After though, Nausicaa pointed at the hole and nodded, smiling. She said something in her strange language too, to which Fluttershy responded with a simple smile, calmed in just a few short seconds by the girl.

Yupa watched the portal expectantly, the looked down to give Fluttershy an equally warm smile.

"Thank you, but I don't know if I should..." The portal was half shut now. Fluttershy's eyes went up to the taller creature again, and he nodded to her.

I guess... that settles it then. She thought it was risky, that could be the work of whoever princess Luna had said may be behind everything. Or, it could be her one chance home, to her friends.

Fluttershy hesitantly took a step towards the portal. She stopped, realizing that Root was standing beside her. "Root, where I'm going you might not be able to return here from."

The little critter turned its head slightly, then stared ahead again, taking a step closer to her.

Fluttershy sighed gratefully, then spoke in a whisper. "Thank you Root." At least I won't be alone.

As Fluttershy came closer to the portal the wind picked up again. Behind her, the calls and what she supposed were goodbyes came from the two strangers. She turned around, a little surprised, and waved them. "Uhm, goodbye!" Her other hoof took that chance to slide from under her. With a squeaky yelp, she face planted, then clumsily pitched backward into the tear.

Author's Note

Was the ending to the scene with Luna silly? Yes. Do I have regrets?

Chapter 5 : The Gentle Giant, and Noodles

Fluttershy felt no less scared her second time going through one of the mystery portals. I wonder, am I even more scared because I could have not gone in this time? I suppose it doesn't matter. She was a little thankful the portal had at least been exactly the same as the last time, so far.

Fluttershy did her best not to dwell on it. Still, at first, new thoughts had paraded through her head about what may happen, such as her disappearing forever or never escaping.

With so much time to herself—at least it seemed like a long time—Fluttershy used it to reinforce in her head that the portal had to lead somewhere. I just hope that it's home... she thought fearfully. In her heart, she knew that wherever it was taking her, eventually she would get home.

The shifting colors still made Fluttershy sick to her stomach, so her eyes kept themselves shut tight as she tumbled in the nothingness. Why does this take so long to get to wherever they’re going?... Or is it all in my head? The surroundings didn’t quite feel right to her, as if the world and all the air around her was different somehow. It somehow managed to feel thick, and not at the same time. It’s a bit like the dream with Luna, actually. I wonder, is any of this even real? The thought made her think about what real even was, which wasn't typically the sort of thing she thought about. Oh, where's Twilight when you need her? I am so... helpless.

Fluttershy sniffed and hugged Root tightly to herself, unable to speak to him in the strange place they found themselves. He was her only sure sign that real was still real, in a way.

It came suddenly, whatever forces controlling the portal stopped without any real warning. The only sign that anything had changed was the sudden sound of rain, and the feeling of a natural, cool wind.

Fluttershy opened her eyes and blinked several times; the sky was above. She felt Root, still clinging to her leg, while her body was unmistakably sprawled out on its back. The clouds overhead were grey, and rain water began to trickle and splash onto her face. She stared up a moment, mouth opening in her delirium to speak, but hesitated. Her head felt dizzy, or stuffed with hay.

She forced herself to lean up a little and look around, despite her eye's desire to shut. “I guess we’re here, Root," she mumbled weakly, her throat dry.

The fox-squirrel let go of her leg and hopped onto her stomach to look down at Fluttershy. He sneezed, then wrinkled his nose, and appeared no worse for wear from the ordeal.

Fluttershy cleared her throat to speak. "Oh my, don't catch a cold now." She managed to laugh in relief while sitting up. She was happy to be out of the portal, and made optimistic by all of the trees surrounding her. With luck, she hoped, they were a sign of home.

Root hopped from his perch atop Fluttershy, then ran in a double circle around her, before stopping to sit and wait nearby.

More relief washed over Fluttershy at seeing his spirited condition. Her smile lasted until realization crept in that it was raining very heavily. Both her own fur and Root's were quickly becoming matted and sopping wet.

"It's raining, of course, and night time, too." Fluttershy made a cross between a whimper and a groan. Her hooves took her as far as a thicker part of the forest canopy before she stopped again, looking around.

"But did I make it back?" Fluttershy wondered aloud. She got no answer from anypony while looking around at her surroundings. "Wait here, Root." She took a couple of deep breaths and shot up into the air, the rain and wind was working against her wings, but she held her upwards course.

Fluttershy breached the leaves and branches, shooting up above the forest gracefully. She hung there, flapping just hard enough to stay aloft, her eyes taking in everything they could. I don't recognize these trees. The stars weren't out, it was too cloudy. The clouds seemed wrong, too. This doesn’t look familiar at all... In the distance were buildings, but they looked like none she had ever seen before, either. Things aren't looking very... good.

Fluttershy spun once more in the air, carefully searching the sky and land around her, hoping to see a pegasus, or even a dragon. Something familiar would be fine, anything. As she scanned, she noticed both the weather and nature felt different. For instance the clouds here were incredibly high up.

A pegasus was in tune with nature and Harmony, even one that wasn't expressly talented with it like her. Still, it wouldn't take a pegasus to recognize how much colder the rain was than back in Ponyville. Or anywhere, for that matter, she imagined.

Fluttershy realized the feeling of oddness she had noticed was familiar. This new place felt like the world she had left behind.

Despairingly, she lowered herself from the sky and spiraled back down towards her friend. At least this place has clouds. And water. And no humans... Her hooves landed on the forest ground with a muddy splash.

Fluttershy panted, not tired, but anxious. She spoke quickly to Root, already galloping in a random direction. “We should get out of this rain. Follow me, stay close, now.”

The little critter turned his head chittering, and followed after the pony into the forest.

At first, Fluttershy galloped quickly to find cover from the weather. With the weight of the situation bearing down on her as it was, though, it quickly became a trot, then a slow walk as she searched. The thought to merely fly somewhere came to her, perhaps even above the clouds, high up though they were, but down here underneath the trees was better than soaring through a downpour. She continued on, but so far there was just forest.

Soon, Fluttershy came to a strange, black road that had to be some sure sign of civilization. The oddness of it raised doubts in her gut though. I've never seen a road like this before. Her hoof poked it gingerly once, and then she settled into walking along its side, hoping to find somepony. I don't think this is Equestria.. She looked down sadly at Root, doubt and fear edging her mind.

The soles of Fluttershy's hooves clopped loudly on the bizarre ground. It was unlike anything she had ever felt before. The surface was hard, black colored, and had seemed to be smooth rock at first, but further examination during her trek revealed tiny rocks embedded into it. Though strange, it was hardly the most noteworthy thing she had recently come across.

Fluttershy stopped when the she finally spotted something, it was an odd little building beside the road. She stared at it in a daze, until movement from Root towards it formed a thought for her. At least it’s some kind of shelter. Slowly she began walking again.

Deciding it was their best and only shot to get out of the rain anyway, Fluttershy weakly clambered up the single wooden step into the shack's open faced cover. She sighed in relief when the water that had only moments ago been soaking her, was stopped.

Fluttershy collapsed onto the wooden floor of the odd building and let out a deep breath. “Root, I can’t keep this up,” she muttered to the squirrel-like creature.

Root replied with a long stare, then a harsh nuzzle and several chirps of noise, then another stare.

Fluttershy smiled weakly before answering her friend. “Thank you. I didn’t mean it. I'm just tired...” Her wings flapped up behind her. One of them began nudging the little guy closer, until she could wrap its feathers around him. Root rolled onto his side and folded his paws up against Fluttershy.

The two stayed huddled together in the odd, open faced building for some time, just listening to the rain.

Fluttershy thought the building may have been a wagon stop of some sort, but it was in the middle of nowhere. It had signs all over it, but they were unreadable; the words all slashes and odd curves. Still, the shelter was the only thing keeping the rain off of them, so she forgave its oddness for that fact.

So, Fluttershy opened her eyes and stared out across the strange, black road. If this isn't Equestria either, where am I? Less importantly, she also couldn't decide on why such a building existed in a forest. I guess it doesn't matter, maybe it's to keep lost critters warm in the rain? A chill ran over her soaked fur and caused her to shiver abruptly. Well, the construction ponies did a bad job. Oh dear, that was a little harsh.

Root wiggled closer as she did so to help.

The rain pouring all around them began to come in heavier. It was so thick now that making out the trees and road in front of her was nearly impossible. She wouldn’t exactly say that she felt afraid, but being away from her friends and Equestria made it seem scarier than it should be. On top of that, even with Root beside her, there was the cold present that sank to the bone. Like the desert, the elements did not seem as forgiving as her home.

Overall, Fluttershy felt tired, bruised and utterly dispirited from her travels. Despair came from the very thought of how to even get home. She had no clue how to begin with that. Twilight would have known how to begin though, or even Spike. I'm just... useless. Her eyes shut for a moment.

“Twilight, what am I supposed to do?” Fluttershy's head picked up and she looked up to the sky, as if her friend could hear her if she tried hard enough. She didn’t wish her friends to be in her situation, stuck far from Ponyville with her, but she couldn’t help a part of her wanting it anyway.

A sigh broke Fluttershy's lips when no answer came. “I know my saying this is getting old, little guy,” she said over the rain’s ruckus, “But I just want to go home.” Root slid his head over the boards of the floor to look at her.

Fluttershy put her head down again, lowering it onto her muddy fore hooves defeatedly. “Maybe I should stop thinking about them altogether.” She sniffled just thinking that, but the more she remembered her home the sadder she became.

For a long while, the pegasus mare was content to simply stare at the rain. Her breathing slowed with each successive minute that past by. Despite everything, her exhaustion was winning out over her fear. How long had I slept before? Oh well, maybe when I... I wake up, the sun will be out... There was a pinching sensation beside her. Looking over, she noticed that Root was trying to get her attention.

“Ow, please stop that, Root… I'm trying to rest, we should move again when the rain stops.” Fluttershy sighed when the squirrel creature stopped biting her and then looked off into the distance. He began again right after though. Unable to ignore it, she turned her head to face him fully. “What is it little one?” She looked up and gasped aloud, eyes widening to their fullest.

Standing next to their shelter from the rain, was a tall, dark brown shape.

Fluttershy wasn’t sure if the new creature heard her, but it didn't acknowledge that it had. Oh my, is that a bear? She studied it and decided it was bigger than any bear she had ever seen. No, I don’t think it is a bear. The closest thing she could recall from memory about this new encounter was an ursa minor, but that wasn’t quite right either.

Fluttershy watched the silent bulky figure warily. It stood on two legs, and was easily five times taller than her. The rain made it difficult to make out the finer details, but she clearly saw bear like claws for hands on each side. It was also extremely fluffy looking.

Had Fluttershy not been so frightened by the surprise, and it wasn't raining, she might have ran forward just for a warm hug right then and to say hello. The urge was suppressed though, as beleaguered as she was, she wasn’t above manners. Not only that, but the stranger was a little intimidating.

Just as Fluttershy had been doing only moments ago, the new creature simply stared straight ahead and out across the rain pelted road. How the bear-like thing had snuck up on them without her noticing was anypony’s guess; she certainly had no idea.

At that moment Root—who had also been eying the new creature curiously—rose from under Fluttershy's wing and moved towards it, out into the rain.

Fluttershy watched, holding herself back at first, then reached out with one leg to stop him. He was already too far out of her reach though. The memory of the creatures from before resurfaced in her mind. Oh no, Root, no! Without a second thought, she sprang forward after him, then just as quickly stiffened up and halted in her tracks. Root also froze, just in front of her.

The massive creature had turned to look down at them both.

The pony stood next to the fox-squirrel in the downpour, rain slicking her hair back down against her side. They stared up together dumbly at the thing that now met their eyes with its own. And in one claw, it held an umbrella.

It’s a cat. That was the first thought that sprang to mind when Fluttershy saw it from this angle. A cat with the body of a bear that might also be a cat, maybe? Her thoughts were a little jumbled in her panicked state, as if Pinkie Pie had helped come up with them.

After the awkward pause in which the three stood staring at one another in the rain, the creature opened its mouth and did something that would very much qualify to be one of Rarity’s “worst possible thing’s”. It began bellowing, with a very boisterous, ear splitting and unintelligible voice. It was deep and rumbling. Wind and rain poured over the two slighter figures standing before it.

Root quickly wheeled about and began hiding quite snugly between Fluttershy’s legs and hooves, while she herself was still standing still as a statue on the ground where she’d started.

When the creature stopped yelling, its cave of a mouth closed, and it looked back down at them to smile cheerfully.

While its eyes looked vacant, Fluttershy could still see some emotion, and most of that seemed to be extreme happiness. As another long pause began to form, she decided to try speaking with it, since it just seemed incredibly odd to her by now, not dangerous, maybe. That and all the creature did was stare at her.

“Um,” The pony’s voice quivered, but she forced herself to keep going, “I don’t suppose you speak Equestrian?” She asked in a hopeful tone with a nervous grin.

The new creature blinked a few times and then smiled even wider, but it did not respond in any language or gesture beyond the corners of its mouth turning up.

Fluttershy did not know why, considering the grin it wore was very creepy, but the creature itself did not creep her out in the slightest. “Well, I’m Fluttershy and this is Root.” She gestured to both of them with a hoof, and the large creature nodded in return. “Um, oh why am I even asking?...” She bit her lip and wondered deep down if it was even worth the effort or energy to try talking to another alien creature. But, Root had helped before, so why not him? If it is a him... “Do you perhaps know of any way I can get home? I need some help to get back to Equestria...to my home? Please?” At this point she felt ashamed for feeling so desperate, but she was out of ideas and at the very least the creature might understand the word help.

A little surprisingly, the large cat bear responded right away. The creature looked up from Fluttershy and narrowed its eyes, then let out a large sigh. It inhaled another breath after, then bellowed with a deep, resonant voice the same way it had before, but this time out into the forest. Wind began to pick up with every second that the large cat’s mouth stayed open.

Fluttershy did her best to keep Root from darting away, which was made a little difficult as her eyes were closed the entire time. She was starting to assume that all this intelligent animal could do, was scream. Which considering the size of its mouth would make sense. She thought, wincing and holding her ears down to defend from the onslaught. Oh dear, why can't I run into a quiet giant animal? Her ears poked up when the experience ended.

As mysteriously as the wind had been summoned, it vanished, along with the noise. It left behind a light of some sort that crept into Fluttershy’s tightly clenched eyelids. When her trembling stopped, she looked up and was at a complete loss for what she saw.

There on the black topped road, lay a gigantic cat. It almost looked constructed through the eyes of a filly’s imagination. On top of its head contained two sets of lights shaped like rats, and flanking each of its sides were six legs, totaling in twelve.

Fluttershy decided then and there that she did not want to know if those were real or not. I am starting to think this entire place is filled with nothing but awkward looking giant kitties. Other than that, her mind was at a loss. She inspected the newer creature further and saw it had places and seats for someone to sit down, where its insides should have gone. It wasn’t a dream, she knew that much, but the massive cat made her doubt that belief.

The cat craned its neck while Fluttershy watched on, and spotted the other bear-like cat, all the while wearing a wild looking grin of its own.

Fluttershy managed to look away long enough to make sure Root was still with her, sure enough he was huddled where she’d last felt him. She realized she felt more confused than scared now. I really don’t know what’s going on at all. The inner declaration of cluelessness was all she could manage in spite of recent events.

Looking up, Fluttershy watched the strangest greeting ritual she had ever seen before unfold.

The bear cat screamed at the...hollowed out cat, and the lights on top of it started flickering for a moment. Next, a sign plastered between the rat eyes—which was written in that strange language from the shack building—began switching until finally it settled on “役立つ”.

The hollowed out cat-like thing then spoke. “Yakudatsu!” It screamed with a happy voice.

Fluttershy jumped at the sudden sound of a language that was something other than an indiscernible yell. Her hooves began to move backwards, and she was dragging Root back cradled in one foreleg as she did so.

The bear-cat then looked down to Fluttershy and grinned widely again, so widely this time in fact, that its mouth was the size of her own body two times over.

Fluttershy replied hurriedly, unsure if she should stick around. “Um, I’m terribly sorry, but I can’t understand or read that...”

The bear creature blinked in confusion at her, but the bigger twelve-legged cat thing in the road was not having it. Its sign switched slowly and showed something in perfect Equestrian that said “Help”.

“Help!” The cat like thing spoke out. Fluttershy figured that’s what a cat would sound like if it could speak Equestrian, almost whiney, but not quite annoying.

The pegasus mare felt conflicted. Already through their travels she and Root had gotten into loads of trouble by simply being near strangers, and now the strangest looking creature yet, a cat-thing of questionable origin, had shown up offering to take her to help. It simply made no sense, even Discord would be scratching his head.

Fluttershy looked down to Root who offered no help in her choice to enter the strange, very fluffy looking creature. Her decision was almost made for her as an open window in the fluffy creature opened up wide for them to step in. She gulped and looked to the bear thing. It was still smiling wide at her, the same as the cat she was about to step into.

“Okay,” Fluttershy murmured uneasily. “Just please don’t eat me, Mr. Kitty...” She nervously stepped inside, and was surprised to find that the entire thing almost looked like a carriage composed out of bunny and cat hair. Her hooves carried her to one seat and she awkwardly laid down on the plush surface, the creature’s insides furrowed around her in a comforting motion. Strangely, it smelled just like opalescence, not at all anything offensive.

“HELP!” It called out again suddenly, and in an instant Fluttershy regretted ever setting hoof inside.

The cat faced bear-thing out the window waved, then trees started to morph into blurs as the massive cat that Fluttershy rode inside of exploded forward into motion.

Fluttershy's eyes widened from the sudden burst into motion and cried out. "UHWAAAAH!-" Her scream lasted until she had to stop for breath, while the cat-bus continued to quickly pick up even more speed. Both Root and Fluttershy were pressed back into the plush seat as the trees and forest blurred past them. She looked frantically out of the windows on either side in her newly achieved state of panic.

Fluttershy’s nerves were on edge as every fiber of her being told her to run somehow or fly away, but the cat would have none of that as it soared up into the sky itself. They were airborne suddenly, climbing above the tree tops at speeds that Rainbow Dash flew with.

This was a mistake, this was a mistake! Fluttershy looked down at Root, whose ears were laid back and eyes were shut tight. The pegasus was hoping upon hope already that this cat meant well, and that it was in fact helping her and not trying to eat her or something worse. Where exactly is it taking us!?- Her thoughts were cut short as the cat suddenly jerked to one side, pressing her muzzle solidly against the side of the seat she was in. Luckily it was still quite soft.

Up ahead of her, the cat yowled as if to apologize.

Oh, when will this end? Fluttershy lamented, crawling back to the center of the seat.

After ten minutes of being swayed back and forth, Fluttershy decided she had endured enough.

“Stop now! Uhm, please!? Please stop!” She called out twice, the second time more frantic, she was feeling sick and her body simply couldn't take it anymore. It was anypony's guess what Root was feeling.

After several seconds Fluttershy heard the cat thing call out, “FULL STOP!” And it did just that, somehow she was able to stay in her seat when it did, by splaying out all four of her legs against the back of the seat in front of her.

Fluttershy continued to pant for several seconds after the abrupt end to the breakneck speed. In an effort to calm down, she wrapped herself in her own wings. After a moment of sitting there on the chair, just the sound of her chattering teeth and Root for company, the doorway from before opened up. The cat yowled again, as if to motion for her that she could in fact now leave.

Reluctantly, Fluttershy poked her head out into the isle and peered out of the door. Her hooves shakily plodded down onto the ground, and with Root in tow she took careful steps out of the giant cat-bus. "Th-thank you." She stuttered, almost having to hold a hoof up to her muzzle in order to quell the urge to sick up.

The two misplaced beings looked around and spotted a rather large looking building, a mansion of some kind made out of bricks and stone where they had stopped. While it was still raining out, the place looked deserted, but not unfriendly.

Fluttershy recognized right away that it couldn’t possibly be a home for ponies. She turned around and looked defeatedly at the massive cat, which grinned back at her just as happily as it had when she had met it. "U-uhm, I don't understand."

"HELP!" It shouted again, closing its eyes and widening its grin.

Fluttershy tilted her head and depend her frown, thinking of what else she could do, but the cat began to step away. "Wha- Wait!" It took a mighty leap away, then dashed off into the night without another single word. Fluttershy tried to call it back, but the creature was already gone. "Oh..." She was left standing there in the dark, in the rain, with just Root for company once again.

Turning around, Fluttershy looked up towards the looming building that she had been brought to. Help.... She swept what she could see with her tired eyes, and took a couple steps towards it. The hesitance to explore the grounds of the mansion desperately beat against her will, but it was raining hard enough that she had to forfeit the reluctance. Sighing, her hooves broke into a dash for the front door abruptly, Root scampering to keep up behind her.

Fluttershy stopped at, then hesitated again before the...human sized door, then knocked.

The rain continued to pelt her back and neck, Root stood underneath her, sheltered somewhat from the rain. They continued to wait outside.

"Well, at least you're sort of out of the rain, Root." Fluttershy managed a giggle down at her friend, then sighed.

After several minutes of waiting and more knocking, there was still no answer. Fluttershy finally brought a hoof onto the door and frowned when it would not budge. There were two door knobs at head level with her, she mentally scolded herself for considering just going in...but decided that she could ask for forgiveness. Surely they'll understand, this weather is horrible.

After giving the door's knob a turn, it opened easily, and was not locked. The two castaways dashed inside and shut the door. The inside was just as dark as it was outside, or darker.

Fluttershy took a few seconds to dry her coat off somewhat, shaking a few times. I don't like that it has to be so dark in the one place that's warm for us. "Hello!?" she called out.

Her bearing steadied after getting the wet out of her eyes. From what she could see, the front of the house had a long stretched hallway with various paintings and pictures on the walls that depicted more humans. She stared at the framed photographs. I guess that confirms it, I'm not home yet. This must be the same place too, if there are humans. The thought seemed accurate enough, but she supposed she wouldn't know for sure unless she met somepony else that would somehow know.

A weary sigh escaped Fluttershy while she looked up at the portraits in the dim light. After trotting past them, she and Root rounded a corner to their right. They entered the next room slowly, taking in the details of the darkened furniture and various wood fixtures.

Fluttershy froze along with Root when she heard a loud noise, and saw something move.

“What was that!? Root?” Fluttershy asked out of panic. She would have felt silly forgetting he couldn't answer her, were she not gripped with fear. Her eyes looked down to see if maybe he was nodding or something, only he wasn't there.

"Root!?" Fluttershy called out frantically. After looking all around the darkened room, she spotted him by a window.

The fox-squirrel was inspecting a crack in the walls just in front of them.

"Oh, phew, there you are- What are you doing?" Fluttershy looked around again, fearful still of what she may have just seen.

Meanwhile, the squirrel’s nose slowly edged its way into the crack.

A moment later and just as Fluttershy looked back, a flurry of tiny, black critters sprang out of the crack at a speed that would make the Wonderbolts seem sluggish. They all found another crack higher above and hid inside, leaving a shocked squirrel and pegasus to stare at the wall.

"Uhm." Fluttershy had been so taken by surprise that she hadn't even developed a reaction until they were already gone again. "O-okay, then." She decided right then that messing with those creatures was a very bad idea, so she coughed to break Root out of his own trance. “Why don’t we go find some food, Root... maybe?”

The squirrel hissed at the crack and swiftly jumped back to Fluttershy’s side.

Taking that as the sign for, let’s go get some food, Fluttershy started walking away. She took a few steps and on the way she saw those black creatures return several times, but never once did they seem to come closer to her. Twice, she warily watched where she saw them, but they only seemed to react when she got closer to them, not the other way around. She was getting nervous, and decided to have faith that this place was safe.

The cat-bus took me somewhere that would 'help', after all. It had seemed like a very friendly... cat... thing.

Fluttershy's wandering took her into a room that looked familiar. “This looks like a kitchen... I hope.” To her, it looked like an eating area for Minotaurs or something, she had a feeling it was for humans though. I don't think I'm in a hurry to see those again...

The tables and chairs were certainly not made for ponies and were much taller than furniture she herself owned.

Fluttershy found a pantry and nudged it open with her nose, inside there was food, just none she recognized. She didn't particularly want to, but she started sifting through metal cans and cardboard boxes, most of which did not have pictures on them. “Oh, I hope this isn't stealing.” It was, but the growling in her stomach reminded her she hadn't eaten for perhaps more than a day; there was no telling how long she had been in the portal.

Sighing, Fluttershy poked her head up and listened to the rainfall outside. It was still going. I should just go outside and find some flowers, or just grass. Anything is fine after- Her stomach chose then to growl ferociously at her, enough that she yelped and flinched inwardly. After she realized it was just her taciturn tummy, she straightened and frowned down at the cupboard again. M-maybe I can pay them back... or at least leave a note.

Fluttershy sank onto her haunches again and picked up the least expensive looking container. “Are these noodles?” The box she came upon had a picture of cooked noodles on them, or so she assumed. She smiled and looked back at the kitchen and spotted a stove top. After fluttering up to the counter for a better view, it looked to her to be very simple to use.

Fluttershy studied the little knobs a moment. "Oooh, I see." Her hoof clicked on one of the burners and it lit up, just like her own would do in Ponyville, despite how different this one looked and sounded. The fire had a hissing noise beneath it when she listened closely. It seemed quite different from the appliances she knew of, but fundamentally worked the same.

Sighing, Fluttershy shut the flame off again and her eyes readjusted in the dim light offered from the nearby window. She looked over at it sadly. I wonder what time it is back home? A shadow flashed in the corner of her eye. "Hm?"

Creatures had filled the room while she wasn't looking, the strange, black things that had scurried about the house. Each and every crack in the kitchen started filling up with them. Root was hissing from where he'd curled up on the floor to wait.

Fluttershy didn't know how to react, just as before, but her body stiffened up instinctively and her hooves clacked back onto the tile floor. A squeak fought to escape her lips, but it was only just held back from escaping. After several panting breaths, and no movement from around her, she found her voice. “Root what do we do?!”

What would Twilight do?! Fluttershy thought a moment and didn't come up with anything she found immediately helpful. Probably use magic, oh, but I can't use magic!

Fluttershy took a step back. What would Rarity do? Oh, probably faint... That wasn't helpful either, she decided.

Fluttershy took another step back, this time, her flank bumped into a cabinet behind her. Applejack!? Well, she would probably buck at them... She groaned, knowing full well her kick wasn’t exactly the strongest. Rainbow Dash? Oh, she would just scare em off... I could try that? The thought did a poor job of convincing her she could. Opening her mouth to give something to that effect a shot, just let out a squeak.

This was it for her, Fluttershy decided. These black creatures were going to close in at any second and do her in, she could feel it. She had no escape, no friends, no Elements of Harmony, or any other tools to stop them. Even the windows were covered by the black things. She huddled down and shivered, awaiting the end while the teeming mass of twitching black hung around her.

Then, a memory flashed in her mind's eye.

Don’t let those nasty things scare you! You just gotta laugh at 'em silly! Pinkie Pie flashed through Fluttershy's head. Every time they had encountered something scary, Pinkie had laughed at it.

“Laugh?” Fluttershy said under her breath to herself. I'm not sure if it makes sense to laugh in this situation, but then when did Pinkie ever make sense...? Something inside her said that the creatures certainly looked funny enough, frightening though their numbers were. She giggled a bit, feeling silly for doing that at a time like this, but tried to giggle louder.

Amazingly, the creatures all stopped at once, and then in synchronized unison paused, backing away slowly.

Fluttershy watched from the crack between her front hooves at what had happened. Of all the times for Pinkie to make sense... She cleared her throat and started laughing as loud as she could, which wasn't very loud, as well as raspy. Some of it was even starting to scare Root, but she huffed each time adding in forced bits of laughter and giggling.

The creatures paused again, shivering amongst all the random surfaces of the kitchen, then left right away, flying off into the windows and cracks around the house. Little motes of dust and shoot fell behind in their wake. It only took a second for them all to zip into hiding.

Fluttershy's laughter stopped and she felt at ease to watch them flee into the night. They quickly faded as if the shadows themselves were absorbing them. Her mouth hung a little open in amazement, shocked from having just escaped certain death, or... whatever it was the soot things did, and all through laughter.

Fluttershy looked down to Root. “Well that was strange...” Her hoof pawed nervously at the ground, while she was completely unsure of what to make of the event. An odd seeming idea came to her. I do hope this wasn't their home... Somehow, she doubted that last thought.

Left with little else to do, Fluttershy opened the strange bag of noodles, and with some scrounged kitchen ware, attempted to make some of the food she hoped wasn't too expensive. In the kitchen window, the sun slowly began to raise.

Author's Note

This chapter was written by Cold Spike and then edited by myself! A great big thankies to him for helping lessen my workload. :twilightsmile:

Some nice little art here by Conicer. He made this one unrelated to this tale, but it was very appropriate. ^^ Thanks to him as always for being so great at his craft.

Chapter 6 : Totoro

Fluttershy sat in the warm sun on the porch of the strange abode, looking out into the trees with a distant expression. The night before she had spoken to Luna again, which was nice, but without any news of a way home it had been bittersweet. Telling the equine royalty about where she was now, some new world by the looks of it, had at least kept the dream from being awkward.

There had been a greater concern than sharing where she was now that had commanded the atmosphere of the dream she shared with Luna, several in fact. Chief amongst those, to Fluttershy at least, was that Applejack and Rainbow Dash had apparently gone looking for Twilight back home, something Luna had been reluctant to share. Getting the princess to inform her of the state of her friends had only been a few 'pleases' away from Fluttershy, though.

The other, and perhaps more distressing question that had been asked, was where Fluttershy had even been the last week. According to Luna, Fluttershy had been absent from Equestria for over two weeks now, but to her it seemed as if merely a few days had passed. The princess was convinced that the manner in which she had been taken from Equestria, and subsequently the desert world, may tamper with time itself. Or, that maybe it just took a long time to work—whatever it was that was happening.

For the time being, Fluttershy distracted herself from it all by thinking about Luna, and how she thought of the only other pony that she could talk to, period. After all, it wasn't often somepony received an audience with royalty every single night, even an Element of Harmony.

With little else to do on the sunny country home's porch, she had been thinking about Luna for some time.

It was Nightmare Night at the time though, and she did have her strange new mane, like Celestia's... Oh, I should apologize about behaving like that to her. I still haven't yet, have I? Oh, that was months ago, as well. Good going Fluttershy... and I guess that's just an excuse, too. Fluttershy sighed, ruffling her wings behind herself for the hundredth time that day while trying to pass the time. Reflecting was all she could do, really, other than go out and explore for look help. For her, the latter of those options was not an appealing thought. Her eyes traced the wood-line all the way to the strange road that passed for what seemed to be the primary way 'humans' got around.

Earlier, once the sun had risen, Fluttershy had gotten a look at what seemed to be very sleek looking versions of the magic driven carts and wagons that were used infrequently around Equestria. Mostly unicorns used them since they took a bit of magic on the go to work right.

Seeing those human contraptions gave Fluttershy some small hope that maybe, just maybe, she could convince somepony to use magic to get her home. It was a long shot, but Luna had told her of Rarity's and Pinkie's plan, that a man named Abhorsen was looking into ways to help their efforts. So, it seemed a little plausible that help may exist somewhere.

Another one of the loud cart things chose then to rumble by, drawing the attention of Fluttershy's sensitive ears. She stared as it drove by with a worried expression, hoping that it never stopped.

Beside Fluttershy, Root let out a growl that continued until it drove around the next bend. While meeting the strange beings may produce some results, or a way home, all she could think of was how frightening they and the other monsters of this world could be. Root nuzzled the pony's foreleg, reminding her that at least not everything was out to scare her.

The other creatures from the night before were quite friendly, too. Fluttershy reflected, then pictured the strange cat-bear and the even stranger cat-vehicle, both of which had ended up helping her the prior night. After that, she recalled that they were also long gone, not that she had been able to understand them in the first place. In a moment of defeat, she groaned and flopped over onto her side.

Fluttershy's flowing pink mane drifted slowly after her, obscuring her face entirely when it finally came to rest. She studied the pink strands that curved out, still bouncy enough to stay presentable despite being soaked by the rain. If Rarity were here, she would be having a fit over how nice my mane still looks.

The times when Rarity's mane would get wet and require hours of fixing to regain its own poofiness were many. Fluttershy never said anything about, figuring it wouldn't be nice if she did, but always enjoyed helping Rarity fix her hair after just such an event. That had been what started their going to the spa together, especially after adventurous outings to save Equestria.

I haven't had the chance to help Rarity fix her mane in a while, actually, now that I think about it. Fluttershy brushed a hoof under the hair, holding it up slightly before letting it fall again. I hope I get another chance to... She quelled the dour thoughts hastily.

Overhead, the sun peeked through narrow openings, giving her small glimpses of the grassy yard and field flowers.

Root's face suddenly poked in at her, nosing up under her thick mane.

Fluttershy giggled at him, but didn't move otherwise. "Hehe, hi there," she whispered, then moved her nearest foreleg to pet her little friend's side and relaxed more.

In return, the squirrel creature turned his head, like a dog might after getting a strange request for a trick. He began to paw at her front frantically, trying to get her attention.

Hm, I wonder what I should do next... the princess suggested I look for help, but... Well, I suppose that really is my only choice right this moment— Fluttershy was interrupted by Root, nipping her leg quickly.

"Ouch!" Fluttershy sat up and held the injured leg up to her barrel. "Root, why did you-" Her eyes tracked the animal as it spun in a tight circle then looked out into the field. She immediately looked up at the meadow of flowers and tall grass, following her friend's gaze. She asked in a strangled voice, "Is something there?"

Root rumbled a growl from deep in his throat.

Fluttershy gulped, rose up, but held her head low. She was ready to take flight, or hide, at a moments notice. For now though, she couldn't find the will to do either. "Root, w-w-what is it?" Her voice quavered out, even knowing she couldn't understand anything the little guy said.

There was a rustle in a nearby bush suddenly, the leaves trembling from some unseen force.

Fluttershy gasped, her wings flaring out behind herself and her eyes trying to look at both the bush and her little friend at once. Normally, nothing like this would scare her quite so much. Once she had taken care of animals for a few years, it became clear to her that most shaking bushes were caused by beavers.

Here though... images of the fighting, violence, and danger from the day before revisited her mind. The picture of all those humans fighting each other was—

Without warning, Root dove towards the bush in a flash of movement.

"Wait!" By the time Fluttershy called out, he was already entering the wild plant cover. Both of the pony's hooves covered her mouth to muffle a squeak of terror. She watched in helplessness at what could be unfolding before her. "Oh dear sweet Celestia, Root!"

Fluttershy soared across the ground, clipping the blades of grass just barely with her wings as she flew full force into the bushes.

Once in the thicket, Fluttershy cried out.

"Oh dear." As a result of her act of hurried aerobatics, Fluttershy's wings had become entangled in the thick underbrush, which were an odd combination of small, thin branches and thick vines. They held her about a stride off the ground, whereupon looking down she saw her clueless appearing friend, Root, staring up at her. "Oh, you're alright, thank goodness." She sighed and relaxed, still hanging above the ground.

Root's nose wrinkled as he watched his strange pony friend.

"Uhm, well this is embarrassing..." Fluttershy struggled briefly where she hung, thoroughly entangled in the plants embrace. "I don't suppose, uhm, if it's not any trouble, Root, but could you help me get down?" She gave the little squirrel creature a sheepish grin through the foliage... then gasped quietly.

On the forest floor Root still stared up at her, now with a confused appearing look, while behind him stood two strange little beings. They both looked like much, much smaller version of the bear-cat from the night before. The two creatures waddled up and stood still behind her friend, watching her with wide, interested eyes.

"Uh, ah, uhm, R-Root, behind you!" Fluttershy tried to stretch out and point a hoof, but the vines held her fast. "Oh dear."

Root did turn around, however, he saw nothing. Turning around once again, he blew air out of his nostrils, then began jumping nimbly up through the leaves towards his silly winged friend.

"Do- Do you think they're okay then?" Fluttershy didn't understand her friend's reaction, but continued to watch the two new creatures that sat happily, continuing to watch her. She could see that the slightly bigger one had an overly large sack over its shoulder. After it set it down, a couple acorns dribbled out of the top.

Meanwhile, after a few tactical nibbles, Root was able to free Fluttershy enough that she clumsily began to fall through the embrace of the entangling vines.

"Eep!" Fluttershy watched as the ground slowly came up to meet her while she crashed through the undergrowth, letting out an oof after her rough landing. "T-Thanks Root." She craned her head around shakily, smiling up at her friend that still watched her from high above. Once faced forward again, she jumped, surprised to see the little bear-cats were still there. "Oh!"

The two little guys jumped as well, holding one another, before scurrying back a few paces.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to surprise you." Fluttershy sat up, and quickly calmed her features to a soothing expression, something she had perfected from long years of caring for animals and her friends. "I'm Fluttershy, who are you two little fellas?" She slowly reached a hoof out to them as a gesture of friendliness.

The larger of the little bear-cats peeked at the other, then walked forward until it reach her hoof. It studied it for a moment, then poked it.

Fluttershy giggled and pet his head before he could back away. The creature inched away, then stood its ground and closed its eyes in a pleased way. "Aw, you're just adorable." Beside Fluttershy, Root growled again, causing the pony to look over at him, and the two new creatures to scurry a little ways away. Quickly though, they returned and stood next to the pony's leg.

Fluttershy watched Root, and was about to chastise him, but noticed something peculiar. He wasn't looking straight at them. She looked from her older friend, to her two news ones with a thoughtful expression. The squirrel creature was sniffing the spot they had been, but cast his head all around as if looking for something.

"Root, can you not see them? They're right here." Fluttershy sat down, and pointed her muzzle at the strange little guys, who both began shaking their heads at her furiously.

Meanwhile, the squirrel glanced at the spot where she looked, then began sniffing the area again hurriedly.

Both of the creatures let out a sigh of relief. The taller looked up at Fluttershy, and without any fanfare whatsoever, vanished into thin-air from her sight, while the smaller of the two remained.

Fluttershy blinked in disbelief at the empty spot, and with just as little flare, the bigger of the two little guys reappeared.

"Ooooh," Fluttershy realized in wonderment, "I understand, I guess I can only see you when you want me to." She giggled and rubbed her hoof against the little guy's cheek again, to which it rubbed back. "So that means you like me. Well, I like you, too." The strange creature blinked up at her with its odd wide eyes, but rubbed back at her limb with what appeared to be a content look afterward. "I don't suppose you little guys can talk, can you?"

At this, the slightly larger furry critter looked up at her, then traded a glance with its friend. Then it shrugged.

"I see." Fluttershy didn't know what exactly that meant, but she felt that had been a good answer anyway. "Well, if you know anything about Equestria or how to get there, please come and tell me, won't you? I'm not sure if I'll be staying here long, but that's the one thing I need help with, if you would be so kind." She pet the creature's head again, wondering over its odd powers, then turned to go, her pink tail dragging behind her.

Fluttershy heaved a sigh and stared out across the crystal clear waters stretching towards the horizon. She had flown high up into the sky, intent on exploring, finding help, or maybe making contact with a human that didn't look so scary... But in the end she had spotted the ocean, and landed on a cliff to watch the waves ripple out in front of her.

It wasn't productive, but it was peaceful. Fluttershy was beginning to lean towards procrastinating things until she could speak to Luna about it again. Maybe if I... Maybe I'll feel better about it if she tells me everything will be alright. A realization came to her, and she groaned in dismay where she sat, not moving.

Root looked up at her from where lay on a rock, bathing in the sun and enjoying the wind.

Fluttershy caught the movement in the corner of one of her large, cyan tinted eyes. "It's nothing, Root." She stared back out at the ocean, fighting her moment of introspection. Nothing but me being helpless... leaning on others, and not being able to stand on my own. When I'm with my friends, I'm always the last one to act. Even now, and it's always been like that with me. Frustrated, she groaned and shook her head, tossing the pink mane hanging at her side to and fro.

No, that's not true, I'm not doing that. I am on my own right now, after all. Her front hooves dug a little at the slate-stone beneath her. Oh golly, I'm angry... But why? I never get angry. It was her rarest emotion.

Out in the bay, a human vessel creeped along. Around its massive, tall frame flew hundreds of white gulls and other birds. Fluttershy sort of wanted to join them for a peaceful glide, but held back, sticking to her thoughts instead.

Why couldn't I have gone where Rarity went, or with any of the girls? Actually, why couldn't we have stayed home? And how did this really happen? The news Luna had updated her with the night prior had been a reminder of how separated they all were. Still, the greatest fear remained to be Twilight's fate, rather than her own safety or loneliness. Twilight has to be alright. She just has to be.

Fluttershy's brow furrowed sternly in determination.

The human vessel made a deep, wailing sound, like that of a great horn being blown. The birds scattered and flew away, squawking their unhappiness.

I hope Luna is wrong about somepony being responsible... Fluttershy blinked back more tears, tears that fought to come every time she got too deep in her regrets. I wonder, is this my fault? Oh, but what if ponies get hurt trying to help me. That would be... awful. I wouldn't want to be found then...

Fluttershy sighed out and tossed her head into the wind. "Don't be silly Fluttershy," she spoke to herself. She straightened and looked resolutely out over the beaches. "Nopony's going to get hurt trying to rescue you. Why?" She flared her wings and began to rise higher into the air. "Because, you're going to get yourself home, Fluttershy." Her breath exhaled slowly, until she abruptly took to the air and swooped down off the cliff.

"I'm going to find somepony I can speak to, right away." Fluttershy was angled her wings and leveled out gracefully. She was already scanning the ground for a human to try and meet with, hoping that perhaps she could find out about a way home. There was the feeling that she was forgetting something at the back of her mind however.

Fluttershy's eyes widened, and she turned around with a few mad flaps of her wings in order to go back to the tall cliff she had dove from. "Root, darnitdarnit, you forgot Root, Fluttershy."

Fluttershy and Root eyed the human mare timidly from the tree they had perched in. Well, Fluttershy did.

Root, on the other paw, watched the creature with a scathing expression. Catching onto this, the pony spoke up.

"I need their help, Root. I don't have a choice but to try and...and talk to them." Fluttershy sighed again and refocused through the branches on the strange looking creature she felt rather conflicted over. On one hoof, they had shown kindness to her, as any good pony or animal would. On the other...

Her squirrel-like friend chittered up at her, then scampered across the branches where he pointedly sat down near the trunk. He must want nothing to do with them...I don't blame him. She was getting better at interpreting him.

"Well..." Fluttershy turned from him to wearily looked at the human again, sitting idly on a park bench. She heaved a breath, trying to build up her confidence. "Wish me luck Root!" Gritting her teeth and scrunching her face up in determination, she hopped from her perch and glided down to the ground.

The human sat relaxed, reading a book of some sort and not noticing her just yet.

The wind ruffled Fluttershy's feathers as she flew down and alighted on the ground. Unable to bare looking, she squeezed her eyes closed at the last second, the moment the human gasped and looked up at her. At that point she felt she couldn't open them again. She stood there had shivered, meanwhile, the human was speaking hurriedly in what she now recognized as Neighnese.

"Uhm," Fluttershy managed to start. She cracked open her eyes slowly to squint at the human. Unfortunately they were concealed behind her mane as well. Timidly she tilted her head and looked up past her mane at they human she had chosen to try and talk to. Their eyes were glued to Fluttershy, and they held a strange, grey little box in one of their hands.

Fluttershy shrank back under their now silent gaze, but tried to work up the will to say something. Come on Fluttershy, just... just do it. "Hello?"

"Ooooh, English." The human mare began smiling and nodding, the box she held making multiple more clicking noises while she laughed. "My English, not so good."

"Uhm, Equestrian, actually." Fluttershy bit her lip after correcting the stranger, but tried to move on. Uhm, okay, now what? Shakily she stood up to her full height, which was still a fair bit shorter than the human mare. At least she wasn't as tall as Yupa-sama had been.

The mare said more of the language Fluttershy couldn't understand, and crouched down quicker then she could respond to. Her eyes shut again, then opened when she felt something stroking her mane slowly... "Oh." She stared and grinned sheepishly at the overwhelmingly happy looking human. "Uhm, thank you but, there's no need for that- uhm..." She ducked her head, backing away a little while maintaining her smile. "I-I'm afraid I dont know what kah-weigh-eee neigh is, uhm, mam. Could, or that is to say, do you know somepony that speaks Equestrian? Uhm, English?"

The stranger wore the most rapt look of fascination Fluttershy had ever seen on another being before, pony or human. Once she was done speaking, they put on a serious look and nodded, then began spiritedly... pressed its finger against the box that it held in a pattern.

Oh dear, this is going nowhere. Fluttershy thought, then sighed and sat down, slouching her shoulders. She glanced up behind herself, towards where Root sat. He was staring intently at her. Don't worry little guy. I'm a big girl, and I'm very capable of taking care of my- She jumped and let out a shriek as something poked her shoulder.

Beside Fluttershy, the human did the same, and both of them fell over onto their backsides, watching one another.

The other mare began laughing and patted a hand on her leg.

Fluttershy blinked, and slowly smiled back weakly, letting out a few giggles that grew in strength after a moment. "Y-you scared me, I'm sorry, heh."

The human waved a hand, perhaps to say 'it's okay', then stood back up. Their expression changed when they looked down at the little gray box that now lay on the ground. It was broken. The human mare let out a gasp and knelt beside the strange device.

"Ooh no." Fluttershy held a hoof up to her mouth and flew over to the human girl, who was now talking loudly to herself and throwing her arms up in the air. "I'm sorry, that was all my... fault..."

The human was making a variety of gestures, and sounded equal parts distressed and angry. She looked at the grey box, then Fluttershy, groaning and pounding her head with one hand.

Fluttershy stared in confusion while the human continued to not make anymore sense. She backed away a few steps, then backed up a couple more. Behind her in the tree she could hear Root chittering. "Well, I-I'm uhm, I... Excuse me." Her nerve broke.

Fluttershy's wings flapped as powerfully as they could and she flew up into the tree where she snagged her little friend. Behind her, the yells from the human echoed after her. She wasn't sure if they were curses, or angry, or maybe even apologies. It didn't much matter right then to her.

Fluttershy soared in silence above the trees, hugging Root in her forelegs as she always did while carrying him. His little claws dug into her, but not so much as to hurt.

I can't believe I ran away... Oh, who am I kidding, nopony but myself, that's who. Fluttershy tossed her head and snorted in frustration, earning a worried wiggle from her furry passenger. I'll just try again tomorrow. I was able to speak to the human after all. Maybe I'll have better luck... and be more careful next time. She spotted the home that she had taken shelter from the rain in and circled lower to glide into its wide yard.

The wind rushing past Fluttershy lessened until she felt able to speak over it. "I'm not sure why I came back here, Root. I guess because it's as good of a place as any." A sigh escaped her while she surveyed the house and the grass growing around it. She stuck around for a couple reasons she supposed, one, being she felt bad for foraging food from the owner's pantry. The second, because there didn't seem to be anywhere else to go.

Just before Fluttershy landed on the ground, a noise caught her attention. Her wings began flapping again, while her hooves pedaled quickly underneath herself to try and help get her back in the air. The effort turned out to be for naught as she clipped the earth and began tumbling forward in a flurry of feathers.

"AAH!" She cried out as the ground rolled in a circle around her until finally coming to a halt.

"Owow... ow, Root? Are you-?" The fox squirrel was watching her from where he sat contentedly on the grass. "Oh, thank goodness you're alright, I am too. I think..." Fluttershy winced, but managed a weak smile while she clambered back up to stand on her hooves. "I'm so sorry about that. I heard a really pretty noise, and then I saw..." Her words drifted off, catching the sound of the noise again with her ears.

Fluttershy's head craned around to look at the singular, massive tree that grew in the backyard of the house she was staying in. Although she was heavily considering sleeping outside now that the weather was nicer. What caught her eye was the site of what lay at the top of the tree.

"Look, Root." Fluttershy stared at the bear-like creature that seemed to be sitting atop the tree. The wind blew around her while she studied the silhouette. Root scurried up her side to look as well.

The pony took to the skies again, shaking off the soreness she had acquired from her rough landing. A feeling had slowly been developing in her gut over the course of the day, and it drove her to seek others; it was anxiousness. As she glided up to the trees, the strange creatures all waved at her, the largest of them grinning widely.

Surprised, Fluttershy waved back, returning the gesture. "Hello again Mr.... uhm, whoever you are." She smiled weakly and alighted on the tree's thick foliage. Strangely, it was more than enough to support her, something that came as a curiosity to the nature loving pegasus. "And hello to you as well little ones." She smiled at the little shapes besides the larger creature, both of them looking at her with the same, wide eyed stare, yet expressionless.

The smallest of the bizarre looking animals bounded towards Fluttershy after she landed, while the largest started to do what may have been a yawn, but seemed to be some sort of greeting. It exhaled a large volume of air, rustling the trees and branches all around them. The act was strangely very... calming, and earned a series of giggles from Fluttershy as she bounced on the tree's canopy.

The wind calmed, as did Fluttershy, still smiling at the fun little reception she had been given. "I never did get any of your names... I wonder if you could tell me those at least." She gave the largest of the bear-cats a questioning look, holding its grinning attention. "Fluttershy." She said, pointing to herself. "I'm Fluttershy, what's your name?" She pointed her hoof next at his chest.

The creature's eyes seemed to widen to their fullest, perhaps in recognition. It slowly smiled wider as well, its whiskers twitching, then let out what could only be described as a yawn crossed with gargling.

The noise resounded and rumbled around the pony. Fluttershy felt her mane whip behind her from the wind of the response, but thought she may have heard him say something after all. She straightened up and blinked her own widened eyes, still caught by surprise from what had happened.

"Well... it sort of sounded like you said... Totoro?" Fluttershy tilted her head and quirked one eyebrow. The creature began to grin wider at hearing this, perhaps even nodding.

Huh, well it could be their species too, Fluttershy. Either way that isn't such a strange name for... whatever it is they are. Oh- Fluttershy looked down at the smallest of the three, who was jumping up and down in front of her, and may have been trying to get her attention the entire time.

The little Totoro was holding another of the strange gourds up towards the pegasus.

Fluttershy peeked up at the other two. The poofy critters all held the strange gourds between their claws and watched her gift. As one, they hefted their own instruments, while still watching the one that had been hoofed over to her.

Fluttershy looked down at the strange item again. "You want me to..."

The strange noise again hummed through the air once again, and Fluttershy immediately recognized its beauty. Looking back up, she caught sight of two of her new acquaintances blowing into one end of their own gourds. A pleasant, echo-like sound came from the ends. The two of them blended the individual notes they made together, and formed a very placid tune and simple song.

The pony's ears twitched to the ethereal rhythm they made, it wasn't anything soul changing, but it was very nice. As she watched the others, Root bounded off of her and landed on the largest one's head, climbing around it until he ended up dashing off into the tree.

Fluttershy watched him take up a spot nearby, looking every which way at once in confusion. She giggled, holding the gourd she'd been given up to her mouth, emulating the duo beside her. The smallest Totoro began playing as well, and then she did too. It took a few tries, but she fell in tune with them, getting the hang of the simple instrument clutched between her hooves.

Overhead, the moon rose as fell, full in all of its brilliant light. Clouds passed overhead, far higher than any seen in Equestria.

Fluttershy watched the countryside through the night, simply playing a song, and sitting with a few new friends.

Author's Note

This chapter took over a month to write. I'm such a bad author. :raritydespair:

I'm so sorry Fluttershy!

So, I'll right out and say I'm trying to do some sort of super advanced character development stuff with Fluttershy? Yeah I know, kinda hard to do/risky/taboo. But there yah go, I do want a unique spin somewhat on the girls for my stories...Plus I hate just retelling things and maintaining the status quo. I like doing things different, my way, fresh.

Let me know how I do? :twilightblush:

Heh, noodles.

Chapter 7 : A Rude Awakening

"Is there anything new, Luna? Please say I can come home now." The first thing they had spoken about had not been news, as Fluttershy had hoped, but was instead a quiet hello and casual greetings, as well as asking if her friends were still alright. Still, she couldn't help but ask.

The pony princess looked sadly at the Element of Harmony.

Overhead, the calming sight of stars and celestial lights played throughout the dream quietly. The horizon and sky was not very dark, but more purple, allowing the two ponies plenty of brightness to see one another.

Luna watched her own creation with a strained looked. "I'm sorry Fluttershy, there is no progress as of yet. It is too soon though, but I promise you we will know something before long."

Fluttershy felt her wings droop to either side of herself, and turned to glance again at the door of her own cottage. She had thought the sight of her home might cheer herself up in Luna's dream world, but it did the opposite. "Alright, I understand. I'm afraid I don't have any clues yet either, not like Pinkie or Rarity..." After a tiny pause, she added, "Will they be home soon?"

Luna exhaled a breath that sounded strained, even to her. Her subject looked up from the corner of her eye. She had not yet shared the news which she bore from the other two Elements.

"They aren't? Is something wrong, Princess Luna? My friends are still alright, aren't they?" Fluttershy turned her head in a concerned manner and leaned forward, trying to meet the taller pony's gaze.

"Perhaps, Fluttershy, I don't want you to worry though. As I said already, they are fine... There were complications, that is all." Luna turned to regard her canary yellow subject with a warm smile, trying to reassure her despite her own feelings. The night had been trying thus far. Rarity and Pinkie had both told her, in an equally frantic fashion, about what had transpired for them both. Everything about it had been shocking. From the nightmares both of them had suffered right under her nose, to the violence they had faced, to the betrayal Pinkie Pie had suffered. In all, it sounded as though their tale was a difficult one. She had decided it wise to not tell the gentle pony beside her the specifics.

There was also still no word of Twilight, either, and it was now several weeks since the disappearance of the Element of Magic.

Luna did not want to accept that the worst could have happened, but she couldn't reach the unicorn in her dreams... She did away with the thought and its implications quickly, instead focusing on the oddity of all the nightmares that had begun sprouting up in Equestria and her little ponies. There must be something more to this. I am beginning to doubt very much that these events may not also be connected to these girls. She turned her head from facing Fluttershy quickly, and re-regarded the night sky. Still, it isn't just the girls that have been having nightmares of late.

"So they aren't home yet, then." Fluttershy nodded to herself in acceptance as a result of Luna's brief response, and subsequent quiet.

Luna shook her head gently, both of them still staring out at the stars. "Neigh, Fluttershy, they are not. My sister works diligently, though it has admittedly been only a few weeks. Designing spells and magic is not easy, even when it is your special talent, and we have several unicorns who do nothing but read dusty tomes all day. They toil without rest to return the three of- the four of you home."

As Luna had spoken on, her tone became less dreary, and more comforting and sweet, even over her stumble. By the time she had finished, she laid down on the grass beside beside Fluttershy, smiling warmly. As she saw it, was her duty to be there for the lost mares.

"Oh no," Fluttershy looked over at the now eye level pony. "Please don't make them work too hard, Princess. I don't want to be... a bother, b-but I do miss home."

The Element of Kindness held an unsure hoof up to her muzzle, staring uncertainly at the ground.

The Princess let out a short chime of laughter. "Oh, Fluttershy." She put a wing over the other mare. "Do not fret over others, my subject, they will be perfectly fine. Worry more for your own well-being. Still, I promise you they are not working a moment longer than they want to in order for us to get you all home. That is to say, they are working very diligently indeed. Everypony misses you, and as always, they send their regards and love."

Fluttershy smiled up at the Princess, lines of tiredness at the corners of her eyes. "I'm sure not everypony misses me, Princess. I mean, I don't even know that many ponies. I hardly know everypony in Ponyville, even."

Luna studied the her subject a moment, then turned towards the stars once more. "We couldn't keep your disappearance a secret, Fluttershy, not that we even wanted to. I thought it would be a wise choice, but Celestia chose to put out a public call in order to get all the help we could. Of course, many answered." She looked down at Fluttershy with a smirk. "I fear you will be even more of the celebrity once you return home, dear Fluttershy."

"Oh my." Fluttershy's eyes widened at hearing this, while in her head she thought, Oh no.

Fluttershy stretched and yawned, arcing her back, much in the way one of her pet cats would. "Oh, ow." A slight pain panged through her right wing. "What a great sleep," she muttered, smiling, despite the cramp she had attained. Her wing fought to straighten out while she regained her bearings.

Blinking away the sleepiness as she slowly woke up, Fluttershy spotted the impromptu pillow she had used. "Oh, pardon me—" The pony looked down at the fuzzy textured floor which she had woken up on, then recalled she had cuddled up atop Totoro himself the night before.

"He's still asleep, too. Aaw, he's just a big cutesy kitty bear, isn't he?" Another yawn cracked Fluttershy's jaw after cooing out the words.

The light from the tree grove, which was itself actually the hollow of a massive tree, played in dazzling patterns of shadow across the pony's and creature's bodies. Above them both, Root busied himself with hunting the cornucopia of bugs that infested the area. He hopped to and fro, nibbling up as many grasshoppers as he could. Tumbling along with him were the two smaller creatures that shared some of their larger counterpart's appearance.

As far as Fluttershy could see, now that they had warmed up to one another they seemed to get along just dandy.

Down below on the ground, she became equally busy running her hoof up and down the sleeping and snoring Totoro's giant tummy. "Good morning. Are you awake?" she said, holding back a giggle. The great beast began to snort, or perhaps laugh in his sleep every few breaths from the treatment.

Fluttershy suppressed a giggle and stopped, not wanting to disturb him too much. He looked very peaceful after all. "You would be right at home in Ponyville." She sighed, then looked around her pleasant surroundings, tail swishing absently. "Well, I'm still here, and no closer to getting home... I guess I'll— Eep!"

All of a sudden the furry critter she was sitting atop began heaving, the sound of what might just be raucous, out of control laughter making its way out of Totoro. It was difficult to tell at first just what he was doing.

Fluttershy took to the sky, fluttering over him, an understanding of the reaction dawning on her after studying the strange creature for a moment. "Oh— Oh dear, I'm sorry, I was tickling you wasn't I?"

On the floor of flora, Totoro cracked an eye open to regard Fluttershy, now that he had finished laughing. He opened his mouth next, slowly at first, and then entirely widened it into the great chasm it could somehow manage to become. An air-rumbling yawn escaped him, stirring up a breeze in the grove and whipping the Fluttershy's mane.

Fluttershy giggled from the strange ability, while her mind still hovered around her lack of progress or clues. I wonder, is that magic? The strange cat-bus creature seemed magical, and they are both friends. Despite the comfort she was in and the smile on her muzzle, she clung firmly onto figuring out a way to get home. I would need a way to understand them and talk with them though... and then there's the humans.

Totoro finished his yawning, and stared up at her placidly from his back with the two enormous eyes he sported.

Fluttershy sank from the air, flittering down to come to rest once more on Totoro. "Well, I guess you understand me just fine, huh?"

Totoro raised one eyebrow slightly, then slowly closed both eyes while grinning.

"...I'll take that as a maybe?" Fluttershy sighed. "I wish I were better at this." She craned her neck to look over at the sun, rising slowly in the sky at one corner of the grove. "If I knew magic, or were personable like Rarity and Pinkie, I could have done something by now, but I haven't."

A sharp, scratchy sensation ran up Fluttershy's back without warning, making her tense up from hoof to tail immediately. "Ah-" She turned, and calmed down again just as quickly from what she found.

Totoro's eyes were flat and simply stared blankly, but one of his long, blunted claws was gently being drug up and down Fluttershy's back.

The pony smiled sheepishly. "A-At least I've made some good friends though, right Totoro?" She grinned, a little hesitantly from the physical contact, at the strange creature. That feels really nice actually. To her, it was like a back scratch and a massage from the Lotus at the Ponyville spa rolled into one. Now there's a thought Fluttershy, I wonder if Spike could work at the spa one day?

Fluttershy enjoyed the attention and meandered in thought for a time. It was true she was putting off things once more, she realized, but perhaps it wouldn't be so wrong to merely wait to go home. Two hours later, Totoro made to stand up, and a caught off guard Fluttershy hopped into the air and fluttered until her wings caught to hold her aloft.

"Totoro?" Fluttershy quirked an eye at the bear-cat, then looked confusedly at Root and the two other little guys as they all hopped atop Totoro's shoulders. "Oh, hum, are we going somewhere?" she questioned him quietly.

In return, Totoro looked down at her and grinned. It seemed more and more that he only had two expressions; grinning big enough to make a Dragon's mouth look small, and blank. Once his expression relaxed again, he pulled out and his odd little umbrella from the first night the two had met, and a strange bauble.

Fluttershy turned her head looking at the second article in confusion. "I don't understa—"

While speaking Totoro deftly spun, while growling, and the odd item was thrown onto the ground, spinning just as he had. It hummed audibly, and then Fluttershy realized what it was. Before she could get a word in though, the giant creature hopped on top, and in a rush of wind, he was gone.

Fluttershy shielded her face with her forelegs from the gale left in his wake. The sound of his excited roar echoed around her after his leaving. Once she could open them, her eyes followed his path, which lead straight up through the trees branches. Her mouth opened wonderingly, bits of tree and leaves falling down around her.

"W-wait for me please!" Her wings flapped wildly trying to catch up.

Fluttershy was sweating and panting while she chased after Totoro, who sped through the air in the most bizarre of fashions. He roared every now and again, shifting whole groves of trees in the wind he made. His strange vessel, the little top he balanced on, bobbed around chaotically through the air as he hovered at a speed the pony was hard pressed to match.

Squinting, Fluttershy could just barely make out the small thing that seemed to let him fly well enough to rival any pegasus. Why can't these worlds be normal, like home? Her breath panted out of her all the while she entertained the ragged thought.

Above the treeline, it was an incredibly hot summer day. To Fluttershy, it felt as though she were flying above the sands in Appleloosa, or the badlands. Luckily, she spotted Totoro up ahead, where it seemed he had stopped, along with the others.

"Oh thank goodness." Fluttershy's eyes rolled in exhaustion from the several kilometer long flight. My wings have gotten a bigger work out the last week than training for weather duty! Oh dear, now what? A peculiar sight awaited her on the ground.

Fluttershy did not so much alight gently on the ground, as was usual, as she did tumble, her legs giving out from under her from pedaling so much to catch her friend. She rolled twice, before bumping into something soft that broke her fall. "Ouch." Slowly, she fell over, then stood up, finding that it had been Totoro's big, poofy tail that had stopped her. "Sorry about that, Totoro." After a moment, she furrowed her brow. "Totoro?"

The creature in question was facing away from her, and seemed to be...dancing, or something to that effect.

Fluttershy tilted her head, and winced from a slight pain she got from doing so. Perhaps she had been doing it too much that day already. Massaging her long neck, she trotted up beside the bear-cat, who was kneeling low to the ground, then stand up straight, arms raised to the sky over and over. He was also grunting, as though exerting a great amount of focus on some task.

"Root? What- You too?" Fluttershy studied her friend, then her newer friends slowly. They all seemed to be doing the same thing, while staring at the ground with a determined look each. Well this is certainly strange... She sat down in the grass, content to watch for now.

Next, the most peculiar thing happened, right before Fluttershy's eyes. She did a double take, unsure that what had happened, had in fact actually happened. Out from the dirt, sprouted several miniature stalks, popping up into the open air, as if by magic. It happened so quickly, so suddenly, that she almost didn't believe her own eyes, even the second time. Her hooves rubbed at her face and she looked a third time, just to make sure she wasn't mistaken. Sure enough, they were still there, only now, they were even bigger.

Inch by inch as the pony stared, the strange dance that her furry friends did seemed to increase the size of the plants, growing them from little sprouts, and into saplings. A loud grunt from the left made her look over, the taller of them, Totoro, was staring down at her while he went on. He seemed to be beckoning her to join with his eager gaze.

"Oh, y-you want me to help?" Fluttershy stammered out.

Totoro did his usually method of communicating, staring and grinning bigger as if to say 'sure', and Fluttershy laughed gayly in response. She looked back towards the plants, still not believing what she saw. "Alright then." Surprising herself, her voice wasn't in the least bit hesitant, or worried...it sounded a little excited.

Totoro, still not stopping in his strange ritual, continued the odd little arm gestures and dance.

Fluttershy wasn't sure what was going on, or what she was doing, but the beautiful afternoon sun, the friendliness of the strangers, all made the air feel magical, whimsical, as if nothing bad could happen. She was enjoying a rare moment, when she wasn't feeling very shy or hesitant.

The enthusiastic sounds from the cat-bears frantically trying to grow the plants bigger were joined by her one as she stood up on her hind legs, and balancing herself with her wings, began to add her own efforts. Mimicking their moves, she crouched down, a little shakily the first time, them straightened up to standing, throwing her hooves above her head.

A seed popped up above the soil in response.

Fluttershy gasped, and almost stopped, staring in disbelief once again. "D-Did I do that?"

A growling laugh came from beside the pony, and after her slight hesitation she rejoined the efforts. More and more the plants sprouted, while Fluttershy threw her back into it. She grinned and watched as the trees became thicker and taller, until finally in a burst of motion and energy, they rocketed into the sky. The pony fell back on her rump to sit on the grass, an oof escaping her as she did. Beside her, the strange cat-bears cheered at the sight before them.

"I've never seen anything like this!" Still seated, Fluttershy exclaimed and stared wonderingly up at the sprouts that had magically, instantly grown together into one, massive tree. It stretched higher into the sky slowly, apparently not yet finished, even as she watched. Not even Earth Ponies can grow something this fast, I don't think it— I don't even think magic could do something like this! It occurred to her that this might not be magic at all, but the question then remained over what it actually was.

It didn't make sense, but it all happened so fast Fluttershy only had time to have fun with it. She grinned and looked over at her friends, Root running in circles wildly, and the others doing a loud dance in a circle of their own, possibly imitating the fox-squirrel.

Fluttershy's expression softened the longer she watched them.

The tallest branches of the strange, enormous tree of Totoro's world swayed quietly in the wind, the leaves rustling steadily.

Fluttershy was reclined on her back atop Totoro's stomach once more, it was fast becoming one of her favorite things in the world, that is, this one or Equestria. Her wings spread lazily to either side of herself. Comfortable and despite things, happy in a way, she studied the sunset before her quietly. In all, her day had not been terribly productive, but that was alright she decided. One more day of getting her bearings couldn't hurt.

Root was nestled up against her side, along with the two smaller 'Totoro's' as Fluttershy referred to them.

The three little ones were all sound asleep, while the large cat-bear and the pegasus were content to lay idly and enjoy the soft, ocean breezes.

The light was disappearing slowly behind the trees, water, and human buildings, and painted a gorgeous sunset. Oddly, the colors ranged further than just reds and oranges, all the way to green, purple and even pink. The girls would love these colors, I wonder why Celestia doesn't use them? She smiled wanly at the cavalcade of shades again after thinking of her friends once more, of what Rainbow might say about Totoro, or Twilight about the strange cat bus.

Fluttershy was at ease, even being away from her friends and despite what she had seen since getting lost. If she had to wait for years, she would. The thoughts had entered her mind periodically over the days, frightening as they were. I'll get home girls. Somehow, someway, I will.

Around the pegasus and her friends the wind stirred quietly, leaves and twigs caught in the breeze.

...

Fluttershy sat up and looked around herself. Underneath her, Totoro grunted and raised his head as well.

The wind wasn't actually stirring quietly, it was picking up in intensity. The twigs and leaves from the trees were actually becoming airborne debris, ripped from their homes.

A moment later, and Fluttershy saw it. Not that far away and hanging in the air was the dreaded circle of light that had appeared before her with Nausicaa. It tore a new hole in the sky above her as she looked up, eyes widened with terror. No— Not again!

The pool of colors churned through the entire spectrum of a rainbow, and almost mimicked the sunset just beyond it, all the while seemingly calling to the pony beneath it.

Fluttershy flipped over and held onto Totoro's fur coat, crying out as the wind built more and more. It was less a stubborn pulling now, and more akin to the overpowering wind tunnel that had led her away from Equestria. She couldn't manage to do anything but scream shrilly in panic. On her back, her wings flapped, but it was obvious to her they couldn't find any purchase in the magical embrace of such a violent storm. She didn't dare risk trying to fight against it on her own. Instead, she held on tightly and cringed down, hiding from the wind.

A comforting, enormous paw laid over Fluttershy's back, stilling her wings.

The pony looked up at Totoro, tears dampening her face. Oh, thank Celestia. She smiled in unending gratitude up at the friend she'd made so far from home. Though her voice tried to overcome the roar that was still building, she couldn't even hear herself shouting 'thank you'.

Still, Totoro grinned at her slowly, cheeks stretching to accommodate his gargantuan expression.

Fluttershy dared to look behind herself at the otherworldly phenomena. It seemed to hang there stubbornly, knowing it didn't belong, and growing angrier by the second. Why is it so different every time? I don't— Wait, where's Root? Her eyes searched high and low immediately for her other friend, and found him. "Root, ROOT!"

The fox-squirrel clung to a branch nearby, along with the other two strange little cat-bears.

Fluttershy stared in horror for a split second longer, then thumped on Totoro's chest with a hoof and pointed to them. "We need to get them!"

The wind tore at her fur and ears, entirely drowning the pony out as she pleaded up at the creature holding onto her.

Totoro looked from Fluttershy, and over to the three creatures dangling in the air, all holding onto one another. His eyes seemed to widen even further.

Fluttershy turned again to look at her other friends, her guardian taking slow steps towards them, his other arm beginning to reach out. She could feel that even he was having difficulty clinging to the tree. Beyond them, the roaring gash in the sky hung, and the wind strengthened.

Almost there. Fluttershy reached a hoof out too, despite being too far. Hold on Root! Why is it so much stronger this time? Is it stronger? I don't know!

Time slowed down for a moment, Fluttershy's eyes stayed glued to the fox-squirrel, and two bear-cats. In one, flash of movement, almost to fast to track with the eye, the branch they had clung to snapped, and flung away, just out of their reach.

The three tumbled through the air for only a split second, before being engulfed by the swirl of color and disappearing.

Fluttershy stared in disbelief, until reacting seconds later. "No!" she cried out in despair. "Oh dear, oh no, no!" Her hooves pushed against the clawed arm holding her down, but she didn't go so far as to wriggle free. She instead, began to cry. Should I go into the— that thing after them? I don't know! But... Root. A lump grew in her throat out of fear.

The wind began to calm down all around, while the portal itself began to shrink.

Fluttershy's breath caught. It's— It's closing. The confusing, heart wrenching situation for her now had a very small window of decision. For the pony, the decision was an easy one. Wiping her face, she turned and looked up at Totoro.

"Totoro!" Fluttershy screamed as loud as she could. She jumped, surprised at how loud her voice had been.

The largest of the strange creatures she had met looked down at her, his flat expression still present. It was odd, but to Fluttershy, it did look as though there may be deeper meaning below it that could just barely be seen.

Fluttershy jabbed a hoof after her friends, and towards the closing portal. "I need to go after them, Totoro! They'll be all alone if I don't. I-I don't know if I'll get your uhm... friends home, back to you. But I have to go after Root." She briefly wondered why Totoro himself hadn't reacted yet. Her voice had quieted entirely towards the end of her explanation, the wind now gone. She twisted again and looked at the portal, it was getting close to shutting, she wouldn't even have time to get there now, it was going too quickly. "No!" I waited too long, I just wanted to say goodbye! Her eyes watered a little more.

A roar of wind surged behind Fluttershy's head all of a sudden, blowing her mane around her head and drying her tears instantly. She turned to face the source, Totoro; the deafening noise he'd made had caught her by complete surprise. Her forelegs reached up and planted themselves over her sensitive ears at the same, and shut her eyes on reflex. Once she had opened them again, she realized she was soaring through the air once more.

"Oh! Oh no!" Fluttershy looked up in shock, which quickly switched to surprise. Above her, was Totoro, grinning stupidly and waving, his eyes looking distantly back towards the tree they had apparently both just lept from.

Fluttershy had time to look back, just in time to see the odd cat bus waving back from its haunches, looking at them with an equally wide, silly grin. It was then she realized that Totoro had leaped from the tree and towards the portal, still carrying her along for the ride.

Fluttershy had time for one last incredulous outcry. "But— Totoro—!!"

A wave of color splashed over Fluttershy's vision a second later as the two entered the portal together.

Author's Note

I can't recall where I got that cover art from. :twilightsheepish: I had saved it some time ago on a different computer, and can't find it again anywhere! I'm linking to it from ~~imgur~~ photobucket. Apologies for that, if the creator ever trundles on by I'll add them in to be credited. :twilightoops:

-edit Never mind! Found him. SamuelLAssassin

If there are a few errors I apologize! I plan to go back through, but for now I just wanted to post it because it's two days late. :x Sorry ponies! I'll fix it soon.

Chapter 8 : All Shapes and Sizes

Fluttershy groaned and tried to sit up, a slight headache plaguing her. "Ooooh, oh— ow." Wherever she was, it was dark, and she couldn't see anything. Opening her eyes was difficult, there was something pressing down on her back and face, as if she were sandwiched between something. Her legs struggled and fought immediately. There was grass on one side of her face, and something else on the other.

"Hello!?" Her voice was muffled by whatever lay on top off her. Her head and legs began struggling against whatever held her, and her face met the open air with surprising ease. She gasped and took in the fresh air in gulps, still mostly caught under whatever was lying atop her. There was bright sunlight, and she blinked quickly to adjust her vision. She gasped, breathing the fresh air while laying still.

Fluttershy looked around what little she could from where she was trapped. There were trees all around; massive, towering things which she had never seen the likes of before. Each of them had to be the height of a full grown dragon, or larger.

They reminded Fluttershy of the one Totoro had lived in.

Fluttershy craned her head around on her aching neck to get a look just what exactly was trapping her against the forest floor.

"Totoro?" Fluttershy blinked at the creature laying on his side, eyes closed. Her legs retook up the struggle to get free; she could feel her left wing cramping. First, her front legs got out. "Uhm, Totoro? Please wake up, you're sleeping on top of me!"

Fluttershy stared up at him a moment, catching her breath from the struggling. "Totoro?"

A loud sound came out of the large beast's throat, and for a moment Fluttershy thought he had heard her. Despairingly though, it turned out to be snoring, and he merely raised an arm up to scratch his belly.

Fluttershy sighed sadly, then began pulling again. Well this is... the oddest morning I've ever had. She grunted, clenching her teeth and pulling. If only I was stronger. Or had some help... Wait, where is Root? She stopped and looked around hurriedly for the little fellow. "Root!?"

There was no answer.

Fluttershy creased her face in worry, after a moment she began struggling again. "Totoro, please wake- up!" Her wings were free next, flapping frantically now that they were out from under the giant bear-cat. "Oh, that feels so much better." She stretched the frumpled feathery limbs, wincing at the aches covering poor lefty, then steeled herself to finish the job.

"Mister, you aren't getting tummy rubs for a week!" Fluttershy pushed against Totoro to free the rest of herself, face set in a mild snarl. "O-or maybe just a day or so..." Her back legs dragged out slowly, but more easily than the rest of her had been. She popped out into freedom, feeling very much like she had been trampled. "Phew."

While gaining her bearings, Fluttershy began taking in the sounds of nature all around. Birds, bugs, the swaying of branches and the sound of a river nearby reached her ears. She looked around the clearing, curious, then up at the canopy of leaves overhead. So, another forest, then. Better than another desert.

There had been some worry from Fluttershy that she might end up someplace even harsher than the desert. If I had dragged poor Totoro and his brothers... or friends? Actually, what are those two? Well, anyway, if I had dragged the Totoros somewhere terrible, I would feel just awful. She frowned sadly around herself at her surroundings. Then again, maybe this place is like an Everfree.

The quiet calls and whistles of birds reached her ears, along with the quiet bubbling of water from somewhere nearby. There was also, of course, Totoro's snoring. This new place certainly didn't seem anything like an Everfree forest to Fluttershy.

Fluttershy calmed some, while remembering the portal, and began running over what had happened in her head. Okay, after I had entered the silly looking pool of color, I had only been with Totoro... She remembered that Root and the two smaller companions of her big fuzzy friend had been nowhere to be seen.

Fluttershy decided her first thing to do was to find her missing friends, then possibly nap and try and speak with Luna. No doubt, she would have to speak with the princess again about everything that had happened.

"Root!?" she called out into the trees, hoping her friend was nearby. There wasn't a response. "Oh dear, I hope he isn't too lost. I get lost on my own so easily, there's no way I could find him." Her wings, though achy, took flight and she began flitting to and fro amidst the trees. "Root!? Uhm, little bear-cats? Anypony?" Fluttershy searched high and low through the trees and branches, but couldn't find any sign of her friends.

Fluttershy did, however, spot a few birds, which seemed to be watching her. "Oh, hello, uhm, excuse me, but I'm looking for my friends. They're a little, uhm, strange looking squirrel and two cute little munchkins with stubby arms." She tilted her head curiously at the strange, round looking birds. They weren't species that were native to Equestria, certainly. "Have you seen them?"

The birds stared at her a moment, heads tilting left or right to match the pony, then chirped and flew away.

Fluttershy watched them go, flying away at a relatively quick speed. She felt defeated once again, and floated down to the ground, wings held still. I couldn't understand them, either... It was disparaging; ever since the first place she had been, animals' feelings had been a mystery to her. True, she was an expert with body language, but that only got her so far. Angel Bunny had always been a little difficult to understand, it came in handy when speaking with him. But these little guys... Oh, where is Root?

Fluttershy's expression sank while glancing around, then the rest of her followed suit, until she landed atop Totoro. "Totoro? Could you wake up, please?" She prodded two hooves against the bear-cat's chest in an attempt to get her friend to stir. "Totorooo." A frown began to work its way onto her face.

One of Totoro's eyes peeked open to stare up at the pony.

Fluttershy sat back and smirked, tail swishing. "Are you awake now?" Her friend began to yawn in response. "Good. I can't find your friends, or Root." She looked around herself again, frowning again for emphasis. "I'm not sure where this place is, either. Could you help me look?"

Totoro's other eye opened, and he regarded Fluttershy for a moment, leaning up just a hair. Next, he stood up, holding the pony in his claws as he did so.

"Oh, uhm." Fluttershy blinked, wide eyed as she was picked up and set down before her friend. "Thank you." She smiled sheepishly. I think. "Does this mean that you'll help me? I mean, I know you can't really talk," she sighed out, wishing that he could simply speak Equestrian. Or English, as it seemed to be called everywhere she went. "But could you nod or shake your head when I ask a yes or no question?"

The solution to one of her simplest problems, communication, would have done Twilight proud, Fluttershy was sure of it.

Totoro regarded the pony and the words a moment, then grinned widely, not making another move.

One of Fluttershy's ears lowered, while the other remained standing up, and a slight frown appeared on her muzzle to match. "Oh, close enough." She looked around the area once again. "Totoro, we need to look for our friends. This place could be dangerous and... I'm very sorry for dragging you all here with me."

Fluttershy stood up on her hind legs and leaned against the giant's side. "You aren't mad at me, are you?" Oh, I hope I don't seem like I'm begging or being pathetic to him.

Fluttershy waited patiently for her friend's answer, who stood over her, unblinking.

Totoro's grin disappeared, leaving his empty stare blank. Other than that, he only inclined his head a little.

Fluttershy's pleading look thinned out some. She was pretty sure he wasn't nodding. I need somepony that can understand me to talk to. A pained sigh escaped her and she turn around to search the treeline for Root, hoping he had just wandered of nearby. I should speak with Luna.

Fluttershy sat down hard on the ground, thinking over what to do, and locked eyes with a patch of small flowers. They looked particularly delicious. Blue, white stripes, yellow bobbers hanging out of the center; they made her become aware of a small ache in her stomach. She smelled them, found them to be a little bland, then took a bite, despite this.

With her mouth full, Fluttershy spoke back to Totoro. No longer expecting an answer; it was more directed at herself. "I think that we'll fly around here, just for a little while." She swallowed the morsel, they weren't quite as bland as they had smelled. "Hopefully we'll find Root and your brothers. After that... well, I'll speak with Princess Luna. Oh, I never told you about the princess. Not that I guess you could understa-"

Fluttershy turned, and looked at the spot where Totoro had been standing, now empty. "Uhm, Totoro?" She craned her head this way and that, then all around. Her newest friend was nowhere to be seen.

"T-totoro?" She called out. "This isn't funny, where did you go?" The forest clearing was empty, save for her. "D-did you leave?" Her ears wilted, along with the rest of her until she drooped back onto the ground. "O-okay. I guess... that's fine, I mean, I did cause your friends to get stuck here and... I guess I'm alone again."

Fluttershy saw a few droplets of water splash onto the dirt and grass at her hooves. Oh no, it's going to rain. She looked up, and saw only sunny skies. A shuddering breath escaped her; it was then that she realized she was actually crying.

A quiet sniffle joined its friend, and Fluttershy lowered herself slowly into her forelegs on the ground. "S-stupid... I'm stupid..."

Fluttershy wrapped her wings around herself and shook on the ground. In the back of her mind she realized this was the first time she had really broken down since leaving home, and just because a stranger she had met two days ago had wandered off. I should be crying because Root's missing- No, I shouldn't be crying at all. I'm on my own. I'm the only one that can help me. All I'm doing is wasting time, everypony's time, by being helpless like this, like always. Why am I so scared? This place is harmless. It- Oh...

Fluttershy took in a deep, deep breath, then exhaled it slowly. Twilight had taught it to her, the method she used to calm down. It sort of worked for the yellow mare, too. She lay there, face down, feeling the occasional ray of sun hit her coat of fur then move on, thanks to the shifting branches overhead.

A strange, rattling, clicking kind of noise struck her ears.

Fluttershy tensed up. The noise sounded a bit like an instrument. What was that? She didn't dare to open her eyes to find out. Is- T-Totoro? Did you make a new instrument? She knew her friend couldn't hear her while she thinking to herself, but then again, she knew he couldn't understand her, either.

The wooden clicking sound occurred again.

Fluttershy gulped, and fought to find her voice. "Hello?" She was surprised when she didn't stammer. Be brave, she told herself.

There wasn't any answer.

The clicking noise occurred again, making Fluttershy clench her teeth in response.

It was quiet after that.

Maybe that was just the wind? Fluttershy opened her eyes and raised her head, convinced the sound wasn't anything to be scared of.

Instead of Totoro, as Fluttershy had expected, she found several, bizarre looking ghosts standing before her—at least she thought they were ghosts. They seemed to all be staring at the stems of the flowers she had eaten.

Fluttershy felt a scream building deep in her throat, but she lay still, not moving, except for the widening of her eyes. Oh no. Not ghosts. It's not even Nightmare Night! Why ghosts? Please, bring back the humans. Oh no.

They were all standing in a ring, seemingly looking at the ground. Until one of the little things turned and looked over.

Fluttershy thought her heart stopped, and she stared back into the empty, black little eyes of the inexplicably strange thing. "A-are you a friend of T-Totoro's?" She wasn't sure where the idea had come from, and less of how she'd managed to ask the question.

The other little creatures all straightened up at stared at Fluttershy as well after she spoke. None of them made a move after that.

Fluttershy, on the other hoof, straightened and sat up, cringing back from them. She studied the ghost-things carefully. What do they want? Don't ghosts haunt bad ponies? Oh, but I'm not a bad pony! Or am I? Oh no, what did I do!?

The first little creature took a few steps towards her.

Fluttershy's wings stiffened in fear.

The creature tilted its head to the left.

Fluttershy... felt some of the tension in her leave almost immediately. Oh, well now he looks kind of cute. A weak smile trembled its way onto her muzzle.

Meanwhile, the rest of the little ghosts all tilted their heads too.

Okay, less cute. Creepy now. Still, Fluttershy tried to smile—even though they weren't smiling—as well as speak again. "S-s-so..." she managed.

The creatures, in unison, surprised the mare by clicking their heads all at once, making the noise Fluttershy had heard before.

Fluttershy screamed, and shot up into the air.

The trees were now far below.

Fluttershy held both of her hooves against her chest, barrel heaving, until she had calmed down, a little. A final, huge breath of air whooshed out of her, and she began regaining her bearings. "Oh Fluttershy. You big scaredy cat." She winced and peered back at the clearing she had left behind. It was now she realized that she had flown away from somepony else, probably just because they were different. I guess, they could have been ghosts, though. Not that she had ever seen a real ghost before. Maybe they were friendly ghosts?

Fluttershy looked sourly down at the greenery below herself. I need to pony up. I'm on my own again, after all. She turned her head up towards the horizon. Sure enough, an unfamiliar sun hung there. Definitely not Equestria. Weighing her options, she narrowed them down where hovered in the sky.

I can either try and talk to Luna, or find my friends, first. Fluttershy set her face sternly. I'm coming, Root. She gave the clearing beneath her one last look, wondered if she should try to go back and apologize, or look for Totoro, then decided against it. It wasn't avoiding possible friends, something she had done frequently in her fillyhood, and was a little mean... But it was avoiding possible danger.

As for Totoro, Fluttershy recalled all too well the manner in which big cat-bear came and went without speaking of where he was going. She had also witnessed first hand the way he could turn invisible. Most of her hoped that he had merely been frightened by the ghosts like she had, and not simply... left.

I won't go far. I'll stay in the trees, search the area methodically. Yeah, Applejack would say that. Then, if I can't find them... I'll... I'll find a tree to sleep in, and contact the princess. She'll know what to do.

Fluttershy gasped and held a hoof to her mouth, realizing something. "Oh dear. I'm leading, aren't I?"

A short, demure giggle escaped her, far removed from the panic she had felt a moment ago. "Oh, I bet the girls would be so proud of me." Her hooves kicked in the air slightly. Despite thinking about the girls, she kept her new smile, flying in a direction just a bit to the right of the sun. It wouldn't be right to let herself get down, staying in bright spirits was important. She felt that the sun itself offered protection, a little, even if it wasn't Celestia's.

I wonder who raises the sun here? Fluttershy wondered; the last two worlds had been mysteries, as well.

Her wings dipped to the right and she circled up higher into the sky, hoping to see a city or a town somewhere in the forest. They might be able to offer help, human or not. It was possible this world would have ponies in it, too, she hoped. Another race she was more familiar with would be fine, too, even a gryphon. I would much prefer that they're a nice gryphon, though. She shuddered, recalling painfully the only gryphon she had ever encountered, and more than once.

Fluttershy put that out of mind and refocused. She decided there was the chance that all three of the worlds she had skipped through had in fact been the same one. That would mean they would all lack ponies, just like the place Rarity and Pinkie had ended up. The Princess had suggested that, but Fluttershy held out hope that such wasn't the case. She also held out hope that she would come across her two friends somehow, that they all maybe shared the same world.

Even in the same world though, she knew they would probably never find one another, not by chance. While she flew, hoping for the impossible, she decided to hold out hope that another portal would perhaps lead back home. It was wishful thinking, but she didn't care.

As Fluttershy flew, she concentrated hard on scanning the ground around herself. The trees were too thick to see anything except more trees though, for the most part. There was a plain far out to the west, as well as a few more clearings, but those were all really far away. She circled her original clearing again, flapping her wings slowly in time with her breathing.

Rainbow had taught her that, it had helped with her stamina and flying ability in general.

The clouds overhead were still too high up, she noticed absently. What bothered her more, were the surroundings on the ground. For miles and miles the forest stretched in every direction, along with mountains intermingling with them every so often.

Fluttershy's mouth fell open slightly in wonderment, realizing the scope of the obstacle that may be before her. There's no way I could ever find them in this. Not alone... The thought surprised her, but it sounded true. "Well, what are you going to do now, Fluttershy?" She had to raise her voice a lot to hear herself over the wind. After a moment of resolute thinking, she decided.

Fluttershy watched, shaking a little, hidden in the leaves a tall bush. Nearby, the sounds of humans talking filled the air around their makeshift camp of tents and blankets. She had found them camping, just moments ago, spotting the smoke from a small bonfire they had made. Their campsite was a bit odd looking, but so was most of anything to do with humans.

At first, she'd been happy to find somepony else, regardless of who it was. Now, she wasn't so sure.

Her eyes were locked onto a particular spot of the campsite, a little cage that sat at the edge. Inside, sat a furiously hissing little creature. Fluttershy watched Root swipe his paw out of the cage, pushing against the little wooden bars with his hind legs as hard as he could. He would stop, sprint in a tight circle, then begin again.

Fluttershy let out a quiet, disappointed breath. Oh... He'll tire himself out like that. She could see the writing on the wall, that the humans were keeping him imprisoned against his will. That was an absolutely horrible thing. Why are they doing it? She sat back on her haunches, biting her lip. D-did he do something? I-

A few images of what she had seen humans do from before, and to one another, played through her mind's eye. She imagined she didn't know what to think of this situation, because the humans made no sense to her at all.

Fluttershy took in a deep breath and stilled her shivering. She did know one thing; that her friend was in trouble, and she needed to rescue him. Her face drew down into a really serious look, the shadows from the campfire dancing across her butter yellow coat in the looming twilight hours.

"Don't worry Root." Fluttershy breathed out confidently. "I'll get you, if I have to... have to smash that cage myself."

A voice that wasn't Fluttershy's spoke up from nearby. "Oyasumi nasai?"

Fluttershy went rigid, which also made her accidentally stand straight up. The voice had come from the tent's direction. She clenched her teeth, fear building as she realized that her wings and head had just ruffled her entire bushy hiding spot. Oh no! She tried to sit still, or stand as was now the case, rather than flee and give herself away. Her eyes searched for who the voice had come from. She heard hoofsteps approaching—or whatever it was humans had in their shoes.

Please don't put me in a cage. Please don't put me in a cage. I just want my friend! Fluttershy held her eyes shut, slowly sinking to the ground in an effort to hide better. Don't worry Fluttershy, everything will be fine. A choked sob escaped her, and then another as she tried to quiet the first one. She slapped a hoof over her mouth to stop the accidental noises she was making.

The hoofsteps stopped, they were right outside of the bush.

"Oyasumi nasai?" The voice asked again in the foreign language. "Konichi-?"

Fluttershy thought the voice had sounded as though it ended abruptly, and peeked up, fearing the worst—that she had been found.

There was a small silhouette standing outside of the bushes; with a small set of eyes looking at the pony through the leaves.

Fluttershy's expression drew down some in horror; she felt too scared to move, and sat still. Oh no. A complete jumble of thoughts ran through her head, that perhaps she had not yet been seen, or that she was hiding for nothing, perhaps Root had bitten somepony again and was being given a 'time out'. There were dozens of them, explanations both hopeful and worrying.

What happened, Fluttershy had not expected.

A short giggle sounded from outside the bushes, and little human digits reached into the shrubbery to touch Fluttershy's face. She was so shocked she didn't even move, just sat there, feeling the smoothing of her fur and mane. She thought a tear was wiped off her face; that her eyes had even been crying came as a surprise.

After a minute of this, maybe longer, or shorter, the human sat back in a strange way, legs tucked under themselves. It was difficult to see their face, as the fire was at their back, but Fluttershy could tell now that it was a child, and a filly. Humans' ages weren't clear just yet, but this girl seemed as though she were older than Nausicaa had been.

Whether that meant she was a teenager or as young as say, Apple Bloom, Fluttershy wasn't sure.

The two stared at one another a long time, in quiet, just watching each other's slightest of movements. The filly's smile never wavered.

Fluttershy finally worked up the courage to swallow hard and try to speak. Her head was still upright from going rigid, she noticed, so she ducked her face down behind her mane some. The shy act wasn't something she could really help, but she had gotten better at sounding confident, and speaking at a normal volume when meetings ponies. Her friends had helped a lot with that.

However, this wasn't a pony.

"H-hello." Fluttershy mumbled out. The nearby sounds of the happiness by the campfires nearly drowned her out, but she kept going, eagerly speaking her thoughts. "Y-you have my friend captive uhm, Ms. I want him back, if you don't mind." She reached up and pointed a hoof towards Root's cage. He wasn't very far away, a few meters perhaps, sitting beside one of the larger tents and hissing like mad. "Or, actually," Fluttershy corrected herself. "Even if you do mind, please let him go. He doesn't deserve that, and, nopony deserves to be locked up like that.... unless... well..."

Fluttershy struggled to find the right words, the right logic. When is it alright to lock somepony up!? Oh, I don't know. I'm terrible with this stuff. She realized she was stumbling in what she was saying, and was going to lose her confidence and her point if she stalled. This is just like school all over again. I hate class speeches...

Fluttershy took a deep breath, ruffled her wings slightly—to which the human gasped—then pressed on. "What I mean to say is, please let him go. Oh, and my name, is Fluttershy." She held her hoof out again to shake, something that took a lot of effort to do, but she wanted to make this good impression.

The human, oddly enough, to Fluttershy, oooed for a couple of seconds, holding a hand over their mouth. The pony wondered if she had done something wrong. Then, the human began speaking again, and in a language she couldn't understand. It was undeniably the same one that Yupa had spoken.

Fluttershy's expression melted from friendly into embarrassed and ashamed in a second. Oh, how could you forget they speak a different language!? Fluttershy, you big, dumby... dumb-dumb. Ooooh. Resisting the urge to face-hoof, she kept her hoof out, and pointed to herself with the other, in an effort to make a recovery of the situation.

"Fluttershy." Then, she pointed to the human girl.

The human made a small frown and folded her arms. "Cho," it repeated again, a word it had said already. It left out the rest of the strange Neighnese words that Fluttershy couldn't understand. She smiled broadly, nodding up and down.

"Cho," Fluttershy repeated, pointing her outstretched hoof at the girl.

The human filly nodded again, grinning. She then pointed a digit at the mare. "Floo-tter-shy."

Fluttershy relaxed some and sat back again, breathing out in relief. "Close enough." She grinned. A giggle escaped her too. The human seemed to like that, and joined her. Getting serious again, Fluttershy coughed and looked at Root's cage pointedly, intent on getting him freed.

"I know you can't understand me, but my friend." Fluttershy pointed at Root with her hoof again, looking at him, then to the filly. "Can. You. Bring him to me?" She made simple gestures with her forelegs, hoping desperately that this would work.

The filly looked at Root, then Fluttershy, and the pony could tell the moment realization dawned on the young girl's face. She aahed in an understanding way, then nodded. Her face looked conflicted, Fluttershy thought, as the girl stood up and began to walk towards Root.

Still, Fluttershy could barely contain her grin, and she whispered a phrase after the girl, one which she had remembered from Nausicaa. "Domo, Cho, domo."

The girl turned around while walking, the biggest smile yet on her face, then faced forward again to approach the cage that held Root. She walked over to the cage, crossing the campsite as she did.

Fluttershy, meanwhile, relaxed for the first time since finding the humans, and miraculously, her friend, Root. Now, I just need to find where Totoro went, assuming he wants to be found... I hope he isn't angry at me. Maybe that's why he left? Oh dear. She dispelled the worries for now, her attention caught sight of some sort of development.

Cho had been stopped.

Fluttershy stood straighter, trying to get the best view she could of what was happening.

Cho was standing beside Root's cage, gesturing weakly from the cage, to around herself, and speaking very shyly. The human facing her, a male, and a very big one, was speaking in a deep, gruff voice that made Fluttershy's ears quiver just from the fierceness of it. That human sounded angry at Cho after only a few words were said between them.

The girl gestured once towards Fluttershy's hiding spot, and the pony thought immediately that her presence had been revealed. The stallions voice deepened, and he grabbed the filly's wrist, jabbing another finger instead at the cage.

"Uhm..." Fluttershy furrowed her brow worriedly. She- What is going on? She thought perhaps the girl had tried to explain that she was there for her friend. Whether that would be fine or not, wasn't clear. Humans had seemed violent to her at times, with the exception of Yupa-Sama, the stallions all had. Avoiding direct contact just seemed like a good idea, and she was sure that wasn't just her shyness talking.

The argument continued between the two, the filly shouting back, if less angrily. The stallion seemed to sigh in exasperation, then walked a couple steps away, throwing his hands up into the air, before then cupping his forehead. He muttered a few more words, then pointed again at the campfire. There was a small crowd of several other humans now, watching.

That made the scene even more worrying.

Fluttershy's face saddened when a familiar sound met her now drooping, fuzzy ears; that the filly had begun crying. She swallowed, and continued to watch the scene unfold before her. What did she tell him? I don't understand. She couldn't decide why they would want Root in a cage to begin with, still.

Something else happened that came as a surprise. The filly stood up, her hands balled up into little fists, and she began hitting the stallion's back, shouting.

Fluttershy's jaw dropped open. Please don't fight! She mouthed the words, then said it aloud when the stallion turned about to face the filly. "...Please don't fight!"

The stallion followed through with what Fluttershy had been afraid would happen, and raised a hand back.

"Please! Don't fight!" Fluttershy stared around at all of the eyes on her.

The campsite was quiet except for the smoldering and crackling of the nearby fires, and the quiet sobbing of the filly; she was on her knees beside the stallion now, who gripped her arm. The filly said a few words through her sobbing, maybe to Fluttershy.

Everything happened in a flash of movement.

There were shouts and humans jostling one another in every direction.

Fluttershy took a few frightened steps back at first, then tried to calm them as she realized they were running away from her. Her words had not even formed yet, when they returned, charging towards her again, but this time holding things.

A tent collapsed, pots rolled and clanged, Fluttershy spotted the filly collapsed besides Root's cage, and noise filled the air.

Fluttershy wasn't sure what was happening at all, but she didn't like it. "I'm sorry Root!" She called out behind herself, legs pumping as she pushed upwards into the air above the camp. The human were swinging in her direction with things, and holding strange looking... musical instruments perhaps. She couldn't tell what the curved wooden things with string were in the relative darkness. The pointed metal things were familiar, though, those were swords.

Fluttershy wasn't sure why, but it seemed that they were afraid of her. She remembered that humans couldn't fly, and beat her wings hard. "I'll come back for you!" She circled around the camp, just above the strange tents' tops, yelling down to her friend. She could see he was watching her, no longer fiercely swiping at the air and his cage.

Fluttershy tried to smile while she escaped. "Somehow, I'll-" She cut off, surprised, as something jerked her downward. "Ah-!" Her wings beat harder, and she looked down. Something had caught her leg. A human stood beneath her, yelling enthusiastically while others cheered. The device was a long pole, tipped with rope.

"That hurts! Please, stop it-!" Fluttershy winced and tried to pull harder, it hurt her leg, but she was too scared to care much.

The human let out a yelp of surprise, beginning to rise up into the air along with the pony.

"Please let go!" Fluttershy gritted her teeth and pumped her wings fiercely. Her breath was becoming ragged from the exertion. "I'm- Not sure I can fly with you holding onto-"

Beneath her, more humans grabbed onto and held the legs of the stallion attached to Fluttershy.

"No-!" Fluttershy felt herself sinking, then in one fierce jerk, lost her balance. She careened towards the earth, smashing into what felt and sounded like a wooden crate.

The world became deathly quiet for a few seconds, until flickering firelight and more happy cheering filled Fluttershy's hearing. She tried to speak, but her mouth felt as though it were filled with cotton, her tongue a heavy weight. She twitched her head to the side and tried to get up, but couldn't move her legs. She knew she was dazed, but tried anyway.

There was one loud hoofstep beside Fluttershy's ear; it made her go limp. She waited for something else to happen, like an evil speech. Instead, her eyes slowly got dimmer.

Princess...

Author's Note

My one goal for this story segment is for Fluttershy to wear a kimono.

Not really, it's to take this story up a couple of notches. It is ahead of Abhorsen by this point, I'll need to give that one attention, too.

So, here's an interesting question. Just where did Shy end up this time?

(A shrubbery!)

-edit Oh, I bet you'll all think I'm terribly clever, go look up the meaning of Cho's name in Japanese.

Chapter 9 : A New Look

Fluttershy’s consciousness flickered like candlelight in a strong wind. Still, despite her thoughts coming weakly, she thought she heard something, but even trying her best could not make it out.

The world continued to fade in and out of focus continuously, much like just before waking up in the morning and rolling over to go back to sleep. The only thing besides the sensation that stood apart was definitely a sharp headache.

The world faded in again for a brief moment.

It was brief, but Fluttershy saw sunlight, felt the rock of a wagon. There were voices around her, of that she was sure. It was difficult to tell, but she thought someone was shouting her name, too. Most of what there was to be heard was indiscernible, though. There was laughing, and crying, too.

Something felt cold; it was around her legs, she decided.

There was warm sunlight on her back and wings, too.

"Fluttershy? There is something wrong. You feel weak. What has happened? Fluttershy?" The voice was quiet, and distant; far louder was the sound of a wagon and other voices.

Fluttershy knew that one, louder voice though, and knew that she had to respond to it. Her eyes cracked open weakly, mouth dry and limbs like jelly.

Sunlight and nature filled her vision, but from the other side of wooden boards. Something nearby clinked, too. Her head wouldn't move, so she lay there a moment, just to get her bearings. There were things on the other side of the boards: humans. She kept looking, not able to think of much else to do. Besides finding that the only thing she could move easily were her eyes, she became aware of how thirsty she was.

Something moved in the trees.

Fluttershy blinked, there was a dark shadow further out than the humans, standing so still she almost didn't see it. Who... was... that...? Even her thoughts were slow; her head still hurt, too. She looked again, eyes scanning, but the shadow was gone; there was something though.

Instead of finding the what had been in the forest, a grinning human was looking in at her now, walking alongside her wagon. He was speaking, but she didn't know what he was saying. He sounded happy, or impressed. His hat looked funny, like some crazy thing Rarity would make. Straw, round and tipped with a pointed on top.

Rarity... Fluttershy managed to flop her head to look away from the human. Girls… where are you… Her eyes shut briefly.

Fluttershy!

Fluttershy’s eyes snapped open upon hearing her name again; her sleep had been deep, and without sound, but the moment her eyes had opened the splitting headache she felt brought her fully awake.

There were sounds around her. A metallic ringing noise some distance away, as well as a bit of the strange human language just as far that barely reached her furred ears.

Fluttershy sat up quickly, one hoof to either side of herself. Princess-? She searched around for Luna, but only found a couple stray rays of sunlight, which crisscrossed through a room with a dirt floor; the room was small, dimly lit, and smelled awful.

Fluttershy rolled over to get up, then choked out an abrupt, single sob. Her body ached, and the memory of what had happened before returned. She stared at the dirt ground in front of herself in wonder. After another brief second of making sure her body really did hurt quite incredibly, she sobbed and winced again.

The worst of it was the back of her head, though, her wings felt particularly sore, too.

“Why…” Fluttershy breathed out, pulling one of her forehooves up close to herself. There were bars at one small corner of the room, she realized, and fading sunlight on the other side of them. The rest of her enclosure was just wooden boards all the way up to the ceiling, and the door in the opposite corner was closed.

Fluttershy picked herself up from sitting, hind legs working through their stiffness to raise her up, then moved slowly to the door. “Hello?” her voice croaked. “Hello? Is anypony… there?” When there was no response, she pushed one leg weakly against the door. “Let me out? Please?”

Fluttershy stared up a moment longer, then sighed, looking around again. Something felt off and strange, she realized, other than the obvious, but she couldn’t place what. The oddness made her try to figure things out; that seemed like the only option available to her right then.

It seems I’m a prisoner now, Fluttershy concluded flatly. But why? I just don’t understand… Was it something I said? The latter idea seemed unlikely to her considering her inability to properly communicate with the humans. It was odd, but she hadn’t thought of humans as evil creatures up until then and still didn’t, despite the bad turn things had taken. She wanted to know ‘why’ desperately, though.

Fluttershy quietly moved towards the barred opening that was a bit like a window on the floor. There, she sat again, slowly, and looked at what she could of the outside world.

The bars seemed to make the room look like a cage, which, she supposed it was. There was a small trough beneath a slot in the bars where a piece looked like it swung open. Applejack had similar arrangements for her farm animal friends and tenants, so Fluttershy recognized that much; she wasn’t a critter that needed caring for, though. She was being held against her will.

There was hay and other food in the trough, though it didn’t look very sanitary. Besides that was a basin of water which also didn’t look terribly clean.

Fluttershy scrunched her face up suddenly, but tried not to cry. Root, I hope you’re safe. Despite her own predicament, she still thought about her missing friend and what sort of danger he might be in. “I have to get out of here,” she resolved.

Fluttershy looked up again; outside, there was scarcely anypony at all around for her to see. There was a human several strides away with their back to her, and was possibly a mare. Beyond that human was another that was without a doubt a stallion, he seemed to be…

Fluttershy winced and looked away. “Oh no.” Her eyes scrunched themselves shut, but slowly looked again, disbelieving of what she had seen.

There were several things surrounding the human stallion, include what seemed to be tall, hoofed creatures that vaguely resembled a pony, a strange building from which the earlier ringing noise came out of, lastly was several deer. The deer, were each strung up by their back hooves along sort of wooden arch.

“Muh,” Fluttershy began to say. “Monsters.” The deer weren’t moving, and the rest of the grisly sight left little doubt in her mind as to why they were hung up so.

Fluttershy didn’t want to think about what she’d seen, and moved away from the window, along with the basin of water, still wanting a drink. She kept her eyes clutched shut until she was safe around the corner.

Once safe, Fluttershy stared across at the wall for a moment, then raised the basin and took a drink while trying to pretend she had made a mistake. Her legs shook, and the water splashed around onto her shoulders and the dirt floor.

The water had been dirty after all.

Fluttershy choked slightly, having tipped the bowl too fast; she lowered it slowly. Her eyes stared at the nearby bars while tears began flowing freely without her making a sound.

One of Fluttershy’s fetlocks scrubbed at both of her eyes, though they did a poor job helping while soaked from the water bowl. Why? her thoughts repeated silently.

The sound of talking came suddenly, and began to approach Fluttershy. She stayed quiet, not wanting to try calling for help or asking to be let go again. For now, she couldn’t think of what to do, or what to think even. Killing other living, thinking creatures was a thing for monsters, that she knew.

Fluttershy had heard of creatures, races, even animals that killed because they enjoyed… devouring others. But, why they did it she never tried to find out. Magic and food was plentiful across the world. Harmony saw to it that everypony could be provided for, after all. To her, it made no sense.

A rattling at the bars made Fluttershy gasp and look over.

“Ooiii!” an intentionally sounding obnoxious voice called.

Fluttershy could just see a face trying to peer inside the cage.

Another voice, sounding panicked, seemed to be addressing the first human. Together, they seemed to be arguing.

Fluttershy sniffed loudly, still crying, then lowered herself down against the wall. There, she place her front legs over her head. I guess they noticed me… she thought.

The voice returned, sounding happy now.

After hearing a rapid, impatient clanging noise on the bars, Fluttershy picked up her head and looked over towards them. More strangers… she thought, lying still. They sound young.

The voices continued chattering, and then a carrot was dangled through the bars towards her side of the room.

Normally, Fluttershy would be greatful of any gift, large or small, or at least try to be grateful. However, under the circumstances she didn’t much want to even get up. She still did though, forcing herself to stand and move slowly over to the opening.

The two humans were young, as she had thought they sounded, and stared at her with great, goggling looks of amazement.

Fluttershy tried to smile, and stopped shakily upon reaching them. She looked between them and the offering. “Hello,” she began quietly. “Could you let me out, please?” The probability that they wouldn’t understand her was high, she knew; the chances that they wouldn’t do what she asked after putting her there seemed higher.

Sure enough, the two human colts widened their eyes further in amazement, but merely stared, prodding forward with the carrot in what seemed to Fluttershy to be an attempt to poke her muzzle. She glanced at the vegetable, then shook her head. “No thank you.” Her answer was quiet, and she slowly turned around to head for a dark corner.

Fluttershy still felt shy around the strangers, who were also her captors. If I was strong like Rainbow, she reflected tiredly. I would be out of here already. Looking around and gauging the strength of the room told her smashing her way out wasn’t too likely, even if she could work up the will to try. In any case, her thoughts felt too jumbled and worried for the time being to decide what to do other than try and be alone.

A loud bang against the bars made Fluttershy jump and squeak, both in one quick moment. Behind her, the two colts were shouting at her while rattling the metal bars with what looked to be a cooking pot.

“Oh, please stop that, uhm, boys!” Fluttershy pleaded quickly, ears laid back. One of them did stop, then with an angry, stony expression thrust the carrot through the bars again towards her.

Fluttershy blinked at it tiredly, then sighed. She worked her way back towards the pair. “You want to give this to me that badly, huh?” She stared at the carrot; it was cleaner than anything else that had been left for her by the looks of it.

The other boy finally stopped shaking the bars, and both of them grinned at her as she approached, nodding in an encouraging way.

Fluttershy tried to keep any pained looks from appearing on her face in front of the children; they were still young, after all. As lonely, afraid, tired and hurt as she felt, she managed another weak smile. She stretched her neck out slowly, then reached for the carrot.

Just before Fluttershy closed her teeth around the carrot, the colt bopped her nose with it.

“Oh-” Fluttershy winced.

The two children began laughing again, then held the carrot out once more towards her.

Fluttershy swallowed and cringed back some. “Uhm, if you don’t want me to have it, that’s okay… I appreciate your thoughtfulness anyway—”

Before she could finish, the two boys’ expressions darkened again as if by a switch, and jutted the carrot in her direction. They looked about ready to shout, when another, feminine voice screamed at them. The two boys looked over and gasped, falling on their behinds. Both of them scurried away, laughing and yelling as soon as they had stood back up.

The other side of the bars was barren now, except for a different human in the distance looking Fluttershy’s way. She blinked, confused by what had happened in the space of just a few scant seconds.

The sound of footsteps approaching made Fluttershy’s ears tiredly raise up.

A taller human in a long sort of gown-like robe walked into view from around the corner, then knelt down. The filly smiled broadly, and extended a hand in through the bars.

“Cho!” Fluttershy exclaimed quietly, then walked, limping slightly over to the other mare. She did seem a bit like a mare, rather than a filly. Still, it was hard to tell, though she looked older than the colts that had just fled her.

Cho smiled sadly in return, then began muttering in her strange language.

Oddly, she sounded as though she were upset, to Fluttershy. “Oh,” she quickly decided why that may be. “Please don’t blame yourself, Cho. You didn’t do this to…” Her words paused slightly, because Cho began petting the side of her face. “To me…?”

Fluttershy wrinkled her brow in confusion, tilting her head away somewhat. “U-Uhm.” Her eyes looked around, a little confused as to why Cho was scratching around her face and ears. It felt good, but in truth, it was mostly because it meant she wasn’t alone. What she really felt she wanted was a hug.

“Thank you, but that’s okay… I’m not...” Fluttershy returned a small, friendly grin, but held up a hoof to gently push away the girl’s efforts. “That is to say, uhm, I’m not big on being petted, if that’s okay.” Sure, it felt nice, she considered, but it was still odd.

Fluttershy’s eyes darted between the dirt floor and Cho tentatively, unsure of how she could apologize or explain things politely with the language barrier they shared. I guess she thinks I’m a bit like a forest animal. Is that because humans have so little fur she assumed that? They are rather strange looking. Most animals in Equestria loved attention and love itself, in general even the mean ones as she had found.

Cho’s smile wavered some and she stopped, wearing an uncertain look, but seemed to understand. She nodded, then looked around quickly, as if wary of something. When she looked back, she sighed, her expression was sad again.

Fluttershy laid her ears back, mirroring the girl’s sadness. Still, she tried to smile. “What’s wrong, Cho? Well… besides what happened, I guess.”

Cho was studying her carefully from the look of it, but not saying anything back. Slowly, she pointed a finger towards Fluttershy, her frown deepening.

Fluttershy blinked, and raised a hoof up to her head absently after a moment; she realized Cho was pointing just above her. After a quick, breathless gasp, her hoof began running itself all over her mane in a panic. “Oh. Oh no!” she quietly exclaimed, then frantically looked around herself. Her eyes settled on the water basin, and she dashed over to stand beside it, ignoring her aches.

Fluttershy leaned down, and saw her reflection; ragged, shortened, and cut unevenly was the remnants of her normally long, flowing pink mane. The hair had been cropped to just barely reach her ears, and looked a great deal like colt’s style of haircut now. She sniffed once, quietly, and kept staring. It dawned on her that the strange feeling she had experienced earlier was in fact how much lighter she felt from the haircut.

Cho spoke up behind her, saying something in a pensive but apologetic in tone; she sounded even more sad than Fluttershy felt.

“It’s okay…” Fluttershy spoke up quickly; her voice only quavered slightly. She turned about, and for the first time found that her tail had suffered the same fate, now just a pink tuft. “It’s just a mane… and my tail… they will grow back, after all.” She managed a reassuring smile to try and cheer up Cho.

It surprised Fluttershy , somewhat, that the change didn’t bother her so much, but all considering there were far more distressing things to worry about than her hair. She considered for a moment that Rarity, however, would likely have lost it by this point.

The stray thought made Fluttershy giggle; Cho was studying her sadly still, but stopped and widened her eyes in surprise at the sudden change.

Fluttershy sighed, letting go of her own sadness, then trotted back to the bars. “Cho, I know you don’t understand me, but please, can you get me out? I need to find my friend, too. His name is Root… and…” She frowned deeply and trailed off, as Cho began shaking her head and shrugged once.

“Oh…” Fluttershy held a hoof to her muzzle in thought. “Ah, I have it.” She recalled the last time she had asked about Root, and bucked her teeth out and held up her front hooves as a squirrel would, which was a close approximation to Root. Chittering, her back legs bounced herself a couple of times. “Root?” she said one last time, settling back on her front hooves.

Cho deadpanned at Fluttershy blankly, sitting still where she kneeled.

Fluttershy flinched slightly, worried after a moment. “U-Uhm, I didn’t offend you? Did I—”

Suddenly, interrupting Fluttershy, was Cho’s raucous laughter. The girl teetered backwards, one of her arms just barely keeping her from falling back into a nearby mud puddle.

Fluttershy blinked in surprise, then chuckled along too. “Oh,” she said in understanding.

Cho came back up, nodding, and again speaking in her own language. She was smiling too, and pointed after a moment off into one direction; it was possibly directed at the nearby building, or at a place further than that.

Fluttershy’s relieved look shrank somewhat, then glanced around at the bars still keeping her contained.

Cho turned back, and followed her examination.

“Cho, I don’t suppose you could get me out somehow?” Fluttershy asked slowly, smiling.

Cho returned the smile, and began speaking again in her strange language alongside nodding. She only got two or three words out, though, before a loud, scary sounding voice cut her off.

Cho went straight backed, and Fluttershy instinctively got up in order to crouch low to the ground. “What was that!? Uhm, Cho-” she whispered, but was quickly shouted over again.

Cho stumbled up to stand and pushed her back to the shed, all the while being yelled at by a voice that was unmistakably male, and deep.

Fluttershy flinched, then flinched again after she heard a loud, slapping sound, followed by the splash of mud as Cho fell out of sight towards the ground; she was already sobbing and scrambling back to her feet before Fluttershy knew what had happened.

“S-stop it!” Fluttershy pressed her face to the bars, trying to see what was going on, only to gasp and step away again. The bars clanged loudly as something banged against them, pushing her back.

Cho was gone now, the sound of her crying fading into the distance, and was replaced by a tall shape, leaning down to look inside the closed room.

Fluttershy’s eyes widened slowly, studying the face of the human that was looking at her. He— Why does he look so angry…? she thought.

The man’s expression was almost emotionless, except for an unmistakable hatred, hanging just behind his eyes. The look he was giving spoke volumes about his thoughts and feelings, louder than words possibly ever could.

Fluttershy’s eyes stayed locked with his, unable to look away, until, however, she spotted a smidgen of pink in the corner of her eye. Her eyes flicked down, unable to help it, and she gasped.

Hung around the man’s waist and shoulder, just over his strange looking clothing, was a long, pink sash; it was made of Fluttershy’s old mane and tail. Hanging through the pink strands were several feathers; a great deal of them, in fact. The rest of the clothing was colored a deep red, and made up of strange, sectioned pads.

Fluttershy stared a moment longer at her repurposed tail, then looked up at the human to see him smirking, ever so slightly. She couldn’t help what came next. Her face scrunched up, her eyes narrowed, her legs tensed, then with the loudest voice possible, she began crying uncontrollably, head tossed back.

Fluttershy heard the human let out a surprised noise and splash backwards through the muck, but she didn’t look down or stop bawling; she couldn’t stop, everything hurt too much and she had just seen a friend of hers be hurt for no reason whatsoever.

The sound of the human stallion talking angrily reached Fluttershy’s ears, but she didn’t care right then. He shouted at her, she thought, but rather than look at him she let herself down to the earth and covered her head with her hooves to hide, still crying.

A strange sound did make Fluttershy look up; it was like metal, but no sound that she had ever heard before. It had been surprising, and strange, but also pretty in a way. She saw the human, looking at her with a wary expression, while in his hand was a long, sharp looking sort of kitchen knife. It was all wrong though, the blade was nearly a stride in length.

Fluttershy continued to sob and sniff, barely stopping despite blearily looking up through tear stained eyes. “I- Wha- don’t unnerstand,” she mumbled, then wiped a foreleg across one of her eyes. By the time she had finished, she managed to catch a glimpse of the stallion’s expression, just before he took a step away, then turned to leave.

As the human stallion left, he put his big kitchen knife in a matching sheathe.

Fluttershy blinked, fighting back tears, and surprised that the human had simply left like that. The look he had given her hung in her mind. Did he look, afraid of me? she thought, sniffing. I just don’t understand what’s going on.

Fluttershy’s face wrinkled up again after a moment, confusion leaving her and the thoughts of Root, Totoro, his friends and Cho, all returning in a rush. I have to get out of this place.

Scrambling back up to her hooves, Fluttershy looked around the hut that was her prison. I have to, she resolved, still sniffing and trying to regain her composure. “Cho?” she called out quietly, voice shaking.

No response came, and in the distance the sun was setting, bathing the sky in a fiery mix or orange and red.

“Oh… dear…” Fluttershy, remorseful, sat back. Just for a moment, she stared at the sky, wishing she could escape to it. Her wings fluttered on her back briefly, and she noticed that they felt a little light as well.

Fluttershy tossed and turned where she lay in the corner. She couldn't get comfortable in the slightest, not enough to fall asleep with her head throbbing the way it was, anyway. Luna... Luna, please. Can you hear me? She groggily raised her head to glance out the bars to hear cage-like room, then huffed angrily. "Oh, Fluttershy, you've really gone and done it now..."

One of her hooves slapped the earth, kicking up a small cloud and a few pebbles.

Fluttershy stared around herself, upset that she hadn't been able to fall asleep easily. Her head laid back down against the bare earth for her next attempt to reach out to her only link home. Come on Fluttershy, this is easy compared to... well, pretty much everything else. Just rest your head, concentrate on breathing... and...

"Fluttershy!" hissed a nearby voice quietly.

Fluttershy's ears picked up immediately. "Luna!?" she called out, then realized she had not yet fallen asleep. The room was still around her, bathed in moonlight, and her fur still held its filthy quality. "H-Huh?" She stared around herself in confusion.

"Fluttershy..." the voice called again, but more impatiently this time. There was a rapid, distinct scratching noise coming from nearby.

Fluttershy stared towards where she thought it was coming from, then stood up slowly. Her legs shook, quaking from the exhaustion and soreness that filled them, but successfully held their own. Several hours since sunset of lying still had made them stiff again. "H-Hello? Who's there?" She squinted and peered outside the bars, but saw nopony there.

Then, suddenly, a dark form lowered itself from near to the wall on Fluttershy's left. Unable to help herself, she let out a yelp, only to be silenced quickly by somepony shushing her violently. Hurried, quiet speech followed the shushing.

Fluttershy tilted her head in instant recognition. "Cho?" she asked wonderingly.

The form pulled down what looked like a white wrapping of cloth from around her face, revealing a bright smile. The human girl muttered more in her language and nodded. A moment later, she was almost bowled over by three other forms.

Fluttershy gasped, spotting what seemed to be a panting dog and two more humans. All three of the other creatures crowded around the bars, only for Cho to chase their quietly giggling forms away. Those were the colts from earlier, she thought in surprise.

Fluttershy wrinkled her brow up incredulously, watching as the others left back around the corner. After a moment, the scratching resumed. "I— I don't understand. Are you helping me?" She turned to face Cho again.

Cho stared a moment, then shrugged while making a flat expression. After that, however, she began making gestures that vaguely looked as though she were digging with an invisible shovel.

Fluttershy smiled the most relieved smile she thought she'd ever made in her life. "Y-you are! Oh-" Her eyes blurred for a split second, forcing her to blink them away. "Thank you. Thank you, thank you..." she said, her words turning to whispers as she went on.

Cho giggled back, and reached in to scratch behind Fluttershy's ears.

Fluttershy didn't care if it was a little odd, or invasive; she leaned into the gesture, trying not to cry or make any noise. After a moment of the brief respite, she dashed over to the wall where the scratching was strongest. Her hooves began plunging themselves into the hard packed, rocked filled dirt, doing her best to help.

Don't worry Root, Fluttershy thought, setting her jaw. I'm coming.

Author's Note

Chapter 10 : The Great Escape

Fluttershy crouched low against the odd building's wall; the building itself was difficult to see in the dark, but the strange roof gave it a decidedly alien look, being all curved eaves and patterned windows.

Just ahead of her was Cho, also crouched low to the ground, and behind Fluttershy were the other two human children; she had yet to learn their names for certain. The dog hadn't come along, being left somewhere by the two human colts; Fluttershy suspected it was because he was so noisy.

I could have asked him to be quiet... or tried to, Fluttershy thought, frowning slightly. She sighed, watching as Cho peeked around the corner of the building, looking around stealthily like one of the Cutie Mark Crusaders when up to mischief.

As far as Fluttershy could tell, they were going to get Root, but as they went further and further into the human village, it seemed more and more likely that it wouldn't be at all easy to do. The two things that hung in her mind strongest were being caught, in which case Cho was probably putting herself at a big risk... and whether Root was alright.

Fluttershy, still crouched in the dirt, then let out a tiny gasp as Cho suddenly ducked around the corner and out of sight. "Cho-!" She made to go after the human filly, but was stopped by her tail, which felt as though what was left of it had been pulled on.

"Ah-! What?" She turned, and found both of the little colts pressing their fingers to their mouths in a hushing gesture, each with a grip around what remained of her tail's hair.

Fluttershy felt a little indignant towards the two human colts, but gave them doubtful looks rather than berate them. She turned and looked around the corner, but didn’t follow; Cho was nowhere to be seen now.

There were sconces lighting up the night all along a stone path, which in turn led up to a large, sort of castle-like building. The building seemed like some very rich humans might live there, and every so often a human in weird, pleated armor would stroll by with a torch grasped in one hand.

For now though, the dark of night around the building was very much empty, except for the flickering of a few stationary torches.

Fluttershy let out a quiet breath and sat, waiting. "I hope that she will be okay... I am just so frustrated right now..." The feeling surprised her a little, given how scared she still felt; she supposed the fact of the matter was simply that she had been through so much already, and there was still no sign of a break yet, or even better, a way home.

"I need to talk to Luna, and soon," Fluttershy said aloud, then jumped as two hushing noises were blown into her ears. She turned to give the two colts an indignant glare; each of them were snickering together, probably because she jumped in surprise. "Oooh, you two are trouble... I would put you in a time out if you weren't helping me." She got the feeling the human colts knew what she was saying roughly, because in the dim moonlight she could make out sly looks on their youthful faces.

Fluttershy let out a quiet sigh. Well, at least we haven't been found out ye-

All at once, a metal gong being rung, shouts, and the distinct sound of Cho running past while yelling indiscernibly, filled the surrounding courtyard.

Fluttershy sat up, eyes wide and ears standing on end, staring after Cho, who seemed to be running as fast as she could while holding a box-like thing in her hands.

"Root?" Fluttershy focused on the box. “Root!” The box was actually a cage, and she thought she saw her friend inside, as well as heard him. Worryingly, however, Cho was being followed by what was likely a guard, running close behind her.

Fluttershy began chasing after Cho immediately, already breathing hard. Her mind raced quickly for what to do. Oh, what would Rainbow Dash do!? A couple images flew past until, given the situation, she thought she had thought up the right idea. "Oh, I'm so sorry for this."

Cho and her human chaser, shouting and rattling some kind of weapon, both ran around a corner down the road, towards what seemed like the nearby wall. Fluttershy followed close rather easily, something that surprised her.

The adult human hadn't noticed her joining the conga line of chasers; Fluttershy jumped into the air above him. Hope this works... Her wings pumped hard, dragging her up, but with more difficulty than was usual. Oh, oh my. Why am I not going higher? Her teeth gritted from the strain flying, but she managed to accomplish what she had set out to do.

Fluttershy stayed in the air above the human stallion for a moment, hesitating only slightly, then dropped onto his helmeted head, using all four hooves to clunk him a good one. "Sorry! I really am! But I need to get my friend back and..." She quickly noticed the human was unconscious. "Oops… too hard..." Her wings were slowly letting her drift back to the ground as she stared in surprise at the still form, only keeping her aloft with great difficulty.

Oh, I hope he's okay. Fluttershy stared at the shadow of the human a moment longer, then turned and inspect her wings. She had noticed earlier that they lacked a great many of their feathers, something that she knew would take days at least to grow back.

The sound of the two human colts catching up and Cho calling out regained her attention; the colts were cheering, while Cho sounded downright panicked, gesturing back to where they had run from frantically.

"Oh, right, we're escaping!" Fluttershy whisper-shouted in understanding. Hesitantly, she turned and ran from the knocked out cold human. She regretted just leaving him there without apologizing, but given the circumstances she supposed she had no choice. After catching up with Cho, her hooves thumping loudly on the wooden path, she spotted someone that raised her spirits immediately.

"Root!" Fluttershy exclaimed.

The cage bobbed up and down in Cho’s grasp.

The little fox squirrel chirped happily over at Fluttershy through the little cage's bars, reaching through with one paw.

"I'm so glad you're alright." Fluttershy smiled at him, and made to reach forward and nuzzle the cage, but it seemed there was no time. Her attention was pulled up by an arm.

Cho was already pointing with one arm towards one of the walls, a tall thing made entirely out of rowed trees, lashed together. She sounded very upset, doubly so when she turned to the two human colts, who had apparently liberated the helmet and long stick from the unconscious stallion from before.

As far as Fluttershy could make out, Cho was gesturing for them to both leave, maybe, yelling and pointing back into the village. The colts seemed to argue back, then more shouts from further in the village rose up.

Fluttershy didn’t understand entirely what was happening, but Root’s cage was passed over to her.

She clutched the cage, closely in her front hooves, trying to listen. Her head turned side to side, spotting more and more lights flare up from down the street. "Cho, I think we need to, uhm, leave, maybe? And quick!" As she spoke, her hooves were frantically exploring the outside of Root's tiny prison. It seemed solidly built out of some strange plant, but she wasn't about to leave her friend trapped.

Summoning all of her strength, Fluttershy squeezed the little cage as hard as she could, and heard a crack. She gasped, then set the cage down. Just after, the little door she had broken swung open.

Root raced out and up her side in a flash, then clung to the back of her neck, chittering loudly.

"Oh, Root! I’m glad you’re alright. I was worried, but now I'm so happy-ieeee!"

Fluttershy's joyous reunion was cut short; Cho grabbed her mane and began to pull her on without waiting. The human girl was saying frantic things loudly at an alarming rate, and there was no longer any sign of the two colts.

Fluttershy tried to look around, but guessed they must have left already.

Cho brought them to a stop at a darkened alley, and began to catch her breath.

Fluttershy looked back behind herself worriedly, hearing the amount of shouting from behind them continue to steadily grow. “Oh, so, what’s next?”

Cho looked up, smiling, and although she likely hadn’t understood Fluttershy, she gave an answer by way of pointing upward, towards the sky. She laughed a little, and made more gestures while saying a few encouraging sounding words.

Fluttershy looked up, and exhaled thankfully once she understood. “Of course! I can just fly.”

The two different beings came together in a quick embrace, Fluttershy surprising Cho.

“Thank you, Cho. I hope you don’t get into any trouble for, uhm, helping me. Though, you really shouldn’t… I… Oh dear.” Fluttershy was torn between frowning or smiling, happy to be able to get away, but upset over other concerns. “Well, it was very nice meeting you, at least.” She hoped that Cho understood some of what she said.

Cho smiled, and seemed to have a wry look, as though just waiting politely while mildly amused. Afterward, she back up and pointed at the stars overhead again.

Fluttershy grinned, and nodded back. “Bye, Cho!” Leaping as hard as she could, which was a bit of gentle hop, she took herself up into the air. Her wings beat fiercely, gently flapping in quick strokes, and took her up and up, until she stopped rising.

Fluttershy looked around herself, and noticed the buildings weren’t getting any further away, still being on either side of her. “Oh dear,” she said, just in time to feel her back hooves clip the ground again. She hadn’t gained any height at all.

Fluttershy turned and gave Cho an embarrassed look, that quickly became a scared one, instead. “Uhm, Cho, I can’t fly, I think.” Her wings stretched up in front of her face, and she did her best to inspect them in the dark. That human took so many feathers… but that shouldn’t keep me down by itself... I must be too weak.

Cho blinked, not looking as though she understood, then pressed a hand over her mouth, eyes widening. She reached out and gingerly touched Fluttershy’s wing, feeling for herself.

Fluttershy let her, only flinching back slightly.

Cho muttered several angry sounding noises and words. Not long after, though, she put on a look of intense thought, then quickly tugged Fluttershy back towards the street, and out of their dead end alley. The words she was saying quickly began to sound as though she wanted to hurry.

Fluttershy frowned, feeling scared. Come on, Fluttershy, stay brave. It’s not over yet. She was glad that the human girl still wanted to help.

The thundering presence of several other humans, maybe guards, rose up from down the streets. Judging by the sound, they were all sprinting towards her and Cho; they both looked back at the same moment, and spotted exactly what they thought they had heard.

“Oh dear,” Fluttershy breathed, just as Cho muttered something that must be the human equivalent.

The two picked up their pace upon seeing the oncoming mob of adult humans, even as more lights filled other streets all around them, obviously searching as well.

Still, they hadn’t been seen, but it was getting crowded, and dangerous.

Cho led the way, with Fluttershy following every turn the little human made, trusting in her knowing where they should go.

After putting distance between themselves and the humans, and surprisingly little time, Fluttershy spotted what was almost certainly a broad gate, which must lead outside. It was shut, but she guessed that wouldn’t be a huge problem for her. She might be able to pull herself over the edge with just a little help from her wings.

Her hope began to rise, and galloped a little harder, but not so fast as to outpace Cho.

Fluttershy peeked over at the girl, which was easier, she noticed, having a lot less mane. I really don’t know how I'm going to pay her back for all of this. I’m just… I’m so grateful, and I can’t even tell her. I hope she understands after I get away… Then again, I guess I won’t have time to try and say anything.

A hand threw itself across Fluttershy’s front, and she let out an eep of surprise as she was brought to a halt. Cho had skidded to a stop, and proceeded to yank Fluttershy over into an alleyway.

Fluttershy’s eyes spun for a moment before she could recover. “W-What’s wrong?” she managed to stammer, and looked over through the shadows to try and see what had forced them into hiding.

The human filly was peeking around a nearby building’s corner towards where the gates were. After a moment of staying perfectly still, she quickly pulled back, eyes wide in the moonlight with panic.

Curiosity got the better Fluttershy and she took a peek as well. What she saw dashed her risen hopes; a large number of armed guards were at the big wooden gate, all holding various things that looked like nasty weapons. The one that grabbed her attention most was the large stallion at the group’s center. Unmistakably, it was the scary, armored human that had cut her mane and wore it like a belt.

“Eep!” was all Fluttershy managed, backing away from the open area on scampering hooves. Cho also moved closer and covered her muzzle with a hand, while motioning for her to keep quiet with the other. The human girl began looking around not a moment later, as if searching for another way out.

Fluttershy frowned in worry. She’s putting herself at such risk just to help me… The guilty thoughts pressed against her, more so because even though she now had Root, she wasn’t sure how well she could fly.

“Uhm, Cho, you’ve helped me enough. You should—” In the middle of gesturing, to her friend, a quick, hissing sort or noise grabbed her attention.

“Pssst!” A shadow repeated.

Hearing the noise again, both Fluttershy and Cho turned in the direction of the sound, towards the next alley over. The two boys were standing there, just barely visible and out of sight. Their wide, toothy grins shined in the moonlight, just enough for them to be seen.

Cho groaned and slapped both of her hands to either side of her head, and began yelling, in a hushed whisper, across the street at the boys.

Fluttershy folded her ears back and put on a worried look, watching the confrontation unfold. “Oh dear.” The eldest of the three humans seemed very upset at the younger ones, and it was easy to guess that they had probably been told to leave, and had disobeyed.

Cho made shooing motions towards the colts, scowling in a truly frightening way.

Fluttershy and Root turned to see how the colts would respond.

Each of the human boys had on a half smug, half playful look, then each raised up what looked to be a large cooking pan between them. In each of their hairless little hands, they also held what was certainly a wooden spoon apiece.

Fluttershy’s and Cho’s eyes each widened in understanding and fear, then began shaking their heads and waving hands and hooves in a desperate, silent plea.

Fluttershy tried words when they didn’t take the hint. “No! No, don’t do that! Boys! Oh dear.” She prepared herself for the worst, clutching her eyes shut.

Both of the boys began banging on a pan, not stopping. All the while they both snickered mischievously.

Sure enough, as was expected, the nearby guards all turned to face down the street. A moment later, and shouts rose, lights were cast down the street, and several of the armored humans all charged in their direction.

Cho slapped a hand against her face, then grabbed Fluttershy, pulling her into the shadows of their hiding spot.

“Goodness, we’ll be-!” was what Fluttershy managed to get out, before a hand clapped over her mouth.

Meanwhile, the colts both leaned out of their alleyway, still banging kitchenware together, then turned and ran in the opposite direction. They waved to the guards briefly, making mocking sounds, before laughing their way out into another street.

Following close behind, shouting guards and torches chased after them deeper into the town.

Fluttershy poked her head out first once the street became quiet again.

Cho looked out, making sure the coast was clear.

Fluttershy ooed quietly in understanding. “Oh, a distraction. That was quite clever-” she admitted, then felt herself get tugged along again. She managed to let out another eep of surprise, and let herself be dragged until her hooves kicked into their own movement.

Not wasting a moment, Cho had tugged Fluttershy along by her shoulder, pointing at the other side of the street. She quickly made another gesture for Fluttershy to stay put, then sprinted down the street, moving from shadow to shadow rather stealthily, despite her long clothes.

Fluttershy followed the first gesture to look at the gate, now barren of any of the guards. It’s clear! They did it! Root chittered noisily from her side. “We’re almost out, Root,” she responded back to him. “Honestly, I still don’t understand why the humans even wanted me as a prisoner… I don’t know anything important, after all. At least, I don’t think I do…” She frowned, not fully understanding, and afraid to think more on it.

After Cho finished her dash, scouting ahead, she called something back; taking the hint, Fluttershy looked up, then hesitantly chased after the girl towards an easy escape. She stopped at one building’s to look around fearfully.

“Fluttershy,” Cho called quietly, and gestured more for her to follow.

Fluttershy’s ears twitched. She thought she’d heard something. Looking around, she spotted what it must have been.

Root, who had yet to follow, was staring intently at her from the alley.

Fluttershy lowered a wing towards the fox squirrel and beckoned him to hop on her back once more. “Don’t worry, I’m with you,” she urged, but smiled calmly.

Only hesitating for a moment, Root dashed out and proceed to run up Fluttershy’s wing onto her back once more. He clung to her back, nestling in low.

“There we go.” With Root in tow, Fluttershy sped after her waiting companion, crouched behind a wagon.

Cho let out a tense sounding breath and Fluttershy skidded under the shadow of their small cover, then looked up over its edge.

There was no one in sight.

Fluttershy felt her hopes rise again. She wasn’t on the verge of smiling outright in relief, but the sight did fill her with confidence. “This is good, Cho. I think that I can get out-”

Cho shushed Fluttershy, holding finger to her lips.

Fluttershy crouched lower, ears folded back. “Oops, sorry,” she apologized, then waited. Does she have a plan? There’s no way she could get that big door open. I hope she doesn’t think it needs to be... She watched quietly, waiting; the human filly didn’t seem to be nearly as relieved as she was, and that made her worry, instead.

Cho had on an intense look, and she kept looking all around the courtyard, as if expecting something.

A pair of lit torches mounted on the end of tall logs somewhat lit either side of the wooden gate, while to one side was a stumpy tower that rose up along its side. It seemed empty, just like the courtyard. Beside the ugly tower and gate to either side was a palisade wall made of a single, long row of tree trunks, all stuck together in a somewhat orderly fashion.

The wall was tall; not so tall Fluttershy couldn’t normally get over it, but tall enough it was going to be an issue. Her eyes spotted several other options to get over it though, in the form of platform-like scaffolding along the wall.

Finally, Cho turned around and sat, shaking her head and sighing. She began to speak more in her native language, facing towards Fluttershy.

Fluttershy tilted her head; she hoped she understood what the filly was thinking. “It’s fine, Cho, I can still fly a little… If not, I see stairs in that tower. Maybe I can climb up to the top?” She poked her head up and looked again. “If you want to go now, I think I can make it on my own.” Her hoof pointed towards what she meant, and then she sign-languaged as best she could what she had said, that Cho could leave.

Cho furrowed her brow, following the motions. She shook her own head, looking sad.

Fluttershy thought she understood now, recognizing the sad look on Cho’s face. “I’ll be fine, Cho. I promise. Thank you... for all your help.” She tried to go, stepping out into the torchlight, and not wanting to wait around to see when the others might return.

Cho let out a yelped surprise and fell in front of Fluttershy, her hand pressed to her front to keep her from going any further past the wagon.

Fluttershy wrinkled her own forehead up in confusion. “I don’t understand,” she admitted and shrugged.

Cho sighed, just as a single, shouted yell from nearby rang out across the walls of the buildings nearby.

Fluttershy crouched low immediately, eyes darting all around herself until she spotted who had yelled.

A human was pointing at her, that she was certain hadn’t been there a moment ago, while several more ran out from either side of them into the open.

She thought she knew what Cho had actually been thinking, now. “Oh, it was a trap,” she squeaked, attention glued to the darkened figures rushing towards them.

Before she knew what was going on, Fluttershy was again being hauled onward, and in the direction of the gate. The sound of hooves and boots ringing on stone and thudding on dirt filled the air. On her back, Root hissed ferociously.

Cho shouted loudly, and pointed towards the wall.

Fluttershy got the message, and once again found herself following behind Cho until they neared the wall, a part with segmented stairs going up towards wooden platforms.

Everything happened quickly.

Guards were coming at Fluttershy and Cho from either side and the stumpy looking tower. The only spot for them to run was straight at the wall, and a rickety looking ladder.

Cho stood with her back to the ladder and motioned up it.

Fluttershy didn’t need the encouragement, and was already flapping her way upward, hooves pushing against each rung to hurry herself up. All the while, her head was full of thoughts such as, Oh my goodness, oh my goodness! and prayers that they didn’t have the loud, horrible weapons she had encountered before.

Before she knew it, she was at the top of the wall. A thunk of wood from behind made her yelp, and she whirled around, only to exhale in relief; it was just Cho.

It came as a surprise that she had come, too, since it made far more sense that she would have run already.

“Cho! Oh, why did you follow me!? I can-” As Fluttershy spoke, she looked over the edge of the wall, and spotted a long, long drop. At the bottom of the wall was a cliffy hill, and beyond that was a wide, massive river, almost big enough to be called a lake. Were it not for the swift current it possessed, it might have been able to get away with the term.

“Oh dear,” she murmured breathlessly, her wings flapping already unconsciously on her back, and scooted away.

Cho ran past to the edge, and began making gestures out into the air both arms, encouraging her onward by the looks of it.

Fluttershy winced in fear, trying but unable to get herself off the ground. “Ah- Cho, I don’t know if I can-”

An angry shout, long and drawn out, silenced the air. The other voices from below quieted, leaving the night silent except for Shy’s and Cho’s panicked breathing.

Just across from them atop the stumpy tower was a human, standing in the glow of surrounding torchlight. The red armor, and a sash of pink pony hair across his chest, marked him as the cruel human stallion from before.

Fluttershy crouched down under the menacing glare she was getting from him.

Cho’s voice rose up, yelling back in answer across the gap that separated them.

Fluttershy wasn’t sure what was being said, but seeing as how everything had come to a screeching halt, the red armored human was almost certainly in charge. She peeked over the edge, down the ladder, and saw a dozen humans waiting at its bottom, but they weren’t coming up, yet.

Oh dear. Fluttershy gulped, and pulled back, still listening. M-M-Maybe I should just jump. I bet I can still… glide, maybe? Wait— Everything that was being said was indiscernible, but a word she remembered made her look up at Cho, eyes wide in shock.

“Otōsan!” Cho yelled again, amidst other, more mysterious phrases.

Fluttershy looked back at the other human yelling angrily at Cho, his eyebrows almost drawn down to his cheeks in a fury. Oh goodness, that’s her poppa!? she realized, and laid a hoof over her muzzle. But she’s so nice! And he… isn’t.

The red armored human yelled back and made another harsh gesture with one arm, his other hand gripping his tall, stick-like weapon hard enough that veins were visible across his knuckles.

Fluttershy winced. They’re fighting because of me… Her ears strained, welded to the sides of her head, but could still hear every angry syllable from each person being thrown at one another. This is horrible. Family shouldn’t fight like this!

Before Fluttershy knew what she was doing, she was rearing up in between the two humans wings and forelegs outstretched to either side of herself.

“Stop!” she yelled out, and turned a desperate look at each of them in turn. “Please, just—”

Fluttershy had looked back and forth between the quarreling family, trying to get both of their attentions and do… something to defuse the situation. While she was facing the red armored human, hooves out-stretched and wearing her best pleading expression, Cho cried out from behind her.

After that, Fluttershy felt somepony push her over.

The world lurched, and the sounds of a dramatic scene rose up, then were distorted.

Fluttershy realized why that was as she fell backward over the side of the wall, the sensation of Root's claws digging into her neck and the wind in her mane replacing everything else. She had time for one last glance at where she'd been standing, which was now a nest of the human’s stick weapons, both large and small.

Cho was clutching her middle now, and they were both falling, likely towards the river below.

Fluttershy's eyes clenched shut, and the sounds of Cho screaming, and yelling from over the wall all made its way to her before she opened them again. No. This is bad! I can't fly right now! Root, I— Cho protected me, but... The flowing river below her wasn’t very far away now, even though it felt like a forever had passed.

“H-Hold on, you t-two!” Fluttershy stammered, and at the same time snapped her wings open, flipping her around. Tattered feathers whipped free, but the wind caught underneath her. Her plummet was slowed, but did not stop.

Fluttershy had time to try and flap herself into the air for a few, futile moments, before icy water splashed her hooves. The river's current overtook both her, and the human filly remained clutched around her middle. As gentle as the current was, it still instilled fear as it rushed up to meet her face and body.

She thought she felt claws digging into her back, as well, just before she began her fight to stay afloat.

"Cho!" Fluttershy tried to yell, but what came was more of a gargle of water, most of it trying to be swallowed rather than spoken. Her hooves and wings all paddled, using her basic knowledge of swimming to stay somewhat afloat. Little claws all poked around her head, while the human clinging to her side gasped loudly every few seconds to take in shallow breaths.

"Hold on, we're okay—" Fluttershy said, and tried to gain her bearings.

The flow of the river was strong, and loud, so much so that it was almost beginning to sound like a roar of some horrible, dangerous monster rather than just water. Strangely, it didn't seem like it should be so loud with such a gentle current.

Fluttershy felt a woosh of... something around her head, then all of a sudden she was up in the air before she knew it, her wings flapping erratically. But, that wasn't me! she thought, then repeated the thoughts out loud. "Ah, that's not me! Somethings got me! Somethings-!"

Fluttershy heard a loud, deep, earthy chuckle, then raised her head up to look at what had made it. "Totoro!"

The giant cat-bear monster grinned in a funny way down at her, one arm outstretched with an umbrella to his side, and the other curled around both Fluttershy and Cho.

Fluttershy's eyes burst into relieved tears, but quickly looked down again, just as Cho began screaming like nopony she had ever seen scream before; not even herself.

"It's alright! It's alright! He's a friend!" Fluttershy tried to calm the human girl down as best she could, holding her close in her hooves, but something smacked her. The sensation was right under her jaw, and a moment later she saw the flickering lights of the distant human town begin to dim, along with the moonlight and everything else.

Author's Note

Sorry this took so long. The next chapter should have lots more in it. >.<

The Image was nabbed from a random blog post elsewhere.