Fluttershy's right ear swiveled to the side as sound filtered into her head. It was sound unlike what she would normally hear when waking up. In her cottage. Outside the town. And now her left hear stood at attention, trying to grasp where the sound was coming from. It was annoyingly loud and a deep bass thrummed which shook her tiny frame. She shivered and rolled over, attempting almost desperately to find solace in sleep. When the sounds were joined by a voice, her eyes drifted open, now curious as to whom was in her little cottage. It was almost as if one of Rainbow Dash's rock bands that she loved so much was having a concert in her living room downstairs. She didn't immediately count out the fact that it could be Dash pulling a prank on her.
She could now catch some of the lyrics:
"... You can choose a ready guide in some celestial voice. If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice. You can choose from phantom fears and kindness that can kill. I will choose a path that's clear, I will choose free will."
The lyrics made no sense to her and she rolled over lying uncomfortably on her wings but forcing her eyes shut nonetheless, it couldn't be morning yet could it?
Sunlight filtered in through a window above her, forcing her eyes to crack open again. She brought a hoof to her crusted eyes and rubbed away the sleep. She then half consciously grabbed for her blankets which must have fallen off the bed during the night. She mentally cursed herself for she knew she rolled and thrashed around in her sleep quite a bit. When there was no blanket to grab, she groaned and tried to roll over again, only to be halted in the process by a wall. She couldn't remember for the life of her there being a wall close enough on either side of the bed for her to roll into. She was starting to get really annoyed by this little prank Dash was pulling. It had been a late night and she had to get up to work later, so she wanted to milk the morning for all it's worth. The wall was padded unlike her normal hard wood walls and she cuddled up to it, letting her soft yellow fur soak up the morning sun.
The music stopped but was followed instantly by a stallion's voice saying something about a Rush concert, and that you could get tickets by calling a certain number.
'Rush?' Fluttershy quietly pondered. Who were they? She knew most of the famous bands due to Dash telling her about them, even when she admittedly wasn't paying any mind to her. She had no real taste for rock bands.
Suddenly, a jarring motion lifted her slightly into the air and she squealed as she landed roughly on the bed. However she couldn't even hear herself as the next song started playing, sounding completely different from the one preceding it, with a completely different singer voice. This one was grungy and deep, seeming to yell out the words rather than sing them.
Fluttershy was now wide awake and took a moment to breathe in her surroundings, but her breath choked in her throat when she realized this was not her home. Not by a long-shot. It was a confined space, maybe Able to fit 3 or 4 ponies, but what was most alarming was the fact that it was moving. She could see out the window, scenery passing by. There were strange metal objects that hummed by either way, each with a creature in the front end. She caught movement out of the corner of her eye and, turning her head, saw that there was one of those beings in the room with her.
Fluttershy started to panic. Tears welled up in her cyan eyes and threatened to break free from the fear and anxiety that she was experiencing. She targeted the source of the music as coming from the front of the room, the strange creature singing along to it. Or rather trying to sing along. All she saw was a short silver mane that stuck up in some places. The rest was hidden behind a wall akin to the one she was pressed against.
She caught sight of a short, wide mirror hanging from the ceiling, and in it she could see the bottom half of a face, a mouth moved to the lyrics, then shut tightly to hum when it did not know the words or the singing stopped. Thin hairs adorned a chin that ended in a rounded point. The head suddenly bobbed downwards and she caught sight of ice blue eyes. Fluttershy instinctively ducked behind the wall, hoping desperately that she had not been seen.
To her utter dismay, the music slowly turned off. She shuttered as the creature cleared it's throat before plainly asking "hello?"
She remained silent and hidden as she begged for her life to be spared. There was a long awkward silence before the music was turned back up and Fluttershy breathed a sigh of relief. Her wings slowly un-clamped from her sides and she looked around again, searching for any escape route. If she could only get outside, then maybe she could find her way back to Ponyville.
The room lurched to a stop and the music shut off once more. The creature in front of her started to turn its head and looked behind itself. Fluttershy started to hyperventilate as she pressed further against the wall, trying to remain hidden. It was one of those moments where she wished heavily that she was a unicorn. Escape would be an all too simple task if that were the case.
A hoof, no, a claw, with 5 digits reached back and Fluttershy quietly whispered her goodbyes. However the claw did not approach, but instead went towards a black briefcase. The creature grabbed it and leaned forward again. Fluttershy heard a door open ahead of her then slam closed. The silence was then thick around her as she slowly raised her head and glanced around. The creature was no longer there, so she decided to stand and explore. There was nothing were she was besides a few plastic bottles on the floor, but in the front, there was a number of interesting gadgets that caught her eye. A large wheel was the most enticing so she picked way to the front seat in order to reach it. Sitting in front of it, she put her forehooves on the sides and tried to turn it. She grunted with exertion as her tiny muscles strained, but the wheel seemed locked in place. She stopped with huff and looked around for something else.
In the center, numerous buttons adorned a black panel, but when she pressed any of them, nothing appeared to happen.
Sitting back in thought, Fluttershy remembered hearing a door open. She searched the sides until she found a lever and, hooking her hoof around it, pulled. To her dismay, there was a serious lack of reaction from the room she occupied.
Going back to brainstorming, she tapped a hoof meticulously on her chin as she thought, looking out the window. The same metal beasts she saw earlier surrounded her now in an unmoving state, and for a moment she pondered the idea of them being living things. She quickly discarded the thought when she realized she was in one such "beast."
Another idea entered her conscious and she bounced around a few times, deciding whether or not she was desperate enough to kick out one of the windows and risk cutting her legs up. The idea ultimately won out over her reasoning and she mentally steeled herself, hoping the pain wouldn't be too great. Bracing herself against the arm rest, she took a deep breath, then, with as much strength as she could muster, she threw her rear hooves at the glass panel. A jolt shot up her spine and she shivered, but there was a soft crunch, and when she opened her eyes, she was satisfied to see a spider web of fractures in the glass. She allowed herself a small smile for a moment as temporary reassurance washed through her. Perhaps she would make it back after all.
As she prepared herself for another kick, out of the corner of her eye, she saw the same creature making a straight path to her position. Her earlier hope fading, she gave a small 'eep' before dodging behind the seat to the back where she had started. So close. She waited in silence until she heard a key enter a lock and turn. The door swung open and with it, a string of profanities permeated the silence.
"What the hell happened to my window?" Fluttershy heard him yell. The creature sat back down in the front seat and she nearly screamed when the briefcase was thrown backwards, landing with a pomf on the seat.
"Damn it!" She heard him yell. A fist was repeatedly pounding on the wheel. She heard a choked sob and he repeatedly yelled out its frustrations. When it once again fell quiet, she wondered if he had fallen asleep. For a long while, there was no movement and only an occasional sniff told her he was still there. Despite her current predicament and fear of it, she couldn't help but feel sorrow for the crying creature. She cursed herself again for being the element of kindness.
"A-are you okay?" She asked in a small, barely audible voice. She knew it was a terrible idea, her brain screamed its disapproval, but her heart said otherwise.
The speed at which the creature spun was almost scary, and she could see those ice colored eyes again, only this time rimmed with red. Streaks of tears left a path down his cheeks as he was unable to stop the crying immediately. At first, his eyes didn't meet hers, scanning the back seat until his gaze fell upon her, widening in shock and perhaps a little fear. Fluttershy could relate.
"A-a pony? In my car? Are you the one that just spoke?" Fluttershy could only nod.
"How the hell did you get in here?"
She remained silent, for a moment, gathering the needed courage to speak again. "I-I don't know. I fell asleep last night in my bed, but when I woke up, I was in this room with you.” Her voice was nearly inaudible, she herself barely hearing the response.
The creature slumped in the seat and chuckled, which sounded pretty creepy to the timid Pegasus mare. "Great, just great! I lose my job and now I lose my mind." He continued his dark laugh with a claw over his face.
"I-is that why y-you were crying?" She managed to stammer out.
His laughing stopped and he rubbed his eyes vigorously with the sleeve of his shirt, followed by him giving a long sigh. “I wasn't crying, I was just... Yeah, I was crying. I just got laid off and that was my last chance to be able to pay my rent. I'll have to file for bankruptcy and forfeit my property. Maybe if I could get another job, I could at least afford an apartment, but that will take time. Why am I venting my problems to a talking yellow pony?"
“oh dear, that sounds terrible." Replied Fluttershy, ignoring his last question. “Don’t you have anypony you could stay with for the time being?"
"Hardly, my parents are sniveling drunks and I wouldn't be surprised if my brother's in prison. The only viable option would be my sister, but she's in Paris right now. So what's your story? Ponies don't normally talk, or look anything like you do, let alone have wings."
At this point, Fluttershy couldn't tell if he was a friend or foe, but hoping for the the former, she continued to answer his questions, little by little, shreds of confidence leaking into her voice. "W-well, I'm from a place called Equestria. I live in Ponyville with all my friends, and I love animals. I'm not sure what you are, but I know this I'm not in Equestria anymore."
"Got that right, I've never heard of the place. You are currently in Canada, Ottawa to be exact. And I'm a human by the way, my name is Keith."
"Fluttershy." She murmured in response.
An uncomfortable silence followed, so thick you could cut it. They both stared at each other, waiting for the other to break the silence, but they both held their tongues.
"Soooo... You hungry?" Keith finally questioned, if only to direct them out of the awkwardness.
Fluttershy was about to say no, not wanting to trouble him, but at that moment, her stomach decided to answer for her, sounding a low growl that made Keith chuckle.
"Food it is! By the way, are you the one that cracked the window?" The room started to vibrate as he put a key into a hole next to the wheel.
"Yes, I'm very sorry. I just didn't know what to do, so I tried to escape." The room suddenly lurched forward, and Fluttershy yelped as she fell back against the seat.
"Ah, don't worry too much about it, this car's a piece of junk anyway. I'm honestly surprised it still runs. You might want to sit down and buckle, we're going on the highway."
Fluttershy had no idea what he meant, but she did sit down, laying as flat as she could so as not to be seen by other humans. Even if this one was nice, she held caution that perhaps not all would welcome her. After all, in Equestria, humans were mere myth, used to scare little fillies.
As they turned onto the road, Keith turned the music on again.
"What kind of music do you like?" He asked, pressing the same buttons she had tried before.
"Birdsong" she answered.
She could tell he was holding back a choked laugh, but she didn't blame him. She hadn't met any other ponies with her same tastes, so why would a human? "Well, I don't think any radio stations play that kind of stuff, but I'll let you flip through the stations until you find something you like."
For a minute, Fluttershy hesitated, both still cautious and not wanting to move around in a moving room. Keith must have noticed this, as he said, "I'm not a bad guy, at least I don't like to think of myself as one. I promise I won't bite. Here, wait till the next light then you can climb up here. The windows are tinted too, so you don't have to worry about others seeing you."
Fluttershy still remained quiet. Maybe the human was trying to earn her trust so he could hurt her later, maybe he would try to help her. Or maybe this was all some crazy lucid dream, and she could wake up any minute. She nonchalantly bit her tongue and punched herself in the arm to make sure. She hoped he hadn't seen, but he did.
"Ya, you and me both. I'd give anything for this to be a dream." He shrugged, eyes fixing on the road once more.
"I-I'm sorry, I just want to get back home."
"No need to apologize, I understand. I'd be scared to if I was suddenly where I'd never been before. Tell you what: we'll get some lunch, then head back over to my place and I'll help you find where this Equestria place is. Deal?"
"Y-you'd do that for m-me? E-even though I'm a complete stranger?" Fluttershy couldn't help but put her last shreds of hope in this human. He felt... Safe.
"Sure. Besides, something tells me you'd do the the same." For the first time, a real smile, although small, cracked his lips. "Here's a light, you can climb up here now." The car rolled to a stop, and Fluttershy timidly climbed up the middle and sat herself in the seat next to Keith. She gazed out the window and saw numerous other cars carrying humans who, supposedly, wouldn't be able to see her.
"Alright, just push this button here to scan through the channels."
Fluttershy nodded her understanding and brought her left hoof up to the unusual technology, pressing the buttons as having been instructed. Instantly, the grungy rock music switched to a fuzzy sound that annoyed her ears terribly. She pushed it again, hoping the noise would stop and new music filtered into the car. Not the same as before, but still too hard for her tastes, she pressed it again, and again. Even as the car started moving again, which she had to stop for a moment to regain her balance as it pressed her against the sweat from the force of motion, she kept searching.
'...Not your fault but mine, and it was your heart on the line, I really ... It up this time, didn't I my dear? Didn't I my dear?" The song continued with soft guitar that slowly grew in strength as the singer grew louder with “ah’s,” until it exploded into the same words as before. Something about the singer's voice and the not-so-rock instrumentals captured Fluttershy's attention and she found herself lingering on this song.
"Hehe, seems we have something in common. Mumford and Sons is one of my favorites. Their music really speaks to me."
"I like them." She said slightly mesmerized. The song had floss almost seamlessly into another song, but she could tell it was by the same artist, this one just as invigorating.
"If you want, I can show you more of their music later."
"Oh please do." They both silently listened to the music as their journey rolled on. Apparently, the radio, as Keith had described it, was playing a marathon of the artist in celebration of a new album release. Fluttershy closed her eyes and gently swayed her head to the music, a smile gracing her lips, and she eventually dosed off. The quiet music and the hum of the car gently sending her off to sleep.
When Fluttershy awoke next, it was due to Keith softly tousling her mane, telling her to wake up. "Bout time, you're a pretty heavy sleeper."
"Neh." She moaned, slowly coming out of her trance of sleep. "Sorry."
"What would you like to eat?"
"Hmmm... A daffodil and daisy sand which would be wonderful." She said with an honest smile.
Keith only stared at her with a blank expression. "Ya, I don't think anyone would sell something like that. How about a Caesar salad?"
"Umm okay, just as long as it doesn't have any meat."
"Right, wait here while I go get our food." He took off a strap from around his chest and waist and glanced out the side window before opening the door and walking into a square building with a large yellow "M" on the front.
Left alone in the silence, she pondered how her friends might be doing. It was still early, had they noticed she was missing yet? Next she thought about Angel bunny and the rest if her animals that she took care of and fed daily. How would they get food? Lastly she thought about Ponyville as a whole. What if Discord or Chrysalis appeared again, or some new evil threatened her home? The elements of harmony wouldn't work without her.
A tap on the glance stole her out of her thoughts, and in the corner of her vision, she saw a human that was definitely not Keith. He was too short and young looking and his hair was black. She sat stock still, hoping to pass herself off as an inanimate object. He continued to tap on the glass and said something she didn't quite catch. Her heart rate increased and she could feel a trickle of sweat run off her forehead.
'Oh no,' she thought. 'Didn't Keith say people couldn't see into the windows? '
"Hey, what are you doing to my car?" The familiar voice of Keith flooded her with relief, knowing he would somehow take care of it.
She didn't hear what the other man said in response, but she then heard Keith say, "No, it's just a stuffed animal. I'm bringing it to my daughter as a birthday present."
"Bullshit man! I saw it moving, it was breathing!" Fluttershy heard the man shout and she tensed up, holding her breath. She didn't dare move a muscle.
"You're crazy."
"Alright, how about you open your car and we'll see. I know what i saw!"
"I think you better back off before I call the cops."
Instantly, the man's tone changed to the defensive. "Alright, alright man. I don't want any trouble, just suggesting you might want to reconsider giving that possessed doll to your daughter."
There was a moment more of silence before the door opened and Keith ducked into the car, bringing with him a large bag with the same "M" on it as well as a a picture of a human dressed as a clown. Out of the bag he took a black, square plastic container, which he handed to Fluttershy.
"Sorry about that, I didn't think anyone would be so nosy."
"That's okay, just startled me is all." Fluttershy looked down and studied her meal. It contained lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, shavings of carrots, as well as croutons. It was all drenched in a white sauce. To be frank, it looked absolutely delicious, but she refrained from digging in immediately so as not to appear rude.
"Oh, right! I think they put a fork in here somewhere." Keith stuck his claw back into the bag and drew out a black plastic fork, handing it over to Fluttershy. She was also keenly aware of Keith staring as she grabbed it by wrapping her hoof slightly around the utensil.
"You're really something, you know that? How are you able to grab things with your hoof?"
She held out her unoccupied hoof for Keith to examine. "Our hooves are softer than a normal horse's. We use our mouths more often for grabbing, but our hooves are dexterous to a small extent.
"Cool." Keith said in honest fascination.
"I find your claws more fascinating, with opposable thumbs."
"Claws? What, you mean my hands? Meh. They're nothing special, but I'll admit I would get frustrated without thumbs. Anyway, dig in."
He pulled out a circular object wrapped in thin paper, and when he unwrapped it, she saw it was similar to a burger, but it had meat in it. She shivered at the prospect of eating another creature. She felt a little disgusted. Dash had once tried to get her to try fish, as it was normally a delicacy to pegasi, but she decided it was an acquired taste that she never developed. She nearly spit it out when it slid down her throat, feeling slimy.
She had to ask Keith to get the top off, but once he did, she started on her salad. All of the vegetables tasted fresh and delicious. She wasn't a big fan of Croutons, but these weren't that bad. The sauce was fantastically delicious and complimented the salad well.
As Keith neared the last of his burger, he pulled a cup of what looked like hay fries out from the bag. Curious and mildly excited to see something familiar, she asked if she could try one. When he answered with "knock yourself out," she took one and chewed it slowly discerning the flavor. They definitely were not made out of hay.
"Are these hay fries?" She asked, thinking maybe they were just made differently.
"Hay? No, these are made out of potatoes, we call 'em French fries.”
She nodded her understanding and stole another. They were pretty good.
As they both finished, Fluttershy thanked him several times and Keith started up the car again and they pulled away from the restaurant, returning to the road. This time, Keith showed her the seat belt, but, it being too big for her small frame, had the waist strap go around her midsection, while the shoulder strap sat behind her head. He also expressed his surprise that she could sit in a human-like position so comfortably. By the time they turned the radio back on, they were no longer playing Mumford and Sons, so they turned it back off. Instead, to prevent an awkward silence, Keith asked about Equestria. So she told him about everything she could think of. About Celestia, her friends, her pets, and her daily life. When she talked about the elements, he got excited asking what happened next when she went into detail about her battles with Discord, Chrysalis, Nightmare moon, and King Sombre. They laughed together, and for the first time since waking up here in this strange new world, she felt she had a friend.
"So let me get this straight, you come from a world where a princess raises the sun and her sister raises the moon. Pegasi control the weather, and you along with your five other friends combat evil with a set of artifacts called the Elements of Harmony."
Fluttershy nodded, suppressing a giggle, still lingering from a fit she had when Keith made a funny comment.
"A bit farfetched if you ask me, but I guess I'll take your word on it. And by the way, you should laugh more often. I like your laugh."
Fluttershy's body grew warmer and her face went bright with a flush. "O-oh, thank you. But what about you? What's your life like?"
Almost instantly the laughing and joking nature left Keith's countenance, leaving him serious faced not without a sad look in his eyes. "I wouldn't want you to hear such a sad story. Let's just leave it at 'I've had a hard and terrible life.'
"I don't mind. It might help to tell somepony about it." She tried to use the most comforting and reassuring tone she could muster.
He exhaled a deep breath, eyes fixed on the road ahead before speaking. "My parents were abusive, not caring about me or my siblings. They would repeatedly get drunk and beat us, then threatened to kill us if we breathed a word of it to anyone. My brother was the oldest, and once he hit high school, he turned into just another one of them, treating me as the equivalent of a cockroach. I was made fun of for my white hair, people stuck me with the name 'snow' and although the name wasn't all that bad, it was the constant bullying that got to me. I failed 2 grades, and after a while I just have up, not thinking the extra stress was worth it. Art was my only escape, but I had to hide it from my parents else they would tear it up and tell me I had no talent. My sister was the only one I ever loved, I stayed close to her, relying on her to stand up for me. When I turned 17, my uncle took pity on me and offered me a job at his car dealership, teaching me the ropes and how to handle customers. When I turned 18, my uncle surprised me with this car, it wasn't as neat up then, and I named him my new father. Me and my sister moved in with him after he found out what our living conditions were currently like.
"A year later, my uncle died after getting cancer. He generously gave me his house in his will and that allowed me and my sister to continue living together. But the new owner of the car dealership fired me when he found out that I had dropped out of high school. That cut off my my income and my lack of education quickly caught up with me. I was able to find work here and there, but was never able to keep those jobs long. The inheritance money from my uncle was running out, and if I didn't find a steady source of income soon, I'd have to give up the house. For a while I thought I had found that source, but that was the job I just barely got fired from. And so, here I am. Heh, sorry I didn't plan on killing our happy mood."
Fluttershy unbuckled herself from the seat and stood up. She took one step before rearing up and throwing her forehooves around Keith's neck
"Hey, what are you...?"
Fluttershy remained silent as she kept Keith in a tight hug, letting every ounce of her sympathy show in that one gesture. After a minute had passed, she released him and sat back down in her own seat, refastening the buck and strap.
"You're lucky we were at a stop sign. That could have been really dangerous! But... Thank you."
"I was bullied too growing up. During flight school, I was ridiculed and mocked for not being able to fly very well. I was shy and my wings were weak, so I guess I just made for an easy target. I hadn't known my parents for very long, so I was on my own from early on. I contemplated suicide, but my friend Rainbow Dash helped me through. She was the only one who would stand up for me even though she was bullied as well. But i guess you could say it was through all that that I became who I am today. I nearly fell to my death during one of Dash's races, but that's how I became such good friends with animals and got my cutie mark."
When she finished, she looked over to find Keith staring at her, a dumbfounded expression adorning his face. "Man, now I feel terrible for complaining. You made your life sound so great just a minute ago."
"No, no, your life was definitely worse, but I was able to find friends that helped me through it. As well as have something to live for."
"You said cutie mark before, what's that?" He slowed to another stop sign, and took the chance to look at her.
"We ponies get a special marking when we find our special talent. It is always the most exciting thing when a filly gets their cutiemark."
"And what's yours? I don't see any markings."
"It always appears on our flanks, my special talent is talking with and taking care of animals."
Keith's eyes fell lower on her body until he saw the mark in question, three butterflies adorning her flank. A faint blush creeped on his face. "Wait, so if it takes a special talent to communicate with animals, then does that mean you ponies are the only sentient creatures in Equestria?"
"No, there's also the Griffons, Zebras, Diamond Dogs, and the Dragons. There's also the changelings. But for the most part, animals are not sentient."
"You have dragons?!" He asked incredulously. Magic and mythical creatures. It sounds like a nerd paradise, no offense. To tell you the truth, I wouldn't pass up the chance to visit this world." Before Fluttershy knew it, they had pulled up to a building and Keith shut off the car, bringing silence.
"How about you help me find out how I can get back, and then you can come with me? I'm certain you would find a wonderful life in Equestria!" She was almost too enthusiastic, getting excited about letting an outside being into her homeland.
"You'd allow me to do that?"
"Oh of course! Then you wouldn't have to worry about losing your house or finding a new job."
"Well I won't get my hopes too high, but I'll accept your offer. Come on, let's head inside." He unbuckled and Fluttershy followed suit, waiting for Keith to come around a d open her door so she wouldn't have to climb over the seats again.
It caught her by surprise how big the house was, easily 3 times at least bigger than her humble little cottage outside of Ponyville. The inside seemed to be bigger than the outside, but that might have been due to the fact that there wasn't much furniture. There were few chairs, but no couches could be seen. A large, spacious living room led into a kitchen with a shiny, metal fridge, stove, and something else she couldn't name.
"Make yourself at home." She heard him yell from the living room. "I'm gonna take a quick shower."
She continued her self-provided tour, leaving the kitchen and taking another exit from the living room. This time the room was a lot smaller, and all there was was a wooden desk with a black box sitting next to it and a foggy mirror sitting on the desk. She mentally noted to ask about it later. Besides the two things, papers and pencils were scattered around the desk. Some looked official and others appeared to be sketches.
After the office, there wasn't anywhere else to go except upstairs. She took them two at a time, flapping her wings once to give herself a small boost. To the right, she heard the telltale signs of a shower running, as well as Keith humming to himself. Fluttershy giggled. Along the hall, doors lined the walls, and if she used both of her hooves, she could manage to turn the spherical knobs. The first room was a bedroom, but vacant of any personal belongings. A large, unsheeted bed sat against the far wall and a wide window leaked sunlight into the room. She closed the door and went to the next. Another empty bedroom, same as the last. The next one however was filled with knickknacks and possessions. A large bookcase sat against one wall, while a writing desk was on the opposite side, a large plush chair in front of the desk. The bed was larger than the others and held several pillows of varying sizes. She took several steps into the room to get a better look. Of the varying curios, a few caught her eye. One was a cube made of smaller squares and had different colors all over it. Another was a small model of a ship, highly detailed, but in a glass bottle. The last we're a series of carving a made from a reddish wood. There was a bear, a moose, and the head of a wolf. She got even closer to the carvings to study them, but her left hind hoof caught on a rug she hadn't seen, and fell headlong into the shelf. She sat up quickly, whining and rubbing her forehead vigorously. She then noticed the wolf's head on the floor next to her. Its ear chipped.
"Oh no." She quickly but carefully grabbed both pieces and in a vain attempt to fix it, pushed them together. She heard the water shut off and she went faster, placing the wolf back on the shelf and placing the ear's tip where it should be, and she sighed with relief when it stayed. She hightailed it out of the room.
The hall ended with one last door, a little more or ate than the others. This one had a lever type handle so she was easily able to pull it down and push the door inwards. A strong scent of paint filled her senses when she poked her head in. She gasped when she saw what the room held. Rows and rows of paintings sat against the walls. There must have been hundreds of them. But sitting in the center of a room was an unfinished painting of a cityscape on a stand, a messy easel with dark colors dried to the wood.
She went over to one of the walls to look at the other paintings. Many of them were naturistic scenes often contains large trees with cherry blossoms. The vibrant green of the leaves and the soft pink of the blossoms, looked mesmerizing. Colors swirled around each other and blending gave soft gradients. Fluttershy couldn't look away. It was as if the art had completely captured her and left her mind in a blur of tranquility. Footsteps on the hard wood floor grew louder before stopping behind her and she knew Keith was there.
"They are absolutely beautiful." She turned to see Keith, a towel on his head, and a slight blush on his face.
"Thanks, I've had a long time to practice, but it means a lot that you think so." He draped the towel over his shoulder. "Come on and we can start our search. I'm actually really curious as to what we will find." Keith led her downstairs and back to the office room with the black box and desk. He pressed a button on the top of the box and she could hear wind being blown from it. A soft blue glow erupted from the box and she could see several fans spinning inside it. He then pressed another button the mirror and it blinked on, showing a picture that said welcome.
A white arrow then appeared and moved around, hovering over a square in the middle of the picture. There was a click, and the mirror changed to show a new picture. Keith must have caught sight of her intent staring cause he commented:
"I take it you've never seen a computer before?"
"Computer?"
"Hehe. It's a device we humans use to get information and do daily tasks. If you ask me, I say humanity depends on em too much, but I keep this one around for art purposes." He made several other things appear, then he pressed buttons on a flat board on the desk. "E-q-u-e-s-t-r-i-a. There, is that how it's spelled?"
Fluttershy looked at where the letters had appear and have a single nod.
"Alrighty then, search." They waited for only a mere second before more things popped up.
"Equestria grill, Equestrian park, ah, Equestria- My Little Pony?" Another clicking sound, and what came up gave them both a shock.
"You're a T.V. Show." Keith said plainly, pointing to a part of the picture that showed her.
"And you're a campfire story meant to scare fillies." Retorted Fluttershy.
"Touché. Well, seeing as your home world is something made up, I'm not exactly sure how we're gonna get you back home." He shifted in his chair and looked down on the now downtrodden mare.
"S-so, I'll never get to see my friends or a-animals again?" Her large cyan eyes wetted and tears threatened to ruin her yellow fur.
"Hey, come on now, I didn't say that." He dropped a finger to her face and wiped the tear before it could escape. “just said, I don't know how. I'll keep searching to see if I can find anything out alright?"
"R-really? Thank you, t-thank you so much for helping me. I don't know what I would do without you."
"It's no trouble really. I'm jobless now, so I'll have the spare time. And hey, stop crying and laugh more." He tousled her mane and she let loose a giggle that turned into a hum of contentment. "That's better." He stated.
The next few hours were spent continuing their search on the Internet, as Keith had called it, but it turned fruitless. Still, Fluttershy kept her little reserve of faith in Keith. Even if she didn't get home anytime soon, she was glad she had met such a kind human. He was nothing like the old mare's tales had described humans.
After insisting it was a thank you, Fluttershy cooked their dinner, after getting directions from Keith of where he kept everything. She found a box of noodles and a can of sauce and, after adding her own blend of seasonings and spices, made spaghetti. When finished, she called in Keith, and they both sat down to eat.
"Fluttershy." He said in a slow, careful tone. "This is best damn spaghetti ever in the history of mankind."
The complement earned a furious blush from Fluttershy. "Thank you, I'm so glad you like it. And the search?"
He sighed. "Still nothing. But don't lose heart just yet. I promise I'll get you home no matter what. Pinky swear." He held out his pinky finger towards her. It took him a moment to realize the situation. "Right, no pinkies."
"Heehee. Repeat after me. Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."
"Do I have to actually punch my eye?"
"Yes. But softly, please don't hurt yourself."
Keith shrugged and did as he was shown. "That sounds very similar to what we humans do, but ours is a little more... Grotesque."
The remainder of the dining was filled with both of them joking and laughing. Either Keith would tell a corny joke that was only funny due to their giddy moods, or Fluttershy would entertain him with more exciting 'elements of harmony' stories. When they had both finished they both sat back, patting their bellies and moaning in contentment.
"Hey, Fluttershy?"
"Hmm?"
"I know this is extremely selfish of me, but I'm glad I met you. You’re the first friend I've had in a while."
"I'm glad I met you too, even if I really just wanna go home."
"You know I'm gonna hold you to your promise of letting me come along."
She giggled. "Of course. All my friends would welcome you warmly."
"Can I ask you one more thing?"
"Of course."
Keith righted himself in the chair before continuing. "Would you let me paint you?"
"W-what?"
He leaned forward towards her over the chair. "Come on please? You're really beautiful and would be a perfect subject!"
"B-beautiful? You really think so? Even if I’m a pony?" She blushed hard, staining her pristine yellow coat with her embarrassment.
"Of course! It would take an idiot to not think so, regardless of species." He kept getting closer to her.
"Oh. W-well thank you. I-I guess you could, I wouldn't mind if you really want to."
"Great! I'll let you take a shower if you want real quick while I get things set up. The shower's easy to use, and there should be fresh towels in the bottom cupboard." He stood up, already heading for the stairs. "I'll see you in a few." He was gone, sprinting up the stairs.
Fluttershy sighed, getting up off the chair. She headed up the stairs as well, although much slower, and she turned into the bathroom. It was rather spacious and the shower was huge. True to Keith's words, the shower was easy to function. A lever was rotated, right for hot and left for cold, and a steamy spray erupted from the shower head. She checked in the cupboard and indeed found white towels folded neatly on the bottom shelf. She took one in her mouth and laid it on top of the vanity area.
She tested the water with an outstretched hoof and stepped fully into the cascade when she was comfortable with the temperature. She allowed the hot water to roll down her small frame and permitted a moan of satisfaction. She never had time for a shower last night, so she fell asleep without one. Now she was thoroughly enjoying this pleasure. Once her mane was soaked and firmly matted against the sides of her face and shoulders, she reached for a bottle labeled 'shampoo' and had to use her teeth to undo the lid.
'At least humans use shampoo as well.' Thought Fluttershy, as she lathered her body in the soap. Once rinsed off, she did her mane next, taking great care to clean it thoroughly. Lastly her tail, which she took great pride in, was cleaned. Keith did not have any conditioner, which was a shame, but she could understand.
Fluttershy remained in the shower for another 5 minutes after everything, merely to just enjoy the stream of relaxing water. When she was fully satisfied, she shut off the water, and stepped out of the tiled shower. She quickly dried herself before much water could drip onto the floor, and walked over to the mirror. Once again, she was at a loss when there was no brush, only a black comb. She made do with what was available and set to work putting her mane and tail back into the shape she normally kept them in. Her fur was still a little fuzzy when she finished but didn't think much of it.
Returning to the hall, she shivered as the steamy temperature in the bathroom contrasted harshly with a draft of cold air in the hall.
When she entered the art studio, Keith was all prepared, sitting patiently with another device in his hand. He was concentrated on it intently, so she walked into the room and sat next to him.
"All right, you ready?" He asked without looking up.
"Mhmm."
He set the device aside and it began to play music, Mumford and Sons. Fluttershy smiled as she remembered her new love for their music.
"I hope you don't mind." He said with a smile. "Music gives me inspiration."
"Not at all."
"Then let's begin. Come over here please.” She complied, walking over to where he stood by the window. It wasn't dark yet, but a crimson sky could be seen over the buildings, a burnt sun still hanging its head over distant mountains.
"Please have a seat in any position you're comfortable most in."
She sat on her haunches and turned so that three quarters of her front was facing Keith. "Is this okay?"
He put his chin In between his thumb and pointer finger in thought. "Actually, could I have you puff out your chest a little more?"
"Like this?"
"Perfect. And could I maybe have you flare your wings out?" She complied. "Beautiful. Now if you get tired, let me know and we can take a little break."
She nodded in agreement. And so Keith began painting. Fluttershy tried to do her best to live up to his expectations of a 'perfect subject.' As time went on and the soft music played gently in her ear, she suddenly became tired. It started with her head starting to nod and her eyes drifting closed. She'd snap awake when the music hit a faster pace, but it continued until she heard Keith put his easel down, and she looks up at him.
"Are you finished?" She asked, maybe sounding a little too hopeful.
"Not quite, but you seem beat. We can pick it up in the morning. I'll show you to your room." He covered the painting so that she couldn't take an early peak and led her out into the hall, then into one of the empty bedrooms. "Wait just one second and I'll get you some sheets and blankets."
It didn't take him long to return and put the sheets on the bed, as well as bring several fluffy pillows. He bade her to get on the bed, and she complied, slowly, sleepily crawling up until her head rested on the pillows. They were so comfortable. When she was situated, he threw a thick comforter over her, enveloping her in a blanket of slight chill before her own body warmth made the cloth warm and cozy.
"Anything else you need?"
"No, thank you." It was a small whisper, she was already half into a sleep enriched stupor. But Keith then did something she did not expect in the slightest and it snapped her to attention, banishing her earlier fatigue. He leaned down, and place a small quick kiss on her forehead. Her face burned in the dim light, and he wished her sweat dreams before closing the door as he left. She smiled to herself and whispered "Sweet dreams, Keith." Before sleep finally overcame her.
