The lights had gone out over the Second Circle as Fluttershy, Tree Hugger, and what was left of their group after their disastrous battle limped their way home, but even in the pitch black darkness, the beacon of the Family of Whispers hung in the sky, like a holy light that guided Fluttershy and her family back home.

Fluttershy had won her battle against Rainbow Dash and Gilda, and yet it didn’t feel like a victory at all. She was bruised and battered and scorched and singed, the Family had lost not only the village they were trying to protect, but several lives in the process, and Tree Hugger was badly injured in her battle as well.

That one pointless victory had been their only meager win in a smothering ocean of failure.

Fluttershy didn’t say much to Tree Hugger, or anyone else for that matter, on their trip back; she was too ashamed. It felt like it was her fault. Their entire battle plan hinged on her ability to enchant the villagers under her spell, and she let herself get overwhelmed by two random opponents who shouldn’t have amounted to anything.

“Hey,” Tree Hugger limply slapped Fluttershy’s forearm to get her attention, and pointed toward the horizon, and the mountain with a plethora of identical stone buildings crafted into its face, and it brought Fluttershy a smile. “Home sweet home.”

“Are you going to be okay,” Fluttershy muttered, guilt weighing too heavily on her to look Tree Hugger in the eye, “if I go straight to bed? I know everyone was rattled by our catastrophic failure, but I—”

“Relax, sweet thing,” Tree Hugger chuckled and put her arm around Fluttershy, who felt warm and safe in her embrace. “We all gotta take care of each other, true, but we gotta take care of ourselves first and foremost. And you could stand to be a little more selfish, if you ask me.”

“Okay, I’ll try that,” Fluttershy chuckled. “And thank you, because… I think I know how I want to spend my time once we get back…”

Fluttershy looked to the horizon, to the base of the mountain that was softly illuminated in the blue light of the Family’s beacon, and saw a magical lantern shining bright and cutting through the darkness. Fluttershy’s pace picked up as she saw it, not enough to leave the others behind, just enough to demonstrate the excitement in her heart.

A soft melody escaped Fluttershy’s lips, letting the lantern-bearer know that Fluttershy saw her and was coming home to her. In response, the woman waved the lantern slowly back and forth to signal that she heard Fluttershy’s song and was waiting patiently for her to arrive.

Fluttershy looked back at Tree Hugger, who just rolled her eyes playfully and waved Fluttershy off with a smile, Fluttershy breaking into a run as she approached the base of the mountain, her heart pounding in her chest as she got closer and closer to one of the women she loved and admired most in this world.

Even though monsters could see in the dark, that didn’t amount to much if they didn’t watch where they were going, as Fluttershy soon found out as her hoof got caught on an exposed rock and sent her careening to the ground with a hard thud.

The lantern-bearer stuck the lantern in the ground and rushed to Fluttershy’s aid, her stripey-furred hands gently caressing Fluttershy’s as she helped the siren get back to her hooves.

Zecora’s hands were cold, and they moved stiffly over Fluttershy’s as she comforted the siren, but Fluttershy still felt a warmth in her chest. Zecora’s fur was thin and shaggy, and only existed thanks to magic. She wore linen wraps on certain parts of her body, covering bones protruding from her skin, though other bones pokes through unfettered. Most notably, she wore wraps over the blank folds where her eyes would be if she had them.

She used to cover the half of her skull that was visible because it put others off, but she no longer cared for the criticisms of others on what she did with her own body, and Fluttershy found that deeply admirable. Besides which, Fluttershy was in love with her beautiful face, just the way it was.

“Zecora,” Fluttershy said bashfully, her hands gracefully held in Zecora’s, “thank you.”

“Of course, sweetheart,” the mummy said sweetly and it made Fluttershy all giddy in her stomach. Zecora took Fluttershy into her arms and she nuzzled against the mummy, humming contently. It felt good to be home.

“Hey, Zecora!” Tree Hugger said casually, waving at Zecora as she approached, the mummy waving back politely. Fluttershy got that butterflies in stomach feeling she always did when her lovers interacted with each other. “Thinkin’ I might turn in for the night. We had a long day.”

“Yes, I heard,” Zecora sighed, Fluttershy’s cheeks stinging with burning shame. “It’s disheartening, hearing about what happened out there. We will all need a moment to grieve, and then we’ll pick ourselves back up in the morning.”

“Yep yep yep,” Tree Hugger put her hands on her hips and took a deep breath, letting it out in a heady sigh. “Anyhoo, I trust I can tag out for you on the Fluttershy protection mission?”

“You can both count on me,” Zecora giggled, and Fluttershy followed suit, burying herself in Zecora’s protective embrace.

“Sounds good, friend,” Tree Hugger nodded. She took a step closer, and Fluttershy tore herself away from Zecora— though still holding her hand— to share a kiss with Tree Hugger, the dryad’s surprisingly soft lips and gentle scent making Fluttershy’s heart go all aflutter. “See you tomorrow, babe.”

“See you,” Fluttershy said affectionately. “Goodnight.”

Tree Hugger headed up the mountain, with the rest of her and Fluttershy’s company in tow, and Fluttershy made sure to say a polite goodnight to every one of them; it seemed like it was only right. A lot of the Family looked up to Fluttershy, which was an enormous amount of responsibility that wasn’t to be taken lightly.

Fluttershy breathed a sigh of relief once she was left alone with Zecora at the base of the mountain of houses, the gentle light of the lantern mixed with the Family’s beacon bathing them in a warm, comfortable glow.

Zecora picked Fluttershy up, the siren gasping in alarm before putting her arms around Zecora and cooing at her strength as the mummy proceeded to bridal carry her up the mountain.

“I don’t know what I would do without you,” Fluttershy hummed, nuzzling against Zecora.

“Then I’m glad you have me,” Zecora replied, “because we’re all relying on you.”

“I know,” Fluttershy nodded and tried to look stern and tough. She felt an enormous confidence boost while she was safely in Zecora’s arms. “I won’t let you down. You or anyone else, I promise.”

“I know,” Zecora planted a gentle kiss on Fluttershy’s lips and she couldn’t help getting the giggles. “I have faith in you, my dear sweet Fluttershy.”

Zecora carried Fluttershy all the way the mountain, up to the tippy top of the hill where one building towered above the rest despite its shape and construction being visually identical to all the others. It was Fluttershy’s home, and Zecora continued to carry her even inside, until they finally reached her bed and Zecora gently placed Fluttershy on top of it.

Fluttershy nestled into bed and put her arms around a big soft pillow. She wasn’t exactly a graceful sleeper, and she’d be embarrassed if anyone saw her other than Zecora. Even Tree Hugger to be honest… Fluttershy still wanted Tree Hugger to think she was cool.

“Stay with me?” Fluttershy asked as Zecora looked like she was about to leave, Fluttershy batting her eyelashes and Zecora letting out a chuckle.

“Of course,” Zecora nodded and sat down on the side of the bed. “Do you need help getting undressed?”

“Mhm,” Fluttershy nodded excitedly and stood up, but kept her mouth shut cuz she didn’t want Zecora to think she was a weirdo for getting excited about the thought of Zecora undressing her.

Fluttershy bit her lip as her dress fell to the floor, and her body was trembling as Zecora slowly took off both of her thigh-high socks, Fluttershy falling back onto the bed before Zecora pressed herself against the siren, stealing a kiss from Fluttershy’s breathless lips.

As much as Fluttershy wanted to just get lost with Zecora, in her arms and her lips and her uhhhh other places, she was rapidly falling prey to exhaustion and she couldn’t quite disentangle her mind from her responsibilities either.

“Do you know—” Fluttershy cut herself off with a yawn as Zecora laid on top of her, Fluttershy running her hand through the gorgeous mane of black and white hair that grew from only one side of Zecora’s head. “Do you know what we’re doing tomorrow?”

“Not yet,” Zecora shook her head, and her expression hardened for a moment. “We need to analyze the intelligence reports from this battle, and then your mother will give us a new battle plan in the morning.”

“I see,” Fluttershy muttered, trying really hard to keep her eyes open and failing miserably.

“But for now, don’t let it bother you,” Zecora chuckled and helped Fluttershy get comfortable in her bed, laying a blanket on top of her and making sure she had her squeezing pillow. “Just get some rest.”

“Stay with me?” Fluttershy said, and Zecora said something that Fluttershy couldn’t quite hear, but she didn’t need to because she felt Zecora’s body pressed up against hers like a big spoon and she sighed contently. “Zecora?”

“Yes, my dear?”

“I’m tired,” Fluttershy whimpered before she drifted off into a restless sleep. There was far too much weighing on her heart for her to rest now.

i spent alot of time looking at sexy monster girl designs as inspiration\reference material for the designs of the monsters in this fic, and i think tree hugger and zecora were the hardest to find anything good for.

everyone's ideas for a sexy plant girl or sexy mummy girl were literally just "big tiddy lady but with a weird head for plants, or with a couple bandages for mummies" and that shit is so weak.

i ended up finding some decent stuff that i referenced while describing tree hugger, but for zecora i couldn't find shit so i looked at actual real life mummies and then just took it from there.

monster girls should look like MONSTERS god dammit

Anyhoo, if you enjoyed this chapter, please let me know by leaving a comment! I absolutely adore reading them!
Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed!