Did you ever hear of a pony who could swim?

If you didn’t, then let me tell you something interesting.

I’m a pony who can swim!

Of course, I couldn’t always swim; I used to be so timid that I always avoided even putting my hooves in water!

However, my love of animals of all species compelled me to break free from the grip of my fear of the water.

And that’s how I gained a new animal friend—one who also couldn’t swim!

I was feeding some ducks at the pond at the Ponyville Park.

The ducks thanked me for feeding them—in their own language, of course.

As I watched some of them swimming on the surface of the pond, I started to envy them.

Although I had soft, fluffy wings—like a duck, I couldn’t swim—unlike a duck.

Suddenly, there was a huge splash in the pond, which frightened the ducks away!

The splash frightened me, too, so I tried to evade it to avoid getting wet!

Just one drop of the pond water hit me in the face, and it felt—rather nice!

At that exact moment, I grew curious about the water.

“Oh, my goodness!” I thought. “What if a helpless animal that couldn’t swim had fallen in?”

“Angel,” I asked my bunny, who’d come with me to the pond, “my muzzle plug, please?”

Angel produced my muzzle plug and put it gently on my nose.

“Thake you,” I told him, unable to pronounce the N in thank (because my nose was plugged).

I inhaled deeply through my mouth, squeezed my eyes closed, and dove straight into the pond!

I couldn’t see anything (because my eyes were closed), so I used my hooves to navigate the pond while I used my wings to propel myself through the water.

It wasn’t long before I touched something that felt like a bumpy rock!

What I touched had a small curve on top and a large curve on bottom.

There were also two holes in it—one in the front and one in the back.

I scooped the thing up with both front hooves, and thanks to my wings, I carried it quickly and gracefully to the surface of the pond!

My coat was thoroughly soaked, but I’d made it out of the pond safely!

I lay down on the grass surrounding the pond, gently laying down the thing that I’d rescued—large curve up—right in front of me.

Then, I took the muzzle plug off my nose.

The thing slowly poked its head out, as if to greet me, and then, it poked its tail and legs out.

“A tortoise!” I cried in amazement, and caressed its shell with my wings.

The tortoise smiled at me, and I told it, “Don’t worry, little guy—you’re safe.”

6. Sitting For Spike

“Hello, Fluttershy!” said Twilight Sparkle as I trotted into her home, the Golden Oak Library.

“Hi, Twilight!” I answered, eager to find her assistant, Spike.

“Your baby dragon is so cute!” I told her.

“Thanks,” she answered, “but he can really be a pain in the withers sometimes.”

“I could babysit him for you,” I offered her.

“I don’t think you should,” she warned me.

“But why?” I asked her.

“Spike can breathe fire,” she explained, “and fire can kill!”

“Oh, my!” I cried in shock. “You might be right!” I conceded.

“Trust me, Fluttershy,” she told me. “I appreciate your offer,” she explained, “but I’m in a better position than you are to take care of Spike.”

I exited the library with a look of disappointment on my face.

No sooner had I left than Spike went downstairs to greet Twilight Sparkle.

“Whom were you talking to, Twilight?” he asked her.

“Oh, just a kindly pony who loves animals,” she answered.

7. The Forest Fire (Part I)

I was just about to enter my cottage when I saw a spark coming from a tree in the Everfree Forest!

Next, there was a blinding flash, followed by a yellow flame!

“Oh, no!” I cried. “The Everfree Forest is on fire!”

I galloped into Ponyville as fast as I could to warn everypony else about the fire.

Twilight Sparkle, however, was one step ahead of me; she had already heard about the forest fire.

“Fluttershy,” she warned me, “you may not come with us.” She explained, “I’m telling you this for your own safety.”

I protested, “But—the animals—!”

“We are going to rescue them for you,” she interjected.

Disappointed again, I galloped back home to watch my friends rescuing the animals that lived in the forest.

Once she could no longer see me, Twilight called on the rest of my friends—Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack—to formulate a plan.

Rarity agreed to make some firefighter uniforms.

Rainbow Dash agreed to make heavy rain to put the fire out from above.

Pinkie Pie and Applejack agreed to drive a fire truck around the forest.

Twilight Sparkle agreed to coordinate my friends’ efforts and to relay their messages to me.