\/ /\ /\ \/

There are some books that simply should not be opened. Of course, a scholar like Twilight Sparkle would refuse to believe such a statement, and her curiosity is precisely what sparked off a chain of events that unleashed unspeakable horror on Equestria. Had she not been looking for self help books in the basement of the library, Fluttershy in mind, it is entirely possible that she might never have discovered the book which housed long forgotten memories.

Twilight didn’t exactly find the book in the basement, however. It was tucked away in a deep, winding passage that, until a recent Spike related mishap had been hidden by a wall of earth. The tunnel was not of Pony design, instead the result of the library’s enormous roots boring through the dirt. While she found it strange that a book would be by itself at the end of such a passage, stranger still was the fact that it seemed to be rooted into the tree itself, gnarled wood wrapped around it like ancient fingers.

Her initial reaction upon finding this strange text was one of uncertainty, a slight frown bending the corners of her lips; the book was covered in all sorts of stains, and the cover appeared to be stitched together, made of some kind of coarse material. The writing on the cover was nearly illegible and the soft glow of her horn was not nearly bright enough to lessen the strain on her eyes.  

In the light of her study, Twilight saw clearly that the insignia on the front cover was in the image of an eye, a slit pupil with a green iris that faded to red around the edges. Raising a hoof to the cover sent a chill down her spine, goose bumps cropping up on her flesh. The surface almost seemed to respond to her touch, rippling under her hoof. For a moment, she considered just putting the book back where she found it, but ultimately, she resolved that fear of the unknown was foalish.

“Whatcha got there Twilight?” Spike’s voice nearly caused the bookish unicorn to jump out of her skin.

“Spike!” She glared back at him, then softened her expression after noting his confusion. “Sorry. I found this in the basement just now. I was about to open it, but…”

“Oh!” Spike peered over the edge of the desk, then up at the purple unicorn. “Don’t mind me Twilight, I was just gonna ask if you had any errands you needed taken care of.”

She smiled down at her draconic familiar, shaking her head.

“Not today, I’m afraid. I think you’ve earned some relaxation time anyway.”

Spike grinned, nodded, and disappeared through the front door, a column of sunlight spilling in through the doorframe and then receding just as quickly.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, an overwhelming urge to open the book manually took root. The thought felt foreign, but the novelty of manipulating the cover without the use of magic was appealing. Free of distractions, Twilight took a deep breath, raising her hoof to the front cover again, bracing herself against the chills this time.

What’s the worst that could happen? she asked herself, glancing over at a nearby clock.

Only as she was lifting the cover did she notice that she had cut herself somehow. The edge of the cover had become barbed, digging into her flesh enough to make her bleed. A few bright droplets of blood splashed against the pages before she could react. A look of concern came over Twilight as the blood disappeared completely into the yellowed paper.

And then the paper wasn’t just paper anymore; where the blood had landed, a thick, translucent ichor began to spread across the page with alarming speed. Twilight tried to shut the book, only to find something was now holding it open. A long, rotted mass jutted from the acrid pool, joined by a second, both bending toward the edges of the desk.

Decayed hooves marked their ends.

The unicorn screamed, but no sound came to her throat, her eyes bulging with terror as she witnessed a half covered brain rising out of the pool which had now spread to cover her entire desk. Fragments of skull crept across fetid gray matter like ice until it was concealed behind wet bone. The limbs which had first emerged were now wrapped in necrotic muscle, the contours of the pony skull filling out with blackened flesh. In the pits of its sockets, milky eyes bloomed from the branches of nervous tissue.

It was staring right at her, but Twilight couldn’t avert her gaze.

The creature’s jaw hung slack as it pulled its flanks up out of the sickening ooze, hind legs already covered in patches of putrid flesh as it tumbled off the desk and onto the floor. It began to laugh, a dry, shrill cackle that echoed with an unnatural chorus. Slowly, it crawled toward Twilight, reaching out with one hoof, still laughing, still piercing her with its dead stare. The unicorn cringed, horn flaring brightly, shutting her eyes tight and anticipating the feel of decay against her coat. It never came. When she opened her eyes, she found she was alone.

The laughter cut to silence no sooner than she had made this realization. Startled, horrified, but relieved to find that no harm had come to her, Twilight attempted to reflect on what had just occurred.

The puddle of ichor had vanished along with the creature, and the clock revealed that no more than a minute had passed since opening the book. To that end, the book was now closed as well.

The image of an eye that previously adorned the cover had disappeared.

“Spike?!” she called out, glancing to the door. “Spike, did you hear that just now?!”

Or did I imagine all of that? I couldn’t have just imagined it… It felt so real…

Her thoughts were interrupted as she caught a glimpse of something moving. It was too fast for her to get a good look, little more than a blur that disappeared through the doorway just as Spike opened it. He didn’t even seem to notice. As much as she tried to rationalize the situation, Twilight couldn’t help but feel a sudden wave of dread come over her.

“Spike… Take a letter… We may have a problem.”

“Aw! But you said…”

\/ /\ /\ \/

On the outskirts of town, Fluttershy was having a much less eventful day. The animals were all taken care of, and her friends were apparently busy with their own odds and ends. Considering how lovely the weather had been, the pegasus decided to spend the day with her flocks of avian companions; something she hadn’t done in months. They lined the branches with a full spectrum of colored plumage in her favorite clearing, warming up for rehearsal as she approached the center. The sunlight felt pleasantly warm against her coat, her mane shimmering a soft pink as it shielded her eyes from the more intense rays. Smiling, she stretched her wings, flapping several times by sheer force of habit. She had grown too heavy to fly, however, and the reality of it brought on a flood of painful memories.

The change in appearance which Fluttershy had undergone in the past few months was worrying to most of her friends, but absolutely revolting to Rarity. The pale unicorn had never said it outright, but Fluttershy knew well enough how the pony she once considered her best friend really felt. However, considering how badly she had failed when all Rarity wanted to do was help, Fluttershy knew that she was deserving of such scorn. Without the assistance of Twilight Sparkle or Pinkie Pie, she felt it possible that she would still be locked inside her cottage, a prisoner of depression. Part of her felt undeserving of such caring friends, while at the same time, the absence of Rarity cut her deeply.

But being rejected by her best and closest friend didn’t cut nearly as deeply as being rejected by the stallion she had fallen in love with.

The pegasus frowned as she dwelled on her recent misfortune. Dipping into the pack she had brought with her, she began to munch on a mouthful of oats she had brought along as a snack. The food based distraction helped push her unhappy thoughts back into submission. Mid swallow, she realized that she could conduct just as well with her wings as she could with her hooves.

Maybe even better! Her feathers ruffled with anticipation.

Excited to test out her idea, she spread her wings wide. To her surprise, the birds suddenly scattered. Concerned, she glanced around, and for an instant, she could have sworn she saw another pony at the edge of the clearing. When she blinked however, she realized it was a cardinal. Or some other sort of red bird, at least.

It circled her several times before vanishing in the same direction from which it came, the other birds immediately returning in its wake. It wasn’t like them to avoid other avians; her flock was very accepting of all sorts of birds. Mildly confused, but in no way deterred, Fluttershy prepared herself for rehersal.  Once the birds had settled in, she raised her wings again, took a deep breath, and cleared her mind. On that sunny afternoon, Fluttershy conducted like never before. The clearing exploded with brilliant music. Utterly blissful, she couldn’t help but join in.

The pegasus was amused to realize that she would never have even considered using her wings in such a way if she could still use them to fly.

The pegasus became so engrossed in orchestrating that she completely lost track of time, rehearsing every song she had taught them, and even composing several new ones. Her feathery friends performed excellently. As the sun began to paint the sky a hazy pink, she decided to call it a day. Nodding pleasantly and wishing them all a good night, the air filled with the sound of fluttering wings as the birds returned to their nests, feathers drifting like falling snow. Alone again, her mind became clouded with darker thoughts.

Things will get better, she told herself, trotting between the trees and back to the road. I just have to be patient.

As Fluttershy made her way home she noticed another pony sitting under a tree by the side of the road. It was clear from a distance that the pony had a red coat, mane mostly swept to one side, but something about this stranger seemed unusual. Perhaps foreign. There was a moment of eye contact, an unintentional, uncomfortable moment that seemed to last forever for the pegasus, and as she drew nearer, the stranger rose to their hooves.

Fluttershy’s stomach turned with anxiety, looking again in hopes that this unfamiliar pony had gone elsewhere. Instead, she saw that the stranger was apparently waiting for her. It wasn’t until the stranger spoke that Fluttershy realized, without looking up, that the pony was in fact a mare.

“I was passing by and I heard the most wonderful music. Was that you singing with those birds?”

Frozen in her tracks, Fluttershy scarcely managed a nod. She spoke softly, not unlike the pegasus, but with an air of confidence. Fluttershy was about to make an effort to flee when the stranger spoke again.

“You’re very talented, if you don’t mind my saying. From what I could hear, it was a magnificent performance.”

Taking the slightest bit of pride in the compliment, she managed a smile, peeking up at the stranger.

“Thank you” she mumbled, though a bit less nervous than she had been.

The eye that gazed fondly back at her was like nothing she had ever seen before. That is, until she thought of how similar it looked to those of a reptile. A vertical slit of a pupil that almost seemed to have a pulse, though perhaps her eyes were just adjusting to the light.

Such a vibrant green, too.

Her right eye was entirely concealed by her mane, a darker red than her fur.

“Anyway, I’m sure you’re busy, and I didn’t mean to trouble you. I’m just passing through the area and I was wondering if there was an inn nearby or something like that where I could spend the night.”

The stranger turned slightly, looking to the rising glow of Ponyville as darkness began to fall. Fluttershy was a breath away from telling her to try asking someone in town in the hopes that she could continue home uninterrupted, but something caught her attention. In the last rays of sunlight, she noticed the bandages wrapped around the red mare’s middle, and rather distorted contours of something bound beneath them. Gasping softly, Fluttershy trotted around to her side, trying to get a better look.

"Oh dear… Are you alright?” She gingerly extended a hoof as if to touch them, only to draw it back. “Were these... Wings?"

They twitched and squirmed slightly, as if aware that they were under inspection, which only made her more concerned. The stranger looked to Fluttershy for a moment, then traced the pegasi’s gaze to her back, making a soft ‘ooh’ sound as if their presence were some kind of long lost memory.

"Yes yes, I'm alright. They were wings a long time ago, but that’s a long story…”

"Were?” Fluttershy’s eyes widened in shock, the pegasus becoming increasingly alarmed. “Goodness… I can look over them back home if you like. Maybe I can help!”

The stranger glanced back at her, tilting her head slightly, but smiling all the same. It was getting harder to see as the sun got lower and lower on the horizon, the shadows of trees stretching across the grass and gravel path. Something about the stranger’s teeth seemed odd. Her voice brought the pegasus back to attention.

“I don't want to impose."

Smiling warmly and shaking her head, Fluttershy started back down the road again. The lights of her cottage flickered in the distance; Angel must have been waiting for her.

“Not at all. I’d be happy to do it. It is getting pretty dark, but you’re more than welcome to stop in for a checkup. If you want to, that is."

She felt a bit bashful over inviting somepony she had never met before into her home, but she could never pass up the opportunity to help someone in need.

“No one else has really asked me,” the red mare mused, “but I guess they thought that I wouldn't want anypony to mention it.”

Fluttershy glanced back with a look of concern, worried she might have offended her potential patient. This stranger was so slender by comparison. The pegasus felt a light cloak of shame fall over her, wishing in that moment that she could somehow make herself shrink.

“Thank you, I mean.” The stranger took a step closer as she said this. “Thank you for caring.”

With another nod, Fluttershy felt her concern melt into a gentle smile once more. The pegasus waited for a moment until she was sure that the stranger was still following her. She was as eager to help in any way she could as she was curious to see what was under those bandages.

Trotting on mostly level ground wasn’t very difficult, but the walk uphill to the front door had become something of a chore for Fluttershy. The hill was still manageable, and she was only slightly winded by the time she reached her doorstep. The stranger remained outside however, even after the pegasus passed through the doorway. Fearful once more that she had somehow offended this new pony, she glanced back with a look of concern.

“Um… Is… something wrong?”

“Is it alright if I spend the night here as well?” She pawed at the ground lightly, looking rather ashamed to have to ask for shelter. “I don’t have any money, but I’d be glad to help you with housework or something like that. I understand if that’s asking too much.”

"That… would be an awful way to treat someone…" The pegasus shook her head briefly, then stood aside so that her guest would have the space to squeeze by. "You're… Well… Just as welcome as anyone else I guess! It won't be a problem at all."

The stranger, now upgraded to a guest, took a few cautious steps forward, as if unsure of the sincerity of the offer. Fluttershy nodded, beckoning her inside.

“As long as you’re absolutely sure. But, I'll start looking for a place to stay first thing tomorrow. I don't want to be a burden.” With nothing further but a gentle smile, she entered the cottage.

Inside, she looked around as if in awe. “You have a lovely home!” the red mare exclaimed.

Fluttershy giggled softly, bowing her head in gratitude. Out of the corner of her eye, the pegasus spotted Angel scurrying out of the room.

“Thank you again, for letting me stay here… How rude of me, I don’t even know your name.”

Still a little tired from the walk home, the pegasus set herself down on her couch, motioning for her guest to be seated as well. As Fluttershy sprawled, softly catching her breath, she wondered for a moment where Angel had run off to; all of her animals, in fact. The living room was completely empty, save for her and her guest. Not a chirp from any of the birdhouses, not one scratch of a nail against the floorboards. Only after this observation did Fluttershy realize she had been asked a question.

“My name? I’m Fluttershy. And you’re more than welcome here.” She said this with a bashful smile, already rather fond of how quietly and politely her newfound company behaved.

The red mare sat so neat and straight in her chair, a polar opposite to the pegasus, at least for the moment.

“If the rest of the forest is welcome to stop in for a visit, I don't see why you can't stay here as well.” The guest smiled, but not wide enough for her to get a good look at her teeth. After a short pause, Fluttershy asked, “Um… What should I call you, though?”

“Mahara... Just Mahara. It’s been a pleasure to meet you, Fluttershy.”

“So…” Fluttershy began, then trailed off, suddenly losing her nerve.

She didn’t want to be rude after Mahara had paid her such lovely compliments. The red mare tilted her head, smiling, raising a brow. She began to hunch over just slightly in her seat, apparently getting more comfortable in her surroundings.

“So before I take a look at your wings… You have beautiful eyes. The only other time I’ve seen eyes like that are on a dragon…” The pegasus gasped softly, as that thought hadn’t fully occurred to her.

Reptilian eyes, yes, but a dragon?!

She sounded both excited and worried as she softly whimpered, “You’re not a dragon, are you?!”

Despite all this, the pegasus had only marginally arched herself on her couch, unsure if she would even have the strength or speed to flee if necessary.

“A what?” Mahara gave her a blank stare for several moments, then began to giggle. Fluttershy relaxed again, hearing the sound of Mahara’s laughter, feeling rather silly for her outburst. “Oh goodness no. I was just born with them, I guess. I uh… I never met my parents.” She gave a little shrug. “I could be part dragon? Does that even work?”

Sensing that her guest was trying to make light of it, the pegasus laughed a bit as well. Feeling refreshed, she then slowly rolled off the couch and back onto her hooves. Mahara remained seated as she slowly crossed the room, and Fluttershy couldn’t help but gaze deep into those eyes, feeling as if she were being drawn into them. It wasn’t until the red mare grinned and looked to the side that she remembered what she was supposed to be doing.

“Would you like me to… Um… Take a look at your wings now? If you still want me to, I mean.”

With a nod, she followed Fluttershy’s example, getting to her hooves with an almost catlike grace. The pegasus hadn’t really noticed outside, but her guest seemed to move rather strangely. She moved like a pony, but it was if the muscles under her skin behaved differently, under some sort of tension. She doubted anypony without an eye for medicinal work would notice, and decided to leave it alone, on the oft chance that Mahara was more sensitive about that than she was about her wings. Or perhaps she just needed a massage.

I wonder what Rarity would think of her, she pondered.

The red mare’s voice brought her out of her thoughts again.

“I don't mind talking about it though, my being an orphan. I don’t mind talking about how my wings got messed up either.”

Mahara reached around to tug on the bandages, and they slowly began to unravel. They were still a clean, stainless white, but then, Mahara hadn’t said that the injury was a fresh one.

“It's a funny story actually, if you look at it from a step back.”

The pegasus watched with wide, almost fearful eyes as Mahara’s wings slowly fanned out, or at least what was left of them. Several long, slender offshoots of flesh reaching out from her back on either side, all of them extending from right about where the wings would have been attached on a healthy pegasus. They seemed to sway and twitch slightly, the tips occasionally curling and uncurling. Fluttershy guessed the shock on her face was immediately recognizable, based on Mahara’s response.

"On second thought, to avoid upsetting you, the short of it is that the bones in my wings were removed rather… Forcefully… By some very nasty gryphons. I guess they damaged them so much that my feathers just stopped growing back. It's not so bad though, I can pretty much use them like extra limbs."

The pegasus backed away a few steps, worried for a moment that if she got too close, they would ensnare her. That wasn’t the case, of course, though she was still made somewhat uncomfortable by the unveiling.

“Oh my… I didn’t know gryphons could be so violent…” Fluttershy’s wings shuddered slightly just thinking about how that would feel, and then she did her best to strike the thought from her mind. “G-glad to hear they still work! Sort of… It um… Doesn't look all that bad… Really!"

The pegasus forced a smile as her guest’s expression degraded from one of optimism to that of pessimism.

"It creeps most ponies out though, so I keep them under wraps… You're not creeped out too are you?” Mahara made an effort to rewrap the remains of her wings, but the pegasus raised a hoof as if to stop her, shaking her head. “I'm sorry I showed you, that was a bit forward of me."

Mahara allowed the bandages to fall to a heap on the rug beneath her.

"It's fine… Really! I’m sorry for reacting like that.” Her smile became more genuine as the appearance of Mahara’s mangled wings became less of a novelty, though she continued to watch them closely. “You're welcome to leave the bandages off if it's more comfortable for you, I don’t mind. I’m sorry to say that there’s little to nothing that I can do for you, though…”

"I didn’t expect that there was, but there’s no harm in hoping. It does hurt a bit to keep them tied up like that, though. If you're absolutely sure that it’s okay…” The pegasus nodded slowly, raising a curious hoof, but letting it fall away once more. “I didn't mean to scare you. I probably should have warned you first." Seeing that Fluttershy still looked troubled, she added, “Don’t worry, I would never let anything harm a pony as sweet as you.”

"Oh… Um…" Very rarely had anyone called her ‘sweet’. She blushed a bit, not entirely sure how to take such a compliment, deciding instead to change the subject to anything but herself. "Well... I think they're kind of neat, really. Your wings, that is. I'm sure they're really useful.”

“You have no idea! It’s kind of like being a unicorn, to a degree.” She demonstrated by picking up a pillow, squeezing it gently in the coil of one of those tendrils. Fluttershy watched with fascination. “A lot easier than holding things in my teeth, that’s for sure.”

\/ /\ /\ \/

They sat and talked until well after the moon had risen, casting a pale glow over the countryside as the sound of crickets filled the night air. The conversation at first consisted largely of Fluttershy’s curiosity with Mahara’s strange disability that had somehow become a blessing in disguise, then of Mahara’s questions about Equestria with Fluttershy doing her best to answer. Her guest seemed to avoid the subject of where she had come from, however. While she had been unsure of her new acquaintance at first, she now found Mahara’s company to be quite enjoyable.

To that end, the red mare didn’t seem to find Fluttershy’s extra weight to be anything out of the ordinary, much to her relief. If anything, her guest seemed to think she was rather beautiful, complimenting her several times over the course of their lengthy conversation whenever she could do so, smiling a little every time Fluttershy felt her complexion becoming flushed.

Having been a model, she was familiar with being admired, but this felt different. She likened it more to when she had first met her stallion; the way he would look her over, the gentle complements he would give. Considering how that relationship had ended, the pegasus didn’t possess nearly enough confidence to ask Mahara about the flirtatious vibes she was giving off, and at the same time, she wasn’t entirely sure she wanted to. Even if she was wrong, even if that feeling was coming from a mare, it felt nice to think that somepony found her attractive.

Somepony with eyes that I could get lost in.

The pegasus felt an odd shudder as she looked deep into Mahara’s eyes, followed by a warm tingling.

Somepony with a silken coat, and a lush red mane that I can just imagine getting tangled with my own. Oh… Goodness, I just met her! And… And she’s a mare, on top of that! Where did these feelings even come from?!

The onset of such sudden emotion struck her with confusion and a small degree of discomfort, less with her guest and more with herself. Even so, the more she considered these feelings, the more she began to enjoy and accept them.

"I think I'm going to cash out for the night once we finish this.” Fluttershy shuddered and blinked a few times. She had nearly spilled her cup of hot chocolate. “Is that alright? I've been traveling all day is all. You look like you could use a little shut eye yourself."

These were feelings that were not entirely unfamiliar to her. Like any mare, she had experienced crushes, daydreamed about the stronger, faster colts that didn’t even know she existed. She had even kissed one of those colts once.

More than once.

His smile flashed briefly in her memories, replaced with Mahara’s as she idly let her gaze drift over the mare across from her.

Am I reacting to the attention out of desperation? she asked herself. Do I feel this way because… I miss him? Because I miss feeling affection?

Considering that she had never harbored these kinds of feelings for another mare before, it was as exciting to her as it was nerve wracking.

What if I’m wrong, she wondered. What if she doesn’t feel that way? What if I’m just interpreting her politeness as attraction?

The pegasus returned to reality. “Y-yes, you’re right… I’m pretty tired as well. I hope you don’t mind sleeping down here. The mattress is very comfortable, I have some extra pillows and blankets if you’d like. Is there anything else I can get for you?”

"No, no this should be all I need. Really, you've already done more than enough."

Smiling, Mahara drew close to her as if gliding on air, close enough to feel the softness of the red mare’s breath against her flesh. Fluttershy felt weak, suddenly overwhelmed with a passion that had she hadn’t experienced in what felt like a long time. Smiling, blushing, she reflected on the pleasant novelties which were unfolding before her.

She had never even considered kissing a mare until that moment, but the thought had become incredibly appealing.

"Thank you again,” the red mare whispered, “For everything.”

Fluttershy felt herself tremble, her eyes drifting shut as a soft gasp rolled up from her throat. Her breast was on fire, the pegasus feeling as though she were melting against the warmth of this wonderful new lover, who so delicately pursed lips the side of her neck.

This is it, she thought.

Instead, she felt a light peck on the nose. Confused, she looked to Mahara, or at least where Mahara had been. Evidently, she had already flopped down on the spot where the pegasus had dragged in a mattress earlier. The red mare had even covered herself in a blanket. Fluttershy felt her heart continue to pound in her chest, another shudder passing through her as she waited for something more, but it never came.

I… I don’t understand… The pegasus took a few steps forward, then stopped, realizing that she was about to disrupt Mahara in the hope that the red mare would continue what may well have been a figment of her imagination. What… What’s wrong with me?  I’m not even sure that any of that just happened… But… It… It had to have happened! It felt so real…

Fluttershy couldn’t help but feel a bit bashful, giggling quietly to herself, considering what she had been ready for, what she had been so eagerly awaiting. She felt that she couldn’t have just misinterpreted the way the red mare had looked at her, mistaken all those compliments for simple flattery, and certainly not imagined the feel of Mahara’s body against her own.

Her mind was brimming with questions, but they would just have to wait. She gave her strange new friend one last look, and then made her way to the staircase. Yawning, Fluttershy slowly carried herself up to her bedroom, her flank brushing the doorframe. That might have upset her before, forgetting how wide she had gotten, but with the bizarre emotional rush she had just experienced and the possibility of a new relationship; now it just made her smile a bit. The bed creaked softly, her eyelids growing heavy as she watched shadows dancing against the moonlit wall. The pegasus smiled, drifting soundly to sleep.

\/ /\ /\ \/

Applebloom stirred under her sheets, her vision blurred and groggy as she looked toward her window. She had thought the scratching was her imagination, but there it was again, one two three, almost like someone knocking on a door. It seemed to get just a bit louder each time.

“Scoot, if that’s you out there…”

As quietly as she could, she lowered her hooves to the floor and made her way to the windowsill, glancing to her bedroom door. Applejack and Rainbow Dash were in the next room, laughing about something, occasionally making strange noises.

Honestly, she thought, Ah could be loud as a stampede an’ they probably wouldn’t notice.

They had been drinking, she remembered, before she had gone to bed. Not regular cider, but the stuff she wasn’t allowed to touch until she was old enough. She would get a sip when she got her cutie mark, though, or at least that’s what Big Macintosh had promised her. Her thoughts floated back to Rainbow Dash, who had been coming over just about every night for the last few months. Always after the sun set, and never when any of their other friends were around. Maybe they had a secret club. The filly had asked her older brother about it once, but he told her that she was too young to understand. Again, when she got her cutie mark. The scratching brought her back to the matter at hoof.

“Hold yer darn horses Scootaloo! Yer supposed ta tell me when we’re gonna have a midnight meeting before the meeting!” She propped up the base of the window with her hooves and heaved it up, then paused. “Oh… Yer not…”

“Probably not who you were expecting, but um... I… That is, someone told me…” It was almost too dark to see the little filly, barely illuminated by the soft glow from behind Applebloom. “Are you the leader of the Cutie Mark Crusaders?”

Any uncertainty Applebloom had felt toward the filly outside her window evaporated immediately with those words.

“Ah sure am! Wow, when didja hear ‘bout us?! An’ from where?!”

“I’m new in town and…” She paused, blushing, crossing her forehooves a bit. “I… I don’t have a cutie mark either. I got teased about it a lot where I used to live but…”

She smiled so sweetly that Applebloom thought her heart would melt.

“Ya’ll stay put, Ah’ll be right down in two bucks ofa apple tree!”

The timid filly stayed firmly rooted to the spot as Applebloom dropped down from her windowsill, grinning from ear to ear once she had regained her footing.

“Ah’m Applebloom, an’ ayep! Ah’m tha leader of tha Cutie… Mark…” Her words trailed off as she gazed into her new acquaintance’s eyes. “Golly…”

Applebloom felt her cheeks began to radiate as she lost herself in a sudden surge of emotion totally alien to the filly.

“Is… Is something wrong? Should I come back in the morning?”

“Naw, ‘s nothin’ like that… Where ya’ll from exactly? An do they all have eyes like that?”

\/ /\ /\ \/

The library had become a complete mess in the span of just a few hours. Books had been flung across the room, papers lay scattered on every possible surface, some of them full of half finished letters and barely intelligible notes. At the very heart of the chaos sat Twilight Sparkle, frantically scanning the pages of one book, only to toss it aside and begin on another. She heaved an exasperated groan and pressed her face against an edition of Incantations and Enchantments then threw it across the room with a burst of magical light. Spike peered down from the balcony, half wrapped in a blanket, watching Twilight with worry evident in his expression.

“Twilight… You should really get some sleep.” She whipped her head around and starred cold daggers. “You can try in the morning when you’re rested.”

“It’s one thing that I might have opened Pandora’s Box, but why, Spike, did Pinkie Pie have to come through here and rip all the books off the shelves?!” Spike cringed just a little, remembering the horror on Twilight’s face as Pinkie undid literally several solid days’ worth of cataloguing without any explaination. “Has all of Equestria gone crazy?! Am I the only pony who gives a horseapple about the rules?!”

“Twilight, please calm down…”

The unicorn took a deep breath, closing her eyes.

“Spike, I have to understand what happened when I opened that book, and I need to tell Princess Celestia when I do. The sooner that happens, the better.” She looked up at him again, the ghost of a smile on her lips. “I’m close. I’m very close. Thank you for your concern, but I’m not going to bed until the situation is under control.”

Spike had begun a slow, sleepy descent down the stairs as she explained herself, now curled up next to the unicorn. She gently brushed a hoof over his spines, feeling a bit calmer now that she felt him against her flank.

“Just don’t wear yourself out, okay? I’ll be happy to help when I’m not on the verge of passing out.”

“Okay Spike. I’ll try and keep it down. Goodnight.”

The dragon had already nodded off, however, snoring softly on the same pile of books that Twilight was herself perched on. She glanced over at the ominous text on her desk, afraid to even try and move it for fear of releasing something else from its pages. Even Pinkie had steered clear of it during her rampage, shuddering violently every time she even came close to it.

Twilight felt like she should send some kind of message to Celestia regarding the strange circumstances, but sending a letter that amounted to I let a monster of some kind out of a creepy book didn’t seem appropriate. She needed to find proof that something had escaped. She still wasn’t even sure if she had just imagined the entire thing. Spike didn’t hear anything strange, and when whatever it was blurred right past him he didn’t even bat an eyelid. It had to be magical, but the nature of the magic, and the apparition, had yet to be determined. Taking another deep breath, she levitated a book toward herself and began to read.

\/ /\ /\ \/

A symphony of birdsong woke Fluttershy the following morning, as it had every morning during the warmer months. Some of it sounded like practice of the songs she had rehearsed with them the day before, though perhaps a bit out of key or off tempo here and there. Shadows danced lazily on her wall, the sound of a gentle breeze rolling through the leaves nearly lulling her back to sleep.

That wouldn’t be fair to the birds, she thought, or the bunnies.

Smiling, she rolled toward the edge of the bed, and found herself face to face with her guest. She squeaked softly, eyes snapping wide open.

“Sorry! I probably should have knocked. I didn’t mean to startle you.” Though her heart raced with shock, Fluttershy managed to laugh it off.

Just how long has Mahara been standing there, though?

“Anyway, I’m ready to help you with your chores and things!”

“Oh, um, okay. It’ll be nice to have another set of hooves around to help.”

She stretched a bit, then lowered her hooves to the floor, grunting under her breath as her weight shifted into a standing position. Throughout the motion, her middle quivered gently, making the pegasus wish even more that Mahara weren’t watching her.

“Well, we should start with the animals,” Fluttershy stated. “They eat first.”

Following patiently, Mahara was introduced to the various sacks of feed scattered around the cabin. Catching sight of the red mare again, Angel darted from the room, refusing to come even when Fluttershy attempted to call him back. She laughed and shrugged.

“It’s hard to believe that you usually do all this yourself.”

“Well, I have to admit, it’s gotten a little more difficult recently…” The pegasus lifted a sack full of birdseed, then attempted to sling it over her back, successful on the second try. “But it’s not so bad. They’re certainly grateful for the effort.”

Outside, the birds had already gathered in force, weighing down branches and hanging from every available ledge. The moment Mahara peered outside, however, they took to the air, landing on more distant trees and chattering excitedly.

“Oh my… How strange.”

“I must have upset them. I’ll wait inside.” She turned and headed back inside before the pegasus could persuade her to stay.

“No, you don’t have to…” But the moment the door closed behind her, the birds returned in droves, some of them landing on the sack of seed and in her hair. “Now that isn’t very nice,” she scolded, looking rather upset. “There’s nothing wrong with that pony.” The birds glanced back and forth at one another, and then all at once looked back to the pegasus. “You all have no reason to behave that way.”

The rest of the feedings followed a similar pattern, however, and Angel continued to do his best avoid Mahara’s presence, though he did hesitantly and begrudgingly tolerate her after being bribed with a carrot. If anything, Fluttershy was more offended than alarmed by the behaviors of the various animals. They were usually so friendly with guests, and even the birds would warm up to visitors if given enough time.

With all the animals taken care of, it was time for the ponies themselves to eat. Or at least, it was time for Fluttershy to eat, as Mahara claimed that she wasn’t hungry, and would eat later. Even so, she did eagerly watch the pegasus as she prepared and then consumed her meal, consisting of a large bowl of oatmeal and a few pieces of fruit.

“Do you always eat this late in the day?”

“Twilight’s suggestion,” she said, finishing off the bowl. A bell tolled off in the distance, not quite noon yet. “I’d love to introduce you to my friends. Have you been to Ponyville yet?” Mahara shook her head, nursing a glass of orange juice. “You should come with me then! If you’d like. Like I said, I can introduce you to my friends, and we can show you around town.” The red mare shook her head again. “Or you can stay here, I guess… Is everything alright?”

“I’m feeling a little under the weather, actually.”

As Fluttershy thought about it, she realized that Mahara did look somewhat out of her element, perhaps a bit pale, especailly around the lips, her eyes not as brilliant as they had been the evening prior.

Mahara was mostly slouched in her chair, as well. “I didn’t want to say anything while I was helping you because I didn’t want to be rude, but if it’s alright with you-“

Fluttershy nodded hurriedly.

“Don’t even worry about it. I’ll stay here and make sure you get better in no time.” Her guest laughed, and then finished the rest of the glass. “I’m serious! Doctor Fluttershy is on the case!”

Mahara shook her head again and smiled.

“It’s nothing to worry about, please don’t trouble yourself. I’m just a little worn out from traveling still.” She got to her hooves and rounded the table, nuzzling the side of Fluttershy’s neck. The pegasus immediately felt her cheeks burning. “I’ll tidy up a bit for you while you’re out.”

Without a word further, she left both the room, and a rather bashful Fluttershy. A kiss on the nose and a little nuzzle weren’t that much, but from someone she had just met, the affection was just a bit overwhelming. Certainly not unwanted, but overwhelming just the same. There were times when she wished friendly hugs were a bit more than for sharing a moment, and she had felt that sort of intimacy before.

Or could I be imagining it? she asked herself. Am I just lonely? Maybe this is just how ponies behave where Mahara comes from, she concluded.

On that note, she realized that she still had no clue where the red mare had lived prior to traveling to Ponyville. She sighed softly, and then brought her dishes to the sink.

\/ /\ /\ \/

Outside, the pegasus was greeted by a beautiful summer afternoon, neither too hot nor too humid. A few puffy clouds slowly drifted across the sky, and for a moment, she thought she saw a few other pegasi darting between them. Brief farewells were exchanged, and then she set off for town. Several birds accompanied the pegasus as she traveled down the path, some perching on her back, others flitting about beside her. Grateful as she was for their presence, she still wished that Mahara had decided to join her as well. Part of her was also unsure about leaving a strange pony alone in her house. Fluttershy put these thoughts to rest around the same time that the birds began to leave her company, preferring to stick to the trees as opposed to traveling with her into town.

About halfway there, she noticed Pinkie looking at the underside of a rock, then setting it down and lifting another. It was difficult to tell from such a distance, but she seemed distressed about something, occasionally jittering around on her hooves. The pink earth pony repeated this several times with various rocks, then grumbled and bounced back toward town before Fluttershy could even ask her what she was doing, though she appeared to have been looking for something.

Oh Pinkie…

She couldn’t help but smile. She took a short break just outside of Ponyville, munching down a mouthful of oats and leaning against the side of a building to help catch her breath. It was another normal day, ponies going about their business, a few nodding or saying hello as they passed. The enormous tree housing a wealth of Ponyville’s books came into view. Twilight had wanted her to bring a few loose quills from her various birds to see how well they could carry ink. She had expected to find Spike or Twilight waiting for her, but there was no sign of them outside the library, and the front door was closed, though she could hear them taking about something from within. Fluttershy knocked, but neither of them came to the door. She spotted Owlowiscious on a distant branch, fast asleep. Waking him would have been extremely rude, so asking him for help was out of the question as well. Biting her lip a bit, she nudged the door open and stepped inside.

The library was in a state of controlled chaos, books stacked in unstable looking towers across the floor, many of them so high she couldn’t see over them, and notes taped to the shelves, overlapping three or four times over, as if the bookcases had sprouted paper foliage. Somewhere in the disarray, she heard Twilight telling her draconic familiar to take a letter. As quietly as she could, she found her way through the maze of books, led by the sound of the the bookish unicorn’s voice.

“Dear Princess Celestia,

“Normally I would be writing regarding further insights into my study of the magic of friendship, however, something rather strange has occurred. Yesterday, I found a new book in the basement of the library, and when I opened it, I think I triggered some kind of summoning spell. I can’t be sure, because whatever came out of the book left before I could actually get a look at it. Then again, I might have just imagined it. Some of my other books suggest that it is possible to hide things between the pages using magic, but I don’t think a living creature could survive the spell, and even if they could, that book seemed like it had been down there for a very, very long time… I won’t bother you with this again until I find out more, but for the time being- Fluttershy, I’m sorry but I’m a bit busy right now. Please come back later. Spike, what are you doing!? Are you still writing?! This is serious!”

The pint sized dragon looked up from the parchment and attempted a smile. Twilight, on the other hoof, looked like she hadn’t gotten any sleep, heavy bags under her eyes, left eyelid twitching noticeably. Her mane was tossed every which way, hairs sticking out at odd angles, a few paper cuts evident on her hooves as she stared blankly at Spike from her book fortress. It was also possible that she was extremely distressed, likely a combination of the two. Fluttershy decided it was definitely not the best time to try and chat.

“Oh! Sorry Twilight. Guess I got carried away…” Spike waved to the pegasus on her way out.

Rather embarrassed over interrupting her friend, she left as silently as she came in, vowing to herself to try and knock louder next time.

The pegasus quietly closed the door behind her as Twilight began the second draft of her letter. It wasn’t uncommon for her to get so wrapped up in her studies that she didn’t have time for her friends, which was ironic considering the nature of her studies. The pegasus did her best not to take it personally whenever it happened, but it still hurt, just a bit. At least this time the bookish unicorn didn’t saddle her with volumes on dieting and overcoming depression. Twilight’s way of helping was both more and less confrontational than that of Rarity.

Before giving up completely, Rarity had tried to be less obvious about wanting the pegasus to lose weight. However, the subtle hints she would drop in conversation, the offhooved remarks she would make when something didn’t fit quite right or something was made difficult by her larger frame; that hurt the pegasus even more than being offered literature on the subject. On the infrequent occasions when Rarity would even speak to Fluttershy, the pale unicorn was becoming downright catty, compared to the gentleness of her initial attempts. It seemed as though Rarity believed that making fun of her would be a greater motivation than concern. Fluttershy assumed that, having lost her patience, Rarity decided tough love was the only course of action.

“Well hello dear!”

Rarity’s voice brought the pegasus out of her thoughts. For a moment, Fluttershy was overjoyed to hear her voice. The pale unicorn was nearly weighed down with yards of freshly purchased fabric, clearly making a beeline back to Carousel Boutique.

“Another lovely day, hmm? Out to get some exercise in this fine weather?” Fluttershy nodded meekly while the pale unicorn took a few steps closer toward her destination. “Well that’s splendid! I’d join you but as you can see, I’ve got my hooves full at the moment. I just got a huge order in and I’ll probably be busy for the next few days.”

“Oh, well, that’s okay… I actually have a vis-“

“And I’d ask you to model for me, like you used to, but, well…” She giggled rather cruely, raising an eyebrow with a subtle grin. “I’m afraid my clients don’t quite share your ample measurements. Such a shame. Well, not for my clients. You know what I mean.”

“Y-yeah…” The pegasus hung her head a bit, any remaining cheer washing right out of her.

“Well, ta-ta for now!” She trotted off toward the boutique without so much as another look back at the pegasus, clearly thinking nothing of what she had just said. “Good luck with that exercise!”

For a moment, Fluttershy could feel tears welling up in her eyes, on the verge of rolling down her cheeks. Several deep breaths later, she had regained her composure, writing off the pale unicorn’s nasty comments as more tough love, like always. More than anything, she was interested in losing weight so that the animosity from what was once her closest friend would stop.

Maybe it’s a good thing that I didn’t bring Mahara with me…

She wondered if the red mare was feeling better, and was about to head back to the cottage, but she overheard Applejack from the next street over. The voice that responded sounded like Rainbow Dash, which wasn’t that surprising. They had been spending quite a lot of time together in the more recent months, and there was a bit of a rumor going around about the pair. Of course, they denied it adamantly, but Fluttershy had her suspicions. Their conversation became clearer as she got closer, making her way through an alley and doing her best to weave between garbage cans and empty boxes.

“Ah know she’s alright Dash, but that ain’t the point! When ah was a filly, ah could wander ‘round after dark and nothin’ bad woulda happened ta me. We gotta do somethin’ ‘bout this ‘fore another pony gets hurt!”

She could see them clearly now, standing in front of the doctor’s office. Applejack paced nervously, while Rainbow attempted to comfort her. All the other ponies in the area went about their business, doing their best not to stare or get in the farmer’s way.

“Alright, so we set out a couple traps and make sure to keep Applebloom inside at night? I know you probably don’t want to hear it, but I’m not totally sure I want to kill whatever did this.” Applejack narrowed her eyes slightly, glaring at Dash. “I mean, what if she antagonized it? What if she thought getting something to bite her would get her a cutie mark? You know how fillies are!”

“Ah know that mah sister might be in danger, an’ ah don’t want ta risk her gettin’ hurt even worse next time.” Glancing to the side, Applejack noticed Fluttershy’s approach, mostly because the timid pegasus had knocked over a garbage can, startling herself more than anyone else. “Hey shug’, you know a lotta ‘bout critters, right? Wouldja mind tellin’ us what bit Applebloom?”

“Oh my… Yes, I’ll take a look right away!”

Fluttershy nodded to the nurse on her way in, led to Applebloom by Applejack and Rainbow Dash. Besides looking a little tired and very bored, the filly appeared to be perfectly fine. She had her forelegs crossed, laid out on a medical cot, clearly with very little interest in staying there for much longer.

“Ah already toldja sis, mah new friend did it, an’ it didn’t even hurt!” The filly pouted, trying to keep the side of her neck out of sight. “Yer all makin’ a big deal ‘bout nothin’.”

“She keeps sayin’ that she met some new filly outside her window last night, but ah think she’s just protectin’ whatever critter bit her.”

Applebloom scowled and looked the other way, which gave Fluttershy a clear look at the small, circular bite marks on the left side of her neck. There were four in total, though the more prominent two were centered over her carotid artery.

“Whatever it was, it bit her an’ she lost a whole pitcher’s wortha blood… Doctor said it weren’t nearly enough ta kill her, but ah ain’t havin’ no critters thinkin’ they can nip mah sister an get away with it!”

Nodding, Rainbow added, “We found her curled up under one of the trees in the orchard this morning. I think she just decided to sleep outside, tried to get cuddly with a stray dog or something.”

Applebloom snorted softly, insulted.

“Applebloom, you said another pony did this to you?” Fluttershy leaned a bit closer, examining the scabbed wounds. Even if it wasn’t fresh, she could tell that the bite was very clean, not a trace of bruising or additional cuts. “Whatever bit her, it was very deliberate. This looks almost surgical.”

“Okay, that’s cool and all, but it doesn’t get us any closer to finding whatever creep that did this.” Rainbow leaned a little closer as well, perhaps so Applejack wouldn’t hear. “Maybe when we find it, you can do that stare thing and talk some sense into it so this doesn’t happen again. I’d kinda feel bad about getting some animal killed over a misunderstanding.”

Fluttershy gave a solemn nod to the blue pegasus. “I’ll do my best.”

The timid pegasus directed her attention back to Applebloom, who was becoming more irritated the longer she had ponies gathered around and inspecting her. “Can you tell me what it looked like? The creature that did this, I mean. We’re just worried about you, that’s all.” The filly seemed to relax a bit, raising her gaze to meet Fluttershy’s. “I promise I won’t let them hurt what bit you, whatever it is.”

“Alright… Long as ya promise… Lessie…” Closing her eyes in thought, the filly did her best to recall her visitor. “She was about as big as I am, maybe a little bigger… Light blue coat, but her mane an’ tail were such a dark blue they almost looked black.”

 The description didn’t sound like any fillies from Ponyville. Maybe Applebloom was making it up after all, she thought.

 “Had the prettiest green eyes ah’ve ever seen, though!” Fluttershy’s smile slowly began to fade.

“What did they look like?” The timid pegasus began to bite her lip nervously as she listened to Applebloom’s response, while Applejack and Rainbow Dash listened in casually, apparently familiar, and unsatisfied, with the description.

“Well, kinda like Spike’s! Ah thought it was mighty strange fer a pony ta have eyes like that.” She giggled softly as Fluttershy’s expression became increasingly grave, narrowing her eyes just a bit, brow furrowing. “Oh! An she didn’t have a cutie mark! Ah asked if she wanted ta join tha Crusaders an she said yes!”

Having heard more than enough, Fluttershy turned and made for the door. Rainbow, Applejack and her younger sister watched with curiosity and confusion at her sudden urgency.

“Woah, where are you going in such a hurry?”

“Ya didn’t tell us what bit her either!”

“I think I know what did this, but I need to get home right now to make sure. Stay here with Applebloom and keep her safe, okay?” The pair gave up their inquiry long enough to glance back at the filly, who just shrugged, waving to the back of Fluttershy’s head as she vanished through the doorway.

Fluttershy left before they could get another word in, heart pounding as she looked off in the direction of her cottage.

It couldn’t be more than just a coincidence, could it?

The filly Applebloom had described sounded nothing like Mahara, and Mahara looked and sounded to be about as old as the pegasus, but those eyes… She tried to think back to her guest’s flank as well, but couldn’t remember if she had seen any sort of mark. As fast as she could, the pegasus began her gallop home, heads turning as she pounded the cobblestone under her hooves. Heavy as she was, panting and sweating, she refused to slow down. Of course, Pinkie Pie had other plans, nearly knocking her over as she sprung from an alley near the edge of town.

“You have to help me! There’s a new pony in town and I am twitching like crazy trying to find them, but I caaaaan’t! I’ve checked everywhere! Everywhere! Even under rocks and behind the books in the library! Nothing!” Fluttershy watched with wide eyes as Pinkie vibrated in place, then half groaned, half whimpered. “If I don’t find this new pony I’m gonna go crazy!”

“Pinkie, I think she might be at my house! You should come with me, just to make sure!” If she was right, if it was Mahara after all, having Pinkie with her was probably better than nopony but herself.

\/ /\ /\ \/

The gravity of the situation was entirely absent for the pink pony, and she cheerfully bounced along beside Fluttershy, singing something about meeting new friends as the pegasus did her best to gallop all the way home. She paused outside her front door, gasping for breath, doing her best to prepare for whatever might happen once she stepped inside. Noon had come and gone while she was in town, though the sun was still a few hours from reaching the horizon.

The windows were completely dim, barely a speck of light inside, but then she caught a glimpse of something moving, a green glow slowly approching the door.

Okay, she told herself, what if Mahara did bite Applebloom? What are you going to do? Tell her to leave? Yes, tell her to leave, immediately. Biting fillies is no way to behave.

Fluttershy reached this decision just as Mahara opened the door herself, smiling as she locked eyes with the pegasus, her pointy teeth like pearls in the sunlight.

She seemed a bit confused by Pinkie’s presence, however. “Is this one of the friends you wanted to introduce to me?”

From the doctor’s office all the way home, Fluttershy had been so terrified of the possibility that her guest could be the one that attacked Applebloom, but now that she was face to face with Mahara, the thought seemed almost laughable. Mahara was a pegasus, or at least she used to be, and from the sound of things, she would have had to at least be a unicorn to change her form so completely to match Applebloom’s description. What’s more, it didn’t sound like the filly was even attacked so much as she willfully volunteered. The coincidences were not so easily dismissed, but perhaps there was another explanation. It couldn’t hurt to ask. Maybe when it was more appropriate. The pegasus heaved a small sigh of relief, lowering herself to one side as she watched Pinkie’s face light up almost immediately.

“I found you! I found you! I FOUND YOU!” Pinkie began to orbit the red, understandably startled pony.

For a moment, Mahara tried to retreat back into the cottage, then after a nervous glance at Fluttershy, she forced a toothy smile.

“Hello! I uh… You caught me a little off guard here.”

Despite the surprise, the pegasus could tell that she was already regaining her composure, assuming a more solid, confident stance. The pegasus also noticed that Mahara had bound herself up in bandages again. Perhaps for the best, considering Pinkie’s excitable nature.

“Wow, but how didja end up all the way out here with Fluttershy? Usually newcomers hustle on right into Ponyville!” The pink pony weaved in and out, examining Mahara in the most inefficient and erratic way possible, grinning wide as she glanced about curiously.

“I’m afraid I didn’t make it that far, but I would love to see the town tomorrow. I’m still cleaning up her cottage presently.” She smiled again and stood aside, allowing the pair to enter, though Pinkie seemed more interested in Mahara than admiring her handiwork.

The pegasus had admittedly fallen behind on housekeeping, but there didn’t seem to be a speck of dust or paw print in sight, numerous sacks of feed organized by the door, even the fireplace looked to have been cleaned. The red mare stood by the door, smiling proudly.

“Oh my goodness…” Fluttershy looked around almost in awe. “You didn’t have to do all this! T-thank you!”

In fact, she wondered how Mahara had even accomplished so much in the span of at most two hours. Maybe she had made peace with the animals and got them to help her.

“No need to thank me. For a night of shelter and wonderful company, I think this was more than deserved.” The pegasus could feel herself blushing again.

Part of her wished Pinkie hadn’t heard that. Thankfully, the pink pony didn’t seem to notice anything out of the ordinary.

“Hey, if you’re coming to town tomorrooow…” Pinkie’s eyes lit up again as another grin curled the corners of her lips. “It’s been super nice meeting you but I gotta go!”

Without anything further, she was off like a shot. They watched as she became little more than a pink blur streaking across the countryside toward town, and then closed the door, laughing.

“She um, might not have wanted me to tell you, but you should be ready for a surprise party. It’s kind of her thing.” Fluttershy smiled a bit and made her way toward the kitchen, which shared the same spotless treatment.

“I’ll try and act the part.”

With Pinkie gone, she suddenly remembered that there were pressing issues at hoof. On short notice, she was able to begin questioning, albeit very delicately.

“I was in town today and… Um… Well, some strange things have been happening… I mean…” Mahara tilted her head, as seemed to be her typical reaction to things she didn’t quite understand. “Well, uh… You see, Applebloom… The younger sister of one of my friends. She um… Something bit her last night and uh…” The red mare arched her visible brow as the pegasus nervously tapped her hoof on the floorboards. “When she described the creature that did it… It sounded um… Sounded… Had eyes like… Do you have any siblings? Are there other ponies like you somewhere in Equestria? Maybe they followed you here?”

“Not to my knowledge, no… I saw quite a few other ponies while I was traveling, though.” Mahara seemed a bit concerned more than anything.

Perhaps it really was all just a big misunderstanding?

“What did… Applebloom? What did she say, exactly?”

“She said that whatever it was that bit her… What I mean is, what she described as whatever it was that bit her, it um… It sounded kind of like you…” The red mare narrowed her eyes, lips pursed just slightly in a display of insult. “I mean, the pony that um… Her description… And your eyes are so… Unique… That’s um… That’s what she said.”

“Okay, this is just a guess here, but with a name like Applebloom, she lived on that big orchard I passed by on my way to the spot where we met? Big bow in her hair?” Fluttershy nodded slowly. “I asked her for directions. It’s nice to know that she’s making up stories to explain her mishaps, I suppose.”

Relieved, though a bit disappointed in the filly in question, Fluttershy smiled and shrugged.

“Um… Maybe she thought she could get a cutie mark for lying? You know how fillies are.” She sighed quietly as she began to prepare supper. “Are you feeling well enough to eat?”

“I had a little snack while you were away. Don’t worry about me.”

The pegasus noticed that the color had definitely returned to her guest’s complexion. As if on cue, Angel scurried into the room and began desperately trying to get Fluttershy’s attention.

“He’s quite a feisty one…” Mahara mumbled as her brow lowered.

“Oh, yes, he can be quite a troublemaker sometimes.”

The rabbit continued his display, frantically pantomiming with a piece of fruit. First he cradled it, and then bit into it with his buck teeth, following up with what could be interoperated as slurping. Fluttershy watched quizzically.

“What’s gotten into you? You know you can’t have supper for another hour.” Smiling, the pegasus took the fruit from her fuzzy friend and set it up on the table. “But if you’re that hungry, I suppose I can give you a little more when it’s time to eat.”

Clearly frustrated that his message was lost on Fluttershy, Angel withdrew from the kitchen, keeping his eyes on Mahara all the while.

“I apologize if my presence upsets the animals under your care. I’ll start looking for a new place to stay first thing tomorrow. After I help out around here, of course.”

Mahara flashed that toothy smile again, and Fluttershy wondered how she had missed those pointy teeth when they met. It had been getting dark, sure, but something like that would normally stand out on a pony.

“Your help is always welcome, and so are you. Really, um… Don’t worry about the birds and the bunnies; they’re probably just nervous around strangers.” Her rounded middle growled softly, reminding her that the salad on the counter was only half perpared. “Speaking of ‘time to eat’, I almost forgot why we even came in here!”

The rest of the day passed rather peacefully, and with Mahara doing the heavy lifting and none of the actual interaction with the animals, their evening feeding went without any difficulties. Evidently, despite being so badly disfigured, the remaining muscles in her wings were strong enough to lift three or four sacks of feed at a time, squeezing them tightly in fleshy coils. The air outside positively vibrated with sound, feathers beating softly against overlapping songs of gratitude.

Amid a sea of fluttering and chirping birds, the pegasus felt at peace, spreading her wings wide and singing along with her feathery friends. Fluttershy wished that her guest could join her, but realized that perhaps being friendly with animals wasn’t her specialty. In fact, she wasn’t sure what Mahara was good at, seeing as she lacked any sort of cutie mark. The thought made her rather sad. Wherever she had lived before, life must have been very difficult. As the sun began to set and she bid the birds goodnight, she decided to ask, gently, about where the red mare had come from.

As luck would have it, Mahara brought it up on her own, after stepping down from the windowsill. Evidently, she had been watching Fluttershy play with the birds.

“It’s so strange for me to see animals behaving this way. You can just walk right up to them.” She crossed the room, setting herself down in a chair. “I don’t think I’ve seen a single creature in Equestria that isn’t in some way dependent on ponies for survival.”

“Is that unusual where you’re from? As far as I know, animals have always behaved this way in Equestria. Well, except for the ones in the Everfree Forest, but… I think that’s the only place in Equestria where the plants and animals take care of themselves.” The pegasus took to the couch, hind legs dangling over the side. “Um… Where are you from, though? It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it, I’m just a little curious is all.” Fluttershy felt uncomfortable just imagining what Mahara’s home might be like. “It doesn't sound like a very nice place… I mean, after what happened to your wings… And um… All those poor animals having to fend for themselves…”

“You’re right, it’s not a nice place… I’m in no hurry to return, especially after seeing how nice it is here in Equestria. Also…” The red mare glanced to the side for a moment, grinning a bit. “Meeting you has definitely been the highlight of my stay so far. Enough about me, though. Where are you from?”

While Fluttershy felt her cheeks getting rosy, the strange attraction she felt the night before seemed to be missing. She didn’t like her guest any less, but when she looked into Mahara’s eyes, dazzling as they were, she found it much easier to look away. Or at least, it wasn’t as easy to daydream when their gazes met. The red mare’s words, while still flattering, didn’t have their romantic edge, either.

Has my guest lost interest? she pondered. Or was it the thrill of meeting a total stranger that made me feel so drawn to the Mahara at first?

Confusion and frustration began to cloud her thoughts as they talked about Cloudsdale, how she had been picked on as a filly, and her decision to live on the ground, unlike most pegasi.

“And, well, I’ve been living here more or less by myself ever since then, if you don’t count all the animals I take care of. They’re pleasant company, but it does get lonely sometimes…” She smiled a little, glancing up at her guest. “So… I guess that’s why I really don’t mind you being here. It’s nice to have somepony around that I can talk to.”

This time, when Mahara smiled, she could feel some of the warmth and longing from the previous night, but it was much more gentle, perhaps more natural than the sudden wave of passion that had come over her. That didn’t stop her heart from fluttering slightly when Mahara got up and began a slow approach to the couch.

“I wanted to ask you before, when you were telling me about what life was like for you, growing up, and this is going to sound a little strange, even coming from me, so if you’d rather I not…”

The red mare made each step carefully and slowly, as if walking on thin ice, as sheepish as she had been when asking for permission to spend the night.

“Oh, no, not at all!” The pegasus smiled, shaking her head a bit, biting her lower lip just slightly as her anticipation and anxiety began to build. “Please, ask away.”

Maybe this time I’ll find out how she really feels.

“Fluttershy, have you ever had feelings for somepony as more than just a friend?" Before she could answer, Mahara quickly added, "Nopony in particular, I’m just wondering. I'm not sure how that sort of thing works in Equestria."

“Well, um… It um… Works…” Not quite what she was expecting, but maybe she could steer it in the right direction. “I had feelings like that for somepony, once… But… It didn’t really work out and… umm… It’s still painful for me to talk about it… Do you feel that way too?” The pegasus began to blush rather intensely, “Um, I mean, have you ever had feelings for another pony? Maybe a pony you wished was more than… um… more than a friend?” Mahara’s giggle was just barely audible.

“Perhaps…” she answered calmly, though her delicate smile, and the look in her eye, implied something else entirely.

Fluttershy swallowed nervously, scarcely able to meet Mahara’s intense, green rimmed gaze.

“A-are you… Asking for the reason I t-think you're um… asking?” Mahara began to lean toward her now, tilting her head to the right, her mane falling away just enough for her other eye to become visible. “B-because… Um…"

The pegasus felt herself tremble again. She wasn’t ready this time, she could barely string her sentences together. Her breaths felt so shallow. Fluttershy was crippled by the possibility of the rejection she might face if Mahara didn’t feel the same way. The fear that she might suffer from heartache once again was more than she could bear.

But how could Mahara not feel the same way? Every sign points toward the same conclusion, so why can’t Mahara just say it? She mentally whimpered. Why does it have to be me?

“Because I… Well… I… Um…” She began to fall into mumbling, and then just before turning away, her voice became little more than a squeak.

Fluttershy felt a kiss on the forehead, and the tension left her entirely. Mahara’s voice was soothing. “I think maybe I’m going a little too fast for you.”

The pegasus nodded slowly, trying to smile through her burning blush. “That’s alright,” the red mare continued, “I probably shouldn’t have asked. I’m sorry for putting you in that position. It was rude of me to do so.”

“It’s alright! Really, I’m actually glad that you did.” Still trembling softly, she leaned forward, nuzzling the underside of Mahara’s muzzle. “I think… I think I just need a little more time. Maybe I’m not ready to be in another relationship just yet...”

There was a long pause, the silence full of rhythmic chirping, leaves rustling in steady waves. The pegasus gingerly raised a hoof to her guest’s mane, brushing the silken red locks away from her right eye, letting herself get lost in those deep emerald pools once more.

“Do you still want to hear my answer?”

Fluttershy smiled, closing her eyes, nuzzling again, feeling the gesture returned just as softly. For the moment, that was more than enough.

“No, I think I’d rather leave it a mystery for now.” The pegasus slipped over the edge of the couch, still close enough to Mahara that their bodies lightly touched. “But I think I can guess… I’d like to talk about it in the morning, if that’s okay with you. There’s just so much on my mind right now and I’d like to sleep on it.”

“Fair enough.” She smiled warmly. “I’ll knock this time, I promise.”

They parted ways, Fluttershy slowly climbing the stairs, pausing at the top to watch the red mare trot over to her makeshift bed and vanish beneath the sheets. The pegasus followed the example soon after, crawling onto her squeaking mattress and getting comfortable under light blankets. She thought over how strange the day had been, wondering if this was the beginning of a trend. While a small part of her felt uncertain about her mysterious new friend, a larger part of her considered the circumstances excitedly; a wonderful new experience for her, maybe just what she needed to clear the last few hurdles of her depression.

If this is the beginning of another change, she pondered dreamily, then I think this one is all for the better…

Shadows of leaves swayed on the wall against soft moonlight, and watching them with half lidded eyes, sleep came easily.

\/ /\ /\ \/

Fluttershy’s dreams were far more troubling.

She looked upon her own sleeping form from above her bed. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t force herself to wake. The blurred silhouette of some slender creature stood over her, possibly bipedal, vaguely canine in shape. A long, bushy tail swayed about behind it, large ears tilted forward. Its eyes were obscured by unruly hair as it loomed, rubbing a single, thick claw over the underside of her chin. With the other paw, it brushed some of the hair aside, and an intense green glow radiated from beneath the thick mass of tangled strands, as if the creature’s eye were projecting a dancing emerald flame. In the light, she could see its lips slowly pulling back, curling into a grin, revealing parallel rows of sharpened fangs.

“Sleep tight,” it whispered, voice distorted to sound as many spoken at once.

The words had barely left the creature’s lips before it erupted into a thick red haze, dissolving completely, the mist flowing through gaps in the windowsill and swirling off into the night.

And she was left there, staring down at herself with time at a standstill.

\/ /\ /\ \/

“Alright, we’re callin’ this meetin’ ta order!”

Applebloom stood behind a small, clearly homemade podium. A few candles flickered in the corners of the small, also homemade room, illuminating bunches of leaves shivering just outside the window. The moon hung low over the treeline, a few puffy clouds drifting by.

 “But uh… Ah guess Sweetie Belle couldn’t sneak out tonight. Ah almost didn’t make it mahself.” Applebloom glanced out the window, toward the house, and frowned slightly. “Hope sis don’t try an’ check on me...” She snickered. “Cause Ah sure ain’t in bed!”

“So who’s the new filly? That’s what this meeting is about, right?”

Scootaloo’s eyes were fixed mostly on the light blue, almost black maned newcomer seated beside her, who appeared to be doing her best to be as small and inconspicuous as possible. In a room with only two other fillies, the effort was entirely pointless.

Scootaloo grinned a bit as she thought that over. “You wanna be a crusader, huh?”

“Yes! I mean, um…” The newcomer cast her gaze to the floor, hooves shuffling nervously. A mouse could interrupt her with little more than a squeak. “If you’ll let me, that is.”

“Hey, you know who she reminds me of, Applebloom?” The red bowed filly looked up from the podium curiously, their guest almost cringing as she waited to hear the rest. “She reminds me of Fluttershy!”

“Oh yeah… Huh, Ah didn’t notice that before.” Applebloom smiled and shrugged. The podium gave a low groan, earning a look of uncertainty from the bowed filly standing behind it.

“Is um… Is that a bad thing?” She looked up just enough for the green of her eyes to show. Scootaloo immediately stopped slouching as she caught a glimpse of them.

“Naaw,” Applebloom waved a hoof, still smiling. “Fluttershy’s a real nice mare. Kinda skittish though.”

“She doesn’t have eyes like that either!” The orange pegasus filly leaned a little closer, which only seemed to make the Fluttershy in miniature even more nervous. “That’s so cool! I’ve never seen anything like that before!”

“It’s um… It’s nothing special…” Her cheeks began to flush, a bashful smile creeping across her lips.

Scootaloo had to admit that their potential new member was very pretty, her shyness becoming something endearing.

“But…” The blue filly spoke barely above a whisper. “Thank you.”

“Anyway!” Applebloom thumped the podium several times with a forehoof, promptly stopping when she realized it just might collapse if she hit it again. “We’re gettin’ way off track here. She wants ta join the crusaders, an’ seein’ that she don’t have no cutie mark, she’s more than qualified!”

“But you’ve gotta be up for the challenges we’ll be facing, because we don’t just sit around and wait for our cutie marks to come to us!”

Scootaloo proudly rose to her hooves, head held high. The newcomer cowered, as if expecting to be struck or shouted at. The orange filly chose to ignore it and continued her small speech.

“We’re constantly trying new things in the hopes that we’ll find what we’re good at. It’s not for the meek. Can you handle it?”

“I… I can certainly try!” She got to her hooves as well, but much more humbly, still mostly looking down at the floor.

“’s good enough fer me! Yer hereby inducted into tha Cutie Mark Crusaders-” She came to an abrupt stop. Scootaloo raised a brow. “Actually, Ah don’t even know yer name yet.” Applebloom let out a giggle. “Dunno how that slipped by me.”

“Yeah,” said Scootaloo. “What’s your name?”

The orange filly grinned, taking a few steps around their newest member, until she was face to face with her, or at least face to ears. This close, she could see that the light blue filly was trembling, which she found rather odd.

What is this filly so nervous about? Scootaloo wondered.

“I bet it’s Emerald Gaze or Jade Iris something like that,” Scootaloo softly added, trying to help the sheepish pony relax.

“My um… My name?” She glanced around, biting her lip. “My name…” Scootaloo and Applebloom leaned a bit closer as she paused. “Is um…” Closer still, breath held in anticipation. “Seafare… Clearwater.”

“Huh…” They shot confused looks to one another, which Seafare didn’t seem to notice. “Okay, that’s a nice name too. Well, Seafare,” Scootaloo put a foreleg around the blue filly’s neck. “You’re a crusader now!”

“Hoo-ra!” shouted Applebloom, immediately clasping her hooves over her muzzle. “Ooh, Ah hope sis didn’t hear that…”

Applebloom turned her attention toward the window, expecting to hear or see an enraged Applejack at any moment. She was relieved to see that her outburst had gone unnoticed.

“Yeah, actually, why is she trying to keep you cooped up at night now?” Scootaloo let go of Seafare, who had been trying to shrink away from Scootaloo from the moment the pegasus draped a foreleg over her. “I guess she talked to Rarity and now Sweetie Belle can’t go out past sunset either.”

“Oh, ‘s cause Seafare bit me last night.” The blue filly blushed intensely at those words, while Applebloom smiled and Scootaloo gawked, first at Applebloom, and then at Seafare. “Ah told em it was nothin’ ta worry about but they all got so mad an’ worried. Guess ‘s a grownup thing.”

“Why did you…” Scootaloo’s mouth continued to gape, the orange pegasus doing her best to make sense of the situation. Seafare offered no explanation, remaining perfectly silent as she did her best to hold her ground, visibly shaking now. “What?”

“Oh! Cause Seafare said Ah might get a cutie mark that way!” Applebloom rounded the podium, which collapsed in on itself the moment she stepped away from it, and approached the pair. The bowed filly seemed to have locked eyes with Seafare, gazing intently at her. “Ya’ll should give it a try too, Scoot. Maybe it’ll work for you!”

“Okay, no offence, but I’m not sure I want a cutie mark of another filly biting my neck. That’s…” Scootaloo suddenly found herself face to face with Seafare, the blue filly’s eyes open wide as she simply slid into view, emerald pools practically glowing. “That’s… I… Uh… Wow… Is it getting hot in here?”

The pegasus shuddered lightly, a blush spreading over her cheeks. Her chest felt tight, her throat so dry, a sudden spark making her feel both excited and uneasy at the same time in ways she had never quite experienced before. She spared a glance at Applebloom, who looked as though her pupils had fully dilated in the passing moments, an unnerving smile on her face as she approached from the side.

“Girls… I don’t really feel comfortable with this…” She managed a swallow as Seafare leaned in close, the warmth of the blue pony’s breath rolling over the side of her neck. Scootaloo’s legs refused to budge, transfixed to the spot, helpless. “I… I wanna go h-home…”

“Just relax,” Seafare whispered as Applebloom just stood there, watching, smiling.  “This will only take a second, and you’ll barely feel a thing…”

\/ /\ /\ \/

Considering the panic she had witnessed and felt earlier that day, Rainbow Dash noted the calmness of the Apple family household. It was a tense, uneasy calmness, but there weren’t any shouts of fearful anger, blame was no longer being cast for failing to keep closer watch over Applebloom, and Applejack had finally managed to nod off, if a bit fitfully. Every so often, the blond maned mare would twist or jerk in her sleep. Rainbow raised a gentle hoof to the side of Applejack’s face, rubbing tenderly in hopes of dispelling the nightmares. Instead, Applejack bolted upright, nearly knocking the blue pegasus right off the bed.

“Hey, it’s alright.” Applejack cast a weary gaze up to Rainbow Dash, who smiled and nuzzled close. “Mac and I just checked on Applebloom half an hour ago,” she whispered. “She’s fine. Go back to bed.”

“Are ya sure? What if she snuck out right after ya’ll checked on ‘er?” Applejack began to shift around, trying to get to her hooves.

“AJ…” Dash made a failed attempt to keep her in bed, her halting hoof easily brushed aside by the determined pony.

“Ah gotta go see fer mahself. Just ta make sure.”

“Do you want me to come with you?” Their eyes were level now, bodies pressed softly together as Dash rubbed an orange furred foreleg with a hoof of her own.

“Nah. Ya’ll stay here an keep the bed warm.” Dash shot her a smug grin.

“It’s the middle of summer.” They laughed quietly, kissing briefly before Applejack slid off the edge of the bed, the sound of her hoofsteps growing softer the further she got from her bedroom.

Left alone for the moment, Dash reflected on her own situation. She couldn’t help but wonder what the others would say if they found out. She and Applejack had been so careful, and Big Macintosh had agreed to keep their secret so long as Rainbow Dash agreed to help out around the orchard during the harvest. Granny Smith didn’t even seem to notice that Dash was there just about every single night, her home in the clouds gradually collecting condensation. The pegasus looked around Applejack’s comfortably decorated room, smiling at the thought of just moving in, living on the farm instead of in the sky. Her thoughts were interrupted by a muffled gasp. Applejack’s muffled gasp.

 “Applejack?” Rainbow Dash hopped off the bed and cautiously made her way down the hall, only to break into a gallop when the mare in question let out a scream.

“She’s gone!” The blond earth pony burst from Applebloom’s doorway, looking around frantically. “Dash, she ain’t in her bed!” The pegasus could see her shaking, eyes full of terror and worry, tears soon to follow. “Oh Celestia where did she go?!”

“Just calm down! She couldn’t have gotten far, we just checked on her a little while ago.”

“She left a damn decoy in her bed! Ya’ll don’t know how long she’s been gone!” Dash tensed, wings starting to unfold. “Dash we gotta find her! What in heaven’s name is wrong with that filly?! She gonna get herself killed!”

Big Macintosh, having heard the commotion from his room, was already kicking his door open and making for an exit.

“Sis, we ain’t gonna find her if we jus’ stand around talkin’ about it! Let’s get a move on!” Winona ran alongside him, barking excitedly as she reached the front door before anyone else.

Taking one last look in the filly’s room, Applejack seemed to notice something. Peering through the doorway herself, passed the sack of flour and mop head fashioned to look like Applebloom, and through the window; the pegasus saw a flicker in the distance.

Simultaneously, they shouted “The treehouse!”

Applejack stomped a hoof and followed Macintosh, Rainbow Dash in the rear. The moment the roof fell behind, however, she beat her wings against the air and launched herself skyward, ripping over the orchard and rapidly closing in on the rickety structure. The air was so tranquil, the starry skies clear as crystal, everything bathed in moonlight and laced with shadow. Dash could scarcely believe this was happening, it all felt so surreal. Her heart raced, her mind reeling with the possibilities of what she might find upon reaching her destination.

“Please be okay…” she whispered as she dropped in through the door, floor shaking lightly on impact.

The pegasus narrowed her eyes as she surveyed the scene, mouth twisting with apprehension. She doubled back, taking off again and soaring over the siblings on their way to the tree fort.

“AJ! Mac! Stay with them, I’m gonna get a doctor!”

\/ /\ /\ \/