The plague

by TwiwnB

No place to call home

It was feeling warm and kind of soft. Like a bed. She was in a bed. And she was feeling way better. She opened her eyes and saw the interior of a very little but cozy room. It was quiet in there. It was feeling safe: it was feeling peaceful.

“Oh, you’re awake.” Said the voice of the pony that she had seen before passing out.

The mare could see her at the door of the room. For some reason, she didn’t seem to want to intrude into the room, even if it was obviously her own house they were both in.

“All thanks to you miss.” Said the mare. “I don’t know how I could thank you enough.”

The other mare blushed, but didn’t reply, at least not in a way that could be heard.

“My name is Lula.” The mare explained. “What is your name?” she asked.

She couldn’t hear the answer the first time. Or the second time. But at the third attempt, she heard:

“My name is Fluttershy.”

“That’s a beautiful name.” Lula stated.

Everything was beautiful to her at this point. She couldn’t believe she was having such a nice discussion with such a kind pony in such a quiet house.

“Excuse me, but…” began Fluttershy, with her usual hesitations. “… what were you doing outside during such a storm?”

Lula looked down. She didn’t really want to think about it, yet she couldn’t refuse an explanation to her hostess.

“I was trying to get to Apple Loosa.” She explained. “I heard that the plague hasn’t struck there yet and I couldn’t stay where I lived anyway.”

“Why is that?” asked Fluttershy, curious, before thinking she was becoming impolite. “I’m sorry.” She added. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

“No, it’s okay, you have the right to know.” Lula told her.

But then she stopped. It wasn’t a good idea to tell the reason why she had left in the first place. She could just lie, say it was because of the plague, or invent any other reason whatsoever. Then again, she wanted to trust that kind pony, and she wanted that kind pony to be able to trust her too. Like friends would trust each other. Like in the past. And that required her to tell the truth.

“I fled Vanhoover because I was accused to be a witch.”

“A witch?” Fluttershy asked, surprised at the simple concept.

“They said I was causing the plague. That’s why they imprisoned me and did this.”

Saying those words, she lifted a part of her mane to show her forehead where the remnant of a horn could be seen.

“It’s horrible!” stated Fluttershy, outraged by such barbarism.

“I hated them for it.” Lula said. “But we were all afraid. I guess I shouldn’t blame them…”

“Well I do blame them!” Fluttershy affirmed with the upmost conviction, one that was very unusual from her for those who knew her well. “Nopony should be treated that way, no matter how afraid one can be.”

To Fluttershy’s surprise, Lula began to laugh. Not because it was funny, but because it was all feeling so weird, to have met that weird mare that was still able to feel outraged by something that had become so normal.
Her laugh, at least, led Fluttershy to believe she had recovered well.

“I’ve prepared some tea. Would you like some?” she asked her guest.

“I wouldn’t want to impose.” Replied Lula, who was just being polite as she would have killed for a good cup of tea.

“Don’t be silly.” Replied Fluttershy. “I’ll go get it.”

A few minutes later, they were both enjoying a cup of tea and some biscuits on a table that Fluttershy had brought near Lula’s bed.

“I’m glad the critters didn’t prevent you from sleeping well.” Fluttershy said in the middle of the conversation. “They can be pretty boisterous sometimes.”

“The critters?” Lula asked, curious. “You’ve got domestic animals here?”

She loved animals, so she would have liked to see some.

“Of course.” Fluttershy replied. “Who do you think takes care of all of them?” she asked while pointing to the whole room with her hoof.

Lula looked around, but saw nothing other than a few pictures of animals. She smiled awkwardly, thought it was all rhetorical and asked:

“So, will you present them to me?”

Fluttershy was more than happy to present her little friends to her new mare friend.

“Well, that’s Swen.” She said, pointing to a corner of the table. “He is a squirrel, but he doesn’t like nuts a lot, quite a difficult one to handle, but he is very nice.”

Lula looked at the table, but there was nothing else than the teacups, the teapot and the biscuits.

“Those two are Ivan and Stephan.” Fluttershy said with joy, pointing to the extremity of the bed. “The first one is a salamander. Be careful, he loves to tickle. The second one is an otter.”

Lula began to wonder if this was some sort of game.

“And this one?” she asked, pointing to another random direction.

“Which one?” asked Fluttershy.

“The big one?” Lula asked, having no idea what was going on.

“Her name is Melindra: she is a pelican.”

It was probably just a weird game, but quite a creepy one still. Lula tried to change the subject and they spoke about her journey and the region.

“I never expected for somepony to still live around here.” Lula explained. “I thought that those lands had been deserted long ago.”

“Well, I’m still here.” Fluttershy sighed. “I couldn’t leave just like that. I’ve lived there my whole life. And besides, who would have taken care of my little friends if I were gone? Speaking of which…”

The yellow Pegasus stood up.

“I’m deeply sorry, but I have to feed them. I should also check on Arthur. He hasn’t been feeling very well lately.” She said. “Please try to sleep a bit, you still need some rest. But do feel free to wander around as much as you want. You’re here at home. Just please don’t go into the third room upstairs. My friend Rainbow Dash is sleeping there and I wouldn’t want for her to be disturbed.”

Two mares? Lula began to think that even a little village might have been founded again in that part of Equestria. With some luck, she could hope to stay. The future was looking brighter than ever before.

“Yes, I’m coming, I’m coming!” Fluttershy said, seemingly speaking to the air around her while giggling. “I swear, when they are hungry, they can become quite troublesome.”

Lula watched her leave the room with a concerned look. Fluttershy was a very nice mare, but a strange one nonetheless.