CSR Brush Pony

by shysage

Chapter 3, Language

It's me, Princess Twilight again, and I hope this is not confusing. Fluttershy was probably the best pony to do the last chapter. We may switch off like that as necessary.

It took a little while for Princess Celestia to respond to my letter. Soon after I had Spike send off that letter, Pinkie Pie bounced into the Library. I have no idea what she was here for, but it really didn't matter. She noticed the three new ponies right away. Her eyes were huge, Pinkie was looking at the stallion, I think, and she said quickly "WHOA!" After maybe ten seconds, Pinkie chuckled and said "Bad Horn Day!", then laughed loudly. Then she said just as loudly "Yippee, 3 new friends!"

Fluttershy put her head down next to the mare and said quietly "friend", just to make sure. Pinkie can be rather abrupt at times, but always laughs about it. Still, the stallion had no Unicorn horn, but he did clearly have some sort of horns.

Maybe Pinkie Sense briefly kicked in, just a little anyway. "Princess, these three are from far out West, in case that helps."

I walked over and hugged Pinkie. Most of what she says is either very funny or frightfully important. I have learned to just listen carefully and think. "Thank you, Pinkie" I said with a smile.

"I'll be back if I have anything else, Princess" Pinkie said as she smiled back. Then she trotted out the door. "Yippee, three more friends" she said to herself, over and over, until we could no longer hear her.

After Pinkie left, the reply from Princess Celestia woke Spike up from his middle of the floor nap. He handed me the letter, then staggered back out to the front steps, and was probably quickly back asleep in the sunlight. Even though the letter was belched out of a fireball, I noticed a few wet... tears... I sighed... then read her reply.

"Dear Princess Twilight,

"The rescue has been duly noted, and we do appreciate Fluttershy's involvement. It sounds like her special gifts may prove invaluable.

"...--

"A new species of ponies, this is a fabulous development. By all means, we want to welcome these visitors. And, I agree with you that pursuing better communication with them should be a primary priority.

"Please keep me updated about any new developments. At some point in the next few days, Princess Luna and I can come to your Castle and perhaps visit some with them. Please keep us posted when this might be helpful.

"Princess Celestia"

I thought a minute, then grabbed a quill, some ink, and a clip-board with some paper from my desk. I held everything up with my magic; it all sort of floated around me. And it was probably the middle of the afternoon, and nice and warm outside. "Fluttershy, can we all go for a walk? I would like to just make some initial observations. Can you see if that is ok?"

Fluttershy and the mare communicated via feelings, and then Fluttershy motioned for them to follow her again. The five of us headed down the stairs, around the Castle, and out back, to the huge meadow behind. Once actually in the meadow, I asked Fluttershy to slow way down, and we walked very slowly. I just wanted to observe them, watch to see what they did, how the lived.

I think they were hungry, and quickly found something to nibble on. They seemed to like weeds that ponies seldom eat. The broad-leaf plants, they seemed to prefer them. I wrote this down. Of course, I used my magic to hold the quill and paper, and write my notes. They drank some from a small stream, and we just kept walking, slowly. It was pretty warm. Before I knew it, the foal was asleep in the grass, in the shade, and the mare was on her side, right next to the foal. But I agreed with Fluttershy. Their coats varied little, but they seemed to disappear in the shadows under the bush. I said this out loud as I wrote it: "Brush Pony." It seemed to fit.

Still, the mare didn't sleep, and watched intently as I wrote. The mare said something which Fluttershy and I did not understand. Fluttershy moved her head close, sensed, then said "Oh... Writing" Fluttershy pointed to what I was doing, using my magic to take notes. "Writing" Fluttershy said again quietly. She and the mare took turns saying that word until the mare could say it correctly. I also made a note about that.

Fluttershy was clearly sensing some of the significance of what I was doing. Fluttershy pointed to the foal, asleep on the mare's side. "Arianna" is what the mare appeared to have said. The stallion looked lovingly at the foal and smiled at this. Again, the mare and Fluttershy practiced the word until Fluttershy said it correctly.

But Fluttershy realized the mare did not answer her real question. Fluttershy laid down in the grass, and exactly copied the position of the foal. Fluttershy even closed her eyes. Fluttershy opened her eyes briefly, then said "Sleep", then closed her eyes again. The mare evidently connected, and said "Sleep" with Fluttershy until the mare said it well, then the mare helped the stallion say it.

Sleep, this was an important word. I had not even thought about where these three might spend the night tonight. Even more, I had no idea where these three might want to spend the night. I just had no idea. I think Fluttershy realized this, and was trying to make it easier to find that out. Of course, I made a careful note about all of this.

After a while, the foal woke up, and the three again nibbled on some of the broad leaf plants, again seemingly disappearing and then reappearing as the shadows fell over them. They didn't disappear, but just became much more difficult to see. The markings on their coats were responsible for that I think. I made a note of that too.

The mare walked over to Fluttershy, they put their heads together briefly "Hmm... water..." Fluttershy said slowly. As the mare and Fluttershy practiced that word, I led them all to a small lake further into the meadow, and we all got a drink. Like I said, aside from their coats and what they liked to eat, these three were like us ponies in a lot of ways.

Shyna and Ariel found us at that point. Shyna is Fluttershy's adopted sister (long story), an extremely gifted Pegasus and very sensitive like Fluttershy. Ariel is Summer and Shysage's daughter, also very sensitive. Both girls came to us from the distant Past, and speak 'old Pony' as well as modern Equestrian. And both live with Fluttershy. Both were also flying together that afternoon, saw us from the air, and landed to see what we were doing. Shyna and Ariel were absolutely captivated by the foal right away. Well, Fluttershy was right, the foal was so cute! Fluttershy quietly told them the foal's name (Arianna), and, for the next hour... They didn't go far, but Ariel and Shyna spent some amazing time with that cute little foal! The three of them talked constantly, and the girls taught the foal a bunch of new words. The foal learned both their names, the word for flying... Wow, they jumped from one word to the next, and their foal just drank it all in! Fluttershy was concerned at one point, but I guess the mare felt that. She looked at Fluttershy and quietly said 'friend' then smiled as Ariel and Shyna were playing with her Arianna. It was clear that Arienna was thoroughly enjoying herself anyway. The rest of us just watched. And I wrote very little during that time. Everything was happening so quickly as the three of them played and talked together. I gave up on taking notes.

The mare called her foal over when the sun began to set. As the three of them walked back to mommy, they taught Arianna the word 'tired' along with some hilarious ways to communicate it. And Fluttershy sensed with the mare, and realized that was the problem. The foal needed to rest, to sleep.

Well, we had to get this figured out. "Fluttershy, we need to find out from our new friends where they want to sleep tonight. I think them spending the night outside would not be very wise or safe. Can you see what you can find out?"

Fluttershy looked like she was ready to cry right away, but I think she already knew. Fluttershy put her head next to the mare, then said "sleep... night..." and, head to head, they felt together.

Then the mare spoke, by herself. She pointed to Fluttershy, and said "You", paused a minute, then said quietly and with some difficulty "Sum... Summer..."

I just sighed. This couldn't be helped. The mare's request was reasonable, especially after almost being eaten by Cougars earlier today. Summer had rescued them. It was just that...

Rainbow Dash landed next to us right then. "Princess, Pinkie said you needed me. Just tell me what it is, I will do it. And I hope it has to do with flying!" Of course Rainbow was smiling when she finished.

I sighed again, then hugged Rainbow. "Please let Summer and Shysage know our guests would like to spend the night with them at Fluttershy's."

I knew this would happen. Rainbow's attitude changed immediately. "But Princess, I thought..." Rainbow said quietly, then stopped.

I sighed again, and hugged Rainbow again, and tried to explain. "They rescued these new friends from Cougars. It just needs to be, I guess." Rainbow was quickly in the air, but she was having difficulty smiling, I think.

Fluttershy again felt with the mare briefly, then said 'home' and nodded for her to follow. As they practiced saying 'home', Fluttershy walked to her Cottage. The new mare and stallion walked next to Fluttershy, and the foal Arianna was between Shyna and Ariel, who talked non-stop as long as I could hear.

As I walked back to the Castle by myself, I made a few more notes. First, I suspected the foal would learn our language faster than the mare and stallion. As true friends, Shyna and Ariel literally scooped her up, and folded this different little foal into their love and devotion. Second, because of other recent events, this probably wouldn't be easy. The problem wasn't Summer and Shysage. It was just that... nevermind. Still, welcoming these new, different "Brush Ponies" into Equestria, that was a high priority. I would do everything I could to see that through.

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