“Open up, please. I promise this will help you feel better.”
The sick robin lay limply on the blanket Fluttershy had set out. Too weak to fly, the bird could do little but lie still as Fluttershy attended to him, except to keep his beak clamped firmly shut and resist taking the medication she was trying to administer.
“Come on, now. It doesn’t taste that bad.” Fluttershy prodded the robin’s beak with the pill held in one hoof. “And the sooner you take your medicine, the sooner you can go back to sleep and recover your strength.”
The robin feebly shook his head. Gentle persuasion did not seem to work on the creature. Fluttershy would need to try a new tactic.
“You know,” Fluttershy told him tenderly, “back in Ponyville I conduct a bird choir. They make the most beautiful melodies. Hearing birdsong always reminds me of them, reminds me of home. Would you sing for me, please? It would help me feel a little less homesick, and I would greatly appreciate it.”
Fluttershy looked down at the robin with the gentlest expression of goodwill she could manage. The robin fidgeted as he stared up at her expectant eyes. He could not refuse the request of one who had been so kind to him. Eventually, he gathered his strength and emitted a feeble croak.
“Ah ha!” As soon as the robin opened his beak, Fluttershy dropped the pill down his throat. She quickly followed up the maneuver by bringing a cup to the robin’s mouth and delicately tipping some water in, which cut off the bird’s annoyed squawk.
Once the pill was down, Fluttershy set aside the cup. She picked up the robin and wrapped him in a small quilt, a gift from Rarity that had seen much use over the years. The robin wore a disgruntled expression, but lacked either the energy or the will to protest further.
“Don’t look at me like that,” Fluttershy said. “You know it was for your own good.”
She tenderly placed the robin back down on the large blanket she had spread over the forest floor. Almost as soon as he was lying down again, the robin fell into a restful sleep. Around him, other birds dozed quietly or else lay peacefully with their eyes watching Fluttershy as they waited for her to give them their medicine.
Fluttershy went about with practiced serenity, distributing pills and checking temperatures. She would occasionally pause to speak a word of comfort to a particularly distraught bird or to chat amiably with those strong enough to carry on a conversation. A wake of encouraged animals marked her passage as she moved among her patients.
As she worked, Fluttershy thought of how similar this was to life at home. These were tasks she did regularly for her animal friends back in Ponyville, and she found that treating an animal was the same wherever she went. Each creature required the same patient kindness as any other. Perhaps it was this familiarity that made it more bearable to be away from home than she had originally feared. In fact, with the large number of birds incapacitated by the illness sweeping eastern Equestria, she had been kept busy enough that she rarely had time to dwell on anything other than the satisfaction of helping so many. But there were still times, such as now, when her thoughts drifted back to her welcomingly simple cottage and the heartening presence of her closest friends.
She wondered how they were doing. No doubt Rainbow Dash was reveling in the thrill of some dangerous stunt she was performing with the Wonderbolts. Pinkie Pie could be anywhere in Equestria and doing just about anything, which seemed strangely appropriate for her. Rarity was surely enjoying the sophistication and excitement of a big city.
Really, Fluttershy’s main concern was Twilight. When Fluttershy had left, she had seen the silent plea in Twilight’s eyes that asked her to stay. Of course, Twilight was too selfless a friend to express such a request aloud. But it had been there, hidden beneath her friendly demeanor, and it had almost been enough to make Fluttershy stay in Ponyville and tell somepony else to go help the sick birds. In the end, she had left reluctantly, hoping Applejack’s steady presence would be enough to bolster Twilight’s spirit. Fluttershy hoped Applejack was not too busy running the farm to spend some time with Twilight. The company of a friend was a vital kindness.
A rustle interrupted Fluterrshy’s musings. At first, she thought it must have been some critter moving through a nearby bush. Then she realized the noise was both louder and farther away than she had initially judged. Something large was producing quite a ruckus as it passed through the forest a little ways off.
Fluttershy set down her thermometer and bottle of pills and lightly stepped around the sleeping birds. She left them lying contently on the blanket as she headed off into the woods to investigate the sound. Fluttershy wondered what sort of animal would make so much noise. Perhaps it was simply a frustrated bear that could be persuaded to stay quiet with a few soothing words. On the other hoof, it could be something far more dangerous, such as a hydra or an ursa major. Could such creatures be found so far from the Everfree Forest? Fluttershy was not sure, and she did not want to think what the presence of such a beast would mean for her animal friends.
Fluttershy peeked through a bush. Beyond, the forest sloped down to a small clearing nestled between two hills. A carpet of grass had claimed the small plot of land left untouched by the surrounding trees. Nothing was visible in the clearing, but Fluttershy heard the distinctive sounds of something heading in her direction.
Or rather, it was several somethings. Fluttershy could distinguish the sounds of multiple hoofsteps amid the rustling of leaves and snapping of branches. She could also make out a higher-pitched chitter that seemed vaguely familiar.
Then a pony stepped out of the trees. He was small and spindly. His coat was black, except for a dark blue section across his back, from which sprung two membranous wings. Small fangs jutted from his mouth, and blank, turquoise eyes surveyed his surroundings.
A changeling.
Fluttershy quickly ducked down in the shrubbery, her heart pounding. What was a changeling doing here? Had he seen her? Could she make it back to the blanket where her bird friends lay before he spotted her?
More hoofsteps reached Fluttershy’s ears as a whole group of changelings joined the first one in the clearing. A dozen or so of the creatures gathered in a tight circle, talking rapidly about something Fluttershy could not guess. Their long tongues flicked in and out with faint hisses as information was exchanged and decisions reached. After a minute or so of standing there, the discussion seemed to reach a conclusion, and the changelings unanimously turned in Fluttershy’s direction.
Barely able to see through the undergrowth from where she cowered on the ground, Fluttershy began to tremble. Was their choice of direction a coincidence, or had the changelings detected her and decided to capture her? Fluttershy inched backward slowly, her eyes straining to catch a glimpse of the changelings below.
The first changeling peered up the hill. He emitted a long hiss and took a deliberate step forward.
A blur of white and gold shot out of the woods and rammed into him. The changeling tumbled to the ground and lay still. Above his prone form stood a royal guard, an imposing, stoic figure garbed in gleaming armor. The guard remained stationary a moment longer as he checked that the changeling had been knocked unconscious, and then he moved to attack another one.
A couple dozen other royal guards emerged from the shadows of the trees and joined the battle in the clearing. Hooves flew, magic blasts zapped back and forth, and wings beat and buzzed as ponies and changelings tried to take to the sky. The confusion grew as several of the changelings morphed into images of royal guards. From her hiding place in the bushes, Fluttershy lost track of all that went on. She only saw a chaotic mess of violence.
The battle spread beyond the clearing as some of the changelings attempted to flee. One almost managed to disappear among the trees before being hit by a spell launched from a unicorn on the other side of clearing. Fluttershy missed what happened to that changeling, as her view was blocked by two pegasi swooping in front of the bush, each fighting to stay aloft while kicking frantically at the other. Fluttershy ducked as they passed overhead, hoping that neither of them had spotted her cowering on the ground. The pair's erratic flight veered off in a different direction, and they moved out of Fluttershy's sight. She waited a few seconds before venturing to peer above the shrub, just in time to see one of the pegasi slam into a tree. The other managed to break away and twist aside right before the collision, but he clipped his wing on a protruding branch and went down.
Only two ponies were left in the clearing. A large earth-pony guard stood across from an undisguised changeling. The guard lunged forward, and the changeling jumped to the right. The guard pivoted clumsily, thrown momentarily off balance but recovering instantly. He launched a hard kick with his foreleg, catching the changeling in the side. The changeling stumbled, but he balanced himself with his wings and leapt forward out of his opponent's reach. The guard closed the gap in two strides, but that gave the changeling enough time to transform. In a flash of green light, the changeling was gone, replaced by the regal form of Princess Celestia.
The charging guard halted instinctively, years of training superseding his knowledge that the figure before him was clearly a changeling. In his half second of hesitation, the changeling surged forward and launched a powerful kick to his jaw. The blow jerked the guard's muzzle sideways, and he collapsed to the ground.
Hearing the pony's jaw break, Fluttershy involuntarily emitted a small squeak of horror. She immediately clamped her hooves over her mouth, but it was too late. The changeling, reverting back to his default form, tilted his head toward Fluttershy's hiding place. He took a careful step in her direction, moving quietly so he could be alert to any telltale sounds of a hiding pony. For her part, Fluttershy cowered in complete silence and stillness, terrified that the smallest motion would reveal her presence to the changeling.
The changeling ascended the hill cautiously, weaving discreetly among the trees and continually glancing around to ensure no royal guards were sneaking up on him. He came to a halt where a patch of dense foliage made progress more difficult, not more than a couple of steps away from the bush where Fluttershy hid. Silence descended as neither the pegasus nor the changeling moved, each straining to hear an indication of the other's presence.
A minute passed. Fluttershy remained flat on the ground, refusing to even lift her head to see if the changeling was still there. How long she would have stayed there, Fluttershy did not know, but for the present her fear of discovery kept her rooted in place, overriding all other concerns.
At least, it did until Fluttershy heard a familiar voice. Perhaps the changeling guessed at the nature of his quarry, and chose his disguise accordingly. Perhaps he picked a recognizable figure to evoke a response from anypony listening. Or maybe he simply got lucky. Regardless, the clear, yet warm voice of Twilight Sparkle resonated through the void: “It's ok, everypony. You can come out now.”
Fluttershy's heart leapt, and she followed suit. To hear a comforting voice after being on her own for so long was an unexpected joy beyond anything she had hoped. Almost before she realized what she was doing, Fluttershy had sprung to her hooves and opened her mouth to greet he friend with a sincere—if subdued—welcome. But the smile crumbled from her lips as Fluttershy came face to face with the changeling that had stolen her friend's appearance.
The changeling grinned back at her with a malice that appeared wholly out of place on the visage of Princess Twilight. The eyes narrowed in smug triumph even as their lavender shade blended into an unnatural turquoise. The sleek form of the alicorn body shrank and withered as irregular holes ate away at the flawless coat. The changeling chuckled, and in a flash he hurtled at Fluttershy. Startled and upset, Fluttershy could do nothing but whimper and slam her eyes shut as the changeling bore down on her.
A loud smack reverberated through Fluttershy's ears, the distinctive sound of a hoof connecting with flesh. Fluttershy gathered in her breath to let out a shriek of pain, but then she noticed that no blow had hit her.
She cracked one eye open in reluctant curiosity. Her neck had curled down toward the ground in fright, so she caught only a glimpse of grass and bushes. Raising her eyes a bit, Fluttershy saw the changeling pulling back in surprise. A well-aimed kick had bruised his left foreleg, causing the changeling to limp slightly as he retreated from the onslaught of Fluttershy's rescuer. He ducked under the ferocious kick of a white hoof and stumbled several more steps back. He spun around, buzzed his wings, and took flight away into the trees.
“Oh,” Fluttershy breathed in relief as she watched the changeling fly off. “Um, thank you.”
“No need to thank me, dear,” came the reply, a note of worry tinging the reassuring elegance of the voice. “I am merely glad to see you unhurt amid such dreadful fighting.”
Fluttershy turned to look at her rescuer and gave a slight start. Rather than seeing the professionally dispassionate royal guard she expected to find, Fluttershy beheld a somepony quite different. The pony's mane, though bearing signs of painstakingly crafted curls, fell in the untidy mess of physical exertion. While her posture indicated poise and sophistication, the heaving of her chest betrayed the sprint she had just completed. And her carefully conditioned eyelashes could not hide the fear gleaming in Rarity's eyes.
Fluttershy took a step forward, preparing to rush to her friend in grateful relief, but memory of her recent experience made her hesitate. “Um, Rarity? Is that really you?”
An indignant frown came across Rarity's face. “Of course it is I. Why ever—” Rarity broke off as the realization hit her, which she covered by gently clearing her throat. “My apologies, Fluttershy. I almost forgot what just happened. I can assure you that I am indeed Rarity, recently returned from visiting my boutique Rarity for You in Manehattan. I had hoped to surprise you with a visit on my way back to Ponyville, but I never imagined to find anything like this happening when I arrived.”
Rarity peered off into the forest, an uncertain expression on her face. Fluttershy, though, burst into a wide smile and ran to greet her friend with a tight embrace. Rarity immediately returned the hug, the tension leaving her body as she repeated the comforting gesture.
“It's so good to see you again,” Fluttershy whispered, still clinging to Rarity, “and thank you for saving me from that changeling.”
“It's good to see you too, Fluttershy,” replied Rarity.
Rather than continuing the hug, Rarity abrupt pulled away and stood up straight. She glanced in the direction of the clearing, the worry creeping back into her face as she squinted into the distance.
“What is it?” Fluttershy asked. She, too, looked off into the forest, but she only saw trees receding into the distance. All signs of the recent fight had vanished.
“I thought I spotted something near the clearing over there,” Rarity said. “I suppose it is nothing, but I would like to check on it all the same.” With that, she trotted down the hill, aiming for a spot slightly to the right of where the changelings had first appeared. Fluttershy followed her, treading nervously as the trees thinned around her.
“It was somewhere around here,” Rarity called back. She slowed her pace, swiveling her head back and forth as she searched the forest floor. Rarity proceeded a few more steps, but then came to a halt with a short gasp.
“What is it?” Fear returned to Fluttershy's voice as she scampered to catch up to her friend. She reached Rarity's side and looked ahead to see what had captured her friend's attention. She could make out a dark shape between the trees in front of her, but she was not quite sure what it was. It did not move, but it not seem a natural part of the forest, either. A weak moan reached her ears, and Fluttershy realized what the thing was.
“Oh no, somepony's hurt!” Fluttershy gasped. She ran ahead at once, rushing toward the injured pony lying against a tree trunk. So intent was she on helping that Fluttershy did not notice the other important feature about the pony until she was almost on top of her.
Stretched out on the ground before Fluttershy, emitting subdued whimpers of pain, lay a changeling.