//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1: Discovery 
// Story: What is a Tatzlpony? 
// by Skylight77 
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	There it was, the Everfree Forest. Rainbow Dash hovered just outside its entrance, re-checking the mail she was delivering. It was unusual that a letter’s mailing address would be located in the Everfree Forest. And although this wasn’t part of her job, she insisted to take this request, since nopony else was brave enough. After all, the odds were that it was probably for Zecora.

With that thought, Rainbow flew inside, making sure to stay below the trees. With clouds being able to move and activate on their own in this area, one could argue that the skies were more dangerous than underneath. That and she could see the forest’s path better this way.

But as Rainbow followed the directions on the letter’s mailing address, something felt off. The directions weren’t to Zecora’s place at all. If it wasn’t for her, then who would it be for? Well, it wasn’t any of her business, so she didn’t think on it. Treading away from the path, she flew deeper into the forest where the letter lead.

Rainbow Dash kept her eyes and ears open as she followed the directions. Besides the rustling leaves caused by the wind and her flapping wings, the area was rather silent. It was odd. For an area filled with dangerous creatures and unnatural weather, there seemed to be no danger in this path at all. She expected at least something.

But the letter’s destination soon came into view, or at least it seemed to come. There was a small clearing within the forest where the sun shined a little brighter. There were quite a few flowers surrounding the area, all purple with a light yellow floral disc. At the center of the clearing was a mailbox.

Rainbow Dash was puzzled, wondering why this was here. Upon reaching the mailbox, she looked around. “Hello? Anypony?” she called out. But the only response was the wind suddenly blowing stronger. She looked around more, any signs of anypony, or at least something that resembled a shelter or home. 

There was nothing, not even a cloud above. Something in her gut told her not to stay here too long. “Okay, keep it cool. Nopony else would deliver this, so I have to.” Swallowing her nerves, she put the letter in her mouth and moved her hoof to the mailbox.

As soon it opened, green smoke blew out of the mailbox, causing Rainbow to stumble back. She closed her eyes and coughed, causing her to drop the letter as the smoke surrounded her body.

“Hey! *cough, cough.* What... gives…” As she started blowing away the smoke using her wings, her mind and body got weary. There was suddenly humming coming from somewhere. She turned her head towards the direction of the hum. Despite her wings blowing against the smoke, it still surrounded her.

Through the smoke, she saw the shadow of something in front of her. “W-Who’s… there…” She heard the humming coming from it, a soothing and gentle hum. It felt like magic was surrounding her. Despite the circumstances, her mind and body felt at peace. The shadow that she saw seemed to be a unicorn levitating a flower in front of them. But she could barely focus on it as her vision started faltering.

“Embrace the lives of the lost,” the shadow started speaking. It sounded like a female voice, but she couldn't recognize whose it was. “Today is forgotten. But tomorrow will discover.” The shadow came close to her. She wearily stood as she listened, trying to maintain conscious. "A new hope for them now blossoms." The shadow’s horn glowed brighter and pointed towards the flower, then to her. “You will be its messenger. And you will be their new beginning.”

The last thing Rainbow saw before losing conscious, was a bright flash of light.


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A wonderful melody could be heard throughout the whole garden. The melody came from many birds, chirping along the conductions from Fluttershy. Many animals gathered to listen to the wonderful melody. It warmed Fluttershy’s heart to see them all rocking their heads to this tune.

Nothing special was going on today. It was just a little activity Fluttershy decided to do for them today after having them fed.

But this enjoyment was cut short when one of the bunny’s ears raised. The chirping stopped and soon all their ears were raised. Fluttershy grew concerned.

“What’s wrong little critters?” she asked. They turned their heads to the entrance of the Everfree Forest. Almost immediately after, fear grew on their faces. They all started scurrying to their homes, including the birds chirping the melody.

Fluttershy grew more concerned as they all scattered, later knowing why they left. She heard rustling coming from the forest. A creature must’ve left its home and was about to come out.

Looking to the forest, Fluttershy gulped and flew near the entrance. “H-Hello?” she called after landing, treading with caution. The creature lurking about could’ve been anything from a hungry cragadile to a lost jackalope, looking for shelter. Despite being a dangerous place, the creatures that emerged from this were usually quite harmless. It was why she kept her cottage at such a close distance to it. She wanted to help all those poor animals looking for a home.

“Hello? Come on out.” Fluttershy crouched her body down to meet eye level with whatever creature may appear. “I won’t harm you little one.”

The rustling stopped. Whatever creature was in there must’ve heard her voice. Fluttershy waited patiently, expecting any scenario. What she didn’t expect though, was for the creature to show its signs, without revealing itself. She saw the shadow of the creature placing what looked like a large green berry in her point of view.

It was a very odd behavior. Fluttershy had to see what it was. She slowly walked inside the forest where the berry was. When she reached it, another short rustle came. She looked to its direction, and saw a shadow again. Taking a glance at the berry, she moved behind it, lowered her head, and nudged it in its direction.

“Come on out. I won’t bite.” She laid her body next to the berry, waiting again with a smile. This time the creature came out. What she saw made her release a small gasp as she raised her head.

The creature she saw looked much like a pony who was crouched in a begging position much like a lost dog. She thought it was a pony, but it looked off. There was a strange slithering pattern marked next to its eyes. And the tail wasn’t a long collection of hairs. It was a much longer lizard-like limb with hair standing around its end side, finishing with a fish-like tail with a pointed end. This tail slithered around.

But what caught Fluttershy by most surprise was the appearance of this creature. The coat was cyan. It had strong-looking wings. The eyes were magenta. And the hair... there was no mistaking the hair. Red, yellow, blue, green, orange, purple… all of the colors of the rainbow adorned that hair along with the ending of its tail in a scale-like manner. 

And if that didn't give it away, the rainbow lightning bolt Cutie Mark did. Although the Cutie Mark was slightly different than she remembered. The red slithering pattern on its eyes, which looked like lightning bolts, now decorated the cloud part of her Cutie Mark, making it look like it was sparking lightning on all sides.

The creature kept its lying position and looked up at Fluttershy with concerning eyes, much like her animals would. It looked like a lost creature. But it couldn’t have been lost, could it? She didn’t know what this creature was, but she knew who she was. At least, she thought she knew. To test this, she called out its name.

“R-Rainbow… Dash?” Fluttershy’s mention of the name caused the creature to blink. Slowly, it raised its body. “Is… that you?” Fluttershy walked slowly towards the creature. It’s eyes… they started pulsating, like it had found something in Fluttershy.

Fluttershy stopped to slowly extend a hoof out. She wondered what this creature was, and more importantly, what happened to her.

Suddenly the creature opened its mouth, quickly lashing three long, black, tentacle-like tongues out. Fluttershy yelped as the tongues wrapped around her hoof and body.

“Ah!” Fluttershy screamed as she tried to fly away. The tongues had wrapped around her hooves and her wings, preventing them from flapping. She tried to hold her ground, but the tongues were too strong, lifting her body and pulling her in. "Help!" she cried. Her eyes shrank and her mind filled with fear as her body was being pulled towards the creature’s mouth.

“No! No! Nooo!” The tongues wrapped around her neck, pulling her head in first. She saw nothing but the inside of the creature’s mouth before she squeezed her eyes shut.


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Fluttershy awoke to the screaming banshee of her own yelling playing in her mind. It echoed as her eyes slowly opened. She found herself lying at her garden, with the back of her head against a tree. The sun was setting, and her mind was fuzzy.

“Oh… what a nightmare…” Fluttershy placed a hoof to her head as she got up from the tree. Checking the garden, she saw that none of her animals were in sight. But she heard the snoring of some of them. They must’ve all fallen asleep. It seemed a bit early for them all to be sleeping, but she herself felt oddly tired as well. It was even more odd with her considering she just woke up from what she believed was a nap.

Nevertheless, Fluttershy spread her wings and flew to her cottage. She wondered why she had such a dream, and why the dream was about Rainbow Dash. Rainbow wasn’t a pony she feared. Sure, Rainbow may have those moments of scaring her tail extensions off. But the protective nature she felt around Rainbow outweighed that.

And then, Fluttershy saw her answer as she landed in front of her cottage door. Her eyes shrunk in total shock and fear. Waiting there, lying on top of her mat, she saw it. It was the large green berry she saw earlier.

“It wasn’t a dream…”