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// Chapter 1 
// Story: The Princess Fair of Everfree 
// by Briarpelt 
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	She had fallen to Earth right near Ponyville. When Rainbow Dash raced to defend her honor, Fluttershy had fallen, and landed in a grassy meadow surrounded by furry animals. The ground, the land, the trees had so entranced her that she’d spent the rest of the day there, just exploring, while critters raced to and fro about her, always keeping their distance but watching with nearly equal curiosity. Her world had been filled with wonder and sunlight, and she’d completely lost track of time—and then the sun set.
In Celestia’s grasp, the bright sun slid quickly beneath the horizon, and its light faded before Fluttershy could gather her thoughts. She stood, shaking, in that clearing, watching the last of the yellow glow slip from the horizon, and slowly collapsing into panic. Oh no, what do I do, what do I do whatdoIdo—she sank to her knees, eyes wide, shivering violently. And she might have stayed there until sunup, but suddenly—
“Reeee!” Fluttershy screamed almost as loud as the startling sound, jumping several feet into the air. Her head swivelled to find the source of the sound.
“Wh-wh-what are you?” She stared at the strange feathered creature with big black eyes set in its heart-shaped, white face, taking note of its long, sharp-looking talons. Still, she met its gaze and stood her ground, either from courage or a petrifying terror. The creature stared back at her, just watching from its perch on a low branch. Then, without a word, it lifted into the night on remarkably silent wings. It flew a bit, then turned its head around to look back at Fluttershy, who still watched it.
“Do… do you want me to follow you?” She asked meekly, uncertain of the bird’s intention. As it continued to stare, she stepped forward, deciding to test its reaction to her approach. It turned its head back forward and flew a little further, then stopped and looked at her again.
Hoping that she had understood it, Fluttershy began walking after the bird. Once outside of the little circle of trees she had fallen in, she followed it across a wide meadow, breathing a sigh of relief when she saw the glowing lights of a town ahead.
“Oh, thank you! Thank you so much, umm… friend, for leading me to a safe place!” She started running towards the village, but the bird swooped in front of her and turned its head to the left. Then it flapped a couple feet in that direction, and looked back at her again. Fluttershy cocked her own head, confused. “You weren’t leading me to the village?” The bird continued to stare.
Fluttershy looked between the warm lights of the town and the expectant eyes of the bird. On the one wing, she was tired and scared, and a bright, warm place to sleep sounded really nice… but on the other wing, she’d never have the courage to approach a random pony and ask for shelter. And something in the bird’s eyes, however strange they were, was calling… calling…
Reluctantly, Fluttershy turned to follow the bird once more. It led her east-southeast, towards a dark and ancient-looking forest. When she reached the trees, she hesitated, then plunged into the shadows.
It was almost pitch-black under the shade of those thick- leafy boughs. Immediately, Fluttershy started to shake again, but this time, she did not become petrified. She followed her white-faced guide, and slowly, her eyes began to adjust. And everything she saw was beautiful.
The old, old trees varied from stout and twisted to tall and straight, and they were an even mix of conifer and deciduous. Many of the branches drooped in graceful arcs, and were hung with mosses, or ivy. The ground was thickly covered in all sorts of ferns, bushes, and brambles, and large stones poked out of the foliage here and there. Strange noises echoed through the forest, and she could imagine it might be birdsong. There was a strong smell of green, living things that permeated the air. And all of this was amazing to Fluttershy, reaching out to each of her senses. She was filled by the forest, and she felt her fear fade away. Then she came into a clearing, and stopped.
Her guide, the white-faced, silent bird, settled on a branch across from her. The half moon shone down on the grass, illuminating the silvery bark of the trees and making their deep green needles and leaves gleam. And Fluttershy stood staring, wide-eyed, as something deep inside her clicked into place. “I’m home,” she whispered.
The bird screeched again, but this time, there were words in the cry. “Indeed you are, child. Do you see now why I brought you here?”
“Yes,” Fluttershy said, her voice gaining strength. “Thank you. I… I hear you. I can understand what you’re saying! Oh my goodness! What are you? Who are you? Where is this place?” She leapt into the air, hovering with excitement and babbling questions and awed remarks on the wonderous forest. This place, the bird, and all of the amazing life around her had made her more whole than she had ever felt before. The bird, looking somewhat amused, waited for her to quiet down before answering her questions.
“I am an owl, a Barn Owl. We are a nocturnal species of bird known for our white faces and hearing skills. My name is Athena, after the Great Mother of all owls. You are in the forest called Everfree, the only place in this kingdom of Equestria that sustains itself. To many ponies, it is a dangerous and feared place, but you—you see things, hear our voices. That is why I brought you here.”
“But how could you tell? I wasn’t talking to any animals before now.” Athena hesitated, studying Fluttershy’s face carefully with her dark eyes.
“That, I think, is a question that will have to wait to be answered. What matters now is that you are here. Now,” she said, her tone becoming brisker, “there is a hollow under the roots of this tree that’s just big enough for a pony your size. If you wish to sleep here tonight, that would be a good place.” Fluttershy nodded, once more becoming aware of her exhaustion, and climbed into the hollow without another word but a muttered “thank you”. 
She woke the next morning with a beam of sunlight shining straight into her eyes. Yawning and blinking, she crept out of the hollow and shook herself off. Giving herself a quick inspection, she noticed something that made her spring into the air with excitement once more. “I got my cutie mark!”
Upon her flank was the image of a pine tree, with the silhouette of an owl in flight just above it and towards her tail.

The next days passed in a blur of happiness. Fluttershy spent most of her time talking to new animals, and learning more about them and the forest around her. She learned what plants to avoid, where the dangerous ravines lay, what squirrels ate, and how to heal the sprained paw of a fox. She found food and safe water, and even fended off an attacking bear. But soon, she realized that she missed having a warm house, and longed for the company of ponies. So one day, she steeled herself to go into the nearby town and introduce herself.
The encounter wasn’t nearly as bad as she’d imagined it would be. Most of the town’s residents were kind and friendly, but not overbearing. There was a white unicorn about her age who’d just earned her cutie mark by decorating some outfits with rhinestones, “an idea that came to me as I was trekking back home from a desolate rocky outcrop.” They both discovered a shared delicacy and elegance, and soon became fast friends. The filly, whose name was Rarity, insisted that Fluttershy stay with her for at least a few nights, and she had practically moved in when Rarity’s parents discovered that Fluttershy was essentially homeless.
Still, she felt bad about imposing on other ponies’ hospitality, and immediately started doing odd jobs around the town to earn a few bits. Remembering what Athena had said about ponies fearing the Everfree, though, she kept her journey into the woods secret from the ponies of Ponyville—the name of the town, she soon discovered—and only told them about her fall from Cloudsdale. As soon as she could, she walked around the edge of town, looking for a nice piece of land to build a house on.
Once she had picked out the spot, a grassy clearing just outside of town and across a small creek, she enlisted the help of her animal friends to build the house. Of course, she had help from ponies as well; she had no idea how to frame a house, so she consulted with a filly named Applejack (who had returned from Manehattan only a few days after Fluttershy arrived), asking for construction advice. Applejack’s family knew a fair bit about the subject, having built all of the buildings on their apple farm by hoof, and they were more than happy to aid Fluttershy in her endeavor. The Apples had a legendary sense of hospitality, and since Fluttershy had arrived homeless in the town they had founded, they quickly took it upon themselves to ensure that she was settled.
Within a day, the framework for the house was complete; such was the skill of the Apple family. Within a week after that, the rest of the cottage was finished, and Fluttershy had settled in. She absolutely refused to let them buy her furniture, insisting that she would save up bits to purchase her own. Then, she retreated into her cottage, and was rarely heard from again, except for her weekly tea parties with Rarity and to care for sick and injured pets around town. Though she was glad to now be near her own kind, the truth was, she had been exhausted by trying to interact with so many ponies in such a short time, and keeping a brave face through it all. She had shivered inside at the thought of each new pony she was supposed to meet, and by the time her cottage was finished, she’d been longing for a little solitude.