//------------------------------//
// A Promise 
// Story: Cherry Blossoms 
// by ElementOfFaith 
//------------------------------//

Giggles emitted from her throat as she admired the butterflies that took her from flower to flower. One of them landed on her flowing pink mane that partially covered her face. 
"Ooh, hello there," she said in a tiny, gentle voice. "How are you today?"
Of course, the butterfly didn't actually speak. But little Fluttershy could tell from its subtle body language that she had been learning that it was doing just fine.
"Oh, I'm so glad,"  she said.  "And you just hatched from your cocoon? That's wonderful!"
From a picnic blanket, Fluttershy's parents admired from not too far off. It hadn't been long since their baby filly discovered her talent in connecting with animals. And both of them couldn't be prouder.
Their young son Zephyr Breeze sat with them, holding a big ball in his hooves.
"Let's play, dad!" he said, nosing the ball over to his father. 
When father and son rose to play ball, Fluttershy, for her part, started to admire the flowering trees around them. It was springtime, meaning that everything was lush and green. It was a welcome contrast to her home in Cloudsdale where flowers could only be seen in cloud top gardens. Other little pegasi preferred racing in the clouds, practicing to be the best of the best flyers. Fluttershy found contentment on the ground, and she wasn't ashamed of it. 
She approached the edge of the meadow where could see birds singing on several branches of trees that surrounded it. She smiled widely at the sweet notes and she couldn't help but hum along herself.
Soon enough, the birds stopped their song to look at their new self-appointed chorus member. 
"Hello, birdies. I really like your song," she said. "I hope I didn't interrupt."
The birds twittered in approval and couple began to flitter down to her level. Fluttershy held out little hoof when hoping one would land on it. One did; an elegant robin.
It tweeted a greeting at her. 
"Hello to you too, pretty robin," the little filly replied. "How are you today?" 
After discovering her talent of connecting with animals, she held the desire to learn what she could about them, language and all. But the conversation was cut short by the sound of rapidly beating wings and frantic twittering.
"Huh?"  
She turned to see a little pink jay flying toward her, seemingly in a panic. As it stopped to hover, it twittered something rapidly.
"Slow down,"  Fluttershy said. "What's wrong?"
The bird took a breath before continuing at a slower pace.
"Trouble? Where?" Fluttershy asked.
The bird twittered and motioned for her to follow. Saying nothing, Fluttershy flittered off after the bird, her other new avian friends following her. They soon came to a secluded part of the woods, not far from the meadow. The bird motioned to a bush and landed on an overhanging tree branch.
"In there?" she asked.
Fluttershy crept over, pushed the some of the brush aside, and gasped at the sight before her.
"And that's when she found him."
There on the ground lay another pink jay. But this one looked badly hurt or even sick. The poor thing didn't even flinch at the sight of his potential rescuer. It almost looked like he couldn't if he wanted to. 
"Oh my goodness.." she said softly, crouching down to it. "What happened to you?"
The fallen bird just weakly looked up at her, saying nothing. The bird who brought her there twittered something at her.
"Oh no,"  she replied.  "No wonder he's hurt so bad."
"I forgot what Fluttershy said happened to the bird," said Rainbow Dash. "He could've crashed into a tree, or a predator nearly got him, or something. Point is, he didn't look good."
A nearby blue jay squawked a question. 
"Oh, I don't know what I can do to help him," Fluttershy said. 
But looking at that injured bird, she felt her heart break into a million pieces. How could she not help? She still wasn't sure how, but she knew that leaving him there certainly wouldn't do any good. 
"Maybe mom and dad can help."
Without a second thought, she knelt down and gingerly took the bird into her hooves. He was so limp. And one of his wings, his neck, they didn't look right.
"It's ok. I've got you," she cooed
Flapping her wings to a gentle hover, she took the bird back to the meadow as quickly and carefully as she could.  
"You're going to be okay. I promise to take good care of you 'till you're better."



"She brought the bird to her parents, and my guess is that they didn't want to keep her from helping him," said Rainbow Dash. "That's why they let her take him home with her." 
"Well, I wouldn't expect anything less from Fluttershy," said Applejack. "It's mighty swell that her folks had such confidence in her."
"Actually, I'm not 100% sure that they did," said Rainbow. "I never actually saw the bird, but from what Fluttershy told me he was in pretty bad shape. But they wanted to let her try anyway." 
"What happened next?" Spike asked after swallowing a bite of cookie.



A short while later the family and little bird found themselves in a nice cozy house in Cloudsdale. Fluttershy had constructed a cozy little cardboard nest box for him, complete with what she had hoped would be comfortable towel bedding.
"There you go, little one," she said. "All snug."
The little bird looked up at her and she could swear she saw a small smile on his beak. She smiled back.
"I'll be right back," she said before going downstairs, where her mother was getting ready to prepare the family dinner. 
"How's your little friend?" she asked as her daughter walked in the kitchen.
"He's resting, now," said Fluttershy.
Fluttershy's mother didn't know what to think. Out of the blue, her young daughter who had only recently gotten her cutie mark had taken on a great responsibility. She knew that Fluttershy's heart was up to the task, but her actual ability to perform it well was up for debate. Even so, she and her husband didn't have the heart to deny their daughter the chance to help in some shape or form. Not with the pleading look she had given them.   
"You know, honey, we're glad that you want to help him but are you sure you think you can?" Mother asked.
"I made a promise that I would," said Fluttershy. "And I'm going to."
Fluttershy's mother didn't know how to respond to that. Her daughter had spoken with an admirable determination she didn't often hear from her. But at the same time, she could just be getting her hopes up. Still, it only seemed fair to let her try. 
"Do you have any ideas?" she asked.
Fluttershy thought for a moment and grinned when an idea chimed in her.
"I know! When I go to school tomorrow, I'll find some books about birds and how to take care of them."
"Are you sure they'll help?"  her mother asked.
"It's the best chance I have,"  Fluttershy replied. "I made a promise. And I intend to keep it."
Her mother smiled back, trying to hide her worry. 
"All right. Do you need anything for him?" she asked.
"Hmm," said Fluttershy. "He needs some food and water. But I don't know if he can drink from a bowl..." She paused for a moment before another idea arose. "Do you still have that thing you used to use to give Zephyr medicine in? The one that looks like a... shot?"
Her mother nodded.
"I'll get it for you,"  she said. "And you know where the birdseed is."
"Ok," said Fluttershy. "Hmm, maybe I should check on him again." 
She trotted upstairs to her room. But when she reached her bedroom door, she noticed that it was slightly ajar. But didn't she close it when she came downstairs? Peeking inside, she saw none other than her little brother poking his muzzle inside the bird's box.  Fluttershy gasped
"Zephyr!" she exclaimed barely above a whisper.
The young colt looked at her, unphased.
"Hi, Sis,"  he simply said.
"What are you doing?!" the elder sibling asked. She speed-trotted over to the two and inspected the box. It didn't look like the bird had been moved. Sound asleep, his breathing was very shallow, but otherwise, he looked fine. Fluttershy sighed with relief before casting a disapproving glance at her younger sibling.
"I was just looking,"  he said.
Fluttershy sighed. 
"You really shouldn't bother him while he's resting," she said. 
"I just wanted a peek," Zephyr defended. 
"Then you should have asked me first," said Fluttershy. "I'm the one taking care of him."
"Oh," Zephyr said, disheartened a bit. "Can I see him now?"
They were there now, so she may as well let him, Fluttershy thought.
"Ok."
Zephyr grinned and peeked into the box again, seeing the bird sleeping soundly.
"Can I hold him?" he asked.
"Uh-uh,"  Fluttershy said, shaking her head.  "He's hurt very bad.  If you move him too much it could hurt him more."
"Aww," Zephyr said.
Fluttershy rubbed her head. Maybe he could be careful, she thought. 
"Well, If you promise to be really gentle, you can pet him. But remember, gentle."
Zephyr smiled and nodded.
"I promise."
She smiled and gently brought the box over closer to him.  Zephyr carefully reached his hoof into the box. The young colt's hoof gently met the soft pink feathers of his crest. He smiled widely and Fluttershy couldn't help but smile too. Suddenly the bird stirred a little. Zephyr gasped and withdrew his hoof, fearing he did something wrong. But the bird just looked up at him, and he could swear it gave a smile at him. Fluttershy also smiled.
"He likes you," she simply said. 
Zephyr grinned.
"Awesome. "
	"Fluttershy told me that while they were having dinner, her parents had decided something." 
That evening the family sat and ate together. A hearty plate of spaghetti was on the menu that night. Zephyr, for his part, was seemingly being as messy as possible.
"Mmm! Spaghetti!" he yipped.
Fluttershy couldn't help but giggle at how her little brother looked; sauce on his face, pasta in his mane. 
"Oh dear, Zephyr,"  his mother said. She held a hoof over her mouth to suppress a giggle. "It looks like somepony needs a bath after supper."
Fluttershy giggled and continued to calmly eat.
"Fluttershy, your mother and I were talking about your little bird friend," said her father. "And we had an idea on how to get him some help."
Fluttershy's ears perked in interest.
"Yes?"  she asked after swallowing a bite.
"We've decided that the best thing to do for him is to take him to a veterinarian," said Mother. "They'll know just what to do to try to help him."
"Really?" Fluttershy asked. "They'll help him?"
"Of course." said father with a smile. "That's what their job is. We can take him there tomorrow while you're at school."
Fluttershy smiled. Truth be told, there was a tiny part of her that wanted to be the one to help the bird out. But deep inside, all she really cared about was that her friend gets better and soon.
"Can't I come?"
"Sorry honey, but you really shouldn't miss school." said her dad. "But we'll take you to see him when you get home."  
Understanding, and only slightly disappointed, Fluttershy nodded.
"Ok." she smiled. "I just want him to be okay."
"We know, sweetie,"  said Mother.
Later, before bedtime, Fluttershy finished giving the bird some more water with the help of a plastic medicine syringe. The bird was thankful.
"There you go,"  she said.
The bird chirped out a little something.
"You're welcome," she said. "Guess what? Mom and Dad told me they're gonna take you to a doctor to help fix you up. Soon you'll be back in the skies and singing before you know it."
The bird weakly chirped something at her. Fluttershy reached in and gently and lovingly stroked her friend's head.
"I promise."



There was a pause in the story. Rainbow Dash's friend looked at her and at each other, wondering why she wasn't saying anything. Her expression seemed slightly pained.
"Why do I suddenly have a feeling that something bad is about to happen?"  Starlight said.
"Oh please, Starlight," said Pinkie. "Fluttershy promised that the birdie was gonna be okay. What could go wrong?"
Rainbow Dash just gave them a somewhat somber look.
"Right?"  Pinkie asked.
Rarity gasped. 
"You don't mean..."
"He didn't..." Applejack said in disbelief. 
"The next day she was in a hurry to get to school, and when we saw each other there, she told me about the bird," Rainbow continued. "I don't think she saw what had happened until after she got home..."



After a what seemed like an eternally long day at school, Fluttershy, at last, found herself flying home, eager for her parents to take her to her little friend who was certainly in the best care as of now. Maybe she should bring him a treat to lift his spirits. Sunflower seeds, maybe? She happily hummed a tune while she landed on her cloud top lawn and walked to the porch. 
"Mommy!  Daddy!  I'm home!"  she happily called out when she entered the house.
Fluttershy's mother peeked her head around the corner of the kitchen.
"Oh, dear, you're home already?"  her mother asked. Her tone, it sounded strange to her.
"Um, I come home every day at this time,"  Fluttershy said. 
Looking at her mother, there was something about her face that didn't look right. It was sad and scared and a little confused.
"Is everything alright, Mommy?"  the filly asked. "You don't look happy."
"Um..." Her mother tried searching for the right words. "It's about... oh, how do I put this... It's about your little friend."
Her father then came into the room. He gasped slightly at the sight of his daughter. Now Fluttershy saw that his face looked like her mother's. 
"Oh, Fluttershy. Sweetie. You're back," he said
"Daddy, what's wrong?"  Fluttershy asked.
She looked at her parents, a worried expression painted on her own face. A thought whispered something inside her. Something bad. 
"Is something wrong with the bird?"  
Both of her parents looked at each other with pained expressions. Fluttershy started to see read between the lines of those faces. No... they couldn't have meant it. She started shaking her head in disbelief at the thoughts that swam in her head. "No... no..." she said.
Fluttershy's mother spoke. 
"Sweetie, after you left for school, we went to check on the bird before we could take him to the vet," she said. "He... wasn't moving when we came in."
Fluttershy backed away, still shaking her head.
"No.  It's not true..."
Her eyes began to sting as tears flooded them. The thoughts grew louder as she tried to push them away. They had to be wrong!
"It's not true!"  she cried. "He's.. he's probably asleep! Where is he?"
Not waiting for an answer, she raced upstairs to her room. But the box wasn't there to be seen. She searched all four corners of her room for it and then some, calling for her bird. But to no avail. Her parents trotted up behind her and stopped in her doorway.
Fluttershy turned to face them. 
"Where's the birdie? I wanna see him," she pleaded.
"He's in the back house, but I don't know if you should..." her father said, but Fluttershy didn't listen, and instead raced outside.
"Fluttershy, wait!" said her mother. But she quickly made it to the back house and ran inside. Her eyes darted back and forth for the box and soon enough, she found it against the wall with her friend still inside.
"Birdie?" she called but received no reply.
She gulped and slowly approached the box. It wasn't true. He couldn't have... he's still in there, fast asleep. He had to have been. She carefully uncovered the lid, peeked inside, and inhaled a shallow, shuddering gasp.
Before her eyes was a stone-still bird. Dead. 
She slowly backed away, feeling more hot tears threatening to stream down her face. In a glance, the back house had instantly turned into a tomb and the hope of seeing her bird fly off, singing happily had crumbled. 
"No..."  she whimpered, shaking her head. "No..." 
She paused when she felt herself bump into the forelegs of her parents.
"Fluttershy?"  her mother asked, reaching to stroke her mane.
Looking at them, Fluttershy didn't say anything. She couldn't even if she wanted to. All she could do was run away back to the house, up into her bedroom, and bury her face in her pillow as she sobbed.