//------------------------------//
// Flitter Flutter Pitter Patter 
// Story: Sleepless Nights And Speechless Angels 
// by thelegendarytoothpaste 
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Twilight loved her friends. To her, they were family. They were all a bit different but were bonded and inseparable. It was a happiness that she wished to share with all, and so she accepted the crown as the Princess of Friendship.

Her title also included a lesser known bit. In addition to being a Princess of Friendship, she was also a 'Princess of Fire-Because-My-Records-Are-Lit', because Rainbow Dash got to her paperwork and takes nothing seriously.

Even though they got into arguments from time to time and otherwise fought, their friendship was unbreakable. Not even Discord was able to keep them separated, after all. Her fear never was her friends dropping their ties to her. Rather, it was how well those who stayed with her got along with her friends.

Spike, fortunately, got on great with the girls. They were very good watching him when she was busy. Especially Rarity, because her mere presence was enough to devolve Spike into a mass of barely held together goo.

Hinka was a bit more of an enigma. He got on just fine with Fluttershy, though that in and of itself was not much of an accomplishment. Twilight wasn't aware of a pony that disliked Fluttershy. Everypony would joke that even Tirek liked Fluttershy.

Pinkie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack, and herself, however? They were all still more or less strangers to him. It didn't help that he barely uttered two words in most instances either.

As far as she was concerned, Hinka was an extremely shy child. She believed he would open up once he got to know everypony better.

Whatever negativity was eating away at him lately, however, did not let up. When the others came by to check on him after his first night with her, they each left without any response from him. Even Fluttershy. They decided to give him one more day, and if he did not improve, they would each work with him a bit to get him to open up.

So, that's exactly what Twilight did after Hinka failed to show any signs of life.

"...Daring paused with a hoof in midair. Years of exploring caves and tombs like this one had engrained a very important sense within her. She possessed the ability to just know when something was wrong, or a trap was just ahead. She called it her 'Daring Sense'."

Twilight smiled. Yearling got that idea off Pinkie Pie.

The smile ran away from her face quickly, however. Hinka was paying no attention and still seemed very much in a state of perpetual shock. She knew he would not understand her reading so well, but he could admire the pictures while listening to the language, and listening was the first step in remembering.

She put a hoof on his shoulder. "Hinka?" 
His only response was a slight tensing of his arm.

"Talk?" she asked. It was a word he learned from Fluttershy, of all ponies when he was staying with her. He gave the shake of his head. Twilight's ears drooped, but she relented to his wishes. She shut the book, but remained with him for a while longer.

"I know you can't understand me, but it's going to be okay Hinka. You're safe, and we're all available for you when you need us."

He did something then. He reached a hand up and put it on Twilight's hoof, which was still on his shoulder. She smiled at him gently, and, without looking at her, he squeezed. It was as if he were saying thank you without words.

Twilight made the crack. It was up to the others to get him out of his shell now.



Link was never particularly interested in sports when he was little. Well, littler.

Most of them just bored him. He had his fun by playing instruments, reading with Saria, and playing in the woods. The sports his fellow Kokiri enjoyed were always played without him. He was never invited, and it suited him just fine. On those few days when he decided he did want to give them a try, he would step outside. Within two minutes the Kokiri that were at play would go back into their homes. It happened every time he went out. When he went back inside, though? They would come right back out again. Like cockroaches. He decided that whatever they were doing couldn't be much fun anyway and that they could all take their games and he'd show them where to shove them.

Now the rainbow mane was trying to make him play a weird horse sport of some kind. She kept babbling in her language and gesturing to a ball, four cones, and a board with what must have been two words on it with tally marks underneath. He couldn't read the language of course, but given the tally marks under one side and none under the other, he figured it was a score board. He wasn't very good at this game.

Then again, he wasn't exactly bothering, now was he?

Rainbow frowned. "C'mon kid, just kick the ball. You might have some fun!"
She kicked the ball towards him again, only for it to roll past. She had scored another point, but sighed.
"It's no fun when you don't try," she said to herself. She approached the alien, whose eyes were all but glued to the trees in the distance.

Feeling uneasy, Rainbow patted his shoulder gently, flinching somewhat when she felt him tense up.
"Maybe we can do this again another time when you're feeling better. In the meantime, how about you and I go get something to eat?"

Link responded with a well thought out silent stare. His stomach decided to add to his point by growling lowly.

She chuckled. "Come on, I know just the place."



Pinkie was doing her best impression of a tornado.

The alien! Rainbow brought him to Sugarcube Corner, and she didn't even have any treats ready for him! Curse her hunger. They just looked so good and she had to make sure they were tasty, so she ate them.

For the record, they were in fact tasty. She was pretty sure her baking would make Gordon Ramsay blush. Whoever that was. 

But now she had nothing to feed Hinka! Unless he liked raw eggs, flour, milk, strawberries, blueberries, yeast, whipped cream, icing, cherries, chocolate, and brocolli.

Rainbow Dash might not have an issue eating raw eggs, flour, milk, strawberries, blueberries, yeast, whipped cream, icing, cherries, chocolate, and brocolli, but what about the alien?

The Cakes, meanwhile, were doing their best to get to know him more, but he seemed to be extra mute today. It disappointed them, because they had tried to speak to him at his welcome party but that just wasn't happening.

"Are you sure we can't get you anything to drink for now, dearie?"

"Uhh, Mrs. Cake? He doesn't speak Equish," replied Rainbow. "Or much at all for that matter," she muttered. 

Mrs. Cake frowned. "Still, playing outside works up some thirst, especially in this weather. Water? Milk? Orange juice? What does he like, Rainbow Dash?"

She appeared deep in thought for a moment. "Pretty sure Fluttershy said he likes orange juice."

Link hated orange juice.



Applejack was the next one he would spend some time with. Pinkie decided to walk him there as Rainbow had work to catch up on.

She didn't let his sad frownies get to her and she kept the spring in her step. He may not have eaten much, broken a smile, or even said anything at Sugarcube Corner, but Pinkie knew that they were having some type of effect on him. She just knew.

The key word was much. He did not eat much. He did not smile, but there was something in his eyes now. When he was brought to Sugarcube Corner, he appeared dead inside, which prompted Pinkie to secure some holy water just in case. After he took a bite of one of her freshly baked red velvet muffins (all of her baked goods were amazing, but her red velvets were legendary), his eyebrows rose in admiration. He may not have finished it, but she had a feeling he would request another in the future.

Spoiler alert: She was correct.

When it was time to leave, she noticed a faint glimmer in his eyes; perhaps there was life yet in him after all. She debated putting him on her back and achieving maximum pinkness, but decided not to. He was not ready for that kind of power just yet.

"Hiya, Applejack!" she called out. The walk to the farm did not normally take long, but Hinka's limp slowed them down. She did not mind. She always enjoyed walking around Ponyville. On some days off, she would go all over town finding ponies who were having a bad day, and give them some sort of baked good in a bid to cheer them up. 60 percent of the time, it worked all the time.

Applejack smiled at her, sweat glistening on her face. It must have been break time for her. If only Pinkie had brought an emergency break time cupcake.

The farm mare's smile thinned a bit when she saw Hinka. He plain didn't look too good. Had Pinkie force fed him one too many pastries?

She squinted her eyes a bit. No, he didn't look pudgy or bloated. If she did force feed him, she did so like a ninja.

"Well, he's still in one piece. But why's he got that thousand yard stare on him? Did you try explaining pinklosophy to him? Quantum mechanics?"

Pinkie stared, wide eyed. "What are you, nuts? Pinklosophy is way too much for a colt to handle!"

Applejack gave her a deadpan stare. "It's way too much for anypony to handle, Pinkie."

Pinkie appeared deep in thought for a moment. "Maybe he's really just a cleverly disguised statue? Or- or maybe he's trying to wrap his mind around something really important, like whether it's possible to have your cake and eat it too. Or maybe he's a child soldier and he keeps reliving his war stories! We have to help him, Applejack!"

Applejack blinked. "I didn't catch a word you just said, Pinkie. You need to slow it down some."

Pinkie sighed. "I would love to debate politics with you, but I need to get back to the bakery. Could you maybe try to turn his frownies upside downie now? I didn't have much luck."

Applejack's eyes widened. "You didn't have much luck cheering somepony up? That's got to be a first."

Pinkie tapped her chin. "No, there was also that one time with the tragic clown."
She wiped an eye. "He's just so sad. Anyhoo, good luck silly filly!"

"Wait! I don't-"

With that, she all but vanished, leaving behind a still very emotionally distant alien child and a confused farm pony.
"...know how to entertain aliens."

Applejack stared at his eyes, to which his response was very limited. All he seemed to do was scowl when he took note and he held up the finger on one end of his hand. She rubbed her chin thoughtfully. Applebloom had shown her a few pictures on the family computer with text overlayed describing such scenarios, often in humor. She called them memes. It must have been what the kids these days were into. Why, when she was Applebloom's age-

You know what? There was time for that later. Right now an alien was staring at her and she had to think of something to do! On her farm. Where lots to do was.

Applejack eyed Hinka quietly, though her mind was aglow with whirling transient nodes of thought careening through a cosmic vapor of invention. 

So, she decided to show him the farm. It should be easy. Kids love farms and are awed by them, after all. 

Except for Scootaloo.



It wasn't going well.

After she bucked a tree as an example to him (which did manage to impress him somewhat), she showed him the barn, a corral for any cattle, and a cactus that had been growing in a random apple orchard for generations and nopony could figure out why.

He wasn't contributing much either, and there was no one there to take the attention away from her for a while. Granny Smith was out with some old friends playing Pay Me, Big Mac was in Manehattan for a vacation, and Applebloom was out with her friends crusading, or otherwise attempting to sow chaos and discontent among the populace.

Discord had once told Applejack that he was "so very very proud" of the CMC. It was then that she realized why Ponyville was so tolerant of Discord's antics. They'd been dealing with chaos gods since long before Discord had been unpetrified.

Applejack looked to a thoroughly disinterested looking Hinka. They had been walking in the heat for around 30 minutes. Last Applejack had checked, the day was supposed to peak at around 103 degrees. She frowned down at Hinka. His hat was not providing any shade from the sun. She didn't want him getting sunburned. She took her hat off and sighed. She'd been sweating bullets too, or else she would have given it to him to provide him some shade, at least.

"Hey, how about some apple juice? Freshly made, sugarcube." She gave him a pat on the shoulder, and walked him to the house.



Link was very impressed.

Rarity's shop was very very cool and refreshing. She had some kind of noisy machine in the window, which at first confused him. What was the point to putting a big box in the window?

He got his answer when he got blasted by a cool breeze. He gasped in surprise.

After they stopped for some cool drinks (Link loved apple juice), Applejack walked him to Rarity's shop. The fashionista had just finished a particularly large order and was about to take a break when company walked in.

Applejack chuckled at Link and Rarity, her horn glowing, turned her air conditioner up a bit more with a smile, earning a gasp from him as he stood right in front of it.
"I think he likes your AC," said Applejack.

Rarity giggled. "He and I both. 8,000 BTU and I got it for 120 bits. No joke, it was sitting right next to a few less powerful air conditioners with prices that would make Celestia blush."

"Are you sure you didn't steal it? 120 bits for that? Very nice."
"I believe the phrase is 'cool' darling. Now, how is Hinka doing today?"

Applejack frowned, and took her hat off. "Not too good, I reckon. He still seems right lost. I got him to drink something, but he hasn't said a word and he doesn't seem to be "here" mentally."

Rarity blinked. "Well, the not saying a word part is par for the course, isn't it?"

Applejack scoffed. "I'd say you should hope he didn't pick up on that, but..."

She gestured over to him a bit and Rarity frowned. His fascination with the greatest air conditioner known to ponykind had waned and now he was holding his hat in his hands and just staring at it.

"Oh my," said Rarity. "The negativity coming off him would knock Chrysalis out in seconds."

"You ain't kidding. Listen, I need to get back to the farm. Do you think you could keep him company for a bit? He's supposed to see Fluttershy in an hour or so."

Rarity smiled. "But of course. I'm glad to. Why, I could very well fit him for some new clothes while he's here."

"Not a good time, Rarity."

She chuckled a bit, but the smile she wore appeared to be hiding disappointment. "But of course. I'm only joking. A board game might be nice!"

Somewhere in the Castle of Friendship, Spike exclaimed, "Are you kidding me?!"



"Now, you just spin the dial, and you move your carriage however many spots you landed on."

She could tell by Hinka's expression that not much of what she was saying was getting through, so she opted to sit just behind him and help maneuver his arms while she explained.

"A five! Good. Now you have the choice to go to college or get a job. College means you go into debt but can get a better job and none of this is getting through to you, now is it?"

He seemed totally disinterested. Rarity frowned. The Game of Life was both hers and Sweetie Belle's favorite game. 
Guilt struck her in the heart. Here they were doing something that she enjoyed doing. What about HInka? He was the newcomer to Equestria, not her. There would be time to play Life with him in the future.

So, she smiled at him gently.

"You know what? Let's not play this. Come, Hinka. I hear you're quite the musician. Do you know how to play piano?"
Hinka eyed her. She pointed to the instrument in the corner. 

"Piano," she enunciated. She pointed at him. "You play?"

He shook his head slightly, but did not make eye contact with her. Fluttershy had told her that he considered eye contact a challenge, but there was something else hiding behind his lack of it. There was a sadness there too.
Rarity pulled him closer.

"How about I show you a thing or two about piano? Would you like that?"
He did not respond. She chuckled again. "Me. Piano. Teach you?"

He looked up at her, then back to his feet and shrugged. She knew how much he enjoyed his music, and so she sat him next to her on the piano, and played him a beautiful and upbeat melody made famous nearly a hundred years prior.

She smiled warmly as he seemed to slowly come back to life.

"I learned to play when I was younger than Sweetie Belle. Scott Trotlin's was the first song I ever learned. It's a shame you do not have your instrument too darling. This tune should be easy for you."

She grinned at him. "Because it's impossible."



Fluttershy waved one more time as Rarity began her trot back to the Botique. The sun was still high enough that night was not fast approaching, but low enough that the shadows of the trees behind her cottage cast over it, providing some cool shade. Not that her air conditioner wasn't helping too!

She frowned at Hinka. He'd been standing next to her facing Rarity, but his eyes were on the trees spread out behind them. He'd apparently shown some life upon hearing Rarity play the piano, but whatever was bothering him would not stay distracted for long. All too soon he was hiding within himself again.

When Rarity had gotten far enough into town, Fluttershy turned to Hinka. He had turned some so he could stare at the trees more. She could see the longing and sadness in his eyes. If it had been a foul beast, it would have had an embrace on him that just wasn't to be beaten with distractions alone. Sometimes you just needed to switch to something stronger- some good old TLC.

"Hinka?"

No response. He only continued to stare into the trees. He seemed so focused that Fluttershy had to double check and make sure there was nothing lurking that might bring harm to him or anyanimal in or around her home.
There was nothing. She sighed softly, and eyed him sadly. Poor dear.

"Hinka," she said again. This time, slowly, he turned to look up at her, but not without returning his gaze to the trees a few times first. 

When he did, she pulled him into an embrace; an embrace that he did not realize the power of until he'd experienced it. She wrapped him in her wings and rested his head on her chest.

"Tell me what's wrong," she said, almost pleadingly. 

Hinka did not say anything right then. Instead, he did what he'd been fighting to keep from doing for much longer than he even realized:

He collapsed into her hug and began to sob.

End of Chapter