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// Chapter 1: A search begins. 
// Story: The trickiest houseguest 
// by Miados 
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Sipping a little bit of tea Fluttershy was looking out the windows at one of the areas that she left food for critters who didn't actually live with her. While she always made sure to make those that she properly took care of she always wanted there to be something out there in case a poor little critter found themselves lost or hurt. An injury can come up at any time after all and being hurt and lost can scare you so much you don't even think about food.

"Ah no angel it's late you are staying inside right now alright? I know you like to run around, but it's getting dark and I don't want to worry about you slipping on something and hurting your paw again. Remember what happened last time?"

The rabbit opened its mouth wide then, after taking a cucumber slice off of Fluttershys snack tray ran off. A swift kick could be hard as the bunny passed some furniture and out of sight.

"Such a dear little bunny."

With the sun starting to touch the trees she decided to go to the kitchen and get tonights food for the critters. Taking a variety of vegetables she ran them through a thread that she could hang around a tree. Then she put a little peanut butter on some pine cones, coating them with seeds and attaching small ties that she could use to put them onto the tree securely.

"Now to put up tonights little treats. I hope the little ones like the carrots."

Going out the front gate, Fluttershy closed the door and went to her back yard and walked to the trees that she had just for hanging the food. 

"I am so glad that Rarity gold me I should use the food as decorations."

As a bird landed on her back a smile spread across her mouth, "And I know you little ones like having your seed like this so it doesn't get all over as much. Such a nice way to find something to eat isn't it?"

Setting up the food on tonights tree. The colors on the pine tree made the vegetables she chose stick out more, even if the seed pine cones blended out more than the rest of the food.

"I wonder if we can get more ponies to do this. It looks very pretty when you watch the animals eating from it. Now to see how hungry all your friends have been mister bird."

Watching the bird that had been with her hope to get some seed, Fluttershy went to check how much was left on the other five trees that she had set for food decorating.

"Oh my I just put this one out last night and everything but the bird seed has been eaten. I better check the other ones."

Going from tree to tree Fluttershy found that every one of them was bare of vegetables and fruits leaving behind only the seed covered pine cones. Taking the threads off the trees she put them in a small pouch, before sitting down for a moment to look at the trees that were now nearly bare.

"There has to be a reason why the food is all gone so much faster than it used to be. I hope none of the little creatures have been hurt. Oh my I should look to see if anything is wrong."

Going back inside her home, Fluttershy puts the threads back where they belong and got her veterinarian supplies. Sure she didn't know how to care for everything, but she could help a lot if she found someone out there with a sprain or a little bit of a cut or injury. Especially now with the leaves falling and winter coming in just twelve days.

Quickly making sure that her animals were ready for bed she put a light scarf around her neck left to check into the forest around her home. There was more than a few critters that caught her eye, but none of them seemed to be really hurt or in need. Many of them had already been gathered in their homes ready to start their hibernation once winter started.

By the time that Fluttershy was returning home, Fluttershy had not found a single hint of any animal being hurt. The only think that she could think of as another answer was that some of the animals getting ready to sleep or leave in the winter were taking more than usual. It was close to winters first day after all.

"Maybe I should just set out more food until winter starts. I won't need to put out as much since so many of the little guys will be away or sleeping instead of enjoying the snow."

As she saw her home in the close distance she heard something from the trees that she used for food decorating.  Taking her time she slowly approached her home hoping to find whatever critter was so hungry that it ate a lot more than she had expected. 

The critter looked like it was about the size of a pony. That explained to her why it ate so much. After all the hungry critter wasn't small like a mouse or a rabbit.

Taking a few steps out of the forest she spoke out softly, "Ah sorry to bother your snack, but that's suppose to be for a lot of critters. If you are that hungry we can......"

As she got closer Fluttershy stopped talking. It wasn't a critter, but instead she saw a pony pulling the food off of the thread that was decorating the tree. A sudden puff of smoke filled the area around the tree and hoof steps were heard going back around her home. Losing them before she could think to get into the air she looked at the tree, already stripped of everything, but the seed.

"It....... was a pony? I um....... I should....... I think I might want to talk to Zecora about it."

Taking some of the puff of smoke that had landed on the ground she puts it into a small pouch as she goes to bed for the night, making a note that she should put out more food for both the animals and possibly some poor homeless pony.


The next day Fluttershy tried to work fast to make sure everything was set so she could go for the whole day. Trying to figure out who had been at her house would probably be hard, especially if it was someone who didn't live in ponyville. 

Even though a part of her wanted to go to Zecoras first, Fluttershy stopped by the apple farm first.

"Morning Big Mac. I thought I would stop by to pay for my winter supply of apples. Do I still pay Granny Smith?"

"Eyup."

Walking past him Fluttershy smiled a bit, "Thank you. Oh and bring Winona to the vet before winter starts just in case. It is always nice to check on your pets before winter starts out."

Knocking on the door to the apples home Fluttershy waits until Applejack answers.

"Well hey there sugar cube. What brings you around here today?"

Looking slightly to the side Fluttershy clears her throat before speaking, "Well I just thought I would bring the money for my winter apples over before I go visit Zecora. Is she in?"

"Ah Granny is right out back with Pinkies sister. Checking ta make sure the houses foundation is good for another winter. Want me to go and get her for you?"

"That's alright Apple Jack. I'll just go there so you can keep doing whatever you were doing."

A short walk around to the back of the home lead to Granny Smith and Maud. Granny was sitting on a lawn chair, watching the rockolgist student do her work.  While she wasn't qualified technically, Maud worked for free when it was something to help her schooling so the apples didn't mind having a free analysis done.

"Ah Fluttershy. Ah um lets see..... Oh are ya here to pay for your winter food fer them critters of yours?"

Taking out a few rolls of bits, Fluttershy hands them over to the head of the apples finances.

"That's right, but I shouldn't stay to long I want to have Zecora check on something for me that I found at home last night."

"Is that," Maud started, "Why you are carrying a bag with soil that is local to this area mixed with a bit higher than normal potassium nitrate, sodium bicarbonate and a little burnt sugar?"

Silence spread to all three ponies as Granny Smith took the money and walked towards the house with a stretch, "Weeeeellll I'll just put this where it belongs so we know it's fine to bring you the barrels before winter starts."

Even though Fluttershy was on nice terms with Maud she did have a hard time trying to think of how to talk with her.

"Ah is that what's in the bag? I just saw it was a little weird and thought I would visit Zecora and see what she can tell me about it...... Do you happen to know what it is? I mean if you don't it's fine, but......... I mean I would like to know if that's alright."

Standing back into a fully upstanding position Maud takes a deep sniff and closes her eyes. A moment passes before she opens them and starts to walk away from the farm.

"M Maud where are you going?"

Barely looking back Maud keeps walking at her usual slow pace, "Nothing wrong with the foundation so I am going to find the pony you are looking for."

Only a couple of seconds passed before Fluttershy catches up to the gray mare.

"But I didn't say anything about finding somepony. I am, but I didn't say anything. How did you..... I mean how are you......"

Lightly poking the side of the pouch that Fluttershy was carrying with the soil, Maud keeps walking I recognize this smell. I got to experience it a lot while helping work the farm this summer. My Maud sense told me where to go though."

The pair of them kept walking as some birds were singing in the trees while they mostly walked in silence. Even though Fluttershy was wondering who she would find with Maud she was feeling bad for whichever pony found herself so desperate that she had to steal from the food trees she made and hoped to be able to help somehow.