//------------------------------// // Breezie Listening // Story: A Human, a Pony Princess, and a Mistake // by The Dimension Traveler //------------------------------// A Human, a Pony Princess, and a Mistake Chapter 28: Breezie Listening The day was upon them. The Breezies would be passing through Ponyville on their way back home and it was up to the Pegasai and specifically Fluttershy to see them through safely. It was only a pity Tom and Twilight weren’t here. They were still up in Canterlot dealing with the fallout of those articles. “What I don’t understand is why the Breezies need the Pegasai to make a breeze for them,” Mr. Cake commented as he placed down a tray of cupcakes for the festivities. “The Breezies’ innate magic is activated by the breeze, hence the name. They carry pollen from the world at large to their home to pollinate the crops of their home, because the usual pollinators are too big. In order to keep the pollen fresh on their long journey, they need the use of their magic, thus the breeze,” Fluttershy explained, “Their home is actually a pocket dimension folded into the very Magic of Equuis itself and the portal only opens once a year. Once they reach Ponyville, they’ll only have two days to make it home before the portal closes.” “You sure do know a lot about them, Fluttershy,” Mr. Cake complimented. “I can see why we need to focus on not scaring the little things; how far out is their portal from here?” Mrs. Cake asked. “They should make it with about six hours to spare, should everything go according to plan,” Fluttershy replied. Then Rarity walked into the Town Square and Fluttershy suddenly got a foreboding feeling. “Fluttershy, darling, when will the Breezies be arriving?” Rarity asked in her very bright purple sequin…cape? Fluttershy couldn’t see it well enough to tell if it was a cape or a cloak. “Er, Rarity, about what you’re wearing…?” Fluttershy hesitated to ask. “There’s too much purple, isn’t there? I knew it!” Rarity grumbled. “I don’t think that’s what she’s sayin’ Rares,” Applejack drawled. “You’re gonna blind all the Breezies with that getup! Come to it, you’re blinding all of us with it!” Rainbow complained. Rarity looked down at herself. “I…I suppose it is a bit too glittery,” She then removed the purple cloak, only to reveal an even brighter garment underneath. “My eyes!” Was the cry of more than one suddenly blinded Pony or Changeling. “I’ll just go get changed, won’t be a tick!” Rarity bolted for her boutique and Fluttershy let out a sigh of relief. Barely fifteen seconds later Rainbow spotted the Breezies inbound for Ponyville. “Ladies and gentlecolts, it is my pleasure to present to you, the Breezies!” Mayor Mare exclaimed in a stage whisper. Fluttershy settled in to watch the Breezies float by in all their adorableness. Then everything went horribly wrong when a stray leaf drifted into the path of the Breezies and knocked several of them off course. Fluttershy, surprising herself, flew into action immediately. She caught a Breezie that was tumbling away from the rest of the separated group and quickly collected the rest of the Breezies who had been disrupted by the leaf. Once they were all firmly gripping onto her, she brought them to a tree stump to disembark. “Tank ye fer yer help. Ah, yeh can oonderstand our language, canne ya lass?” A blue Breezie with a pink mane that nearly matched Pinkie Pie’s in fluffiness asked. “Yes, a few weeks ago I spent some time with Breezies learning your language,” Fluttershy replied proudly. He then switched to Equestrian from his native dialect. “You must be so proud,” He complimented with a thick accent. “You speak Equestrian?” Fluttershy asked in surprise. “I can, this lot can only understand ye,” The Breezie glared at the others, “Ye’d think with us doin’ so much business with yeh Ponyfolk they’d at least be bothered tah learn a few basic sentences! But nah, this lot be too lazy fer that.” The Breezies behind him started shouting in anger. “Oh, well, it isn’t always that easy to learn a second language,” Fluttershy said gently. “Ah’m not sayin’ it is, but when yer very life could depend on it, yeh canne least put a little effort inta it. If Ah didn’t speak Equestrian and you didn’t speak Breezie, canne ye imagine the trouble we’d be in? I shudder ta think!” Truthfully Fluttershy thought he had a point. As she had just recently learned with the Vampire Fruit Bats, lack of communication could be disastrous. Fluttershy was just glad the whole thing worked out in the end. “Dame Fluttershy, that was most impressive!” The others had caught up to her. “Heck yeah, you leapt into action like it was nothing!” Rainbow cheered, “Er, sorry for not being able to fix the breeze in time.” “It was hardly your fault a rogue leaf flew into their flight path,” Chrysalis remarked. “It was my fault! I’m the one who knocked the leaf loose! It was all meeee!” Spike wailed. Before Fluttershy could say anything to comfort him, however, the Breezie spoke up. “Yer Majesty, cannit really be you?!” Suddenly all the Breezies were bowing, “We had thought ye lost tah us!” “Chrissy?” Luna voiced the question they all had. “Oh, well, the Breezies swore fealty to myself and the Changelings some fifteen hundred years ago. I would’ve thought they had all forgotten me and moved on by this point,” Chrysalis directed that last sentence at the Breezie, politely curious. “Aye, as a society we’ve moved on, but we all remember tha old ways, yer Majesty! We havennt fergotten tah old covenants,” The Breezie exclaimed. “I’m quite pleased to hear this. Tell me, what is your name?” Chrysalis inquired. “I am Seabreeze, of House Windrider!” Seabreeze happily introduced himself. “Pleasure to make your acquaintance, but for now, you all may rise. You have important matters to attend to before the portal closes,” Chrysalis reminded. “Aye, right yeh are yer Majesty. Oi, how fast canne get another breeze agoin’?” Seabreeze asked of the Pegasai. Before anyone could answer Fluttershy was swarmed by Breezies with a dozen different complains of still being out of sorts after being knocked about by that leaf. “Maybe an hour of rest is in order? You should still get there in plenty of time,” Fluttershy suggested. Seabreeze didn’t seem a fan of this idea. “We may be small, but we arrent as weak as all tha’,” He grumbled, but was clearly overruled by his fellow Breezies. So they all adjourned to Fluttershy’s cottage to eat and relax a bit before the final leg of their journey. An hour later and Fluttershy was sure they were well taken care of in that time. She was also fairly sure they were ready to move on, judging by how they were freely flapping about her cottage. When Fluttershy suggested it was time to go, the Breezies gathered around her in an instant and begged her to let them stay a little longer. “You really should get going. Your portal home won’t stay open forever,” Fluttershy pointed out. At the same time, she felt uneasy forcing the Breezies from her home. “Yeh buncha soppin’ pussies! Not only are yeh embarrasin’ us in front o’ Queen Chrysalis ‘erself, but yer takin’ advantage of a sweet mare’s kindness! ‘Ow a buncha fookin’ cowards an’ charlatans like you lot got picked fer pollen dooty is beyond me!” Seabreeze sounded disgusted with his fellow Breezies. It was probably for the best that he said all that in his native tongue. “I suppose if you really want to stay another half hour won’t hurt anything,” Fluttershy caved in. “We need ta go now! There’s no tellin’ what awaits us! Wha’ if we run inta another leaf?! I hate bein’ so powerless an’ that our magic only works with a breeze! Wha’ I wouldn’t give ta be a Pegasus, master o’ the skies! But Ah’m not! Ah’m a Breezie who needs ta get ‘ome, with tha pollen, just like you lot!” Seabreeze cried. “Would it be so bad if we stayed with Miss Fluttershy?” That was the wrong thing to say. Seabreeze flew over to the offender and grabbed her by the collar. “We. Need. To. Get. That. Pollen. HOME!” He roared, “Or does yer selfish ass not care iffen half tha village starves ta death because yer cowardly ass couldnta stand tha thought of a little danger?!” “But Seabreeze, we’re sick!” Another Breezie complained and started fake coughing. The rest soon joined in. Fluttershy took care of animals for a living, one of whom was Angel Bunny. She wasn’t deceived for a heartbeat. “If you’re really so sick, then I should examine you,” Fluttershy offered, “After all, I need to know what medicine you need.” “Yes, let her examine you,” Contempt oozed from every pore of Seabreeze’s body. Fluttershy would be lying if the thought of serving them all fresh squeezed lemon juice as ‘medicine’ didn’t cross her mind. She knew Breezies couldn’t stand anything bitter or sour. However, she had spent enough time with Discord to learn sometimes Kindness required a firm hoof. She picked up one of the ‘coughing’ Breezies and placed him on a table. She got a pen light and magnifying glass and told the Breezie to open his mouth. He reluctantly did as told and Fluttershy found nothing wrong, as she knew she would. “You all have to go home. Even if you didn’t have pollen you needed to deliver, Equestria isn’t meant for you. If a single leaf can knock you off balance, what about a rainstorm or frogs or any host of things that would be dangerous to you? I extended my kindness to you because I thought you needed it. I can see now that my kindness hasn’t helped you at all. It’s put you all in danger of missing your chance to go home. You have to leave and that’s final,” Fluttershy’s Heart wavered as the Breezies begged and pleaded, but she remained firm in her decision. Thankfully, Fluttershy’s forceful eviction had come soon enough that the breeze could be moderated for their fewer numbers without risking them not making it in time. As the Pegasai were readying the breeze Seabreeze turned to Fluttershy. “Thank ye fer helpin’ this lot get their rears in gear. I canne wait to see me wife and child again,” Seabreeze said wistfully as he thought of his family, “I wanne you to have somethin’.” Seabreeze dug into his pocket and produced a small picture. “Your family?” Fluttershy asked as she looked at it. “Aye, they are truly the most important thing in tha world ta me. I know that if me wife were here, she’d want me ta give ye somethin’ in thanks. This is all Ah have on me, but Ah’d be honored if ye accept it,” Seabreeze gave the picture to Fluttershy. It showed Seabreeze, his wife, and a newborn child. “I’ll be honored to accept. Now, I think the breeze is ready. Goodbye Seabreeze and safe journey!” Fluttershy bid Seabreeze farewell as he and the other Breezies drifted off. Seabreeze turned and shouted one final goodbye before being carried away out of sight.