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// The Little Differences 
// Story: A Study In Nonsense 
// by Professor Piggy 
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Fluttershy stood atop the roof of the enormous ruined cloud mansion, gazing down on the ponies soaring through the sky below her. They weaved around each other, laughing and giggling, feeling the wind on their faces and through their manes. Fluttershy couldn’t help but think that it must be heavenly, to fly. To soar wherever you wanted – to be able to soar away from your worries and your fears with no effort at all. It looked so wonderful. But even as she watched, the aching in her heart and the sick feeling in her stomach grew worse. It hurt, not being able to join them. Not being able to fly with them and talk to them and laugh with them. It hurt, and it made her angry.

“Dad?” She whispered softly, not taking her eyes off the ponies for even a second, “Why won’t you let me go flying with them?”

Her father let out a low grunt, and hauled himself up from where he lay basking in the sun with one swift, powerful movement. Slowly, placing one powerful leg in front of the other as he stretched his mighty wings, Harry made his way over to his daughter and placed a massive paw atop her head, stroking her mane softly.

She pulled away and turned to gaze up at him with wide, sad eyes. “That’s what you always say! But I can’t just not worry! I have to learn how one day!”

Harry wrinkled his nose and lowered his enormous, fluffy head to bunt his nose against her own, letting out a loving, contented sound and gesturing to his back with a shrug.

“You’ve said that before too! Oh! I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell. I…I know I’m not like them. That you’re not like them. Not every pony is lucky enough to be raised by a bear.” She was interrupted by a soft growl, and quickly corrected herself. “A sky bear. I’m terribly sorry. But…um…I really don’t understand why not. You have wings, just like me. Why can’t you teach me?”

Harry was silent for a long moment, gazing down at her with huge brown eyes, before he pulled her into a tight hug and spoke in his reassuringly Trottingham-esque accented voice, soft and whispery like a summer breeze. “It’s because I have to keep you safe, sweetie. I can’t just let you trot off willy nilly and go flying with anyone after what happened last time!”

“Oh, but…that um…that was a one time thing. I promise I’ll be more careful next time!” This was a battle Fluttershy wasn’t planning to let go, if she had her way.

“Careful or not kiddo that girl almost died. You could’ve been hurt! If that silly little blue one hadn’t found her  there would have been a lot of trouble. Do you want that? Do you want us to be driven out of here? That’s not what your parents wanted for you. They wanted you to be happy. They said so, you know.”

“They…they said that?” She whispered in awe.

“Oh yes. Their very last words were ‘Dear Equestria, keep it away from the baby! Don’t let it get the baby!’ They wanted you to be safe and happy. I should know. I was there.”

Fluttershy lowered her eyes and sighed. “I know. I understand.”

“There’s a good girl. I promise, when I wake up I’ll teach you how to hunt. You’ll be eating love and changing shape again in no time at all. But just for the winter, you’ll have to survive off what I can give you, got it? Ponies don’t like Changelings.”

Fluttershy nodded, wondering again why she couldn’t have been born a pony. “I get it.”

“Good. Now let’s enjoy our last day together okay?” Harry smiled at her, and Shy smiled back. Soon, Harry would hibernate. And then…well, she was sick of being alone. There was a Pegasus she had seen around. A blue one, with the most beautiful mane. While her father slept, she planned to make a friend.

“Okay.” The changeling said gently as she cuddled into her father.