//------------------------------// // Story Time // Story: Two Nymphs, One Pony // by CitreneSkys //------------------------------// Fluttershy hummed as she got ready for the night, while her animals helped her set up. Harry watched the oven, Elizabeak made sure everyone was comfy, and Angel... She looked over to the rabbit, who was busy screaming at her birds. Angel was....helping....sorta. Shaking her head, she approached the bear, who had opened her oven. “Are they done?” He grunted, nodding. The winged mare reached into the still-hot oven and pulled out the tray of cookies. The smell of oats and honey filled her kitchen with its aroma. The sun dipped low beyond the horizon, and Fluttershy placed the last cushion onto her floor. All around her, her animal friends gathered, waiting for her. “Just a moment, everyone!” She called, setting up some tea and a plate full of cookies. She giggled when they stared intently at it. “Remember, everyone gets one.” Her animals eager took the freshly baked cookies, gnawing on them. She smiled warmly. “Alright, who’s ready for a bedtime story?” Her animals all raised their hands...or paws...or hoof....or...appendages. It didn’t matter, what did was that everyone was ready and she could start. Picking up the book from her side, she sighed. A small fairytale was what they all needed right now. With a soft voice, she began. “Once upon a time...” “-And the prince and princess lived happily ever after. The end,” she closed the book, looking towards her friends. Some of them had already fallen asleep, and others yawned tiredly. She giggled, picking up a certain sleeping bunny with her hooves. “Alright, my lovelies, it’s time for bed!” They groaned, whining to stay up, but she held her ground. “C’mon, it’s getting late. You will all feel refreshed in the morning!” Opening her door, she helped guide the sleepy animals to their sleeping spots. Harry was in his cave, Elizabeak in her coop along with her roommates, and the birds have all sang their goodnights. Fluttershy’s gaze at her bunny, who was sprawled on her back, sleeping heavily. She chuckled, gazing lovingly at him. “Let’s get you to bed,” she whispered, closing the door quietly behind her. Placing Angel Bunny into his dedicated bed basket, she pulled a light blue blanket over him. The rabbit kicked in his sleep, rolling onto his back before becoming still once again. Giggling, the pegasus turned her attention towards her stairs. Instantly, the worry settled into her head. Neither nymphs had come down since late afternoon, and she was beginning to worry. With quiet steps, she trotted up to her stairs, wings fidgeting. When she got to her room, she was surprised to see her door wide open. Usually, Pharynx would have slammed the door shut and she would’ve needed permission to enter. Fluttering through the door, she took a look at the surroundings. The bedsheet has been torn at the edges, and the blanket was thrown around. The curtains were untied, and draping against the table. Water and broken glass littered the ground, along with a green, hard substance that stuck onto the wooden floor. In the middle of it all, Thorax and Pharynx laid on the bed. Pharynx was awake as she had expected, but Thorax was shivering and shaking. Soft whimpers and sobs emitted from the cyan changeling, and Fluttershy eyes widen. Pharynx was trying to wake the poor changeling up, tugging on his ear, prodding his shoulder, even biting his wing! Thorax just too indulged in what seemed to be a nightmare to react. Rushing over, she swept the broken shards away with her wing. The colorful changeling, for once, didn’t growl or hiss at her. His attention was solely on his brother, an expression of panic washed against him. Pharynx stared at the winged mare, biting his lip. “...he isn’t waking up...” his voice was quiet, but the worry that was present was clear as day. “...I tried....nothing’s working...” “How long has he been like this?” Fluttershy’s asked quickly, taking the little changeling into her hooves. He looked even smaller than he usually was as she cradled him gently. “...two...hours...” She inhaled sharply, determined to wake up the crying changeling. She’d never dealt with this before, what was the best course of action for this task? “Thorax?” Her voice raises as loudly as she could, rubbing the changeling's carapace. “Sweetie, please wake up, you’re scaring me!” Nothing, if anything, the changeling was shaking even more now. Light tears streamed down his face as he cried, pushing himself away from the mare. His wails became louder as she winced. Somehow she had made it worse. Great. She ignored the changeling's attempt to push her away, bringing him close to her feathered chest. wrapping her wings around herself and Thorax, she cooed quietly. “Shhhhh, you’re okay...I promise...” He sobbed into her chest, gasping for air. Slowly, painfully, he began to calm down, nuzzling into her feathers. After a while, he buzzed his wings and managed to open his eyes, tears still running down his cheek. “F-fl...utter...shy?” his tone was confused as he slowly pried himself from her chest. The winged mare let out a relieved sigh, wiping the tears that poured out of his cyan eyes. “...you had me worried...Pharynx said he couldn’t get you to walk up for two hours. Must’ve been an awful nightmare...” His eyes widen and looked away. The yellow mare placed him back onto the bed, and Pharynx grabbed Thorax and held him close, hissing. “You dimwit, never scare me like that again.” Fluttershy watched the pair of changelings quietly. “Thorax...do want to talk about it?” “H-huh?” “Your nightmare...” she sighed, her teal eyes gazing at cyan ones. “Mind talking about it? It might help...” Thorax briskly shook his head, his eyes pleading. “No...I don’t want to...they’re my problems...I don’t need to burden you with them...” “First thing, you will never burden me in any way,” she made sure this was as clear as day. “Second...nightmares that bad aren’t normal...are they always like that for you...?” This was when Pharynx shook his head, not waiting for Thorax to respond. Fluttershy cast a worried glance towards both changelings. “...no...but I’m a coward anyway...why is it so surprising....” Fluttershy’s gaze softened, tilting his chin so she could look him in the eyes. “It’s okay if you are scared, I just want to know what going on so I can help...” He stayed silent, tears burning down his chitin. “What if I told you a story?” She offered, her tail sweeping alongside her. Both nymphs perked up, and a Thorax wiped the remaining tears from his cheek. “Um...w-what kind...?” “You’ll see,” she giggled, smiling warmly. Clearing her throat she began. “Seasons ago, there was once a shy pegasus. She never wanted much from life, only to live in her cottage and tend to her animal friends.” “Is it you?” Thorax asked, and she smiled. “One day, she met a purple unicorn in town while she was reciting the bird choir. Little did she know that this would be the day that changed everything.” The changelings listened intently, even Pharynx seemed interested. “The Princess of the Sun was kidnapped that day, her sister who had turned to darkness taking over. Her name was Nightmare Moon, and she vowed to bring eternal darkness to our world. The unicorn had known all this was going to happen and brought five other ponies to go on a quest. Of those five, the shy pegasus was one of them. She was scared, but with the fate of Equestria on the line, she decided to be brave. Along the way, each of them found their element. Honestly...Laughter...Generosity...Loyalty... ....and Kindness,” she smiled as she called her own element. The changelings seemed to connect the dots, figuring out what she was getting at. “When they got to Nightmare Moon, she destroyed the elements that we were supposed to use to defeat her-“ “What?!” Thorax cries out, flatten his ears. She giggled, pressing a hoof to his nose. “Hold on, sweetie, I’m not done,” she sighed, smiling. “The purple unicorn realized that they didn’t need the elements, they were the elements! With their newfound friendship, they defeated Nightmare Moon, restoring her to her old self as the Princess of the Night. With both Princess back, the pegasus went back to her cottage. Though this adventure had ended, it opened a gateway into her life. She became much more brave, standing up to a dragon, outstaring a Cockatrice...and took two young changelings under her wing,” she winked at them, and Thorax smiled. His tears had completely stopped, laughing a little. “That's us...right...?” “Of course, silly,” she smiled. “Who else would that be?” Thorax sniffed, giggling. Beside him, Pharynx rolled his eyes, still laying his head atop of the younger changeling. Crawling into her bed, she hugged both nymphs close. Pharynx stiffened, letting a low hiss out of his throat. Thorax, in contrast, leaned against her chest, breathing in deeply. While the older nymph wiggles out of her grasp, the cyan changeling fell asleep once again. Pharynx grimaced, but laid his head down into his forearms, resting himself onto Thorax carapace. Smiling, the pegasus picked up the quilt and draped it over both of their shoulders. Sighing, she curled herself around the young changelings, watching them as they drifted into a peaceful sleep.