“I’m terribly sorry for bothering you, but it sounds like you’re in trouble. Can I help?” The pony asked politely. It was fairly small, about three feet at the shoulder, or whithers, or whatever they called it, with her neck held almost straight up, adding another foot to her height.
Teagan stared at the pony, taking in every last impossible detail. The emotional whiplash from being terrorized, abducted, almost eaten, running herself to exhaustion, and now this—it was just too much.
“Do lion-scorpions live in prides?” She found herself asking, ignoring for now the fact she was speaking to a pony of all things.
“Lion—oh, you mean manitcores!” The pony said, brightening. “No, they’re solitary creatures. The only time you’ll meet more than one is if it’s a pair raising a cub.”
“That’s very good to know.” Teagan said, oddly grateful. She studied the vividly colored creature, noting with surprise the pony actually had wings.
“You’re a pegasus aren’t you?” Teagan asked, starting to feel detached and floaty, like this was all a dream.
“Why yes. My name’s Fluttershy.” The pony introduced herself, bobbing her head. Teagan’s mind rebelled. She found herself compelled to catalog the pony’s many impossibilities.
Starting with the fact she spoke English. Not something you normally found in the run-of-the-mill pony. Oh, and there were the wings, of course.
Then there was her color, a cheerful lemon yellow. Teagan was fully prepared to admit she didn’t know enough about horses to rule out the possibility of a yellow one. It didn’t seem likely, but she couldn’t say it was impossible.
But Fluttershy’s mane and tail were pink and that was definitely a horse of a different color.
Not to mention the pony was balancing a wicker basket on her back, in much the same way some women balanced baskets on their heads…
Fluttershy shuffled nervously, turning slightly to the side. That’s when Teagan saw Fluttershy’s flank. She sighed.
“Aaannnddd that’s a cutie mark, isn’t it?” Teagan asked in the tone of one asking if that was a massive waterfall their boat was plunging toward.
“Why, yes, of course.” Fluttershy eyed Teagan curiously. “Mine means I can talk to animals. It’s very helpful when I have to treat their injuries.”
“Ok, just to make absolutely sure—I’m in Equestria, aren’t I?” The flat tone wasn’t really a question.
“Well, technically you’re in the Everfree Forest.” Fluttershy replied. “Princess Celestia’s realm doesn’t include the forest. But the border of Equestria is only a few minutes from here.”
“A princess. Perfect.” Teagan said tiredly. “Let me guess. Big white unicorn, right?”
“She’s actually an alicorn.” Fluttershy corrected gently. “A unicorn with wings. Oh, and she has the most lovely magical mane and tail that flow with all the colors of the rainbow.”
“Of course she does.” Teagan nodded wearily. “Fluttershy, can I ask you a question?”
“Of course.” Fluttershy smiled.
Chalk up another thing ponies aren’t supposed to be able to do, Teagan thought to herself.
“I’m in really, really bad trouble. Could you help me, please?”
“Are you injured?” Fluttershy asked in concern. “Is that why you were crying? Can you show me where it hurts?”
“No, I’m not hurt.” Teagan shook her head. “I’m scared and I’m hungry and I’m lost and something horrible kidnapped me and brought me here and I want to go home, and my mom and dad are going to be out of their minds with worry because they don’t know where I am.”
Fluttershy’s expression instantly became sympathetic.
“Oh you poor thing! Why don’t you come home with me? I can fix you something to eat and give you a safe place to sleep, at least. I’ll ask Twilight to contact the Princess for you. I’m sure the Princess can get you home.”
“I’d really like that.” Teagan smiled at the yellow and pink pegasus. With some difficulty she used the tree to leverage herself upright, still feeling the effects of her escape from the manticore.
“You poor dear, you look exhausted.” Fluttershy said in a worried voice. “Are you sure you’re ok?”
“I can’t remember ever being this tired before.” Teagan admitted. “Running away from that manticore really took it out of me.”
“You outran a manticore?” Fluttershy asked in shock. “You must be very fast! Anypony can outrun them over a long run, of course, but a hungry manticore can run faster than an earth pony or a unicorn—at least for a hundred yards. They’re clumsy fliers though, so a pegasus can easily out fly them.”
“Really?” Teagan asked, her heart suddenly racing again. “I guess I really was lucky then. This particular manticore had killed a deer and was still eating it. It roared at me to scare me away from its kill. I backed away and didn’t run till I was out of sight.”
“That was a smart thing to do.” Fluttershy said, nodding. Then she craned her head back as she took in Teagan’s full height of five feet two inches.
“My, you’re very large, aren’t you?” Fluttershy asked nervously, taking a step back. “I can see why the manticore was worried.”
“The manticore was worried? About me?” Teagan asked in disbelief. “I’m tiny! I only weight 95 pounds! That thing scared the bezeesus out of me! Especially when it spread its wings!”
“It spread its wings?” Fluttershy asked. “That means it was trying to make itself look bigger because it felt threatened.”
“Threatened? By me?” Teagan snorted. “That thing could have killed me with one swipe of its paw! That’s why I ran so hard.”
“Well, you see—um, you haven’t told me your name.” Fluttershy said apologetically.
“Oh! I’m Teelo.” Teagan answered in embarrassment. “Sorry about that. It’s been a really long day.”
“Well, Teelo, you see a manticore is very smart, but they aren’t smart like you or me. They depend on instinct more than we do. When it saw something as tall as it was it saw a potential threat. That’s why it spread its wings, so it would look bigger than you.”
“Weird.” Teagan commented. Then she staggered and caught herself on the tree.
“Is your house a long way, Fluttershy? I’m so tired I won’t be able to make it far. Especially wearing just bunny slippers. I’m amazed they stayed on my feet the way I was running.”
“It’s about a fifteen minute walk.” Fluttershy said, looking at Teagan’s feet. “Those are really cute! They look like something Rarity would wear.”
“Who’s Rarity?” Teagan asked as she and Fluttershy started walking out of the forest.
“She’s my best friend.” Fluttershy said. “She’s a unicorn, and she runs the dress shop in Ponyville.”
“Ponyville. Right.” Teagan knew barely enough about My Little Pony to recognize the name of the town. She nearly bit her tongue to keep from making a mocking comment. She was in such deep trouble right now she didn’t want to offend Fluttershy.
After all, Fluttershy was the first creature in this crazy place to offer Teagan any kindness and right now Teagan would be willing to kiss Fluttershy’s hooves in gratitude if the pony asked her to.
“You’re lucky I ran into you.” Fluttershy commented a few minutes later as they finally cleared the trees. In the distance Teagan could see a small village. “I don’t normally go into the forest. It’s a very dangerous place you know. I only go in when I need to restock my supply of healing herbs.”
“Thank God you were there, Fluttershy.” Teagan said honestly. “I could have died if it wasn’t for you.”
“Oh, well, um, I’m sure it wouldn’t have come to that.” Fluttershy mumbled, embarrassed. “You were headed the right way to get out of the forest. All you had to do was keep on walking. Who’s God, by the way?”
Teagan stared at the pony, who stared back in mild inquiry.
“You don’t know who God is?” Teagan asked, dumbfounded.
“No, I’ve never met her.” Fluttershy answered.
“Um, God is the creator of the universe.” Teagan replied, completely at sea. “He made people, and planets, and well, everything.”
“Oh. Everything? Really?” Fluttershy blinked. “In Equestria, Princess Celestia created all of pony kind, and she rules the land and raises the sun.”
Fluttershy tilted her head. “What are people, Teelo? Are you a people?”
“Um, yeah. Kind of. People is plural for person. I’m a person, a human.”
“A human.” Fluttershy smiled. “I’ve never met a human before. It’s nice to know you.”
“Uh, likewise.” Teagan said, taken off guard. She decided to hold off on any more philosophical discussion because it looked like they had reached Fluttershy’s home.
“You live in a tree?” Teagan asked, taking it all in. There was a lot to absorb.
“Oh no.” Fluttershy giggled. “My roof is made of living plants, but my house isn’t a tree. My friend Twilight Sparkle does live in a tree, though. It’s really the Ponyville Library, but she and Spike actually do live there.”
“Spike’s a dragon, right?” Teagan asked, dredging up a random fact she’d heard mentioned on the forum. She was distracted by the sight of a veritable army of rabbits lining up on one side of Fluttershy’s home. In front of the massed ranks stood a single bunny, which seemed to be glaring at her.
The silence alerted her to her mistake.
“You know Spike?” Fluttershy asked slowly. “How can you know Spike and not know Twilight? For that matter how can you know Spike and not know about Princess Celestia?”
Fluttershy was staring at her, looking troubled. Teagan looked from Fluttershy to the rabbit, who was tapping his foot impatiently, his arms crossed on his chest.
How can a rabbit do that? Her mind skittered away from the very real trouble she was suddenly in to deal with trivia.
Must be the exhaustion, she thought.
“Teelo?” Fluttershy asked again, looking a little frightened now.
There was a sudden thumping noise, like rapid drumming. Then silence.
Looking around Teagan noticed the mass of rabbits was now staring at her coldly, their eyes fixed steadily on her. Birds had emerged from the plethora of bird houses that dotted the trees surrounding Fluttershy’s home. They too stared at her, not singing, just staring.
From the grass between the trees emerged a dozen creatures Teagan belatedly recognized as ferrets and their stares joined those of the rabbits and the birds. But with the ferrets she could also see their teeth…
She was the focus of every eye—and every tensed body behind those eyes.
Teagan turned back to Fluttershy, unable to stand the hostile scrutiny of the animals. But it was Fluttershy’s green eyes that truly defeated the girl. Eyes the same shade as Teagan’s own. Eyes that showed the same fear as Teagan’s own. Eyes that held the same question as Teagan’s own.
Are you going to hurt me?
Teagan sank to her knees and bowed her head, unable to take anymore. The only creature to show her kindness was afraid of her now. She didn’t know what to do, everything was so complicated and she was so tired.
A wave of dizziness hit her and she fell over. She never even felt herself hit the ground.