Canterlot, Royal Palace
The candlelit halls of Canterlot Castle stood empty, their quiet echoing softly through the corridors. Only a single alicorn wandered these halls in the early dawn light. Luna had completed her nightly duties, just as she always did. Fatigue was slowly creeping in, but she took comfort in the thought of her warm bed waiting for her.
She moved toward the kitchen, knowing her sister would be there, as she always was. While Celestia thrived in the morning and radiated energy at the break of day, Luna found it hard to summon any enthusiasm at this hour. Nevertheless, she appreciated the small comforts her sister provided when she awoke. As expected, the moment Luna entered the royal kitchen, she was greeted by her sister's radiant presence.
"Good morning, sister! I hope you had a pleasant night," Celestia said, her smile as bright as the morning sun. "I made a fruit salad for you."
Luna's eyes drifted to the plate on the table, its aroma making her stomach growl. "Thanks," she replied in a low, even voice, levitating the plate toward her. Despite her subdued demeanor, Luna appreciated the thoughtfulness her sister showed. She might not be a morning pony, but even so, a small gesture of kindness from Celestia never went unnoticed.
"You're very welcome," Celestia replied with a warm smile. The two sisters sat down to their respective meals, chatting casually about how their days had gone. Given that their duties kept them apart for most of the day, these shared moments were rare, so they tried to make the most of them.
But their tranquility was abruptly interrupted by a burst of green flames, which appeared out of nowhere, startling both mares. Out of the flickering fire, a scroll dropped onto the table in front of Celestia.
"A letter from your student?" Luna asked, taking a sip of her tea.
"It seems so," Celestia replied, using her magic to lift the parchment into her hands. "But I wonder what could be so urgent that she needed to send it this early in the morning."
With curiosity, she unrolled the scroll and began to read. Her expression shifted from mild amusement to serious concern and then to sheer bewilderment. Luna, noticing her sister's changing demeanor, raised her own eyebrows in confusion.
"What does it say?" she asked.
Celestia didn't answer immediately, her eyes still scanning the letter. When she finally finished reading, she set the scroll down and turned to her sister. "Luna," she began with a hint of disbelief in her voice, "have you ever heard of a large tiger woman living in the Everfree Forest?"
Luna stared at Celestia, trying to gauge if this was some kind of joke. But when she realized her sister was dead serious, she stood up from the table and made her way to the doors. "Nope, and this is no longer my problem," she replied with a slight smirk. "Good night, sister, and good luck." She closed the doors behind her before Celestia could respond. Celestia glanced at the letter one more time, then sighed, shaking her head.
Ponyville, edge of Everfree
Fluttershy stood near the entrance to the forest, her entire body tense. Not far away, her friends were hidden in the bushes, their eyes fixed on the mare. Like Fluttershy, they were tense, but for different reasons.
"I'm still not sold on all this," Rainbow whispered, her voice low and wary.
"You said you'd be fine with it if we got Celestia's permission," Twilight countered, thrusting a parchment toward Rainbow's face. "It says right here that she's one hundred percent on board with this."
Rainbow swatted the paper away, her expression unimpressed. "You forgot the part where she also wrote, 'Be careful,'" she replied sharply. "All I'm saying is, we shouldn't expect too much from this whole ordeal."
Before Twilight could respond, Rarity interposed herself between the two. "Now, now, let's not fight amongst ourselves. We have a job to do, and arguing won't help," she said soothingly. Her words seemed to calm them, and they returned their attention to Fluttershy.
Minutes ticked by, and nothing happened. The mares waited patiently, though their nerves were taut. Finally, Rainbow broke the uneasy silence.
"Isn't Zecora supposed to be here already, with Miri in tow?" Rainbow whined, her impatience showing.
"I don't think dragging around a huge tiger girl is all that easy," Applejack replied swiftly. "If you don't think you're cut out for this, you can just... y'know, leave."
Rainbow's eyes shot daggers at Applejack, knowing full well she was being baited. She wasn't one to back down easily, but she also knew that rising to the challenge meant admitting defeat. Rainbow doesn't lose.
Just then, Fluttershy's body twitched, and all eyes swung back to her. A rustling sound came from the trees as Zecora emerged from the darkness. She gave a quick nod to Fluttershy before approaching her. She then stopped beside her, turning back to face the looming shadows of the Everfree Forest.
"I lured her with care, she chose to agree. I only hope she doesn’t quickly flee." Zecora explained to the shivering mare. They both peered into the forest, waiting for any sign that the tiger was approaching.
The branches of a nearby tree creaked and shifted, as though something large was perched on them. A light clicking sound followed, akin to a dog’s claws on a ceramic floor, then a thud as something landed on the ground.
The group watched in anticipation as a figure slowly emerged from the forest. Unlike Zecora, Miri stayed within the tree line, her form cloaked by shadows. Although her features were indistinct, it was clear that she, like Fluttershy, was on edge.
Zecora attempted to break the tension. She looked at Miri and smiled. "Thanks for coming here, Miri, dear." she said in a calm and friendly tone.
Miri's eyes shifted to Zecora, then back to Fluttershy. "Cora said ponies want talk with Miri. Talk," she said, her voice edged with suspicion.
Fluttershy was taken aback by Miri's curt response. She knew the tiger-woman could speak, but hearing her words still felt surreal. She was brought out of her reverie by Zecora's gentle nudge.
"Oh, right. Talk," Fluttershy stumbled. She took a deep breath to steady her nerves before addressing Miri. "Hello, Miri. My name is Fluttershy, and this is Zecora," she introduced herself.
"Miri know Cora," the tiger-woman replied in a flat, unimpressed tone.
Fluttershy flinched at her misstep and felt her anxiety rising, but Zecora's hand on her shoulder helped her regain her composure.
"Yes, of course," she said softly, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "Well, now that we're introduced, I want to start by apologizing on behalf of my friends for what they did," she said in a calm, soothing voice. "They feel sorry for their actions and want to let you know that they wish to make amends."
Fluttershy paused to give Miri a chance to respond, but the girl remained silent, her gaze sharp and piercing. Fluttershy swallowed hard, the intensity of Miri's stare causing her nerves to fray. But with Zecora's steadying presence beside her, she managed to maintain her composure.
"In any case, what I really want to talk to you about is... well, about you staying in the Everfree Forest," Fluttershy said, trying to sound confident. Her words elicited a reaction from Miri, whose head tilted slightly and whose ears twitched in curiosity.
"Explain," Miri demanded, her voice low and serious.
Fluttershy felt a glimmer of relief. She had caught Miri's interest, even if only for a moment. "You see, your presence in the forest has been causing other creatures to act erratically. As a result, the towns and villages nearby have seen an increase in monster attacks and other issues," she explained, trying to keep her voice steady.
Miri's eyes narrowed, her expression darkening. "Not Miri fault!" she snapped, her voice like a growl.
Fluttershy jumped behind Zecora, shivering more than before. "I-I-I wasn't saying that y-y-you did it on p-p-purpose," she stammered, her voice cracking from sheer terror. She peered from behind Zecora to see that Miri was still hidden within the tree line, and she sighed in relief before continuing. "We do not blame you for anything that happened, but we also can't just let you be. If this continues, many more ponies could get hurt. Would you be alright with that?"
There was a long pause before Miri responded. "What suggest?"
Seeing that she was willing to listen, Fluttershy steeled herself and stepped forward again. "We thought, maybe, you could live somewhere else. We have made plans to have you live on one of my friend's farms, so you could—"
"NO!!!" Miri's sudden scream cut Fluttershy off. "Miri know trick! Miri not fall!"
Confusion spread across Zecora and Fluttershy’s faces. "What?" Fluttershy asked. "We are not trying to trick you. We just wish—"
"Quiet!" Miri shouted, her body tensing as if ready to either fight or flee. "Lies! Miri not fool! Miri not believe!" Her outburst caught them off guard, leaving them both in shock.
"Miri," Zecora interjected, her voice calm and soothing, emphasized by the rhythmic cadence of her speech. "My friend speaks the truth; no lies do we say. We want what's best for all, in every way." Her words seemed to ease Miri's tension a little, but the tiger-woman still looked wary.
"Can you share why you don't trust our way? What makes you doubt what we have to say?" Zecora asked gently.
"Miri monster!" she replied, her voice laced with bitterness. "You afraid Miri because Miri different. Act nice, but really mean. Want Miri captured."
The two mares were taken aback by her words. "My goodness," Fluttershy gasped. "We would never do something like that. What could make you think that?"
Miri stared directly at her. "Happened before," she said, her tone sharp and unforgiving.
Their shock grew even deeper. "I'm-I'm so sorry, Miri," Fluttershy immediately replied, her voice tinged with compassion.
"I regret the cruelty that you had to face, But I swear on my name, no harm will take place." Zecora added, her voice as sorrowful as Fluttershy's. "We mean you no ill, only wish to live in peace, Our goal is harmony and the quarrels to cease."
Miri continued to watch them, her eyes searching for signs of deception. She had encountered fake kindness before, and she knew how to spot it. But this time, their concern seemed genuine, leaving her feeling conflicted.
"Miri." Her thoughts were interrupted by Fluttershy's voice. The pegasus stepped from behind Zecora and stood beside her, her stance confident but gentle. "I know you have no reason to believe us, but if there's any way we can earn your trust..." she said, stretching out her hand toward Miri.
The internal conflict within Miri flared at the sight of Fluttershy's outstretched hand. She didn't want to believe them. Trusting them meant risking more pain. And yet...
"Miri think about it," she said, her voice a mixture of caution and uncertainty. "Miri tell Cora decision." With those words, she turned and disappeared into the forest.
The two mares stood in silence, staring at the spot where Miri had just been, her words echoing in their minds. They exchanged a worried glance, understanding that Miri's trust would not be easily won, then made their way back to their friends, who were still hiding.
The others listened intently as Fluttershy and Zecora recounted the entire exchange, the gravity of Miri's words and her wariness casting a somber shadow over the group. They knew they had a long road ahead to bridge the gap between them and the tiger-woman, but they were determined to try.