//------------------------------// // Mr. Bird // Story: As The Songbird Sings // by chief maximus //------------------------------// Mr. Bird Fluttershy's head pounded sharply, her skull throbbing with every jolt. As her senses came back to her, she felt cold stone on her back and beneath her awkwardly positioned wings. Her eyes flittered open, squinting against the bright rays of the early morning sun. As the world came into focus, she realized she was in a cave. An east-facing cave, but a cave nonetheless. Ignoring her headache, she tried to get to her hooves. Her ribs hurt as she gasped, collapsing onto her belly causing her even more pain. She tried to recall the events leading up to this point. She seemed to remember running from something... a timberwolf! She had been out foraging and gotten lost! Unfortunately, that was all she could remember. Her ribs ached with each breath she drew too deeply. Her muscles were sore, but no more than if she'd run a long distance. Fluttershy glanced around the cave. It seemed like something lived here, but she wasn't sure what. There was no hoard of gold or jewels, so she could rule out a dragon. However, there was something that struck her as odd. In the corner, there seemed to be a straw figure of some kind, though it wasn't a pony, or any creature's form she was familiar with. It seemed to stand the way Spike stood, on his hind legs, freeing up his arms. Except, this thing wore something blue over its straw body; tattered pieces of blue cloth made into what looked like a primitive garment. Darker straw rested at what she guessed was the figure's head, but it lacked a face, ears, or fingers. Other than the odd creation, there was not much in the cave, just a few shiny gems neatly arranged in piles and a large straw bed with a depression in the middle, resembling a nest of some kind. Fluttershy looked behind her, and to her surprise and joy, her saddlebags lay against the cave wall. Whatever creature had taken her here was kind enough to leave them for her. She scurried to her bags and sighed in relief. The few provisions she'd managed to find before her encounter were still there. Fluttershy wolfed down the mushrooms and cabbages she'd meant to share with Angel upon her return to the cabin. She'd hope the little bunny would understand, given her situation. She stretched her legs as best she could manage before stepping toward the mouth of the cave. The sun illuminated the landscape, revealing that the road she'd lost track of was only a few hours away! Unfortunately, the cave was on the side of a rather high rocky outcropping. She'd have to fly down, but she knew her wings were still not up to their full strength. As she contemplated her choices, a familiar shriek echoed through the forest. She nearly jumped out of her coat, and decided that this time, her wings would just have to take one for the team. Fluttershy opened her sore wings and glided off the cliff face, landing in a clearing and mumbling gentle 'ow' and 'oh's to herself as she carefully folded her wings beside her. She took one last glance toward the mouth of the cave in time to see a black and brown blur fly inside. Her heart jumping to her throat, she galloped with as much strength as she could muster in the direction of the road. If I could only get back to it, I could get somepony's help! she thought, running as fast as she'd ever recalled, though her legs demanded she stop. Another ear-splitting shriek echoed out of the cave. Fluttershy continued running, not daring to look behind her. All she had to do was make it to the road! Surely a passing merchant or pony would be traveling along it! As she darted through a clearing, a shadow overtook her, growing larger with each passing second. She turned to face the sun, the massive wings of the creature she'd seen only minutes before heading straight towards her, its talons forward, ready to snatch her from the earth and take her back to its lair. Fluttershy froze. Her breath caught in her throat and she could do little more than whimper, only able to brace for the cold metal talons sure to cut through her. "But who would want to kidnap Fluttershy? It's not like she's rich or anything." Rainbow asked, hovering above her gathered friends in Twilight's library home. Twilight's wings fluttered nervously. "That's the troubling part. Whomever did this would have to know the Princesses would get involved in finding a vital part of Equestrian national security. I can't think of a single kingdom or empire that would risk a conflict with us..." "Oh, but what if she's in trouble right now, and we're just standing here talking?" Pinkie suggested frantically. "We all want Fluttershy back safely, but we simply can't charge in without a plan," Rarity cautioned. "Although, even if we did have a plan, we still don't know where to charge." "I still think she just got lost. I mean, she went to Whitetail Woods! The deep part," Dash explained. "When we were camping, we were just on the edge!" "Well, lost or not, if that's her last known location, then that's where we should start," Twilight suggested. "Everypony on board?" They nodded. "Then it's settled. Spike, can you hold down the library while we're gone?" Twilight asked, as Spike saluted. "I'll also make sure Princess Celestia knows where you're going in case you need help," he said dutifully. "Right, then let's go find Fluttershy!" Celestia scribbled her signature on one document after another. Such was the menial work of a ruler. Though she tried to comprehend the recommended tax adjustments to the sale of grass fifty bales or over she simply couldn't get those odd ponies out of her mind. The notecard they'd given her still sat on her dresser, taunting her with its simplistic message. She tore her eyes away from it, forcing herself to review the next item in her docket. It seems unverified groups of griffon bandits had been harassing her subjects near the border her kingdom shared with the Grifaria. She knew the griffon high command would never acknowledge the training and arming of such disruptive forces, but the townspony's insistence on the added security of an army division would no doubt stoke Grifarian suspicions of an invasion. Celestia had no plans whatsoever to invade what amounted to a rocky spit of a country with little strategic or material value, but far be it for them to believe her. The griffons would be no problem in an all-out war. It was their backers, the dragon territories, that could turn the tide of a conflict. The dragons didn't like griffons, but knew they were relatively harmless. However, the dragons saw a united pony-kind as a threat, should they ever get on bad terms. Thus a defensive pact was formed. Celestia was sure it would be honored by either side. Undeterred, Celestia authorized a division of infantry to be stationed at Amalga, a border town receiving the brunt of the harassment. After the flourish of her signature, she sat back on her cushion, releasing a heavy sigh. Once again, she found herself staring at the parchment the strange unicorns had given her. When she rang her bell, a guard appeared snappily by her door. "Yes, Your Highness?" "Is that organ still in the library?" The guard searched his thoughts briefly before answering. "I believe it is." "Assemble it in my conservatory," she insisted, looking out over the gardens beyond the window of the royal study. "And fetch my afternoon tea." "As you wish, Your Highness." The guard took his leave just as a scroll wrapped in a green flame appeared in front of her. Fluttershy marveled at the surprising softness of the creature's grip. It had fingers, like Spike or a griffon would, except they were more round and certainly softer. As she flew over the landscape, she looked up toward the thing carrying her. In the daylight, it was not as terrifying as before. It was otherworldly, and certainly still scary, but not faint-inducing. It seemed to have a bird’s head and wings, though without feathers. The smoothness of its skin was like that of a cow's hide, except hairless. A few buckles and clasps held on what appeared to be gloves and boots, though from the looks of them, she doubted they'd ever been removed. A curious thing about the creature was the hose running from where a bird's beak would be. It ran along his back to parts unknown, but by far the most interesting feature was its eyes. They cast an eerie glow from behind a glass lens, and Fluttershy recalled they'd had the ability to change color, somehow. Before she could continue her analysis, they landed in the cave. The beast set down with a thud, though it was very careful to let Fluttershy walk under her own power back inside. It seemed to have prepared a smaller nest for her. Fluttershy took a few cautious steps back into its lair, glancing at the nest she assumed was hers. "Uhm... thank you for the nest Mr..." She hadn't thought about what to call this thing up until now. "Bird." Not exactly creative, but it would have to do for now. Besides, it didn't seem like Mr. Bird was in any position to do much talking. He took a step toward her, his yellow eyes switching over to green in the mechanical crunch she'd recognized from the night before. “You're certainly more docile this way..." she commented. He folded his wings and hopped as a pigeon would, sending soft vibrations into Fluttershy's hooves. He dug into the larger circle of hay with his beak. Before long, he'd produced a number of berries, edible grasses, and—to Fluttershy's horror—a few small, dead mammals. He nudged them towards her with his head, before hopping back and turning towards the peculiar figure Fluttershy had noticed earlier when she'd first awoken. She smiled. She couldn't deny she was hungry, and certainly wouldn't say no to the berries and grasses. She quickly downed her meager meal while leaving the dead creatures and trying not to think about how much she hated seeing dead animals. Mr. Bird turned back from admiring figure. His sharp, punctuated movements turned his eye from his offering to his captive. "I-it was really quite good... except, well... I don't eat other animals." He seemed to realize she would not partake the rest, as he scooped up the two squirrels and a fox and hurled them out of the cave, much to Fluttershy's shock. She'd at least wanted to give them a proper burial! The beast thought nothing of it as he went on puttering about his lair, adjusting and scrutinizing his various treasures. Only then did Fluttershy realize that among those treasures was something quite peculiar. "Are those..." She squinted, not wanting to move from her nest, lest she upset Mr. Bird. "Books?" “Alright, I think the quickest way we're going to find Fluttershy is if we search in teams." Twilight instructed as the group arrived on the edge of the Whitetail Woods. "Since there are only five of us, somepony will have to stay here, in case Fluttershy finds her way out. Any volunteers?" Rarity was about to raise a hoof before Pinkie beat her to it. "Oh! Me! I'll have a picnic ready for us by the time you girls find her! And if she finds her own way, they we'll have a picnic while we wait for you!" "Okay then." Twilight nodded. "Applejack, you're with me. Rarity, you're with Rainbow. Meet back here by sundown." The teams split up, Rarity stifling her complaints about traipsing through the dirt and withholding her gripes about Pinkie raising her hoof faster than she was able. "How on earth could Fluttershy get lost in the woods?" she asked as Rainbow hovered a few feet above her. "Ya got me. She spends more time in them than anypony," she grumbled. After all, she'd skipped a valuable day of practice to look for Fluttershy! Not that she didn't hope she was okay, but at the same time, she wanted a pretty good explanation for having her routine interrupted. "You... you don't think she's hurt out here, do you?" Rarity asked as they continued down a marked path. "Nah, she can practically talk to animals!" Dash reasoned. "If she ever got hurt, I'd expect her to get a grizzly to carry her to the hospital on its back before just leaving her there." Rarity hummed in agreement as they continued deeper into the woods. The further they journeyed, the deeper an intrusive thought began to creep into their minds. Rainbow dropped to the ground beside Rarity to walk beside her, the dense foliage making flying difficult below the treetops. What if Fluttershy wasn't okay? Suppose something happened to her? Rarity shook the intrusive thought from her head. For what felt like hours, they walked in silence. Eventually, Rarity stopped, and Dash bumped her flank. Before she could protest, Rarity's put a hoof over her mouth then twitched her ears. "Do you hear that?" She removed her hoof as Dash listened intently. "Is... is that... music?" Dash asked. "It sounds like it. But, what on earth would music be doing playing out here? We must be miles from civilization!" Rarity wondered. Rainbow took a few steps ahead of Rarity. "Only one way to find out." She followed the sounds like a bloodhound on the trail of a fugitive before coming to a small clearing. A phonograph sat spinning idly in the clearing while a mare and a stallion in very proper dress attire danced as though they were at the gala itself. No camping equipment, not outdoor gear, and no way to indicate how they'd managed to drag a phonograph this far into the dense woods. They seemed not to notice the interlopers as they continued their waltz, all while carrying on a conversation only they could hear. "Uh... excuse me? You guys seen a yellow pegasus come by here?"