//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: A Strange New World // Story: An Unexpected Friend // by White_Cloud //------------------------------// Fluttershy was having the most wonderful dream. She dreamed she was in her cottage, laying on her couch with Angel reading his favorite story to him. All of her other animal friends were gathered around as she continued to read the tale. Suddenly, she smelled something delicious coming from her kitchen. At first she couldn’t make out the intoxicating scent, but as the smell got stronger, it finally came to her mind. “MMM…blueberry muffins!” she said with a huge grin on her face. “I just love blueberry muffins!” She lifted Angel off of the couch and onto the floor as she tried to stretch out her wings to get the kinks out. But her wings appeared to be stuck to her body. She looked behind her and saw that there was nothing holding them in place, but she could not make them move. Panic began to set in as she strained to get them to stretch out, but no matter how much she tried they would not budge. Suddenly a bright white light surrounded her and a scream seemed to echo all around her. She couldn’t see where the scream was coming from, and then she realized she was the one screaming. Struggling to get her wings open, she began to fall. Faster and faster she fell as the scream continued to pierce the vast empty place she was falling through. Suddenly she hit something hard, and the real nightmare began. Fluttershy hadn’t realized that she had squeezed her eyes shut as she was falling, so she began to slowly open them and then immediately clenched them shut again. Wh-wh-where am I-I? This place she was in frightened her to no end. Nothing looked familiar. She tried to open her wings, but a sudden stab of pain shot through the wing all the way into her body. She grimaced and let out a soft groan as she slowly opened her eyes and looked back. Her wing was tied in place with what appeared to be a bandage. She realized that she had somehow hurt her wing, but she couldn’t remember how. Fluttershy began to take in her surroundings. It appeared she was lying on a long red couch. The material felt coarse, not soft and inviting like the couch in her cottage. She continued to survey the large room. There was a large rug on the floor, and a table on top of that littered with books and other strange things she had never seen before. Oh Celestia…w-w-where am I? She began to shake fiercely as thoughts raced through her mind. I-I have t-to get out of h-here. Fluttershy began to stand, and then immediately fell back down as she felt another sharp pain rocket up her hind leg. Looking back she noticed that her leg was also bandaged up. Panic set in even deeper as she realized she was going nowhere. Celestia, if you can hear me, please help me… …… Sam was in the kitchen baking a batch of blueberry muffins. It was an odd habit of his, but whenever he was stressed he would bake. It always seemed to help calm him down and give his mind some clarity, and boy did he need it. Laying in his living room was a real Pegasus! How many people could say they had ever seen a Pegasus, let alone had one in their house? As Sam set the muffins on the counter to cool, he took off his oven mitts and looked out the kitchen window. Yes, it’s a Pegasus. But it’s hurt. You don’t know anything about Pegasi anatomy. How can you take care of an injured Pegasus? He glanced at the doorway that led to the living room and sighed. Maybe it isn’t real. Maybe this whole thing is a dream. He quickly pinched his arm and felt the pain travel along the length. No, you are definitely awake. He needed a drink. Sam was not much of a drinker, but at times his job got so stressful that it helped to relax him when he got back home. Walking over to a cupboard and pulling out a tall bottle of whiskey and a shot glass, he poured some of the brown liquid into the glass and quickly downed it. The burning sensation that went down his throat was a welcome escape, even if it was just for a moment. He quickly poured another shot and downed that one just as quickly. Sam could feel the alcohol starting to take the desired effect as he slowly put the bottle back into the cupboard. What am I going to do? It can’t stay here. …… Fluttershy heard a sound coming from what she could only guess was the kitchen. The smell of muffins was unmistakable, as was the random noises one usually heard coming from a kitchen. Somepony was in there. Fluttershy started to panic once again and attempted to jump off the couch. But her bandaged leg prevented her from moving too far, the pain was unbearable. Fluttershy let out a soft whimper as tears began to roll down her face. I w-want to g-go home! She laid her head on the couch and covered it with her hooves. I just w-want to go h-home. Suddenly, the room became silent; no more noises were coming from the kitchen. Fluttershy slowly lifted her head, and then quickly covered it again as she saw a strange creature standing in the room and staring at her. She began to shake as she clenched her eyes shut and the tears began to flow faster. I want to go home! I want to go home! …… Sam decided he had avoided the Pegasus for long enough. Its wounds were pretty bad and he didn’t want to leave it alone for too long, especially if it woke up. No telling what it might do. Sam took a deep breath and slowly stepped into the living room. It appeared the Pegasus was still sleeping, but then he saw it move its head from under its hooves, look at him briefly, and then quickly put it back under. He could see that it was shaking fiercely, and Sam felt a pang of sadness enter into his heart. He really felt for this creature, being in a strange place with no one you know. He had felt the same way when he had first moved here. It was quite the adjustment and it took a long time for him to really feel like this was home. Sam just stood in the room and stared at this poor, lost Pegasus. Finally, after a few moments, he decided to try and calm it down. “Ummm…hi there.” He started, shakily. “My name is Sam. I’m the one who helped you out of that bush in the park. I brought you here to take care of your wing and leg. They were pretty banged up. Oh, what am I doing? I don’t even know if you can understand me. Oh, this is stupid!” Sam flopped down into his desk chair and just stared at the yellow and pink Pegasus cowering on his couch. “I…I wish you could understand me. I just want to help you. I’m not going to hurt you. I don’t know what to say.” Sam turned the chair and laid his head down onto the desk. “This is useless…” Suddenly, the Pegasus peeked out from under one hoof. It stared at him for a minute, and then it lifted the other hoof. It was still shaking, but at least it seemed to have slowed its crying. Sam lifted his head in wonder as the creature slowly put its hooves on either side of its head and stared at him. It still had tears rolling down its face, and it seemed very scared. “I am not going to hurt you.” Sam said softly. “I only wanted to help you.” Sam slowly stood up, but then the Pegasus put its hooves back over its head. “All right, all right. I’ll stay right here.” He slowly lowered himself back into the chair. The Pegasus once again removed its hooves from its head and stared at him. “I have no idea what to do here. This, this is all so…overwhelming. I mean, a real live Pegasus is in my house!” Sam heard a noise coming from the Pegasus, and he realized it must be its stomach. In all the excitement and wonder, he hadn’t thought about it being hungry. “Let me get you something to eat. I’ll be right back.” Sam once again slowly got up and walked into the kitchen. Now, what would a Pegasus eat? Maybe some vegetables. I know on TV they always show horses eating carrots and other vegetables. Maybe some oats? I have some in the cupboard here for oatmeal. Sam began to quickly gather the food together and then took it back out into the living room. Moving very slowly so that he didn’t scare it, he softly placed a bowl of oats and a plate of vegetables onto the coffee table. Slowly sliding them towards it, he then backed off and sat in the desk chair. The Pegasus cautiously lifted its head and stared at the food. “It’s oats and vegetables. I wasn’t sure what you would like, and it seemed like you were hungry from the way your stomach growled. I just grabbed what I could find. I know it’s not much.” The Pegasus stared at the food for a minute, and then quickly bent down and grabbed a carrot into its mouth. Chewing and swallowing the carrot faster than humanly possible, it quickly grabbed another, and then another until the entire plate was empty. “You must have been starving. I’ve never seen anyone eat so fast.” Once again, Sam got up to clear the plates, but the Pegasus hid again. “Ok, I will still sit here.” They both stared at each other for a long while, Sam unsure of what to say, the Pegasus, silent and scared. “This is pointless.” He said quietly. “You can’t talk and I have no idea how to take care of a Pegasus. Your supposed to be a mythical creature! How do you care for a mythical creature? You know, I can’t just keep calling you ‘It’ all the time. I don’t even know if you‘re a male or female. Oh, who am I kidding. This is a huge disaster.” Sam once again laid his head on the desk and groaned loudly. Suddenly, he heard a small noise. He slowly raised his head and stared at the Pegasus. “No, it can’t be. I must be hearing things. Must be the alcohol messing with my head.” But then he saw the Pegasus’s mouth move and quiet sounds coming out of it. “Are…are you…? No…no…” It happened once again, but this time it was slightly louder. “My name is Fluttershy…” Sam, in utter disbelief, slowly leaned in closer. “Are you…talking?” Once again the Pegasus moved its mouth. Unmistakable this time, he could understand a few of the words. “My name is Fluttershy.” Sam jumped out of his seat and began to back away as the Pegasus let out a small squeal and once again hid its head. “No…it’s impossible. Pegasi don’t talk. Pegasi don’t exist! No, I must be going crazy. I’m starting to see and hear things that aren’t really there. You don’t exist! You can’t exist! Oh man, I am losing it!” Sam continued to back away until he finally hit a wall and then slid down it. “This is a nightmare. This whole thing is my head conjuring up some twisted joke of a nightmare.” Sam sat there and quietly giggled to himself. “You’re not real. None of this is real. I have to be dreaming.” But the Pegasus raised its head once more and began to softly talk again. “I-I think I’m real.” Sam began to calm down as he stared at this fascinating creature sitting on his couch. “Oh man, this is almost too much to handle.” Sam slowly began to get up and then walked back over to the chair. Gently lowering himself into the seat, he stared at the Pegasus in wide-eyed amazement. “Who are you?” “My name is…Fluttershy.”