//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: Search Party // Story: Lost // by Cyanjames2819 //------------------------------// The next morning in the cave of the Everfree, Fluttershy stirred from her slumber, and yawned. She slowly opened her eyes and blinked a few times. She then shot them open and lifted her head, swiftly looked around in confusion. She looked towards the entrance and saw the creature, resting and looking out the cave. Memories then started to flood her mind and remembered her savior. She looked to her side and saw his handy work on her wing. She made a sly smile and looked back at him, "Um, g-good morning, N-Nebula" she greeted timidly. He looked back at her and nodded, then went right back on looking back out. After a few moments of silence, Fluttershy's stomach decided to break it with an embarrassing growl. She blushed and slowly started curling up on her mushroom bed in embarrassment. She looked at him and saw one of his ear twitches in response. So he stood up, stretched a little, sharpened his claws on the rock wall, making sparks and started going out. Fluttershy looked at her stomach, "You just have to get hungry, didn't you" she said and her stomach growled in response. Nebula got into the forest, and magically plucked a large leaf coming out of the ground. Ten feet later, he found a blueberry bush and started picking them. After a few minutes, he got the leaf full with fruits and berries again. He then heard a distant river, then thought of going there to get a bight after he delivered Fluttershy's breakfast. He was levitating the leaf bowl beside him and got out the forest. He then noticed a little patch of flowers near the entrance of the cave. He just ignored those and went in. He saw Fluttershy resting on the mushrooms, resting her head on her fore hooves. He slowly got to her and set the leaf bowl down beside her head. She got a little surprised by his sudden appearance, but smiled at him. What were these face expressions she gave him? Were they fear? Happy? Sad? What were they? "Thank you" she thanked him, dragged the bowl closer to her and started nibbling. Her eating pattern was… what is it? It was… was… what? He then turned and started going back to the entrance, hunger still reminding him he needed to eat to survive. He then heard her soft voice, "Um… w-where are you going… if you don't mind" she asked. He looked back, "Need to eat. Be back in a few minutes" he answered. He then spread his wings, jumped and started flying to where he heard the river. It took a few moments, but he found it nonetheless. He then flew over the large river and saw little shadowy figures in the water, swimming against the current. He then aimed to one and started dive bombing towards his target. He hit the water, opened his mouth and waited for the right moment to snap his jaws. He felt the fish with his tongue and shut his jaws tight. He opened his eyes and started swimming up. Thankfully, the river wasn't that dangerous to swim on. The fish wiggling in his mouth was a good catch; it should keep him going till mid-afternoon. He got to the shore, bit down on the fish and killed it to end its misery. He then grabbed it by its tail and bit off half of it body, chewed for the moment and swallowed. He looked at the other half, and decided to blow fire on it, cooking it on his claws. He finished and saw it steaming heat and darkened a little. He took a bite and chewed. He liked it a lot better this time, cooked fish is something he can get used to. Though his expression was still the same. Back in Ponyville, Rarity was going to Fluttershy's cottage, a little disappointed about yesterday's supposed spa date. "I swear, if that little rabbit keep on bossing her around, there's no doubt in my mind he will regret ever meeting me" she mumbled to herself. She got to her cottage and something was out of place, it was too calm. It looked like the place was abandoned. She started to get a little worried and quickened her pace. She got to the door and knocked, "Fluttershy dear! Are you home!?" she called out, no response. She knocked again, "Fluttershy! You're starting to worry me!?" she yelled again, nothing. Out of concern, she opened the door anyway and got in. Everything was still in place, except for the animals. "Fluttershy, dear!" she yelled out. She looked around the living room, and the kitchen, nothing. She then went up the stairs and looked in the bathroom, then her room. She got in the threshold of her room and stopped as she saw the little white bunny, crestfallen in front of the window, sunlight coming down on him. She didn't like the little bossy bunny, but this time, she was worried for him and Fluttershy. She slowly got in the room, "Um, Angel, darling, do you know where Fluttershy is?" she asked the saddened bunny. No response and his little ears were covering his face. She cleared her throat, "Angel, please answer me, do you know where, Fluttershy, is?" she asked again, with a little more authority. He shook his head lightly. She then levitated him and rested him on her back. She then bolted out the room and the cottage. She galloped towards Ponyville to meet up with her friends. She got to the library first and knocked on the door frantically. She waited for a moment, and checked on Angel, who was still crestfallen. The door finally opens, "Oh, hey Rarity" Spike greeted but she just ran past him. "Twilight! Twilight! Ugh, where is she!?" she looked around the library frantically. "Whoa, what's the rush?" Spike asked and closed the door. Rarity, went up to him, "Where's, Twilight!?" their noses touched, pressed and Spike started to get a little nervous. Twilight got out and kitchen with a tea cup levitated to her side, "Oh, hi Rarity" she greeted. Rarity looked at her and rushed up to her, "Twilight! You have you help me find, Fluttershy!" she yelled. "What?" she looked confused and leaned back. "Fluttershy's, cottage is abandoned, I can't find her there, and her poor bunny is depressed!" she showed the crestfallen Angel on her back. She looked at him with sorrow, "Poor baby misses his mommy" she nuzzled him on the cheek. "Really? When did she go missing?" Twilight asked and gave the cup of tea to Spike, who stood beside them. "Well…" Rarity looked thoughtful, "She didn't come to our annual spa date yesterday afternoon, but I don't know exactly when she went missing" she answered. She looked at the floor, saddened, "Now I just feel terrible about being upset with her" she said. "M-maybe she's still in town, or somepony saw her where she went" Twilight tried to assure her. Rarity sighed, "I hope so" she answered, still looking down at the floor. They both searched the whole town with Spike and the rest of their friends. Pinkie cleared half of the town in a flash, still no sign of the timid pony. Out of all of them, Rarity started losing it. She started hipper ventilate. "Calm down, Rarity. We'll finder" Twilight tried to assure her. She started taking deep breaths, "Maybe… maybe she's Not in town… M-maybe she's in…" she froze and looked at the dark forest. She gathered up her strength and started going towards the forest with Angel still on her back. "Rarity! Where are yah goin'!?" Applejack shouted. "Finding, Fluttershy" she answered with determination, and Angel started to be determined as well. The rest went besides her, following her, "You're not going in alone" Twilight said to her. Throughout the day, they looked and looked in the Everfree, but couldn't find a trace of their lost friend. The sun started to set under the horizon. "Fluttershy! Fluttershy! Where Are You Darling!?" Rarity yelled. Twilight went up to her, "Rarity, it's gonna get dark soon" she said to her. Rarity looked at her, "B-but what about Fluttershy!?" she faced her. Twilight saddened, "Yes, but it's too dangerous to go looking for her in the night. We'll start looking for her first thing in the morning, I promise" she tried to change her mind. Rarity looked behind her and into the dark forest, "Fine…" she started heading back, Twilight just behind her and the others meeting up with them. They all got to their homes, Rarity slowly getting to hers, bringing Angel with her. When she got to her boutique, the sky was already dark, littered with little stars. She opened the door and saw her little sister, Sweetie Belle, sleeping on the floor. She made a sly smile, and picked her up with her magic. She brought her sister to her room and gently put the little filly down to her bed and pulled up her covers. And last, she gave her a goodnight kiss on her forehead. She went to her own room and went up to her bed. She looked at Angel and he was sleeping soundly on her back. She carefully levitated him on her bed. She got in as well and pulled up the covers. She pulled the little bunny closer to her and gently wrapped her hooves around him, cuddling him. She sighed sadly and closed her eyes to drift off to sleep. Back in the cave, Fluttershy and Nebula got themselves a midnight snack. Fluttershy started to get used to her new friend, but she never seen him smile or angry in anyway. But he took good care of her. She swallows her last strawberry and looked at him, resting beside the mushroom bed. "Um… i-if you don't me asking… Nebula…" she said to him. He looked at her, "Yes?" he answered. "Um… do-do you ever, um, sm-smile?" she asked shyly. "Smile?" he said and she nodded. "What is smile? And what is the meaning of it?" he asked her instead. "Oh… um… w-when you're happy, excited, or thankful, you smile, like this" she showed him her adorable, bashful smile, then blush by his stare. "Then it is good to smile?" he said, and she nodded again. He started to move his lips to copy her on trying to smile. He twitched both his cheeks and started slowly smiling on his own. Fluttershy giggled, "That's right, you got" she said to him. He stopped smiling and looked out the entrance to see the night sky. He then heard her yawn and looked to see her resting her head on her fore hooves. She looked at him, "Goodnight" she said and closed her eyes. He stood up and went over to the entrance to look out. After a few minutes, he heard her moan and stir behind him. He looked and saw her body was shaking from the cool air. She tucked her legs in and her muzzle to warm them, but her body was still shaking. She curled up a little more and shifted her body to face him. He then started feeling the urge to help her somehow. She was getting cold, but what can he do? He started looking around for the solution, but there was nothing warm. But then looked at his wings and they kept him warm. So he stood and went over to her and rested down beside her. He then wrapped his wing over her, and pulled her a little closer to him. She opened her eyes when she felt a warm embrace wrapped around her. She looked and saw Nebula and his wing covering her whole body. She didn't know what to say, but when she felt a cold breeze go between them, she scooted a little closer to close that gap. At this point, she was very sure her whole face was red, but he felt so warm, she didn't care if her whole body turned red. She rested her head, on his side, cuddling him. She smiled and went back to sleep in his warm embrace. "Thank you" she thanked him. "Goodnight" he replied and watched the night sky through the cave entrance.