//------------------------------// // Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy // Story: The Mailbox Compilation // by Skeeter The Lurker //------------------------------// June 25, 2013 Dear Twilight Sparkle, I hope all is going well with you on your big trip around Equestria. I know that I just wouldn’t be able to walk in your hooves- too many ponies to meet and greet and too many speeches to give in front of so many ponies. All of that sounds like it would be ever so frightening... But I’m sure that you’re handling it quite well! A scary speech here or there would be easy for you to do, I’m sure of it. You’ve always been the best at those kinds of things, just like how I’ve always been the best at staying home with all the lights turned on whenever there’s a thunderstorm. Oh Twilight, that one was a joke. Was it funny? It probably wasn’t very funny. Tell me if you laughed? Or not, I guess I don’t really mind either way. Anyway, speaking of home, how do you think Spike is doing? I know that he’s taking care of your library, but do you think that he’s also been visiting the animals? I know that he must be a very busy dragon, but I just worry that all of the little ones won’t be able to take care of themselves. They can be so fragile at times, and they usually require a lot of attention. Twilight, do you think they’ll be okay in Spike’s care? Maybe this was a bad idea. Maybe I should go back home as soon as I can. Please tell me what you think? I’m just worried is all. I just don’t know. Perhaps I’ll take a piece of Rainbow’s advice, she always gives good advice you know. I think in this situation, she’d tell me to “suck it up”. Like a vacuum? I’ve always been afraid of the vacuum, but I think that’s what she was going for. Did she mean for me to face my fears head on? I guess I never quite knew what it meant, but it sounded like good advice. Oh my, I’ve gone on and on about my troubles. How terribly inconsiderate of me. Please, tell me a little bit about your troubles how you’ve been keeping? I’d just love to hear from you, I’m sure that you have so much to talk about. Is Stalliongrad as big as they say it is? I’ve heard stories, but I’ve never been. Have you visited the zoo yet? You might be busy with royal duties, but I hear the zoo is quite nice there. The animals have really big exhibits so it’s comfortable enough for them. You’ll have to tell me all about it, because I just know you’ll visit. Goodness! Speaking of animals, I think I spot a little critter outside my window... or a big one. Oh dear, that’s a real big one. Oh my gosh, Twilight, I think there’s a moose in my yard! I’ve never seen a moose before, only in books. This is so exciting! I’m sorry to leave you so soon, but I think I should be a good neighbor and say hello to my visitor. Please write back as soon as possible! - With love, Fluttershy P.S.- should I address you as Princess Twilight Sparkle in these letters? I can if you want. June 25th From Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Magic, attempting a new sending spell to mimic dragonfire. Dear Fluttershy, Thank you very much for the advice on going to the zoo. I managed to convince everypony today that we should go; I just had to make the argument that it would be an excellent way to get a better feel for the civic offerings here in Stalliongrad. Reasons aside, it was a great break from all the formal meals. It was still formal, but at least it was my, or rather your idea of something to do. The facilities here really are amazing. All of the enclosures are so large and well maintained. Sometimes zoos can be such sad places and look like prisons for animals, but here everything feels like a piece of the natural habitat uprooted and walled in. The primate exhibits were especially grand. Those lemurs with their funny little paws had so much space to climb and jump! I’m sure what Rainbow meant by ‘suck it up’ is for you to relax and enjoy yourself. You’re always so high strung, Fluttershy, you should be kicking back a little. Enjoy your vacation and make some new animal friends! Spike has been sending me regular letters through Princess Celestia, so don’t worry about a thing back home. If anything, he seems bored without all of us around. He said something about the library not needing quite so much work without crash-happy daredevils and neurotic re-organizers…I’m going to have to ask him what he meant by that exactly. The news he had to send along that you’d be interested in hearing is that Angel seems to have ‘declared himself emperor of the chicken coop.’ I asked him to clarify and he said he’d write more clearly once some of the ‘carrot-induced bruises’ went down. Overall, he says things are going just fine there and a few new families of squirrels have wandered in from the forest. I know you’re missing all your animal friends back home, but they’re in good claws. It was nice to hear from you, Fluttershy. Keep sending me places to drag all these stuffy ponies to if you think of any. -Twilight Sparkle PS It was a good joke. PPS I hope that moose was friendly! PPPS Just Twilight is fine, Fluttershy. I get called ‘princess’ enough around here. PPPS Oh no! My spell didn’t work right and I just got all the letters I sent back! No wonder nopony had sent anything in a while! Sending this the normal way now, sorry for not getting back to you sooner! Also, Spike told me ‘Angel was dethroned by a rooster he named Sven. Angel has been sulking since then, but nopony was hurt by the coup.’ I’m not sure how much of that is true and how much of it was Spike wanting to make a coop/coup pun, but everything is still fine back at your cottage. -Twilight Sparkle (July 1st) Fluttershy— Could I perhaps trouble you to write a song? Only if it’s not too much to ask. I’ve asked Rainbow as well, I’m conducting an experiment and I don’t know that she will. It’s for science! -Twilight Sparkle July 12, 2013 Dear Twilight (as you insisted), I’m so terribly sorry for the late reply! You see, what happened was, or what must have happened was, I was digging through my mail one day when your letter must have slipped from my clumsy hooves and fallen underneath the table. That’s where I found it! Well... that’s where the vacuum found it. I was cleaning the carpet, and, well... I sort of sucked it up into the dust trap. I just knew that vacuum was evil! They’re just so noisy and- oh, I just hate them! Oh Twilight, I hope you’ll forgive me! I’m just so overwhelmed by my own foolishness. You don’t hate me now, do you? You must have been waiting for days to get a letter from me that never came! I’m so so sorry, did I mention that? I’m very sorry! Anyway, I did manage to read your letter, though it was crumpled up and dirtied after coming out of the dust trap. I have so much to talk to you about now, and I’m sure that you have much to talk about as well, that is, if you still want to talk to me... That moose I was talking to you about? His name is Albert, and he’s lost his way recently. He stumbled upon my cottage looking for his family, but unfortunately, they were not here. I was so heartbroken when I heard his story, so I just had to invite him to stay with me for awhile, at least for some tea. He’s ended up staying for much longer in the meantime. He doesn’t talk very much, but he’s wonderful company, so it’s not so lonely up here. Yes, I have made many other friends in my time here, especially with the birds (and a bald-headed otter), but Albert is my favorite little moose so far! (Or big moose, he’s much bigger than me) We’ve decided to trek into the forest so that we might find his family. I certainly hope that we find them, It’d be such a heartfelt reunion. Don’t you think that would be such a beautiful thing to see? But I don’t wish to waste much time talking about myself. I must know what you’re up to, because I just haven’t heard from you in so long. Thank you so much for taking my advice, the zoo sounded like fun! Did you get to feed any of the animals? Sometimes they let you do that, just not for the big cat exhibit or the bears. You didn’t feed any of those, did you? I hope that you still have all of your limbs if you did, that would be scary. I got to feed a giraffe once, and his tongue was so long! Did you know that they can reach their ears with their tongues? It’s such a silly thing to think about, but I think it’s quite a talent. You probably didn’t want to hear that. Anyway, I can definitely think of other places for you to visit if you still want some advice. I just love giving ponies fun ideas of where to go for... well, fun. I just need to know where you are now, and I’d shoot you some good ideas. Please tell me everything about what you’ve been up to. I’m very interested to see what wonderful things you’ve been doing. Likewise, I’ll send you the highlights of my little trip into the forest! - With love, Fluttershy P.S.- I’m still very sorry about the length of time between this reply. P.P.S.- No, seriously, I’m very very sorry. I promise to not take so long if you write back! P.P.P.S.- Please? P.P.P.S.- Oh, and don’t worry about Angel. He’s done this once before, and with the same result. The chickens don’t seem to like being controlled. Anyway, I’m sure Spike is doing just fine with the animals! I hope to see them soon, and you girls as well. P.P.P.S.- I’m currently writing you a song, but I’m struggling with the lyrics. I’m sorry... again. Oh, I’m just such a disappointment, aren’t I? I will have the song for you though, soon, I promise. August 3rd From Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Magic Dear Fluttershy, Now I’m the one who has to apologize for taking so long to get back to you. I have had a really strange couple of weeks just recently that have kept me rather busy. I thought I’d have time to write during some downtime while I was in Neighagra Falls, but I basically didn’t have any downtime. I’ve just been running around pretty much nonstop since I met back up with everypony after Las Pegasus. Apparently Princess Celestia had a few things rescheduled when I was in Manehattan to give me a bit of a break, and they all caught back up here. Speaking of Las Pegasus, I’m still trying to wrap my head around everything that changed there. I wouldn’t change a minute of it, though. Applejack, Rainbow, and I have…well, I don’t really know what we have. But it’s a good thing, whatever it is. If nothing else, it made the whole trip a little easier to deal with. I still miss everypony, but I’m not going stir-crazy anymore. How have things gone with Albert? I haven’t had the chance to meet a moose before, but when I told Princess Luna about Albert she giggled in the strangest way. I did a little bit of poking around and I think she dated a moose centuries ago. I really want to hear that story, but her lips are rather sealed on the subject, and Princess Celestia has been poking at me enough recently I haven’t worked up the nerve to ask her about it. Neighagra Falls has a spectacular animal sanctuary, and one of these days you’ll have to go see it. When we were walking through it, I kept thinking of you and how much you’d enjoy it. Maybe next summer we could all come back here; there’s something here for everypony to do, I think. Of the three places I’ve been, I’ve liked the Falls the best. Maybe that’s just because I’m happy, but it seemed like everywhere I went reminded me of home. Somepony took a barrel ride off the side of the Falls while we were there and I couldn’t help but picture Rainbow doing that, just for the thrill of it. The old growth forests reminded me of Sweet Apple Acres, the shops reminded me of Carousel Boutique, and one of the parties I attended was actually fun. Next place we’re headed is Yokestone National Park. I’m not really sure why; it doesn’t seem like there’s much of a meet and greet that can be done there. I’m not going to complain, though. I remember visiting there as a filly and spending months researching geology afterwards. I can’t wait to see it again. Take your time on that song. Rainbow helped me out with that already, and my research technically only needs something from one pegasus. A second would help out, but it’s not an emergency. None of it’s an emergency, so you don’t need to beat yourself up on my account, okay? You’re wonderful, Fluttershy, and I’m not going to get mad just because you’re also busy. Hope to hear from you soon. -Twilight Sparkle September 10, 2013 Dear Twilight, I’ve been away for a while, and for that, I am very sorry. But I have that song for you... at last. I guess that I just had nothing to sing about. But now that is not the case. I’m quite nervous... I hope that you find this acceptable. But if not, then I’m very sorry. I’m sorry for a lot of things lately, it seems. I won’t be back in Ponyville for a few more days. I... think you know why. “The flowers bloom in the garden, Do they bloom for me? I’d like nothing more than for it to be true, Please believe me... If I stayed, Would I be a burden? If I stayed, Would you hold me? Because if not I’d like to know, If you are leaving. The flowers bloom in the garden. They do not bloom for me. If this is how it is, Then there’s nothing more here for you to see. If I stayed, Would I be a burden? If I stayed, Would you hold me? Because if not, I’d like to know, If you are leaving.” - With love, Fluttershy