Rarity went up to them, "Did you save the princesses?" she asked Nebula, and he simply nodded.
She then looked at the little filly next to him, sitting on the floor, "Did you say Playtime was created today?" she asked and stepped closer to Playtime.
"Yes" Fluttershy answered.
"Then it must be her…" she was then cut off with a sudden flash of pink and streamers flying out from behind the filly.
"Her Birthday!" Pinkie yelled and blew on a kazoo. "Happy Birthday Too You!" she then lifted the filly with her head, threw her up in the air and landed on her back, "Happy Birthday Too You!" she then bounced around the shop.
"Happy Birthday Dear…" she stopped and looked at the filly on her back in confusion, "Um, What's your name? Oh! Oh! Let me guess! Um… Hotbread? No, Flame Tempest? Ah… Oh! Oh! Playtime, Playtime!" she answered happily.
"Um, how did you know that?" Fluttershy asked.
"Just a hunch" she answered. She then looked at the filly, "You look soooo Adorable!" she bucked her up back and caught her in her with her hooves and hugged her.
She then realized something, "Oh! Oh!" she bounced up and down on her bum for a couple of times then bolted out in break neck speed.
Playtime sat there, dumbfounded of what just happened to her. She looked at Nebula in confusion. "Hmm" Rarity pondered and looked around her shop.
She then got to her small chess box and looked through it. "Yes! Found it!" she got out, levitating a grey headband with a white fake flower attached. She went up to Playtime and put it on her head, "Perfect!" she then turned the filly to a mirror.
Playtime's eyes widened and got up to her hooves and walked on over to the mirror. She played around for a moment then smiled.
Rarity went up beside her and sat, "Pinkie's right, you are rather adorable" she said to her. Playtime looked up at her and rubbed her head on Rarity's side, thankfully. Rarity wrapped a hoof around her, "You're very welcome, Playtime" she said to her.
Playtime's stomach then growled and rested her hooves on her stomach. "Oh yes, we mist lunch" Fluttershy said.
"I don't have much to eat here, but would you three like to go to the Sugar Cube Corner?" Rarity asked.
"Are you sure, Rarity? I mean, you don't have to" Fluttershy said to her.
"Nonsense, darling, business have been going great here" she then started going up the stairs to her room, "Wait here for a moment while I go grab my things" she said and went out of sight.
Fluttershy looked at Nebula, "Are you sure you're okay?" she asked, examining him over.
"Yes, I am fine" he answered, "I am not leaving you and Playtime anytime soon" he said to her with a smile.
"Okay, darlings, let's go" Rarity got back down with her saddlebag and a stylish hat.
As they went through Ponyville, ponies were a little nervous around Nebula, sense most of them saw him grow in great height. Playtime was right behind him, playing around with his bushy tail.
As they got to the steps of the Sugar Cube Corner, the door suddenly opened, followed by a loud bang, colored smoke and streamers flying out. They all were startled, causing Nebula to form a shield around them.
"Happy Welcoming slash Birthday slash Welcome Back Party!" Pinkie yelled happily, standing on top of her party cannon, wore a party hat and blew on her kazoo loudly.
Nebula took his shield down, and looks at Fluttershy, who almost had a heart attack and Playtime, who was clopping her hooves happily and smiled brightly at Pinkie.
He then heard trotting hooves behind him and looked to see Twilight, Applejack and Rainbow Dash going towards them.
The three got up to them, gasping, "Are… are we late…?" Twilight asked with spike on her back.
"Nope! Just in Time!" Pinkie answered and blew on her kazoo again. She then pushed aside her party cannon, "Come on in! Everything's ready!" she said and bounced in happily.
Nebula looked at Fluttershy again and she managed to slow her heart and catch her breath.
They all got in and the whole place was decorated for a party. There was a large cack on a table, a few games ready to be played, song playing and… empty.
He looked at Playtime and she started looking around with a bright smile.
Pinkie then snatched her and sat her down on the chair in front of the large cake, one candle lit up for her. "Come on Everypony! Happy Birthday Too You!" She started up the song; everypony joined her and got closer.
"Happy Birthday Dear" Twilight, Spike, Rainbow and Applejack stopped, not knowing the filly's name yet, but the rest finished for them.
They wait for Playtime to blow out her candle, but she just looked at them in confusion. "What's wrong, sugar cube?" Applejack asked.
"Oh, um, this is her first birthday party" Fluttershy said to them and they all looked at her in shock, but Pinkie just kept on smiling.
Fluttershy went up beside Playtime, "All you have to do is make a wish and blow out, Playtime" she said to her. She looked thoughtful for a moment, and then blew out her candle and everyone cheered for her.
All of a sudden, she cleared her throat and spoke, "Mah… My voice! He-he-he! I can talk! Yay!" she clopped her hooves happily, bounced on her chair and everyone's jaws dropped, except for Nebula.
"You… You can talk?" Fluttershy asked, trying to figure out what was happening.
She looked at her and nodded, "I can now. I don't why I couldn't before" she said happily. She looked at the cake and sniffed it, "What's this thing?" she asked them, trying to figure out what the colorful circular object was.
"It's a cake silly little filly!" Pinkie giggled and started cutting up the cake. She put the first slice on a plate and gave it to the birthday girl. She looked at it for a moment looked back at Pinkie, "Do I eat it?" she asked and Pinkie nodded happily.
She took a small bite and chewed. Everyone looked at her, wondering what was going through her mind. She swallowed and smiled, "Mmm, that's good!" she then started eating the slice, bite by bite.
Everyone had a slice, Angel as well. They played games, which Playtime and Pinkie enjoyed the most, mostly pin the tail on a pony and Nebula just watched. Having fun was one of those things he needed to get used to.
He was just resting down on the floor, watching the others play and laugh. Spike then went up to him, a little nervous, "Aah… I-I'm, Spike" he brought out his hand for a shake, shaking a little.
He lightly shook his hand with only using his thumb and his index finger, "Nebula" he replied and rested his hand over the other.
Spike sat down beside him, "So… why aren't you playing along?" he asked.
"I do not know how to have fun" he answered, still watching the others.
"Well… what do you enjoy then?" he asked.
He thought for a moment, "Seeing Playtime and Fluttershy happy and having fun" he answered.
"What else?" Spike said again.
He thought for a few more moments, "I guess helping others" he answered.
"You need to get out more" Spike said to him, "I mean, do you have any other fun things to do with somepony?" he then looked at the others as well.
"No… I guess not" he answered and rested his head down on his arms.
Spike stood up and went over to Twilight's saddlebag, reached in and took out two crystals, a ruby and a sapphire. He then went back over to Nebula's side and sat down, "You eat jewels?" he asked and showed him the sapphire.
"Not yet" he grabbed it and just threw it in his mouth. It tasted sweet, unlike any other.
"So, how is it?" Spike asked and took a bite out of his ruby.
He swallowed, "Good, thank you, Spike" he thanked him.
Spike chucked the rest of the jewel in his mouth, "Noff problemff" he swallowed, "We dragons have to stick together" he then propped himself on Nebula's shoulder and used his hands as a pillow.
After the party, the rest of the group were a little more use to Nebula being around and Fluttershy was happy they started trusting him around her.
The party ended in the middle of the afternoon. Fluttershy and Nebula went to the door way, Playtime resting on Nebula's back, wearing a party hat.
Fluttershy turned to Pinkie, "Thank you for the party, Pinkie" she thanked her.
"My pleasure! Playtime was so much fun! She just destroyed that piñata like it was nothing! It was so awesome!" Pinkie said happily and bounced up.
"Thank you for the fun party, Pinkie" Playtime thanked her, still tiered.
"Not a problem you silly little filly!" Pinkie rubbed Playtime's head with her hoof, causing her to giggle.
Flutterrshy and Nebula got out and started headed for Fluttershy's cottage. As they got out of Ponyville, Playtime spoke up, "Where are we going?" she asked.
"To my home" Fluttershy answered, walking alongside Nebula.
When they got to her cottage, it was so quiet that Fluttershy winced at her abandoned home. It was a little messy, moss growing on the small bridge, few bird houses fallen on the ground and a few over grown vines and plants on her cottage. She then leaded, went over the small bridge and went up to her door.
She opened it up and everything was just so calm. She got in and Nebula followed in. Playtime hopped off him and looked around the empty building, "Why is it so empty? Do you live alone here?" Playtime asked her.
"No" Fluttershy got to her kitchen and looked in her coverts and fridge. Everything was still in their place, but the apples and berries started to stink and rot.
Playtime sat on the couch, "Where's everypony?" Angel hopped up on the couch as well.
Fluttershy got out and sat down on the floor with a sigh, "Not here anymore" she said sadly.
She then started going up the stairs and got into her room. Her things were all untouched, the sun lighted up her room. She got in a little more and sat down in front of her window.
Nebula slowly stood in the threshold of her room and looked at her crestfallen form. Playtime then went to his side and looked at Fluttershy.
She slowly got in and went up beside the crestfallen mare, "What's wrong, Fluttershy?" she sat down beside her.
"It's my fault they're all gone, I hope their doing okay without me" she said.
Playtime thought for a moment, "Um, can I ask who were here with you?" she asked.
"I take care of animals in need and they all companied me here, but now…" she stopped.
"Maybe we can… um…" Playtime thought for a moment and perked up, "Clean your home! If it looks new, maybe they'll come back" she said to her.
"I guess so" Fluttershy inhaled and sighed. She looked at the filly with a sly smile, "Let's get on it then" she said happily.
First, they cleaned up inside, wasn't really messy, just a few dusty spots here and there and moved on right out.
Nebula took care of the vines on the cottage, Playtime cleared the path to Fluttershy's cottage and the little bridge and Fluttershy hung up some new bird houses on a tree and cleaned up the little stream under the bridge.
She went around her cottage and saw the chicken fence was empty. For once, she was glad she forgot to fix the hole on the cage.
She got in and cleaned up a little, a few white feathers here and there and coiling vines on the cage.
She sat in the middle to rest for a moment and looked around to make sure she got all the vines. She then heard a familiar bird, no, birds in the forest behind her. She looked but couldn't see what was making the sounds.
She flew over the cage and slowly walked towards the forest, "H-hello?" she said quietly, now standing at the edge of the Everfree forest.
Then a wall of white bounced out from the forest, sound of flapping wings and a series of "Buk Buk!" came at her.
It startled her at first, but smiled once she knew it was her chickens. "Oh my, I missed you all too" she hugged them. Then a rooster landed on her head and hugged her. She looked up with her eyes, "Good to see you too, Mister Rooster" she greeted.
She then lead them to their cage, went to her shed and found the seeds for the chicken. The bag was about the size of her body. She grabbed it with her teeth and struggled to get it out.
"Need any help?" she jumped and turned to see Playtime peeking in. She sighed in relief, "That would be nice" Fluttershy said.
Playtime got in, threw the large bag in the air and landed on her back. She then skipped out, humming a little tune to herself. Fluttershy still had a hard time believing the filly was stronger than anypony.
They both fed the chickens, Playtime asked questions as usual. They both got out then saw Nebula coming around, blowing blue fire on the vines burning it off the cottage. Then the chickens started going nuts in their cage.
"Oh no, um… It's okay, chickens, he won't hurt you, I promise. Um, please calm down, he won't eat you" Fluttershy tried to calm them down.
Nebula looked at them and wondered what he could do to help them. The main problem was him, so what could he do to himself. He then thought of something and his body started shrinking down.
The chickens then stopped and looked to Nebula's direction. "Awwwe" Playtime said. Fluttershy looked and saw a younger Nebula.
His body was about the size of Spike, had small wings, short horns and legs, a large head, big eyes and kept the bushy tail.
Playtime got out the cage and went over to him, "You look so Cute!" she then hugged him tightly.
She looked at the chickens and they all calmed down and did whatever chickens do with their free time.
She flew over the cage and went over to the two. Nebula did rather look cute and adorable in his size and age. He looked at her with big blue eyes, causing her to blush a little.
"Um, th-thank you" she thanked him.
"You're welcome" he replied in his childish tone.
"I could just hug till your head pops out!" Playtime said again, hugging him a little tighter.
They got in for a little dinner, but only had sandwiches and a couple of apples Nebula teleported. He was still small and cute, but his mind was still mature.
Fluttershy swallowed and looked at Nebula sitting beside her, eating an apple, "So, how long are you going to stay like that?" she asked.
"My body will grow a little day by day, starting in two days. Your little animals friends need to get use to my appearance" he answered.
"Oh, okay" she said.
After couple of hours of talking, laughing and settling in, the outside weather cooled and darkened.
They got to Fluttershy's room, tiered. Fluttershy got on her bed, Playtime resting to her left and Nebula to her right. The only problem she had with Nebula's size was… well, his size. He can't keep her wrapped in his wings and warm her with his body.
She pulled up her blanket, covering their bodies. She looked over the edge and saw Angel getting himself comfortable and pulled up his little blue blanket.
"Goodnight, Angel" she said and he nodded in response.
She then rested her head on her pillow, and Playtime cuddled closer to her, "Goodnight, Fluttershy" she said.
She smiled, "Goodnight, Playtime" she replied. She then looked at Nebula beside her, wrapped by his tail and was looking out the window, as usual. "What's wrong, Nebula?" she asked quietly.
He looked at her, "Why do we live? What's the meaning of living?" he rested his head on the bed, "Why…?" he said.
Fluttershy had no idea how to answer his question. Instead of answering, she pulled him closer to her with her wing, "I don't know… but you'll find the answer someday" she said to him.
He scooted closer to her, feeling her warm body, "Now I know why you like being embraced" he said to her and closed his eyes to go to sleep. She blushed by this, but smiled and nuzzled him.