8:38 am [Ponyville]
After performing their morning rituals to start the morning that greeted them, everypony in town had begun performing their tasks that they needed to have done before the day ended.
Meanwhile, a certain Element of Laughter waved towards a number of citizens that she greeted while bouncing about in her usual cheerful demeanor. As per usual, she was
As she bounced by the Golden Oaks Library, Pinkie had stopped in mid-bounce and was seemingly frozen in midair three feet off the ground as her “Pinkie Sense“ went off in the form of a shudder, which spread from the top of her fluffy cotton candy-like mane to the bottom of all four of her hooves. As soon as the shuddering had ceased with spreading through her body, the pink ball of hyperactive sunshiny goodness dropped to the ground on all four hooves as easily as a cat would.
Uh oh...
Inside the library-tree, the purple unicorn known as Twilight Sparkle had already begun organizing an entire shipment's worth of new books as she effortlessly levitated them into their proper place while her horn gave off her signature magenta colored aura.
The baby dragon that many knew as Spike was sorting today's mail, consisting of the usual bills and occasional junk mail.
Why the heck would we even want a lifetimes supply of dog-food? Spike thought to himself.
No sooner had they thought today would be an eventless day, the door of the library slammed open as a pink blur rushed over to Twilight and used her forelegs to shake the unicorn senseless as Spike stopped mid-sorting.
“Twilight-I-gotta-tell-you-something-and-it's-really-super-duper-ultra-important
“Pi-i-i-inkie ca-ah-ah-ah-ahlm down and sto-ah-ah-ah-ahp sh-sh-sh-shaking me!”
Pinkie Pie immediately stopped shaking Twilight in her forelegs as she looked at Twilight, now annoyed and sporting a dishevelled mane from the vigorous shaking.
“Heheh.. Oops..” Pinkie so eloquently stated as she released her friend.
Spike immediately went to his older sister's side as he waited for Pinkie’s logical explanation for why she was acting like this today, which in all honesty is something that you won't usually expect.
“Now, since you’re done shaking me like a complete and utter lunatic, would you be so kind as to tell me exactly what it is you’re trying to tell me?” asked Twilight.
“And this time, do it in a way where it’s actually decipherable.” Was Spike’s suggestion.
The purple duo waited as Pinkie Pie breathed in and out. Her chest steadily rises and falls as she performs this technique to relax. On the last breath, she exhaled outwards and began her explanation.
“Okay, you know how when I shudder my Pinkie Sense is telling me that it’s a doozy?”
Twilight and Spike nodded nervously, since there’s no way in Tartarus they could ever forget, not after that whole fiasco involving her Pinkie sense.
“Well, I was just minding my own business and doing my usual happy bouncing while greeting most of everypony in town when-”
Pinkie’s body immediately shuddered from her mane to hooves in mid-sentence, and stopped almost as fast as it had begun.
“When that happened!” Pinkie exclaimed; “Guys, I think it’s trying to tell me to go some place! I don’t know where! But it’s super-duper-chocolate-sundae-with-a-cherry-on-top important that we go there right now!”
Twilight and Spike looked at each other for a brief moment, then looked back at Pinkie.
“Show us the way.” came Twilight’s request.
-
8:55 am [Fluttershy’s cottage]
Upstairs, Fluttershy was in the bedroom that she had reserved for guests visiting her humble cottage, or rather, the strange little ape she brought into the cottage a little while ago. After walking slowly to the bed so she wouldn’t disturb the poor little thing on her back, Fluttershy turned her head towards him, then used her teeth to grasp the straps of his garment and carefully lifted him off of her back by said straps. As he dangled from her mouth by the back of the straps, Fluttershy then used her forelegs to hoist herself onto the bed and gently lowered him until he was laying on his back with his head resting on one of the pillows.
Seeing him sleep so peacefully, Fluttershy couldn’t help but smile as she gently towards him and gently rubbed his left cheek with her left foreleg, but her smile disappeared upon touching it. She then moved her foreleg to the little ape's forehead, and gasped at how warm it was and quietly got off the bed.
Angel watched the doorway as Fluttershy walked out of the bedroom, his left eyebrow lifted. While it wasn’t unusual for the compassionate pegasus to bring in sick, injured, or starving animals in need of help, the creature she had brought in was just so odd looking! What was it? Why was it wearing such odd clothing? How did it get in the area by the cottage? And what kind of ape would only have hair on its head and on its brow? There was so much to be made clear, and it’s obvious that Fluttershy didn’t know much about this thing either.
“Angel? Sweetheart?” The small white bunny immediately directed his attention towards Fluttershy.
“Since you’re here, would you mind watching over the little one while I get something to lower his fever?”
Angel nodded as Fluttershy smiled gently.
“Oh thank you Angel! I know he’ll be safe, especially when you’re around.”
Angel simply flashed her a bold smile as he nodded and hopped into the bedroom. Fluttershy simply giggled as she hovered off the ground with her wings and flew downstairs.
Inside the bedroom, the small white bunny made his way towards the bed where the young mammal laid peacefully. After a bit of preparation, Angel hopped onto the bed with ease, and turned his attention to the new guest in the cottage. Hopping a little closer towards him, Angel then got on his chest and managed to get a better look at his face. Now, aside from the fact that this, whatever it is, was male and similar to an ape or a monkey, it was obvious from his scent that not only was he young.. But he really needed a bath!
Angel then poked and prodded at the little one's cheeks and nose, not only did he have freckles on his cheeks like that orange stetson wearing mare that Fluttershy hung out with, but on his weird looking muzzle as well, how strange! Having such dots on there wasn’t something that ponies with freckles had, so what was this ape-thing doing with them there?
Angel's questions would have to be put on hold for now since his rabbity ears twitched in response to the creature's soft groaning and moved back a little. Soon, Fluttershys guest slowly started opening his eyes as his groaning came to a stop. The young one's eyes, which were hazel colored, then fully opened as his voice echoed from his throat in a tired and soft tone.
“Huh?” His head slowly turned left and right; “Where am I?”
Angel's eyes widened a bit as he heard the thing's voice. Why, he was as young as those three fillies that were always trying to earn their cutie marks! Maybe just a little younger!
The ape-boy turned his head to Angel as he slowly raised his left hand towards the bunny on his chest. Before the bunny could hop away from him, not knowing what he had planned, he stopped in his tracks as he felt the ape gently scratch him behind his long ears. The bed slightly shook as Angel’s left hind leg repeatedly thumped the boy's chest, oh how he enjoyed this! He was so into it that he didn’t even hear the ape chuckling in amusement at him.
This ear scratching and thumping session would soon end as the sound of wings flapping was heard by both occupants of the guest room. Angel looked at the bedroom door exiting out into the hallway for a moment, then looked at the ape-boy, who had shut his eyes and turned his head to the side away from the doorway as Fluttershy flew in with her forelegs holding a small red bowl of some sort of herbal smelling concoction with a tablespoon sticking out of it. What both the pony and the bunny heard from him next was something that they would not’ve guessed.
“I’m sorry if I’m trespassing. I-I don’t know how I ended up in this room, just don’t hurt me! I’ll do anything you want! I promise!! ”
Angel did a double take from what he had just heard. He was cowering.. From FLUTTERSHY of all ponies?! Well, it was normal to do that when she was using “The Stare” and facing down threats that would harm her or her loved ones. But for this boy to actually do so when she’s not in her 'assertive mode' ? Wow.. This seriously takes the carrot cake.
Fluttershy hovered lower as she placed the bowl of the herbal concoction on the desk drawer by the bed and then sat on the bed on her haunches by the boy.
“Why would I hurt somepony as young as you? Especially when I brought you here in the first place?”
The young one's eyes immediately popped open as his face relaxed, then turned his head upwards towards Fluttershy. Those same eyes widened just a bit upon seeing Fluttershy's face, and upon looking at the rest of her, he seemingly started asking questions if his lips trying to form words were of any indication, except for one tiny detail. No actual words were escaping them, vocally speaking.
“I’m guessing where you come from, there aren't any ponies like me.” Fluttershy said with a gentle smile. “Anyways, my name is Fluttershy, would you mind telling me yours sweetheart? If that’s okay with you.”
The boy's hazel brown eyes darted about in great confusion and hesitation. Obviously this wasn’t a dream, otherwise how else could he have felt the white bunny’s soft fur as he was scratching his ears? But then, this yellow pony thing with wings did bring him here, and she DID sound nice.
“Alan..” The boy squeaked out with a blush on his face (Angel of course had to withhold the urge to giggle), then cleared his throat; “I mean um.. Alan Banc.”
“Nice to meet you Alan. Now, seeing as you’re a little young to be out in the woods by yourself, would you mind telling me old you are? If you don’t mind that is..” asked Fluttershy.
The boy now identified as Alan looked at his hands as he counted his fingers, then responded to her request; “Um, I’m six, I’ll be seven sooner or later..”
Fluttershy's eyes widened in the same way Alan's did when he saw her face.
SIX YEARS OLD?! Fluttershy mentally exclaimed; This boy’s nearly the same age as Scootaloo, Applebloom, and Sweetie! Thank goodness I found him in time, or Celestia knows what would’ve happened. With that thought finished she resumed with her gentle smile; “Thank you for telling me Alan, now, could you sit up a bit?”
The child complied with her request as she turned her body to the desk drawer, lifted the bowl with her forelegs and turned back towards him with the bowl still in her forelegs.
“I checked your forehead, you have somewhat of a fever. Luckily, I made something that should take care of whatever’s ailing you, so I need you to eat it all up, okay sweetheart?”
“Um.. Okay, Miss Fluttershy.” said Alan.
“Just call me ‘Fluttershy’, there’s no need to call me miss.” Fluttershy giggled at the thought of it as she handed the bowl to him.
Alan began eating and found that, despite being medicine to help him feel better, this actually tasted better than he would have thought.
Of course those thoughts were interrupted by the sound of somepony knocking at the front of Fluttershy's cottage door.
“Er, keep eating Alan, Angel will keep you company while I get that.”
Fluttershy hopped off the bed onto the floor, then walked out of the door to see what the commotion was all about. After making her way downstairs, and towards the front door, she opened it to see Twilight, with Spike on her back, and Pinkie Pie who appeared to be shuddering quite a bit.
“Hi Fluttershy, I hope we're not interrupting something but.. Do you mind if we come in?” Asked Twilight.
"Um, sure! Come in!" came Fluttershy's reply.