*1 day later* Okay I have everything ready with my lunch with Shadowmane… I think… I hope! Oh, I hope he doesn’t think this picnic will be terrible and think of me as a rotten neighbor. No, I have to be brave, be courteous, and be kind. I’m bringing Angel Bunny with me for the picnic as well. Angel Bunny has never seen Shadowmane before… I’m sure he’ll like him. I have to admit, I was terrified by his appearance at first, thought he was some demon out for my flesh. But I can see through the black coat, red eyes, and bat wings that he’s a yearning soul for company and a friend. I open the door and tell everyone to be good while we meet our new neighbor. And we’re off… oh wait do I have everything? Lunch, drinks, and Angel Bunny, good everything’s here. This is the first time I’ll spend some real time with Shadowmane, I’m sure he has a lot of interesting stories to tell about old Equestria. Like what were the animals of old Equestria like? Or what did the people eat back then, I’m just as curious as Twilight right now. I told him to meet me at the grass meadow at noon. He said he would also bring a picnic blanket with him. We set out and walk for about a lazy 10 minutes. Oh, I think I see him, in the fields. He’s sitting under a large parasol wearing his cloak without the headwear, lying at his side. The white picnic blanket is embroidered with amber swirling patterns, it’s very lovely. Angel Bunny gives me sign language to tell me he forgot something at the cottage.
“You go on back then; I need to see our new neighbor on time. Besides I think he sees me already.” Shadowmane is waving his hoof over to come over, ok… I can do this… I need to make a good impression. I head over and we shake hoofs, his hoof is so cold…
“Hello Fluttershy, I thought you wouldn’t make it in time” Shadowmane says.
“Oh, I would never keep my friends waiting, especially if they moved just right by me recently” I tell him. Shadowmane gently nods,
“I really do thank you for letting me clear up some land to ‘build on’. I thought someone like you would be hesitant letting me clear up trees. Are you sure no animals lived there?”
“I’m positive, I’ve been going through those parts of the forest for years, and no birds’ nest to groundhog holes was ever made there. Besides, I saw you replant the trees elsewhere, it wasn’t too hard was it?” I’m afraid he’ll say yes, but he shakes his head.
“I have a large magic reserve like Twilight. But I have more endurance and use up less magic energy. Twilight is always looking to learn new magic. But never does she learn how to refine her magic processing so she can use less. I hope some of this is getting through to you.” I get some of what he says; Twilight does have a lot of magic power. It was really something when she calmed that Ursa Minor.
“It’s getting through, some of it” I tell him. “You’re my 5th alicorn friend so far, what is it like having wings and a horn?” Shadowmane gives me a blank look in the eye. I tense up, “bad question?” I ask him.
“It isn’t, just uncommon that’s all. Well to be honest, it truly is an amazing thing. So many ponies look up to you, hoping you’ll have the leadership skills necessary to keep their lives happy. It's not easy i'll tell you that, so much responsibility one one pony...” Shadowmane gazes into the grass fields being blown by the wind. “People like me never have moments like these, to sit with a friend that doesn’t address you a “majesty” or “sire”, in a lush green meadow with no noise but the birds chirping. It’s all… so new to me… I like it…” We spend the next 5 minutes having some salad and talking about what my friends are like and how they treat me. Angel Bunny returns with a stalk of carrots in his hand.
“Oh, Angel Bunny,” I say standing up, “I’d like you to meet our new neighbor Shadowmane.” Shadowmane gently smiles and greets Angel Bunny. Angel looks at him, and suddenly gets a very irritated look in his eye. He gets furious and starts kicking Shadowmane’s leg. Not flinching in the slightest, Shadowmane looks upset.
“Did I… do something wrong?” he says disappointed.
“I don’t know, Angel please stop that, that is no way to treat a guest.” Why is he doing this? Shadowmane was just sitting there, doing nothing. Shadowmane makes a melancholy sigh,
“I made some studies that most animals make their first impressions of new ponies based off of their appearance. Angel Bunny must assume I’m dangerous and want to harm you.” Would Shadowmane do that to me? No, he would never do that, he’s one of the gentlest ponies I’ve ever met. “I guess your friend doesn’t want me here, I understand, I’ve always been alone anyway, I’ll be okay.” Shadowmane puts his headwear back on and gets up, looking depressed. “Thank you Fluttershy for the lunch, but I guess I’ll take my leave.
“Shadowmane” I get softer again “don’t go…” This isn’t happening, I won’t let him leave sad and think I’m a bad neighbor. “Angel Bunny, how could you! He is in no way threatening to harm me. He wanted to be your friend and you rudely reject him! Now you go over there and say you’re sorry this instant!” Angel Bunny looked confounded and shot a quick glance back at Shadowmane, walking away back to his manor. Angel gave scrunched his eyebrows and stared back at me. I give him “The Stare”, eyeballs piercing into his conscience, he knows I’m serious. The bunny gazed to the ground, I could smell his guilt, and quickly hopped to Shadowmane. The black stallion looked at the white bunny, his expression concealed by his silk wrappings. Angel Bunny offered his carrot, the thing he always keeps to himself. Shadowmane looks at it for a moment and speaks up,
“Thank you”. Shadowmane can see the significance of this offer just like me; he affixes the half-eaten carrot on top of his ear. The black stallion lowers his head, to Angel Bunny’s level, offering a ride. The bunny accepts the offer, gripping the pony’s tall horn. They both return to the picnic spread and sit back down. “I can see the look in Angel Bunny’s eyes that you scolded him into apologizing. But it was Angel’s genuine regret and guilt that made his apology real.” The bunny hops off of Shadowmane’s head and back to my side.
“Good job Angel Bunny” I tell him, petting his head, “now will you promise to be more courteous to our guest?” Shadowmane goes back under the parasol, and takes his headwear off again, revealing his warm smile. We continue our lunch, and talk about our lives and what exciting things have happened. I tell Shadowmane about the Elements of Harmony, but however he is unfamiliar about that name. I tell him it’s what helped us thaw him from his frozen prison. When we finish our lunch we go home to introduce my animal friends. The animals didn’t take too kindly to Shadowmane’s appearance. But Angel helped make Shadowmane look nicer. “Are you sure you don’t want to stay, I mean it’s okay if you say no or not…?” I ask Shadowmane, ready to head back.
“Thank you for the offer Fluttershy, but I really need to get back home.” He starts trotting back, “if you ever want to visit me, my door is always open.” The black stallion opens a portal to his living room and vanishes. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that. I think I remember Applejack saying she’s going to set up a Welcome to Ponyville potluck for Shadowmane tomorrow. Oh, I wish I could go if I wasn’t supposed to make bird nests that day. I’m sure it’ll do just fine...