//------------------------------//
// Living with Fluttershy 
// Story: Two Worlds. One Fate. 
// by Requiem for Gods 
//------------------------------//

	The next morning came slowly to Fluttershy as she laid awake and enjoyed the warmth from the sunlight pouring in through her window. For the first time in weeks Fluttershy enjoyed the warmth of her bed, the softness of her pillows and the comfort of her home. For the first time in weeks Fluttershy looked forward to the brand new day stretched out before her. For the first time in weeks, she wasn't alone.
Where normally her home would be filled with the sounds of critters, either waking up or already going about their days, once winter began her house was silent. Gone were the beautiful melodies of chirping and singing birds, having left to go south for the winter. Gone were the adorable scuffling and pitter-patter of her little animal friends, all of them having left to hibernate. 
For the past few weeks Fluttershy's home was empty, deprived of the friendly noises of a full and happy home. Every day Fluttershy spent in her house during the winter was a living nightmare. Every time she touched the wooden floors of her home, the sounds of her hooves would echo off each wall, reminding her of how alone she was. Fluttershy, fearing the sounds of her own hooves, would spend almost everyday flying until her little wings couldn't carry her anymore, leaving her tired and alone. 
This oppressive atmosphere would last throughout each winter season, and while last year; after meeting all of her friends, Fluttershy could count on her friends to be there in times of great sorrow or hardship. They just couldn't be there all throughout the winter season, it just wouldn't be fair of her to ask them to spend so much of their time with her. 
This all changed three days ago, when John appeared at her doorstep. Even though John appeared to be at death's door, Fluttershy couldn't help but feel happy to finally have a creature to take care of. Fluttershy felt terrible about taking joy in a creature's pain, but she couldn't help herself. She had often contemplated waking a few of her animal friends from hibernation but decided against it, again not wanting to be selfish. Having a creature even as strange as John had appeared to be, she was overjoyed at the idea of having an animal friend to take care of and spend time with. This only got better after the creature proved to be intelligent. 
John’s intelligence also made things worse. With the revelation of his intelligence came the prospect that he could take care of himself, proven by how he'd tended to her needs when she herself was injured. Fluttershy was terrified that he'd leave as soon as he could, hopeful to return to his home and family. When John was able to stand and move around the next morning Fluttershy was certain he'd be leaving that day, and silently prayed for a reason for him to stay so she wouldn't be alone. 
When Princess Celestia and Princess Luna appeared and hurt him so terribly Fluttershy screamed at herself, blaming her wishes for his pain. The sight of him bleeding and bruised surrounded by the ruins of her kitchen table and broken dishes, would haunt her for the rest of her days. Furthermore when she found out that she couldn't help him, as his wounds were too serious for her to fix with a mere first-aid kit she blamed herself for his state even more. There she was, hoping to find a way to keep him with her and unable to take care of him when he most needed it.
Over the following day and night, Fluttershy cried uncontrollably, leaning on her friends for support as they all told her John would be fine; unaware of the guilt she felt inside. Fluttershy cried until she fell asleep and the guilt inside ate at her dreams and turned them into nightmares, mostly revolving around John's untimely demise and the discovery of her secret wishes that led to it. 
When Fluttershy woke up the next day and saw John walking around no worse for wear, Fluttershy had to fight from breaking into tears. She couldn't bring herself to talk to him right away, afraid that while nopony else knew of her thoughts, somehow he would. When he looked at her alongside the others and smiled, Fluttershy hoped he wouldn't blame her. The only thing he seemed to be angry at about was his reflection in her mirror, and seeing him joking around and playing with them felt better than a thousand trips to the Ponyville Spa.
When John suddenly dropped to his knees and howled in pain, she was afraid that maybe his injuries left him crippled. Finding out however that his pain was from an injury long ago suffered, she nearly fainted in relief. From that point forward Fluttershy set out to make amends to John by helping him anyway she could. Fluttershy thought she had started out well when she gave John his sleeping bag, but when she tried to talk to him about his past only to upset him, she was afraid he'd hate her forever. 
Fluttershy couldn't help but to apologize and ask if John was mad at her, ending up nearly begging him not to be angry with her. When John took her into a hug and said,“I could never be mad at you. Fluttershy,” she was afraid she might burst from happiness and returned the hug with everything she had, silently thanking him for forgiving her. 
When John finally explained how he knew them, or more accurately tried to show them only to spark a fight between the royal sisters, he protected her and her friends from harm by getting them out of her home before Luna lost her temper. When Fluttershy, traumatized by the destruction of her home, couldn't protect her ears, John sacrificed his own for hers. 
After all of that, Fluttershy had to offer her home to him. Despite John's strangeness, his temper, and his admittance to violence, Fluttershy couldn't bring herself to think ill of him. He was honest. He was kind. He was forgiving. He was strong. He was humorous. He was intelligent. He was strange and new. When Celestia brought up the fact that he wasn't a animal and to be treated like anypony else Fluttershy couldn't fight the smile on her face.
When she went up to bed, she was happy to see someone in her home with her, even if John had been hurt so badly. To be honest Fluttershy still felt guilty, taking advantage of John's time of weakness to prolong her time with him, but he needed a place to stay and she was happy to provide. Now she was awake and could hear John's snoring from downstairs. For the first time in weeks Fluttershy had something to take care of. For the first time in weeks her home wasn't just hers. For the first time in weeks Fluttershy wasn't alone.
“He's awfully loud isn't he?” mused Fluttershy as she stretched and started her day. As Fluttershy walked to her bathroom, she hummed and sang, taking enjoyment out of the fact that her hooves weren't the only thing she was hearing. Like with everything else, it took no time at all for Fluttershy to get ready for her day, after a quick bath Fluttershy combed and brushed her mane and tail,  groomed her feathers and was ready to go.
"Okay," said Fluttershy as she looked at herself in the mirror, "let's get out there and take care of our new friend." Calling upon her training with Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy let out a gentle cheer. "Yay!" only to stop, fearing that she might have awoken John with her loud behavior. When his snores continued up stairs undaunted she sighed in relief and made her way downstairs.
Once in her living room Fluttershy could see that John had somehow managed; from lying flat on his back, to sleeping with his legs over the back of her couch and his head hanging off the front. Fluttershy tilted her head in confusion before a silent rumbling in her stomach demanded attention. "Should probably start making breakfast...wonder if John would like something other than eggs and prunes," chuckled Fluttershy as she started preparing breakfast remembering the face he made yesterday. "He's a truly terrible liar.. Though I appreciate the effort."
Not having a house of animals to feed, Fluttershy took her time and enjoyed herself. The smell of cooking food was a secret pleasure of hers that sadly she couldn't partake in with usually busy life, or when she was alone as the silence of her home that kept her from enjoying anything. The cookies dough in her hooves tantalized her nose while the heystrips sizzling in her frying pan snapped, crackled, and popped in her ears.
Feeling in the moment Fluttershy began humming to herself, which led to her singing. As Fluttershy's melody filled the house the sound of John's snoring abruptly stopped and was replaced by a groaning and a load thud. “Oh no!” cried Fluttershy as she raced into the living room. 
Sure enough John was lying ground face down and muttering angrily, “Sorry John I shouldn't have been so loud, here let me help you up.” When Fluttershy tried to help John to her feet, John recoiled and jumped back.
“Whoa!” yelled John as he went to make a fist, but upon seeing it was Fluttershy he relaxed. “It's you, you could give a guy some warning,” chuckled John as he rose to his feet.
Fluttershy looked hurt, “But I did...I'm sorry if you didn't hear me.” Fluttershy looked to the ground and started shuffling her hooves.
John had watched as Fluttershy moved her lips but couldn't hear anything. “Fluttershy...” said John only to realize he couldn't hear himself. “Uh, Fluttershy...I can't hear anything.”
Fluttershy looked up and tilted her head, “You can't hear me? Did Twilight's spell fade?”
John cocked an eyebrow and said, “I'd ask “what?” but that would be pointless wouldn't it.” Fluttershy shot him a look and John threw up his hands, “Sorry, couldn't resist the obvious joke.” 
“Here let me grab some paper,” mumbled Fluttershy as she picked up a pen with her mouth.
“Uh...Fluttershy.” said John as he lowered his hands, “I can't read your language, remember?”
Fluttershy dropped the pen and paper and looked over to John and started thinking, 'What am I going to do now? Maybe I should go get Twilight? But she's probably busy with the library...' 
Seeing Fluttershy's face scrunch up in thought, which he found adorable, John looked around and sniffed the air, “Hmm that smells amazing.” John was about to ask what Fluttershy had cooking, only to realize that it wouldn't do any good, 'This is going to be a problem.” Looking into the kitchen John saw his iPad laying on the table where he left it after playing Apple Jack's G1 theme song. 'Too bad I don't...wait!'
With Fluttershy still lost in thought John snuck past and grabbed his iPad from the table. After checking the battery; which was still at one hundred percent, John started shifting through his apps until he came across the one he was looking for, Dragon Dictation. Fluttershy meanwhile exhausted every possibility should could think of, “I'm sorry that I can't help you...”
“Don't worry about it Fluttershy, you've already helped enough,” replied John with a smile. 
Fluttershy turned to see John standing inside the kitchen holding his iPad which he fiddled with as she said, “But how?”
John waited a moment, making sure she was done speaking, before he tapped his iPad again. John's eyes moved across the screen before he said, “I have a dictation program on my iPad. It's far from perfect but it's serviceable.”
“That's great!” cheered Fluttershy as a plum of black smoke rolled into the living room. Upon seeing the cloud of smoke Fluttershy flew past John and into the kitchen. “Oh shoot!” cried Fluttershy as she picked up the frying pan and poured its contents into the sink. “Sorry, John. I had planned to make heystrips but now they're burnt.” Fluttershy looked sorrowfully at the burnt strips of hey as she went to dump them into the trash.
John took a second to read his iPad before he said, “Now, let's not be hasty.” Fluttershy stopped in time to save the strips from falling into the trash as John grabbed a plate and a fork, “here let me have 'em.”
“No, they're all burnt, I couldn't...” replied Fluttershy as John shoveled the strips onto his plate. “John you really shouldn't...please stop, I can make more really it's no problem.” 
“Can't hear you, I'm gonna eat 'em and you can't stop me,” replied John as he sat down at the table and took a bite of a few strips. Fluttershy watched in horror as John kept chewing the strips. Neither or them said anything until John finished and said, “Thank you Fluttershy that was...delicious...” Fluttershy covered her face with her hooves and John was afraid she was going to cry, “Honestly Fluttershy they were the best heystrips I've ever had.”
“You are a terrible lair,” laughed Fluttershy as she covered her mouth. “Why would you do that? They were all burnt and nasty.”
John looked confused and checked his iPad, but not having set it to record John missed what Fluttershy had said, “Care to say that once more?”
Fluttershy fell to the floor laughing and while he couldn't hear her laughter John couldn't help but join in, she was just too cute. The pair laughed and chuckled for a while before Fluttershy rose to her hooves and walked over to the counter where her cookie dough was still sitting waiting to be cooked. “Would you like some cookies?” asked Fluttershy as John started messing with the screen of his iPad again. 
“I would love some, but...” said John, only to look sheepishly away, “a glass of water would be appreciated.”
Fluttershy snickered as she poured John a tall glass of water from a pitcher in her fridge, “Here you go, fresh mountain spring water.” Being desperate to get the taste of burnt hey out of his mouth, John didn't bother with his iPad and downed the glass in a single gulp. Fluttershy adopted a smug look as she watched John drank the glass dry, and once he was finished motioned her head towards his iPad. After John was ready she asked, “I thought you said “they were the best heystrips you ever ate”?”
After reading the text John returned her smug look with a sly grin, “Well, they were the only one's I've ever eaten. So yes. They were the best heystrips I've ever ate.” John finished his retort by sticking out his tongue.
“That's cheating,” replied Fluttershy as she started kneading the dough into cookies on a backing sheet. John just laughed haughtily as she placed the sheet into the oven. With the cookies cooking Fluttershy went to drop the bowl into the sink when she spotted a large glob of dough sitting at the bottom. She wasn't sure what came over her but she scooped up the remaining dough and flung it at John, hitting him square in the face. 
Fluttershy burst into laughter as John froze in place, his eyes hidden behind his dough covered glasses. Slowly John used two fingers; one from each hand, to brush his glasses of debris, “Oh, poor, poor Fluttershy. You know not the trouble you've unleashed little one.” Slowly still, John rose up and closed in on Fluttershy whose laughter gave way to nervous giggling, only to peter out into a terrified whimper. “I'll show you why you shouldn't make a human angry,” growled John as he popped his knuckles causing Fluttershy to look at him in horror. With an evil grin John's hand slowly descended upon her until they reached for her stomach and started dancing across her skin, “cause now I'm gonna tickle you until you pee!” 
Immediately laughter filled the room as Fluttershy struggled against her captor, “Please no more!” gasped Fluttershy between breaths.
Not being able to hear her proved little trouble as John could easily guess what she was saying. “Never!” cried John as he continued to vent his displeasure, “Not until you apologize!”
“I'm sorry,” gasped Fluttershy as she began to snort, “I'm sorry, please stop!”
John giggled as he kept punishing his would be attacker, “I can't hear you!”
“You....you'r....you're evil!” giggled Fluttershy as she started bucking at his hands.
“Oooooohhhh, what do we have here!” said John dramatically as he grabbed one of Fluttershy's hooves, “Now I wonder if a pony's ticklish here? Well only one way to find out!” Judging by the way Fluttershy started trashing around on the floor and smiling, he figured they were. “For science!” cried John as he intensified his efforts. John tortured the shy Pegasus a bit more before letting her go and returning to his seat. “Now let that be a lesson to you, young filly. Never make a human angry.”
Fluttershy laid panting on the floor a bit longer, trying to catch her breath, “That....that wasn't fair...”
“Neither is hitting a deaf man with cookie dough, but I didn't hear you complain then.” replied John after skimming his iPad once more. The pair shared some more laughter and banter as Fluttershy and John enjoyed some cookies. Once the cookies had been devoured Fluttershy cleaned the kitchen and the pair retired to the living room. 
"So what would you like to do now?" asked John as he sat on the couch.
"Well..." started Fluttershy as she hovered over to one of her bookshelves, "the girls and I have been asked by Princess Celestia to perform in The Hearth's Warming Eve play in Canterlot." Fluttershy returned to the couch with a sizable tome written in the blocky language of the ponies, but the cover depicted a trio of ponies against a snowy backdrop and a large fiery heart above them.
"Sounds interesting," commented John as he looked at his iPad, "So when's this play?"
"In a week," replied Fluttershy as she buried her face in the book. "Since the girls and I are going to be acting, I thought I'd read up on it so I can be ready to perform with the others."
"Fair enough," said John as he started looking through his collection of ebooks, settling on "Percy Jackson and the Lightning Theft" by Rick Riordan. The pair slipped into a comfortable silence only interrupted by Fluttershy as she shifted through the pages of her play. 
While the two had been sitting at opposite ends at first, as the day waned Fluttershy had slid over to John and lain against him. Feeling her weight against his thigh, John's hand stretched out and began stroking her mane. While neither noticed at first when John began scratching behind her ears, Fluttershy let out a content sigh; shattering the silence of the room. 
The two recoiled instantly, their faces red with blushes, for seconds the pair looked at each other with embarrassment until the humour of it all sank in. Fluttershy was the first to smile, but John was first to laugh. Soon the pair returned to their original seating positions; spaced apart on opposite ends of the couch, and continued reading their respective books. As before the pair gravitated closer together and once more John's hand went to pet Fluttershy, unlike last time the two didn't immediately race away from one another but instead sat and enjoyed each others presence. 
The rest of the day was like that until John fell asleep, iPad in one hand the other buried in Fluttershy's mane. When John's snores crept into her ears Fluttershy book marked her page, closed John's iPad and covered him with his sleeping bag, before ascending her stairs and going to bed herself.


In the Everfree Forest

Royal Chronicler wasn't sure what to think, 'It's just like us...how is that possible?' Royal Chronicler's orders were to monitor the creature and send detailed reports to home base involving anything that could be useful to Lord Prince Blueblood. In truth Royal Chronicler was skeptical at first, assuming their initial report had been swept under the rug or worse their sanity put into doubt. Royal Chronicler was about to rush off to Canterlot when their current orders came a second time, from Lord Prince Blueblood himself.
Royal Chronicler was expecting to see some spectacular technology from the creature, and while it's strange “go to” tablet seemed rather advanced, without getting their hooves on it personally they were unable to fully understand its sophistication. The creature didn't appear to have anything other than the tablet, or at least not one they had seen, but Royal Chronicler was cautious about approaching the home less it find out what, if any, weapons the creature possessed. 
While Royal Chronicler was displeased with their lack of information, they found themselves enthralled with gaining knowledge on the creature's personality. While it may appear so incredibly different, the creature laughed and played like anypony else would, “Shame it isn't a pony, we could have been great friends.”
While Royal Chronicler entertained the idea of the creature as a pony, a tingling sensation entered their horn, “Home Base to Royal Chronicler, repeat Home Base to Royal Chronicler. It's time for you report.”
Royal Chronicler took a second to shake themselves out of their imagination and replied, “Nothing new to report in regards to supposed technologies the creature may or may not possess. In regards to the creature's personality however, it appears to share many characteristics of an average pony. That being said I included in this report the suggestion that the creature be approached peacefully, though I want it known I don't presume to give advice to Lord Prince Blueblood.”
The was a brief pause in the conversation before another voice entered Royal Chronicler's head, “Be assured Royal Chronicler,” spoke Prince Blueblood, sending chills down Royal Chronicler's spine, “you're suggestion shall be taken into consideration and your intent is well understood. I have, however, set plans into motion already. Continue your surveillance of the creature, send your reports, but I must impress on you my need to have knowledge on its technology, if it has anything worthy of note.”
Royal Chronicler, despite being miles away, saluted, “Yes m'lord! I shall not fail you!” The magical connection to Home Base faded after a moment leaving Royal Chronicler feeling an even greater resolve. 'Sorry, my alien friend. For my master I shall do what I must.' So focused on their task, Royal Chronicler failed to notice the looming figure of a Diamond Dog watching from a distance