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// Page 71 
// Story: The Purloined Pony 
// by Chris 
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A trip through the forest at night should be terrifying, but you find yourself feeling oddly relaxed. Fallowhall is always a few steps in front of you, holding his tiny torch aloft so that you can see where you’re going. True to his word, he guides you to Fluttershy’s cottage quickly and without incident.



When you arrive, it is nearly midnight. As you approach the cottage, Fallowhall nudges you towards the door. “Go on, we must speak with the lady.”



“But I thought I couldn’t—”



“You may speak to the lady of this house freely, and only to her. She too has earned our trust, and our existence is no secret to her.”



Tentatively, you raise a hoof and knock on the door. A light comes on at once, and you hear a soft voice from inside call “I’m coming, I’m coming!” A moment later, Fluttershy opens the door a crack. Her eyes widen when she sees you and your brownie companion, but she opens the door and lets you in.



Once you enter, Fluttershy is the first to speak. “So, um... I guess this means you talked to Danneltuft, then.”



“You may be sure that she did!” cries Danneltuft as he springs into the room. “And a good thing she did, too; the boggies would have left for their mountain homes this very night, and then your poor Applebloom would have been in trouble indeed! But never you fear,” he quickly adds, “for even as we speak, she’s sound asleep in her own bed, the events of today already but a hazy dream to her.”



You and Fluttershy both relax at the news, but it’s clear that something is still bothering her. “So Danneltuft, if you’re here, does that mean you aren’t going to leave me forever?”



Danneltuft looks at her sternly. “You should know better than that, my lady. By your words and actions, you have betrayed the bond between us. That your only desire was to save another matters not. Whether I will it or no, I must leave this night and never return.”



Fluttershy looks like she’s about to cry, but Danneltuft isn’t finished yet. “However...” he adds, stroking his hairless chin, “This fellow here, Fallowhall. He’s a young brownie, and has yet to find his first home. Perhaps I might recommend such a cottage as yours to him...”



Fallowhall plays along, making a great show of mulling the matter over, “Well, if Danneltuft thinks such a place is fit for me... I suppose I could come to live under this roof.”



At that, Fluttershy really does start crying. Scooping up both brownies in her hooves, she hugs them close. “Oh, thank you! Thank you so much! Oh, I’m so happy!” 



As Fluttershy rejoices, Danneltuft squirms free from her grasp. Stepping over to you, he says in a conversational tone, “Of course, that leaves me without a home to tend, and such a state is most miserable for one of my ilk. Perhaps if there was some selfless, hard-working, and above all trustworthy mare in this village, I might take up residence under her roof. Of course,” he adds, “she’d need to be sure to leave a bowl of fresh cream on the doorstep every night. I have very discerning taste, you know.”



Your face glows red, and you manage to whisper, “I-I’ll remember that.”



Fallowhall, meanwhile, has finally gotten free of Fluttershy. The two brownies bow to each of you in turn, and say in unison, “Farewell for now, gentle ladies. We’re sure to meet again.” And in a twinkling of an eye, they scamper off.



Fluttershy turns to you and says, “I’m so glad you were able to talk to the brownies. Thanks to you, Applebloom’s safe!”



You nod. Applebloom’s been rescued, you discovered that brownies are real, Danneltuft wants to live in your house... all in all, this was a pretty good day.






The End