//------------------------------// // A sssssssshift of planssssssss // Story: A Flowery Affair // by Voltsthevoltvolts //------------------------------// Lyra struggled as she heaved Fern out of the cave, it had been an agonizingly slow journey with the heavy Floran on her back. Lyra heaved Fern off her back an propped her against a nearby tree. Lyra sat down and sighed, a bitter chill was in the air and the moon was sat high in the sky. "Phew..." Lyra exclaimed. "I've said it before and I will say it again... Fern you are too heavy..." Lyra chuckled happily as she briefly relaxed. "Sssssss... Sssssssmall pony calling Floran fat?" Fern flatly stated as she opened her eyes. "Woah!" Lyra jumped up and shook her head. "How long have you been awake?" Lyra quickly said. "Well... Floran'sssssss legssssss were tired... And Floran did not want to disturb sssssssmall pony." Fern slowly stated. Lyra's expression turned angry within a couple of seconds. "W-Wait!" Fern quickly got up before bring out her matter manipulator. "Floran can help sssssssee?" "And what do you plan to do with that thing." Lyra flatly stated. "You used that to break rocks I don't exactly see how it can..." Lyra paused, the device lit up and a square of water appeared in front of Lyra, suspended in the air. "Is that safe you drink?" "Yessssssss... Water is sssssssafe to drink." Fern stated happily. "Least Floran can do." Fern lowered the water with the device and Lyra began drinking from it. "Thirsty?" Lyra briefly pulled away from the square of water. "Well, I did carry you back." Lyra stuck her head in the square and took a large breath of water before pulling out and swallowing it. "The least you can do is carry me back now, that will make us even." "Ssssss... Floran knew sssssssmall pony would sssssay that." Fern sighed and waited for Lyra to finish drinking. It took Lyra few minutes to finishing drinking the water , however as soon as she finished Fern moved over to her and hauled her up and onto her shoulder. "H-Hey!? What are you doing?" Lyra asked as Fern began walking with her. "Oh, carrying me back... I kinda forgot about that..." Lyra sighed and relaxed as best she could. "You know where we are going right?" "Yesssss... Floran not sssssstupid." Fern brashly stated. "Floran knowssssss where Floran needssssssss to walk." Fern kept walking at a steady rate, it became evident that Lyra's wight did not slow her down. "You know Fern, you're pretty strong... Is space really that bad?" Lyra inquired. "I mean, we never really have any wars or stuff down here... Well nothing major..." "Sssssss... Floran not know what happenssssssss in sssssssspace. Floran doesssss know that sssssssspace is dangeroussssssss." Fern stated. "Itsssssss funny, Floran are ssssssseen assssss a vicious race... Yet do Floran ever throw other Floran off a tower, because sssssssssoom big bird told them to? No. Floran do not do that, yet the bird-people do..." Fern sighed. "Floran doesssssss not want to understand ssssssspace, Floran just wantsssssss to find bird-lady..." "So, I take it you were close with this bird-lady?" Lyra curiously inquired. "If you don't mind me asking..." "Floran isssssss close with bird-lady. Bird-lady like ssssssssister... Or at least that'ssssssssss what bird-lady ssssssssaysssssss..." Fern replied. "So, you don't really know where you stand with her? It sounds like she is close with you though..." Lyra concluded happily. "Its nice to see that even though bad things happen in space, living things still get along." "Yesssssss, to ssssssssay that all of sssssssspace isssssss bad would be lying... Ssssssssome placesssss have nice people living there." Fern replied. "However, Floran isssssss yet to find them." "What about us then? Aren't we good enough for you?" Lyra argued. "Well... Floran hasssss not really sssssseen enough sssssssmall poniesssssss to come to a conclusion..." Fern stated. "Floran hasssssss only talked to two ssssssssmall poniessssssss." "Alright, I will give you that." Lyra admitted. "Maybe tomorrow you could meet a few others?" Lyra suggested. Fern stopped moving. "Fern? Is something the matter?" "Floran issssss outside of sssssssmall pony town. Unlesssssss ssssssssssmall pony wantssssssss Floran to carry her into town..." Fern lowered herself and arched her back so that Lyra could jump off. Lyra carefully got off of Fern's back and examined the treeline, Ponyville could be seen just beyond the nearby trees. "So we are... Its a shame, I was enjoying that." Lyra joked happily. "Anyway, its late. Do you have anywhere to sleep?" Lyra asked. "Well, Floran doessssss have ssssssssship. However ssssssship has no bed." Fern stated. "Floran just needssssss to calibrate ssssssssshipsssssssss teleporter..." "You can stay at my house. I have a spare room set up just in case somepony needs a place to stay... The bed may be a bit small but still, you can stay the night." Lyra suggested. "Maybe Floran will... Ssssssssspace ssssssship is cold..." Fern slowly hissed. "Yesssssss, Floran will ssssssstay with sssssssssmall pony." Fern rubbed her head before walking into the sleepy town. "Floran remember where sssssssmall pony livesssssss." "Alright..." Lyra slowly said as Fern picked up the pace and broke out into a small jog. "Hey Fern! Wait for me!" Lyra called out as she tried to catch up with Fern. "Whats the hurry?" "Itsssss cold. Floran doessssss not like the cold..." Fern stated as she rubbed her arms. "Cold isssssss not sssssssoo good for Floran." "Well, hopefully it will be warm at my house. If not, we have nice little fireplace we can set up." Lyra happily said as they continued to walk through the silent town. "Sssssss! Floran not like fire... Fire issss pretty, but if fire attackssssss Floran..." Fern shakily stated. "Its alright Fern, I can put the fire out easily enough." Lyra reassured. "And that's if it you catch on fire." Lyra giggled happily. "I doubt you will catch on fire." "If ssssssssmall pony is certain..." Fern slowly said. "Wow... Who would have thought it? A great Floran, scared of fire." Lyra joked happily, Fer responded by giving Lyra a cold glare. "I was only joking Fern. Its like when you chased me through the cave, waving your sword at me." Lyra deadpanned. "Sssssss... Floran not find joke very funny. Sssssssmall pony clearly hassssss different ideassssssss of funny." Fern replied. "Floran hassssss sssssaid sssssssorry for Floran'ssssssss bad joke..." "Well..." Lyra shrugged. "I guess no harm done, plus you did kind of save my flank... Then again it was your fault we were in that mess..." Lyra rolled her eyes as she gently jogged alongside Fern. "Don't worry I'm sure I will find a way for you to pay me back." "Ssssssss... Floran doesssssss not like debtsssssss..." Fern sighed. "Floran hasssssss been in debt with bird-lady sssssssince bird-lady sssssssaved Floran." Fern chuckled. "Floran doubt Floran will ever be able to repay that debt." "Well..." Lyra started. "I could think of a few ways you could repay me, but I doubt you would be comfortable, or able to do any of them." Lyra awkwardly said, a silence befell the pair as they arrived at Lyra's house. Lyra was quick to unlock the door and rush inside. The house was dimly lit and it took Lyra a few moments to get the lights working. Once Lyra had turned the lights on she appeared at the door and happily greeted Fern. "Welcome to my house, mi casa es su casa!" "Floran not going to pretend Floran know what sssssmall pony ssssssaid." Fern chuckled as she entered the house. "Sssssssmall pony hassssss nice house." "Yeah well, its a bit of a mess. I will go set up your room and then you can get some sleep." Lyra stated confidently. "Oh, did you want me to get the fire started? It is a bit chilly in here." "Floran would like that..." Fern happily said as she walked into the front room and sat in front of the fireplace. Lyra followed her into the room and started setting the fireplace for the night.