It was just as warm inside the farm house as it was outside. The screened windows were all open, but there weren’t enough of them to let much wind blow inside. I pumped water from the kitchen sink and splashed it on my face to keep cool. Then I filled a glass of ice water and topped off Winona’s water dish.
“Now, what else could we get for Applejack?” I asked Winona, rubbing my chin in thought. “Maybe something to keep the leaves out of her mane while she’s working?”
Winona lifted her head from her water dish and trotted into the livingroom, stopping to scratch at a door. I opened it and found vests and scarves hanging inside, and boots lined up neatly on the floor. A shelf above the vests held a pile of tan, wide-brimmed hats.
“Oooh, perfect!” I flew up to the shelf and grabbed one of the hats.
The puppy looked up at me and spun around in excitement. I tried on the hat and found that it was a bit too big and loose. It would probably be too big for Applejack too. I rummaged in the closet and found a small, square scarf to use as padding. I tucked it under the hat, keeping it on my head as I flapped over to the counter to pick up the glass of water. I figured that this was one of the few instances where it would be easier to fly than walk, since my hooves would be free to carry the glass.
Winona followed me as I fluttered out the door and made my way over the hill. As I flapped above the trees in full sun, I noticed that the hat’s wide brim kept the light out of my eyes. I knew Applejack would love wearing such a practical hat. As I approached the infected trees, I saw that my friend had moved her ladder so she could reach the other side of the tree. She was facing away from me, concentrating on clipping the wilted branches. I flew up to her and held the tumbler in front of her face.
“Thank ya kindly, Fluttershy.” Applejack spared me the briefest glance as she held the clipper with one hoof and wrapped her other foreleg around the glass. With my own hooves free, I lifted the hat from my head and placed it on Applejack’s.
“Whuh?” She reached up with the hoof that held her water and awkwardly poked at the hat. “Where’d ya get this?”
“Winona showed me a closet with a whole pile of them.” I brushed the pieces of leaves and sticks out of her mane.
“Then this was one o’ my pa’s hats,” she said quietly. Her eyes glistened as she gazed upward.
I pulled my forelegs away rubbed them together. “Oh, um, I didn’t…I mean, is that okay with you?”
She took a deep breath. “I’ll wear it with pride.”
I smiled with relief. “It suits you.”
Applejack gulped down the water and passed me the empty tumbler.
“Is there anything else I can do?” I asked. “Maybe I could, well, fly up to the highest branches and cut them?” I rubbed the back of my neck. It seemed wrong not to at least offer to help, but I had a feeling she wouldn’t accept.
I was right.
“Sugar cube.” She frowned and raised her eyebrow. “Darlin’. I can reach any branch on any o’ these trees with my ladder an’ extra-long clippers. Thanks but no thanks.” Applejack lifted her clippers and snipped off a twig.
“Oh, um, okay.” I sank down a little, although I still hovered over the ground. Winona whined, sitting perfectly still and gazing up at us with classic puppy dog eyes. “I can see you’ve got this, and I did tell Winona I’d play with her.” I glanced around. “I’ll just come back later and help clean up all the fallen branches, okay?”
“Fluttershy…”
“I know you don’t need help, but I want to repay you for your kindness. I didn’t need to stay at your house, but you let me stay anyway. It’s…it’s okay for friends to help each other.”
Applejack was unmoved. “You can help by keepin’ Winona comp’ny. These apple trees are my responsibility.” She sprayed her clippers and lifted them up to the next branch.
Winona’s whine grew louder.
“Well, okay.” I landed on the ground next to the puppy. “But if you change your mind, I’m more than happy to help with cleanup or trimming the trees or anything else.”
Then I patted Winona’s back. “Come on, girl, let’s go play.”
I had fun chasing Winona, and she enjoyed running away from me. She also loved playing fetch with a stick. But her favorite thing to do was play tug with her rope toy. I’m pretty sure she was used to competing against McIntosh, because she kept cheating by working her way toward my end of rope until I had to let go to avoid getting bitten. I think this was the only way she was able to win against the strong earth pony colt. Even though I don’t think she would have bitten hard enough to break the skin, it was still a bit annoying.
“Winona, play nice. Stay on your end of the rope.” I stared intensely into her eyes. It seemed to work, because she played fair after that.
Early that afternoon, I heard the mealtime bell. Winona ran in the direction of the house, and I followed her to meet Granny Smith just outside the kitchen door. Apple Bloom was sitting on her grandmother’s back.
“Hi, Fwuh-shy!” she chirped.
I smiled. “Hello, Apple Bloom.”
Granny squinted and turned her head to gaze around the orchard. “Where in Tartarus are McIntosh and Applejack?”
“Applejack is probably still trimming the sick trees. But I haven’t seen McIntosh since breakfast,” I told her.
“I woulda thought lunch would be the one thing that’d tear them away from their work.” Granny shook her head.
“Winona and I will find them,” I said, feeling unusually confident. The puppy barked and wagged her tail.
“Apple Bloom and I will come with ya,” said Granny. “I’d like to see how she’s comin’ along with them trees.”
We set off toward the grove with the sickly trees, Winona racing ahead once more. The first sign of the brother and sister was a cart piled high with paper lawn bags. McIntosh walked out from behind the cart and tossed another bag onto the pile.
“I told you I can take care of everythin’,” Applejack said from the top of her ladder.
“And I told you-” Mac stopped when he saw me approaching with Granny Smith and Apple Bloom.
Granny craned her neck to stare up at the trees. “You young’uns pruned all these trees this mornin’? I can't hardly believe it! Yer almost halfway done already!”
“AJ did most of the work,” said Mac.
“Yer earnin’ that Cutie Mark ten times over, honey." The old mare beamed with pride. "I’m so glad ya came back to us.”
The rest of the day was relatively uneventful. Granny Smith served us lunch, and then we went back to the infected grove. Applejack finished pruning the wilted branches, while Granny, Mac, and I took turns picking up yard waste and watching Apple Bloom. Of course, my new friend insisted that she didn’t need the help, but Granny Smith and McIntosh are just as stubborn and hardworking as she is, so they went ahead and helped anyway. In a few hours, every last infected twig and leaf was stuffed into sacks and piled high on the cart. The trees’ crowns were thinner, but I knew they would make a full recovery soon.
We were clearing the table after finishing another home-cooked meal, when Winona barked and scampered into the livingroom. A moment later, I heard a knock from the same direction.
Applejack furrowed her brow. “Nopony ever comes to the front door.” As she trotted into the livingroom, the knock sounded again. I peeked through the kitchen doorway as Applejack opened the door on the far wall. I recognized the golden-brown pegasus stallion standing on the front porch. My mouth fell open. How did my daddy get there so fast? I had expected my letter to just be reaching him by this point.
“Howdy there, mister.” Applejack tipped her hat. “What can I do ya for?”
I couldn’t put my hoof on it, but something about the way she phrased that question sounded wrong. If my daddy noticed anything odd about Applejack’s way of speaking, he didn’t show it.
“Hello, young lady, I’m Nimbus Cloud. My daughter Fluttershy wrote that she was here, even though she’s supposed to be - oh, hello there!” He paused in his introduction as Winona put her paws up on his leg.
“Winona, sit!” commanded Applejack. The puppy sat dutifully, her tail sweeping the floor as it wagged.
“Well, Mr. Nimbus, you’ve come to the right place. I’m Applejack, and your daughter has been helpin’ us take care of our farm. Won’t you come in?” She opened the door wider and stood aside.
Daddy stepped inside and noticed me standing in the doorway. “There you are, Fluttershy!” He flew over to me and scooped me up in his forelegs.
Granny and McIntosh walked closer to us. “Aw, that’s real sweet,” said Granny with a smile.
“Thank Celestia you’re safe.” Daddy set me down and patted my head. “And you got your Mark! I’m so proud of you.”
“Thanks, Daddy.” I beamed, standing up straighter.
“Now what’s this about you not going back to flight camp?” he asked with a frown.
I gazed up into his intense green eyes. “Well, I…”
“Don’t let those bullies get to you, Flutters,” he spoke over me. “Stand up for yourself!”
“I tried…”
“You’re all grown up now, after all. They won’t dare make fun you. And even if they do, you should put them in their place! You’re my daughter, after all.”
“Wait just a minute, Mr. Nimbus!” shouted Applejack.
He turned his head to stare at her with raised eyebrows.
“Beggin’ yer pardon, but them bullies almost got Fluttershy killed! How can you think about sendin' her back there?”
“Nonsense!” He waved his foreleg. “Pegasus foals fall from the clouds more often than you’d think. They can control their descent and cushion their fall. Fluttershy was never in any real danger.”
I shook my head. “I didn’t happen that way with me. I panicked and flailed around and fell like a rock. Honestly, if it wasn’t for the butterflies, I wouldn’t be standing here right now.”
Daddy sobered, gazing at me with concern. “I’m sorry, Flutters, I didn’t realize…” For once he seemed unsure of what to say. “Your letter didn’t really get across how much danger you were in.” He wrapped his foreleg around my withers. “Don’t worry, I won’t make you go back to flight camp. I do want to have a talk with the head counselor, though. Nopony in the camp has told me anything. Do they even know you’ve been missing?”
“I..I don’t know.”
Daddy looked at Granny Smith. “Thank you for looking after Fluttershy, Mrs. Apple.”
“It’s Smith, actually, but you can just call me Granny.”
He chuckled. “You’re not old enough to be my granny, Mrs. Smith.”
I tugged at Daddy’s fetlocks. “Daddy, I was wondering, um, since I was supposed to stay at flight camp for a few more days anyway, well, could I stay here instead?”
Daddy brought his hoof to his chin. “Well, Flutters, the thing is, you still have to learn to fly on your own. No offense to these fine folks here, but they can’t teach you what you need to know.”
“I seen her fly,” said Applejack.
“Have you seen her fly at an altitude of a thousand feet?” he asked pointedly. “Have you seen her maneuver around clouds or break them up? Of course you haven’t.”
“Well, no, but there’s gotta be a better way for her to learn than flight camp,” Applejack said firmly.
“I suppose so, but I don’t know of any other way. Cloudsdale is supposed to have the best flight camp in the world, but it seems like it’s gone downhill since I learned to fly there.” He shook his head ruefully. “I’ve tried teaching her myself, but my methods haven’t really worked with her.”
“Fluttershy ain’t you. Everypony learns differently. That’s what Cutie Marks are all about, hear? Everyone has a special talent of their own, and they need to find their own way.”
Daddy lowered his gaze, staring at the floor. “I guess you’re right. But what is Fluttershy’s way?”
There was silence as we thought it over.
“Fwuh-shy fwy.” Apple Bloom pointed at me. “Birdie fwy.”
Granny Smith smiled. “From the mouths of babes.”
“What?” Daddy knitted his brow.
“Yer daughter’s good with critters, Mr. Nimbus. They understand each other. So maybe she could learn how to fly from the birds.”
My eyes widened. “That’s a great idea!” The feathers on my wings fluffed. “I just hope it works.”
Daddy frowned. “Let’s just see how well you understand these animals first.” He placed his hoof on my back. I gulped and nodded.
Everypony headed outside toward the chicken coop.
I took a deep breath. “Come on out, my friends,” I cooed. I glanced up at Daddy and added, “I want you to meet someone.”
The hens and rooster strutted out of their house, clucking softly. A few songbirds flew over and landed on the little roof, tilting their heads at me.
“Oh, hello to you too.” I waved at them.
Then the wolf spider crawled out of the coop. This time I was certain he was the same spider. I shook my head to warn him.
“Well, the birds do seem to like you,” said Daddy, his expression softening. “But I doubt those chickens can fly any better than you can.”
Applejack chuckled. “You got that right. They’re a mite outta shape.”
Suddenly, McIntosh gasped and pointed. “Sp…Spider!”
I brought my hoof to my face.
“Where?” Applejack squinted. “Never mind, I see it.”
“Don’t worry, son, I'll take care of it for you.” Daddy walked over to the spider and lifted his front hoof.
“Noooo!” I yelled.
Daddy froze and stared back at me. “What’s the matter?”
I flew over and swept the spider onto my hoof. “Daddy, how could you?” I stared reproachfully at him, my eyes level with his as I hovered.
His green eyes widened in surprise. “You really are growing up, standing up to your old dad.” He shook his head. “But I don’t understand what the big deal is. It’s just a spider.”
“I’ll tell you why it’s a big deal! Because those that hurt others, hurt themselves!”
“Sometimes I hate when I’m right,” Mac muttered.
Applejack patted his shoulder.
“Those that hurt others, hurt themselves?” Daddy leaned back, pondering for a moment. “That is deep.”
“None of us wants the spider to get hurt, but it can’t stay here,” said Granny Smith. “I dunno if ya noticed, but Mac don’t like spiders much. I don’t care fer ‘em myself, to tell ya the truth.”
I stared at the spider, gazing into all eight of his eyes. “What do you think, Big Guy? Would you like to come live with me?” I asked him. Big Guy wiggled his palps and nodded.
“Honey,” said Daddy, putting his hoof on my shoulder, “there are a couple of problems with that. First, I’m pretty sure spiders can’t stand on clouds.”
“Aw,” I said softly.
“Second, even if they could, I don’t want to keep one in my house.”
“Just take him out to the Everfree Forest and release him there.” Granny Smith waved her foreleg. “Plenty of food fer varmints there. He’ll be just fine.”
My ears drooped. “The…the Everfree Forest? Um, are you okay with going there by yourself, Big Guy? Because I don’t know if I…well, if I feel up to taking you there.”
Big Guy nodded and hopped off my hoof. I gasped - it seemed like a long fall for such a small creature, but he skittered in the direction of the Everfree like nothing was wrong.
“Well, now that that’s taken care of,” said Daddy, rolling his eyes, “what are we going to do about your flying lessons? I want to make sure you can fly thousands of feet up like a pegasus is supposed to.”
I glanced down at the chickens, who cocked their heads in confusion. Then I looked up at the songbirds on the roof. As soon as I gazed at them, they swooped down and landed on my mane and tail. They grabbed my hair with their claws and lifted it up.
“Oh!” I smiled. “You’ll teach me how to fly up high?”
The birds chattered in response. A barn swallow flew straight up and pointed at the sky with her beak.
“You can perch on the clouds?” I asked.
The barn swallow twittered in affirmation.
“I didn’t know that!” I clapped my front hooves together with glee.
“You didn’t?” asked Daddy, raising his eyebrow. “I thought I told you birds can perch on clouds.”
I shook my head. “I don’t think so. I would’ve remembered that. Why haven’t I seen them do it before? I haven’t even seen any birds up close till yesterday.”
Granny tapped her chin. “I reckon it’s on account of 'em not havin' as much food up in the clouds."
“That makes sense,” I said thoughtfully. “Oh! We could have pet chickens!” I gazed at Daddy with wide eyes. “Can we, please?”
“Well…” He sighed. “Who could say no to that face?”
“Thank you, Daddy!” I threw my forelegs around his neck.
“One chicken to start with,” he clarified. “And you have to feed it and clean up after it and take good care of it. ‘Cause Celestia knows I don’t know how.”
“I will!” I told him.
Applejack glanced at me and then looked at Granny, who nodded. “Why don’t you take one of our hens? They like you well enough.”
“We’ll see,” said Daddy. “We’re not going home with a chicken today. We don’t have any chicken food or anything else we’d need to take care of it.”
“We can give ya’ll extra chicken feed,” offered Applejack.
“No, no, you’ve been more than generous already,” Daddy said quickly. I could tell he really didn’t want to rush into getting a pet.
I turned my head to gaze at the four earth ponies who had showed me such hospitality, even little Apple Bloom.
“You’ve been so kind to me. I don’t know how to thank you.”
Applejack took off her father's hat and held it to her chest, staring down at it. "You already have. You helped me get closer to the family I'd left behind. Maybe I'd've done it on my own eventually, but you helped it happen faster."
Granny Smith smiled and stepped toward her granddaughter, ruffling her blond mane. Apple Bloom, who was sitting on Granny's back, flopped over onto Applejack, giggling. McIntosh gave Applejack a quick nuzzle.
There isn't much more to tell after that. Daddy promised he would let me come back to visit soon, and he kept his promise. I came back a month later and saw the rest of Ponyville, and eventually I decided to move there. In the mean time, the birds came to visit me in Cloudsdale and gradually taught me to fly better. I also adopted my first chicken, Elizabeak. But that is a tale for another day.
THE END