Fluttershy dove to the town below her, wings folded, and aimed to strike the center of the town. The cobblestone square was surrounded by smaller houses that looked like they were made of sticks and mortared with dried mud. She opened her wings as she neared a dangerous point in her terminal velocity descent to the ground, making her bank quickly. She tipped her body to the left and spiraled tightly to the ground ending in a small tornado spin. She stopped her spinning on her right foreleg, the left crossed across her right and her forelegs in the air she landed on all fours and smiled.
“Land in style or don’t land at all,” she said lowering herself to the ground to steady her spinning gaze, “Rainbow would be so proud to have seen that landing. We were working on that one for a week and I think I nailed it. I’ll have to tell her about it,” she said smiling as she pushed herself up enough to feel the air blow beneath her as she looked around.
The doors and the windows were closed as she looked around the town center, save for part of a face in one window. That was the one she locked her eyes on. The shadow figure pulled back and a cloth covered the spot the face was just a second before. Somepony was in there, she knew it. She took in a deep, deep, breath and held it as she walked to the door, exhaling as she reached her hoof up to knock.
She hesitated for what felt like a hundred heartbeats before her wrist moved and her hoof touched the door. knock
“No ponies home, better come back later,” she said sighing backing away.
Two paces back the door creaked open and a twitching nose peeked out with whiskers. [size=0.5emOh my, she thought. A mouse-thing stepped out from the house with an iron skillet in its hands ready to swing like a baseball player.
(What are you? Are you here to hurt us? Are you with that beast?)
“Uhm, Miss Mouse?” Fluttershy said as her legs froze stiff and her eyes widened in terror. “I-I-I’m sorry, I don’t know what’s going on.”
(The snaps you don’t! You’re here to eat us!?) The mouse squeaked as she took a threatening step towards Fluttershy. Her first step out the door was what caught Fluttershy’s attention. ‘A mouse taller than her walking upright on it’s hind legs and using its hands so efficiently and *gulp* threatening her.’
“O-o-oh p-please n-no, I don’t eat meat. I’m a pony not a m-m-monster,” tears welled in her eyes as she scrambled backwards with her forelegs and tumbled backwards onto her back, her wings sent a slight sting on pain as she landed firmly on them. The mouse took another step ahead closer to Fluttershy and bared its jagged teeth and fangs as Fluttershy raised her forelegs to guard her head while her rear legs crossed protecting her abdomen.
(Wha-? Let me go 7, it means to harm us!) the mouse said as a slight struggle ensued followed by a frustrated grunt and muffled arguing. Fluttershy didn’t dare move yet but she focused her hearing to try to listen.
I can understand and speak rodent so maybe I should bribe them with crumbs or cheese? Wait, mice prefer nuts and berries not cheese; it gives them gas and that’s not proper.
(Grr, fine. Strange creature from the sky, why are you here. Be honest or I will strike you.)
“I-I’m a pony and I was sent here by a monster and he wants to turn the world crazy with his chaos magic and I’m really sorry and if you let me go I’ll never bother you again if you’ll just plea-he-he-hease don’t hurt me,” she wailed.
(Great, another coward creature. IT’S SAFE TO COME OUT, JUST ANOTHER RUNNER,) The mouse screeched to the sky. Fluttershy curled into as tight a ball as she could and fell to her side as tears wet the stone under her face as she sobbed and prayed to Celestia for help.
A small hand touched her withers and she squeaked in fear. (Creature? You can get up now, you’re not in trouble. It’s safe.) Fluttershy’s ears left the sides of her head and slowly turned to the voice behind her. (Don’t worry creature, we’re not going to hurt you. Just open your eyes and see you’re safe.)
Fluttershy trembled slightly and opened her eyes to look around and gasped as she uncurled herself slowly and rolled to her belly. The cool stone below her calmed her nerves a little as she looked at the creatures coming out of their homes.
Mice, rats, squirrels, chinchillas, and raccoons filed out of their homes talking amongst each other as they gathered in the square around Fluttershy.
(What is it?)
(Is it dangerous?)
(Why are we so close to the house, couldn’t she have been in the center of the square?)
(3, it’s cute. Can I keep it?)
“Um, how are you all communicating? You all have your own languages,” Fluttershy asked the tallest, closest creature to her, “mister raccoon sir.”
(It talks too?!)
(Wow, so cute.)
(And in our language!)
(But, what is it?)
“I’m a pony and I can speak with rodents.”
(Rodents?!)
(That’s what she thinks of us?!)
(Common mindless creatures? The insult!)
“Oh, I apologize. I didn’t mean to insult you. Um, where am I?”
The mouse that had threatened her a moment before cleared its throat. (You’re in Young Town. We live here and where are you from?)
“I live in a cottage outside Ponyville in Equestria.”
(Eque-who-wa?)
“Equestria, where we are now.”
(This isn’t… Oh! 3, 7,) the mouse asked turning around, (I recall that name. It’s what our ancestors called this land.)
“Called?” she asked as her eyes widened.
(Yes, thousands of generations ago this land was refounded and it belongs to us. Are you here from the sun goddess?)
“No,” Fluttershy said standing taller and walking closer to the mouse, “I’m here to find a gem that was taken from me by a monster.”
(Monster?!) The crowd gasped and looked around fearfully.
“No, I don’t think he’s here. I was sent here to find my element of harmony,” she said as she calmed herself, “are you going to let me go?”
(You’re a runner, you may do as you wish as long as you don’t harm us or our town. Would you like some food as penance for my attempt to harm you?)
“Oh, that would be nice,” Fluttershy said as her wings left her sides and waved slightly.
The crowd gasped and chattered. (Wings? A pony is a bird too?)
“No, I’m a Pegasus. A pony or horse with wings that can fly. We control the weather, haven’t you ever seen a Pegasus before?” she asked cocking her head to the side.
(How, how does one control the weather?)
“Um, that’s a really big explanation. Maybe I can eat while I tell you? If that’s okay with you.”
The mouse smiled. (My name is Jane, this is 7, my mate. Locals, disperse and allow the pony-wing to discuss with you later.)
“Jane? That’s an odd name, to me anyway. My name is Fluttershy.”
(Hm, then the feeling is shared by us.)
She passed the pan to 7 and walked inside. 7 regarded Fluttershy with a nod as he returned inside. Fluttershy heard steps and turned to see the residents leaving the area to bring their town to life.
Fluttershy followed 7 inside the house and looked around. It was a quaint and simple with a bed in the corner, a stove in another corner, a table in the center of the open room, and a bookshelf against the wall opposite of a single double pane window in the wall between the stove and bed. She stepped inside and smiled, “It’s nice in here, I like it.”
(Well, wait until you see where we live.)
Fluttershy cocked her head again trying to understand what that can mean. The two mice went to the table and laid down on the floor, reaching under it they pulled a board up and pressed something below the floor. A click sounded and they both stood slowly pressing their heads to the underside of the table raising it off the floor and opening a secret passage with stairs leading down.
“Oh my.”