Yonder Wandered Fluttershy

by Darkonshadows

51

Two weeks later…

Mira just stood behind Fluttershy as she sat there in the seat staring blankly at the monitors, they were both onboard the Head Hunter which was currently docked on the Great Fox. They were on a current heading for the Galactic Alliance hub of Capital Planet and the Space Rangers work center of Star Command the enormous space station that hangs above the planet.

“Look you saved Truffle’s life when he started having a negative reaction to that numbing agent, no one could have predicted he’d have a negative reaction to Rhizomian medicine. You know, since he’s well… a Rhizomian! He actually died for a full minute, but you saved him.” It had shocked Mira when Truffle almost completely died from heart failure due to the numbing medicine that saved his arm and almost killed him from a delayed negative reaction. “Why didn’t you want to talk to him before we left, he wanted to thank you. The guy was so healthy he didn’t have a medical history until that happened, he was one of the top Rhizomian athlete’s and he survived thanks to your quick thinking. Sure you may have hurt him a lot but he forgives you and I’m sure that Kleptchi…”

Fluttershy sat there in silence not saying anything, her only reaction was when her mismatched wings flared out. She was wearing a recently fixed translator and she hadn’t even bothered to pull the memory stone from her ear or take off the Rhizomian suit for the last two weeks. Thankfully the suit took care of all bodily issues and absorbs the stink that Fluttershy should have had, they had good utility functions in their suits after all.

Looking upon the monitor one would see the universe with multiple systems mapped out personally by Fluttershy herself, not one of them had her home planet anywhere in or near them. She had talked to the psychiatrist, but it really didn’t seem to have helped the moody disposition she was in. The suit was slightly dark, but it was just matching Fluttershy’s depression and in fact trying to cheer her up with good scents or rubbing up and down her back by tightening in the right places to do so.

Mira had learned that ponies didn’t do well when it came to committing acts of violence or at least Fluttershy didn’t, the pony was so quiet and withdrawn to the point it was scaring her. The Rhizomian’s also had some emotional baggage from having to fight, but it wasn’t hitting them nearly as hard as it did Fluttershy. She knew that being a Space Ranger was a tough job, especially when it came to being the best of the best and the few among the many who could handle the high stress job of having to make tough decisions. Fluttershy wasn’t trained to handle that level of stress.

“I’m sorry; I really shouldn’t have brought her up. I know it’s probably a sore issue with you.” Mira turned around and was about to leave the Head Hunter, she turned back to Fluttershy. She was wearing a new freshly made universal translator personally crafted by Slip Toad from the Lylat System. “Look she wouldn’t like you moping like this; they’ll find a way.”

“You know as well as I do that that’s no way for her to live Mira.” Fluttershy said quietly, it was rather hollow sounding for such a sweet and caring individual.

“It’s okay.”Mira had just said something that Fluttershy would say a lot, she almost regretted it when she looked at the large aquamarine eyes that snapped in her direction. “They’ll be able to fix it, you’ll see.”

“I’d rather move on not knowing what happens to her from here on out.” It was a bit cold of Fluttershy but she had a reason for acting like she did.

Mira didn’t say anything as she exited the Head Hunter to go get some food from the Great Fox for the pony without touching her ships new stores of perfectly kept medical tomatoes. The tomatoes that couldn’t save Kleptchi because of what became of her, but just like the wire wolf incident there was always hope for a cure out there. Maybe some magic mumbo jumbo of the races Fluttershy had met could help with a rather convoluted problem.

Roller came up to Fluttershy and revved questioningly at her, Fluttershy easily hefted the heavy armored creature and held on to him like he was a large round teddy bear. He purred softly as Fluttershy calmly caressed him, he didn’t want her to be sad.

-

“This is the Great Fox calling Star Command of the Galactic Alliance. Come in, do you read me?” Fox was very peeved that and innocent being like Fluttershy had been thoroughly messed up by the many things the universe threw at her. He was surprised that anything could actually stick to her.

“Yeah this is Star Command, Zeb Nebula speaking. What do a bunch of guns for hire want with us? No wait, let me guess. You wouldn’t happen to be another raid on us would you, after the last twenty eight we’re not too keen on allowing anymore guns for hire to stick around in our airspace. Even if they aren’t doing anything more than so much as sneezing near us, so keep your noses clean while you’re in the area and we won’t have battle on our hands.” He was Zeb Nebula or as he is more famously known as by all Star Command Space Rangers, Commander Nebula. He was a grizzled old gruff guy who had a built in plasma cannon for a leg, he didn’t want his peg leg to be used for just walking on. He was the toughest son of a gun Star Command had back in the day before he was forced into a desk job which was slowly killing him with paperwork, he hated bureaucracy and would never say that to any government officials faces.

“That is a negative on us being a raiding party. I’m Fox Mccloud, we’re friends with Mira ‘Dangerous’ Nova? Really, that’s something she actually goes by? Also we happen to have a special cargo in the form of a dignitary we can’t mention over communications for her safety. For your sake don’t yell at her or we really will become the worst raid team you’ve ever had the displeasure to meet and there are only four of us. So please show some decorum for our friend or else.” It was hard for Fox to look at what became of Flutterhsy without wanting to hug the poor girl, even Falco was giving her hugs and he hated showing affection to anyone. He stared Commander Nebula straight in the eyes without flinching and that said a lot about his character to the Star Command leader who just signs a lot forms nowadays. “She’s had a rough time of helping Rhizome defend itself from five loaded hornet carriers. From what Mira tells us, that’s about fifty thousand hornets in total that attacked Rhizome. Sorry to say we arrived at the tail end to take care of the last three carriers with Mira running what amounts to a suicide operation with the dignitary in tow through one of them.”

“Did this dignitary complain and whine all the time?” Nebula wouldn’t be surprised if that were the case.

“No she actually helped commandeer the control room of a damaged hornet carrier while it was swarming, destroyed up to at least seven thousand hornets acting as a tactical specialist and she’s not taking how dangerous she thinks she is very well. She also assisted in patching up the wounded Rhizomian’s that were in on the groundside action with your ranger leading them.” Peppy decided to speak up as Fox turned away with a frown while crossing his arms; Peppy knew all the hugs in the universe wouldn’t make Fluttershy feel okay at the moment and he was wise enough to take the reins when Fox was angry. “She even saved the life of a Rhizomian who was dead for a solid minute. She’s not a soldier and most of her species don’t handle violence too well unless they sign up for it, but she’s definitely a little trooper to have survived as well as she has. I feel sorry for the girl though, she’s been hurt a in many ways that old grizzled soldiers like you would be permanently traumatized by. Names Peppy Hare by the way, hope you grant us permission to come onboard."

“If Mira is there, can I speak to her now?” Nebula switched topics as he was surprised a dignitary would do any of the things that he heard described to him, Mira was a dignitary but for a princess she really was one of their tops rangers in the field aside from Buzz, Booster and XR themselves. Team forty two was the best team he had really never fail and answered every call to action.

“Of course, Mira report to bridge. Commander Nebula is on the horn asking for you…” A second screen popped up showing Mira gathering food with Rob.

“Right, Rob you take this to Fluttershy and make sure she eats something. Nebula you better have a good reason for why you didn’t get any cruisers out there to support me or so help me I’m sending in a complaint so long that will have you reading forms for the next three weeks! Even Buzz would be hard pressed to solve all the paperwork I’d create; you’d need half of Star Command working on it for three days straight to get it done in a timely manner.” Mira might have been a princess, but she was no dainty damsel in distress and she knew how to threaten Commander Nebula with so much red tape it was something she could really accomplish. To make it worse she could even sweeten the deal and dragging her father King Nebula into this to add a cherry to the top of her cold creamy tasting milk related snack. She wouldn’t as she hated her father on numerous levels, but she’d pull the father card if she was pushed hard enough.

“Yep, that’s one of mine alright. Nobody else can threaten me nearly that hard with death by bureaucracy quite like that.” Nebula looked to be sweating slightly. “I still want to see her face-to-face on screen, but you’re given clearance for docking with Star Command if she can transmit the codes personally.”

Ten minutes of tedious docking procedures and regulations later, Fluttershy sighed as Roller carried her along following Mira leaving the Head Hunter behind with the landing four fighter escort. She couldn’t forget what had happened to Kleptchi and Janet tried to be reassuring, but it didn’t go over too well as the planet had little in the ways of tact.

The bright side of things was that Fluttershy helped save thousands of lives and the only one to die out of all of those lives was successfully revived by her, Truffle was going need a lot of rehabilitation though. There were still a lot of injuries and therapy both physical and mental going on when she was finally cleared to leave Rhizome. It was a sad farewell, she hardly said goodbye to anyone other than to Pwerta who just gave her a wan smile before she boarded the Head Hunter and flew off.

As Fluttershy was escorted from one of Star Command’s vast hangars, a bunch of little bipedal green creatures wearing blue uniforms that went up to their necks came to stare at Head Hunter. They had three eyes in a row, pointy ears and antennas sticking up from the tops of their heads, they had small dexterous three fingered hands and all of them stared at the ship that Fluttershy had arrived in.

“The true claw…” One of the little green men stated in awe. Sure it might have a mixture of other technologies but every hive minded Little Green Men there knew what signs of the real claw represented.

The ship looked like it needed to be repaired and refueled, plus it could use a few upgrades and fixes to the haphazardly mixed technologies. Every Little Green Men of the unified hive mind agreed that it needed some work done; even the independent thinkers of their race joined the hive mind temporarily to agree to it.

“The pilot, it was that new dignitary… is she a protected of the first contact law?” One of the LGMs asked, every other LGM nodded towards him. “Then she is special, she has seen a claw! Whether in dream or by association, she pilots one of their ships without repercussion. She might even be of the stars themselves, she might know of Buzz!”

“The real claw and Buzz…” The mass of little green men moaned happily and then they started talking excitedly among themselves.

They all liked Buzz Lightyear, the nearest thing to a Star Warrior one could be while toeing the threshold. Sure they might have been slightly naïve, but they weren’t dumb. The LGMs hadn’t told Buzz he was popular because he was almost a fully fledged Star Warrior, but they thought it was better to only mention it when it became obvious his aging process became stunted and he fully came into being a warrior of the stars themselves. Heck Buzz might have even started the path of three others becoming close to being Star Warriors themselves, one of which was a robot which was the first artificial life form they heard of that could even feasibly do so in the Galactic Alliance and they were the ones who built him. They were all proud of the accomplishment of building what could feasibly become a Star Warrior despite his character flaws and it meant that the future looked bright to these adorable little green men.

Fluttershy gave a slight huff as she was hefted up by Mira from Mr. Wheels back. Even getting petted and snuggled wasn’t picking her mood up… well maybe it was just a bit. It wasn’t like someone... well someone did die, but they got better. Mira continued to rub her behind the ear and she refused to respond with cooing noises, even if she really liked the spot her ear was being rubbed in.

They were currently in Star Commands control center with Commander Nebula himself, currently the man was trying to fight off his ridiculously intelligent desk that kept assaulting him to do paperwork. He really wanted to take a sharp metal instrument to it, but it would cost him personally to have it replaced. It was a loyal, if annoying, artificially intelligent desk and it wasn’t to be blamed for doing what it was made to do. Now if only it didn’t seem to enjoy doing it, then Commander Nebula wouldn’t be as high strung as he was being backlogged by so many attacks on Star Command.

“Commander, where was my team while I was being hit with a case of the hornets? Zurg really had it out for me and the planet I was on this time.” Mira held Fluttershy against her chest; she was currently wearing fresh clothing and out of her Rhizome suit. She couldn’t wait to get back into her armor once it was finished being repaired, she saved her heavily damaged suit and brought it back to Star Command for that very reason.

“About that, they last reported in from Karn saying that Zurg was trying to have a highly endangered species exterminated. When they get back they are going to be pulled to help you escort this little lady here around.” Commander Nebula shook his head and pointed out the first contact ambassador currently acting like an adorable plush toy, Buzz was worried about Mira and it needn’t be said that he was glad to hear she survived the wormhole. “The great news is that Zurg can’t make any more grand scale moves against us. Until Buzz comes in, you can relax and spend some time writing up you’re AAR ranger.”

“I understand Commander Nebula; I can’t wait to get back into the suit.” The pony gave Mira a slightly disturbed look and otherwise said nothing as she cuddled silently against Mira.

“Not much of a talker is she? Look I understand that it’s a rough universe out there. While you can’t save everyone, you can sure as hell try and never stop trying.” Nebula smiled slightly as he watched the pony lifted her head to look him in the eyes with a dead look. “Now you listen here, I’ve seen a lot of things in my life, but you never give up the ghost as long as you have a breath left in you to do good things. Now stop moping already!”

“Yeah, that’s a very inspirational speech there Commander.” Came Falco’s snarky reply and he was elbowed in the gut by Slip for it, as with the others he was only a guest here and he wasn’t the only one twitching a hand towards his blaster.

The four mercenaries were all armed with charge pistols and personal reflector shields, of the four of them Falco and Fox were the best of their team when it came to on foot operations. Fox was generally good to have around in any situation; he could likely bring down an entire planet on his own.

“Thank you.” It was all Fluttershy would say for a while as she looked away from Commander Nebula, the response made Falco balk at her. The bird mercenary couldn’t help but wonder why she was thanking that jerk who just yelled at her, even if he personally was as bad a jerk as that guy and might have eventually ended up doing the same thing. The other three were a little more understanding of what she was thanking him for, especially Peppy.

“Well you can’t say the little darling isn’t polite.” Peppy said with a chuckle as he rubbed Fluttershy’s cheek, she seemed to brighten up a bit.

“Come on Fluttershy; let’s go get you out of that suit. You could use a really good bath about now as you‘ve been stuck in that thing for the last two weeks. I’ll give it some nice fertilizer while I’m at it; I know where Booster keeps his stash. That’ll be guaranteed to keep it going for a while at least.” Mira wanted Fluttershy to smile again, rangers be damned if she didn’t see it on the poor things face before she decided to continue looking for her home planet. The ponies as a species were technically space travel capable even if they weren’t particularly good at it yet; if a deal was brokered they’d be under the protection of the Galactic Alliance provided their planet was in an easy to reach or find location. “You also need some sleep, let’s see if I can get you in a nice bed while we’re at it. Hey, you guys sticking around?”

“I don’t see why not, we’re not currently busy at the moment and Ms. Munroe is paying us a lot to watch out for Fluttershy… something I think we’d be doing anyway even if we weren’t being paid.” Slip was still the friendly face of Starfox and he knew they all wanted to make sure Fluttershy was okay. “We don’t run around looking to start trouble and we try to stay on the right side of things.”

-

“So, is there any particular reason why I shouldn’t have any of your heads for your failure?” Zurg said with maliciousness tinting his voice as he stared down his minions the grubs and the brain pods from his throne causing them to cower at his visage. His fingers idly rapped on the armrest as he waited for them to answer his red glowing eyes as they glared down on them. They had failed him in taking out one of the bigger thorns in his side; he found it impossible to believe she had somehow survived a freaking wormhole and was lucky enough to end up safely on the supposedly pacifistic planet of Rhizome still kicking.

It was to Zurg’s own personal shock and displeasure that Rhizome could now fight against his forces effectively after the first few incursions went off without any trouble. They just recently destroyed five fully loaded carriers and the hornets on them without a single death. Were all his mortal enemies actually immortal or something?

“Uh… well you’re evilness we found out one of the major reasons why we lost so many hornets on trying to kill Nova… it was her fault!” On the screen the grub pointed out there was Fluttershy sticking out of the acidic cloud. “She was said to be a tactical mastermind that helped stop our assault your deviousness.”

“Hm… what is she, a mutated pygmy Cyclocentaur? That is the most disgustingly cute face I’ve ever seen.” Zurg was curious, no one in the universe wanted Zurg curious about them as it never ended well.

“No your evilness, lord of torturing small puppies and throwing cats into tree’s for fun and profit, she is not of a listed Galactic Alliance race. Her species doesn’t even appear in the database at all. We have surmised that she’s a first contact ambassador your heinousness. ” The brain pod that spoke cowered away as Zurg moved to sit up and steeple his fingers in thought.

“Hmm… I won’t kill any of you today then, maybe tomorrow if I’m still feeling like it. Call up Torque, Gravitina, Warp Darkmatter and the Gargantian Militants for me. While you are at it I want Crumford Lorak to spread the word and an image of this creature that offends my very sight. I want everybody to know her body will fetch quite a high price with me, Crumford will do this for free or else he will earn my ire. I don’t care if he tells Star Command; just make sure everyone knows I want her dead!” Zurg slammed his fist on the armrest of his throne making his minions jump. After he calmed down, he thought of something else. “After that call Bonnie Jookiba and tell her I might release her brother Clyde early, which is if she can bring this nuisance to me still alive.”

It was easy to say that Zurg was an evil bastard.

Author's Note:

Does the name Jookiba sound familiar to anyone? It should.

Yep Truffle died off screen and not because of battle wounds, but from paralytic medicine getting into his version of a mammals heart. He got better. Kleptchi will be brought up again eventually after a trip to earth.

Comments

[Acacia Sgt]

Talk about bittersweet. Usually I'm all up to it but daaaamn, not this kind of bittersweet.

Yes, the LGM! Been looking forward to them making an appearance. Although what they said, hmm...

Uh oh, Zurg knows. Ah, those two weren't hard to find, although I never saw that episode. Yeah, it's another of those series I only saw little of. Although I did saw the original movie, that's gotta count for something I think.