• Published 15th Dec 2016
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EverFree: Finding my Place - DragonsHeart



Shepard is stuck in Equestria, with no idea how to get back home. Will she find a way back home or will Equestria be her new home?

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Chapter 3: I am me : S4E01

Author's Note:

Just a quick heads up, when ever you see a ': S#E##' in front of a chapter, it means that this takes place during a episode of MLP FIM, and will contain spoilers from that episode as well as a lot of lines. You also probably want to watch the episodes to get the full enjoyment from these chapters.

I will not be changing the outcome or plot of any of the episodes, just writing it as if Shepard was there, allowing me to build her character more.

Make sure to like and comment if you enjoy, since those really keep me going and make me want to write more. A really good comment can give me a lot of spirit to do more writing.

Twilight’s friends watch as Rainbow Dash tries to guide Twilight through flying, making sure she doesn’t crash.

“You gotta really flap 'em hard,” Rainbow Dash encourages, flying up beside Twilight.

Twilight nods in response, a determined look on her face as she flaps as hard as she can, only to fly out of control and crash into a tree.

“Uh, maybe not quite that hard…” Rainbow Dash says, awkwardly.

“Nice flying,” Shepard comments, who’s under the tree, holding an egg that fell out of the nest that Twilight disturbed.

She came to Canterlot with Twilight and her friends, mostly because Twilight also wants to report to Celestia about Shepard.

“I’d like to see you do any better,” mutters Twilight, stretching her wings in ready for a second attempt.

“Me? I have no wings, and I’m still trying to get hang of using my magic,” Shepard says, picking the nest off Twilight’s head with white magical aura and placing it back on the tree, putting the egg she caught back with the others, “Just keep trying, all pilots muck up sometimes in their career.”

Twilight just shakes her head and takes off again, although this time having trouble syncing her wings, and eventually falls and crashes into the ground. Applejack walks up and helps Twilight up off the ground.

“Looking good up there Princess Twilight,” Applejack compliments, smiling brightly at her friend.

“Applejack, you know you don't have to call me that,” Twilight says, smiling awkwardly.

It seems that since Twilight has just received basically her first royal duty, and all these Shepard problems have been cleared away, her friends have just basically remembered, that yes, Twilight is a princess now, and have started to remember to call her such, much to Twilight’s dismay.

“Why do you protest so?” Rarity asks, walking up to Twilight, “You’ve already given up wearing your crown all the time, the least you can do is embrace your new title.”

“If other ponies want to address me that way, I suppose it's fine, but... not my friends,” Twilight says, looking over all her friends, including Shepard who is looking bored by the tree, but gives Twilight a half smile when she hears that. Twilight continues, “It just doesn’t feel right… and neither does all this flying business. The summer sun celebration is two days away, and I’m never going to be ready to perform my part!”

“Not if you spend all your time down here, you won't!” Rainbow Dash says, trying to encourage Twilight, “Now get up there and show everypony the big finish!”

Twilight nods, and with new determination takes off, beginning to soar through the sky. Her friends cheer as Twilight seems to be in total control and is flying perfectly, although Shepard doesn’t cheer, since she notices where Twilight is heading.

“Hey Twilight, watch out!” Shepard tries to warn, but Twilight doesn’t hear over the wind and her own cheers.

Only for her then to crash through three clouds, making her forget to flap her wings then she drops like a stone. She tries to stop herself by flapping her wings madly and as hard as she can, only managing to save herself from the plummet and instead sending her flying out of control, before then crashing into the ground, dragging up a trail of dirt as she does.

Her friends worriedly rush around the small hole that Twilight created, seeing Twilight lying inside it.

“Wow! That was a big finish!” Pinkie says, always looking on the bright side.

Twilight just sighs, her face buried in the dirt. Though a blue hoof is offered down to her, Twilight takes it and Shepard pulls Twilight out of the hole, before then dusting her off.

“Wonderful crash Twilight, ten out of ten,” Shepard smirks, using some of her biotics to help get the dirt out of Twilight’s fur, “Your flying on the other hand leaves a lot to be desired.”

“Shepard, the term in Equestria is the other hoof, we don’t have hands,” Twilight corrects, embarrassed as all hell.

Shepard gives Twilight a dry look, before finishing dusting Twilight off. “Don’t get snappy at me just cause you can’t fly yet.”

“Shepard, it is your fault that Twilight hasn’t been able to practice flying yet, since her leg has been injured for ages,” Rainbow Dash says, trying to defend Twilight.

“Girls…” Twilight says, feeling like this conversation is going into dangerous territories.

“Sorry, next time I’ll try harder to shoot myself,” Shepard says, as dryly as possible.

An awkward silence hangs over everypony, until Fluttershy breaks it.

“Alright, enough of this,” Fluttershy declares, looking at both Shepard and Rainbow Dash, “Let’s leave the past in the past, we’ve moved on from then.”

“Yeah, sorry,” Rainbow Dash say, awkwardly rubbing her neck.

“I guess I’m sorry too,” Shepard sighs, shaking her head, “I was just joking around Twilight, soldier type ribbing, you know.”

“Yeah, I understand, sorry I’m just under so much stress at the moment,” Twilight says, letting out a big sigh.

“Maybe we should take a break dear,” Rarity suggests, pointing toward the palace, “Don’t we have plans at the palace?”

“Yeah, I guess,” Twilight says, smiling weakly, “A break may be a good idea.”

The eight of them(remember that Spike was there too) head off to the palace, Shepard walking behind them, although at one point Twilight slowed down her pace so she could walk beside her.

“So, how’s Canterlot?” Twilight asks, wondering what Shepard thinks of her hometown.

“Very fairytale like,” Shepard comments looking around the city, with her usual passive look on her face.

“Do you want to go somewhere?” Twilight asks, kinda hoping she could show Shepard around.

“Not really,” Shepard says, before giving Twilight another half smile. “Why? Do you want to take me out on a date or something?” Shepard teases, giving Twilight a playful nudge, making Twilight go bright crimson.

“Wait!? No of course not!!” Twilight stutters, embarrassed as all hell.

“You’re so innocent Twilight,” Shepard laughs, smiling at Twilight who just scowls back, not happy at being made fun of.

“Maybe you could show me around at some other time,” Shepard says, her face returning to her usual passive self.

“Sure,” Twilight says, calming down herself, “I could show you the palace, the library, the…”

“Oh boy, that sounds so interesting,” Shepard says, forcing a bored look on her face.

“Shepard!” Twilight pouts, playfully nudging Shepard.

“Sure, that sounds fine,” Shepard laughs, nudging her back, “I’m sure it is more interesting than it sounds.”

The two then stop when they realize that their friends have stopped and are looking at them.

“You two seem to be getting on well?” Rarity notes, smiling, although slightly surprised.

“Oh yeah, we’re totally besties,” Shepard jokes, putting a hoof over Twilight’s shoulder, “Now let’s get a move on, we’re wasting time here.”


After looking at the new stained glassed window, and then seeing her friends off at the train station, Twilight walks back to the palace with Spike, and Shepard as well. Twilight managed to convince Shepard not to leave with her friends, since she wants to talk to Princess Celestia about Shepard with her there, and they didn’t manage to see her when they were there at the palace before.

Twilight sighs, already sadden by the absence of her friends.

“Geez, what a glum princess you are,” Shepard comments, looking at the downcast pony.

“Please don’t call me princess, Shepard,” Twilight sighs, shaking her head.

“Why, it is just a title?” Shepard says, raising an eyebrow, “Why does it bother you so?”

“It is not just a title Shepard, it is the most important title in the world!” Twilight says, getting a bit worked up.

“So, it is still just a title,” Shepard continues, still being passive, “A title is something you wear, like a glove, it does not define a person.”

“What would you know?” Twilight says, getting annoyed, “Have you ever had a title…”

“Lieutenant Commander Raven Shepard of the Alliance, First Human Spectre, and I had other titles too, most just called me Commander, Commander Shepard or just Shepard, I am full aware of having a title,” Shepard states, passively, “In my late life I was called Commander more often than my actual name, you get used to it, trust me.”

“Oh, sorry Shep… Raven…” Twilight says, correcting herself.

“Don’t sweat on it, it is just a title, you get used to it, and then if it goes away, you’ll miss it,” Shepard says, walking ahead, “Trust me…”

Twilight and Spike look as Shepard walks ahead, before catching up to her and continuing walking to the palace.


“Check, check, check, check, and... check!” Spike says, checking off a list, “Huh, whaddaya know? We're way ahead of schedule. I credit your extremely competent assistant.”

Twilight flies down from her small practice flight, stumbling a bit at her landing, before sayings, “So do I.”

“The celebration isn’t until the day after tomorrow, we could still fit in a quick trip to Ponyville, and be back in plenty of time to finish these last few things before the main event,” Spike offers, hoping to comfort Twilight.

“Please, I want to go back and go drinking with Derpy,” Shepard says, reading a book on the history of pony warfare, it is a very short book, “I’m getting tired of waiting for you to show me to your princess.”

“That would be nice, Spike,” Twilight sighs, ignoring the impatient Shepard, “But what if something else came up while we were gone? What if we were delayed getting back and I wasn't able to finish everything on that list? WhatifwelostthelistonthewaytoPonyvilleandthencouldn'trememberwhichthingswe'ddoneandwhichthingswehadn'tdoneandthenspentsomuchtimetryingtofigureoutwhatwehadn'tdoneandwhatwehaddoneandweruinedtheentireCelebrationbynotdoingtheonereallyimportantthingthatweweresupposedtodo?!”

Twilight’s ramble is cut short, since while she was talking she was also steadily flying up, and at the end she manages to crash her head against the ceiling, stunning her slightly.

“So that’s a no then?” Spike groans, rolling his eyes.

“Overreact much?” Shepard states, frowning at Twilight.

“These are the first royal duties Princess Celestia has given me,” Twilight says, getting into Spike's personal space in her nervousness, “I can’t risk letting her down!”

“And I’m sure you won’t,” says a calm and kind voice from behind Twilight.

Princess Celestia, co-ruler of Equestria, enters the room.

“Your highness!” Spike says, getting on all fours to bow, as Twilight does the same. Shepard on the other hand, who decided to zone out Twilight’s ramblings, had put in headphones and is listening to music from her Omni-Tool.

“There is no need for that now Princess Twilight,” Celestia says, reaching down up to pick up Twilight’s head.

“Sorry!” Twilight apologizes, feeling very nervous.

Celestia giggles, “No need to apologize.”

“Sorry!” Twilight apologizes, now feeling embarrassed.

“I must admit that it is wonderful to actually be looking forward to the Summer Sun Celebration,” Celestia says, smiling and walking beside Twilight.

“What do you mean?” Twilight asks, confused.

“For my subjects, it has always been a celebration of my defeat of Nightmare Moon. But for me...” Celestia says, before sighing as she looks out the window, “It was just a terrible reminder that I'd had to banish my own sister.”

Twilight and Spike look sadly at each other.

“I guess I never really thought about it that way,” Twilight says, sadly.

“But now it has become a wonderful reminder of her transformation back into Princess Luna, and our happy reunion. I am so pleased that you will be playing a role in the festivities,” Celestia says, now smiling brightly, before then giving a sad look to Twilight, “I know it must have been difficult to see your friends return to Ponyville without you.”

“Maybe a little,” Twilight lies, trying not to offend Celestia.

“You may no longer be my student, Princess Twilight, but I hope you know that I will always be here if you need me. Just as I hope that you will always be there when I need you,” Celestia says, warmly, before the two nuzzle affectionately.

The nuzzling is cut short when Spike taps her on the shoulder.

“Umm, I think this guy needs you?” Spike says, pointing to a mail pony.

“Um, a message for Princess Twilight,” the post pony says, feeling rather awkward, giving the letter to Twilight before flying off as quickly as possible.

Twilight opens the letter, only for confetti to fly out, cheering up Twilight to no end.

“A letter from Ponyville, I presume?” Celestia says, playfully.

“Never mind, it's not important,” Twilight address Celestia, teleporting the letter away, before addressing Spike, “Spike, where were we?”

“About to call it a night,” Spike says, hopefully.

“We should probably go over the checklist one more time,” Twilight says, ever the busy body.

“I knew you were gonna say that,” Spike sighs, pulling out the list.

“I'll leave you to it…” Celestia starts to say, before she then finally noticed Shepard on the bed, who hasn’t noticed any of this and is reading a book of weapons of Equestria, another short book, “Oh, Shepard is here?”

Twilight’s and Spike’s eyes widen, they were so caught up in Celestia being here that they forgot about Shepard.

“Oh yes!” Twilight says, suddenly very nervous again, “I thought I’ll bring her up for you to see. Shepard, this is Princess Celestia…”

Twilight waits for Shepard’s reply, which does not happen.

“Shepard?” Twilight says, now feeling very awkward.

“Ummm,” Spike says, pointing to the device in Shepard’s ears. Spike then climbs up on the bed, where Shepard is reading, and taps her on the shoulder. Shepard frowns and takes the device out of her ears.

“Hmm, what? Oh…” Shepard then notices the tall pony in the room. “Hello… umm, who are you?” Shepard asks, unashamed, making Twilight groan and Celestia chuckle.

“Greetings Shepard, it has been a long time since we’ve met, I’m Princess Celestia,” Celestia says, smiling cheerfully.

“Oh yeah, the tall white one,” Shepard says, climbing off the bed and walking up to Celestia.

They stand there awhile in total silence, staring at each other, eventually even managing to make Celestia feel awkward under Shepard’s hard stare, before Shepard eventually breaks the ice.

“Sorry, I would bow but I have no idea how to do that as a pony,” Shepard says, totally serious, causing Twilight to let out a huge groan and make Spike chuckle, it even earned a chuckle from Celestia.

“I see you’re better,” Celestia says, laughing slightly.

“As good as one can be trapped in an alien body and on an alien world, but sure I feel better than when we first met,” Shepard says, smirking.

“Are you here for the Summer Sun Celebration?” Celestia asks, trying to engage Shepard in conversation.

“Nah, I’m just here to get showed off like a toy in show and tell by Twilight here,” Shepard says, causing Twilight to look awkward.

“Well, it seems like you’re better and on good terms with Twilight, I had feared that Twilight may not be able to handle you, I am glad to see I was wrong in my doubts,” Celestia says, smiling at Twilight, who just looks away, feeling guilty again.

“You definitely act like a princess don’t you,” Shepard says, tilting her head, and making Twilight annoyed.

“Of course she acts like a princess, she is one!” Twilight says, annoyed that Shepard is doubting Celestia.

“So are you,” Shepard states back, before looking Celestia square in the eye, “If you act all friendly at me Princess, let’s do it without the formality, otherwise I’ll just treat you as a princess.”

“That sounds interesting Shepard, maybe in the future we could do so,” Celestia smiles, enjoying Shepard’s frankness, “Would you like a room to be organized for you?”

“Nah, since show and tell is over, I’m gonna head back to Ponyville,” Shepard says, heading for one of the windows.

“What, really?” Twilight says, surprised, “But it is night out?”

“I don’t think any trains are running at this time?” Celestia says, frowning in thought.

“Nevermind, a good night run is what I need at the moment,” Shepard says, opening one of the windows.

“Shepard what are you doing...?” Twilight tries to ask Shepard.

“See you later princesses and Spike!” Shepard says, jumping out of the window.

And suddenly in a burst of biotics, she is gone. Spike, Twilight and Celestia look out of the window, watching Shepard hover away quite quickly in a blue field to the ground, before then dashing across the ground at great speed, like a blue bolt.

“She is certainly very interesting,” Celestia comments, cheerfully, “I hope to get to know her more in the future.”

“Yeah, she really is,” Twilight sighs, feeling rather embarrassed by Shepard’s display.

“You did a good job Twilight, and I’ll let you get back to what you’re doing,” Celestia says, leaving Twilight to her devices.

“Thank you Celestia,” Twilight says, handing Spike the list, much to his disappointment.

Celestia heads back to her own room, only for something to happen to her on the way…


Across the land, between Canterlot and Ponyville, a blue bolt of light can be seen moving across the land, it is Shepard and she is going very fast. She recently learned that by surrounding herself in a biotic field and while keeping herself forced to the ground, she can move at extreme speeds.

Though she wasn’t quite looking where she was going, and took a longer route to Ponyville than she meant to, and managed to run past the Everfree. She decides to take a quick breather, since maintaining such a biotic field can be tiresome.

Shepard, unknown organic approaching from behind,” Harbinger warns, Shepard’s Reaper AI that lives in her Omni-tool.

Shepard moves quickly forward, avoiding the attacking black vine that tries to grab her.

“Take this!!” Shepard yells, spinning around on her hooves and launching a plasma round from her omni-tool, it hitting the vine and making it burst into flames as the plasma burns it to a cinder, leaving only a scorch mark.

“What was that?” Shepard says, scanning the surrounding environment for any more.

I am unsure, but it would be unwise to stay here any longer,” Harbinger suggests.

“Yeah, you’re probably right.”

Shepard in a bolt of blue, continues to head back to Ponyville.