Finding Inspiration

by bahatumay

Chapter 11

Morning Glory walked steadily forward. She'd ended up in the forest again. At least it was familiar, if a bit cool. She’d never realized just how nice the threadbare cloak felt; old though it may have been, at least had given her rear some protection. Her hairless tail did not, and she caught herself shivering at the occasional breeze. Even her snakes were spending more time huddled around her head for warmth than anything else.

Finally, after what felt like forever, she saw a clearing. Almost desperate for warmth, she headed towards it. The sun shone down and she turned her face towards it, smiling the first real smile since…

She scowled. Way to ruin the moment, me, she thought irritably.

Now warmed up, she looked around. It seemed pretty empty here, but there were noises and her snakes were perking up. Off in the distance, there was a cottage, made out of a tree. Animals seemed to be swarming around it, and she grinned. Abandoned cottage? Don't mind if I do.

She already planned out the rumors she'd spread. An abandoned cottage spread its own rumors, so she'd just have to tweak them a bit. Yes. The former owners were chased away by a mysterious curse, turning all who remained after midnight into stone.

She approached the cottage and as she did, the birds flew away. She cracked a wry smile. She watched them fly up into the top and chatter at her. She scowled. It was probably the snakes, but she did not care for birds. She'd probably stone one or two as a warning for the others.

Still glowering at the birds, she didn't notice the fence until she’d hit it. “Oof!” She glared. What had-?

Wait. Woven wire fencing? Like the kind that would go around a-

Chicken coop!

Morning Glory’s heart jumped as she saw the small red wooden building. She glanced around suspiciously, now a bit on edge. Maybe this place wasn't as abandoned as she'd previously thought.

As if drawn by the lack of noise, a yellow pegasus pony with an abnormally long pink mane curiously poked her head out of the chicken coop. She looked over right as Morning Glory looked back.

And they bumped noses.

Morning Glory screamed.

The pegasus screamed, too, though at a much higher pitch and quieter volume. She stumbled backwards and hit the chicken coop fence, and hit the ground. Her wings were clenched firmly against her body. She trembled at the sight of her.

“What are you doing here?” Morning Glory demanded.

The pegasus squeaked in response.

Her eyes narrowed. She knew she had poor hearing, but that had been a whimper at best. “Say that again, but like a normal pony.”

“I live here!” she repeated.

Morning Glory hissed under her breath. “So this isn't an abandoned cottage?”

The pegasus shook her head.

Morning Glory briefly considered stoning her and taking the cottage, but quickly decided against it. She'd feel guilty doing anything bad to a pony this shy.

But something the pegasus said made her look back down. “Wait. What was that?”

“Banded rattlesnakes,” the pegasus said again with a small gesture towards them, speaking just a bit louder than before. “Native to the desert regions south of Appleoosa.”

Morning Glory was taken aback. “Y- yes,” she said slowly. “They are.”

There was a pause. The snakes’ tongues flicked.

“I’m a pink pony with patches of dark scales on my body, sharp fangs, slitted eyes, no tail, and five snakes for a mane; and the first thing you notice is what species they are?” Morning Glory asked incredulously.

“I, uh, just really like animals,” the pegasus explained softly.

There was another pause.

“I… don’t suppose you’d want to come inside?” she offered, gesturing at the cottage. “I was just about to make tea.”

---

Morning Glory sipped at her tea. She brightened. “This is good,” she said.

“Thank you,” Fluttershy said. “I think the little splash of citrus really makes it pop.” She refilled her own cup and sipped happily.

Morning Glory looked around again. If she'd thought there were a lot of animals outside, there were even more inside. And her poor snakes were coiled tightly against her head, conflicted by the presence of both little rodents (as food) and the predator birds (likely looking for food).

But apparently this place was neutral ground. Even the birds of prey seemed to be ignoring her snakes, and hamsters ran underhoof with no fear. And Fluttershy seemed to know all their names. Morning Glory briefly wondered if she should have named her snakes, after all.

A timer dinged, and Fluttershy brightened. “Oh, that's the cookies. Excuse me!” And she fluttered off to the kitchen.

Heh. Her name was pretty fitting, actually. She looked around again. There was a rabbit that was glaring at her. She narrowed her eyes back. He rubbed her the wrong way. But something told her that Fluttershy would know if this one ended up stoned.

Thankfully, Fluttershy quickly returned with a tray of little tea biscuits. Morning Glory picked one up and licked it. She brightened and put it in her mouth. She faked the chewing for a bit and then swallowed it.

The rabbit was still glaring at her. In a show of force, she picked up a cookie, made sure Fluttershy wasn't looking, unhinged her jaw much further than she needed to, placed it in her mouth, and swallowed it whole.

The rabbit froze.

She winked. You could be next.

The rabbit quickly made himself scarce, disappearing into the couch.

Fluttershy dipped her cookie in the tea. “So, ah, if you don't mind me asking-”

Morning Glory put her teacup down. “It was an accident. Was trying to make a transformation potion, but one of the snake skins I found was a cockatrice skin. I didn't know and added it anyway, it blew up, and one painful week later…” She gestured down at herself demonstratively, and grabbed another cookie.

Fluttershy flushed and tucked her mane back. “That was, um, informative; but what I was going to ask was, what brings you here to Ponyville?”

She blinked. “Not about the snakes?”

“I was there when one of my closest friends almost got turned into a tree.” She shrugged. “Not much surprises me anymore.”

“You're going to have to tell me that story,” Morning Glory said curiously.

A devious smile flitted across Fluttershy’s lips. “I asked you first.”

“I already answered one of your questions.”

“You didn't answer the one I asked, though.”

Ooh, feisty! “Alright,” Morning Glory said, a hint of a smile on her face. “Here goes nothing.”

It was a longer story, and Fluttershy had to get back to work. So Morning Glory helped out, hauling bags of seeds, carts of hay and feed, even a group of chicks (her snakes had sized them up the whole time, and they had returned the favor). She helped shovel out pens and pick out good straw for birds nests, before she wound down cleaning out the chicken coop.

Morning Glory tossed the shovelful of dirt over the edge and leaned on it. “And so I started walking and ended up here.” She sighed.

“Sounds like a big misunderstanding,” Fluttershy said gently, pushing her own shovelful out.

Morning Glory snorted. “One hay of a misunderstanding,” she mumbled. She held up an egg she'd found. “You mind?”

“Mm-mm.” Fluttershy shook her head. “They're all unfertilized.”

Morning Glory popped it into her mouth and swallowed it, no longer feeling the need to fake anything after spilling all her secrets to this mare.

“You need to go back.”

Morning Glory blinked. “Come again?”

Fluttershy took a breath and steeled herself. “You need to go back with Wind Shear.”

“I can't go back! Did you not hear-”

Fluttershy met her eyes, and Morning Glory found herself trapped by her eyes. She'd stared down cockatrices and timberwolves and that chimera and even an angry cow once; but nothing had ever chilled her quite like Fluttershy's stare.

“I heard a mare who is still in love, and ran away due to her fear. I heard a mare who thinks she isn't worth anything, that she's nothing but a monster. But she's wrong. I see a mare who deserves to be loved, regardless of what she’s done. And I see a mare who is going to overcome her fear, go back there, and get what’s hers.”

“He’s not…” she tried, but she couldn’t get any more words out. At the very least, he was a friend, and he deserved… more than she’d left him with. “I’m not af-” she tried again, but she had no more luck with this one. She was afraid. Afraid of rejection.

Afraid she’d lose him.

Fluttershy gently shook her head. “You don't need to be afraid.”

And then she blinked and looked down, breaking any connection they'd had. Morning Glory shuddered, somehow out of breath. That had been weird.

And oddly enlightening at the same time.

Fluttershy looked expectantly at her. Morning Glory licked her lips. “So, uh, I guess I'll be heading out here pretty soon.”

Fluttershy smiled. Her whole face crinkled up in happiness. “If you’re sure! Please be careful on your trip! Anything I can get you? Cookies? Cup of tea?”

Morning Glory thought. She exhaled. “No, thanks. I'd probably better get going before I lose my nerve.” It was so strange admitting weakness. She really didn't like it. But Fluttershy was kind, and probably the least likely pony to talk about her behind her back. She was, like, the epitome of kindness.

“Well, if you need a little more, you're more than welcome to come back. But you should stay for dinner, at least. And I did promise you an answer.”

It took Morning Glory a second to remember what she was referring to. “Oh, yeah. Don’t think I forgot!”

Fluttershy giggled. “I didn’t.”

Dinner was done quickly, and Fluttershy’s story was fascinating. But misunderstanding zebra magic is what had gotten her into this mess in the first place. Still, it was a relief that everypony had come out unharmed.

Fluttershy smiled comfortingly as she walked her to the edge of the forest. “Like I said, I’ll be here if you need anything.”

Morning Glory stopped short of the threshold. “Actually… Do you have a cloak or something I could borrow?” She wiggled her little tail. “It’s a little... chilly out.”