Fluttershy and the Misplaced Manticore

by CapNTilfy

Manticore at the Door

Fluttershy gaped in awe at the creature before her. The manticore tilted its head slightly, its expression unreadable. "Did you get lost," she asked. The manticore simply blinked.

Fluttershy sighed. "I wish Sunset was here," she thought aloud. "She might know what to do." She shook her head rapidly. "What am I saying," she asked herself incredulously. "This is an animal!" She glanced at the manticore. "A mythical creature, technically, but still an animal!" She clenched her fists in determination. "I can do this!"

Fluttershy brought the manticore to her backyard, thankful that her parents and brother weren't around. Once there, she began to pace back and forth. "I can't just call you ' manticore'," she said. "You at least need a name." She cupped her chin in thought as she continued walking back and forth. She stopped suddenly, and her eyes widened. "Ah," she exclaimed. "I'll call you Silence!"

Silence blinked. "I'll take that as a yes, then," Fluttershy said. "Now then," she said as she took out her phone. "What do manticores eat?" She did a web search, then looked up at Silence. "Meat, huh," she asked. "Are you hungry now?" Silence shook its head. "That's a relief. Imagine, me telling my parents that all the meat was eaten by a mythical creature." She giggled. Her eyes shot open in sudden realization. "Wait," she said. "You can just answer simple 'yes' or 'no' questions," she exclaimed. "Why didn't I think of that earlier?"

Fluttershy smiled, happy to have at least some sort of level of communication with Silence. "So," she said, "are you lost?" Silence simply blinked. Mental note, Fluttershy thought, blinking is probably equivalent to "I don't know". She gasped when she noticed a pendant around Silence's neck. "That's very pretty, Silence," Fluttershy said as she leaned in to get a closer look at it. Silence backed up a little and shook its head.

"Oh," Fluttershy said. "You don't want me to touch it?" Silence nodded. "Okay, I understand." She smiled. "That pendant must be special to you." Silence shook its head, causing Fluttershy to blink in confusion. "It's not?" Silence nodded.

Fluttershy began her pacing anew as she thought. "Clearly you can understand what I'm saying...but can you write?" Silence shook its head, causing her to sigh. "Do you know where you belong," she asked. Silence nodded. "Can you take me there?" Silence shook its head. She frowned. "How can I help you if you won't take me where you live?" Silence blinked, and Fluttershy growled in frustration as she put the palm of her hand to her face. "This isn't getting either of us anywhere," she muttered as she scratched her head.

"Oh," Fluttershy exclaimed. "Maybe I can try this!" She channeled her geode and summoned several suburban animals to her backyard. Once they spotted the manticore, they slowly backed up, then looked at Fluttershy. "Don't worry," she said reassuringly. "I wouldn't willingly put you all in harm's way." The animals all chittered, cheeped and quacked. Fluttershy frowned slightly. "I don't see how it's a bad choice of words." She looked at Silence. "Do you promise not to harm them," she asked.

Silence nodded. Fluttershy looked back at the animals with a gentle smile, and they all visibly calmed down. "Okay," she said, clapping her hands together. "Now that that's settled, this is Silence," She said, gesturing to the manticore. "Silence is unable to speak, so I was hoping one of you would be able to be an interpreter for me." The animals all chattered, causing her to hold her hands up. "One at a time, please. It's hard to hear when you're all talking over each other." She ordered the animals to stand in a single-file line, and they each attempted to communicate with Silence.

Roughly an hour had passed, and all the animals tried their best, but to no avail. Fluttershy sighed as the last of the animals gave their best effort, then shook its head. "Well," she said, unable to hide her disappointment, "Thanks for trying, anyway." The animals all chattered at her. She giggled, then smiled warmly. "Thank you. You always know how to cheer me up."

The animals all gradually left, then Fluttershy folded her arms and looked at Silence. She made a sputtering noise as she eyed the manticore up and down. She walked over to the patio table, then rested her chin on one hand while tapping a finger on the table with the other hand. "I've never had problems communicating with animals before," she thought aloud. "So why is this different?" Silence blinked at her.

Fluttershy's eyes wandered to the pendant around Silence's neck. "Why are you wearing that, anyway?" Silence blinked. "Oh, don't mind the question, Silence," Fluttershy said. "I think if I ask them aloud instead of think them, I might come up with a solution." Silence blinked again. "Hmm..." Her eyes widened. Wait, she thought. If ponies become human, and dragons become dogs when passing through the portal from Equestria... She eyed Silence with a hint of uncertainty. "What kind of creature from Equestria would pass through and become a manticore," she asked. "It doesn't make any sense." Silence stood still and blinked. "If you were a mythical creature already, you would've become something normal. I think." Maybe I should ask Princess Twilight about this next time I see her.

Fluttershy stared at Silence. "No," she said. "That still doesn't make sense. Unless..." she trailed off, then gasped. "Unless that pendant has something to do with it," she exclaimed, excited that she finally felt like she was getting somewhere. She ran into the tool shed and rummaged around until she finally found some hedge shears. Maybe if I cut it off, I'll be able to communicate with Silence! She ran to the backyard and gasped as she covered her mouth with a hand. She didn't know how it was possible, but one of the largest creatures she had ever seen had somehow been able to move with little to no noise.

Silence was gone.

Comments

[BraneworldParadox]

I probably should have read the first part of this story... okay, I will stop being a brat and go read the beginning :D I am just impatient, and I am very simple... I see Fluttershy or a Manticore I click, but I will stop being weird and go back to read the beginning.. hahaha, it is confusing not knowing the full story! I will await the next chapter, I give you a thumbs up for a well written story with Fluttershy! You kept her in character perfectly!

[CapNTilfy]

9268591
Thanks! =)

[OmniFox]

Or Siles.

[Yami Vizzini]

If ponies become human, and dragons become dogs when passing through the portal from Equestria... She eyed Silence with a hint of uncertainty. "What kind of creature from Equestria would pass through and become a manticore," she asked. "It doesn't make any sense."

Hmm... what being do we know in Equestria that’s a mishmash of animal parts, would gravitate towards Fluttershy... and would find it very easy to avoid making sense?

[raven618]

9273436
Pinkie Pie.

[CapNTilfy]

9602764
Well played.

[ScisetShimmerEvan]

Fluttershy began her pacing anew as she thought. "Clearly you can understand what I'm saying...but can you write?" Silence shook its head, causing her to sigh. "Do you know where you belong," she asked. Silence nodded. "Can you take me there?" Silence shook its head. She frowned. "How can I help you if you won't take me where you live?" Silence blinked, and Fluttershy growled in frustration as she put the palm of her hand to her face. "This isn't getting either of us anywhere," she muttered as she scratched her head.

At least your trying.

Silence was gone.

Uh oh!