After finding herself on Coruscant without her friends, Fluttershy begins a new life in this galaxy far, far away from her home.
Fluttershy wakes up on Coruscant with little memory of what has happened to her, or where she's from, or anything, for that matter.
But being of an unknown race complicates life.
Friendship! Shenanigans! The Force! Maybe a little kissing! This story has it all! Join your favorite (and maybe least favorite) Jedi as Fluttershy finds a way in this crazy new galaxy!
Current cover art is just a placeholder; if you have anything you'd like to offer, please show me!
This story takes place during the Prequel Trilogy/Clone Wars era.
Violence: There is violence, but it's not really any worse than you would find in the Clone Wars, and maybe even in MLP.
I would honestly rate this E10+ (Everyone 10 and up).
It was early one morning in the urban planet of Coruscant. The large orange sun shone down through the windows of the grand Jedi Temple, illuminating every room. One room in particular held nothing but a bed. Upon that bed laid a yellow Pegasus with a pale pink mane. She was sleeping calmly, despite being far from her home. This place made her feel at peace, so she happily slept on.
The door slid open with a quiet shoom noise as someone walked in. The pony, aware she wasn't alone anymore, slowly opened her eyes. She noticed the golden sunbeams streaming through the window and became infatuated despite herself. They reminded her of something that filled her with a certain warmth inside. Eventually, though, she managed to pull herself away and turned towards her visitor.
She was taken aback at the sight of her guest, and immediately felt bad about feeling that way. But the being looked so... unique. They were a biped with orange-ish skin and an oddly shaped head. Around what had to be its eyes and at the bottom of its head was some kind of metallic substance, which was one of the main reasons the pony was a little shocked at the sight of her visitor.
"Hello," the being said. They sounded like a man and spoke kindly. "How are you feeling?"
The pony thought for a bit before replying with, "Good. A little tired, though."
The man nodded. "I figured as much. My name is Plo Koon. What is yours?"
The pony looked down at her forehooves. My... my name? She thought. She wasn't really sure what it was, but a word came to mind that seemed to fit the bill. "Fluttershy." she said.
"Do you remember the name of where you came from?" Plo asked.
Once again, Fluttershy had to think about this. Her memory was foggy, but certain things were clear. "I live in Equestria. In a town called Ponyville." Looking around the room, Fluttershy thought aloud, "This isn't my home."
"No, it isn't." Plo almost sounded sadder, but Fluttershy was still to fazed to tell. "You were found alone on a pirate ship. The Jedi that found you rescued you and took you to a medical station. Once the doctors cleared you, you were brought here. You're suffering from memory loss due to head trauma, but your memory will return in time."
"...What's a Jedi?" Fluttershy inquired.
"A Jedi is a keeper of the peace. They are sensitive to the Force and use it for good. I, myself, am a Jedi." Plo gave a little bow as he finished.
"What's the Force?"
"The Force is the energy shared between all living things. It surrounds us, penetrates us, binds the galaxy together."
"Wow." Fluttershy sat in her bed, processing the information. A sudden unsettling thought came to her head. "I was alone? Were there any other ponies like me on the ship?"
Plo shook his head. "The entire ship was searched. You were the only one on board, excluding the pirates."
Fluttershy was disheartened by this news. So I'm the only one here who's like me? Why weren't any other... Equestrians taken? Fluttershy looked towards the window again, as if it would provide some clarity. But all she saw was the traffic passing by, silhouetted by the rising sun in the background.
Plo stood by the door, waiting for Fluttershy to say something, anything. When she didn't, he finally said, "If you'd like, I could show you around the temple, and tell you a bit about Coruscant."
"What's Coruscant?" Fluttershy said, turning her attention back to Plo.
"It's the planet we're on right now."
Fluttershy blinked, thinking. Making her decision, she said, "Okay. A walk sounds nice."
The pony crawled out of her bed, stretching a bit. She followed Plo out of her room and into the large halls of the Jedi Temple.
The Jedi Temple was nothing short of breathtaking. The halls were tall, with huge windows that gave a wonderful view of this section of the city. Plo and Fluttershy passed many beings in the hall, most of which simply smiled as they walked by. A few waved or said hello. One person in particular stayed for an entire conversation.
"Master Plo!" An orange girl waved and walked over. Glancing at Fluttershy, she asked, "Who's your new friend?"
"Padawan Tano, this is Fluttershy." Plo gestured to the pony standing next to him, who gave a shy nod. "She's the prisoner we rescued from the pirates a few days ago."
"Oh, I heard about you!" The Padawan said. "My master was one of the Jedi that found you. He told me about what happened. My name's Ahsoka Tano. It's good to meet you."
Fluttershy smiled, despite feeling a little overwhelmed by the girl. She seemed bold, the opposite of Fluttershy. "Might I ask what a Padawan is?"
"A Padawan, like myself, is a Jedi-in-training. I'm learning everything I need to know so I can become a full-fledged Jedi Knight."
Fluttershy nodded. It made sense now; the girl seemed much younger than Plo. Of course she was in training and not a real Jedi-- yet.
Ahsoka suddenly seemed a little embarrassed, causing Fluttershy to worry. She didn't seem like the type to be flustered.
"I'm sorry, but I have to know-- what's that mark above your back legs? Is it ceremonial or religious or something?" Ahsoka made a little gesture towards Fluttershy's hindquarters.
The pony turned around, unaware of what the Padawan was talking about. Fluttershy saw a little picture: three butterflies in a triangle formation, resting on her flank. She didn't know what it was at first, but a sudden memory popped up. "It's called a cutie mark," she explained to the Padawan. "Where I come from, almost everyone has them. They tell what your special talent is." After thinking for a bit, Fluttershy said, "Mine is caring for and understanding animals."
"Animals?" Ahsoka brightened up. "I know where the Holographic Zoo is! If you like animals, the zoo is the perfect place to see them!" The Padawan looked at Plo with pleading eyes. "Can we please go? I'll even bring a trooper along. Or Anakin! Pleeeeease let her go!"
Plo thought for a bit. Despite feeling a little swamped by Ahsoka, the thought of a holographic zoo nearly made Fluttershy squeal with delight. Without realizing it, she looked up at Plo with the same puppy dog eyes that Ahsoka was.
After what seemed like hours of thinking, Plo finally relented. "Alright, but you have to bring your Master along. Coruscant has been facing a rise in crime lately, and I don't want either of you to get hurt, or worse. Of course, if your Master refuses, you won't be able to go."
"We understand!" Ahsoka smiled excitedly at Fluttershy. "Meet me at the front of the Temple at six a.m. sharp. I'll be with a tall, grumpy guy." She paused. "You do know where the front of the Temple is, right?"
Fluttershy nodded, to the delight of Ahsoka. She skipped away, waving good-bye.
"Be careful," Plo said, turning to Fluttershy. "As I mentioned before, Coruscant is experiencing an unusually high crime rate. It wouldn't surprise me if someone decided to attempt to kidnap you-- or worse."
"Don't worry. I'll be with Ahsoka, and a Jedi. I'm not worried." Fluttershy smiled in the direction the Padawan had left. What could go wrong?
"Welcome to the Coruscant Zoo, with holograms of every creature that is, was, and may have been!"
Ahsoka Tano spread her arms dramatically as she entered the building, attempting to look grand. Her Master, Anakin Skywalker, affectionately rolled his eyes at her gesture. Fluttershy simply looked around in awe.
The Coruscant Zoo was full of holotables, each featuring different creatures from across the galaxy. Fluttershy trotted further into the building, leaving Ahsoka and Anakin to catch up. She looked around at every display, absorbing the names of every creature. Bantha. Tauntaun. Jubba Bird. Voorpak. There were so many animals, and they were all simply incredible.
"So? What do you think?" Ahsoka walked beside Fluttershy, looking slightly smug.
"This... this place... it's wonderful!" Fluttershy exclaimed, having trouble finding the right words. "There's so much to learn about these creatures! I could stay here for days looking at all of these holograms! Thank you so much for bringing me!"
"Aw, it was nothing!" Ahsoka said, feigning humility. "Let's go check out the Naboo section. It easily has the most animals. C'mon, Skyguy, hurry up! You're supposed to make sure we aren't abducted by scum!"
"Watch it, Snips," Anakin said, catching up to the pair. "Don't get cocky. The streets have been very dangerous recently. If anything, you two should be slowing down."
Ahsoka rolled her eyes, but still made sure to stay close to her Master. Fluttershy eagerly followed her companions to a very large section of holotables, featuring the fauna of Naboo.
"And finally, Tatooine," Ahsoka said, waving toward the group of holotables they had yet to observe. Fluttershy was excited; from what Anakin had said on the way over, Tatooine was home to many creatures, despite being a desert planet. Fluttershy instinctively trotted over to the cutest creature first--this time, it was the Scurriers. Ahsoka followed, but Anakin was a little slower to do the same.
As the girls approached the holotable, Anakin came up behind in a tense manner. "Someone's been following us. Stay close and act natural."
Ahsoka seemed calm, and while Fluttershy tried to act the same way, she was screaming inside. A constant slew of What do I do?s ran through her head. She stayed very close to Ahsoka, looking everywhere for any clue as to who was following them.
"Over there. By the Krayt Dragon display." Anakin whispered, nodding towards a group of bounty hunters lurking behind a hologram. Ahsoka nodded and pretended to be very interested in the Bantha display while Fluttershy cowered behind her.
The bounty hunters began to make their way towards the group. Anakin motioned for them to leave. The trio brusquely walked to the exit, the bounty hunters never too far behind them. Just as they reached the exit--
A gun was fired into the air, allowing chaos to erupt in the zoo.
People ran in every which way, screaming and pushing each other over. The bounty hunters melted into the crowd, causing the trio to lose sight of them. Giving up the search, Anakin began making his way to the exit once again, Ahsoka and Fluttershy right behind. They stopped suddenly, with everyone bumping into each other. The girls peeked around the Jedi to see a bounty hunter with a gun pointed at Anakin's head. A twin set of clicks went off behind them. Turning around, they saw the other two hunters, each with a loaded gun.
"Hand over the horse ad no one gets hurt." The man with a gun on Anakin said.
"You'll have to shoot me first." The Jedi said, smirking a little.
"I know you Jedi would die to save others." The lead hunter waved his gun at his comrades. "So it won't be you we're shooting. It'll be them."
The other two hunters each held a civilian in their arms, gun pointed at their heads. Fluttershy stared in horror, appalled that anyone would do such a thing. She turned around to see her friends looking shocked as well.
"Let them take me!" Fluttershy said, internally surprised at the level of bravery she was now showing. "Don't let them hurt those people!"
"You should listen to her," The lead hunter said. "She knows what she's talking about."
"We can't just hand her over!" Ahsoka said, looking stressed.
This was an impossible situation. Give away one life, or lose two. Anakin seemed to be weighing the pros and cons in his head, but he took too long.
"I'll take that as a no. Kill them." The hunter ordered his men, who began to pull the trigger on their guns.
"NOOO!" Fluttershy leapt toward the two hunters at an incredible speed. She knocked the guns out of both of their hands and kicked them in their heads. The lead hunter, surprised at the sudden ferocity of Fluttershy, squeezed his trigger to shoot Anakin.
Fluttershy flew at a blinding speed towards the bounty hunter, so fast that everything seemed to slow down. She launched herself at the gun and ripped it out of the hunter's hand. Once she landed, time returned to normal, and the hunter moved his finger on a nonexistent trigger. Realizing the gun was on the floor under an angry Fluttershy, he ran out of the zoo, his comrades trailing behind him.
Fluttershy was breathing heavily. Did I really just to that? She looked over at Ahsoka and Anakin, who returned her stare with gaping expressions.
Ahsoka suddenly pumped her fist in the air and whooped. "That was incredible!" she said, grinning from ear to ear. "You were a blur, fighting the bounty hunters with unparalleled skill! Whoosh! Bang! You were a natural!"
Fluttershy blushed, turning to Anakin to see what he said. "That was reckless. You have no skill and shouldn't have survived taking on three bounty hunters on your own." He paused. "But, I must admit, that was pretty cool."
"Pretty cool? Try extremely cool!" Ahsoka gave Fluttershy a thumbs up.
"Umm, not to be a buzzkill, but... do you think we could go back to the Temple now? I think I've had enough excitement for one day." Fluttershy said. She still couldn't believe she took on the bounty hunters by herself.
"I think that's a good idea. I want to talk to someone about this." Anakin replied, turning to the exit. Ahsoka and Fluttershy followed, the Padawan's fist bumping with the pony's hoof.
"Masters!" Anakin said, his voice echoing slightly in the halls of the Jedi Temple. The two Jedi in front of him, Masters Obi-Wan Kenobi and Mace Windu, turned around.
"What is it?" Kenobi asked. Windu simply raised an eyebrow.
"I think I know why the crime rate has been so high lately." Anakin paused before finishing. "I think it's because of Fluttershy."
Ahsoka led the pony through the corridors of the Jedi Temple. It was early in the morning, the sun still getting ready to rise. Fluttershy was still a little still tired, and while she tried to keep up with Ahsoka, who was very awake, she tended to bumble around and run into things.
"Where are we going this early?" Fluttershy asked. She was rubbing her head after bumping into another wall. Ahsoka, who didn't want to get caught wandering around the Temple at these hours, used the Force to lift Fluttershy up. She hovered the pony next to her and began running again.
Fluttershy accidentally fell asleep while being carried, but she woke up when she noticed that she wasn't moving anymore. Upon opening her eyes she saw that she was in an elevator.
"Please tell me where we're going," Fluttershy said, looking at Ahsoka. All she got for a response was a mischievous smile.
Finally the elevator stopped. Ahsoka got off, Fluttershy still hovering by her. They were on the top floor of the Temple. Ahsoka went to a ventilation shaft and went up in it. Fluttershy was very confused.
Of course, the pony couldn't help but fall asleep again. She was mildly aware of being squeezed through the ventilation system, but she didn't wake up until she felt Ahsoka shake her awake.
"Where--" Fluttershy rubbed her eyes. When she opened her eyes, she almost didn't believe what she saw.
The sun was just know peeking above the roofs of the buildings. The sky was a rich purple that faded to red, orange, and finally yellow as it got closer to the sun. A few persistent stars still twinkled in the twilight. The traffic, while it was no thinner than usual, added a barrage of sounds that somehow complemented the whole scene.
Fluttershy just stared in awe at the scene. Ahsoka looked over at her and, upon seeing her face, grinned. "What do you think?" she asked.
"This... it's beautiful," Fluttershy said, unable to take her eyes away from the sky. "I'm sorry for being groggy earlier. This is worth getting up early for."
The two girls sat on the roof of the Jedi Temple for about an hour, doing nothing but talking and admiring the sights of the city. They probably would have stayed there until somebody found them if Ahsoka's wrist communicator hadn't started beeping.
"Snips!" Anakin's voice came from the com, sounding a little upset. "I need you and Fluttershy in the council chamber as soon you can get here."
Ahsoka sighed before saying, "Yes, Master." She turned to Fluttershy. "I guess we have to leave now."
"Thank you for showing me this." Fluttershy said as she got up from her kneeling position.
Fluttershy stood in the Jedi Council chamber next to Anakin. Ahsoka, who Fluttershy really wanted to be with due to the tension in the atmosphere, was told to wait outside. Most of the Jedi Council either sat in one of the chairs or was being projected from whatever mission they were on.
Anakin acted tense, making Fluttershy even more on edge.
"Um, uh, excuse me, Masters, but, um, why are we here? And, uh, why can't Ahsoka be here? If you don't mind me asking, that is." Fluttershy blushed and looked at her hooves anxiously.
"All of your questions will be answered." Master Windu said. He turned to Anakin. "Skywalker, please share with us what you have learned, beginning with your hypothesis."
Anakin shifted uncomfortably before speaking. "After we were attacked at the zoo, I thought about what the bounty hunters told us. They were looking for you, Fluttershy, and considering that you were kidnapped by pirates, I decided it might be worth looking into. I did some digging, and... there's a really big bounty on you."
Fluttershy felt faint. Oh no no no no! This can't be happening! She focused on her hooves, trying with every ounce of her being on not passing out.
"Wh-what are we going to do?" Fluttershy asked the Council.
"We're setting a plan in place now." said Master Windu. "We've decided to send a squad to where the man who posted the bounty is so they can get it recalled. Until then, it's too dangerous to have you here on Coruscant."
"What are you saying?" Fluttershy said, a knot beginning to tie itself in her stomach.
"We're saying that we'll have to relocate you to another planet, with a squad of clone troopers for protection." Master Windu stated.
"...Would anybody else come with me?"
"It's not worth risking anyone else. This is a simple matter, and it will be treated as such."
Fluttershy felt the knot in her stomach grow tighter. "Couldn't just one person, like, maybe, Ahsoka, come with me? Just so I won't be so lonely?"
Master Windu shook his head. "We've already made our decision. We won't send any Jedi, least of all a Padawan, with you. A squad will do the trick."
A sick, scared feeling came to Fluttershy. She didn't want to be alone on a strange planet with a galaxy of bounty hunters after her! She couldn't--no, wouldn't-- be alone! "Please, Masters, I can't be alone-"
"You won't be. There'll be plenty of clone troopers with you. You have no need to worry." Master Windu began to stand up. "Now that we've discussed this-"
"No, you don't understand!" Fluttershy's voice raised a little. She felt a strange feeling growing in her chest. It built on itself rapidly, spreading through Fluttershy, making her feel tingly and powerful. "I can't go with people I don't know! I'm a stranger to this galaxy, and I need my friends!"
"Miss Fluttershy! Calm yourself!" Master Windu said as he and several other Masters reached for their lightsabers or com links.
"But you have to understand!" Fluttershy was yelling now, the power inside her threatening to explode. She didn't notice, but the chairs the Masters had just been sitting on were shaking and floating an inch in the air.
Anakin looked at Fluttershy with a pained look. "Don't make this worse than it needs to be!" he told her.
"I won't. Go. ALONE!"
CRASH!
The windows in the Council chamber suddenly shattered inward. The chairs were flying in every which way, not bothering to avoid bumping into Jedi. A few Masters were hanging in the air, floating against their will. A fierce wind blew through the chamber in a whirlwind fashion, with Fluttershy at the center of it all. Anakin looked to her and almost couldn't believe what he was seeing.
Fluttershy stood in a hunched position, a look of fear and rage and her face. Tears fell rapidly onto the floor and her breathing was rapid. Anakin could sense a very dark presence in the room, and he was shocked to feel it coming from the kind pony.
"Fluttershy!" Anakin yelled amid the din. "You don't have to do this! We can work things out! Just stop this right now!"
Fluttershy looked over at Anakin. She could barely hear him over the commotion, but his words echoed in her head, bouncing back and forth like they were the balls in a pinball machine. 'You don't have to do this... stop!' Looking around, she finally saw the damage she was causing.
The chair were racing around as if they had been possessed. Every Master in the room was struggling, whether it was against the wind or trying to get back on the ground. Worst of all were the looks on their faces. They were expressions of struggle, of surprise, of disappointment.
But Anakin's face was the worst: a face of pleading sadness, with shock and disbelief, all mushed into one heartbreaking face.
Taking a deep breath, Fluttershy focused on fixing everything. She began by gently putting the floating Jedi back on the ground, followed by taming the chairs. Finally, she slowly gave less and less energy to the whirlwind, until eventually it was a mere breeze, and ending it.
The scene might have been funny if it weren't for what caused it. The Masters all wore looks of surprise, with mussed hair and robes. The floor was sparkling with the shards of glass from the windows. Fluttershy stood in the center of it all, redder than a tomato, still trying to comprehend what she just did.
Fear suddenly gripped Fluttershy. I just assaulted a bunch of Jedi Masters! She began hyperventilating, and before anyone could say or do anything, she bolted out of the Council chamber. Ahsoka's cries of "Wait up!" and "What happened?" could be heard as the doors of the chamber slowly came to a close.
Anakin, being himself, was the first to comment on the events that had just taken place. "This certainly changes things."
Fluttershy still honestly couldn't believe everything that had happened up to now.
She was still getting used to the fact that she could use the Force and had attacked a room full of Council members just two days ago. Now, Fluttershy was getting ready to jump on a ship to Naboo with Ahsoka, which was what she wanted before she went crazy. She had been almost sure that her chances of getting someone she knew to come with her had become extremely slim to none. But, here she was.
Fluttershy was in her room, looking through a bag of things Ahsoka had gave to her for the trip. She smiled when she came across a book about the animals of Naboo. Fluttershy, while worried about what could happen, couldn't help but feel excited about going to one of the most green and natural planets in the galaxy. She was really hoping she would be able to meet some of the wonder fauna that lived on Naboo.
The door opened, and in walked a smiling Ahsoka. "Hey," She said in a singsong voice, walking over to Fluttershy. "Are you ready to head out?"
"Mm-hm! Just give me one moment," The pony said, repacking everything into her bag. After placing it on her back, Fluttershy followed Ahsoka out of her room.
Ahsoka had told Fluttershy that Venator-class ships were huge, but that seemed to be more and more of an understatement as she got closer to the ship.
The Republic battle cruiser could easily be several kilometers long, and it was shaped like an arrowhead. The paint job was primarily white, with red stripes near its edges. Hundreds of people, probably the ship's personnel, rushed in and out of the docking bay with tools or information pads or errands to run. Several ships had been loaded into the Venator, with various clones making sure they were prepared for the trip.
Fluttershy was a little overwhelmed by all the people running about. She stayed as close to Ahsoka as she could to avoid getting lost or trampled.
Upon noticing the nervous Fluttershy hovering in her shadow, Ahsoka laughed quietly and said, "These ships do get hectic, but you really don't have to worry. Everyone here is fully trained to run a ship and ready to help if you need anything."
The thought soothed Fluttershy a little, but she still stayed right next to Ahsoka.
The pair made their way through the bustling crowd and onto the ship. The hallways were rather narrow, and with all of the officers and such running through them, Fluttershy felt a little claustrophobic. However, the feeling faded away as the amount of personnel dwindled and the preparations were completed.
Ahsoka showed Fluttershy to the bridge, where she could see the people outside the ship scampering to get out of the way. The pony took one last look at the skyline of Coruscant. The orange sun was just barely above the tallest buildings, the sky a lovely blue. I'll miss waking up to this, Fluttershy thought. Naboo's sunrises should be wonderful, though. But I wonder if I'll ever see a Coruscant sunrise again...
The ship took off. The sky of Coruscant melted away and became darker and darker and stars began to appear.
"Prepare the jump to hyperspace," ordered a burly man who Fluttershy assumed was the admiral in charge of the ship. Several of the officers working on the machines below the bridge began rapidly pressing buttons.
"Brace yourself," Ahsoka warned Fluttershy. "Jumping to hyperspace tends to be... exciting."
Fluttershy began worrying a little. She tensed up as one of the officers announced, "Jumping to hyperspace, sir."
The ship lurched violently, making Fluttershy much more glad for Ahsoka's advice. Once the ship was steady again, she relaxed and looked out the window. The once black view was now comprised of long white streaks racing past the window.
"Welcome to hyperspace," Ahsoka said.
Fluttershy, Ahsoka, and several clone troopers boarded a transport ship in the Venator's docking bay. The ship launched through the roof of the bay, which was comprised of two massive sliding doors. Through the front window of the ship, Fluttershy could see Naboo.
The planet was very green, a beautiful emerald color. There were several large patches of deep blue water sprinkled across the surface. White, wispy clouds raced above it all.
After a few minutes of flying, the transport ship landed on a pad in the bustling city of Theed. Everyone disembarked. They were greeted by a few members of the Royal Guard, who led them to where they were staying.
"What are those?" Fluttershy asked. They had been led to the outskirts of the city, and they were standing by some kind of vehicle.
"Those are speeders," Ahsoka said. "You can ride with me, since it would probably be hard for you to steer one without hands."
Fluttershy nodded and hopped onto the back of the speeder Ahsoka had chosen. Once everyone had got on a bike, they began to ride away from the city.
They were moving faster than Fluttershy had gone before, excluding what had happened at the zoo on Coruscant. The wind flew through her mane, a cool and refreshing breeze in the summer air of Naboo. The plains rolled by, blurring the grass and trees in the distance. Brown dots speckled the land in the distance, and Fluttershy could tell that they were animals; probably shaaks.
They rode for about a half-hour before some houses came into view. They were modest little huts, but they were cozy on the inside and far from any innocent people that could get hurt if any bounty hunters came. The air here was so fresh and clean, making Fluttershy feel cheerful.
Everyone got off the bikes and began settling in. The clones set up a perimeter, but Fluttershy went in one of the huts and began unpacking.
"I've been ordered to share a room with you," Ahsoka said, entering the hut. She threw her pack onto one of two beds in the hut and looked over at the side Fluttershy had claimed.
The pony had been in the hut for maybe two minutes, but it already looked wonderful and homey. Ahsoka couldn't help but smile at the scene.
"I think I'm going to like it here," Fluttershy said as she looked out the window. Naboo really is wonderful...
"So, I was thinking... since we're sleeping in the same hut, we could have a slumber party!"
Ahsoka looked at Fluttershy. She had been reading a book she brought from the Jedi Temple's library, and it seemed the pony had been brushing up on Naboo's animals with the book she had given her. "What's a slumber party?" Ahsoka asked.
Fluttershy paused for a second. I think this is another memory! Why does it have to be so fuzzy? "Well, uh, I'm not entirely sure, but I think it has to do with having fun and not going to sleep until late at night."
"Sounds fun. I'm in!" Ahsoka said, closing her book. "What do we do first?"
"Um..." Fluttershy wasn't exactly sure what to do. She squished her pillows as she thought, causing a memory to pop up. "We begin with a pillow fight."
"And what might that-"
Ahsoka was pummeled in the face with a white, cushy blur. She rubbed her cheek and looked back to see Fluttershy hovering in the air and gripping a pillow between her teeth. Her face was red, as she felt bad for hitting Ahsoka so hard.
"Oh, it's ON!" Ahsoka shouted playfully, grabbing one of her pillows and lunging towards Fluttershy. The pony let out a yelp and flew out of the pillow's path just before she would have been hit. Grinning mischievously, Ahsoka followed Fluttershy, who readied her pillow and braced for an attack.
The two did this for quite some time; it wasn't until they were gasping and laughing in a heap on the floor that they managed to stop. Thankfully, no pillows were broken, but the fight had been far from gentle. Both girls were sore, but they were way to happy to notice.
"So," Ahsoka said when she had finally caught her breath. "Now that we've completed that, what's next?"
"Well, I think we're supposed to eat something sweet." Fluttershy said. "Do we have anything like that?"
"No. What else?"
"Um... watch a movie, do makeovers, play a game... does any of that sound fun?"
"I think the only thing we can do is play a game. You got any ideas?"
"Do you know how to play charades?"
The two girls played a lot of games: charades, hide and seek, rock paper scissors, and many others. It was probably around midnight or one o'clock in the morning when they finally settled down to go to bed.
"That was one of the best nights I've ever had," Ahsoka said. "I wonder why I'd never heard of a slumber party before."
"Me neither." Fluttershy said. She felt so content, so happy. She never wanted this night to end, just so she could feel this great all the time.
"What do you say to us finding some of the amazing animals of this planet tomorrow?"
It was way too early in the morning for Fluttershy and Ahsoka to get up.
Well, in reality, it was probably between eight or nine o'clock--a perfect time to wake up. But after the night they'd had, the two girls wanted to sleep for another few hours. Somehow, though, Fluttershy and Ahsoka managed to slowly crawl out of bed, stretch for a few minutes, and get ready to go look at some of the fauna of Naboo.
Fluttershy packed a bag for the day while Ahsoka readied her speeder. As she exited the hut, she saw the Padawan arguing with one of the troopers.
"We'll be fine on our own!" Ahsoka insisted. "I'm really powerful, and so is Fluttershy! We don't need 'supervision'!"
"With all due respect, Commander, it was our orders to protect you and Miss Fluttershy, and I can't well do that if I'm not with you." The clone trooper said.
"But-"
"I won't be breathing down your necks. I'll simply watch you two from afar. Deal?"
Ahsoka folded her arms and looked at the ground. "Fine. Deal." she growled.
As the trooper readied his own speeder, Fluttershy walked up to Ahsoka. "What was that all about?"
"Well, I just... kinda wanted this to just be a you-and-me thing." she looked up towards the clone. "Now he's coming along and ruining that."
"Come on, Ahsoka!" the pony said, rubbing up to her friend playfully. "This can still be a you-and-me thing! We just have to practice ignoring him for a while."
Ahsoka laughed. "All right. I am rather good at ignoring people who give me orders." She jumped onto her speeder and motioned for Fluttershy to jump on behind her.
The pony smiled. Today was going to be fun.
The weather today was beautiful. The sun was a glorious yellow color that brilliantly lit up the green plains of Naboo. The breeze that came with riding on a speeder countered the already warm air, making the temperature absolutely perfect. The grass still had some dew, and when the speeders flew over it, the water sprayed behind the bikes in a sparkling arch.
Fluttershy had a wonderful feeling about today.
The plan was to cruise around the plains of Naboo, stopping whenever they spotted some wildlife that they wanted to see. Fluttershy came up with it, hoping that it would help them find as many creatures as possible.
They had been riding for about a half an hour when Fluttershy had Ahsoka stop their speeder. She hopped off and ran to a thick patch of grass nearby. When Ahsoka caught up to the pony, she asked, "What is it?"
Fluttershy had her face buried into the grass for a bit before turning to Ahsoka. The Padawan jumped a little when she saw the pony's face and mane.
"I found some Voorpaks!" Fluttershy said happily. Little fluffy ball-like creatures had nested themselves into her mane, and one was even hanging off her muzzle. Fluttershy was smiling and giggling. She motioned for Ahsoka to come closer. "Go on, take one!"
Ahsoka, while a little wary of the creatures, couldn't help but think they were cute. Carefully taking the voorpak off of Fluttershy's face, she then cupped it in her hands. It smelled rather nice, and purred softly. Ahsoka couldn't help but smile, making Fluttershy's grin even bigger.
The two girls played with the voorpaks for a while, until they began to feel annoyed with the attention. The voorpaks retreated to their patch of grass, and, much to Fluttershy's dismay, the girls had to get back on the speeder. They returned to riding across the plains, searching for another creature to meet.
The sun was in its highest point in the sky. The trio had stopped riding and instead ate the lunch they packed. Fluttershy happily chewed her food; even though they had only seen one group of creatures, she was having a ton of fun, and had high hopes for the afternoon. Besides, this lunch felt like a picnic. Fluttershy always welcomed a new memory that popped up.
Eventually, they all finished their lunch. But just as they had finished packing up and were about to get on the speeders--
"Guys, look!" Fluttershy pointed to the horizon. Ahsoka and the trooper walked up beside her.
Where the land met the sky, there was a big brown cloud rising. Beneath the cloud was a whole lot of brown specks that seemed to be approaching rapidly. While Ahsoka looked a little worried, Fluttershy was once again grinning from ear to ear.
"It's a shaak stampede!" the pony cried out in excitement. Ahsoka wore a mixed expression, smiling at her friend even though her eyes were filled with fear.
Fluttershy jumped onto the speeder before Ahsoka even began walking toward it. The trooper got onto his and said, "Come on, we need to get out of the way of the stampede!"
Fluttershy glared at him. No way am I passing up this opportunity! She whispered something into Ahsoka, making the Padawan smile. She revved up the speeder and took off-- towards the stampede.
The shouting of the clone trooper was quickly drowned out by the wind produced by the speeder and the increasing volume of the stampede as the two girls drew closer to it. Fluttershy couldn't help but let out a giddy laugh, and Ahsoka wore a smug smile.
The shaaks grew larger and more detailed as the girls grew closer. They were awkward creatures, with most of their mass at their bulbous back ends. Several cries were released at any given time, filling the air with more than just dirt and the sound of thumping hooves.
Ahsoka, trying to channel her inner Anakin, drove up real close to the stampede. Just as they would have been trampled by the shaaks, Ahsoka made an extremely sharp one-eighty degree turn and sped up as fast as she could go.
Fluttershy had never felt so in awe in her life.
The shaaks, while upset about the new member of their stampede, simply moved around the girls and enveloped them into the herd. They were surrounded by the creatures, joining in to their crusade, racing across the plains without a care in the world.
This was what Fluttershy had wanted from today. To be with the animals in their natural setting, to experience what it was like to be with them, to be them. The pony, overwhelmed by happiness, let her wings unfold behind her--
Fluttershy was ripped off the speeder and thrown behind it.
Ahsoka looked around in horror. She wasn't sure where Fluttershy went. She desperately hoped she was hanging off of the speeder and not on the ground, where she's surely be trampled. Panic set in. Ahsoka was going to cry out when she heard a familiar voice.
"Up here!"
Ahsoka looked at the sky behind her. There Fluttershy was, soaring above the stampede, flapping her wings as freely as a bird. She came in close to Ahsoka and offered her hoof to her. Ahsoka, unsure as to what to do, simply high-fived her friend.
Fluttershy returned to the sky above Ahsoka, admiring the view. The plains sprawled endlessly before them, seeming to go even beyond the distant horizon. The green grass swayed with the wind, much like Fluttershy did. The feeling of freedom and intense happiness filled the happy pony. She flew with the stampede, Ahsoka riding along below.
The sun was nearly touching the horizon when they all returned to the camp. Ahsoka and Fluttershy had to endure a scolding from the clone trooper, but they were in too good of a mood to care. The girls parked their speeder and headed straight to their hut, where they both promptly jumped into their beds.
"What a day," Ahsoka said, stifling a yawn. "I must admit, I never expected to get caught in a stampede of shaaks."
"That was one of the most exhilarating experiences I've ever had. Or, at least, that I can remember." Fluttershy turned in her bed so she could better see Ahsoka. "Anakin would be proud of the speeder stunt you pulled."
Ahsoka smiled smugly. "I know."
The two girls laid in silence for a while. The cries of shaaks in the distance carried through the air. The breeze rustled the grass. The sun was nearly gone, giving only a faint, purple-orange glow into the sky and through the hut's window.
The two girls fell asleep easily and happily. The day had been wonderful. Tomorrow could only be just as good...
A quiet knock came from the door of the hut. Fluttershy and Ahsoka, who had been sleeping soundly, slowly stirred. Rubbing her eyes, the Padawan grumbled, "Come in."
One of the lower-ranking clone troopers entered. He saluted awkwardly at Ahsoka, who waved her hand, telling him to stop.
"What is it?" Fluttershy asked before letting out a huge yawn. Even after sleeping as good as she did last night, she was still tired. Yesterday had been very exciting.
"There's an incoming transmission from Coruscant." The trooper said. "It concerns you, Miss Fluttershy."
"If it concerns Fluttershy, it concerns me too." Ahsoka said stubbornly, climbing out of bed. Fluttershy did the same, stretching her wings as she landed on the floor.
The girls followed the clone trooper to one of the huts on the edge of the camp. Upon entering, they saw that the clones had outfitted it to function as a base. There were weapons leaning against various places of the walls, and in the center of the hut was a holotable. It was beeping, signaling that there was an incoming message.
Ahsoka and Fluttershy found places next to each other by the holotable. The commanding trooper pressed a few buttons on the side of the table, and a hologram of Master Windu appeared.
"Miss Fluttershy. Padawan Tano," the Master greeted. "I wanted to update you on the situation with the pirates."
"Currently, Generals Kenobi and Skywalker are on the planet Florrum. They've missed their last two check-ins, so we can only assume they have been captured."
"This is the second time that's happened," Ahsoka whispered to Fluttershy, who stifled a giggle.
"We're waiting for the pirates to send us a ransom." Master Windu continued, either ignoring Ahsoka's remark or not even knowing she made one. "The pirates are sly scum; reinforcements would be too risky to send. Depending on how everything goes, your stay on Naboo may be longer than expected."
Fluttershy sighed. She wasn't sad about staying on Naboo; she honestly loved it here. She was sad about having to keep feeling unsafe, like she could be ambushed at any minute.
"Thank you, Master Windu." Fluttershy said. She turned away from the holotable, Ahsoka following her out of the hut. She could hear the murmurs of the clones and the Master continuing the conversation as she returned to her and Ahsoka's hut.
Fluttershy jumped into her bed and curled up into a ball. Ahsoka sat next to her.
"What's wrong?"
Fluttershy looked up at her friend, pondering the question. "I... I guess I just want to stop feeling scared all the time," the pony said. "I want to feel safe."
Ahsoka looked like she wanted to say something, but she stayed silent. She simply scooted closer to her friend and laid down next to her. Ahsoka put one of her hands on one of Fluttershy's forehooves.
Fluttershy laid her head on Ahsoka's hand. The two girls fell asleep...
"C'mon, Fluttershy, you can do it!"
Fluttershy looked behind her. A blue Pegasus with a frizzy rainbow mane grinned at her. She felt nervous. "I--I don't know if I can do this."
"Of course you can do it! You're a great flier, you just have to believe in yourself!" the blue pony urged.
Fluttershy looked at the cloud under her feet. Her hooves were quivering. She shut her eyes tight, and concentrated on moving her wings...
An obnoxiously loud "WAAA-HOOOO!" came from behind Fluttershy. She turned around to look at the blue pony, and noticed she was further away. Lower.
Fluttershy looked down. The cloud below her was no longer touching her hooves. She panicked, falling back down on the cloud.
"Aw, why'd you stop?" the blue pony teased, although she sounded a little sad.
"I... I was scared." Fluttershy said, blushing and turning away from the pony.
"It's cool. You'll do it again, I know it." The blue pony came over and patted Fluttershy's back. "Now, you wanna get a snack?"
"Sure, Rainbow," Fluttershy smiled, clumsily getting up before following her friend...
Fluttershy woke up with a start. Ahsoka had shook her awake, and a clone trooper stood in the doorway of the hut.
"There's been an update on the Generals' status," the trooper said. "They had only been experiencing a minor setback, and were never captured. They got the pirates to remove the bounty, and even got some extremely valuable information."
Fluttershy looked confused. What could be so valuable?
"They got the coordinates of your home planet."
"I would expect you to be happier about being able to go home," Ahsoka said once the trooper left.
Fluttershy looked at her friend. This time, she saw Ahsoka's face in a new light. Fluttershy could see the face of the blue pony from her dream looking back at her, wearing the same expression Ahsoka was.
"You remind me of someone I knew back in Equestria," Fluttershy said, not noticing Ahsoka's confusion. "Her name... was... Rainbow. Rainbow Dash. She was rebellious, but loyal to those she cared about. She always tried to do the right thing, but she could get out of hand sometimes."
"Are you sure you're not just describing me and using a different name?" Ahsoka joked.
Fluttershy shook her head. "I'm so glad I met you, Ahsoka. I don't want to leave you. I don't want to leave Naboo. I want to stay here with you, going on new adventures every day, exploring every corner of the planet. I don't want to leave all of this." Being unable to stop herself, Fluttershy began to cry, and threw herself at Ahsoka, hugging her.
A hand lightly brushed over Fluttershy's mane. "I don't want you to leave either."
For the rest of the night, the girls hugged and cried. Neither wanted the other to go. Neither wanted this to end...
A large Venator-class ship landed near the city of Theed. Fluttershy, Ahsoka, and the clone troopers that came to Naboo with them all stood near the landing zone, holding bags and getting ready to board.
"Oh, um, Ahsoka," Fluttershy said, handing her friend her bag. "I kinda forgot that this is all yours."
Ahsoka took the bag and almost immediately rummaged through it. Pulling out the book about the creatures of Naboo, she held it out to Fluttershy. "This is yours."
Fluttershy gratefully took the book, smiling. "Thank you."
The ramp to the Venator came down. Everyone got on board.
After a few moments, the ramp returned to its former closed position and the Venator took off.
The ride had been an extremely long one, even for those used to being on battle cruisers. The planet where Equestria resided was a long ways out of known space. The Venator often had to stop to avoid unstable nebulae or to go around and asteroid field. But the ship triumphed, and landed on a secluded area of land, away from any towns they may frighten.
"I guess this is where we part." Ahsoka said. She tried to smile, but it was obvious she was hurting. Fluttershy was doing the same, although she broke down first.
"I'm really going to miss you," Fluttershy gasped in between sobs. "If you ever get a chance, will you come visit?"
"I wouldn't have it any other way," Ahsoka said before she began crying.
The two hugged, and Fluttershy made her way down the ramp. At the bottom, just as she was going to step off, an overwhelming feeling came over her, and she turned around, zipping back up the ramp.
Fluttershy launched at Ahsoka, wrapping her forelegs around Ahsoka's neck. She planted a little kiss on her cheek before landing back on the ground.
As she went back down the ramp, Fluttershy waved at Ahsoka. The Padawan waved back.
It had been about a year since Fluttershy had the dream.
She didn't understand what had happened, she just remembered falling asleep one night and having crazy visions of aliens and beautiful creatures. It was kind of disturbing, knowing she had that big of an imagination, but she was glad the dreams had stopped.
The only thing she couldn't explain was the book.
The book described the fauna of a place called Naboo, but after asking Twilight, Fluttershy knew that it didn't exist.
But it showed up in her dream, and now it laid on her bookshelf...
Ahsoka sat on the roof of the Jedi Temple, staring at the sunset. She used to sneak up there to see the sunrise, but after Fluttershy left, those were too hard to watch alone.
As she stared at the sun, Ahsoka thought about their farewell for what had to be the millionth time.
The hug... the kiss...
Ahsoka wished with all of her might that she could see Fluttershy again, even for just a minute...
