CUiE Ch.5: Kindness; in a pony form.

>Night had begun to fall over, what did Fluttershy call this place again? Equestria?
>A fitting name if nothing else
>After arriving back at her cottage Fluttershy had given you more of a tour of the dwelling ending with a spare room that would serve as your bedroom
>It was enough for what you needed it for
>After her tour Fluttershy left you to yourself, said she had to make dinner for herself and her animals
>She offered to make you something as well but you politely declined
>You needed some time alone to think about your…predicament
>So you sat on the simple bed provided for you and thought
>Long and hard
>What if this…Celestia couldn’t send you back to Lordran? What if this was a permanent problem?
>A sigh escapes your helm and you rub the back of your neck to workout a knot you can feel growing
>You glance out the window located next to your bed
>The moon was hanging low in the sky, so low it almost looked like you could grab it
>Maybe the fresh air and scenery would do you some good
>You quietly leave your room and walk into the foyer of Fluttershy’s cottage
>She doesn’t seem to be around, perhaps she already went to bed
>No matter, you didn’t want company
>You let yourself out and found a nice, serene hilltop to rest on not far from the cottage

>You gaze up at the swollen moon and just enjoy watching it
>You hear a small rustling behind you and you immediately shoot up, your sword already in hand
>You were formulating a plan to compensate for the lack of a shield which you left in your room
>But then you heard familiar whimpering
>It was Fluttershy, again in a shivering ball
>You return your blade to its sheath
“Oh, Lady Fluttershy. Apologies.”
>You say with a bow
“I should have told you not to approach me from behind.”
>The butter-yellow p0ny unfurled from her protective ball
“O-Oh, no, it’s ok. I-I really should have announced that I was here.”
>You return to your spot on the hilltop and Fluttershy joins you taking a seat right next to you
“Oh, this is fine, right?” she meekly asks
>You nod that it is, Fluttershy was like a specter when quiet. She wouldn’t be a bother
>The two of you are quiet, not a single word is spoken for what seems like hours
>Both of you just drink in the beautiful sight of the moon
“Anonymous. What are you…thinking of?” Fluttershy breaks the silence with that simple question.
>You’re silent for a time, so long a time that Fluttershy tries to retract the question but you begin to speak

“Lordran. My…home.”
>It wasn’t much of a home but it was yours
“I suppose that’s to be expected.” Fluttershy says with a slight nod.
>She starts to ask something else but you don’t give her the chance
>You can’t stop yourself from rattling on, the words just come
“I just want, -need-, to get back. I…I can’t survive here. This world, this Equestria, it is too…peaceful.”
>Fluttershy looks confused, you can’t blame her it’s an odd thing to say
“Peaceful is…bad to you?”
>She looks at you like you just told a horrid joke
“I am…a being of strife and conflict and bloodshed. It is…all I know of. I cannot survive amid peace. I do not know how…”
>You’re quiet again and so is your companion
>Suddenly Fluttershy nuzzles against your armor-encased arm gently
“What was that for…?”
>Her response is just above a whisper
“It just…looked like you need it.”
>She continues to nuzzle you and you don’t stop her. Not tonight, not now.
>Tonight you’ll accept the fact that she isn’t getting close to stab you in the back, or because she wants something in return.
>No, she’s doing this because of the kindness and compassion in her heart.
>Kindness and compassion, two things that had died in you long ago…

>Morning in your new, hopefully temporary, home
>You didn’t sleep after your time with Fluttershy, though she went to bed the moment you two got back inside her home
>You just stayed up the remainder of the night, seated on your bed with your gaze tuned towards the middle distance
>There was a light knock on your bedroom door followed by Fluttershy’s soft voice
“Anonymous? Are you awake?”
“Aye.”
>She opened the door and delicately trotted in, rubbing the sleep from her eyes like a child and her mane was tussled and unkempt
>She yawned and it sounded like a cross between a kitten, a puppy, and every other baby animal you could think of
>Heartwarmingly cute
“Good morning, Anonymous.”
“Good morning, Lady Fluttershy.”
>She notices you weren’t under the covers
“Oh, didn’t sleep well?”
“I…did not sleep at all.”
>She looked concerned
“Oh my, that’s not healthy, Anonymous. “
>You dismiss it with a hand wave
“I’m quite fine, Lady Fluttershy. Please, believe me.”
>She scrunches up her face and gives you a look
“Well, if you say so. But you are going to be eating with me this morning.”
>You begin to protest but that glare she gives you…
>You wordlessly nod in agreement and feel a shiver run down your spine

>Breakfast is pleasant enough if not your…usual affair of foodstuffs
>An awful lot of flowers and hay…
>But Fluttershy quickly prepared something more preferable after you explain you couldn’t exactly digest flora and dry hay strands. A simple bit of bread with butter and some juicy oranges was like a king’s banquet to you.
>You had forgotten what food had tasted like, too long you were sustained on the Estus
>After the basic yet very enjoyable meal you were at a lost of what to do
>There was no…goal for you to work towards
>You didn’t have to cut through countless bloodthirsty Hollows to ring a bell, or slog through lava to retrieve an ember for a blacksmith
>You had…free time
>This was an altogether new concept to you and you didn’t like it
>You needed to keep busy with something, anything
>There’s a hurried knock at the front door
>Fluttershy excuses herself from the table to answer it
>You follow her from the kitchen, curiosity somewhat getting the better of you

>Fluttershy answered the door and seemed pleased to see whomever it was on the other side
>You spy from your place in the kitchen and see an orange-colored horse with a dirty blonde mane standing there chatting with Fluttershy. She wore the most ridiculous hat on her head.
> The orange horse lacked wings and a horn like the other two p0nies you’ve met
>How many different kinds were there?
>The horse with the odd hat seemed to be asking Fluttershy a question and she was getting flustered trying to find an answer
“Is there a problem, Lady Fluttershy?”
>You ask as you walk into the living room, earning a quick gasp from the orange horse when she sees you
“Who or what in the hay is that, Shy?”
>Fluttershy giggles and gives her friend the short version of events
“Well shoot, sugarcube, that is some story. Name’s Applejack.”
>Now that you could hear her a bit better this Applejack had quite the bizarre accent
>She offered you her hoof which you blankly stare at
>You instead bow to her
“A pleasure, Lady Applejack.”
“Hoo-wee, ya talk real proper like, Anonymous.”
>It was a proper way of speaking
“Anyways, Shy, can ya help me with mah problem?”
>Fluttershy snaps back to fidgeting and thinking
“Oh, Applejack, I’m sorry but I have to Canterlot for the day.”
>Applejack stamps her hoof lightly
“Dang, Ah really don’t have the time ta deal with this mahself.”
>You get an idea suddenly

“Well, perhaps I could help with this…issue, Lady Applejack.”
>You suggest plainly, if you could help out Fluttershy for all she’s done it was the least you could do
>Applejack’s ears go flat against her head as she thinks
“Ah…dunno. Ah mean, Ah don’t really know ya…”
>Fluttershy chimes in
“I think he can handle it fine, Applejack. Anonymous dealt with a Manticore. -This- should be easy for him.”
>You hoped you didn’t have to fight another one of those for this problem
>But honestly even if it was something major there was nothing Equestria could throw at you that you couldn’t handle
“Weeeell… If you trust ‘em Shy, Ah can too. Ah really appreciate this, sugarcube. Ah’ll be sure at get ya back for this.”
>You nod simply, somewhat humored over what this problem could be. Most likely terrifying weed pulling, or horrible house painting or some other small chore
>Applejack glances over her shoulder and shouts unexpectedly
“Alright girls! I found ya a sitter for the day!”
>What.
>Three even smaller p0nies walked into Fluttershy’s home and collectively gasped in amazement
>WHAAAT.
>In an instant they were on you. Tugging at your sword,  darting through your legs, knocking on your helmet, and bombarding you with questions
>WHAAAAAAAAT.
“Ok girls, Ah’ll pick ya up later today. You play nice with Anon now, ya hear.”
>Applejack had already left by the time you looked up to protest this…favor
“I’ll be leaving now too, Anonymous. I’ll be home later tonight. Have fun with the girls.”
>And with that Fluttershy flew from her cottage as these…children continue to run rampant
>Today had started so well…