Ah, what a blissful day! The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, the butterflies are fluttering. The cool breeze sets in as the seasons change and the ground is particularly tender as with just enough moisture but not enough to generate mud. Yes, the tranquility of PonyVille seems ever so tranquil -nothing in the world could disrupt this peac-
"EEEEEEK!"
The neighboring birds scattered erratically. "Get away from my rose garden!" somepony cried out. A white coated, maroon maned Earth pony stepped out furiously as an unidentified pony nibbled contentfully at a flowerbed decorated with delicate looking roses and begonias. "You there! What are you think you're doing?!" The enraged mare smacked the stallion with the business end of a broom, instantly convinced this pony is a lunatic. The pony froze for an instant, then darted off in no particular direction. While the mare tended her flowers, the dark blue Clydesdale galloped off, almost running over a bald headed mule and his companion in the process. The stallion paused, looked around, then darted off into the woods. On his way there, he finally did run someone over. He had just collided with a purple unicorn hauling over a dozen books, which cordially fell to the ground. The unicorn stood dazed while the Clydesdale raced off. "Goodness, what that pony's problem?" Meanwhile, the scraggly-looking stallion slowed to a canter now that he was sure he was out of harm's way.
Later that day, the same mare whose garden was vandalized began talk about the nuisance to a neighbor, threatening to bring the law to the freak. Well, as the game of telephone works, one pony overheard one of these conversations and spread it around town.
One day later, the blue mustang crept back into town, in witness by a blue pegasus floating on a cloud a few hundred hooves in the air, but the pony seemed just like any other passerby in town - but something was off about this one's behavior. To her curiosity, she followed him inconspicuously (Who's gonna look up in the clouds for a snooper?). The dark blue stallion strolled around an open field not far from the Everfree Forest Trail, and casually cantered about.. The Pegasus above him watched intentively through the thicket of trees as the mystery stallion began dozing off carelessly.
Soon, however, the light blue Pegasus grew bored of watching and soon dozed off as well. Then a soft voice hesitantly whispered "Rainbow... um... pardon my interrupting your sleep...but um..." Rainbow Dash recognized the voice immediately and irritably rose up, not having the patience for Fluttershy to stumble over her words. "Come on, Fluttershy, spit it out already!" Rainbowdash said with a calm, yet annoyed tone of voice. The pale yellow Pegasus cringed at the sternness but continued stating her business. "Um... sorry, uhhh why are you all the way out here? I mean there's nothing wrong with it, but its just rather unusual for you to be all the way out ...here...alone." Fluttershy spoke so softly RD only heard the first and last sentence.
RD sat upright in a springy manner: kicking her hind legs into the air and using the momentum to pivot the rest of her body. "Well, usually because all the trees block most of the flying space, but uhhh something sorta caught my attention. But it was clearly nothing big since I'm already bored." Fluttershy looked around but saw nothing - nothing but trees, bushes and grass - save for a few ambient forest creatures.
Fluttershy decided she had no other conflict so she leisurely flew back to her own house just down the trail. Rainbow Dash jumped to her wings and grasped the cloud she used like a pillow, under her foreleg and flew elsewhere, leaving the mystery pony to remain a mystery.
Fluttershy made it back to her own cottage as a displeased looking rabbit stood at the door, hands at his hips, foot tapping. Fluttershy looked at Angel with a "you know I wasn't gone too long, I'm here now" smile. Angel replied with a look of impatience. Fluttershy entered and continued bedside aid for an injured female rabbit whom hurt her foot in a molehill, also whom Angel enthusiastically attended to, in combination with Fluttershy.
Rainbow Dash, on the other hand, had flown her way to the town library, knowing her egghead friend, Twilight Sparkle, wouldn't cause any ruckus to disturb her nap. However, the contrary was apparent after another loud shriek was heard.
"Spike! Get some water!" RD heard from inside the tree house as green flames rose from the windows. Twilight scrambled out covered in soot and and part of her mane singed. "Spike, that's single-handedly the most extreme case of heartburn I've ever seen!"
Spike rushed out a minute later carrying a ream of scrolls individually wrapped in delicate looking ribbons. "No harm done, right? I mean, it was only a hiccup..." Spike nervously chuckled in attempt to mitigate his accident. RD rolled her eyes and tried not to be seen, but a lone cloud in a clear sky is pretty effortless to spot. Twilight looked up with optimism. "Rainbow Dash! Am I glad to see you!"
Rainbow had no choice but to acknowledge her own presence. She already knew what happened and before Twilight could say anything she flew her cloud over top the mildly burning roof of the treehouse, gave it a kick and suddenly the cloud turned dark and began to shower the building with a small patch of rain. Having just sacrificed her cloud, RD did not stay for thanks - leaving Twilight vexed but none too concerned - and flew off toward town square.
As she landed, she noticed a new shop in town. It was a furniture store that just opened up not 6 days ago. She saw a spark of opportunity as she raced into the shop, scoped out the couch section and body-slammed a showroom model, using the excuse that she wishes to "test drive" it before buying it. The couch was soft too! "That's one of our new air-mattresses, a very fine piece." The curator commented. Rainbow was just about to close her eyes when she came eye-to-eye with the same stallion whom she followed in the woods. Only it turned out to be a poster... a wanted poster!
Wanted: 'Psycho Stallion'
Reward: 260 bits
Rainbow Dash jumped at the sight. She wanted to stay and "test" the new couch model, but she was increasingly curious about that stallion... he was kind of cute... Rainbow thought, but then moved to the word "psycho." Rainbow got up, though hesitantly, and walked to the checkout desk. "You have many more of those in stock?" Rainbow asked the shop owner pointing to the couch. "Showroom models aren't for sale until the last of the stock goes." The curator informed. "I'll be sure to save one for you, hun." He whispered and winked, neighborly. Rainbow Dash bolted out of the door, leaving behind a periodic streak of rainbow.
Fluttershy was adjusting the girl rabbit's cast when Angel nudged her aside while the bunny wasn't looking, and finished the job, being as tender as possible. When the bunny looked over, there he was: Angel, the caring lady's man, and shot him a pleasant smile. Fluttershy stood there a bit confused until she noticed Angel's dazed expression. "I'll just... leave you two alone, if you need any further assistance, I'll be right in here" Fluttershy quietly said, almost to herself as Angel sure wasn't listening, heading into the next room. Fluttershy knew Angel wouldn't let her lay a hoof on that bunny so long he had breath in his tiny, white, fluffy body. She walked out onto her porch and later found herself in a jovial conversation with a passing squirrel. Something about acorns. Without warning, a rainbow streaked across the evening sky. "Oh my, look at that Mr. Squirrel! Isn't it pretty?" Fluttershy said to the squirrel. The rainbow, however, started turning - turning in her direction! Fluttershy squeaked in fright as the rainbow looked like it was about to strike her, but then it slowed to a stop and a cyan pegasus emerged from the blur.
"Oh... hi, Rainbow Dash... you startled me...!" Fluttershy timidly spoke, knowledgeable that her squirrel companion had begun stealthily sliding a pawfull of acorns into her mane, one by one. Rainbow Dash began by looking round the surrounding forest, then turned to Fluttershy. "Fluttershy! Have you seen him?!" "Seen who...? Is somepony looking for me?" Fluttershy asked in her affectionately concerned manner. "Guess not then." RD spoke, under her breath. "Sorry for asking again, but... who?" Fluttershy repeated.
Rainbow Dash facehooved. "Have you even been to town lately?" "No, um... not since Rarity last invited me to the spa... about a week ago." Fluttershy replied. "Theres some wacko pony causing all sorts of damage in PonyVille and there's a reward out for him" Rainbow whispered just in case someone listened in, which was likely not the case. "Oh my... I don't suppose you want to claim that reward? Oh that poor soul... Rainbow, if you need money I would be more than glad to-"
"I don't care about the reward, Fluttershy! I want to find this 'Psycho Stallion' before the bounty hunters do!" RD interrupted. "The posters say he was last seen in the Everfree Forest. I figured you might have seen somepony go by here?" Rainbow continued. "Well, um there was a rather scared looking blue stallion go by several ti-" "Great! Which way did he go?" Rainbow interrupted again. Fluttershy pointed towards the forest nervously. "He ought to know better than to wander into the Everfree Forest alone, though..." Fluttershy stopped short as she realized Rainbow Dash had already dashed into the woods. Unsure of what to do, she looked around nervously, as if the answer were painted on a sign somewhere on the horizon. Eventually, she became worried about her friend so she reluctantly and cautiously followed RD's lead.
As Fluttershy caught up with RD, they soon came across the pony in question. He was lounging around like he honestly had no where to be, and nothing to do. Fluttershy hid behind a bush while Rainbow Dash hid in a tree, wearing a tree branch dotted with leaves, and an abandoned bird's nest on her head for camoflage; observing the lone stallion as he suddenly poked his head around as if making sure he was safely alone. Fluttershy was eager not to be seen, even though the two were a significant distance from the target, and closed her eyes. "What is he doing?!" Rainbow said to herself just above a whisper, as she watched the stallion back his flank into a bush. "You can't be serious! Hes not...he is..." Rainbow Dash turned away in disgust as the stallion relieved himself in the bushes. "What?! What's happening?" Fluttershy squeaked in a hardly audible voice. "You don't...wanna know..." Rainbow said in a very unthrilled voice. "Let's get out of here, Fluttershy this guy's disgusting!" Rainbow dash turned to see Fluttershy cowering in fear to some hobgoblin whilst a sly raccoon inconspicuously pecked what looked like acorns out of her mane and scurried off. Soon after, the two returned to their homes, debating with themselves if the trip was even hardly worth it.
The next morning, the Fluttershy woke up on the sofa - because her bed was being used to house the injured female rabbit, as suggested by Angel himself - and headed outside to prepare breakfast for the animals. Of course, she has done this task by herself numerous times before. Although, this time she had a guest. Fluttershy opened the where she keeps sacks of bird seed when she noticed one of the bags was missing. She turned her head to see that the bag appeared to have been drug around the yard as indicated by a trail of various grains and seeds. At the end of the trail was a muscular blue stallion, soaking wet and unkempt from the rain last night, gnashing away at a mouthful of birdseed from the bag that sit at his hooves.
Instinctively, Fluttershy bolted off into a hiding spot, uttering her signature squeak. She found a nearby bucket suited well enough. [Remember: this is a cartoon!] She slowly peered her head around the bucket to see the pair of eyes was gone. Fluttershy's tension eased and she came out of hiding. However, so did the blue stallion. Fluttershy became petrified with fear once again as she noticed the pair of eyes slowly emerging from behind a sapling. The blue pony seemed just as frightened as Fluttershy was, the only difference was this stallion also had a curious side. He slowly and cautiously tip-hoofed toward the now lifeless looking yellow Pegasus. Upon approaching the pony, the stallion gently nudged her with his snout, as if unsure what she was. Fluttershy had fainted. Fearing he had just witnessed this creature inexplicably drop dead, the blue stallion let out a mournful whinnie as he knelt down by the body, caressing it with his snout some more, absentmindedly looking for a cause of death. Fluttershy's eyes soon opened to see a big strong stallion stroking her limp wings with his nose and making generic horse noises. Impulsively, Fluttershy sprang up, her face glowing redder than a tomato, simultaneously surprising the curious stallion causing him to bolt off back toward the woods.
At noon, Fluttershy trotted nervously through PonyVille. She briefly browsed the Marketplace then strolled into the furniture store. There she found Rainbow Dash sound asleep on one of the display models with a Hooves On Life magazine limp over her face, angled where it appears it had previously been propped up by Rainbow's wings. Fluttershy's eyes trailed over to the shopkeeper, whom had fallen asleep himself with his head slumped over the counter, a subtle pool of drool underneath. Fluttershy quietly giggled to herself at the scene then gently nudged the dozing shopkeeper (Though to any onlooker, it appeared she was trying to wake him without waking him). The drowsy nag slowly opened his eyes then as he realized he was still at work, his head shot up and he recited as if he had been programmed to say every time he woke up: "Greetings! Welcome, please take your ti-" Then broke off into a more casual speech; "oh hello there ma'am! Um... I'm terribly sorry I shouldn't be sleeping on the job but that Pegasus over there sound asleep over there so comfortably, I suppose it could make anypony doze off... ehh no matter. What can I help you with, ma'am?" Fluttershy told him she was just looking for her friend and dismissed herself. She stood beside RD and gave her the similar treatment she gave the shopkeep. "Um... Rainbow Dash... you're not sleeping are you? I mean, it clearly looks like it but just in case you are just resting your eyes you-" "What is it Fluttershy?" Rainbow Dash interupted with a sigh. "Well um it's about that pony you asked me about the other day.." Fluttershy explained, but Rainbow dash seemed uninterested. "I may have found the pony you told me about" Fluttershy continued, convinced Rainbow Dash was still listening, just not showing it.
Rainbow was unresponsive. Fluttershy waited patiently for over a minute and a half before she heard snoring. Fluttershy left her in peace, and set off in search for another pony to help her. "Maybe Twilight knows what I should do!" Fluttershy thought. She took to the sky and headed for her treehouse library. There, the purple unicorn and her baby dragon companion were on the roof; Spike was holding planks of wood down while Twilight drove nails in with a floating purple ballpeen hammer cast from her horn. Fluttershy landed on the roof beside them, temporarily absent-minded of her fear of heights. "Good afternoon, Fluttershy, its been a while!" Twilight said with a heartfelt greeting. "Oh, hey Fluttershy! what's new?" Spike greeted with a brief wave. Fluttershy twiddled her hooves. "Um... I can see you're busy...is this a bad time? I can jus-" "Oh, Fluttershy! I can always drop what I'm doing to help a pony in need!" Twilight explained, then turned toward Spike, "Take five, Spike." "Roger that!" Spike replied and fell back on the spot and started snoring. "I'm all ears, Fluttershy. What seems to be the problem?" Fluttershy did a similar ritual Rainbow Dash did in the street, then stated her issue. "Um..." She began, in her whispery voice. "...Its about the colt that's on the w-wanted posters." "Fluttershy! You're the last pony I'd think would stoop to turning somepony in for money!" Twilight exclaimed. "It's not the money, Twilight! I um... I... You see... maybe I should show you instead" Fluttershy panicked. The two trotted back toward Everfree Forest, to Fluttershy's house. "Don't tell me that he's been staying with you this whole time!" Twi remarked as they neared the yard. "Fluttershy?" Twilight Sparkle turned around to find the yellow mare trembling inside a bush's branches, consequentially shaking all the leaves off, exposing her anyway.
"Um... Fluttershy...?" Twilight nudged the cowardly Pegasus. "Is he here...?" She squeaked. "Is who here?" Twilight asked, as if she didn't already know. Suddenly, a large, sky blue stallion emerged from the henhouse, gnawing at a mouthful of straw. Casually at first, then he looked up and saw the purple stranger. Instantly, the stallion bolted off in no predetermined direction what-so-ever. Except that he was inside the fences of the chicken pen; He smacked head-first into the fence, knocking himself out while simultaneously breaking the fence down, forming an exit. What an anti-climax for him. Twilight and Fluttershy both gasped as they heard the immense thash of chainlink fence, resembling that of a baseball hitting the wall of the batting cage. The spooked stallion lay there, unconscious. Twilight and Fluttershy ran over to him. His face looked as if someone had slapped him with a waffle iron. Fluttershy and Twilight gathered him up and brought him inside to Fluttershy's house, on the couch. "Any idea who he is?" Twilight asked. "Wherever hes from, he sure hasn't been civilized." Fluttershy paused at Twilight's last comment. Uncivilized.
Eventually, the checkerboard-faced stallion began to wake up, though disoriented as he cannot seem to move his legs. He peered down. They've been tied to the sofa! Instinctively, the pony let out a terrified bellow of snorts and howls, much to the attention of just about everyone in the house. "Fluttershy, hurry! He's waking up." Twilight yelled to the other end of the house. Fluttershy raced downstairs as fast as her legs would haul her. She took one look at the binds Twilight had put on the stallion and was stunned. Immediately she removed them, however, carefully so that the spooked stallion does not flail about in panic. She began speaking to him in her angelic soft-tone voice and almost instantly the animal was quiet and still. "Twilight, why ever did you put those big mean ropes on this poor guy?" "Well, if he's wanted by the town, I suspect he may be dangerous!" Twilight explained. "I don't want to take any chances." Fluttershy stroked the stallion's dirty, unkempt mane, smearing a greasy substance all over her hoof. "Oh, my! Looks like you could use a bath, I've got just the thing!" "Wait Fluttershy," Twilight intervened. "first things first: What are we going to call this stallion? I mean it seems rude to call him...'him' or 'it.'" . "What's your name, sir?" Twilight asked the confused stallion, whom responded only with a snort. "I don't think he can talk, Twilight. At least not words. Poor guy must have been in the woods all his life!" Fluttershy diagnosed. "Well, you found him first, Fluttershy. What do you plan to name him?" Twilight asked. Fluttershy thought a minute. Uncivilized. Untouched by society. A sweet smile grew on the pink maned pony's face. "Pristine. Pristine Mustang."
The next morning, Twilight returned home to finish her own chores. Fluttershy bathed Mustang and fixed him breakfast, alongside the other animals she normally prepared meals for. He wouldn't eat it though. Fluttershy became puzzled by this. She was about to find him something else to eat when she accidentally knocked the dish into the floor. Mustang proceeded by munching the food up off the floor. Again, Fluttershy was puzzled, but delighted.