A.N. My OC's Cutie Mark was based on the Sun/Zia Symbol from Native American culture. Also his fear of animals and why was flowerpower71's idea.

A brown Earth pony with a dark green mane and tail slowly walked along the path towards Ponyville. On his flank was a Cutie Mark of a heart with four different types of trees poking from it in a cross shape, and on his face was a sad expression.

Suddenly, a white rabbit hopped out of the bushes on the pony's left. The pony screamed and zipped up the tree.

The rabbit didn't know whether to be surprised, confused, or insulted.

"Angel, wait for me!" A familiar gentle voice called out.

Not surprisingly, Fluttershy came out of the bushes.

"I really wish you wouldn't go so far ahead of me like that." Fluttershy scolded gently. "I know you're excited about our picnic, but rushing ahead won't make it happen any faster. Now we'd better find a good spot-"

Angel tugged on her mane.

"What is it?"

Angel pointed up. Fluttershy looked and saw the pony clinging onto a branch and shivering with fright.

"Um...excuse me?" Fluttershy said.

The pony continued shivering.

"Excuse me?" Fluttershy said a bit louder.

"Huh?" The pony finally opened his eyes and looked down. "Oh...hello. Er..." He looked around a bit. "You're probably wondering why I'm up here..."

"I sort of was. Are you okay?" Fluttershy asked concernedly.

"Yeah, I'm fine, I just...got frightened." The pony blushed embarrassedly.

"By what?" Fluttershy looked around and couldn't see anything scary.

"Uh...that rabbit." The pony cringed.

Surprised, Fluttershy looked at Angel who shrugged with an annoyed expression.

"Angel? There's no reason to be afraid of him, he's really a sweet bunny." Fluttershy smiled.

"You know him?" The pony started to relax a bit.

"Of course, he's my pet."

"Ah." The pony now relaxed and started to climb down the tree. "Sorry about that, reflex." He said to the tree before turning to Fluttershy and Angel.

"Did you just talk to the tree?" Fluttershy asked.

"Yes, it's my special talent. I can sense what trees are feeling and whether they're sick or not. This one wasn't too happy about me clinging to his branch like that." The pony explained. "Oh, uh, my name is Arbor Guard."

"I'm Fluttershy." Fluttershy smiled.

"Glad to meet you, especially since most ponies aren't nice about my fear of animals." Arbor Guard admitted.

"Fear of animals?"

"Well not all, just the ones with teeth. Birds, amphibians, fish, bugs, and certain reptiles I'm fine with. Mammals on the other hoof...especially rabbits..." Arbor Guard shuddered.

"Goodness, what caused this fear?" Fluttershy asked sympathetically.

Arbor Guard sighed.

"It happened way back when I was a colt." He explained. "I always loved nature, and soon realized my ability to communicate with trees. That's what my Cutie Mark references, the fact that I can understand them and sense their feelings through my heart. But then one summer my dad took me and a couple of my friends on a camping trip. I went out one night to gather firewood, when...do you know what rabies are?"

"Oh yes, I have my animals routinely checked to make sure they haven't caught any terrible diseases like-" Fluttershy's eyes then widened as she got it. "Oh dear, did an animal with rabies attack you?"

"Yes...a rabbit. I ran for my life, but ended up trapped in front of some huge rocks. Dad fortunately heard my screams and saved me, but I haven't been able to get over the incident since." Arbor Guard sadly sat down. "That's why I'm here, ever since I was old enough I've been traveling all over Equestria to get away from the bullies. I mean an Earth pony who's afraid of animals." He scoffed. "Shameful."

"Actually, I can understand how you feel." Fluttershy sat down as well. "Despite being a pegasus I'm not into flying, and I'd much rather live down here with my animals than do any flying at all. Fortunately the pegasi here have been really nice about it, especially my old friend Rainbow Dash, but back in Cloudsdale..." Fluttershy hung her head. "I was bullied too."

"Gee...I'm sorry you were but I am glad to finally meet a pony who understands what I'm going through." Arbor Guard smiled.

"Me too." Fluttershy smiled back. "Would you like to join me and Angel on our picnic? I packed plenty of food."

"Well...I am hungry so...okay."

They headed to a nice spot nearby and Arbor Guard helped set up the blanket and food. Discord then showed up.

"Hello Fluttershy, I hope I'm not late." He smiled.

"Not at all, we just arrived." Fluttershy smiled back.

"Ah- Oh, a new friend?" He then noticed Arbor Guard, who was gaping at him. "Heh, close your mouth before you swallow a bug." Discord then smirked.

Arbor Guard quickly did.

"Yes, this is Arbor Guard. Angel and I just met him on our way here, and since he was hungry I invited him to join us." Fluttershy explained.

"Ah. Good thing you're meeting me now instead of before my first Grand Galloping Gala." Discord smirked as he took a sandwich. "Back then I got easily jealous of anyone who befriended Fluttershy. Fortunately I was able to learn that any new friends of Fluttershy could be friends of mine, and that she'd never replace me with anyone else. So, does this mean we could become friends?"

"I...guess?" Arbor Guard hesitated. "I dunno I- Well, I don't want to sound judgmental or anything but I've never seen anyone like you before."

"Oh don't worry about that, everypony gets put-off by my appearance when they meet me for the first time." Discord waved a hand dismissively. "Especially since I'm literally one of a kind, being the Spirit of Chaos and all."

"Right, I thought I heard of you, you're that former-enemy who reformed after learning how important friendship was." Arbor Guard now smiled.

"Well I'm not the only one who's done that, but yes." Discord shrugged with a smile.

"In that case sure, only there's one condition: no teasing me about anything. I've had enough of that to last me at least three lifetimes." Arbor Guard frowned.

"No worries about that, I only tease others when I'm doing a stand up comedy routine. But why would anypony tease you about anything?"

"Because of my fear of animals." Arbor Guard slumped ashamedly.

"Really? Never heard of anyone being afraid of animals. Not unless you count dragons or those Everfree Forest critters that is." Discord said with surprise.

"Well given his past it's actually not surprising." Fluttershy said.

"Oh?"

Arbor Guard explained.

"Ah no wonder, never was fond of illnesses in general myself. Unless you count the results of Poison Joke victims." Discord sniggered.

"Poison what?" Arbor Guard raised an eyebrow.

"It's a blue flower in the Everfree Forest, touching it causes weird things to happen to you." Fluttershy explained. "In my case it gave me a deep voice." She then giggled.

"That is some flower. I wonder what it'd do to me." Arbor Guard chuckled.

"I don't know...maybe mess with your ability to understand trees?"

"Maybe...probably shouldn't risk it then."

"Understand trees?" Discord said with confusion.

"Yeah, I can sense what they're feeling and tell whether they're sick or not." Arbor Guard explained.

"Oh." Discord said before thinking for a moment. "That's actually a cool ability." He smiled.

"Thanks." Arbor grinned; he then looked as if he sensed something. "Oh, pardon me a minute there's a sick tree nearby."

He got up and headed to a nearby tree. Fluttershy and Discord watched him curiously as he pressed his ear to the trunk.

"Ah...don't worry this'll only take a few seconds." Arbor Guard said to the tree.

He then took a vial and a jar out of his saddlebags and held the vial to the trunk a few inches below where his ear had been. A few black bugs fell out of the trunk and landed in the jar, which Arbor Guard had placed in front of the trunk.

"Organic bug repellent." Arbor Guard smiled to Fluttershy and Discord. "Invented it myself, it's very useful when you need to get rid of wood-boring pests without hurting the trees."

"Incredible..." Discord was actually impressed. "But why do you save the bugs in a jar?"

"I use them to feed my pet Venus Flytrap." Arbor Guard then took a plant out of his saddlebags. "This is Diona."

"Oh I've heard of those, they're bug-eating plants." Fluttershy said.

"Yup." Arbor Guard then used pliers to pick a bug out of the jar and drop it into Diona's mouth; Diona instantly closed her mouth. "Say Fluttershy, if any of your trees need tending to I'd be happy to help. Consider it payment for sharing your picnic with me."

"Oh that isn't necessary, and truthfully I don't know whether any of my trees need tending to or not. Besides, either way you wouldn't want to visit my home." Fluttershy said. "I'm the local...animal caretaker."

"Oh..." Arbor Guard looked away.

"I know, what if I helped you get over your fear of animals?" Fluttershy then smiled.

"I don't know if you can, not even a psychologist could help." Arbor Guard winced.

"Well maybe actually interacting with other animals will work. We can start off slow, I mean you already got used to Angel so maybe we can do this one animal at a time. Starting with my other rabbits, then once you get over your fear of them you'll be able to get over your fear of other animals."

"Um..." Arbor Guard hesitated, but found himself unable to resist Fluttershy's hopeful smile. "Well, as hesitant as I am about the idea I admit that I am tired of being afraid of animals and want to get over my fear. So I guess it's worth a try."

Fluttershy quietly squealed with joy.

"Maybe I can help too, I am a shapeshifter after all." Discord offered before morphing into a rabbit. "I can morph into random animals now and then, and since you'll know it's me it should be easy to be near me. That could help you get used to real animals faster."

"Hey, that doesn't sound like a bad idea." Arbor Guard smiled. "Thank you both, apart from my parents no one else has really offered to help me."

"What about your friends?" Fluttershy asked.

"They, uh, kinda dumped me after it was obvious that I wasn't going to get over my fear of animals soon." Arbor Guard almost muttered. "An Earth pony who's afraid of animals being shameful and all, you know."

"Well then they never deserved to be your friends." Discord frowned disapprovingly.

"I agree, true friends accept you for who you are even if you develop a strong fear of some kind. Mine do, they've always been kind and accepting towards me despite all of my fears." Fluttershy nodded.

"Maybe they could be my friends too? I've missed having friends." Arbor Guard admitted.

"I'm sure they will be delighted to become your friend." Fluttershy smiled before realizing: "Oh, we should get you settled in the hotel then."

"Or maybe Twilight will be willing to let Arbor stay with her, she has more than enough rooms and loves making new friends." Discord pointed out.

"True, but I don't want to take advantage of her kindness...though I suppose if we just tell her about Arbor and she offers to let him stay with her it wouldn't be taking advantage of her."

"Exactly."

"Twilight? You mean as in Twilight Sparkle the Princess of Friendship? I heard about her during my travels." Arbor Guard said.

"The very same." Discord smile.

"Wow, didn't realize I was nearing Ponyville. Kinda stopped caring about which cities or towns I was nearing a long time ago."

Fluttershy and Discord gave him a sympathetic look.