First Attempt: Arrival (video & action)

[kind_to_all]

[ It's a little traumatic to go to your nice, cozy home on the outskirts of Ponyville and find it already occupied. But indeed, what Fluttershy hears upon arrival at the front door is... her own voice coming from inside.

She stays just long enough to peek in a window and see herself cleaning things up before she flees the scene.

At which point she decides that the bridge in front of her house is the safest place to take up residence until she can muster the courage to go inside and see what's going on. In the meantime, she examines the new scroll in her possession. ]


[ A video post goes out some time after her arrival. ]

Um. Excuse me. I’m sorry to bother you all… it’s just that… um…

[ She opens her mouth and tries to speak, then glances behind her, offscreen, looking towards what was until very recently her hut. If she had the courage to go talk to her double right now, she would. But alas. ]

I was just… wondering. Well, it’s not very warm right now and… well, if anypony has a blanket they could spare? Just for tonight, I promise.

Oh, this was a bad idea. Never mind. [ The video clicks off. ]


[ The pegasus might be found wandering around Ponyville in something of a daze a little later, hiding under bushes and things while she tries to figure out what's going on. But for the most part, she'll stay under the bridge until it gets too cramped. And then she'll stay a little while longer. ]

Comments

[magicalrealist]

(And a better view of the town. Twilight sighs and leaves her room, making for the top of the clock tower for the best vantage point of the town. Shy would reveal herself, wouldn't she?)

[kind_to_all]

[ Probably.

Here's the thing: life in Ponyville is pretty normal, so a pegasus creeping around behind carts and between alleys and peering at ponies is more obvious than one walking around like nothing's wrong.

A small cough and Fluttershy emerges from a chimney, deciding that this wasn't the best hiding place after all. She looks around for somewhere to sneak to next. ]

[magicalrealist]

(Target locked.

Once Fluttershy climbs out of the chimney, she'll be greeted by a flash of magic and a unicorn taking it's place.)

Fluttershy, please hear me out.

[kind_to_all]

[ A squeak and she's hiding behind the chimney again. But allows one eye and some hair to peek out. ]

T-tell me who you are and what's going on? [ The lack of Twilight's wings is particularly obvious at this distance. ]

[magicalrealist]

(Twilight's expression softens. Poor Shy must be terrified right now...)

...A lot. As in individuals from all over the multiverse finding themselves in this version of Equestria, even natural ponies. Not all of them are natural ponies, but that's not important right now. This is a different version of Equestria, different from what either of us are used to.

As for me...I'm not native to this Equestria. To any Equestria, depending on how you look at it, but the point is: I'm an alternate Twilight. My last memories of Equestria were of Cadence's and Shining Armor's wedding, before fighting Sombra in the Crystal Empire, before Discord's reformation...before I became a princess.

[kind_to_all]

[ Fluttershy lets Twilight go on. It doesn't all make sense, but she figures Twilight's doing her best. And it is Twilight -- that's the other thing that's particularly obvious at this distance.

So she hesitates, but it's really a forgone conclusion when she emerges from her hiding place, dusting some of the soot from her yellow coat. ] Wow. That's... a lot to take in.

[ She senses regret behind some of Twilight's words. ] Does that mean there's another one of ... you living in your library, too? Oh, Twilight.

[magicalrealist]

(She nods.) That's where Princess Twilight lives. And technically, it's her library. She's the native Twilight; not me.

The native ponies are just as understand as you'd expect them to be, so you can count on them. And yes, that includes the native Fluttershy.

[kind_to_all]

Oh, but you're a princess too, Twilight! Or... you will be. You are in my Ponyville... it'll just take time.

[ She smiles reassuringly and... hesitantly... steps forward and touches Twilight lightly on the shoulder with a wing. She's decided now -- whatever's going on in this Equestria, she'll deal with it, and she's not surrounded by monsters.

Probably. ]

[magicalrealist]

(Not all of them, anyway. She looks away.)

That's the thing, Fluttershy: I don't want to be a princess.

[kind_to_all]

... Oh. [ Hastily covering: ] Well, that's okay, too. I'm sure Celestia will let you be whatever you want. It doesn't matter whether or not you have wings, anyway. You'll still be Twilight to us.

[magicalrealist]

Thanks, Fluttershy.

(Twilight smiles lightly.)

We really should find you a place to stay, if you really don't want to stay in the native Fluttershy's cottage. You should speak with her sometime. You two might relate.

[kind_to_all]

... Oh.

[ Fluttershy looks down at the ground, a little ways below. There's Lyra, there's Carrot Top, there's ponies she knows and loves from back at home. This Equestria really doesn't seem that different from the one she knows. ]

So that really is... me? I, um... [ She glances back at Twilight before staring back in the direction of her house. ] I'd like to meet her, I think. But I'd like to figure out what's what, first. This being a new Equestria and all, there's probably some differences, right?

[magicalrealist]

There are. The biggest one being the presence of offworlders, which is anyone not native to this Equestria, even if they're natural Equestrians. The next thing is that it likely follows a timeline separate from what you're used to. Most of our experiences at home seem to hold true here, from my moving to Ponyville to becoming a princess...though I can only confirm events up to Chrysalis' invasion. Anything past that I haven't witnessed.

By the way, Chrysalis led another invasion a couple of months ago and failed miserably. She's been sentenced to work as Spike's assistant, so don't panic if you see her; she's not much of a threat anymore.

[kind_to_all]

Chrysalis is here?! [ Her eyes widen, but then she relaxes. ] Has she-- is she, you know, reformed? Like Discord? ... Did I help with that? Oh, at least she's not all by herself with her minions anymore. Maybe being in Ponyville is just what she needs.

[magicalrealist]

She's not reformed; just a much smaller threat than she used to be, partially due to losing her horn. This is the native Chrysalis, of course. She's been living in the library, as part of her apprenticeship.

She's also not the queen anymore. Another changeling queen from the future dethroned her and took over responsibility of the hive.

It was a busy couple of days.

[kind_to_all]

[ Fluttershy winces at the idea of losing a horn. ] Oh my. Well, at least she won't be able to hurt anypony...

Could I see her? I mean... I just to make sure Spike's okay, that is... [ although she also kind of wants to make sure Chrysalis is okay, too. Priorities. ]

[magicalrealist]

Spike's been okay with the arrangement, but if you really want to see her, I can take you there. (She really can't put it past Fluttershy to be concerned about Chrysalis, but she'll refrain from pointing that out.)

[kind_to_all]

[ Fluttershy nods. ] I'll bet Spike's being very brave to take her on. Even if she isn't as bad as she was. Which- [ looking quickly at Twilight ] she isn't... right?

[magicalrealist]

No, she's still just as evil and vengeful as always. She just can't do anything with it anymore.

[kind_to_all]

Maybe she just needs a friend? [ She spreads her wings and flutters off the roof, heading towards the library under the assumption that Twilight will follow. It was getting a little cramped up there anyway. ]

[magicalrealist]

(And follow she does! Though it's more through levitating herself down to the ground than using any nonexistent wings by her sides.)

Probably, but she's incredibly stubborn and outright refuses every offer of friendship.

[kind_to_all]

Oh, well, if that's all, you just need somepony who's persistent.

[magicalrealist]

You realize it's not going to be as easy as rehabilitating Discord, right? This isn't a childish lord of chaos with ambiguous personal goals; this is a childish warlord who's too proud and stupid to see anything in the long term. It's very risky, Fluttershy.

[kind_to_all]

[ Fluttershy shakes her head. ] When other pony or griffon tribes were first written about in the history scrolls, they were considered warlords because they weren't like us. Or because that's what we thought, anyway. How do you think they would have written history scrolls about us, Twilight?

She's not that different. She can't be.

[ ... Apparently, Fluttershy paid attention to something in history. ]

[magicalrealist]

It's different. This isn't a culture clash; we're talking about someone who will maim and kill everyone if it'll get her what she wants. She's a danger to herself and everyone around and she has no self-control.