[Fusion] Kyoryuger / MLP: FiM

[alcesverdes]

Pony!Ucchii/Fluttershy
+3000 words
G-rated

At times, Fluttershy forgot she didn't enjoy speed. Like when the biggest storm in recorded pony history decided to show up with little-to-no warning.

She had been on the other side of Ponyville when the clouds began to gather on the sky above her house. The first thing that came to her mind were the hens and chickens and all her animal friends who were outside. She immediately dropped everything she was doing and flew back, still close to the ground, but fast. Faster than she'd ever flown. Fast enough to even compete with Rainbow Dash, although Fluttershy would never accept it.

She got there barely on time to close the doors to the hen house. It wasn't easy with the wind roaring around her and the thick drops of water making a mess out of her mane and wings. She cared more about her wings; the clump of feathers made it harder to fly, and therefore to move swiftly and help her friends.

In the end, however, the wind grew so strong and made walking so difficult, that after she ushered the last bunnies to a shelter, Fluttershy flattened herself to the ground, afraid to be thrown across her backyard against a tree or a wall. The ominous cracking of the trees under the might of the storm, and the cold raindrops that by then fell strong enough to hurt, didn't help.

"Are you hurt?" asked a worried voice above her. A male voice. One that she didn't recognize.

Lightning fell not so far away, followed by its thunder, the sound of which saved her the embarrassment of being unable to string complete sentences. Instead, she shrieked and jumped as high into the air as the circumstances allowed, and fell on the stranger's back—either by accident or because he caught her on purpose. Whatever the cause, Fluttershy felt him shudder and recoil a couple of steps before he charged forward.

"Don't worry, my lady! I will take you to safety!" he exclaimed as he galloped to Fluttershy's house, the only solid building their size nearby.

Later on, Fluttershy would wonder at how he could actually gallop under the weight of the storm. Yet, at the moment, she was too busy being nervous and scared and being rescued. She did notice, though, right next to her hooves, the pair of wings belonging to the stranger.

Once they were inside the house with the door locked behind them, the first thing Fluttershy did was to jump down from the stranger's back. The second, to debate with herself if she should hide behind the sofa or get some towels and then hide behind the sofa. Perhaps she should go for the towels now; the storm had cloaked the sun and brought darkness with it. Fluttershy was afraid of the dark, yes, but this was her house so she knew where everything was. Besides, the alternative—giving the towels to the stranger while she could see him and he could see her—was scarier.

The instant it took her to reach that conclusion, the stranger spoke. "Excuse my manners." Immediately, a dozen sparks danced along his horn. "I possess the ability to summon lighting. I've made sure that what I brought forth is harmless."

But Fluttershy was more interested in the horn that began in the middle of his forehead than on his explanation.

She had been so sure he was a pegasus...

She risked a peek at his flank. A golden cape covered his back, but it left enough space for his wings to move freely. (He was as big as Applejack's brother, with a brown coat, and his cutie mark were two bolts of light. There were no clouds over them, so it didn't represent a storm, which made Fluttershy felt slightly less anxious given the circumstances.)

She held his head with her front legs to alternate quick looks between his horn and his wings, as if she had trouble believing they belonged to the same pony—which she did. She didn't even feel how tense the colt was as she held him, nor how he'd moved backwards until his tail pressed against the wall, until he managed a very weak, "E-excuse me?"

"Oh!" she exclaimed letting go. "I'm so sorry!"

The alicorn pressed himself completely against the wall, smiling awkwardly. He cleared his throat. "I-it's fine." It was obvious he'd forced himself to say it.

Fluttershy realized she should be the one doing just that. The idea served to calm her down.

"I'll-I'll get some towels," she murmured and bolted away.

The only words between them until they both were dry was a soft "Thank you," from the alicorn.

Fluttershy's intuition told her that it was less because he respected her silence and more because he felt anxious about being the one to start a conversation. That, plus the time they'd spent together with him being harmless, plus the fact that he'd helped her, put her more at ease than she'd ever been with most of the ponies she knew.

"W-would you like some tea?" she asked, barely audible over the sound of the storm outside.

He answered not looking directly at her, but at her hooves. "Be it far from me to impose myself, my lady. However, I do not wish to be an ingrate and tramp over your kindness, even if I insist on assisting you."

Those are a lot of words to say yes, Fluttershy thought.

"Fine," she said. "I'm going to need your light. The kitchen is dark."

He bowed low, making not only the sparks on his horn dance, but also the shadows in the room. "After you, my lady."

"My name is Fluttershy," she protested without raising her voice.

"My apologies, Fluttershy-dono," he replied in a hurry, bowing again several times. "Mine is Utsusemimaru. Although you can call me Ucchii if you prefer."

She decided to call him by his full name; it seemed more polite. "Nice to meet you," she said as she picked up the teapot.

*

"There is a legend of an alicorn named Utsusemimaru who protected Equestria four hundred years ago," said Twilight Sparkle in that lecturer tone she loved to use as she paced back and forth in front of the bookshelves, looking for one book in particular. "He used very powerful magic."

"Four hundred years?" Fluttershy repeated as she followed her friend with her eyes.

"That's right!" Twilight used her magic to take out the book she was looking for. "He could summon lighting and had the help of some kind of weird... dragon," she finished arching an eyebrow as she looked at one of the pictures in the pages. "I'd never seen anything like it."

"Did I hear something about a heroic dragon fighting for justice?" Spike came running from the front door and jumped over Twilight's back.

"It was over four hundred years ago, Spike," she said. "And it's only a legend." Nevertheless, she put the book within his reach, so he grabbed it and started to read still on her back.

"And... and what does the legend say about-about his temper?" Fluttershy asked.

Twilight shrugged. "You now, the usual. That he was the bravest and most loyal pony that ever existed. It's the sort of thing time always exaggerates. However—"

Spike chuckled, interrupting her. "He was afraid of mares!"

"What?" said Twilight and Fluttershy at the same time.

"Your great hero was afraid of mares!" Spike repeated. "It says so right here!" He pointed at a footnote within a footnote.

Twilight frowned and turned her head around to read it. "That's mere speculation, Spike. Learn to distinguish your sources."

"...actually, that would make sense..." Fluttershy mumbled.

"Did you say something?" Twilight asked peeling her nose away from the book to look at the pegasus.

Fluttershy forced a smile. "N-nothing! Uh. What happened to him in the end?"

Spike passed the pages of the book. "He was led to a trap," the baby dragon said. "It looks like he fell on it, because nothing was heard from him ever since."

At least until he showed up in my house last night, Fluttershy thought.

"I see," she said. "Thank you for the information."

"You're welcome," Twilight said. "But why the sudden interest in a long-lost protector of Equestria?"

Fluttershy forced another smile. "Just... you know, curiosity. Well, I have a lot to do! Good to see you two are fine after the storm! Bye!" And she galloped back outside.

*

She took the long way back home. Thanks to Twilight she'd confirmed at least the broader points of Utsusemimaru's story, up to the point where he'd been held up prisoner for a few centuries. The information he'd offered about what happened after, that a group of friends had freed him, and that all of them were on a quest looking for some artifacts, surely would be of interest for her unicorn friend. However, Fluttershy had to ask him first if she could say anything.

This morning she'd left her house to finish her errands from the day before and to get materials to fix what the storm had broken. Utsusemimaru offered to stay and help clean up while she was out. That had been very nice of him, so she accepted. Besides, she wanted to ask Twilight about him. The story he told her when they were having that tea was like the ones the Cutie Mark Crusaders came up with. He didn't seem like he was lying, but Fluttershy had to make sure that there wasn't anything wrong in that little head of his. And now that she knew it was true, she could breathe more easily.

The four hundred year gap explained the odd way he spoke, too. Fluttershy left asking what '-dono' meant for another day; she'd already raised enough suspicions as it was. Besides, it didn't seem anything bad, judging by the way Utsusemimaru said it.

As Fluttershy finally headed back home, the only thing she expected was to find everything a little cleaner. She wasn't ready for what she saw.

Utsusemimaru had organized all the animals to help with the cleaning, and they were working happily. The biggest shock was to see Little Angel sweeping the porch. Fluttershy loved him as he was, but she knew Little Angel wouldn't raise his cotton tail to do anything if he didn't want to. Yet, there he was, with a focused expression on his adorable bunny face and a small broom between his front paws.

Fluttershy didn't know if she should feel proud or run to check Little Angel's latest meal for a foreign substance.

"Flutershy-dono!" Utsusemimaru said approaching her. He carried assorted wood planks on his back and was smiling sheepishly. "I apologize. We expected to finish before your return." He looked at the cart she was pulling. "May I help you with that?"

"T-thank you! I can handle it!" she replied, flustered. She took a deep breath and changed the subject. "It's lovely how you got everyone working together."

He raised his head, showing his nice profile. "You've done so much for them, Fluttershy-dono! They all wanted to work hard for your sake!" He looked at her with eyes as bright as the sparkles he'd summoned the night before. "They told me you were outside making sure they were safe when the storm began. That was very brave of you!"

Fluttershy lowered her head and her ears. She was used to feel her face grow hot at everything, but this time it was different. In a way that she was unable to describe.

He noticed her awkwardness, jumped a bit, and started bowing his head, his ears pressed down against his skull. "A-ah! I'm sorry! It wasn't my intention to cause you any discomfort!"

She shook her head again, several times, and pulled back from cart, her ears moving back and forth. "I-it's all right!" she said soothingly. "I-it's just... I only did what needed to be done. N-nothing else..."

He stopped bowing and looked at her again intently.

Part of Fluttershy wanted to dig a hole and hide there forever. The other part, however, wanted him to keep doing just that. The feeling was so new and strange she froze.

Utsusemimaru, on the other hand, lowered his head once more—only once— and murmured, "So brave indeed," in such a reverent tone she knew that if she tried to speak now her tongue would transform into knots.

Luckily, there was no need to speak.

"Please, allow me," Utsusemimaru said after a moment as he placed himself in the cart, the wood planks still on his back, and began to pull.

They walked back to the shed and spent the rest of the day finishing the repairs.

(It turned out that, while she was away, Utsusemimaru prepared lunch for everyone as well. He was a good cook.)

*

"The keys to the Jade Palace?" Twilight asked. She scratched her chin with her hoof. "Yes, I have something about them around here. Why?"

Because there is a long-lost protector of Equestria in my house who is too shy to come here and ask you himself, never mind walking through the streets of a town full of mares.

"Just... you know, curiosity," Fluttershy answered. If there was one thing she knew about was painful shyness. She didn't wished it upon anyone, so she offered to do it on his behalf. And by now she couldn't deny how much she liked it when he showered her in 'thank you's.

"Their supposed location is closer than I thought," the unicorn said looking at a map in the book she'd picked up.

"That's a relief..." Fluttershy murmured. Then, she added a little louder. "Do you mind if I borrow the book, Twilight?"

"Be my guest." Twilight used her magic to put the book in the satchel across Fluttershy's back. "I'll just let you know: rumor has it that the way is full of traps, and we don't know if the keys—nor the Jade Palace—are even real."

Just like we don't know that Utsusemimaru and his dragon friend are real. Dragon friend who, by now, Fluttershy knew was called Pteragordon, and was ambivalent as to whether she wanted to meet him or not. On the one hoof, he was an adult dragon. On the other, Utsusemimaru described him as such a sweetheart.

Twilight frowned and looked at Fluttershy closer. "You're not planning to go looking for those keys, are you?" she said seriously but then she laughed and sighed and wiped a tear out of her eye. "I'm so good," she mumbled and cleared her throat.

"I'm not planning to go anywhere," Fluttershy said regardless. Yet, the idea of traps made her worry. What if she lost him again for another four hundred years?

...if they lost him. They as in 'Equestria.' Not... her-her... that is...

"Ponyville to Fluttershy! Hello?" Twilight asked, her face so suddenly closed to Fluttershy's the pegasus jumped high in the air. "I think the storm got into your nerves. Go home and rest." The unicorn looked around. "I can get you something to read that would stress you less..."

"N-no. This is fine. Thank you, Twilight. I'll go now. See you later! Bye!" And she galloped away.

*

The alicorn came back a couple of days later with the keys to the Jade Palace dangling from his neck. They were triangles and circles carved in a kind of stone Fluttershy didn't recognize. Not that she was an expert, but she'd learn one or two things with Rarity.

He also had hurt his right hind leg. She hurried to dress his sound as he told her about his adventure. Afterward, she refused to let him move until she was sure his leg was better—and he drank a good bowl of soup.

The next morning, Utsusemimaru was ready to leave.

"I must return to my comrades," he said. "We promised to meet at the entrance of the Jade Palace with the rest of the artifacts."

"I understand," Fluttershy said, although she didn't. Not really. "I'll ask the birds to keep an eye on you."

"I would be most grateful." A pause. Then, Utsusemimaru was looking at the ground again, scratching it with his hoof. "If... if you are not offended by such a request... I would very much like to send you messages through them."

Part of the weight on Fluttershy's heart—one she didn't know was there—disappeared. "I-I'd love to!"

He raised his head and smiled.

She smiled back.

They stared at each other's eyes for a long moment before he said, "Thank you for all your kindness." He then forced to turn around and flapped his wings to propel himself up to the sky.

In that very moment, Fluttershy felt with the force of a hurricane that if she didn't do it now, she'd never had the chance. Thus, she did something she usually lacked the courage to do: she shouted.

"Y-you better come back when you're done!"

Fluttershy rarely raised her voice, and the few times she'd done it always yielded unexpected results. This time, upon hearing her, Utsusemimaru turned back and, without setting a hoof on the ground, he nuzzled her.

"I promise," he said before bolting away again as if he'd done the most daring thing in the world. Fluttershy even thought she saw the small dot he'd become somersaulting at least once before getting lost in the horizon.

As for Fluttershy, she was too stunted to move. Too happy. Too-about-to-explode.

She did so, anyway, although this being her, the exploding limited to Fluttershy prancing through the meadow going "Yippee!" in a low voice every two steps.

When she came back to the house, she was exhausted. There was some cleaning up to do, but she left it for the next day. There was a lot to look forward as well. For example, she'd return the book with the map to the library and ask Twilight about recipes from four hundred years ago. She was determined to figure out Utsusemimaru's favorite dish and prepare it for him when he came back.

When he came back.

Giddy at the thought, Fluttershy got ready to sleep. She was sure her dreams that night would be the best she'd ever had.