A Walking Chestnut - Rewritten

Chapter 2: Whole New World

Fluttershy was a special pony.
That isn't saying much, Every pony was a special pony.

But even among all the special ponies in the world, Fluttershy stood out.

Not because she was the strongest or the smartest or the fastest or the tallest or anything.

Fluttershy was the kindest.

At least, that's what her parents told her.

Each pony was special in a different way, each pony had a special talent that they were the best at doing.

Her talent was handling animals.

But more than just being the best at handling animals or being the kindest, Fluttershy could understand them.

Well, not necessarily understand what they were saying, she still only heard chirps or squeaks or barks or growls, it was closer to an understanding of the vague intent behind what they meant.

Her best friend Rainbow Dash compared it to almost being able to talk to animals, Fluttershy disagreed.
She wasn't talking to animals, she was speaking to them.

"Talking with somebody is a two-way street," as her father used to say, "You need to both understand each other, To listen to each other, Otherwise, you're just speaking to them, and when you're just speaking to them, the meanings get lost," He then said something about a work conference he went to in Prance and how he couldn't talk with many of his colleagues because he didn't understand the language.

Fluttershy was similar. She understands a squeak that tells her it's hungry, or a growl that's telling her to stand back, but she doesn't understand the precise meaning.
One growl can tell her to stand back because something dangerous is coming, another can tell her to stand back or they'll hurt her if she doesn't, and most of the time Fluttershy is unable to differentiate between the two.

That's not talking with animals, but speaking with them.

And Fluttershy was fine with that, she had her own cabin, her own little critter friends, she had her own animal sanctuary in the back, and even though she and her animal friends couldn't speak as well as she wished, there was still that level of understanding between them.

So when she heard her pet, and second best friend, Angel Bunny, start to scream from behind her house, she was initially worried.
She quickly walked outside to check if everything was alright, and that's where she found it.

A new Critter, one she had never seen before.

It was screaming, emotions of fear and confusion reverberating through it's voice, it was a lot for Fluttershy to listen to.

She was an emotional pony, perhaps more than most, just hearing the sounds of those cries, well... Fluttershy might have joined the two critters in screaming as well.

She would admit, that wasn't one of her proudest moments.

But seeing the creature faint, Fluttershy felt her body move before she could even notice.

One moment she and Angel were standing outside near the edge of the Everfree Forest behind her house, and the next she found herself laying the strange creature on a pillow inside her cottage, covering it with a blanket, and entering her kitchen to make it some salad for when it wakes up.

"!!!" She turned to see Angel Bunny tap the salad bowl, reminding her that he also hadn't eaten lunch yet.

"I'll make you your salad right after I'm done with our guests, Angel, Can you please watch over them until I'm done?" She asked the small white bunny, who nodded his head and hopped out of the kitchen and into the living room.