Applejack and Fluttershy have been together a long time. They have a lot in common, including a mutual love for Everfree. The forest is their home. It had been for centuries, and it would be for as long as they lived.
Or rather, that's what Applejac...
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All in all, Fluttershy's feelings were largely mixed. She, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie were approaching the Everfree Forest, their trip to San Palomino recently behind them. The race itself had been enjoyable enough, even if Fluttershy wasn't personally interested in that sort of thing. But of course, this whole trip had been all about the experience for her, not the race itself.
That experience had been a bit much to take in, and Fluttershy wasn't yet sure what would come in the future. Everything that ponies did, from their music to their food, was so different from anything in Everfree. Some of it had been good, some of it bad, but that was definitely something she could enjoy experiencing more of.
But then there had been the ponies themselves. They were certainly not as bad as Applejack and other deer always made them sound, but Fluttershy hadn't felt so out of place for centuries. She had expected some level of surprise, of course – just as she had never seen a pony, she knew they had never seen a draconequus – but ponies were outright afraid of her. And not just her, but Pinkie and Rainbow as well, despite the fact that ponies were aware of griffons.
That fear manifested in different ways. The skepticism and concerned looks were upsetting, but that had become the least of her concerns. Ponies would outright avoid them, businesses refused to serve them, and insults had been tossed around, both in hushed tones and spoken directly. Fluttershy wasn't sure what a 'taxidermy mishap' was, but even Pinkie had lost her cheer when that one was used.
It wasn't as if every pony had been awful. Surprised reactions were par for the course, but there were ponies who accepted them once the surprise wore off. Still, it was something of a relief when the events came to a close, even if the return trip was a slow one. Since Pinkie and Rainbow's funds were limited, and Fluttershy didn't have any pony money at all, taking a train from the nearby pony city of Las Pegasus was out of the question. It wasn't so bad; flying at a comfortable speed may delay the trip home, but they'd avoid ponies that way.
In fact, the only thing that would've made it better was if Rainbow would finally move on to another topic.
"I still can't believe ponies think that's fast! If I was out on that field, none of them would even be able to keep track of me!"
