It wasn’t too surprising for Fluttershy to receive yet another invitation to a party from her dear friend Pinkie Pie. Things seemed to follow quite a routine with her though she hardly fought against it. She even loved meeting up with her friends and being able to relax. Taking care of animals wasn’t exactly an easy thing but she loved each and every one of them dearly.
The party coming up for the yellow pegasus only seemed to state it was getting time for Pinkie’s favorite month or at least one of them. The winged mare gave a light roll of her eyes and smiled. It was pretty typical but it did mean she could go and enjoy some treats and catch up again with all of her friends.
A small pat at her hind leg had the mare turn and see her rabbit, Angel, trying to get her attention. His paws gave a few more pats before noticing her gaze and gestured over to his water dish. She had just refilled his water only minutes ago, had she not?
Walking over, Fluttershy peered into the still full dish of liquid before looking back to the bunny. The fact she didn’t seem to notice the issue almost looked like it stressed the poor rabbit out. He scampered over quick and pointed into the water.
Looking again, the pegasus tried understanding what might have been wrong until she spotted it. There near the edge sat a floating hair. A pink one at that. Fluttershy tried to hide her blush before leaning down and taking the strand out carefully. A small trot over to the nearby trash can and she spit it lightly in.
“There you go, Angel,” Fluttershy said lightly. “Now, drink your wa-wa, okay?”
The rabbit looked all around his water dish once more, inspecting every angle, before he glanced up and gave an approving nod. Once he began to drink, Fluttershy smiled and went back to the table to look over the invitation card once more.
Of course, the pink mare had decorated the whole thing in various stickers, markers, and more. The small note made specifically for Fluttershy at the bottom did warm her heart. It only mentioned that Pinkie had refrained from using the popping confetti envelope for her just because she didn’t want to surprise her too much. Though, the note hanging from the front door arch startled her a small bit.
With the party only a couple of days away, it did leave little room to bring much. At least she could head over to Sugar Cube Corner and help out Pinkie and the Cakes making treats for it. The idea sounded quite fun to her. The pegasus couldn’t remember when she last helped make food or candies for others but it sounded great to go for.
Fluttershy kept her smile bright as she nodded to herself and turned around only to let out a small yelp. If it wasn’t for the familiar colors and tall stature, she was sure she might have screamed louder.
Discord stood just a few feet away hunched over and using an overly complicated pair of glasses to try and read the card. His face didn’t change until he had finished and popped the eye wear out of existence. When his arms crossed and he began tapping a foot then Fluttershy knew what he was going to say.
“Well?” Discord asked in a slightly upset tone.
“It’s just a small get together, Discord,” Fluttershy tried explaining. “Pinkie does this all the time. You know that.”
“Yeah,” he replied, the draconequus clearly hurt by the sound of his voice. “Well, why wasn’t I invited too?”
It seemed to be a thing at times where Discord would want to be a part of almost anything she did. Even if it was making a list for the market. She did love his company but there were times she needed her own space. Or at least time with her and her friends.
“It’s just for the girls,” the pegasus told him, placing a hoof to his long belly. “I’m sure it won’t last long anyway.”
“Hmph!” came the reply while he closed his eyes and turned his head away.
“I’ll bring you back a piece of cake,” Fluttershy said lightly then added, “Or maybe two pieces if you’re good.”
That seemed to change his mood instantly. The draconequus leaned down and clapped his hands together with a big smile.
“You’d do that for me?” he asked, his eyes twinkling quite literally.
“Of course! You’re my friend. I know you want to be included but I don’t think even Spike will be there,” the mare said and rubbed at his stomach playfully.
There was a bit more of her having to confirm she would bring him exactly two and a third pieces of cake for some reason but she agreed. She knew Twilight would bring something home to Spike as well.
With her avoiding a small fight, Fluttershy felt rather good about herself. She may still get a little skittish or worried about things but she can still maintain her own ground if she has to. Avoiding conflict was also a good thing.
Moving past her tall friend, the pegasus trotted through her living room in thought. Having done most of the daily duties already she was mostly free to do as she pleased until bed. It did help with Discord pitching a hand or several to chip in once in a while too. At least she managed to clear up some time and plan out the next couple of days on what her and Pinkie might make.
The anticipation would only rise until the small party. She felt excited though her small shimmy as she sat probably didn’t read as well as she thought. Rainbow Dash might have new stories to tell of how wonderful she is, Rarity might show off a new hat or dress, Twilight could lecture about new stuff she’s learned, and Pinkie and Applejack would have plenty to share in regards to their food their both bring.
It did sound like quite a comfy time to spend with her friends. The sound of nearby quarreling sadly broke the quiet pony’s thoughts. Discord and Angel were arguing over where the seating pillow should be placed again.
Sighing softly, Fluttershy turned to walk over and assess the situation herself. If only the party was right then.
•••••
Pinkie was exceptionally happy to hear that Fluttershy wanted to bake treats with her for the party. Even if she didn’t say it, her body language showed just how giddy she was. The pink mare had nearly shoved her pegasus friend into the kitchen upon hearing the words, clearly eager to start.
“We got so much to bake!” Pinkie exclaimed as she started rummaging through various pans and trays.
“Oh, well, I just hope I don’t slow you down any,” Fluttershy mentioned as she stepped back to let her friend find what was needed.
The two of them went over the whole list of two dozen different snacks to make. It occurred to Fluttershy that maybe there was a little too much to be made. After all, it was just a fun get together even if it was being called a party. She idly wondered if her friend went through so much for all the small meet-ups.
It took a little convincing to get her to trim the list down at least a small portion. She didn’t see a reason to have her dear earth pony friend overwork herself so much. If she had known the day before then she could have at least helped with the list earlier.
“Think two dozen cookies and four cakes will be enough?” Pinkie asked, looking at only a small bit of the list.
“I think it’ll be fine, Pinkie. We can still make the rest tomorrow since you set the date for after,” Fluttershy said with a nod. “That’s if we finish the smaller part of the list first.”
The two of them had a laugh as they started gathering ingredients. Things were mostly quiet while they measured and added as needed. Small gossip did manage to seep from their muzzles soon after the trays were slipped into the ovens and they had a moment to calm down.
Various topics came up such as what pony liked what other, Zecora’s possible rhyming book, and even if there were things they couldn’t see but always around. The latter topic gave Fluttershy a light shiver. Of course, Pinkie quickly told her that there was nothing to worry about and made up several excuses to try and ease her friend. Thankfully, it worked.
The day almost crawled by when Fluttershy glanced out the window. The sun had barely made it to noon and they were only partway through their batch of cookies. In a small bought of boredom, the yellow pegasus sighed to herself and unfastened her apron. Giving it a quick toss with her muzzle, she headed to the door.
“I’m going to get a little air for a moment. Maybe stretch my legs. Okay?” Fluttershy spoke, nudging the door open with a light press of her hoof.
“Okie dokie!” Pinkie acknowledged and gave a comical salute before staring into the mixing bowl.
Passing the Cakes doing their routine at the front counter, Fluttershy moved along the room and gave them a friendly wave of her hoof. It was nice to spend time with her friend and not worry about much. Just that staying in one spot too long got her a bit restless. Her hoof pulled the door to the bakery open and out she stepped while taking a deep breath.
Her head suddenly grew foggy. The pegasus could almost feel her mind spinning for a short moment as she closed her eyes for a second. It almost felt like she might faint with how quickly it happened. Whatever kind of episode had struck her luckily passed as fast as it had hit.
Slowly, she opened her eyes and let her breath, not realizing she had held it the moment the dizziness came. While she let herself calm down she slowly turned back to the bakery. Perhaps she should tell Pinkie what happened just in case it might appear again and actually have her pass out.
When she pushed the door open she saw only Mrs. Cake at the counter and looking a bit surprised at her. There was a glance back to the kitchen door before the blue earth pony tapped her chin with a hoof.
“Oh, Fluttershy? Um, I thought you had gone home?” Mrs. Cake said in confusion. “You’ve been out a while.”
“What?” seemed to be all the pegasus could muster as she still tried getting a handle on herself.
“Well, you’ve been gone for hours,” Mrs. Cake explained and nodded back to the kitchen. “Pinkie thought you had gone home as well and when you didn’t come back after two hours she finished up the rest of the baking and went to go see Applejack.”
Hours? The whole idea sounded utterly strange to Fluttershy. She hadn’t been outside but for a mere minute or two at best. It didn’t make sense to claim she had left them for so long. Then a small idea sprung.
Pinkie had probably wanted to play a small joke on her to get her to hurry on back to baking. It seemed plausible especially for Pinkie’s standards. A small joke. She happened to get Mrs. Cake to play along with her is all.
Without asking anything else, Fluttershy hurried over to the kitchen door and tugged it open. Her head poked into the room with a smile that slowly faded. The prank was going a bit too far, she thought.
All the ovens were off and the smell of freshly baked goods hung in the air like an edible perfume. Her ears flicked lightly to try and pick up the sound of stifled laughing yet she found nothing. On the counter sat a plethora of treats all wrapped and covered. The list nearby had a number of things crossed off as well.
Lowering her head, Fluttershy pulled back from the doorway and slowly shut it as she turned away. Had she really been out so long? The thought of fainting seemed to be more probable than she initially thought. It didn’t sit well with her.
“Don’t worry, dear! I’m sure she didn’t take it the wrong way. You know how Pinkie gets,” Mrs. Cake chimed to her with a smile.
“Yeah,” the winged pony replied quietly as she slowly made her way to the front door again. “If you see her before I do, can you tell her I’m sorry? I… I think I just lost track of time or something.”
“You know I will. Now, hurry along before it gets dark, dear. Gotta close up shop!” the kind earth pony said and gestured with a hoof to the door, giving a warm smile.
It did seem to help that at least her message would get through to her friend in some manner. She just wished she knew what had happened. One moment she stepped outside and the next she had suddenly skipped nearly the whole time with Pinkie. It scared her as much as it made her feel bad she may look like she ditched her friend when it was far from the truth.
The door shutting behind her gave her a start as she looked up and noticed the orange sky. The sun was getting close to setting. She really had lost time. Things were making less and less sense and only had her start worrying more.
If there was anypony who knew what to do or what it might mean then it would be Twilight. The thought did comfort her especially when she agreed with herself to check in with her magical friend should something like her incident happen once more. Otherwise, she didn’t want to worry others, unless it did seem to be something wrong.
“I can wait until the day after tomorrow,” Fluttershy whispered to herself. “I can explain it to Twilight and maybe she’ll have an idea.”
It did sound like a better solution than running in panic at the first instance of unease. She was trying to better herself about such things. Worrying so much didn’t help and she could have easily just fainted from a little heat stroke or something. Though it begged the question how when in autumn.
The only thing that didn’t make sense was why nopony tried to wake her up or take her to the hospital. She felt rather okay seldom the scare itself. The lightheaded feeling had gone prior to her going back inside as well. Her mind kept going over different reasons as to why things happened the way they did but none of them really helped calm her much.
The only thing she could think of doing on her walk home was to try and put in the back of her mind. Her ears stayed down as she attempted to think of other things to fill her head instead. Soft and cuddly bunnies, precious kittens that were purring. Just something else.
She hardly noticed crossing the arch over the small creek since nearly all the birds were ready for the night. The sky had darkened steadily on her way to the cottage. Some sleep did sound nice and could probably help clear her head easier.
If she wasn’t so worried already then the appearance of her draconequus friend mere feet before her might have startled her. He was holding a teapot that was conveniently shaped in the letter ‘T’ as he gave an exaggerated bow.
“Welcome home, Fluttershy! I have tea ready and a couple of light snacks. You can tell me all about your day with Pinkie Pie!” Discord exclaimed and shook his hands excitedly.
“I kind of just want to lay down if that’s okay,” the pegasus said. Her eyes barely lifted to meet his own.
The tall beast of a friend looked a bit downtrodden at the news but quickly bounced back and vanished the T-pot away. He dusted his hands and gave a nod as he guided the pony inside, opening doors and magically altering a pathway just for her.
“Of course! It must be very tiring baking all day! I’ll let you get some rest, Fluttershy,” Discord announced as he stood back and let her slowly make her way inside and to her room. His random attire of a nanny he donned would have otherwise lifted the poor pony’s spirit had she not been so shaken.
Once she closed her door there was a brief moment where she felt like when she did during the first time she met her friends. She wanted to hide and cry. It wouldn’t solve anything but it somehow just felt like something she should do.
Instead, the winged pony drew in a deep breath and slowly exhaled before climbing up into her bed. She could be strong too. Some rest was all she needed. Tomorrow would be much better for her and she could explain everything. Pinkie was an understanding mare.
There was a lot of tossing back and forth in her head for a while. The sheets stirred and fumbled with her each time as she tried getting comfortable. There was no telling how long she fussed with her bed until finally sleep came.
•••••
Mornings were usually spent in song with a cheery mood. Fluttershy felt neither as she tried to get out of bed and figure out how she would explain things to her friend. She only hoped that Pinkie wasn’t upset with her. The slight overcast of the day looked to be the only thing that could recognize her feelings.
She couldn’t remember what the forecast called for with the worry still eating at her. Rainbow Dash would probably remind her if there was something she needed help with. At least, she hoped so. Pinkie wouldn’t have made her friends turn on Fluttershy, would she? No, that was a horrible thought!
Fluttershy shook her head and sighed. The plans to continue baking with Pinkie were still on as far as she knew. The only issue would be forcing herself out of the house and summoning enough courage to explain what happened.
Wobbling on her four legs, the yellow coated mare eventually found her way to the bathroom and began getting ready for her day. With a bad case of bed mane it took several minutes alone to brush it right. The whole time she still couldn’t shake that something felt wrong. Something was out of place. Or maybe somepony.
The thought made her frown before she set her brush aside and finished up the rest of her morning routine. It wasn’t until she made her was into the den that she saw Angel’s water dish nearly empty. Poor thing drank so much, she couldn’t have him dehydrated.
Into the kitchen she went. A small pitcher was filled and she carefully carried it back over to the rabbit’s water bowl. It sounded soothing to hear the water flow into it and comforted the mare for a brief second. Making sure there were no hairs added to it, Fluttershy returned the pitcher and sighed as she tried to think of what to eat.
There were a few minutes of looking in the cupboard for something quick when she felt that familiar nauseating sensation wash over. She almost felt like her whole world had shifted and she was left behind to tumble and toss through the throes of it all. It was worse than the day before. Every second was grueling despite how short it lasted. The whole moment was over in just seconds but it still lingered heavily with the mare.
Her head dipped and those ears folded back as she let out a soft breath. She was sure she didn’t faint. Her head would have clipped the counter had she fallen. Instead, she stood on weak legs with a coiled stomach. The lightheaded feeling was persistent for a while more before she finally sat on the kitchen floor and tried to gather herself.
What was happening to her? Why was she having such odd episodes of uneasiness? Nothing had been wrong to cause the first instance, had it? Nothing exactly seemed wrong for the current moment either. That is if her own feelings of some sort weren’t taken into account.
A small tug at her tail slowly drew her attention. Fluttershy tried her best to appear strong as she sniffed and rubbed at her face with a foreleg in an attempt to focus. Angel was looking up at her with little paws full of her pink tail. The tugging continued for a moment until he let go.
“What is it, Angel Bunny?” Fluttershy asked lightly with a weak smile.
The rabbit sat up and pointed back then tugged on her tail again. Confusion set in before she finally understood. Angel was requesting his water dish filled once more. Though, she had just filled it before stepping into the kitchen for herself.
“Momma filled it just a minute ago,” said Fluttershy, trying to assure herself as much her pet bunny.
The white rabbit shook his head and thumped the ground a bit while looking at his arm. He point around the room and shrugged with a small shake of his head. Once he pointed at her it slowly dawned on the mare what he was attempting to convey.
He had not seen her anywhere for some time. The problem was she had been in the kitchen for only a moment so she couldn’t understand how he couldn’t find her. Another issue was how he already needed his water refilled. She could feel her gut sinking like a rock.
“O-okay. Just let Mommy get some more,” she replied while hoping she wouldn’t find what she feared.
Fluttershy drew more water into the nearby pitcher before taking it in her mouth and slowly walking around the corner. She hoped and prayed it was just a small joke or maybe Angel was being fussy with how warm or cold it was. The shy mare waited before looking down, silently trying to strengthen herself.
It took effort not to mix her silent tears into the empty dish with the water. Her vision blurred as she finished up and walked over to the kitchen counter to set the pitcher upon it once again. Something was certainly wrong and she had no idea what was causing it.
“Oh, Fluttershy! Fluttershy?” Discord’s voice came ringing out from another room. “I’ve been looking for you all day! Did you leave early for Sugar Cube Corner?”
All day. Her episode had lasted the whole day and she had nothing to help her. Looking out the kitchen window showed the slowly darkening sky as if time had been hastened until then. She hardly moved when her tall, chaotic friend entered the kitchen with her.
“There you are! I hope you had a wonderful day! I was thinking, if you bring me back maybe a little more cake tomor-” Discord stopped. His focus set on the damp cheeks that shone on the pony’s face.
Silence filled the room as she felt him kneel awkwardly next her and rest a hand, or rather a paw, on her back. The gentle touch was kind and felt much needed. It seemed to help mend her mentally from the fracture that had happened.
“Fluttershy? What’s wrong?” he asked in a quiet tone, something he wasn’t quite known for.
“I,” Fluttershy tried to start before nearly breaking into a sob. Her shoulders shook as she forced herself to start again. “I don’t know. I can’t explain it.”
It was rough to try and explain an event that was nigh impossible to really tell much of. Discord sat and listened while keeping his mouth shut until she was done. She thanked him dearly for lending an ear to which he nearly attempted his humor at.
“Well, I may be known for causing chaos but I don’t really understand this all,” he admitted and pet her head lightly. “I’m clearly not the smart one of your friends but perhaps that Twilight Sparkle might know something? You should see her.”
“You’re not pulling a really mean trick on me, are you?” Fluttershy asked. The thought only just rose once he mentioned his relation with chaos. It did feel like she was descending into something chaotic, slowly but surely.
“Why, I’m hurt!” Discord retorted before smiling and lightly hugging her. “Of course not. If I had been doing so I would stop seeing how hurt you are now. I honestly have no idea what’s going on.”
The words did slightly comfort her but they also worried her more. If Discord wasn’t causing mischief to create her panic and stress than she had no idea what was. Her head turned to face him as she thought about her issue.
“I wish I knew what it was, dear Fluttershy. I feel a bit powerless though,” the draconequus mentioned before looking away. It was almost as though he was ashamed to admit he couldn’t change something with a snap of his fingers.
If what was happening really did seem out of Discord’s control then her confidence in Twilight wavered even if but a bit. Her head lowered as she tried to tell herself everything would be fine. Those mended fractures unraveled once more as she clung to her friend and shook, fearing what she didn’t know. It would be a long night for her or a short and sanity breaking one.
•••••
Waking up, curled on her bed, Fluttershy opened her eyes to the early dawn with light barely peeking over the horizon. The night had been filled with far too much crying and worry. No dreams came though sleep must have happened for her to wake from such slumber.
The coolness of autumn was already happening and a natural chill made the pony hug her sheets tighter. With the sky looking overcast once more she couldn’t help but wonder if rain was called for at least a little. Something still didn’t seem right and there was no way to put a hoof on it for her.
Routines were followed eventually though very slowly. She didn’t wish to stir any unknown circumstances to cause another episode. Showering, brushing, and all the other mundane parts of her morning were acted out as if she were merely a set piece being moved from one point to another. The lingering fear in the back of her mind continued every step of the way.
Breakfast was spent in silence and her food was barely remembered. Angel’s dish was refilled as well as a bundle of new carrots to make up for the day prior. She did feel bad about what happened despite having no way or knowing or countering it. The only thing left for her was to wait and hope.
Their small party was set to take place at Twilight’s castle in the evening. With how things had been going she wasn’t sure she could last the long wait. A small panic-induced thought ran through her as she considered her sleep possibly overlapping into another day instead.
Her eyes and ears took in Angel waking and checking his water then seeing the small gift with a happy squeak. When he ran over and hugged her leg she lightly pat his head with a hoof and assured him it was all his to enjoy. There wasn’t any reason to worry all around her for a problem she had. Let them be happy.
Hours came and went as she sat on her couch and stared out the window. Discord had come by at some point to try and cheer her up while offering to teleport her to Twilight’s doorstep. She refused and merely wanted to take things at her own pace. The two sat quietly for a bit after that which felt almost surreal to her.
There she was, sitting with a friend who cared about her but was helpless against the cause. Neither of them spoke of it beyond the initial suggestion. It was an hour later until Discord declared he had to attend to various things and for her to tell him how things go.
“Oh, and Fluttershy?” Discord added, “Forget the cake. Just come back, okay?”
The words weighed heavy on the poor pony’s mind as she watched him teleport with a pop and was left alone again. She hoped she would be able to come back. If there were no other incidents to happen she just might. Too many ‘what ifs’ ran through her head as she sat still and waited.
It did eventually come to her time to depart. No scary instances nor any lightheaded feelings occurred. That did help make her feel better. If whatever it was had come to pass then she might be better. It was good to focus on the positives of the situation as best she could.
The yellow pegasus gave her rabbit a small kiss goodbye and opened the door to head out. The sky kept its dreary mood above as if taunting her while she walked along the path and over the small stream. As much as she wanted to look happy it was a chore in itself to achieve.
Every step with her hooves had her closer to Twilight’s castle but also felt as if they were in a motion all on their own. Soon enough buildings began to pass by as well as other ponies. Everything felt off. From the places to the ponies it felt like something didn’t belong. It wasn’t until she was nearly at Twilight’s place that she started feeling like maybe it was her that didn’t belong.
Carefully, her hoof rapped at the door while she waited outside. There were a few noises that were muffled behind the entrance of the castle but her knocking did get answered. One of the doors creaked as it opened with a friendly purple face of Twilight poking through the opening. She seemed to be all smiles and happy to see her yellow friend.
“Hey, Fluttershy! Welcome! You’re just in time. The party is nearly underway, though between you and me it feels more like Pinkie wanted an excuse for a girl’s night,” the alicorn mentioned with a snicker.
Inside there were the typical decorations from the pink party pony. Streamers and balloons adorned the high walls and the main chamber had a rather colorful cloth covering the table where they often checked the map of Equestria. In each seat lay a comfortable looking pillow, possibly Rarity’s choice on the matter.
The other mares smiled and welcomed Fluttershy as she came into view. She had apparently been the last to arrive but that didn’t bother her. Pinkie showed no sign of holding anything against for the past two days and nearly pounced her with a hug. The others laughed and pried the pink mare away as they started agreeing it was time to start.
With the delicious food and comfortable seating it made it easy for Fluttershy to lose herself a little and not worry. Cakes were given and plenty of talks happened among them all. If it hadn’t been for the focus shifting to the winged pony in yellow then Fluttershy wouldn’t have had those scary thoughts return so fast.
“So, what’s been going on with you, Shy?” Applejack asked while pulling a plate of baked treats closer to herself.
“Not a whole lot,” Fluttershy lied while resorting to nibbling on some food. It began to eat at her again, though much more than before. “Do you mind if I wash my face real quick?”
“Go ahead. Just head into the other room and it should be on the left,” Twilight answered with a friendly nod.
A quick thanks was offered before Fluttershy hopped down from her chair and walked over to the indicated area. Some cold water could help set her straight, she thought. It was a good idea so she didn’t look so down if they began to worry. She would explain it all once she got back, she just needed to prepare herself.
When her hooves touch the floor as she passed the archway into the next room her fears became reality. The tossing and turning of her stomach and the dizzying spell that seemed to overcome her were brought back in full force. Her legs wobbled before she toppled down with a grunt and slowly started pushing herself back up while breathing heavily.
“Fluttershy?” came a voice from the doorway. Twilight poked her head in and raised her brow, “Oh, thank Celestia, there you are!”
“Wh-what?” was the only response the lightheaded pony could muster while attempting to recuperate.
“Well, you said you wanted to wash up but you were gone for a while. We all decided to go look for you,” Twilight told her and walked closer. “Are you feeling okay? You were gone for hours and we got a bit worried.”
“Hours?” Fluttershy asked knowing it was true. “I’m sorry…”
“It’s all right, just wanted make sure you were okay. We started worrying went you weren’t back and some of the girls had to go home,” the lavender pony explained as she helped her friend stand. “What’s wrong? It’s not like you to run off and hide.”
“I wasn’t hiding,” said Fluttershy simply.
“Then what were you doing?” Twilight inquired, obviously confused.
“Twilight,” came the small voice from Fluttershy’s throat, “I need help.”
There was little else to do but pour her heart out to the only friend there at the moment. Fluttershy did her best to give any and all details to her friend between sobs and wiping away her tears. She was guided back into the main chamber and set at the table once more while Rarity went to grab a damp cloth. It did help some to feel the cold and wet cloth pressed to her brow but the real damage was deeper.
Her recount of the events were listened to thoroughly and anything asked was answered as best as she could. Twilight had magically produced a quill and parchment to take notes as she listened while Rarity tried her best to care for her friend nearby. The three of them tried their hardest to understand the strange phenomenon but it still seemed hopeless.
“I’ll try to read up more on this tonight. For now, maybe you should head home,” Twilight told her and rolled the parchment up while levitating it near.
“I’m scared,” Fluttershy admitted verbally. It was the first time she had said it and it felt good to get it off her chest fully. Discord knew but she had tried to be strong for him.
The fresh tears that rolled down her face only made the two other ponies give saddened looks to each other. There was little else they could do for her currently. Twilight did promise to look into it further and do her best to remedy what might be causing such strange events. Rarity agreed to relay the message to the others as well as check up on her once in a while.
All she could do was wait. The routine of being unable to change something so dire in her life was to wait it out until there was an answer. How many days or weeks would she have to endure such a thing?
It took her a bit to calm down, trying to stifle her cries as she wiped her eyes with the embroidered cloth Rarity offered. They did agree to walk home with her at the very least. There was no sense in having her walk home alone after learning of such a thing.
Rarity stayed close and did her best to talk to Fluttershy trying to keep her mind off the matter. Twilight stayed silent most of the walk as she lagged behind to read the notes she had jotted down. The evening of the party had turned to night and many ponies had moved inside to their comfortable beds and little to no worries.
The walk was far too short for Fluttershy’s liking. She loved the company and wanted them to stay but hadn’t the heart to request it. They needed to do their own things and tend to their own lives. With a final cry into Rarity’s neck they hugged and slowly parted ways while promising to stop by the next day. At least she had something to look forward to.
Stepping inside only when her friends were completely out of sight, Fluttershy entered her cottage and took deep but shaky breaths. Her mind was reeling from having to deal with the possibility of the terrifying happening again. Rarity had lent her cloth to keep and wipe away any tears which she greatly appreciated.
Discord was waiting and gave her a careful hug when she was within reach. She thanked him quietly and mentioned wanting to lay down to which he swiftly moved out of the way. He called to her and wished her a goodnight though she knew it wouldn’t be good. Dreams or not her night wasn’t going to include something nice.
Her wings stayed tucked against her tightly as she entered her room and climbed up into the bed. Setting the carefully stitched cloth on her nightstand, Fluttershy rolled over and stared out her window.
The stars were hidden from the thick veil of clouds. Luna’s moon could hardly penetrate through either. The night would be a cold and dark one for her. She only hoped Twilight could find a remedy quick. Feeling nauseous, that night Fluttershy cried herself to sleep.
•••••
Morning had come and with it the bright sun of Celestia shining in through the window. Fluttershy hadn’t noticed when she nodded off but was happy to have a new day ahead of her. It wasn’t a proper happiness but she accepted it and took any she got.
Her mind felt fatigued and her body slightly sore. The whole night had been like a living nightmare for her. She wanted and yearned for another party to just be near all her friends again. Perhaps Pinkie could surprise them with another one soon enough. It was a nice thought.
Brushing and the other mundane activities consumed her waking hour. The whole day at least felt somewhat fresh, though it could just be due to having some rest and seeing the sun on a clear day. She knew not what the cause was but didn’t look for an excuse. Instead, she wished to just be done with her whole ordeal and get back to her normal life.
Passing the frayed cloth on her nightstand, Fluttershy headed out to the kitchen and grabbed the pitcher from the cupboard. As she filled it she felt her home unusually quiet. The sound of the water seemed to be louder than anything else.
Once filled, she did her careful walk with it and moved to the dish on the floor, lightly pouring the contents in. Angel would need a new bowl soon. She couldn’t remember when she bought him the current one but it had been some time. He deserved a lovely one, she thought.
There was something bothering her but she couldn’t place it. When she finished putting the pitcher away and went to go get her mail is when she noticed her birds seemed to be rather quiet. Maybe it stormed the night before and they were still resting. She hadn’t noticed but her mind had been elsewhere.
Her mailbox seemed to have quite a few letters in it. More than usual. Half of them were from Pinkie and card shaped. She smiled and could only guess they were hastily done Get Well cards the party mare made and sent out immediately. A few others were odd with three from Twilight and another from each of the other girls.
Tucking the small pile of letters beneath her wing, Fluttershy walked back to her doorstep. A small and strained whistle sounded from her lips to stir her feathered friends but no reply came. She slowly started getting an uneasy feeling but pushed her thoughts as far back as she could. What she wanted to know was if Twilight found a fix for her problem.
Stepping inside and closing the door, the winged pony walked over to her couch and sat down comfortably upon the cushions. Her eyes focused on the various letters before taking the top one of Twilight’s and carefully opening it. That small heart beat frantically despite her best efforts to calm it. Then she began to read.
'Fluttershy, I’m sorry.'