//------------------------------// // Day 1 // Story: Why Did Equestria Shrink? // by Monsieur-Flatterer //------------------------------// Day 1 Fluttershy looked up, smiling to Spera. She reached out a hoof to stroke the fox’s face gently. She was ready for an other adventure. She was so happy, because Spera’s appearance made her feel like the canine was helping her to be free from all her troubles... to be free from the hospital. Fluttershy spread her wings and flew on to the back of the fox, Spera, snuggling her soft, silver fur. She had no idea she would be missing Spera this much. Fluttershy sat up slowly, looking down to the fox. She gave the creature a gentle nod, as if she was telling her she was ready to take off. Spera responded to this by taking a mightly leap and landing on a cloud. She ascended quickly by repeating her move, leaping from cloud to cloud. And as she reached the highest cloud, she made one last strong jump, straight out of Equestria’s atmosphere... As she always did. Fluttershy clung to the fox as they travelled through space. The wind that shouldn’t be there blowing through her mane once again. Fluttershy looked back to Equestria, watching it as it disappeared among the many, many stars. The mare sighed and looked ahead of herself, sinking deep in to her thoughts. This was much nicer than the smelly hospital she was staying in. Travelling to unknown places, discovering new ponies...This was what she loved. However, she couldn’t help but feel scared...terrified. But she was questioning why she was feeling this scared. A tear leaked from her eye as she rested on the back of the fox. Spera noticed Fluttershy’s discomfort, and emitted a soothing aura to the sad pegasus. Fluttershy felt Spera’s attempt to cheer her up, despite that the canine was unable to actually talk to Fluttershy. The mare smiled at Spera as she sat back up, looking around in the vast nothingness of space. Fluttershy stared at the stars as they passed, squeaking as she was able to make out some star signs. This travel was taking longer then any of the previous ones, it made Fluttershy very curious to where Spera was taking her. Fluttershy took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a second. But when she opened them again, she noticed something special among the stars. There was a much bigger star among them, a purple-pink one. The size was extra-ordinary, and it wasn’t shaped like your average star; it was was like one of those stars you were taught to draw as a foal, with six points. And behind this purple star was another, smaller white one. Fluttershy stared at it, notcing also that the giant star had five smaller stars around it. That’s when she recognized it; Twilight’s cutiemark. The corners of Fluttershy’s mouth went down and she cuddled Spera again, staring at the cutiemark. But Spera’s aura sent Fluttershy’s lips back up again, forming the smallest smile. It was good to be with Spera. Fluttershy looked ahead, smiling wide as they approached a new planet. This planet was blue, and as they came closer, Fluttershy could see why. The entire planet was covered in water. Fluttershy frowned again, clinging to Spera as they flew through the atmosphere, diving straight for the water. Fluttershy yelped, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes. She heard a loud splash, but frowned as she didn’t feel surrounded by water. She slowly opened one eye, but widened both of them in surprise as she realised they were inside a large bubble. Fluttershy smiled and glanced around. This planet was just a massive ocean. But she could see no locals, not even under the water. Maybe they were scared off by Spera splashing into the water? The fox surfaced and stood on the sea level. Fluttershy bit her lip, this really was a wonderful creature, jumping on clouds, dancing on the water, what could be next? Fluttershy let out an other squeak as the canine swam through the sea, but everywhere the filly glanced around, there was just water. Spera traveled over through water, and even though they were just in an endless seeming ocean, Fluttershy seemed to enjoy the ride. But something on the horizon caught her attention, a small island. Fluttershy squeaked, pulling Spera’s fur slightly and pointing. The fox let out a yap, before quickly speeding towards the small landscape Fluttershy had seen. Fluttershy smiled, gasping as she saw that the island contained a small house. As they approached it, and the island got bigger, Fluttershy could make out that the house was on a small farmland, and the island contained a small dock. But no boat was seen, or any other house. Spera was almost there, and now Fluttershy could see a stallion resting on the dock. A brown-coated stallion, with a black mane. Fluttershy frowned, she could recognize this stallion, but she didn’t know from where. He was a simple earth pony, and as the fox and Fluttershy walked ashore, he didn’t even seem to notice Fluttershy and Spera. The stallion looked down to the dock blankly, before looking back up over the horizon of the endless ocean. This pony seemed sad, as if something was missing. But Fluttershy couldn’t think of what could be missing. This stallion had a beautiful house at the beach, complete with a farm and a dock. Fluttershy gulped, feeling the urge to help this poor stallion. “Uhm...excuse me...” She started. “But...Is something bothering you?” Fluttershy asked. The stallion looked up at Fluttershy, and Fluttershy gazed back in his blue eyes. But she quickly averted the gaze. Fluttershy always felt awkward when making eye contact. Awkward and scared, terrified even. “Hello, miss.” The stallion greeted. “Yes there is... I have everything I want here, but there’s something missing. I have a beautiful house, a farm providing all the food I can eat. But yet, I am not satisfied.” The stallion told Fluttershy. “Something’s missing...” Fluttershy bit her lip. What could be missing? She glanced around, sighing, before noticing that the stallion lived on this island completely alone. In complete solitude. And that’s when Fluttershy got the idea. This pony was in dire need of some company! Fluttershy shoved herself forward on the fox’s back, leaning down to whisper to Spera. The fox nodded, and waited for Fluttershy to hold on tight. The fox then leaped up, and landed on the water, racing forward. Fluttershy closed her eyes as they traveled, Spera going very fast in search for an other island. Surprisingly enough, it didn’t take the two too long to find this island. Again, with a house on it and a small farm, paired together with a dock. On that dock was a sad pony, a mare this time. A mare with light blue coat and white mane. Fluttershy knew there was another island on this huge planet! Spera stepped ashore, and Fluttershy talked to the mare. “Umm...Are you feeling lonely?” Fluttershy asked softly. The mare looked up with a frown, but nodded. “Uhm...jump on...if you want to...” Fluttershy muttered. The pegasus thought she was inaudible, but she clearly wasn’t as the earth pony had climbed on to Spera. Fluttershy blushed and looked at the mare. “I’m Sodalis, by the way...” She had said. Fluttershy was about to respond, but the only thing she could get past her lips was a loud squeak as Spera took off in to the water, racing over it. The clever fox knew the way back to the stallion’s island. Fluttershy gulped, smiling as it didn’t take long for Spera to find the way back. As the fox stepped on the sand of the stallion’s island, Sodalis jumped off and looked at him. Fluttershy smiled as the two then embraced eachother, smiling happily. They held eachother close, seeming relieved. “Thank you, miss... The feeling of emptiness have left me...” The stallion said to Fluttershy. And you haven’t asked, but I’m Solus. And I will be forever grateful.” He thanked. Fluttershy smiled at the stallion and nodded slightly, before clinging to Spera. The fox turned her head, giving Fluttershy a gentle lick, before she leaped up to the first cloud. Up and up to the next ones, until she jumped back in to space. Fluttershy glanced around, and frowned as Twilight’s cutiemark wasn’t where she thought it had been anymore. In fact, she hadn’t spotted it even once during her journey. And as she passed by Equestria, she noticed it was smaller then before. She looked at it, a tear leaving her eye... ...And she gently wiped it away as she awoke. She opened her eyes slowly, looking down to her pillow. It was moist from her tears. She glanced around and sighed. This wasn’t her bed, or her room. This was the hospital. She gulped and looked at the plushie of a silver fox as she lay on her stomach. She turned her head, looking at the bedside table to the right from her. There it was, a picture of her and her friends, hugging. She already missed them, a lot. And as she turned to lay on her side, she looked down to the blanket Rarity made for her. She appreciated all these things, she really did. But it didn’t stop the missing she was feeling. She felt lonely. Even more lonely then when she sat at home the whole day. And above all, she was scared. Terrified, even. Fluttershy squeaked and shut her eyes as the door suddenly opened, letting in bright rays of light. She held a hoof in front of her eyes and gulped. She tried getting used to the light, and she steadily did. Her hoof went back down to rest next to her side, and the figure in the door could be recognized as nurse Redheart. “Oh, sorry if that blinded you for a moment...” She excused herself, steadily stepping in with a smile. “I saw that you hadn’t left your room at all yesterday.” She said to Fluttershy, who nodded slightly. Fluttershy indeed had not left her room after Doctor Terryn had shown her where she was to stay. She had just crawled in bed with her blanket and plushie, and closed her eyes. She had also cried for a bit, but tried and cheer herself up. Again, Fluttershy couldn’t bring herself to say anything. But it wasn’t needed, as the nurse talked again. “So, because Doctor Terryn asked me to, I’m bringing you some breakfast in bed... You really need to eat something, Fluttershy.” She said, bringing a tray over to Fluttershy. The pegasus sat properly, her stomach letting out a loud grumble as she looked upon the breakfast in front of her. The tray contained a plate with some croissants on it. A large glass of orange juice was next to it, as well as an apple and some yoghurt. Fluttershy couldn’t remember the last time she ate anything, and she was practically drooling. “Enjoy your meal.” Redheart said with a smile. Fluttershy smiled back and nodded, as if she was saying ‘thank you’. But once again, she couldn’t bring herself in to actually speaking aloud. Redheart moved to open Fluttershy’s curtain and window, letting some fresh air in. The nurse then trotted out of the room, leaving the door only slightly open. Fluttershy blushed, leaning down to take a bite from one of the croissants. She savoured every bite, oh how delicious it was, even for hospital food. But as she ate, Fluttershy couldn’t stop but wonder... ...Why did Equestria shrink? - After taking a long, satisfying bath, Fluttershy felt refreshed. She was sitting in her room again. The long, rectangular room with blank walls, containing only a bed, a bedside table and a wardrobe. Fluttershy had figured that this was a hospital for ponies that were mentally ill, like herself. Not mentally disturbed or plain out crazy. She had decided this because it was quiet in the hospital all night. When someone said “Mental Hospital”, the first thought that always sprung to Fluttershy’s mind was a building full of crazy, screaming ponies, with male nurses everywhere. But that wasn’t the case with this hospital. Everypony here was quiet, like her. And most of the nurses there were female and very friendly. Fluttershy was especially keen on nurse Redheart, because she was pretty much the one that took care of her. She didn’t know about the other nurses, and she wasn’t sure about her doctor, Doctor Terryn. But as she thought of all of this, she wondered if it was okay to call herself mentally ill. Well, if she wasn’t, she wouldn’t be sitting the hospital, would she? She knew that she was in need of help, especially as she couldn’t help herself. She was just scared, and she didn’t know why. And the dreams she’d been having for days now, about a silver fox taking her to places, they were so nice that Fluttershy just wanted to go back to sleep. But that one question kept lingering inside her head, and nopony could answer it. Oh, how she longed for the answer. “Fluttershy? Doctor Terryn wants to see you now.” A voice suddenly said. Fluttershy gasped and looked up, seeing nurse Redheart in the doorway of her room. The pegasus gulped, she didn’t want to go to her therapy. She was scared, again. She slowly scrambled to her hooves and gathered her courage, following the nurse through the long hallways of the hospital. Fluttershy blushed as they trotted in to the lobby. She hoped one of her friends would be sitting there, waiting to pick her up; but sadly none of her friends were present. Fluttershy let her head hang low and she sniffled, another tear rolling down her cheek. She thought she was being a bit too emtional lately, but her friends had left her behind in a hospital. She didn’t know if she had to thank them for that, or despise them for it. But only time would tell. It would depend on if Terryn could heal her or not. “Here you go...” Redheart said to Fluttershy, knocking on the door to Terryn’s office, before opening it. Fluttershy gulped and stared in to the room, seeing Terryn behind his desk with a clipboard floating in front of him, a pen writing some things down. Fluttershy glanced around, being a bit too scared to enter the room. But she squeaked as Terryn’s brown eyes looked over his clipboard. “Come on in, Fluttershy...” He said, casting a small smile to the mare. Fluttershy sighed and slowly trotted in to the office. She gulped as she climbed on to one of the chairs, sitting on it as she blankly stared down to the floor. Terryn sighed audibly, looking at the mentally ill mare. “How did you sleep?” He asked with a smile. Fluttershy didn’t respond, not even feeling the urge to share anything with the pony. She kept staring down, feeling the tears come up again. She raised a hoof to wipe the water from her eyes. “Listen, Fluttershy...” Terryn started. His voice was calm and soothing, almost as if he understood Fluttershy. But the yellow pegasus didn’t think he did understand her. “I know this is hard for you, but you need to know that your friends are concerned about you, and that’s why they consulted me.” Terryn explained. “It’s normal that you don’t want to say anything to me, and I understand if you’re angry or frustrated. I won’t push you or force you to talk to me.” The doctor explained. Fluttershy looked up, maybe he did understand her? Or, since he was a therapist, was trying to use some kind of mental trick on her. But Terryn did understand young Fluttershy. He was only twenty-nine years old, now. So he hadn’t been doing this job for too long. However, he did have enough experience to know Fluttershy’s position and how she felt. Fluttershy remained quiet, shuffling her hooves on the chair slightly. “Also, I have a message from your friends. Rarity and Applejack will be visiting you tomorrow.” Terryn said, lifting up an other clipboard to take a good look at it. Fluttershy’s eyes went wider and she tried to peek at the clipboard. “Are they good friends of yours?” Terryn asked, receiving a nod from Fluttershy, which made him smile. Fluttershy thought back to the blanket Rarity made for her, and she wanted to thank Rarity for it, whether it be verbally or non-verbally. Seeing any of her friends would be great, anyhow. Also, it had been some time since she’d talked to Applejack, and seeing as it was Applebucking season, Fluttershy appreciated that Applejack was wanting to place that aside for a bit just to visit her. “This counts as your first therapy. But it doesn’t matter that you haven’t said anything. In the end, the therapy should have helped.” Terryn then continued. “Our next therapy is...” Terryn took out another clipboard, going through some papers, before placing it back down on his desk. “Next Thursday, so the day after tomorrow. You’ll be having two therapy sessions in a week, maybe an extra one on the weekend, but that depends on our progress. You can go back to your room now, if you want. You have a lot to still get used to, anyway.” Terryn said with a smile. However, Fluttershy did not leave. She stared at her doctor, sucking up her bottom lip. Terryn had started writing things down again, but Fluttershy took a deep breath, gathering all her courage, and... “Why did Equestria shrink?” She asked, looking at Terryn. This was the first thing she had said in days, but it had been bothering her for much longer then that. If he really was a therapist, he would know the answer, right? She hoped so. Fluttershy hadn’t realised that her eyes started watering again, resulting in some tears dripping down on her yellow cheeks. Terryn looked up, jaw dropped. She actually spoke! But for that question, he too did not know the answer. However, he wrote it down immediately, before looking up to talk to Fluttershy. “I don’t know Fluttershy, but I will help you find out...” Terryn said. Fluttershy simply nod, sniffling slightly as she wiped her tears. He would help her, but she wasn’t sure if she fully trusted him. What choice did she have? The mare slid off of her chair and slowly trotted back towards the door, tears dropping on the carpet as she met with the waiting Redheart. Fluttershy was brought to her room again, as she quietly sobbed along the way. She had a long journey ahead of her...