//------------------------------//
// Past... and Present? 
// Story: Kindness Secluded 
// by xXSilverLiningXx 
//------------------------------//

	Twilight stared at her quill with absolute hatred.  She focussed on every detail; every fiber of the white feather ingrained itself into her mind.  Absolute fury poured from her eyes, not blocked in the least by her frazzled mane.  She felt her eye twitch as her scowl deepened.  She concentrated, reaching deep within herself.
Now move, damn you!
She felt the energy trickle out, slowly building the spell.  Yes!  Maybe it’ll work this time!
Suddenly, a wave of darkness crashed over her, and forced her breath away.  The crushing burst of depression swept away reality.  Her vision faded...

She came to a few moments later, flat on the floor.  No longer possessing the will to move, she lay still on the hard oak.  Tears flowed freely from her eyes, and a small part of her worried it would stain the floor.  Her sense of time vanished as her dark thoughts circled.
“What’s wrong with me?” she sobbed.  “Why won’t it work?”
A knock came from her door, effectively silencing her as she waited for the intruder to speak.  She tried to count the seconds, but her internal clock, much like her heart, fluttered erratically.
“Twilight, can I come in?” asked Spike.
She answered with silence, absent, yet piercing all the same.  She knew it would hurt him, but there was only one who knew her pain right now.  The same one whom she had lost.
“Wh-when you’re ready, I’ll be here.  You know that, right?”
Again, she did not speak, but this time, a sob forced its way from her throat.  Whatever illusion she had hoped for, she knew it was destroyed now.  How could she protect Spike if she couldn’t even save herself?



	

Spike listened from the door.  He had known something was wrong from the moment they’d finished that spell.  He also knew that Twilight was over-protective, but this bordered the ridiculous.  Of all the mares in the world, she should know that friends are there to help; even more so for family.
Of course, he sighed, she’s also the worst at learning these lessons.
He walked downstairs, making sure the mare could hear.  She deserved a chance to let it out, even if it wasn’t to him.
The sounds of hushed conversation reached him on the way down.
“Art thou sure she can withstand it?  Having one’s psyche altered is an... unpleasant experience.” whispered Luna.
“Now, sister, I’ve said this before: I have the utmost trust in her.  She will get through this.” replied the other Princess, in equally hushed tones.
Ugh, I wish I understood this...  Wait!  Psyche is just another word for mentality, and if anypony had that changed, it’d have to be Rarity!
“But surely thou must have plans in place.”
Wait, she could help, right?
“Yes, if it comes to it.  Still, if she can make it through this time, then it will open up endless opportunities for her magical prowess.  You know I speak the truth.”
That’s a terrible reason to not help!
“If thou art certain, then we shall still our tongue.  Nopony would darest spill these words, anyhow.”
Why should I not tell her?
“I merely hope that she doesn’t require magical aide.  Advice is fine, but magic...  That would alleviate the symptoms, not the problem.”
“You do seem correct, we merely pray Spike shall understand.”
Celestia, seeing the implication, spun around, panic in her eyes.  “What!?  You knew?” she asked Luna.  “Spike, you must understand.  If Twilight Sparkle recieves help of a magical nature, she will remain forever injured.  This is no simple wound!  Do you understand?”
“O-of course I do... I think.” gulped the dragon.
“Allow me to put it differently.  If you try to fix her with magic, it will only hurt her further.  Is that better?”
“Yes...” he replied.
“Good.  Now, we must go.  Lu, if you would?”
“We hast told thee not to call us that.” the Mare of Night grumbled.
Then, in a flash of light, the Royalty disappeared, leaving Spike alone.  In the dark.
Forever alone...



	


	

Fluttershy knocked at the door, still trying to shake the nightmare that lingered in her mind.  Angel lay on her back, dozing peacefully.  He hadn’t left her side since two nights ago--when the gems had last glowed.  She still couldn’t remember what happened.  It hurt to think about it.
As Brother Cleon opened the door, she said, “You wanted to see me?”
“Ah, yes.  About that.” he yawned, pawing at his bloodshot eyes.  “I looked into that disturbance the other night, and I must say, the indicators are quite strange.”
“What does that mean?” inquired the mare.  Fluttershy wiggled her wings, figuring that Angel would want to hear.
Cleon walked through the door, and called, “Follow me, and I’ll show you.”

The trio entered a dark room, two floors below ground.  Cleon held his candle to a groove in the wall, and in a flash, flames rose around the walls.
The brickwork walls were scorched from previous flames.  In the center, a dark pool of water seemed to absorb the light.  It was a dark abyss, bordered by a silver rim.  A large, dark ruby hung above it, wreathed in gold.  Around the ruby, the small green gems surrounded it in a loose sphere.
“What is this place?” gasped Fluttershy.
“We call it the Room of Reflection.” Cleon explained.  “Long ago, when our Founder first discovered the gems’ side effect, he put in a system that tracked down their effects, and revealed what occurred.  The down-side to it, was that it must be viewed, and remembered, by the one who’s will altered the spell.”
“So what do you want me to do?”
“Well, I hate to ask you this, but we need you to try and remember that night.  If you succeed, the Pool should take care of the rest.”
Fluttershy swallowed hard.  She could feel her face grow pale, and her wings tighten against her.  No.  This is important.  As she forced herself to take a braver pose, she couldn’t help but worry that she may have hurt her friends.  I have to do it.
“I-I’ll try.” she stuttered.  Darn it, Fluttershy!  Suck it up!  “No, I will!” she stated.
Cleon nodded.  “Would you like me to stay?  I know that some prefer to make this sort of journey alone.”
“You can go, if you’d like.” she replied as coolly as she could.
“I’ll be back in an hour.  If you get it to work before then, come find me.”
“Okay.”
Cleon padded through the door, the thick wood slamming behind him.  Once he left the room, Fluttershy groaned, “Oh, Angel.  What have I gotten myself into?”

Fluttershy gasped as the pain overwhelmed her.  Her racing heart grew calm as she felt Angel curled up beside her.  She struggled to regain the faint image that she’d had, but the details eluded her.
All she could remember was one mare.  A unicorn, that much was sure, but who?  What really stood out, though, were the eyes.  Something looked broken in those deep, bloodshot eyes.  It was then that a spark of recognition flew through her mind.  She knew that look.  It was the same look as when she had told Dash; when she’d told Cleon.
She could feel more details trickling into the image.  Long hair grew out, framing the pained face.  The face began to fill with color, dying the whole a deep purple.  A stern frown fell across, completing the look, yet still seeming incomplete.
Twilight?
Fluttershy felt a scream rip its way through her throat, and then she was elsewhere.

When she opened her eyes, Fluttershy immediately knew something was wrong.  She was upstairs in the library, but there were these strange circles on the floor.  She saw her friends standing in them.  Each glowed with a strange magic.
That, however, wasn’t even the strangest part.  When she looked around, she realized that she was only one of many Fluttershy’s.  Each of the others were babbling, incoherent when heard alone, but together forming into a massive chain of thought.  She remembered feeling the same conflict in her, both now, and every day since she had left.  She could hear their voices, speaking her mind.
“The Beast is out.”
“I should’ve stayed.”
“They deserve to know.”
“The Beast is out.”
“But then they would hate me.”
“Rainbow’s already told them.”
“The Beast is out.”
“What if they didn’t find the letter?”
“The Beast is out.”
“Then it doesn’t matter.”
“Of course, Pinkie would find it.”
“The Beast is out.”
“But what if—”
“Cut the spell!” cried Celestia.
“The Beast is out.”
“I can’t go back.”
“I’m trying!” screeched Rarity.
“The Beast is out.”
“I can’t hurt them.”
“I’m so sorry,” whispered Rainbow Dash.
Then a blinding flash filled the room. Rarity screamed.


When she opened her eyes once more, Fluttershy was in Twilight’s room.  This time, not much seemed off.  Several books lay open around the room, but that was normal.  Parchment lay strewn across the desk, but that wasn’t very unusual.  Then she saw Twilight laying on the floor, tears streaking her face.  The sound of somepony using the stairs reached her ears.
The purple mare released a loud sob, and Fluttershy’s heart waged war against her.  Contrary to her better judgement, the pegasus walked over to her friend, and ran a hoof through the purple hair.  Twilight looked up, her eyes wide in shock.  Maybe even fear?
“Fluttershy?” she asked.
Her eyes spoke volumes.  They screamed of hopes that were shattered, dreams denied.  They sang of longing, that only a true friend could have.  Her eyes, those violet orbs, they begged for this to be real.  Fluttershy couldn’t stand it.  She couldn’t look into those eyes, for they were not merely eyes.  Whoever had said “Eyes are the gateway to the soul”, Fluttershy now knew exactly how correct they were.  Those seas of sadness that beat her Stare into dust; those oceans of anguish that overwhelmed all mental defenses; those continents of confusion, floating amongst a vast white; they destroyed her.  How could I have done this?  I would never hurt her...
“Am I dreaming?”
Fluttershy wanted to answer.  She wanted with all her heart to scream “yes”, but she just couldn’t.  She couldn’t deny this responsibility.  She didn’t dare tempt fate by telling her best friend that it had never happened.  What if this wasn’t a dream?  All she would do then is hurt Twilight even further.
No, rather than speak; rather than answer that impossible question, Fluttershy continued her motions.  She crooned to her friend, much like she had to Angel when he was small.  Eventually, they grew into a soft lullaby.
When the other mare had fallen asleep, Fluttershy felt herself pulled away again.

She awoke back in the dark room to find Cleon standing in the doorway.  He walked over to her, placing a gentle talon on her shoulder.
“I heard you.  I take it the Pool worked?” he asked, concerned.
“I think so.” ventured Fluttershy.  “Now what?”
Cleon walked to the wall, and pressed a button, which had, to Fluttershy’s eye, looked to be just another brick.  The surface of the pool shimmered in response, before becoming a complete white.  Slowly, coor began to fill the picture, and then it began to show her visions.