//------------------------------//
// Chapter 9: The "Very" First Casualty 
// Story: Worth Less Than a Fly 
// by nightshade745 
//------------------------------//


***Fluttershy lovers should look away now, this is about to get ugly***


A young bunny hopped along the ground without a care in the world. Well…that’s not true. He was looking for a delicious carrot at the moment. He was small pure white bunny except for the brown spot around his left eye. His hops were slow and his fur was cuddly. He had the most adorable little black eyes and his ears flopped about comically. He had only recently left the care of his parents and this was his first day on his own.

Ahead was a patch of wild carrots. They could sometimes be hard to uproot, but they were the largest and tastiest carrots in the Everfree! The bunny, we’ll call him George, beamed at the sight of the carrots. He could use a quick bite. George hopped towards the carrots. George found only the leaves of the carrots above the surface, as usual. He tried to pull one up, but he wasn’t strong enough. George came up with a new plan, he started to dig. His delicate paws brushed aside the loose dirt with ease. The wind caused the leaves above to sway and branches to groan. 

George had exposed a third of the carrot. Believing that to be sufficient, he tried to pull it from the ground. The carrot exploded into the air! The carrot landed a few feet away and George had rolled onto his back in the ejection of his carrot and dirt. George skipped over and grabbed his carrot. He gave it a few loving strokes to clean it before sitting down to take a bite. George cocked his head around and perked his ears. He had heard some loud ruffling, but nothing looked disturbed. George froze and carefully observed everything. None of the birds above had been spooked, the deer in the distance looked fine, and none of the nearby grass looked treaded. For five minutes George listened for anything. When he was satisfied he continued to devour his carrot.

George bit into his carrot as he happily rocked from side-to-side wiggling his toes. He was the spawn of cuteness now with his cheeks bulging from his healthy meal. George swallowed gratefully before he went in for another bite. His teeth came down around the carrot tip, his tongue ready to receive the flavor, his throat ready to swallow. But the half-eaten carrot suddenly found itself falling to the ground. The carrot was confused. What was George doing? He was still standing there, but he wasn’t moving. When the carrot looked at his face, it paled. George’s head was gone….

3 hours later in a certain library…

Rainbow Dash demolished the doors as she went sprawling out onto the floor. Quickly getting to her hooves, Rainbow Dash was about to babble, but paused at a sudden revelation. “Uhh Twilight? Why are all the lights off?”

The library was pitch black and silent. Rainbow couldn’t see her hoof in front of her face! But from the darkness, Spike shushed her. “Twilight’s concentrating.”

“In the dark?”

“Shh!”

Rainbow had important news, but she forgot for a moment when she caught a glimpse of Twilight’s horn glowing. After a moment, the glow vanished. Rainbow was about to ask what happened when a pair of shimmering purple eyes shown through the darkness! Twilight had made her eyes glow in the dark.

“Rainbow, I can see in the dark now!” Twilight gave an excited squeal.

“That is so…AWESOME!	“ Rainbow stepped toward Twilight carefully, guided by her shiny pupils.

“So what did you want Rainbow?”

“Huh, oh yeah!” Rainbow shook her head quickly. “Twilight you have got to hurry, it’s an emergency!”

Twilight was suddenly serious, “what happened?!”

“Fluttershy, she’s having a breakdown. Something terrible happened to her out in the Everfree. She keeps saying it was some kind of monster.” Rainbow felt just a tad uncomfortable talking in the dark like this.

“I don’t see how I can help.”

“You know tons of stuff about creatures out in the Everfree, I was hoping you could help calm her down.”

“I’ll try, for Fluttershy’s sake.”

Twilight quickly undid the spell on her eyes and they galloped to Fluttershy’s. Twilight was full of questions; what kind of creature could scare Fluttershy? Wasn’t she an expert on animals? Rainbow seemed genuinely worried, which made it clear this wasn’t a prank. When they got to her cottage, they could already hear her sobs. Inside, Rarity was trying to give Fluttershy a cup of tea, but she was shaking too much to hold it herself.

Twilight was quick to act, “what happened Fluttershy?”

As she approached, Fluttershy’s tears slowed. “It was awful, so horrible.” Her crying intensified again.

“She won’t stop saying that,” Rarity sighed. Rarity looked so desperate to help but was completely powerless.

Twilight raised Fluttershy’s head with a hoof, “I need you to be strong for me. Please tell me what happened.”

“I-i-it was a mon-monster.”

“What was?” Twilight tried to coax it out of her gently.

“Evil…” Fluttershy’s moment of calm was crushed as her sorrow and fear burst forth again.

Twilight sighed, “Fluttershy, I can’t help without more details. You need to tell me what you saw.”

Fluttershy said one word, “blood.”

“Was somepony hurt?” Twilight asked with alarm. She shook her head. “Was somepony…dead?” She shook her head a second time. Twilight dreaded the last option, “was it an animal?” Fluttershy jumped off her couch and squeezed Twilight’s neck as hard as she could and screamed out her wails. Twilight put on a strong face as she stroked her mane. “There, there. Fluttershy, these things happen. It’s how the Everfree works.”

“No…you’re wrong,” Fluttershy choked out. “This w-was n-not how th-things happen i-in the Everfree.”

Twilight didn’t understand. “What do you mean?”

“I know creatures have to k-k-kill to live sometimes.” Fluttershy pulled away from her. “But this…it w-was different.”

Twilight brushed some of Fluttershy’s hair out of her eyes, “how?”

“Blood. Lots of…blood.” She sniffed as she calmed down, or rather went cold. “It was everywhere.”

“That happens when animals hurt each other,” Rainbow offered weakly.

“Timberwolves can be aggressive hunters Fluttershy,” Twilight tried to reason.

“Not this aggressive,” she squeaked.

“How do you know?” Twilight gently challenged.

“I’ve seen the remains of their…attacks.” Fluttershy choked back tears for a moment. “This was not a normal attack. They-they-they…” She couldn’t even start her sentence.

“What did they do?” Twilight blundered out.

“The entire area was soaked, Twilight…” Fluttershy looked ready to faint.

“In what?” Rainbow asked cluelessly.

“Blood…” Fluttershy’s quiet voice seemed to die after those words.

“Maybe you should lie down.” Fluttershy nodded her head weakly as she finally drank the tea Rarity had offered. Later, when she was in bed, Twilight saw how deep the sight had scarred her. The cottage was a wreck.

After giving the cottage a quick cleanup, Rainbow began, “so what should we do?”

“Yes, she’s absolutely dreadful! I’m going to have to give her a makeover when she wakes up. I mean, that mane was a crime against fashion!”

“Rarity, the last thing she needs right now is you bothering her about her looks.” Twilight scolded her. “I suspect that all she saw was the remains of a timberwolf or a manticore attack. It will take time, but she’ll heal.” Twilight looked tired. Knowing this was just how the Everfree worked was something Fluttershy would have to learn.

“But she said it wasn’t normal,” Rainbow pointed out.

“Come on, she saw…blood…in the Everfree. What else could it be?”

“I have to agree with Rainbow on this Twilight dear. Fluttershy has seen the Everfree in its entirety. This was something truly gruesome to have left an impression on a pony that’s had to have seen such things before.”

Twilight pondered for a moment, “You have a point. But what are we going to do about something happening in the Everfree?”

“We charge in there, find the monster that scared Fluttershy, and kick its flank!” Rainbow slammed her hooves together.

“A monster hunt would be a spectacular waste of time, dear. The Everfree is huge, we’d never find it. And can you imagine the muck we’d have to trek through?”

“In the meantime, I can do a little research. Tell the residents of Ponyville to stay out and away from the forest.”

Rainbow grew smug, “you act like everypony goes into the Everfree for vacation.”

“What about Zecora?” Rarity asked.

“I can tell her in a flash!” Rainbow scoffed with a wave of her hoof.

“I just wonder what could be so terrible that it left Fluttershy barely able to speak,” Twilight admitted, looking back at the room where Fluttershy slept.


********************************************************************************


Nash couldn’t believe his eyes. The goddess before him towered at a daunting 150 feet! His belief she was a god was only strengthened by her apparel. The tiara on her head and the golden necklace both had a gemstone bigger than him imbedded in them. Her massive hooves were fitted neatly into great shoes of gold. Her magenta eyes were bigger than most cars and her muzzle was like a walkway. The horn that topped her forehead was like a tree, minus leaves and branches. Her coat was white as snow and her fur as thick as grass.

She gently levitated his prison to the side for a bit as she began to talk to the pony creatures that had captured him. Nash saw the wings that protruded from her back and gawked. She was a unicorn and a pegasus! Nash didn’t know such a thing existed or what you’d call it. Then he realized the insanity that was her mane and tail. It was like a handicap rainbow that billowed in a wind that Nash was unable to feel, but could tell wasn't there. After all, none of the other pony manes were moving.

Pastel pink, green, and blue swayed in ripples before his prison. It was quiet majestic despite the situation. He was in awe just staring at the enormous creature that betrayed his young knowledge. He was only barely aware that the ponies that had brought him here were done sharing and the goddess was addressing them. His close proximity made up for the jar’s sound muffling effect, but he still couldn’t understand the garbled words they used to talk. He only hoped the conversation was about something positive.

*****

Crash excitedly began to explain the events leading up to the creatures capture, starting from the moment the acorn hit him in the head. Bee encouraged him to skip ahead to when they actually caught him. His detail and the rate at which he blabbed were unnecessary and a bit disrespectful to Celestia, but she excused it in her curiosity.

“And then we entered the castle,” Crash concluded.

Celestia nodded for a moment. Bee added to Crash’s story, “you can tell he’s guilty just by looking at his determination to escape!”

Butter cut in, “but he hasn’t done anything. He’s innocent! He’s just hurt and scared, you can’t blame him for wanting to get away!”

Celestia tried to calm her, “it’s okay young one. I don’t intend to harm him. But,” Celestia’s tone became harsh, “he will be thoroughly interrogated. Once he has answered our questions then, and only then, will he be allowed to leave.” Celestia clarified by casting a spell to fix the crack he had carved into the glass earlier.

“If he doesn’t answer your questions?” Butter asked with dread.

Celestia smiled, “you needn’t worry, he won’t be hurt under our care.”

Butter nodded sadly. Crash jumped in, “did we do the right thing?”

Celestia knew what he wanted and sighed inside, “you have served Equestria well. As a reward for your dedication to your country, you will be compensated in bits.”

Crash’s face near split from how massive his grin was. Bee smiled too, while Butter stole a glance at the creature and was filled with regret. He was looking around the room rapidly, his head shooting from one object to another in rapid succession. Celestia wanted to shake her head at Crash’s reaction, he hadn’t done this for Equestria, he’d only caught the changeling so he’d get a reward. Rather than hold it against him, Celestia figured she’d give him a few bits and be done with it. Butter looked like she was about to cry. She reminded Celestia of another pony she’d met, one of the Elements of Harmony actually.

The three of them were escorted, with respect, out of the castle. Celestia looked down at the 2 inch tall changeling and debated what to do. She hated to admit it, but putting a changeling in a jar and then in a dungeon cell seemed cruel. The creature was obliviously fragile, and the oppressive atmosphere down there could hurt him. Where could she keep him then? Celestia thought of keeping the jar in a normal guest room, but she’d need guards. What about some of the guards who had a grudge against the changelings from the attack?

Although Celestia knew none of them would go against her wishes and try and get revenge with such an easy target available, she still didn’t want to take a chance. That left only two places in the entire castle she could keep him until court was over and she could properly question him. One of those places was her own bedroom! Celestia pondered that possibility for a moment. She would be busy with court and it probably wouldn’t make much of a difference then if he was left in a guest room. Guards would still have to be posted and could still be rash in their desire for revenge. That left one place.

Celestia put court on hold so she could personally deliver the changeling to his new room. Celestia needed a pony who would hold no bias or personal hate against the changelings to keep him safe. She needed a pony who had no reason to hurt him to guard him. Celestia needed a pony that no guard would dare to defy for petty reasons. Celestia made her way to that very pony immediately.

Celestia looked down at the changeling. He gawked and stared at everything. He was mesmerized by each and every vase and painting they passed. Celestia had to remind herself that to him, those flowers were like trees, the paintings like mountains. Even her necklace was a hill made of pure gold to him. Celestia wondered for a moment what it would be like to be so small. Even the smallest trinkets would be grand and impressive. Life would certainly be interesting at that size.

*****

Nash’s mouthed dangled as the great white goddess somehow made the glass jar heal itself. The crack that had assured him freedom was possible, sealed itself and vanished. As the goddess and the ponies talked for a moment longer, he went to feel the wall, hoping that maybe it was just an illusion. It wasn’t. Nash didn’t know a lot about magic, but this had to be some serious power.

While the ponies wrapped up their conversation, Nash looked around the room. It was obviously a throne room to a powerful emperor, three guesses who. He found everything, despite his distance, was huge and of stunning design. Even the ceiling was made of golden panels. Vast drapes hung loosely from the rafters and the marble columns were entangled in gold ivory. The throne just visible past the winged unicorn was also incredible. The red carpet ran up to it and turned into a cushion she could sit upon high above her subjects. A fountain and miniature moat flowed from and around the throne.

Nash was suddenly on the move down a hall as the splendid goddess carried him through her palace. He was panicking a little bit, not knowing what was going on. But he was able to distract himself by looking at the various paintings and decorations that littered the halls. “What is this place?” How rich and powerful was she that she could decorate simple hallways this much?

The tour ended in front of a pair of massive black doors. The closed gateway seemed to devour light itself as time slowed down. Nash knew this was where it would all end, through those dark gates, his torture would begin anew. There was no other explanation. He was going to die in that room. The goddess strangely, knocked on the door. A horrible groan came from within. This room was already host to another beast?! He was going to be locked up with another monster! How could it get any worse? He thought.

*****

Celestia approached the ebony black doors with the jar floating beside her. She had peaked at him now and then, but for the most part she had controlled herself. She stood before the doors and quickly came up with what she’d tell her. Celestia knocked quietly. A horrible moan escaped from within. Celestia almost wanted to slap herself right then. Of course! She’s asleep at this hour! Celestia mentally berated herself.

“Go away, I’m sleeping,” came a tired feminine voice.

“I need to ask you a favor.”

“Celestia?”

“May I come in?”

*Yawn* “Of course you can!” the sound of the door unlocking was heard.

Celestia glanced at the changeling and inhaled, she could only hope Luna would like having a roommate…