//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 // Story: Consequences // by Antisocial Ind. //------------------------------// Fluttershy watched passively in a frightened, cowering ball as Dart poured the last can of lantern oil onto the shed. He flew over to the matches, before shouting a curse and flying over to the window. He and Rainbow exchanged words, but Dart went back to the matches. Fluttershy didn't want to accept what he was about to do, but the reality kicked in when she saw him light the match: he would try to kill them. She knew he was emotionally troubled, she knew he was not in his right mind. He needed a mother, he needed some kindness, he needed...love. With the lit match in his mouth, Dart moved to the shed. He motioned his head down and to the left, intending to whip his head forward and toss the match onto the soaked frame. His head was cocked and ready to go. This is it, he thought. But it wasn't it. He couldn't do it. He had the will, but there was something, some weight that now surrounded him. But it wasn't a weight per se. It was... and embrace? He slowly turned his head to his right, and saw the yellow mare, Fluttershy, was actually hugging him. She opened her mouth, and began to - sing? "Hush now, quiet now. Time to rest your sleepy head. Hush now, quiet now. It's time to go to bed." He felt so warm in her embrace. And she wasn't just singing, she was singing a lullaby. And a lullaby meant specifically for him. It was...familiar. He remembered when his mother used to do this for him every night before bed. It was sweet and kind, and full of love. He could feel something conflicting again inside him, but as the emotions swirled, one thing was clear. He dropped the match and stomped on it with his hoof, extinguishing the flame. He followed this by returning the embrace, clinging to this welcomed source of affection for all he was worth. Fluttershy smiled, two tears coming to her eyes. "There there. You didn't mean it, you just needed somepony to love you. I can't imagine how hard it must be going through such a hard time. But it's ok, now." He was crying now. Fluttershy ran her hoof through his mane, soothing him, trying to make him feel better. She thought quickly of a lullaby her mother sung to her when she was a filly. "Hush, be quiet, time to sleep tonight. Don't worry, everything will be alright. Once you close your eyes and go to sleep Your treasured dreams are yours to keep. So quiet time, let your fears just go. They will melt away, this is what I know. Through this song I hope to show I will never let you feel alone." She sang this several times, each time he seemed to relax just a little bit more. Eventually he had calmed down, and Fluttershy released his from her forelegs, and wiped the tears from his eyes and the blood from his face, careful to avoid his wounds. She looked him in the eyes with a kind, caring smile and spoke softly. "Look at me. It's OK, now. We can forgive you, and we won't be angry. You've been through so much, we can't hope to know what it's like. I will help you get through this, and help you cope with this horrible time of your life, OK?" He nodded like a foal who saw reason. "Now you need to let my friends go, OK?" He nodded, but more slowly this time. Dart drew his key and handed it over to Fluttershy. She took it in her teeth, and floated over to the door and unlocked it. When she did, two blurs rushed out and into the sky, and stopped, hovering about ten feet in the air. Rainbow Dash turned and looked around, trying to find Dart. She found him, and made like she was going to tackle him. Fluttershy stood in front of Dart, her wings spread as wide as she could make them. Dash stopped and looked at her quizzically. "Fluttershy, move! That little rat tried to kill us!" Fluttershy had a defiant look in her eye as she spoke. "No, Rainbow Dash. He has been through horrible trauma, and didn't know what he was doing. Isn't that right, Dart?" She asked the question as she turned her head to the right to address Dart. Dart nodded and stepped around Fluttershy, looking Rainbow Dash in the eyes. "I have no idea what I was thinking, and I am so very very sorry. I just, had this pain, and for whatever reason I thought you were my mom, and I don't even know why." Suddenly Dash remembered the night before. "Oh my Celestia! Do you remember last night?" Dart scrunched his face in concentration, trying to remember. A look of understanding came over his face. "Yeah, I remember being pissed, I remember coming to your house, and getting jealous at Scootaloo. Then, nothing." Rainbow's face softened at her revelation, and she spoke gently. "You flew off and into a tree, dude. When I found you you were crumpled up on the ground. So, I guess you didn't really know what you were doing. In that sense I can forgive you." "Say WHAT!?" A fierce-looking Scootaloo appeared next to Rainbow with fury in her eyes. She slowly walked forward, a confrontational swagger dominating her figure as she stepped toward Dart, locking eyes with him. Dart met her gaze, and he began to back away as Scootaloo approached. "This son of a Diamond Dog here knocked you out, kidnapped you, lied, then tried to set us both on fire! I'm not going to let hi go without breaking his entire BODY!" On the last word, emphasized by her own exertion, she leapt at him. She rose into the air with help of her wings, going for a hard forward tackle. Just as she was about to make contact, she felt a weight slam into her side, knocking her to the left. She hit the ground, weight on top of her. When she opened her eyes, she was looking into Rainbows blue face. "No, Scootaloo! You can't go for revenge. Just look at poor Dart. He went for revenge and look at how much pain it caused him and those around him! If you try to get back at him, you'll end up causing just as much pain, and he's already been through enough." Scootaloo was incredulous. "But he-" "NO 'BUT'S!" Scootaloo cringed slightly. Her mother had almost never raised her voice at Scootaloo. "You have to know that he wasn't mentally right in the head!" They both looked up when they noticed Dart approaching them both. He looked Scootaloo square in the eyes, with a dead serious expression. "Scootaloo, I want to apologize for any harm I caused you and your family. I didn't mean it, I swear I didn't. I was just so upset. I mean, have you ever lost both parents?" Everypony looked at him with their mouths slightly agape. "Dart," Fluttserhsy started, "where is your father?" Dart closed his eyes, as a tear fell from his face, which he pointed at the ground. "He died a few days ago. With mother in prison, he needed to take a job to provide. He had been sick, and went to work in a mine, even though I asked him not to. Well, sure enough, his weakness caused him to mess up, and he had a fatal accident." They all wore the exact same expression of shock, and Fluttershy was fighting back another wave of tears. Scootaloo spoke first. "So, you have...no one?" Dart shook his head slowly, never breaking eye contact with the grass under his hooves. Scootaloo stood up, finally understanding what caused Dart's sudden instability. "Well, we can't have that." Everypony looked at Fluttershy with looks of confusion. She simply smiled in response. She walked over to Dart, giving hi her signature loving smile. "I can't let you live here by yourself, you're still just a colt. Go inside and get your things. You can live with me at my cottage for the time being." Now everypony's jaws were on the grounds. "But, I'm not a legal stallion for another four years." She didn't budge. "That doesn't matter. When you're 18, you'll live on your own if you're able. But right now you're not. So go and get your things. I will take care of you until your mother is released." Dart was incredulous. So he grabbed her, and didn't let go. He sobbed into her coat, so grateful that he had been given forgiveness, but also somepony who cared about him and would look after him. She began to cry as well, and pretty soon everypony was crying to some degree. After a few moments, they pulled apart, and Dart excitedly ran to grab his things, his troubles momentarily forgotten in the joy of having a new caretaker, a new pony in his life who would care about him. Rainbow watched him turn the corner into the house from the balcony, excited. She had a major sense of deja vu, and remembered that day, two and a half years earlier, when she had shown her little Scootaloo the papers. She reflexively put a wing around Scootaloo, and pulled her in close, and kissed her on the head. Scootaloo looked at her mom, and Rainbow couldn't help but smile a bit. "Fluttershy." Her yellow friend turned. "Yes?" "So, you're gonna take it from here?" "Yeah, I don't think it will be too much of a problem." "If you ever need help, just let me know." A smile between the two. "Thank you." Rainbow gave a crisp salute, as she was know to do, and turned her head back to her daughter. "Whaddya say we get out of here?" Scootaloo returned the smile. "Yeah. Let's go."