Killing Kindness
Running faster and faster along the stone road that Twilight was making, the girls’ hearts thundered deep within their chests. Sweat rolled along their coats as they hurried as fast as they can, “What do ya mean that you made a mistake,” Applejack asked, running alongside Twilight.
Painting Twilight turned to Applejack, “Somehow, maybe it was due to Mirage wiping that part from my brain or some trauma thanks to a fearcat but I just realized a mistake with the tracking spell,” Twilight said as they continued to run along the stone floor, “It wasn't dimming because of our personalities, the strings were dimming because they represent our life force. I made the spell so that way I could see who was in the greatest danger and who was in the greatest need of help.”
“And somehow, Mirage made you forget that part of the spell,” Rarity questioned, trailing just behind the others but alongside Pinkie.
“That meanie! She’s nothing more than a big grumpy cheating pants,” Pinkie yelled.
“So while you were focusing on saving us, she was busy focusing everything on hurting Flutters,” Dash said, flying just ahead of the others.
Twilight panted, running as fast as she could and blasting stone hands that appeared in her way, “I think that was her plan from the beginning. No matter who I picked at the start to save, she would’ve spent that time torturing the one I couldn't get to. Then, she would take her from all us and break us that way. Either way, she had the game in her little claws from the beginning.”
“How deliciously cruel,” Trixie said, running just behind, “Trixie would almost admire the planning if Mirage weren't a monster.”
“Enough admiring the bad guy, are we getting any closer to Fluttershy,” Dash asked, pushing her wings to her limit.
“We should be almost,” Twilight looked ahead to see an egg shell case before her, “THERE!”
Mirage laughed in the heads of the 6 ponies as they neared Fluttershy’s cage, “Oh, Twilight. I think its time you learned the most important lesson that your mentor should’ve taught you from the start,” The girls then watched in shock as the rock that held Fluttershy began to crumble before them, breaking off and ready to fall, “ Hope is a very, fleeting thing.” The rock that held Fluttershy finally separated and then fell off into the darkness.
With a look of steely determination, Rainbow dash got ready to leap off into the dark to try and stop the falling stone, only to be forced down by an increase in gravity, “AHHH!”
The other five let out grunts of pain as they too felt the gravity increase on their bodies, holding them down, “AH! Rainbow,” Twilight yelled as she concentrated the magic in her horn, “ You are the only one who can fly. Try and get to Fluttershy, this spell will remove the effects of the gravity spell on you.”
The purple light glowed around Rainbow Dash, releasing the pressure that kept her pinned to the ground. Shaking her mane, she turned to the others with a desire to help them. Turning her head, she realized there was nothing she could do for them at the moment and leapt off the rock and into the darkness. Beating her wings to increase her downward thrust, she descended faster and faster through the black void while keeping her eye on the egg shaped dot. Suddenly, a stone boulder flew into her view, causing her to swerve around the rock to dodge it and costing her time. She pushed herself a little harder in order to make up the lost time; however, more and more rocks kept flying into her view, blocking her path. Within minutes, the dot flew out of Rainbow’s sight and any chance she had of catching up was gone.
Somberly, Dash flew back up to where her friends were. As they began to recover from the influence of the gravity spell, they watched as Rainbow Dash flew back onto the rock. Pinkie Pie reached out her hoof as if to ask about Fluttershy, but the look and shaking of Dash’s head said it all to her. The others opened their eyes in horror as Pinkie fell to her haunches and began to cry, “N...no, not,” Pinkie could barely finish as she began to cry.
“I’m sorry guys...I fa,” Rainbow stopped herself from saying failure as she slammed her hoof on the ground in rage.
Twilight laid her head down, not stopping the tears, “We, WE WERE SO CLOSE!!! How could we have gotten this far only to...to,” Twilight was never one to take failure well, especially when it was one that would result in the death of her friend.
Trixie began to cry as well, but then raised her head up. A look of determination crossed her face as placed her hoof to her hat and tipped it over her eyes, “Rainbow Dash, how’s your throwing arm?
“Pretty good, why?”
Because I am going to need it. Twilight, could you create a portal spell?”
As Twilight got up, she began to realize what Trixie’s plan was, “Trixie, are you nuts? It could kill you!”
“Wait, what’s the plan here,” Applejack asked.
“Rainbow Dash here is going to throw me at the moment when she hits Rainboom speeds. I’ll then reach out and touch the sacred one’s egg chamber when I reach it, at which point I’ll create a portal spell below us,” Trixie explained, not noticing that she stopped talking about herself in the third person, “Twilight, you can then activate the other side of the portal from here and me and Fluttershy will land back here.”
Rarity walked up to Trixie, “But darling, if Twilight is off or you are off by a second, the results will be disastrous for you both.”
Trixie chuckled confidently as she looked to Twilight, “Which is why, the great and powerful TRRRRRRRRRRRRIXIE will be putting every ounce of trust that she has into her rival’s abilities and that she will save Trixie before anything bad can happen.”
“Look, its nuts but we don't have much of a choice,” Applejack went and grabbed the lasso that Trixie had given her earlier, “Here, in case you miss the grab, this’ll get ya to her.”
Rarity used her magic to pick up two stones and handed them to Twilight. Whispering in Twilight’s ear, the unicorn nodded and enchanted the two stones, “ Here take this,” she gives Trixie one of the stones, “I had Twilight enchant the stones with a locator spell. The moment that you reach Fluttershy this stone will light up and signal Twilight.”
Trixie held the stone and nodded in thanks as she went over to Dash, “All right suicidal, lets do this.”
“Ok, just don't scream when I throw you at 760 miles per hour,” Dash said as she picked Trixie up and carried her to the edge.
“Trixie does not scream...she yells,” Trixie said as Dash flew up into the sky a little, putting her hooves around Dash’s neck. With a swallow, she nodded to Dash as the blue pegasus flew off at top speed. She watched as the entire world around her became a blur as Dash picked up speed, increasing the velocity second by second. The force of the wind began to blow back Trixie’s lips into a wide smile as she tried her best to keep her eyes forward. It wasn't long until she saw a cone of sound surrounding Rainbow Dash, showing that a barrier was about to be broken. The showmare could barely hear Rainbow dash yell to get her ready as they reached the breaking point. Rainbow Dash wrapped her hooves around Trixie as she neared the point where the barrier was at its weakest and prepared to throw her.
With an explosion of light and sound, Rainbow Dash threw Trixie at the exact moment the explosion occurred, launching her like a bullet being fired out of a cannon, “OH CELESTIA, LUNA, CADENCE, AND ANY OTHER GODS TRIXIE MAY HAVE MISSED, THIS WAS A STUPID AND BAD IDEA. AHHH,” Trixie yelled as she was thrown from Rainbow Dash’s grip. As Trixie fell through the empty void, she struggled to keep herself conscious during the freefall, at the same time keeping herself from burning up due to friction with the help of a small shield spell that she would use for illusions, “Ok Trixie you can do this, you have done worse illusions. Just don't black out just don,” For a few moments, Trixie’s world went black, “Ahhh, Buck! How long was I out, did I miss her,” Trixie looked forward to see an egg shaped case ahead of her, “Good, there she is,” smirking, Trixie reached out with her hoof in trying to reach it.
She missed.
Growling, she turned around to look at the egg cell with a look of defiance. Using her magic to create a feather fall spell, she used the rope that Applejack had given her to latch it around the egg cell and then swing herself up to the egg cell. Concentrating hard, she formed a portal spell that opened up beneath them..
Twilight watches as the stone began to glow, signaling to open the portal on her side. Using his magic, she generated the portal and allowed the two to fall through. Quickly the 5 ponies run to the two prone mares, “Guys, look at her,” Dash said, looking at the demure pegasus in the case, lying in a fetal position, “She...she’s barely breathing,” she exclaimed. Looking over the filly’s body, they saw how her body had now become a faded shade of yellow, with blood red streaks running down her body. Her mane hung limply across her head while her tail seemed to roam all over the cell.
“Trixie, you need to get the spell,” Applejack said as she turned to Trixie who could barely stand.
“Can't...wasted a lot of...mana,” Trixie panted as she laid flat on the ground, “Twilight, Y...you’ll have to do the spell.”
Twilight looked in shock, “You knew?”
“Celestia’s prized student,” Her breathing came in pants, “of course you could figure, Trixie’s Spell by now. It doesn't matter, Trixie will just find a new spell that will trump you,” Trixie smirked, “Now go!”
Twilight nodded as she put her horn to the cage that contained her friend and watched as a bright light came over her eyes.
________________________________________
Twilight opened her eyes to find herself in a desolate and barren Ponyville. As far as she could see, she found no signs of life through the small town. This gave the small village an air of death that should not exist and the feeling of wrongness about the entire place. Walking through the town, Twilight tried to shake off the feeling of creepiness that would fill her body, threatening to overtake her. After a few minutes of walking through the fog swept town, looking at the darkened buildings, she got her first sign of life, “Monster, beware of the monster,” the voice was soft, just a whisper, but just loud enough to hear it.
“Monster,” Twilight asked herself, “Who’s a monster?”
“Monster, beware the monster,” was her only response.
Twilight continued to walk through Ponyville, seeing only a few ponies within the buildings now. Each pony would only look out for a few seconds before hiding back inside. The longer that she spent walking through the village, the more she wished that she had brought a friend with her to help with the creepy feeling she had and to help stop the voices.
“Monster, beware the monster,” the voices getting louder now, repeating themselves like a mantra.
Shaking her head, Twilight continued to look through the town in a hope to see a sign of Fluttershy or dark versions of her friends like some of the other dreams. Turning her head in the search, she found a sight that hurt her deeply. Across from her, was Sugar Cube Corner destroyed and in ruins. Walking closer, Twilight saw that the building was broken from the inside out, like it had collapsed upon itself. As she got closer, she saw an orange hoof holding a blue hoof underneath the rubble. This made her gasp in horror and back up a few feet, under her breath she cursed Mirage for subjecting her friend to this and hoped that the twins were all right. Walking away, she did not notice the remains of a blue hair bow and a white wing under the rubble.
“Monster, beware the monster.”
Twilight walked away from the ruins of the building, only to see Carousel Boutique, ruined and destroyed. Shaking her head in horror, she ran to the ruins to see if anypony was there. She stopped herself when she saw three burnt skeletons, a red cape adorning each one. She turned around quickly, not wanting to see more. A shudder went across her spine as she looked to her house, in flames while a small body was impaled on a spike in front of the treehouse. She ran away from the sight, not wanting to see the small dragon shape body on the pike. As she ran through the village, the voices in her head began to get louder and louder.
“MONSTER, BEWARE THE MONSTER!
SHE COULD HARDLY FLY
AND NOW HER FRIENDS ALL DIE
MONSTER, BEWARE THE MONSTER
SHE TRIED TO BE BRAVE
BUT NOT A SOUL SHE COULD SAVE
MONSTER, BEWARE THE MONSTER
SHE GAVE IN TO FEARS
AND NOW PONYVILLE SHEDS TEARS
MONSTER, BEWARE THE MONSTER
SHE ASSERTED HERSELF TO ATONE
AND NOW SHE IS ALL ALONE
MONSTER, BEWARE THE MONSTER
MONSTER, BEWARE THE WINGS
MONSTER, BEWARE THE MONSTER
MONSTER, BEWARE THE-
“FLUTTERSHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Twilight screamed out loud the sky in an attempt to stop the voices from continuing their rhyme. Laying down flat onto her stomach, she put her hooves to her ears in attempt to stop the voices, “Focus Twilight, they’re just voices. They are just trying to hurt Fluttershy through her fears,” she said, rising up from the ground and continuing her walk. Hoping that Fluttershy was somewhere in her cottage. As she walked, something caught her eye-a graveyard just a few yards away. Swallowing hard she walked to the graveyard to see who was buried there. When she reached it, she crossed over the fence and into the yard where she saw the stones. She sat down onto her flank as she saw whose names were inscribed on the stones.
Rarity Belle-Killed because Fluttershy wasn't brave enough to go through fire
Pinkamena Diane Pie- Murdered because Fluttershy was too assertive
Rainbow Danger Dash-Killed because Fluttershy wasn't strong enough to save her
Abigail Jacqueline III- Killed because Fluttershy was too weak to do anything
Twilight Sparkle- Killed because Fluttershy was too useless to save herself
“No. This, This can...” Tears began to flow from Twilight’s eyes as she read the names on the tombstones, each one hurting her more and more. She looked ahead to through the graveyard, seeing more and more names on each stone. Each one listed how Fluttershy was responsible for all of their deaths due to her nature.
“Monster, beware the monster.”
Twilight narrowed her eyes, her mind thinking through all of what she had seen, the pain that she was experiencing, and how to fix it. Standing up from her sitting position, she looked around the graveyard in an attempt to find the source of the voices, “You idiots, you don't know her at all, DO YOU,” Twilight said, stamping her foot, “She is nothing like you people have described, not even close! Yes, she can be meek and defenseless compared to the others, but you know what,” A smirk came across her face, “She is anything but weak. Let me share you a things I have found out about her. You see, when I first met her, I did think that this was just a shy animal caretaker with nothing more to offer than her kindness. Heck, I even came close to agreeing with Dash about how she could help us with the dragon. Then, I spent more and more time with her, seeing the things she has done for me and the others. That’s when I reached a very interesting conclusion,” Twilight walked across the graveyard, her horn flaring up with magic, “ Fluttershy, just might be stronger than I am and braver than Dash. Yes, I said it and you are never going to make me take it back. Do you know why is is stronger than me? It’s because despite her fears, her weakness, or lack of confidence of herself; somehow, in some way, she will always find a way to help us! Scared, yes. Shy, yes. Weak? Oh definitely not. I have seen her push herself even when she was afraid of failure, I watched her help us even when she was scared of the dragon, and I have seen her stick to what she is even when everypony says differently. That’s true strength right there! That’s why I don't believe these stones, because I know that she would NEVER fail her friends no matter how bad the situation is, and you know what? Neither would we.”
“Am...am I really that strong,” a soft voice said to the animals that were talking with Twilight’s voice.
Twilight chuckled a little as she used her magic to control the animals, “Yes, you are.”
“Let’s go back Twilight.”
Twilight nodded, a smile on her face as the dream shattered.
Fluttershy opened her blue eyes slowly as the case shattered. She looked up from her laying position to look at the five ponies in front of her, “Thank you for being here.”
Tears came from all five ponies as they hugged the yellow pegasus tightly, not daring to let go for a moment. Fluttershy, in turn, nuzzled each one in pure bliss. She looked to where Trixie was barely getting up and trotted to her. Lowering her hoof, she helped Trixie up to stand up on her hooves, “You helped Trixie?”
“Of course, you were hurt and needed help. I want to help anypony, no matter what.”
“Even,”
“No matter what,” Fluttershy said, a soft smile on her face as the other five walked up right behind her.
A smile came across Trixie’s face, “Thank you, Fluttershy.”
“So, we’re all back together, now what,” Dash asked as they disappeared in a white light.
They soon found themselves in the throne room of Mirage, “Now, we enter the next game.