//------------------------------//
// 1: The call 
// Story: Shattered Harmony Part 6 - Into the North 
// by Phazon_Corrupted_Unicorn 
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	Fluttershy was cold. She'd been following Twilight Sparkle through the blizzard for about an hour now, heading north-east. They were heading toward the Crystal Empire, where Princess Celestia said that their friends might be. She gave a shiver as the snow whipped around her coat, ruffling her feathers and stealing the warmth from her body. She wrapped her wings closer to her barrel, trying to preserve any warmth that still remained. She looked ahead, staring through the blinding snow at Twilight who was struggling through the snow.
Her mind turned to her friends. They had each vanished mysteriously during the past few days, each one going missing.
It had first started with Applejack. They had heard a large explosion and had hurried out to Sweet Apple Acres only to find a crater larger than the barn in one of the many apple orchards. Applejack's family had said that she'd gone out for a run that morning and it was shortly afterward that all of Ponyville was awakened to the sound of an explosion.
The next one was Pinkie Pie. Rainbow Dash had been awake for some time during that night and she had just happened to walk out onto her balcony when she saw Pinkie Pie slink around Sugarcube Corner. Rainbow had leaped off her home and glided down to Pinkie, who stood at the entrance to the alley next to the pastry bakery. Pinkie had told Rainbow that she was being called somewhere and that she needed to go, then had turned and walked into the mist that had been billowing out of the alleyway. Rainbow had tried to stop her, saying that she didn't want to lose another friend, but Pinkie had vanished when the mist lifted. Rainbow had spent the entire day in her house and small rivets of water were seen falling off the cloud.
Rarity had vanished next. There was no warning, though Rainbow had promised herself that she would keep an eye on her remaining three friends. It must have been during one of those times that Rainbow had been watching over Twilight because the next thing Fluttershy knew was that a wail had risen near Carousel Boutique. Fluttershy had dropped everything and rushed over to the clothing shop, only to find Rainbow Dash inside, sitting in front of a large, rectangular doorway made from some sort of black rock. Rainbow had burst into the Boutique and had found the doorway there, just sitting in the middle of the showroom. She had searched the entirety of the building, but could not find Rarity anywhere. She had tried kicking the rock, punching it, yelling at it, but no matter what she did it would not give Rarity back.
Rainbow Dash had spent the rest of the day with Twilight and her at the library, the two of them trying to comfort the distraught mare. The day had ended with both Twilight and her giving Rainbow their word that they wouldn't vanish through a mysterious doorway, or through mists, or even blow themselves up (this last comment was directed more toward Twilight). Fluttershy had flown Rainbow Dash home and helped her get into bed. The last thing Rainbow had said before Fluttershy left had left her heart feeling heavy.
“Some Element of Loyalty I am.”
Fluttershy had let slip a few, small tears as she watched Rainbow turn over and fall asleep, then she had left. If she had known that it would have been the last time she'd see Rainbow Dash again, she would had slept right next to the sorrowful mare.
But that was it. Fluttershy had fallen asleep in her home surrounded by Angel and several of her animal friends. She awoke in the morning and took flight, flapping her wings in the direction of Rainbow's cloud home. Only to find that it wasn't there. She had flown all around Ponyville, and even over the Everfree Forest in case she'd missed it, only to find not a single sight of the polychromatic pony or her home. She'd dived down and woken Twilight, then told her what had happened. Twilight had thought that there had been a mistake and had searched the skies with her telescope then, when she couldn't find the darepony, she'd turned to magic and cast a search spell only to have it come back with no results.
Their final act had been to write the Princesses. They hadn't sent the letter but two minutes before they received an answer and that's why they were heading for the Crystal Empire. Princess Celestia had stated in her letter that there was an artifact from years past that would help them. The cryptic letter had left Fluttershy feeling confused, but Twilight had packed her bags then hopped on the first train to the Empire, Fluttershy following her.
She'd been resting on the train, the morning's search had left her exhausted and she had fallen asleep on the train ride here, when she'd been startled awake by a voice that had echoed through her mind. It had only said one thing: Odium is coming.
Fluttershy had mentioned the voice to Twilight, who didn't recognize the name Odium, but had stated that she would search the whole of the Crystal Library for any hint or indication to who or what Odium might be, after she found their friends of course.
Fluttershy snapped back to the present as a strong gust of wind blinded her with snow for a second. She wiped her eyes with one hoof, then stared out at the billowing snow and gasped. She lost sight of Twilight!
“Oh no, oh no! This is not good!” she cried, running forward in the direction she'd been heading, hoping to find the lavender mare amidst the white snow.
As she ran, she could feel her legs growing tired from the exertion and she desperately wanted to lay down and rest for a second, but she knew that she might not get up or even find Twilight if she did. And so she pressed on, trying her hardest to see through the blinding snow and cutting wind that seemed to impede her every move.
“Twilight!” she cried, trying to make herself heard over the wind, “Twilight! Twilight!” Her cries became more frantic as she stumbled forward. She tripped over a hard piece of snow and landed muzzle first in the freezing snowbanks. She felt a tear leak out of her eye and she clenched her eyes shut, willing her tears to stop. It wouldn't do to have her crying now, not with her being lost.
She struggled to her hooves, then pressed forward again. She took a single step before falling face down into the snow again, her legs finally reaching their breaking point. She was just about to give up and lay there in the snow when she heard something on the wind. She perked up her ears, exposing them to the biting wind, and listened.
-ness.
There it was, faint and distant, almost like a whisper. Fluttershy struggled to her hooves once more and pushed forward, willing the aches and weariness in her legs to vanish.
Kindness.
She froze. Something had called to her, and it wasn't Twilight.
“Go away,” she said, shrinking back down and trying to make herself as small as could be.
Fear not. I mean you no harm. I am here--Fluttershy looked up to see a figure in the blizzard, standing far enough away so that she couldn't see who it was, but close enough for her to make out that it was a stallion—to guide you. My land needs your help, Kindness. It has many things, but lacks you.
Fluttershy stumbled to her hooves, then pushed through the snow that had piled up around her, heading toward the figure.
“Who are you?” she asked, her eyes squinting through the snow.
I am the first. I am the creator. I am one of Nine.
Fluttershy crept forward through the blizzard until she was able to see two, glowing orbs where the stallion's eyes should have been. As she looked at them, they burst into flame, forming into orbs no larger than a candle flame.
“One of Nine?” she asked, “I thought that there were only two Princesses.”
They are different from me and the other Eight, Fluttershy could almost hear the smile in the stallion's voice, they are two who take part in your lives. We are Nine who watch and wait. We are guardians and guides, soldiers and seers, Divine and eternal. But time is of the essence. My land is in need of you. They need a leader, one with their blood within them. They need unity and loyalty, but most importantly they need Kindness.
As Fluttershy watched, the stallion's eyes glowed brighter and brighter. There was a bright flash of light and Fluttershy felt herself grow very dizzy. She closed her eyes and tried to clear her head, only to finally fall into darkness.