The Greatest Show of Kindness
Chapter Fourteen: Pulled Away
The sun was shining brightly and there were few clouds in the sky. Fluttershy was walking Bumble outside in the Ponyville streets, where everypony was walking by, smiling and waving at them. They were both happily smiling.
They walked up to the Ponyville schoolhouse, where Cheerilee was waiting outside for all of the foals to come. She greeted Fluttershy and Bumble with a warm smile as she waved to them.
“Good morning! How are you today?” she asked.
“I’m well today,” Fluttershy answered, smiling back.
“And you, dear?” she directed to Bumble.
“I’m doing good, Ms. Cheerilee,” he responded cheerily.
“Class starts in a few minutes. Would you like to come in, Bumble?” she offered, stepping aside. “You’re the first one here today.”
“Sure, Miss. Good-bye, mommy!” he said, turning to Fluttershy and giving her a big hug, of which she immediately returned. They lovingly held themselves there for a few moments before they released each other.
“Hey, Bumble!” a voice called out, causing him to spin around.
Approaching him was Sweetie Belle, who was galloping up to him. He beamed as she threw herself into a big hug around him. The two toppled over as they embraced, making them both giggle from excitement. Cheerilee and Fluttershy also giggled at their giddiness to see each other.
“Good morning, Sweetie!” he exclaimed as she pushed her head into his chest.
“Good morning, Bumblebee,” she returned, nuzzling up against him softly.
“How are you today?” Bumble asked.
“I’m doing well today, but I’m a little tired. How about you?” Sweetie wondered, rolling herself off of him. They both stood back up, blushes creeping into their face.
“I’m also good today. Good weather today, huh?”
“It sure is! It looks like it’ll be sunny all day today. It’ll be hot, too, so do you wanna go inside?”
“Sure!”
The two headed into the red school; more and more young fillies and colts started to come to the school.
“Bumble’s just the sweetest little colt, isn’t he?” Cheerilee asked Fluttershy with a grin.
“He really is. I love him so much because of his kindness,” Fluttershy responded, looking inside the schoolhouse at Bumble, who was now talking with Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom at their desks. They seemed to be having a good time, as Fluttershy could hear their laughter from where she was standing.
“He’s a model student, too. He does all of his class work, and he gets along well with all of the other students. He’s also passed and excelled at every test we’ve had this year. He’s a really talented foal, and you and him should both be proud,” she praised. Right then, the school bell rang. “Well, it seems like I need to start school now, so I’ll see you at the end of school today. Have a nice day, Fluttershy!”
“You too, Cheerilee!”
As Fluttershy started to walk away, there was a loud banging sound. She looked around, but couldn’t find the banging. The noise continued, and she could feel a sense of unconsciousness hitting her body.
Bang-bang-bang!
Fluttershy’s eyes snapped openly as the sound reverberated menacingly throughout her home. An intense jolt of shock and fear riveted through her body, paranoia filling her mind. The clock tick-tocked, and it showed that it was almost four hours after she and Bumble had fallen asleep. Three more loud bangs crashed through her cottage, and she could feel Bumble shaking under the covers, giving short, light squeaks. Three more bangs, and her door's locks were unlocked with aggressive yellow magic.
Immediately, her door flew open, which made her eyes widen. She quickly covered Bumble with the sheets and shushed him, telling him that ‘everything will be okay,’ and that he ‘should be quiet.’ He did just as she said, silencing and staying as still as possible through his fear.
Fluttershy rolled out of the bed, galloping forward towards and down the stairs. She could see four royal guards quickly galloping towards her stairs. In an instant, she put a hoof out.
“Stop! What are you doing in my home!?” she frantically yelled, standing in a defensive position.
“We’ve been informed by a Miss Twilight Sparkle that there is a changeling residing here. Do not move from that spot,” one of them commanded, charging up his horn.
A blast of gold energy crashed over Fluttershy’s body, swirling around her and squeezing her. She screamed as the energy dissipated from her body. She shrugged, as the spell had a cold feeling to it.
“You three,” he said, looking at the three backup guards he brought with him, “go upstairs and check for changelings. Do not hesitate to fire if one begins to attack,” he said, casting a spell to hold Fluttershy in place.
“What!? No, don’t!” Fluttershy pleaded, trying to release herself from the grip of the magic.
“Hey, there’s one up here!”
In an instant, she could hear Bumble’s screech, making her cringe. Tears started to fill her eyes, and she writhed in the grip.
“No! Leave him alone!” she screamed, pushing her forelegs out of the magical aura in defiance.
The three guards came out from the top room with a sedated Bumble in their grips. Fluttershy could turn her head, only to see that his head was slumped downwards, with his arms dangling powerlessly beneath him. The tears in Fluttershy’s eyes tumbled down her face.
A scream built up in her lungs, shooting through her entire body. It pushed through her throat into her mouth. She clenched her eyes and teeth, before opened her eyes and mouth as wide as she could.
“Bumble!” she shrilled, forcing the guard holding her back.
She launched herself forward in a wave of unseen determination as she pounded the guard’s head downwards with her hooves, knocking him to the ground. Turning around, she jumped high into the air, spreading her wings as wide as she could. Remembering back to her flight school self-defense training, she put spread her forelegs wide, making herself look as big as she could.
This, as well as the fact that she had just knocked out the lead guard with one bang of the head, intimidated all three of them, causing sweat to drip from their foreheads and them to step back. They dropped Bumble back down onto the bed.
“How the-“ one of them mumbled.
He couldn’t finish, however, as he was sent to the ground by Fluttershy, who headbutted him. She immediately punched her other two hooves out, slamming both of the other two in the chests. They both recoiled backwards in a stumble, but didn’t fall unconscious.
They both eyed each other from each side of Fluttershy, nodding. In an instant, they rushed forward, trying to ram Fluttershy from both sides. She saw this coming, however, so she ducked underneath. They slammed into one another, bouncing off of each other like rubber.
She immediately jumped backward, grabbing the guard to her left and launching him at the other on her right side. They both flew into the wall, collapsing onto each other. They looked up to her in complete fear, both grabbing onto the other. She was breathing heavily, huffing and puffing.
“You won't take him!” she screamed, the room shaking around her.
She walked up to them, the ground trembling under her hoofsteps. The two guards looked in nothing but fear as she pounded both of them on the foreheads, knocking both of them out.
She took a moment to calm herself before she turned around. She sighed as she closed her eyes and jumped on the bed. She lowered herself to a laying position, deeply breathing.
“Bumble, don’t worry, you’re oka-“ she started, opening her eyes.
He wasn’t laying there on the bed. Fear rattled her body as she shot up again, looking to her lower room. Twilight was quietly trying to sneak out with Bumble in her magical grasp; the other four Elements of Harmony were with her as well.
“Twilight! Stop!” Fluttershy yelled out, touching down right behind the group of five. They all turned around and saw bared teeth.
“Fluttershy, you need to calm down,” Twilight calmly said, taking a step forward.
“Twilight. Put him down,” Fluttershy ordered intently, looking her deep in her eyes.
“Fluttershy, can’t you tell that you’re being controlled?” Rainbow Dash interrogated, taking a step forward with Twilight.
“No! I’m not being controlled! I had him here under my own power, and I cared for him with my own love!” she defended, getting ready to launch herself again.
“Fluttershy! This changeling’s dastardly spell is still manipulating you! Please, darling, you must overcome the influence!” Rarity attempted to persuade, also taking a step forward.
“All of you! Understand me! He is not a bad changeling! He’s been living here for the last few months since the wedding, and he hasn’t been in any control of me!” Fluttershy shouted, taking a step forward herself, narrowing her eyes.
“That’s enough, Fluttershah! He’s been foolin’ you inta thinkin’ that he’s a good changelin’! He’s just as nasty as the rest!” Applejack continued, advancing a step upwards.
“He’s only seven years old! He’s blind, and he doesn’t even know how to use magic! He couldn’t possibly be controlling me!” Fluttershy protested.
“Fluttershy, this meanie-pants changeling is trying to devour your heart and your brain! He’s only trying to make you think that he can’t use magic or see so that you’ll be consumed by his spell easier! He’s going to turn you into a zombie pony if he stays here!” Pinkie supported, following in the other’s hoofsteps.
“That’s it!” Fluttershy snapped, launching forward.
Before she could hit any of them, Rarity held Fluttershy in her magic, restraining her.
“Fluttershy, the only way that we can rid your mind of the spell is if we take the changeling off of the premises. Trust me Fluttershy, this is for the better,” Twilight explained, grasping Bumble in her magical grasp again. “His spell must be especially strong. There hasn’t been a single resistance this powerful.”
“No!” Fluttershy exclaimed, letting tears flow again. “None of you understand the kind of pain that boy has been through! He deserves a place to live, somepony to love him! Please, all of you, don’t take him from me!” she begged.
“No, Fluttershy. The sooner we get it away from you, the sooner you can be freed from his grasp. We’re doing this for your health and well-being, that’s all. Please, we all want you to be healthy in a mental standpoint, and this is the only way,” Twilight explained, turning around and walking out.
“No! Please, don’t take him! Please…”
Fluttershy let her head hang down as a deluge of tears flooded out of her eyes. A puddle of the agonized water droplets soon formed on the wooden floor. Rarity softly lowered her to the ground, releasing her light-blue magic from it. She put her hooves over her eyes, letting them drown in her cries.
“H-How c-could you d-do that t-to him? He… He f-finally found a p-p-place to live with s-someone to call a m-mother, and you j-just took that away from him…” Fluttershy sobbed, laying her head on the ground. "Y-You just r-ruined his life..."
“Fluttershah, we’re only doin’ this for your safety. This’ll all be a memory later on. You’ll start feelin’ better about it, an’ you’ll realize that he was controllin’ you like the rest of them do with other ponies,” Applejack said, reaching out and putting a hoof on Fluttershy’s shoulder.
“…Get out of my home,” Fluttershy mumbled so quietly that it was unintelligible to everypony.
“What was that, darling?” Rarity asked, cocking her head. Fluttershy stood up to her hooves, her head still hanging, and took a deep breath.
“Get out!” she screamed, scaring all four of the ponies in front of her. The room shook.
“Fluttershy, I know that you’re mad, but you’ve gotta-“ Rainbow Dash started, but was cut off by a hoof to the mouth.
“I said, ‘Get out.’ Out!” she cried again, shooing all of them with her hooves. She pushed them all back until they were out of her front door.
She then gathered all four of the guards who were unconscious in her cottage and threw them out of the entrance one by one before slamming the door and locking it. She collapsed right there, letting sorrow’s embrace shroud her body. Tears dripped from her eyes down onto her chest, wetting her soft fur. She pounded her right hoof into the floor, letting out a loud cry.
“Bumble!”
No
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Well, they just bungled THAT up pretty horribly. There are ways to handle these kinds of situations that AREN'T so completely traumatic.
As it stands, they just killed their friendship. Fluttershy can never trust the others again, as they proved they don't trust or respect her.
By way of example? Have guards wait until Shy next left, then go in and remove the changeling while she's not there. No conflict, no overt betrayal.
This is SOP for pretty much any extraction where it's an option, and any guards would know it. See how they got beaten? That's because they did things the stupid way, and they should be fired for it.
I've never seen so much ass being kicked in my life, Holy shit.
I was expecting them to find Bumble eventually, but I never expected a Gestapoesque method of taking him.
I know we've been with these two, and from an outside perspective it would look like Twilight and the others were doing the right thing, but I noticed there was a smug arrogance about how they were speaking to Fluttershy. It was almost, "Shut up, we know what's best for you."
I cheered, not good at four in the morning, when Fluttershy attacked the guards. I was a little disgusted at Applejack saying that this will all just be a memory, like those times people say that they will look back and laugh.
Again, I know it's because they weren't around Bumble, and the changeling attack is still fresh on their mind. Their reactions to Fluttershy does make sense as they think she's being controlled, but it also showed just how little respect they have for her.
I wonder how this will play out. If Twilight is allowed to question Bumble, then she will notice that there is no way that he could still be controlling Fluttershy. That would give her pause and reconsider.
I imagine that the guards will take Bumble into custody and Fluttershy would be next.
A really powerful scene would be if Twilight offered to use her position to keep Fluttershy out of prison, but Fluttershy refuses adamant that Twilight is no friend of hers.
Values are like bridges: one may never know how strong is their support until you walk over them.
The fact Equestria, after a failed invasion, when there is an opportunity to show justice, mercy and kidness to a helpless enemy, chooses to throw Harmony out of the window and go nazi mode, speaks volumes about theirs.
4408319 I couldn't agree more. Ponies are just too selfcentered to look over their own border. Are they even KNOW there are other Species, Lands, Culture and whole Kingdoms beside from Equestria? WHAT THE HAY THEY ARE LEARN IN SCHOOL?
And evrything just gone to hell on floor -666
Here we go... Let judge the book by it cover! And not know the whole story and jump the gun with all that crap.
Fluttershy shined higher then all of them in this and loved every piece of it. Great work my friend and hope that the little changeling be saved by the awesome Flutters!
Looks like I need to call up one of my Yuatja friends. Soft pony meat is on the menu tonight, it seems...
THE CLIMAAAAAAAX
We all should have seen this coming.
Zecora all over again, but worse.
Called it.
Dash went broke her element.
She was disloyal to fluttershy
The guards just learned something that they will never forget... Never provoke a fully enraged, scorned Mother
Very emotional and dramatic chapter by far! I knew the dream was too good to be true
4408502 Glad you enjoyed!
4408557 Thank you for pointing that out to me!
4408646 WHOA.
Okay, I usually don't care about language in comments, but that's really too far. Comment deleted.
4409231 Glad you enjoyed!
4408622 I am thoroughly confused as to what this is, but I laughed a bit anyways.
seems I need my trusty spell rifle once again
Poor bumble, I hope they don't torture him!
*snarls* a young changeling! A YOUNG CHANGELING! And ponies call my hive barbaric, at least we don't go after foals! Excuse me while I go get my other universe transporter and machine gun, thanks again for that red heavy!
I honestly don't think anything bad is going to happen to Bumble. Like Twi said, they're going to ask him a few questions. Since he probably hates Chrysalis because she's evil, he's going to give them honest answers. And then in the integration process, they'll probably just give him back to Fluttershy. As anti-Changeling as Equestria might be, they're still Equestria.
Urge.. To strangle.. Purple.. Horse.. So strong...
My feels.. So hurt.. Many tears...
Well that escalated quite quickly... wow.
I know that a Changeling is something of a big deal here, but... her friends did a great job in being arrogant. That or they are really traumatized by any thought of Changelings to the point in which they took their already rash decision making to the extreme (Even when Fluttershy learned them that lesson all the way back in the second episode of the first season). All in all, they successfully managed to push Fluttershy way over the edge in a deep, dark abyss, and I have a feeling that she's going to store up a lot of hatred and sorrow now.
Since they really do think that she's just under some sort of spell, I doubt that they'll punish her for her actions on that day. It's going to be whatever she does next that will catch the main six's attention.
4409997 I have no hopes for such. While he hates Chrysallis, telling them everything about his hive could lead to some pretty bad consequences. The ponies don't just torture others for basic needs, and it sounds more like a potential genocide should the hive be located.
Taking that aside, should Bumble tell them about the hive, he won't just be sent to Fluttershy and "The End". It'll never be that simple in this scenario. They'll be living under a constant eye of a guard for the rest of their life as, basically, how Twilight described it to Fluttershy.
4410310 True. But I honestly do't think genocide will happen. Invasion and takeover, probably. Annihilation, no.
And let's just count the number of mane six ponies that need to suffer unimaginable horrors... Oh yeah it's freaking everypony other than Fluttershy! They made her cry and wouldn't listen to her at all... I was making a list about how all of them were acting out of character... but I kept on finding a recurring theme... after the wedding and the Celestial brain washing that all changelings are evil of course the other ponies are going to be total asses when Fluttershy is found harboring a changeling... I still want Twilight to suffer... freaking scientist falling prey to the fear campaign against the changelings like every other uneducated pony in Equestria. You would think at least one of her friends would have listened to her... Sorry... good chapter... I admit I have a soft spot for Fluttershy.
4410310 That and he might not even be allowed to live with Fluttershy at all.
Hoping this is one of those stories were there is no forgiveness for the arrogant, 'can't be wrong' Twilight and company. They make ...... NO MERCY!!
Didn't Twilight just have the spell that dealt with mind control used on Fluttershy, even if it had been reapplied Twilight could have repeated it.
I so can't wait for the "Joe Friday" class verbal beat down the others will receive when their horrific prejudices and stupidity is laid bare before them
Not to mention this action could destroy Bumbles trust for all ponies.
4411041 The presence of a Changeling was enough for Twilight to jump to the conclusion that Fluttershy was mind controlled so that's most likely why she didn't test it out on Fluttershy again in this new chapter... such distrust.
4412447 Not to mention stupidity, imbecility, and foolishness.
Actually what is the possibility that the "Rainbow Dash" who spotted Bumble was not in fact Rainbow Dash but another Changeling loyal to Chrysalis and trying to reassert Bumble's distrust of ponies sent another Changeling to take Twilight's place to re sow Bumbles distrust of ponies and make life miserable for him with neither the hive nor Equestria providing security. This would be another explanation as to why the spell wasn't used, the Changeling couldn't perform such a spell. Heck even if Rainbow was Rainbow "Twilight" could still be a Changeling
I have two words for you, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Twilight,Rarity, and Pinkie. FUCK. YOU.
Beautiful. Simply beautiful.
Need...Update.....Dying from....suspense....
4422013 I agree
Also poor bumble and fluttershy
4409460 ...
I didn't post the comment you deleted..
What
the
hell?
(*army marches into a portal that leads to ponyvill then knock at the library door*
Spike: Hello?
General:Is Twilight Sparkle here?
Twilight: Im right here
General: you are under arrest for kidnapping, breaking and entering, spying and telling false information.
Twilight:.....Excuse me.....?)
I now have a valid reason for twilight being my least favorite of the mane 6
I was reluctant to read this chapter. It still feels incredibly surreal. Please tell me you have a happy ending planned.
4432482 You'll just have to wait and see.
4408177 I feel you man. I feel you so hard
Y no more? :(
4436475 I'm working on it, my friend. I'm just overloaded with school work at the moment, so I'm too busy to write.
I really hope that fluttershy is never friends with any of them again, but considering the way she is I doubt that will happen. They dont deserve a friend as kind andhonourable as she is. I do hope they realise this sooner rather than later. Or perhaps Im simply being vindictive :). I love this story and I really cant wait to read more :).
4437124 i hate scool
:P
Mate jesus christ MAKE THE NEW CHAPTER.
I just realized if Bumble wakes up crying and asking where's his mommy is, I'm gonna flood my contact lenses right out!
4444636 Sorry, mate, but I have tests in all of my classes next week, so I have to study. The chapter will come in time, don't you worry.
4445306 me too
4457022
BE PATIENT.
COME ON PEOPLE.