Hush now, quiet now.

by stained-glass

Da Capo

Fluttershy didn't really know how she had gotten here. The last thing she recalled clearly was tucking in Spike, who was still resting. He needed his rest. But now Fluttershy had a problem. The problem? Well it was Twilight. She hadn't woken up yet. The doctors had said something about complications. Possibly even something about underestimations on what exactly the tumor had put pressure on. Apparently while removing the horn and tumor, they'd accidentally put pressure on the surrounding tissue. This had caused some bruising. They were unsure when she would wake up, but she was recovering as far as they could tell. Anything else would have to wait until she awoke. At least that's what Fluttershy understood of what she managed to focus on while the doctors talked.

Fluttershy was familiar with treating animals. She tried to understand it in the way she was used to it. When animals were sick or hurt there were several ways to help. One was medicine to help them fight the sickness, another was closing wounds and ensuring everything healed right. The last was to remove the problem that was causing the pain or sickness, like helping Winona with fleas or the manticore with the thorn. This was kinda like that right? They removed the thorn, the thorn being the tumor. So Twilight should get better now right?

"What if it's like the splinter that Mr. Beaver had?" the voice whispered.

That was a good point! Fluttershy remembered a time she was removing a splinter from Mr. Beaver he gotten while making a dam. At the time she had thought she had gotten all of the splinter out, but Mr. Beaver had come back complaining about pain after the numbing agent had worn off. She had to get Angel to help her by holding a magnifying glass while she carefully used tweezers and needle to get the last itty bit out.

Fluttershy pondered this new revelation to herself. What should she do? Well she couldn't go up to the doctors and tell them that. That'd just be rude. After all it'd be like saying they were wrong and didn't know what they were doing. She couldn't just do that could she?

But what could she do? "The problem is in Twilight's head, we should remove the thorn," the voice whispered.

Fluttershy couldn't do that... Could she? It wasn't like she could just open up Twilight's head and remove what was hurting her, right? Besides Fluttershy didn't even know what she was looking to remove. "You know what sick looks like, you've seen it thousands of times before. How different can it be in ponies?" the voice offered.

The voice was right. She had seen tons and tons of sick things. She'd seen it in many animals, and what the trouble signs were. It wasn't going to be like with Philomena, after all she'd grown since then. Sure she hadn't really done much with brains before, most animals that had brain injures... "Better not go there Fluttershy," she muttered to herself.

"You can do it, you're the Element of Kindness. You can heal your friend... You don't want to be useless and watch her die, do you?" the voice cajoled and perhaps even encouraged.

Fluttershy shook her head softly. She didn't know the first thing about brain surgery. This, this was out of her league. Maybe... Maybe she just had to wait. Wait a bit longer.

But the voice didn't cease; it cajoled, it pleaded, it encouraged, and it begged. The voice had never begged before. There was an odd incessant need to the voice now. Fluttershy wasn't sure how she felt. The voice was getting louder. Slowly and surely drowning out her own thoughts. But unlike other times it wasn't making her afraid or scared. However, she wasn't sure what exactly she was feeling. Nor was she sure how much time passed, or if she slept, all that mattered was Twilight. Fluttershy felt as if the world was slowly fading away as her vision seemed to narrow on Twilight. "She needs to wake up, she be fine if she wakes up! All you have to do is help her," the voice pointed out.

"Twilight will be better once she wakes, we just... We just need to remove the thorn, don't we?" Fluttershy uttered hesitantly.

Fluttershy carefully checked her surroundings, good she was alone. She could help the doctors quickly, she wouldn't embarrass them. After all everyone makes mistakes and really she could make Twilight better. Fluttershy started humming as she unwrapped the bandages from Twilight's head. Once that was done she carefully studied Twilight's skull. Fluttershy could make out what appeared to be a line that went around the entirety of Twilight's skull as well as screws or a bolt holding it together.

All Fluttershy had to do now was just to find some tools, a quick jaunt and a few distracted medical personnel later she had all she needed. Fluttershy hummed and got to work, it helped to calm and still the animals and herself. She imagined that this was just like helping all her little forest friends. She even thought she felt a breeze on her mane.

"Hush now, quiet now,
It's time to lay your sleepy head,
Hush now, quiet now,
It's time to go to bed,"

The sweet song drifted on the wind and wound it's way in the forest. Fluttershy was sure she was holding Mr. Beaver. Though he was an odd shade of purple... "He's sick, you have to remove his thorn," the voice supplied helpfully.

That's right he was terribly sick, and Fluttershy was determined to help her friend. A bit of kindness and love solved everything. Fluttershy smiled as she cut into Mr. Beaver, it was such a wide smile filled with love and joy at being helpful and useful to her friends. She didn't need to be afraid or fear, all she had to do was be kind.

"Hush now. Quiet now.
It's time to lay a sleepy head.
Hush now. Quiet now.
It is time to go to bed."

It wasn't working. Why wasn't it working!? She had remove all the thorns. "Twilight! You have to wake up!" Fluttershy pleaded,

Funny, why'd she call out for Twilight? It was obviously Mr. Beaver, he had a enormous thorn she had to remove from him. She had missed something obviously, that's why Twilight wasn't waking up! A soft squelch came from Twilight's skull as Fluttershy dug and cut at the thorn. She just had to help more!

"Drift, drift, off to sleep,
Leave your life behind you.
Drift. Drift. Off to sleep.
Let the joy of death find you."

Was she singing? She didn't remember starting. What was she doing again? Right she was helping Mr. Beaver... Or was it Twilight? The sharp tang of copper hung in the air even as Fluttershy rocked back and forth cradling Twilight's head in her hooves as she worked and cut away the thorn.

"Hush now. Quiet now.
Time to lay dead,
I said hush now. quiet now.
Time to lay dead."

She was done, she'd removed the thorn! Everything would be better, but poor Twilight. Twilight had bleed a little while Fluttershy had used the needle to remove the thorn. Fluttershy kissed the "boo boo" and giggled softly. "It'll be fine Twilight, here let me bandage it for you," Fluttershy said sweetly and lovingly.

Fluttershy so enjoyed helping her friends. She was glad she could be useful and kind. But it seemed Twilight was tired and had teared up a little at the pain. Fluttershy was happy to wipe away Twilight's tears and hug her till she was better... In fact this seemed like the perfect time to cuddle and have a nice sleepover with her dear friend. She loved her friends so much, she honestly didn't know what she'd do without them. But that was a silly thought, they'd always be together wouldn't they? After all friendship was magic.

Fluttershy never really heard the scream and panic as she drifted off to sleep clutching Twilight's head closely. She never really understood what happened next, but her friends would always visit her and Twilight. Fluttershy just wished they'd smile more, they were friends and loved each other! They were together, they should be happy! "Maybe you can help them," Twilight said. Twilight always knew what to do, she was always helpful!

Comments

[stained-glass]

Apparently insomnia equals inspiration. Who knew? Anyways the story is finished. Done, all that's left is possibly some polish, spell checks, grammar checks and what not. If you notice anything please point it out. Also if you have any suggestions or comments I'll happily hear them out. Not to mention do my best to accommodate or incorporate what I can. Thanks for reading!

Also I know that the last portion of this chapter is a rehash of the first. It's intentional, hopefully I got that across clear enough. Though if not please provide where I could improve.

[VampDash]

4108295 The last two.... I'm confused with. Explain what happened a little to me?

[stained-glass]

4108484 Fluttershy killed Spike, then Twilight. All the while slowly losing touch with reality and her sanity?

Man I thought I did an okay job of portraying that. Right, so Fluttershy "graduates" from mercy killing small animals to sentient beings in "Changes". Slowly listening and possibly agreeing with the voice. I also try to imply that the voice gains strength enough to mess with Fluttershy's inner monologue via italics. Thus why there are more italics in the last chapter. Anytime that italics aren't in quotes use them as blank spaces to fill in something more sinister and closer to "reality". Does that make sense?

If not, how can I clear it up? Also how can I include this explanation without actually including it? Do you think I should include a strike through version before the italics to indicate what's being replaced?

[Pirate Jesus]

Dude! Why did you delete my comment? It was a link to a review, and a positive one at that. I even liked and favorited this story.

[stained-glass]

4108835 it was an accident, I was trying to reply. But then I pressed delete, as well as confirm... Yeah I know it sounds unlikely. But sometimes fat fingers and small screens really make it difficult. Honestly I shouldn't use my phone to post comments, but walking time is free time. Honestly didn't mean to do that. I also posted up your review in my response.

PS: I feel like a rube for deleting your comment.

[Pirate Jesus]

4108847
Oh, if it's an accident that's fine. It's just, usually my reviews are rather negative, so often when they're deleted it's on purpose.

[stained-glass]

4108853 I bet. Though even if it was negative I would have kept it and the link. Reviews help the writing process.

Agian for those of you lost and confused about the review here it is again. Check it out.

[VampDash]

4108751 It makes sense.

[Pirate Jesus]

4108929

I bet. Though even if it was negative I would have kept it and the link. Reviews help the writing process.

If more people had this attitude, the world would be a better place. And I wouldn't have to buy a new monitor every time someone acts like I'm threatening their first born with my review.

[stained-glass]

4109033 Ah I'm glad.

4109410 yeah that would be nice...

Right I'm going to stop commenting on this story, to avoid artificially inflating the stats. I will however still read over the comments from time to time. Though I don't think I'll be changing anything else for the time being.

[Leapingriver]

Oh my.
Fluttershy really has snapped hasn't she.
I find it very smart to have had Fluttershy kill spike in the manner she did. Suffocating him like that all while justifying her action and Spike's struggle to breathe. And then that subtle way of telling us that he was gone...

Then when Fluttershy is 'helping' Twilight, and her interpretation that this was just Mr. Beaver was brilliant. If Fluttershy ever would snap this would be the way she does. Not as a crazy trigger happy murderer, but as someone who has lost their grip on reality overcome by her inner demons. She truly thinks she's helping Twilight, and that's what makes this so well done. She can't tell what she's doing anymore, her mind has just been consumed with wanting to help that she's not processing what she's doing to her friends, and the way she keeps trying to justify/explain to herself what she's doing is right just furthers this point.

Very well done! In all honesty I think this unsettled me more than what any other horror fic has tried to do. I means that in a good way though. You made Fluttershy's slip from reality happen very naturally; kudos to you good sir. I look forward to anything else you might publish in the future.

[stained-glass]

4123873 thanks for the catch on the typos as well as grammar advice. Also I did change node to gland, honestly it sounds better this way.

As for the peturitary gland tumor, Twilight's illness is based off of it. Not that it really maters. Any of the following could have easily replaced the tumor: a brain aneurysm, blood clot, cerebral hemorrhage, or honestly any cerebral issue could have worked. Though the majority are not long term issues and are sudden onset medical problems, with a few exceptions.

That said persistent pain is something you should have a doctor look at, regardless of how "minor" you believe it to be. Actually any persistent medical issues regardless if they cause pain or not should be referred to a medical expert.

[Rinderin]

This is actually very nicely written :D A few typos and grammatical errors aside, this fic is genuinely creepy. My one issue is the style of the chapters, I feel that they are a little too short. However, this is preetty much just personal preference really. Keep it up :D

[stained-glass]

4137158 point out grammar errors and typos and I'll fix them. Thanks.

[UfUnNyF1r3nd]

Eeyup
This is dark and insanity just the thing I was looking for

[MyCutieMarkIsTellingMe1]

wait wha??