The winds pushed me far away from the sight of the burning city of Canterlot. The cold chill in the air ran through me, gradually taking the edge off of my adrenaline and seeping in through my cuts and weeping eyes. I clamped my eyes shut and grit my teeth, not out of the returning pain, but because of the shudders and sobs I couldn’t hold back anymore.
I glided in the cold night sky, being carried by the strong current, and cried. I did not care for my course, altitude, or attitude. I could be unwittingly diving straight into the hard ground for all I knew, but it didn’t matter. What mattered were my friends. Every single one of them were special to me, and in a flash they had been taken away in a terrible boom. All the ponies in Equestria had disappeared, too, and now I was starting to register that they were gone, not simply missing or hiding. Gone.
A sharp breath rushed into my lungs and I held it there. All those fillies and colts were gone, their parents, teachers, friends - entire families completely gone from Equestria. Why? Why did this happen? What could have caused this? Why was I the only one still be here?
What was I supposed to do now?
My eyelids slowly lifted, and my gaze hovered over the sleepy landscape. I had dropped down pretty far, long since leaving the icy current behind and gradually falling to less than a hundred feet above the ground. Grassy hills and plentiful trees touched by the moonlight looked up at me, with full rivers snaking among them and feeding several lakes and ponds. With the exception of the distant roars of Dragons and echoes of battle coming from the massive mountain behind me, Equestria was still and silent. I caught glimpses of wild Owls and other nocturnal critters hiding in the shadows where other ponies and creatures wouldn’t think to look. Some of them would stop for a moment, and their eyes would follow me with wonder and surprise. I didn’t need to guess why they seemed to feel that way.
Tears pinched at my cheeks, their warmth and moisture being stolen by the cold, dry air. My wounds were closing up now, but I could still feel the fire raging inside them with every tiny movement I made. My thoughts seized the opportunity to escape what I had learnt in Canterlot, and instead focused on my own health. Did I get all the glass out? Were they infected? Did I just need a painkiller? Could I be coming down with something?
Twisted trees and dozens of threatening cries rushed underneath me. My body jerked at the sudden change. I was gliding over the Everfree Forest, which meant that I was close to Ponyville too. I turned my head to the right, catching tiny flames bobbing around the dark outline of Ponyville. Images of burly hounds and dogs chasing me flashed through my mind. I nearly fell out of the sky. It was too dangerous to go near the towns, now. I had to hide where the Diamond Dogs wouldn’t want to go, and the only place I knew about like that was the dangerous forest beneath my hooves. I adjusted my course with a few gentle flaps and a slight twist, and winced as my scabs tugged and pulled. The heat in me built up, blazing up to my ears.
That’s not a good sign. I frowned. My hooves reached up and adjusted the headband I was wearing, letting the sweat building up underneath it feel the breeze. Both of my forelegs had been hurt, so I pressed the better leg above my brow, wiping the clammy residue off. Less than a minute later I could feel more sweat building up. The wind began to feel colder.
I have cough medicine, maybe it can bring the fever down too? I glanced back at my saddlebags, noticing a hole had formed in one of them, letting the golden shine of Celestia’s crown catch the light from her sister’s moon.
My wings stopped moving, they couldn’t take the weight that fell on my back.
The Everfree Forest had a thick canopy, but was too eager to let me slip through and meet the branches just beneath the sea of leaves. It was a blur, and it wasn’t until a few moments later that I realised that I had been snagged on vines. Dazed and spinning around wildly above the ground,I tried to shake myself free, bringing rampaging waves of pain searing up my nerves.
The vines cruelly let me drop onto the forest floor with a thud, and I whimpered and cried on the dirt. I rolled over, groaning and gasping, and carefully stood up. I extended my wings, feeling bruises but no breaks, and then chanced looking at the rest of me. I wished I hadn’t.
I snapped my eyes shut, trying to ignore the state I was in, and counted down from ten. I needed to calm down. Panicking was getting me hurt. Continuing to panic in the Everfree Forest was going to do much worse. I took a deep breath, and wiped my brow of sweat and sap. My eyelids flicked open and my gaze whirled around me, making sure it was safe to stay for a while longer. I slid off my saddlebags and quickly searched them, finding the small bottle of pain pills I had and the cough medicine. I took two pills, and measured two full caps of cough medicine to follow it. Taking care of a wide range of animals meant learning the labels off by-heart. Whether the medicine was strong enough against the fever didn’t make me feel very confident.
Maybe the amount I took would be enough. I assured myself. An uneven sigh escaped me as I packed my bags up and carefully hoisted them back on – trying to avoid the cuts. Treatment, again, would have to wait until I had a safer place to work.
I couldn’t fly between the bushes and branches, and I couldn’t fly back up through the canopy. The forest didn’t like letting ponies out so easily. With a quiet grunt, I chose a direction to head in and began to amble through the dense foliage.
Was it always this warm in the Everfree Forest? I stopped and leant against a tree, fanning my face and scanning the tree line. I didn’t want to stop. Not here. I needed to find the Old Castle, or a place to fly out of, or…
Is that? I lurched forward, squinting into the dark woods. There was a glimmer, a silvery reflection of moonlight catching my eye. Tentatively, I crept up towards it, keeping quiet and moving slowly. The reflection became circular, and soon I could see that it was embedded in a large tree’s trunk. A cross made of sticks covered it, apparently holding the reflector in place. My eyes drifted over the rest of the tree, and my heart began to race, drowning out the sounds of wildlife.
Zecora’s home! She knows more about medicine than I do! She can help me! I stumbled over tree roots and broke out into the beaten path to the zebra’s hut, moving as quickly as I could. My hoof reached up to knock on the door, but instead planted itself on it with a bang. I steadied myself, managing a few tiny knocks before dropping my hoof to the ground. I stood there for a moment for a response, hoping and hoping that there would be one. None came.
I limped over to one of the windows and peeked inside. “Zecora?” I whispered harshly, starting to cough. “Zecora, wake up! Please!” I couldn’t see anything inside. It was pitch darkness. I went back to the door, kicking my hoof against the bottom. “I need your help!”
Nothing.
“Zecora?” I tried the door, and the latch opened, revealing the dark and cold interior of the hollowed-out tree. I thought of my own home. My head drooped.
I slowly walked inside, looking around, trying to see in the darkness. “Are you home? It’s Fluttershy. Um, I need… I need…”
I need my friends back. I need Equestria back. I need this nightmare to end.
“…You’re gone, too.” I whispered, defeated.
The deadness of the room said ‘yes’.
I closed the door behind me, sliding the large deadbolt into place. Blindly, I fumbled over to a lantern and began rummaging through my saddlebags for my matches. I dropped a few, but finally managed to strike one and quickly light the oily wick, bathing the room in a gentle, orange glow.
Gripping the handle in my mouth, I carried the lantern over to the center of the room, where Zecora’s iron cauldron sat atop a pile of ash. I brushed a hoof against the large pot; feeling how cold the cauldron was. With my ‘better’ foreleg, I dug around in the ash around the base, hoping to find some smoldering coals to rekindle the flames, but it had completely burnt out. My heart ached at the thought of how long this meant the home had been abandoned, and extinguished any hope I had of Zecora coming back home.
I shakily stood up and quickly dried my eyes. With a tiny sniffle, I glanced around the little home with the lantern. Zecora had to have had some wood stored indoors. I spotted a few logs stood near the door, and dragged them over to the fire pit. The firewood was too big to start a fire with, and I gulped at the thought of going back outside. I glanced out the window, listening to the wildlife, straining my ears for the sound of anything dangerous nearby. Maybe I could go without a fire – just for tonight.
My body shuddered uncontrollably, chills quickly following. Was the room always this small and cold? I blinked. The room warped sickeningly, and I closed my eyes with a groan, covering my eyelids with my better foreleg. I needed that fire. I needed warmth.
Sweat covered me like a thin skin, my legs becoming heavier the longer I stood still. Just grab some twigs and a clump of grass, I won’t be long. It’ll be safe. I ambled over to my saddlebags and sluggishly tipped them over, scattering their contents on the floor. One last time, I strapped the bags back on, and turned for the door. A moment later, the bolt slid away with a clack, and the latch hopped up and released the door. I paused to hold my head steady, and then slowly pulled the door open. I peeked out through the gap, shining the lantern outside into the forest. A lump lodged itself in my throat. It was scarier outside now.
For a minute I leant in the doorway, staring into the dark. My ears twitched and swiveled at every sound, and my gaze hopped from bush to bush. There were no foreboding growls and hisses, no hungry eyes staring at me, just the gloomy forest and the sounds of crickets and toads - and my heartbeat.
It was as safe as it was going to be, and it was getting harder to stay focused through the dull throbs in my head.
One, two… My eyes darted from side to side one last time. Three! My legs groggily stumbled forwards, and I trotted to the edges of the path, quickly picking up twigs and stashing them in my saddlebags. Soon I had loosely filled one of my bags with twigs and dry leaves.
The crickets and toads fell silent. With a jolt I stood up straight, quickly looking around and listening intently. A putrid smell surrounded me, and every muscle in my body froze.
A twig snapped. My legs took that as a cue to run, and was I thankful that they did! Snarls and growls chased after me, powerful legs pounding the ground in a precise and determined rhythm. I didn’t dare to look back. I didn’t take my eyes off the doorway to Zecora’s.
Desperately, I tried to unfurl my wings. They wouldn’t budge. My tail was yanked, and my heart leapt in my chest. I dug my hooves in the ground and pulled, biting down on the lantern’s handle so hard that it bent in my grip. I broke free from the beast’s grip and bumbled forwards, scrambling for the door. I leapt into Zecora’s home and slammed the door shut behind me. I jammed the deadbolt in place. In a split second, the door lurched inwards with a crunch, and I screamed at the thought of the door giving in – the lantern in my mouth dropping onto the floor and spilling oil on the floor. The monster clawed and barked at the door, trying to close the last few inches between us. The oil caught alight.
“No! No! No!” The puddle of oil quickly bathed the room in a fiery orange light. I popped the cap off of my canteen and poured the last of my water on the flames. The fire grew enraged and flared up, the flash almost dazzling me. I heard the beast sniff under the door and yelp, retreating in the forest with a whine. I leaped over the flames and grabbed a blanket from Zecora’s bed, backpedaling and throwing the cover over the fire, stamping them out before they could spread any further in the hollow tree. As the last ember was snuffed, I slumped onto my haunches, exhausted and shivering.
Hesitantly, I felt my way across the room for my matches. Holding them in my mouth, I dug a pile of white ash out from under the cauldron, and slotted some logs in its place. I took a bundle of twigs and leaves and stuffed them among the logs, ready to be lit.
I sat motionless for a few moments, considering lighting another match. I brushed my hoof through my mane, trying to clear my thoughts. I wiped the sweat from my forehead.
The match hissed as it flared up, and carefully I fed the flame the tinder I had prepared. In a few minutes a small, controlled fire was heating the room. I stared into the orange flames, and settled down close to them. I was safe now, locked inside a little house far, far away from any Dragons or Diamond Dogs. I breathed deeply, shedding tension I didn’t even know I had. A detached numbness washed over me, letting my wings and legs grow limp and relaxed as the medicine took hold.
Groggily, I focused my eyes on my cuts and bruises, and reached for the medical kit I had dropped on floor among the rest of my saddlebags’ contents. My hoof bumped into Princess Luna’s crown, and my eyes locked on the two pieces of royal headwear.
Equestria was in a terrible state. Horrible fighting raged throughout Canterlot, Diamond Dogs were looting from the dead villages and cities, and the weather and seasons were rapidly changing. Winter weather was already moving in, prompting Philomena to migrate and leave me behind not long after meeting her. If that phoenix was that concerned about the weather, then what did it mean to all the other animals? What about the animals that I took care of? Would the birds migrate safely? Would there be enough food for hibernation? Angel could be in danger, and I had no way of protecting him!
A hot wetness stung my eyes, and this time I did nothing to hold it back. I bowed my head down to the floor, hiding my face from the lifeless crowns staring at me. I shouldn’t be here. I shouldn’t have been spared. If there was ever a chance of saving Equestria, then it was wasted on me. I had tried to keep my head up and tried to do what was right, but in the end it was useless. I wasn’t strong enough, not brave enough; I couldn’t even protect the Elements of Harmony when they were right at my hooves. The only things left that symbolized who my friends were and our friendship together had been split up in the chaos that riddled Canterlot.
I rolled onto my back and stared up at the ceiling, my chest being racked by quiet sobs. My heart ached, and my breaths were shallow. I’d lost all of my friends; the girls, Spike, Discord, and Angel. They had been stolen away from me one way or another. A part of me felt that I was never going to see them again. This was my life now. Living in the remains of the land I called home, hiding from anything that wanted to catch me, and somehow finding a purpose and a reason to keep going on. Twilight would want me to go on. Rainbow Dash wouldn’t accept anything less, and would push me if she could. Pinkie Pie would sing a song to me to cheer me up while Rarity implored me to never lose hope. Applejack would come to me last; tipping her hat and keeping her voice low as she whispered her own words of encouragement. Applejack knew what loss was, and she honestly didn’t wish it upon anypony.
I rolled to my side, looking at the two crowns, but seeing something else entirely. Two stars streaking in the sky, and the thoughtful look on Applejack’s face the night after we all helped her with Applebuck season. The harvest had been finished, and there was no more work to be done. Pinkie had thrown a party in the barn to celebrate, and when everypony was busy having fun, Applejack slipped outside. I had followed her out, finding her staring up at the stars and talking to herself. My ears twitched at how sad her words were, and I couldn’t turn away without making sure my friend was okay.
She was embarrassed to see me, pulling her hat over her eyes and forcing a smile. “Gettin’ some fresh air too, huh? It gets a mite bit stuffy in that barn sometimes.”
I nodded, sitting beside the farmer and looking up at the sky. I could hear her shifting uncomfortably, but I didn’t know what to say first, or how to say it. I knew in my heart that something was on her mind, and I could feel her nervous glances watching me. She was having a private moment, and I had walked in on it and hadn’t left her alone.
“I’m sorry.” I whispered.
“What for, Fluttershy?” Applejack tried to catch a stray tear, but it fell down her cheek in plain sight.
I tipped my head away from her, pretending I didn’t see anything, wishing I hadn’t invaded her space like this. My mane fell forwards, hiding my friend from view. “I’m sorry for bothering you…”
A short sigh of relief escaped Applejack’s mouth. “No harm done, partner. Just needed a moment on my own is all.”
Even now, I don’t know how I had the nerve to ask, how I even had the courage to press a little further. Applejack was hiding something, and I could see it eating her inside out. The sight tugged at my strings, begging for to me to say something.
“I heard you talking to the stars, Applejack, are you…” I murmured and turned to face her, and my heart leapt in my throat – she was as pale as a sheet. “Are you okay?”
The dam broke, and I felt so awful for doing it. I didn’t mean to make her cry. She needed it, but by Celestia I wish it wasn’t me who had to make it happen. Applejack dipped her head down and wept openly. In seconds I pulled her into a hug, stammering and crying too. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to! Please don’t be sad!”
I was the last one to stop crying. I felt ashamed of myself; never had I made anypony cry in my life, and it was horrible. Applejack gave an assuring smile – a real smile – and convinced me that it was okay. She started to tell me everything on her mind; she told me about her parents.
It was something she didn’t like to talk about, but Applejack needed somepony to listen, and I happened to be that pony. “I didn’t have to push myself,” she explained, “Nopony expected me to after what happened – that’s why Granny let me go to Manehatten when I was just a lil’ filly. But leavin’ the farm for good wouldn’t have been fair. It wouldn’t have been fair to Granny Smith and Big Macintosh; it wouldn’t have been fair to Applebloom, and it sure as sugar wouldn’t have been fair to my parents. When I got my Cutie Mark, I knew that I wanted to make my Ma and Pa proud, and to make Sweet Apple Acres a farm that will last for generations.”
“Do you think they’re proud of you?” I hesitantly asked, worried that I’d open another wound.
Applejack looked at me, her face blank. She quickly cast a glance into the sky, and my eyes followed just in time to see two shooting stars race in the night sky. “I hope so.” Applejack sighed. “I don’t work so hard just for Big Macintosh, Granny, and lil’ Applebloom. I do it for them, too.”
She turned back to me, her green eyes shimmering. “They wanted this farm to prosper through not only their own labor, but through the whole family’s efforts. As long as we all did our best, we did our part.” Applejack turned around to look over the vast grove of harvested apple trees. “When it was just Mac and I working out here, we picked up the slack – doing the work of four ponies every day. It was the only way the farm was going to thrive, and it was the only way to make our parent’s wishes come true. Now that we’re so close to that dream, I’m hoping Ma and Pa are looking down on us, full of pride.”
Applejack fell silent, but this time she had a smile on her face. Fresh tears began forming in her eyes, threatening to burst and shatter her expression. Carefully, I leant over and wrapped my wing around her. “Go on,” I whispered, “I’m listening.”
Her eyes drifted downwards, but her smile remained. She was silent for few minutes, and I stayed beside her patiently, letting her think in peace. The Earth pony’s eyes gradually shut, and she took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. “The best thing we all can do is keep the memories of others alive. It’s been years now, but it’s like they never left, because my folks have been in here, always.” She tapped the side of her head, and adjusted her hat. She sniffed and rubbed her nose. “Once we’ve done what our folks set out to do, it won’t be them who can rest. Nah, they’re already at ease. It’ll be the rest of us. We can put our minds to rest knowin’ that we all did good an’ did our best. That’ll take a load off my mind.”
In a blink I was back in Zecora’s hut, still staring at the crowns on the floor. The gears in my head spun and whirred, working through the headache and fever. I had a reason to go on, I had a purpose. The Elements of Harmony had to be reunited. It could take my whole life to do, but I could bring my friends back together – by finding each of our Elements. Recovering the entire set would keep my friends together, not scattered apart like we were before everything changed. My eyes fell to the floor. I knew I couldn’t bring them back, but doing this would help me. I hoped it would.
My head bobbed, agreeing with the task I was setting myself. With a long and draining yawn, I closed my heavy eyelids, and settled down to sleep. The muffled sounds of the forest buzzed outdoors, and inside the comforting crackle of the fire filled my ears. At last there was peace, comfort, and safety.
One day, I thought, my friends and I will be together again.
“What a touching sentiment,” said a voice.
My eyes nearly popped out of my skull. I leapt onto my hooves and spun around in shock, searching for the owner. I was surrounded by a dark, purple smoke, with barely enough light to see my hoof in front of my face.
“Too bad it won’t change anything; you’ll still be alone.” The voice was near, and constantly changing from male to female and back again. My ears twitched and jerked at every sound, while prickles ran up my spine. I started to back away, keeping my eyes wide open and alert for the anything lurking in the purple fog. I knew this place from somewhere, and it meant terrifying things, but everywhere I looked was an endless mass of purple fog. I had nowhere to run.
“Imagine you found all of your precious Elements, hmm? Better yet, let’s act out a little play!” The voice laughed as six puffs of smoke separated from the endless mass and rapidly transformed into an exact copy of the Elements of Harmony. Before I could react, the Element of Kindness flew over to me and attached itself around my neck, while the others began to float around me. The voice continued, becoming deeper and deeper with each breath. “So you’ve got your Elements of Harmony, now what do you do? Put them aside somewhere and carry out the rest of your life alone? Hope they somehow vanquish the evil in the world? Don’t tell me you think you can bring everypony back from their eternal prison!”
“W-who are you?!” I stuttered, cowering where I stood.
There was a pause, and suddenly a shadowy mass rose up in front of me, taking on the silhouette of a floating Dragon head. It looked down at me with a wide grin. “I am your nightmare, Fluttershy.”
I shrieked and turned flee, galloping away from the hysterical laughter of the ghastly figure. The Elements circling around followed me, and began to glow – including my own.
A serpent-like shadow flew up from the ground, levelling its hollow gaze with mine. I backpedaled with a scream, much to the joy of the shadow. It looked just like Discord.
“What’s the matter?” A distant voice chided. “Can’t take a little prank? Well you will never have to deal with this creature again!” The Discord shadow burst into nothingness and reappeared behind me, this time with a forlorn expression on his face.
The voice didn’t stop its taunts, and summoned the silhouettes of Princess Celestia and Luna to join Discord. “These huffy and puffy sisters are also out of the picture! Now you’ll never be told what to do ever again!” The smoke started to shape up a small form, and a ghostly image of Angel Bunny looking mortified appeared.
“No!” I whimpered.
“Yes! Yes, yes, yes!” the shadow voice sang in joy. “This little scamp won’t be throwing tantrums near you for a long time. Sooner or later, he’ll probably become some creature’s dinner too!”
“Angel…” I sniffled. My hoof passed through the form like it weren’t there. Tears were streaming down my cheeks, but the nightmare was far from over. Seconds later, an outline of Spike reaching out for something materialized and filled itself in.
“There isn’t any room for wimpy ‘Dragons’ like this one, it’s either grow up or get crushed – and let me say that this softie’s chances are not looking good.”
I stared down at the floor, trying to stop myself from shaking. “And last of all,” the voice cackled, "Your super special friends are never, ever coming back!” The Elements began to crack, and in a rapid chain, they all shattered and broke, quickly disintegrating into smoke, taking the ghostly silhouettes with them.
Laughter ran in my ears, cementing my hooves where they were. Fearfully, I lifted my head up, coming face to face with a pair of empty eye sockets and a bloodthirsty grin. “So, by all means chase after those useless pieces of jewellery. I give you about a month before you become a Dragon’s breakfast. In the meantime…” the shadow floated over to my ear, and could barely contain itself as it whispered. “Sweet dreams, Fluttershy.”
considering reading, but can someone explain to me...
If Fluttershy is the "last pony in existance", how is there widespread looting? I mean, it's mentioned separately from "attacks" by other empires, so I'm going to assume that means it's unrelated to that...
So should I assume that "last pony" was the incorrect statement, since almost nothing else fits with it? Or is it something else? confuzzled.
2272883
Forgive me, I've actually been editing the description while you presumably have been reading it.
Fluttershy does discover that she is the last of her kind, but there are other races out there that will either see a vacant Equestria as an opportunity for invading and conquering new territory, or as a vast ruin full of riches to pilfer and take home. Fluttershy will undoubtedly be caught up in it all.
2272950
Ah. I might suggest looting with pillaging, then, as it tends to take place after the death of the inhabitants, or some similiar word.
I'll come back to this in a bit, I've got too much to read right now to get right on it(I seriously just got out of like a week of whining about having nothing to read, then the last few days just plastered me with updates).
2273168
All right then. Don't wear your eyes out
2273201
Pfft, eyes are for organics. These puppies are 100% titanium, alloy and carbon fiber cabling, with eight glass lenses to alloy for variable levels of zoom. You'll never wear these babies out in a thousand years(warranted for first 10 years or six thousand distinct images)
I like this. I like this a lot, there were times I kept imagining her saying "I Am Alive" Or some variation of it xD
'The most unlikely Survivor you will ever see, stick with her as she relives the most horrifying 3 months of her life.'
Please, do continue this as fast as possible......but don't rush the chapters cause then they'll ruin everything xD
So Zecora dissapeared along with the other Ponies, I expected as much. Although; there's always the chance she fled with the Donkeys, and potentially the Cows immediately after the disaster happened. Just trying to add a hope spot.
Of course; there's always the chance she'll run into Iron Hoof and his Goat Assistants somewhere, like say a survivor commune or a survivor camp, and there's always Gilda. And was Fluttershy dreaming about Discord or was he... Actually there?
1726839 Alright, since none of the others who replied said it, what game is that from?
More?
2273828 Bastion I think.
Well, I would've been really surprised if Zecora had still been around, but at least Fluttershy should be able to get some supplies from her home. And it's almost kinda funny to see Discord included amongst her lost friends. Makes sense, of course, if this takes place post-canon, but it's a detail that couldn't have been intended when this story was originally started. Although it's hard to imagine a spell that could even steal him away along with all the rest. I want to comment on that Applejack scene too, but I just don't know what to say.
One thing, though, that dream could actually have a couple hidden bits of motivation for Fluttershy, assuming she believes it was coming from something real, and not just her imagination tormenting her with an ordinary nightmare. Strangely reminiscent of the whole thing with the Crystal Ponies disappearing for 1000 years, it said everyone who vanished is trapped in an eternal prison, not that they're outright dead or something absolutely permanent. And it confirmed for her that Spike really is still around somewhere. Plus the way it was trying to convince her that gathering the elements would be utterly useless suggests they actually might not be.
For some reason, though, I want to guess the ultimate villain to this story is someone other than whatever was responsible for turning Luna into Nightmare Moon. It seems like the obvious guess, especially from those literal nightmares Fluttershy keeps having, but I don't know what The Nightmare's point would be in taking everyone away.
You know, in a way, Fluttershy might actually be the best one to be in this situation, despite how it seems like the opposite would be true. In some ways, she's the most well-rounded, even though she's also the most self-doubting. She already has coping strategies and can take care of herself fairly well, she can have a strong sense of determination when she really needs it, and she's sensible enough to think things through and not just rush headlong into situations, like some ponies might do. I think several others of the Mane Six would probably be dead by now if it had been one of them instead of Fluttershy.
The mare is in pretty bad shape. Luckily she has some cough medicine.
Sometimes, you just need some meds.
Zecora. .. the zebra shaman of the Everfree. . .
She didn't make it.
Turns out the mare is not the only thing hat wants in.
Mare thinks she better get a move on and smother those flames
Luckily, smoke scares off whatever was pounding on that door.
Mare jumps on the zebra's bed and is out like a light.
The Applebucker. . .there's more to her than meets the eye.
How about I tell you her story. . .
Dong. . . .woosh!
The applebucker once dreamed of moving to the city. . .didn't really mind leaving her granny and brother. . .
Dong. . . woosh!
She lived with her Aunt and Uncle Orange for a while in Manehatten. . .they were grooming her to be a pony of business. . .too bad she was a farm pony at heart. . .
Dong. . . .woooosh!
She always knew something was missing. . .it all came to a head when she crowed out like a rooster one morning, and a rainbow answered her call . ..
Dong. . . .woooosh!
She ran home as fast as she could, ready to return to farm life. . .too bad her folks were still gone, and not coming back anytime soon. . .
Dong. . .wooooosh!
They say the stars are the souls of the dead. . .she must be one of the ponies who believe that. . .that's why she has a habit of talking to a certain pair of those stars. . .
Dong. . .woooosh!
The mare saw the Applebucker talking to 'em one night. . .talked to her about it, and the dam burst. . .
Dong. .. wooooosh!
The mare offered a shoulder to cry on. . .and ear to talk into. . .turns out the Applebucker was dead set on working on this farm in the name of her folks. . .felt it would put them at ease if they new their farm would go on forever. . .even though they couldn't.
Dong. . .woooooosh!
Kinda ironic though. . .now everypony else is gone too. . .and seeing as there aren't a million new stars in the sky, perhaps the Applebucker's nightly talks fell upon deaf, nonexistent ears. . .
Woooooooooooshhhhh- Warp-warp-warp-warp-warp!
The mare has to have it ground into her head that all is undone. . .
He sees Discord. . .undone. .
The Princesses. . .they're undone. . .
Angel Bunny. . .undone. .
Spike. . .undone. . .
The Elements of Harmony. . .they're undone too.
Undone. .. undone. . .undone. . .
so this is like the concept of fallout but without the whole nukes killing everything bit?....
I'm surprised that Discord is gone. Even if he were gone physically I would've expected him to live on spiritually.
Angel, Spike, the Griffon Empire, the Changelings, and maybe even the Crystal Empire (Crystal Heart force-field and all); there is still hope. Hang in there Fluttershy.
2274057 You're a little too good at that.
images.ridemonkey.com/index.php?size=full&src=http%3A%2F%2Fi43.tinypic.com%2F2rna1j7.jpg
2274488
Kind of. You've got to remember that a post-apocalyptic story isn't necessarily "Fallout" and doesn't always involve missiles and war. Rampant disease, natural disasters, etc can also be the cause of an apocalypse in a given story. In Survivor Shy, Equestria's populace is decimated by a powerful spell of unknown origin, leaving Equestria slightly damaged from the shock wave and completely vacant of ponies.
Fluttershy is somehow spared from this event, and for the next three months she carves out a long path to the present day (the end) of the story, where she has been put under a trance and tasked with recounting her tale to somebody very interested in it.
2274634
I'm getting to the stage where the main quest of Survivor Shy properly begins. This arc essentially spans the rest of the story and gradually reveals the truth behind the catastrophe, and what options Fluttershy has. However, a lot of specific details will take a while to be directly uncovered or worked out by Fluttershy, who won't be too enthusiastic about thinking about the past often. Plenty of clues in the writing and illustrations will exist though for those who can catch them.
2273618
For a shrinking violet, Fluttershy has quite the network of acquaintances, wouldn't you say? I think it's pretty neat that she's got a diverse list of characters she's interacted with, it fits well with her giving everyone a chance, and with how much it bothers her if someone like Iron Will is called a monster.
As an aside, whenever Fluttershy calls a creature a 'monster' or a 'beast' in this fic, it is because she either doesn't know what its actual identity is (like with the predator hunting her in the Everfree Forest in this chapter), or she deems it to be excessively cruel or violent (like with the Diamond Dogs mercilessly chasing her in the prior chapter - especially since some of them wanted to enslave her). It's probably the harshest language Fluttershy will use in this fanfic.
2273459
There's a nice big "vacant" sign over Equestria now, and it's only a matter of time before the landrush become really ugly. The question here is; will Fluttershy adapt with the change, or will she hold onto the Equestria she knew?
2274050
I've been making it a priority that I keep this fic as flexible with the show's canon as possible. The first iteration of this story took place before the Season Three episodes, but when Season Three came and went, I worked with the new material and found a way to put it into the story. The finale is a can of worms, though, because Twilight is established in this fic to still be a Unicorn when the catastrophe hits. For anyone curious, this story most definitely takes place some time after Keep Calm and Flutter On. It was actually easy to absorb Discord turning into a friend of Fluttershy's - because of some circumstances in the fanfic's events 'automatically' dealing with him. The only thing I've had to change is what Fluttershy thinks of Discord, and how often he crosses her mind.
I like your theories based on this chapter. I only wish I could immediately bring a chapter out to confirm or deny them. Unfortunately, the "whodunnit" part isn't a priority to Fluttershy, nor are the specifics of the event that ruined her life. It will take a long time for the truth to be revealed. Until then, Fluttershy's travels and experiences will undoubtedly uncover fragments regarding the hows and whys of the catastrophe, and her misadventures will definitely keep one's eyes glued to the present and the future.
2275302
I must ask; will a World War I-esque conflict break out in the world outside of Equestria as Celestia and Luna are no longer there to keep the peace. And it's been a Millennium, which is more than enough time for the other Political Powers to get entangled in a series of Alliances and Treaties where something like a invasion of a small country, could evolve into a world spanning conflict involving just about every single race. And then that could lead to the Armed Forces of these warring Countries being pulled out of the Equestrian Frontier, leaving the New Settlers to fend for themselves while the Dragon Horde slowly approaches killing everything in it's path. This is similar to what happened to the British Isles during the fall of the Western Roman Empire; in which the Roman Legions abandoned the island.
2276180
Survivor Shy spans three months, starting from the day the catastrophe happened to wherever Fluttershy finds herself at the end of the story.
There will be a struggle for riches and territory between Diamond Dogs and Dragons in particular, but beyond that I'm keeping my cards close to my chest. Fluttershy will certainly have to face a lot of danger though.
Will this story have a happy ending for everypony?
2278659
Since I recently told this to someone on dA, I'll talk about it here.
I've been keeping my mind open for what type of ending Survivor Shy will eventually have. I've actually changed the possible endings multiple times over the course of planning this story and writing it, but have always kept three basic types of endings in mind. There's obviously the "best" ending that the story can possibly allow, where Fluutershy may not necessarily get exactly what she wants, but its close enough. Then there is the "Middle" ending where Fluttershy gets some closure to everything that will happen in the story, but something will prevent her from getting a "Best" ending. And of course there is the "Downer" ending where Fluttershy may do everything she can - even defeat the 'Big Bad' - but its not enough to earn the "Best" or even the "Middle" ending due to how fate conspired.
I keep rough ideas for each type of ending in mind, and it is my intention to only decide on the ending I will write when I reach the point of no return - near the end of the story.
Quit playing my heartstrings like a friggin' maestro, you magnificent bastard .
Eternal prison... sounds like a miserable place (jailbreak doesn't seem like an option, either). Also, this is a pretty brutal world (although I've read worse. Never shall I forget the story I have nicknamed, "IT".) and now I'm falling for the whole, "The main character will succeed" cliche plot. Unfortunately, I don't know how to judge you as an author. Whereas ShortSkirtsAndExplosions has the guts to deliver the most depressing ending to a story, you're an unknown...
...So bedazzle me. I'll be impressed either way, so long as the execution is superb.
You know, there are times when no matter how awesome a chapter is, I have absolutely nothing to say about it. After reading this chapter, I just have no idea what to say. All I can think of is, "poor Fluttershy". I hate that she has to go through this... alone.
2279010 3 endings? I don't know how to think about that, It would be interesting to see what you can do, but I would love for a Best happy ending for her, at least!