My Little Pony: The Brothers of Discord

by mr.myxsiple

Family Matters

CHAPTER 41
FAMILY MATTERS

*knock!*knock!*knock!*

"Ash? It's me. I have your dinner ready."

The door creaked open once again catching the brothers' attention. The light of a crescent moon shined through the window as Fluttershy flew in. Ash and Psych could see on her a tray in her hooves, the scent of warm food drifting from it.

"I um...made some for you too Psych. If you wanna eat here that is..." she said nervously. "Grocery night's also pasta night for me..." She presented the tray to them on which were three steaming plates of spaghetti covered with some creamy sauce and a few mushrooms.

The sight, not to mention the smell, made Ash's stomach growl. Giggling, she approached the pair and placed a plate and fork in front of him. "Do you feel strong enough to eat on your own?"

With a grunt, Ash forced himself upwards. Psych's hooves were quickly on his back, supporting him as he finally sat up on the bed, panting lightly from the effort. Taking a deep, shuddering breath, he grabbed the fork and started shoveling the noddles into his mouth.

Psych furrowed his eyebrows as he accepted a plate from Fluttershy. "Let's eat." she said cheerily digging into her food.

The whole thing was awkward to say the least. The only sound in the room came from from the gentle clanking of their forks against the plates and the soft sound of their chewing. Occasionally, one of the three would gaze upwards watching the other two for a moment before quickly turning back to their plates. More than once, a pair of eyes would end up meeting and quickly turning away before anything could be said.

From the corner of his eye, Psych watched Fluttershy thinking about their little discussion that afternoon. It would've been so easy, satisfying to have tortured her instead. He hated her like everypony else, but he-no-Ash needed her. He needed her to be of sound mind if she was going to care for him. His brother had rejected every form of help offered to him but hers. His expression softened as his attention turned to Ash. He needed all the help and care he could get.

As his gaze lowered, the later looked up to the two ponies with him, the two ponies who had been caring for him since he ran away. He could sense their concern and care in their voices and gazes and especially in their actions. Psych was treating him the same as always, with love and compassion he never showed to anypony else, and Fluttershy...Was she really this nice to everypony? Even to horrible ones who do nothing but hurt and destroy and-

He gave a small grunt and shook the pain away, an act only Fluttershy noticed. She watched as Ash continued on eating hoping that his actions had gone unnoticed. She gave a small sigh worrying not just about the state of his body but also his heart. She could still see it in his twitches, growls and shudders, the great darkness that laid within him.

He really needed a friend.

"So...how do you guys like it?" she finally asked breaking the silence.

Ash remained silent while Psych shrugged. "There's not much to say." Psych said without even looking at her.

"Oh that's good I guess..."

"Though you might want to try making steamed broccoli next time. Those're Ash's favorites."

"Really?" Fluttershy looked at Ash who gazed away. "Would you like that Ash?"

The colt still continued to look away. "I...I would actually...You think you can stir-fry it in butter too?"

Hearing that made her smile. "If it'll make you happy, then of course."

That smile, that voice, that warmth in her eyes...Ash forced the feelings away as quickly as they came and continued eating. The smile faded as well leaving Fluttershy thinking. Why can't he just enjoy himself for once? Does he really hate being happy?

Since then, Ash had spent the rest of the meal in silence not even looking up at her. She should've known better to actually say she wanted to make Ash happy knowing that it only upset him. She was vaguely aware of Psych glaring at her clearly pissed off for upsetting his brother. Fluttershy gulped wondering just how long exactly their truce will hold.

"Hmm...it's getting late." Psych said looking out the window taking note of the moon in the sky.

"Do the rest of your family know you two are here?" Fluttershy asked.

"Hmph. There might be a search party going around as we speak." Psych said rolling his eyes.

"Search party? They must be worried sick about you two." The earth pony snorted. "Maybe you should go back and tell them about Ash."

"Yeaaaaa-no." Psych's response surprised her. "I'm staying here with Ash. You said so yourself that he needs me."

"Well...he needs the rest of his family too." Fluttershy said nervously drawing circles in the bed sheet. "I think it'd be good for Ash if your whole family was here..."

"Don't talk to me about family." Psych told her crossly setting his plate down. "As far as I'm concerned, Ash is my only family."

Fluttershy was stunned by the coldness in his voice. "B-But they'll be so worried. And being worried is so-"

A maroon hoof held up in front of her face shut her up. "Those ponies despise me." She opened her mouth, but Psych cut her off. "For years, they've all acted like they care about us when in fact, they've rejected us all their lives. My so called 'dad' and 'brothers' all believe were all one joyous little family. Tch."

"I'm Grief, sorrow, pain, everything anypony would hate in their lives. Like everypony else, they reject me and cling to more pleasant stuff like happiness, contentment, and laughter. I'm a part of this world as well, yet they cast me off the minute I worm my way into their lives. They seek ways to alleviate their misery, casting me off in the process! They hate me! They resent my very existence! Well I won't stand for this you hear me! I will never-"

His raving was cut short as another violent bout of coughing and hacking struck him. "Oh-Oh my goodness! Are you-"

But Psych waved her off as she approached. Fluttershy was forced to watch helplessly as he jumped off the bed, holding a hoof to his chest as his body was wracked by coughs. She glanced ahead and saw Ash wide-eyed and staring at his brother surprised by the turn of events, an empty plate at his side.

"D...Dammit..." Psych muttered after his coughing had died down a little over a minute later. "Still haven't-*cough!*cough!*-R-recovered..."

Seeing him panting and wheezing, Fluttershy hopped off her bed and approached him warily. "Um...Psych? Did something happen to you too?"

He growled. "*cough*! None of your concern...*cough!*cough!*cough!* Ugh..."

The foreleg keeping him up trembled and gave way. Fluttershy gasped and quickly helped him up despite his protests. "Why didn't you say you were hurt too? Do you want me to get you anything?" she said fretting a little.

Again, he waved her off. "Believe me, Ash needs your concern more than I do. I'll be fine on my own."

"But-"

"I'll be fine." Psych insisted forcefully. "All I require is some bed rest, but Ash's*cough!*gonna need more than that.*cough!*cough!*cough!*Save your energy and care for him..."

Fluttershy drew back and surveyed him. "Well...if you won't let me take care of you, then you should go home and get some rest." Psych opened his mouth to protest, but Fluttershy continued. "You can't really take care of Ash if you're not doing well either can't you?"

Psych snorted and stood upright irritated by his condition, the idea of leaving Ash and the fact that she was right. "A-And don't worry. I promise Ash will well cared for, so you don't have to worry." she quickly added with a hopeful smile.

Pouting, Psych sighed. "Fine. However, I will be back here tomorrow morning to check up on him."

After seeing her nod in agreement, Psych hopped on back on the bed. Ash, who had been silent during their exchange, found his brothers forelegs wrapped around him tightly and his chin resting on his shoulder. He could feel Psych stroke his back gently, like a mother comforting their crying foal.

"Take care." He brought his head up and gently kissed his brother's forehead. Psych jumped off the bed and gazed one last time at Fluttershy who responded with a nod and a reassuring smile. Satisfied, he trotted out of the room; Fluttershy vaguely heard him head head downstairs and eventually out her door.

She then turned her attention to the empty plate at Ash's side. "Here; let me get that." She took the plate in her mouth and stacked it with the others before placing them back on the tray. "You get some rest now while I finish up downstairs OK?"

Ash nodded slowly and watched her leave with the tray of empty dishes. Once downstairs, she deposited them in her sink and got to washing the, humming a merry tune as she did. She mentally went over her current food supply, checking if there was any broccoli lying around at all.

Soft but rapid tapping from behind caught her attention. Looking over her shoulder, she spotted Angel gazing at her expectantly. "Almost done here Angel." She rinsed off her last plate and put it in her dish rack. "Now, who's hungry?"

Angel smiled as Fluttershy laid a fresh carrot in front of him and quickly got to munching on it. With him done, his owner fetched a large sack of animal feed and dragged it to the middle of her living room. She took a deep breath and cried out loudly yet in a somewhat soft tone: "Dinner time!"

At once, all sorts of animals emerged from from their homes in response. Bluejays, hummingbirds and sparrows perched outside their birdhouses. Mice and rabbits scurried out of their holes and lined up ready to eat. Ferrets, raccoons, lizards and others animals heeded her call hungry for a meal.

It took Fluttershy half an hour to feed all her animals and get them settled. Seeing them all cozy in their nests made her yawn and rub her eye. It had been an exhausting day for her, and she couldn't wait to get some rest. She trotted over to the stairs intending to check on Ash one last time before turning in for the night.

A bright flash and a loud sound suddenly appeared; Fluttershy shrieked and dove under her couch head covered, teeth chattering and trembling in fright. "Wh-Wh-Wh-Who's-Th-Th-There?"

Her answer came in the form of three gentle knocks upon her door. Gulping, she took a cautious step out of her hiding place and laid low as she approached the door. She reached up for the knob and pushed the door open preparing to duck back under the couch if necessary.

She was greeted by a tall silver pony-no. An alicorn? I thought the princesses were the only ones around.

"Er, good evening." He raised an eyebrow at her. "Are you Ms. Fluttershy? I was told she lived here."

"Yup. That's her." a voice from behind him said. Fluttershy peered around the alicorn and spotted three ponies behind him, two of which she recognized.

"Scar? Ironhead?" she asked standing up slowly.

"Hey...Been a while huh?" Scar said scratching his head nervously."Yeah. We only met like once right?" Ironhead responded.

"That's right." She turned to the pony other she didn't recognize. "Um..."

"Ah. Solstice. A pleasure to meet you Ms. Fluttershy." The unicorn gave her a respectful bow.

"And I am their father, Equinox." The alicorn nodded at her. "Earlier, we discovered by Ash and Psych missing and sent out a search party. Psych suddenly appeared saying that Ash was with you."

"That's right. I've been taking care of Ash since earlier today. He was in really bad shape when I found him..." Fluttershy told him. Worry and panic gripped Equinox's heart painfully. "I've treated his wounds, put him to bed and gave him some food. He's in a far better condition now."

"Thank goodness." Equinox and his sons exchanged several relieved glances. "Ash has been hurt for the past few days. All of us have been trying to help him, but to no avail. When he vanished..." He gulped and shuddered, fear in his eyes. "I...I feared for his life." He shook his head. "I've no idea how to thank you Ms. Fluttershy."

"Just a simple thank you will do Mr. Equinox." Fluttershy told him. "I just couldn't leave him all hurt and alone could I?"

Equinox smiled still wishing he could do something in return for her kindness. "May we come in and see him?" Solstice asked.

With a nod, Fluttershy stepped aside and gestured them inside. Equinox led the way and stepped into the cottage, his sons right behind him. Solstice looked around Fluttershy's living room as he entered. "My, what a cozy little-"

A trio of robins were suddenly swarming around his head chirping angrily and pecking wherever they could reach. Letting out a startled cry, he instinctively raised a teal barrier around himself; the birds continued to flutter around it looking for an opening.

"A little help here!" Scar was directly behind him, surrounded by several raccoons, their fur raised in agitation. At the rear, Ironhead as shaking his head wildly; Solstice could make out a large number of mice clinging to it.

"Oh my goodness! P-Please stop hurting them..." But the animals paid her no heed. Seeking to end this quickly, Solstice lit up his horn; the chattering, growling and squeaking stopped as each animal was engulfed in a teal magical aura, holding them in place. He gently lifted them away from his brothers.

"I assure you I'm not hurting them." Solstice said to a shocked Fluttershy. Her pets struggled against the magical hold on them. "I should explain. Animals...are not very fond of us."

She noticed him place a hoof on his chest but didn't question it. "Well...that explains why they also went a little crazy when Ash came in..."

"A little crazy?" Ironhead asked incredulously.

She shuffled nervously a little as Solstice put the animals back in their homes. "A-Anyway, Ash is upstairs at end of the corridor. I think he should still be awake."

Equinox nodded at her and galloped upstairs with his sons. From her position at at the foot of the stairs, she could make out their hurried hoofsteps, the sound of the door creaking open and their relieved cries of: "Ash!"

She could picture the scene as if she was up there herself. She could imagine the relief and love in Equinox's as he embraced his hurt son. She could picture Solstice telling him that everything would turn out fine, a gentle smile on his face. She could hear Ironhead laughing as he punched Ash lightly in the shoulder hopefully away from a bruise and Scar joking about it.

She would've loved to be up there as well but decided against it. Such a tender moment should be spent with family after all.

---

"How is Psych by the way? I sent him home after I saw him coughing a lot."

Fluttershy and the family minus Ash had assembled in her living room. She offered them tea, but they refused saying that they would be out in a moment. "Psych is currently in bed." Solstice explained. "My brother Blues remained at home to tend to him. He told us to send Ash his regards."

"I still have no idea how to thank you properly for all you've done Fluttershy." Equinox told her. "But for now, you needn't worry about him. Ash is in a good enough condition to return home with us."

Her eyes widened. "R-Really?"

"Yeah. Don't worry; we'll make sure he's OK. He'll be in good hooves." Scar assured her.

"I um...That's good, but..." She didn't know how to put it. She was the only pony who could help Ash now; he couldn't leave. "He...Ash can't leave yet..." she squeaked.

The stallions looked at her puzzled. "We're perfectly capable of caring for him on our own." Equinox told her. "If you're concerned about transport, a simple teleportation spell would-"

"I'm sorry. I-I'm not saying you can't take care of him, but..." She gulped. "He needs me..."

More confused gazed from her guests. "Needs you?" Solstice asked. "If anything, Ash needs his family during his recovery to tend to him. We've been doing so for the past few days."

"But it's not working isn't it?" Fluttershy said surprising them. "He's always been rejecting you every time you help him right?" They nodded a her. "Well, he's been accepting my help. I actually got him to eat."

Equinox spoke up. "Have you tried steamed broccoli? They're-"

"His favorites. I know." she finished. "And no I haven't."

"Ash's always a sucker for that. Dunno why though; that stuff's nasty." Scar stuck his tongue out in disgust and chuckled. "We tried that once, and he still didn't eat it. One of the freakiest things I've ever seen."

"Yes well, I was able to get him to eat several times today." Fluttershy continued. "He's still upset all the time, but he's letting me help him, and I really don't know why...I'm not sure if he'll still want to be helped if he leaves."

Her explanation got them all thinking. "B-but it's still your decision. If you still want to take him home with you, that's fine with me." she added hastily.

The brothers turned to the alicorn. "Well father, the decision is yours." Solstice told him.

Equinox took his time. He would honestly feel much more reassured if Ash were at home safe and sound and cared for by his family, not that he didn't trust or doubt Fluttershy or anything; she clearly knew well what to do. If Ash was only willing to accept help from her, then what would he do if he was taken away? There was the possibility of him slipping back into his old ways, rejecting any help, slowly wasting away...

"Actually, the decision is not mine to make." he announced. "All of us here only wish for Ash to be well cared for. Perhaps it is best that we should ask him what he would like to be done."

"Well that does sound fair." Fluttershy commented. "Ash should still be awake by now. "Now's a good time as ever to ask him."

They all nodded in agreement and headed upstairs. Fluttershy opened the door and found Ash still awake and sitting on her bed. His head snapped up as the door opened. "Hello again Ash. Still feeling well son?" Equinox asked.

Ash paused for a moment before nodding slightly. Fluttershy and the rest of his family stepped into the room. "We've been discussing with Fluttershy Ash." Solstice informed. "We would all like to know whether you would like to return home with us or stay here while you recover."

Ash blinked twice as he gazed at them all. "Go home or stay?" he asked back.

"Whatever you decide is fine with all of us." Fluttershy added. "So what do you want Ash?"

What he wanted? He honestly didn't know. He looked from his family to Fluttershy and then back feeling at a lost. He clenched his sheets thinking that he was undeserving of any of their care. He didn't belong anywhere as far as he was concerned, he didn't belong anywhere. He should've been left all alone in that forest, hurt and alone, unnoticed by everypony, even Fluttershy.

Fluttershy...

"I...I want to stay here..." he answered quietly.

"Hmm?" Equinox was a little surprised. "Are you certain? We only want what's best for you." Ash nodded stiffly, and Equinox sighed and turned to Fluttershy. "It looks like Ash in your hooves now. Are you sure you're up to this?"

"Ash has been very cooperative, so I don't think it would be too much trouble." she replied. "If he really wants to stay here, then I promise he'll be well cared for." She did very strange motivations, drawing an x over her chest, extended her hoof and poked herself in the eye, earning confused stares from the others. "Um...sorry..." She shrank back a little.

She was spared by a yawn coming from Ash. "You've had a long day and need your rest." Equinox said as he reached over and hugged his son. "I promise to visit every day until you get better. Get well soon my son..."

Solstice and his brothers joined in, their warmth making Ash shudder a little. They eventually pulled away, each giving polite nods to Fluttershy as they left. "Thank you again for everything Ms. Fluttershy." Equinox, the last of them, said as he passed he doorway.

She smiled and nodded back wordlessly saying that she would care for his son as best she could. Feeling much better than he had been for the past several hours, Equinox left. Straining her ears, she could make out the sound of her front door closing followed by the familiar sound of teleportation as the family vanished.

"You have a very nice family Ash." she commented turning towards the colt on her bed. "I can see that they all really love you."

Ash remained silent and rubbed his elbow. "It must be nice having all those brothers around." she went on. "I don't really have any siblings like you do, so I really don't know what its like..."

"They love me..." Ash clenched his sheets. "How can they love me when I am is evil?...How can they even stand being with me when all I can do is hurt, kill and destroy?..." He looked up at her, misery in his eyes. "How can you stand me?"

She slowly approached him, speaking in a soothing voice. "Ash, they're your family. You just...just don't hate family; I don't think any of them could. They're like this because somepony they love is hurt and sad and needs help. No matter what you've done, they can't possibly imagine leaving you all alone can they?"

"And um...as for me...I used to be afraid of you, but now...I can't do that. What you need isn't a pony to be afraid of you. You need a pony who will treat you right, who cares for you, who wants to see you happy...You need a friend..."

His ears perked up at the last word. Fluttershy fidgeted a little, rubbing a foreleg while looking away for a moment. "I wanna ask again...if it's OK with you...would you like to be my friend?"

Friend?

The word echoed in his mind, bouncing around inside it like a rubble ball. It brought for thought, the same dark, angry thoughts that tossed and turned in his mind bringing crushing agony as they did. Friend?...Friend...I'm vile...I'm evil...I'm horrible...I'm cruel...I don't deserve-

One look into those eyes made all the pain vanish.

"I..."

"I'm sorry?" She leaned a little closer hoping to hear the answer she was hoping for. Ash swallowed the massive lump stuck in his throat feeling much at ease.

"I...I want to be your friend..."

The smile she gave him...It was almost infectious.

Comments

[laser68]

[SageBrony07]

That was soo sweet. Best of luck FLuttershy. Now we need for Twilight and Solstice to talk about why Pyshic said, as well and Scar confronting Rainbow Dash.

[NIGHT-RAVE]

loving the the progression