Chapter 1
Trudging through the Everfree forest in the middle of the night was pretty much suicidal and for a mare like Fluttershy who who would usually avoid it like a plaque during daylight, even considering walking in the unnatural forest was enough to send her into a panic attack. And yet, here she was, vulnerable and clearly out of her mind. There was no end to the strange things that lurked deep in the forest. Anything from manticores to cockatrices to Celestia's knows what else. And that was just animals. There was also a wide variety of strange and obscure plants, some deadly and others with strange effects. It was enough to make the pegasus shudder. She would rather be back home, curled up in her bed, far away from the Everfree forest. Yet the thought of Angel Bunny wandering around the forest at night was the only thing that kept her from running away.
"Angel?" she said in a soft tone, echoing through the dense forest. "Oh, I hope I find him soon" said Fluttershy, biting her lipAs she walked she was looking at every shrub and tree. While she was the element of Kindness and loved animals to death, even she knew there were some animals, rare and few in between, that just wouldn't respond to her kindness. There was also the possibility of somepony else lurking nearby, ready to attack. Fluttershy found her self back in flight camp, listening to horror stories that her other cabin mates told as she cowered under her blankets.
Oh she hated horror stories. She really, really did. Yet, even though she was under her blankets and trying not to listen to the stories being told she was anyway. “And then she turned around and came face to face with: Zipper, the pony with chainsaws for hooves!” She screamed. She hadn't intended to, but it was too scary. “Hey lighten up Fluttershy, It's just a story” The pegasus mare poked her head out from under her blankets and came face to face with her best friend, the ever proud and confident Rainbow Dash. “Oh but Dashie it's so scary!” said the yellow pegasus whimpering. Rainbow Dash blushed at the mention of her nickname. Though she had to admit, it was better than the other name people preferred to call her. Rainbow Crash. “Don't worry, as long as I'm here no crazy pony with chainsaws for hooves is going to break in here and kill you” assured Rainbow.
Fluttershy squealed. “Are you sure?” she asked, biting her lip. Rainbow nodded. “Positive, there is no way anypony could get in...unless...” The yellow mare squealed again. “Unless?” Fluttershy asked, her voice turning to a whisper and her pupils becoming as large as dinner plates. “Unless they come in from under your bed!” Rainbow cackled and rolled her eyes when the mare before her returned to cowering beneath her blankets. “I'm just joking...Don't worry, If you want I'll sleep with you.” said Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy once more poked her head out. “Are you sure?” she asked in a hopeful voice. Rainbow nodded and motioned for her to move over before crawling in next to her. “Are your really sure you want to share a bed with me? I mean I don't mind, but um” said Fluttershy. “Nah it's cool... don't worry” said Rainbow, yawning. Fluttershy smiled and snuggled against her cloud pillow. Within minutes she was asleep.
Fluttershy was pulled back from her flashback by the rustling of leaves. Squealing, she found her self backing up into a bush. Her eyes were wide with fear as she tried to located where the sound was coming through. She looked around frantically before her eyes landed on a patch of tall grass. Her breath halted as she watched the grass blades move. Was it a serial killer? Zecora? She hoped it was. Zecora that is. Suddenly a soft squeak emanated from the grass. “Angel?” she asked hesitantly. Fluttershy perked up at the possibility of being reunited with her pet and hopefully being out of the forest soon. A small white face popped out of the grass. The pegasus squealed in happiness before rushing to scoop up her beloved pet. “Oh Angel! I was so worried! What were you thinking running into the Everfree in the middle of the night?” she asked, frowning.
The rabbit scowled and rolled his eyes. “Don't roll your eyes at me Mister, you could have been killed! Or eaten! Oh are you hurt? Do you need something to eat? Water? Or-” The rabbit silenced her by putting a paw over her mouth. Listening to her ramble was annoying. Though, as he listened to his stomach grumble, he could use some food. After voicing his desires through small squeaks, the pegasus smiled and promised him of a big, juicy salad when they returned to their cottage. Glancing around the pegasus realized that wouldn't be for a while because in her haste to rescue Angel she forgot to remember which direction she had came in from. “I don't suppose you know the way out?” asked Fluttershy sheepishly.
~
Choosing a random direction to walk in turned out to be a bad idea. She was nearly positive that they had passed by the giant oak tree twice before. “Oh dear, I think we are just going in a random circle!” she said looking around The rabbit rolled his eyes for what seemed like the the sixth time in the last hour. There was more than one reason why his mistress didn't have a cutie mark in adventuring or anything of that such nature and this was one of the reasons. The pegasus as he had come to know over the years was prone to getting lost. In places where it was near impossible to get lost in. He snickered as he remembered the time that she had freaked out over getting lost in the pet supply store one time. She spent a good thirty minutes panicking because she couldn't find the exit.
“What about this way?” The rabbit jumped a foot in the air by the sudden voice. Fluttershy was pointing to a direction they had not taken before. And for good reason. Even though it was night, there was a particular trail that was completely pitch black. It also had a warning sign with a picture of what appeared to be a Manticore on it. Angel shook his head and crossed his arms. He wasn't getting killed. “Oh I know it's scary, but we need to get out of here! Before something gets us!” stated Fluttershy. He sighed and grudgingly nodded. Waiting around was just as bad as trudging down the mysterious trail. Slowly the duo set off, both of them on edge.
It took over an hour before they found something that indicated the way out. They found them selves in a small clearing with rocks and flowers covering the ground. Fluttershy was positive she had passed through here on her way in. Yawning, Fluttershy trudged over to a boulder and sat down. “Maybe we should take a little break?” asked the yellow mare. Angel glanced around and shook his head. “Please? Just a few minutes” asked Fluttershy again, rubbing her eyes as she emitted a yawn. The rabbit shook her and squeaked at her angrily. “Just...a few minutes” she stated. Her eyes were beginning to drop and close. Angel tried his best to keep her awake but in seconds she was off in Lala land. He scowled. It was just like her to do something like this. But maybe she was right. Just a few minutes. Then they could go. The rabbit stretched and made his way over to a patch of grass. Curling up, he let out a yawn before he too was dragged under sleep's spell.
~
It was the small loud, scared squeaks that awoke Fluttershy from sleep's embrace. She slowly rubbed her eye lids and looked around in confusion. “Angel?” she asked, yawning. Realizing that he wasn't anywhere to be seen she jumped up from her makeshift bed and began searching frantically. “Angel? ANGEL!” her yells were just as frantic as her searching. It was then she heard it. Chuckling. Freezing in her place, she slowly turned and came face to face with a stallion. From the little light coming in from the moon above she managed to make him out. He seemed like any other stallion at first glance. He was an had blue fur and short white hair. His tail was docked liked any other earth pony and he wore a vest and saddle bag. It was when you looked down you noticed the difference. His hooves were made of what appeared metal, crudely shaped and bulky.
“Gotta problem with amputees?” asked the strange stallion. Fluttershy blushed when she realized she had been staring. “Oh um sorry....have you seen a bunny by any chance?” she askedAt first he just let out a small chuckle. Then it turned into a full out maniacal laugh. “Um sorry what's so funny?” asked Fluttershy. She took a step back. The way he was acting was...peculiar. Grinning, he reached in his bag and pulled out a unconscious rabbit. Before process the situation stallion had thrown the bunny, her pet bunny, on the ground before them. “What are-” She stopped and stared as he raised a hoof. There was a loud buzz as a long saw blade shot out of the metal hoof. It was suddenly then she got what was going on. Before she could even move the stallion had brought the blade down on rabbit. She screamed in terror as he cut through Angel Bunny like a knife cutting through butter. Fluttershy tried to move, she really did. But she could only stare in disbelief and shock at the sight of her Angel, now cut in half with his entrails coming out. “Why?” she asked, barely able to form the question. He grinned and held up the bloody blade to her. “Don't be surprised deary. I do this for a living...don't worry you and your precious little vermin will be together again soon.” said the blue stallion
~
She ran as fast as she could, not bothering to look where she was going. Tears clouded her eyes as she tried her best to navigate the forest in the dark of the night. The forest was dead silent save for the sound of hooting owls and her heavy laboured breathing. She dared not look behind her or slow down in fear that he would catch her. Her little bunny was dead. Her little Angel. And she had done nothing to prevent it. The pegasus sobbed and tried her best to block out the memory of his corpse.
Fluttershy found her self in a dead end, blocked off by a wall of rock. Panting she desperately looked around her for another way forward. Both her left and right were blocked by rock as well. “Forgot your wings eh?”
She screamed and found herself being pushed head first into the rocky ground. “Still it made it a lot easier to catch you” said the stallion in an amused voice. Fluttershy found her self being turned over. The blue stallion grinned at her and held up his saw blade. “Don't worry it will only hurt a lot” he stated. She tried to fight him she really did, she even tried using her wings to fly off now that she remembered them, but he was strong. He pinned her and sat on top her to prevent her from moving. Grinning, he lifted the blade to her face. “Why are you doing this?” asked Fluttershy in a pleading tone. He pressed a hoof to her lips. “Because I have a legend to maintain. I can let my name fade out with history! Zipper must be remembered by all!” shouted the stallion, now known as Zipper. He brought the blade to her neck. “Please! NO!” screamed the pegasus. he smiled again “Don't worry it will all be over soon” His laugh was all she heard before the world went black.
~
Someone was shaking her, she wasn't sure why but they but they were, waking her from sleep. Slowly she opened her eyes, groaning as sunlight invaded her senses. She sat up and glanced around, confused to find her self in her own room, in her own bed. “Wha-” She screamed as something hit her in the side of the head and fell in her lap. Looking down she came to realize the object was none other than her brush. After looking around briefly she came face to face with big black eyes. She squealed and lunged forward. Before Angel Bunny knew it, he was in a rib crushing hold as his mistress placed kisses all over his face. “I'm so glad your okay! I thought you were dead!” said Fluttershy, squeezing him. Angel tried desperately to squirm out of the hug but Fluttershy's grip was iron. “I'm so glad it was just a dream!” she stated. Fluttershy's happiness lasted only a moment when she came to realize something. “ANGEL BUNNY! WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT THROWING THINGS!” yelled Fluttershy. Angel gulped. He was in trouble now....
The end? Yeah.