//------------------------------// // Ch.3: Don't Leave Me // Story: The Green Leaves of Everfree // by Nordryd //------------------------------// “Angel?  Angel Bunny?  Where are you?” Fluttershy’s flashlight pierced through the dense, pitch-black foliage of Camp Everfree as she frantically searched for her bunny.  These beautiful woods were certainly more ominous at midnight. Fluttershy walked slowly, throwing the beam of light every which way, hoping to find Angel anywhere. “A-Angel?” she cried again, but no avail. Rustling bushes caused Fluttershy to yelp, jumping back and freezing in place.  The light visibly shook as she waited for something to pop out.  Thankfully, nothing did.  Fluttershy whimpered as she pressed on. “Angel, please,” Fluttershy pleaded.  “M-Mommy doesn’t like being in the woods alone.” Still nothing. A light breeze caused Fluttershy to shiver, goosebumps crawling up her skin.  She kept her arms close to her body to retain warmth. Fluttershy whimpered.  “I wish Coppermane was here.” The breeze seemed to pick up, breaking the silence with rustling leaves and bushes.  Fluttershy was about to soldier on, until she heard something.  Something that should not be. Laughter.  Quiet, but dark laughter. Fluttershy’s light darted around her as her shivering became more violent, but not from chills. “Oh… where are you, Angel?” Fluttershy cooed, aimlessly pressing forward.  Why did Angel have to run away? Another sound rang through the forest.  The same laughter from before.  This time… from ahead.  Fluttershy froze dead in her tracks, shaking uncontrollably and dropping her flashlight. Slowly but surely, Fluttershy reached down for the flashlight.  The darkness forced her to feel around the ground for the flashlight’s frigid metal.  But before she grabbed it… a light.  A strange pink light came to life in front of her.  Her reflexes and fear caused her eyes to shut, covered by her hand.  Once she found her flashlight, she slowly allowed herself to open her eyes. Gem dust.  A trail of gem dust. Fluttershy’s heart stopped.  The mysterious trail only made her think of one thing.  Of a certain campfire story.  Slowly looking up, she saw her.  Fluttershy gasped and fell back, being stared down by… her. Wild blue hair.  Demonic green eyes.  A face of pure malice.  Levitating and radiating dark green magic.  And in her wake… gem dust. Suddenly, the entity gleamed with a bright green light.  Vines seemed to erupt from her back, and her eyes shimmered with a malevolent green glow. GET OUT!!! Fluttershy screamed at the top of her lungs as she struggled to stand.  She ran as fast as she could through the void-saturated forests, leaving a trail of tears behind her.  She glanced back, and saw the creature was following her.  A roar from it made Fluttershy scream and run faster. “Somebody!!!  Help me!!!” Fluttershy cried. YOU SHOULD NEVER HAVE COME!!! Fluttershy didn’t give the creature another glance.  She just kept running.  Running for her life. The woods seemed to be boundless.  Tree after tree.  Bush after bush.  A cry from the entity caused more trees to erupt from the ground, seemingly to try and hinder Fluttershy’s escape. THESE WOODS ARE MINE!!! “Help me!!! Please!!!” Fluttershy screamed.  Her legs started burning as she rapidly lost stamina.  Her lungs were on fire, but she kept sprinting.  She had to get away. The light behind her began to fade.  She was getting away! Oof! The waning light hindered her vision, causing her to bump into someone, tackling them to the ground. Fluttershy recovered and managed to find her flashlight through her cloudy vision.  She heaved for oxygen as she turned the flashlight on. “I… I’m so sorry… I…” she gasped when she saw… “Coppermane!” “Fluttershy, there you are,” Coppermane said.  “Why are you out here so late?” “Coppermane, there’s no time!  She’s here!” “What?” “We have to go now!” Fluttershy cried.  “Before she catches us!” “Before who catches us?” Coppermane asked.  “Fluttershy, what happened?  You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” “Coppermane, please!  We have to hurry!  She’s right behind…” Fluttershy stopped when the familiar, sinister green light appeared. “Coppermane, we have to go!  Before—” A roar from the creature caused many spiky brambles to sprout from the ground. YOU WON’T TAKE THESE WOODS FROM ME!!! Another roar, and a huge bramble erupted right below Fluttershy’s feet. “Fluttershy!” Coppermane shouted, pushing Fluttershy out of the way as the brambles grabbed at her.  She tumbled to the ground as Coppermane tackled her, getting ensnared instead. “Coppermane!  No!” Fluttershy screamed, running up to help. “Fluttershy!  Just go!  Save yourself!” “No!  I won’t leave you!” “Fluttershy, I’ll be fine!  Get out of here!” GET OUT OF MY FOREST!!! The brambles shuddered, lifting Coppermane off the ground to face the entity. “Fluttershy, go!!!” The entity bellowed again, throwing Fluttershy back.  She recovered just in time to watch the brambles tighten around Coppermane, and with another roar, the entity summoned another bramble from the ground, impaling Coppermane through his chest. “COPPERMANE!!!” Fluttershy watched in horror as Coppermane’s body went limp in the brambles as his blood dripped down the vine. “No… no… no…” Fluttershy beckoned, tears falling down her face. The brambles retreated into the earth, dropping Coppermane’s lifeless, bloody body on the ground. “C-Coppermane… no…” The creature let out another roar before leering at Fluttershy.  The last thing she saw was the beast charging her… “No!!!” Fluttershy screamed, practically heaving for oxygen.  It took a second for her to regain her bearings, but she wasn’t in the woods anymore.  She was in her tent, still in bed.  Her body began to tremble as tears drenched her face. “Fluttershy?  Are you okay?  What’s wrong?” That voice.  Was it really…? Fluttershy looked behind her, and gasped when she saw… “Coppermane!” Fluttershy cried, giving him a big kiss before throwing her arms around him and holding him tight. “F-Fluttershy?” Coppermane asked.  “Babe, what happened?  Did you have a bad dream?” Fluttershy didn’t say a word, holding her prince tightly.  Tighter than she’s ever held him before, drenching his shoulder with her tears.  She felt Coppermane’s embrace tighten around her as well, rubbing her back. “Fluttershy, what’s wrong?  Talk to me.” Fluttershy whimpered.  “Just… don’t let go.  Don’t ever leave me.” She didn’t let go.  She kept her embrace firm around her prince.  Coppermane gave her a kiss on the cheek and began rubbing her back as she kept crying. “Don’t worry, Fluttershy.  I won’t.  I’ll always be here for you, I promise.”