//------------------------------// // Chapter eight: The first day on the ground // Story: Little Mac and Cannotfly // by Akataja //------------------------------// The bad thing about nightmares is, when you are easily afraid, you can have a lot of them and so it was for Fluttershy; since her early fillyhood, she had a ton of nightmares. Some about falling from Cloudsdale in an endless hole, some about getting eaten by a giant head of lettuce and some about being changed into a kickball on the schoolyard. But now she had the worst nightmare of her lifetime and the most restless sleep. Her entire body seemed to burn and was frozen by ice in the next second, she kicked her blankets away, just to search for them and roll up in it again, then kicking it away again. She was captured in a dim state of sleep and she wasn't able to wake up or sleep tight, not even the sharp stinging pain in her left wing was able to get her back in reality. She saw some blurred images in front of her inner eye and heard some voices but in a very far distance. They seemed to be different voices, she thought she could recognize the voice of her father, and maybe the Voice of Rainbowdash, but it was hard to tell. “You are useless!” “How is she Doc?” “I really hate you!” “Don't disturb him! He is working!” “I really wish that you died.” “The fever is getting worse!” “Maybe you are the worst flyer around and maybe you will be forever.” “There is no other way, I need to operate, right now!” “It's your fault that your mother died!” She could feel that really hard pain again, but even harder. Do I have to die now? Maybe it is what I deserve, I am so sorry... “The heartbeat drops! Darn it!” “Just die you pathetic useless piece!” “So much blood here.” “Nobody needs you here.” “Hold to it!” “Maybe Flyingacademie was a bad idea, right?” “No, no, no, no, no, no, no!” “Such a shame...” I am sorry. I couldn't be of any use for anypony. Finally, the pain started to go away and there was this cold again, endless cold, numb and peacefully, the darkness came over her. “I lost the pulse, Sir.” No more pain, no more shame, just nothingness, maybe this was the place where she belonged. She could spread her wings, but she was already flying into the darkness. “Is it over? It can't be, we have to” The voice became quite, they disappeared, nothing to hear, nothing to see. Fluttershy wasn't sure, but she thought she lost a tear, she doesn't want to leave this world. She loved this world, the light, the air, the clouds, the little critters, her friend Rainbowdash and even her Dad, but it seemed like there was no place for her in this world and this world full of darkness and a peaceful numbness was calling for her. But something was holding her, or at least her hoof. It did not let her go. What is this? Why is it holding to me? When Fluttershy opened her eyes slightly, she looked down at her hoof and she saw it, there was another hoof holding her, a big red hoof. It was several times larger than her hoof, big enough to smash her head in an instant, but the touch was very gentle. And she could feel something warm pressing against her cheek and hear a deep voice, whispering to her “please don’t go.” So there really is somepony who wants me to stay in this world? “I have a pulse again, Sir!” “Then quick boy! Use the siring!” After that, there came a warm numbness to her body, but she still kept the feeling of this hoof holding her and this warm feeling on her cheek. She knew this feeling, from a real long time ago, she began to remember a face, of a beautiful mare, her face was full of tears, crying in agony and smiling happily at the same time, looking at her, looking at Fluttershy. Fluttershys throat was hurting, it was slimy and tight and feel like it was filled with razors, but she had to say this word. “Mommy...” Then she fell into a sweet, dreamless sleep. Celestia raised the sun, like she did every day, everywhere in Equestria. The sun's light broke through the clouds and fell on Fluttershy's face. It was a nice way to be awakened, she felt a nice warm softness around her, was she in her bed again? Was she again in Cloudsdale? Was that all just a bad dream? Maybe this would be the best. Yes! Fluttershy was back in Cloudsdale! Her father don't want to sell her to some strange old stallions, and when somewhere deep under her, on the ground, existed a little Angelbunny, it was all fine and together with his still living mother and siblings and she was still the non-skilled Cannotfly Fluttershy. Normally after such a nightmare, she would jump from her bed, but not this time, she tried to hold on to the sleep. Not anything in her nightmare was bad, at least she was surrounded by very friendly ponies, which cared for her and even risk they live to save her and there was this handsome red stallion- Wait! Handsome? Fluttershy felt something in her face, something wet and cold, it was very small and touched her cheek and her Nose. Now she had to open her eyes slowly “Oh! It's you little Angelbunny.” the little white rabbit sat next to her on her pillow and was sniffing at her face. Wait! Little Angelbunny!? She was totally shocked, anypony else would now dash out of the bed to see where he was. But not Fluttershy, she knew there was little Angelbunny next to her and she did not want to scare the little bunny or even throw it off the bed. Fluttershy raised herself, slow and calm, she let out a cute little yawn and was going to spread her wings, but there was a sharp pain in her left wing, she looked at it and saw all the bandages that covered it. After the sharp pain, there was still a slow, poking pain, it reminded her, that she now was in reality, but she wasn't in Cloudsdale and not in her room. She was in a huge bed, really huge, four ponies her size would fit inside this bed and every one of them had enough space to spread their wings. She could smell that the bed covers were fresh, but they still smelled funny because the pillow wasn't filled with down, it was filled with hay, fresh hay. She smelled it with her pony nose and her stomach was growling, she nearly wanted to eat the hay out of the pillow, but she raised her head again and looked around. This here wasn't her room, this room was made of wood, not from clouds! She really was on the ground. So that means that all the bad things really happened? She had to flee from her home, her dad hated her and little Angelbunny lost its siblings and mother. She looked at Angelbunny, the bunny was munching on a leaf of lettuce and looked back at her.  “I am sorry Angelbunny...” she whispered to the critter. Fluttershy left the bed, very carefully to not interrupt the white rabbit, but as soon as she slid from the mattress the white little critter jumped from the bed and followed her. Fluttershy was looking around, she noticed a poster from the Wonderbolts, she had the same in her room, but this one was older and repaired with tape. She reached her hoof for it, she wanted to touch it, to see if it was real, but she put her hoof down. She noticed all the picture from strange ponies around her, and a bookshelf full of unknown books and some trophies. Flutters walked over to a big golden trophy and read the plaque “First place in Ponyvilles strongest stallion competition: Big McIntosh Apple.” She rolled that name over her tongue and lips, did she know that name? She reached her hoof again, this time she wanted to feel the punched letters of the plague. She shrieked hard when little Angelbunny jumped on her back and climbed her head, but Fluttershy was so scared that she lost the little critter and the rabbit fell inside the pot, it slid around on the smooth surface, it seemed to be very funny. “Oh no.” Fluttershy whispered to the bunny, that was sliding around with a happy face “we can't play with that! This doesn't belong to us.” she reached with her head for the bunny to grab it with her teeth. At this moment Apple Jack entered the room, she looked at the shy little surprised yellow mare with the white bunny in her mouth, AJ had to chuckle so hard she nearly lost the plate she carried. She put the plate with the soup on a shelf “here yah' go Missy, Granny Smiths famous apple soup, that gives yah' a lot of energy. Doc Horse said yah' will need a lot of strength.” AJ looked with a smile at her guest, the yellow mare seemed a bit younger than herself, but maybe just because she hides her face behind her pink mane. ”Yah' name's Fluttershy, right? Well, that fits like an apple in a pot Missy! Mah' name is AppleJack.” But the shy mare didn’t answer, or did she? AJ had to look closely, yes the mare moved her mouth, but she was whispering to quite “Ahma' sorry gale, but ah' didn't understand yah', maybe yah' coul' speak a lil' bit louder?” The yellow Pegasus had to gather up some strength and talked again, this time AJ definitely hear something, but still “eh sorry? Coul' you repeat that?” The third try at least was loud enough to understand her “thank you, Miss AppleJack.” and Fluttershy blushed in an instant really hard. AJ had to giggle “No, ah' have to be honest, Missy, Yah' don't have to thank me, it was mah' brother who saved you.” She took Fluttershy's hoof and pulled her back to the bed “he risked his life to get the Doc here, just to save yah' live an' he gave up his room so you have a nice warm bed to recover. An' now it is mah' task to make sure this wasn't for nothing Missy!” she put her back in the bed “yah' will stay here and eat the soup.” she passed the plate to her. Fluttershy didn't move, she just looked at the soup, then at AppleJack and back. Angel Bunny was at her side, munching again on his lettuce. She was really hungry, but she couldn't eat yet. “What's the problem Missy?” asked Applejack annoyed. Fluttershy looked down and answered, but she was too quiet again “m nm nt iy.” “What was that Missy?” “mnmntiy!” “Again? Ah' can't hear yah' Missy!” Fluttershy looked up, the first time looking directly at AppleJack, without hiding her face. Fluttershy had left her home, if she liked it or not, she had to start a new life here on the ground, but her new life could not start with a new silly nickname. Maybe this was her chance to make her new life another better life, at least a little. “My Name isn't Missy! I am Fluttershy!” She instantly blushed and hide behind her mane again “Sorry. I don’t want to scream at you...” Fluttershy was not screaming at all, but her voice was clearly audible. AJ smiled at her “Nelly!” she said impressed “yah'r a bag full of surprises, Fluttershy!” she giggled “ah' think we coul' be very good friends!” The yellow mare looked up in surprise, her mane fell back and her widened eyes were clearly visible “You want to be my friend? But we don't know each other.” “That's not important,” said AppleJack “yah' helped mah' brother, that’s enough reason for a member o' the Apple Family to make new friends! Ah' always wanted a friend who is younger than me, ah' coul' show yah' how things works! How old a' yah'? Twelve?” Fluttershy smiled, She did not have many friends “I am 16 years old.” “What!?” was she really older than AppleJack? Fluttershy ate the whole bowl of soup and a second load and even a third. AppleJack was a really nice person, she brought her the food and even some more lettuce for Angel Bunny, Fluttershy wasn't very comfy with being served, but AJ left her no other choice. The blonde mare was two years younger than her, but she seemed way more experienced and wise, she also was very strong. Fluttershy already heard that Earth ponies were stronger than Pegasi or Unicorns, but it was the first time for her see it for herself when AJ came back in the room, carrying this huge wooden bathtub, filled with a big mirror and a lot of stuff for body hygiene. “Granny already cleaned you up after the operation, but maybe you want to clean yourself again?” Fluttershy looked up “What? Operation?” AJ was setting the Mirror “Oh yes! The Doc had to cut you up! There was a splinter of glass deep in your shoulder. He said the wound was infected. Nelly! Ah' thought you would die right on that sofa. It was mah' brother who holds to you when the doc thought yah' were dead. Why was there a splinter of glass in your shoulder? Did yah' dash through a window or something like that?” Fluttershy blushed and looked at her hoof, so this wasn't a dream, he was holding her hoof. She blushed gently and smiled without noticing. When she raised her eyes again she looked in the mirror, her plait was gone. She took her mane with her hooves and looked at her new friend Applejack. AJ noticed what she wanted to say “yes, we had to clean your mane. Ah' think it looks way better that way. Yah' have a beautiful mane, yah' can wear it open and long, an' don' hide ya' face, it's pretty.” of course AppleJack noticed the blush on Fluttershy's cheeks. “Well! I have to do some work now. Now make you ready.” “Ready? For what?” “Ya' have to get yah' lazy bumm' out of here and go to find mah' brother, he walks on the fields and ya' have to thank him!” “Eeeep!” She hides behind her mane again “your brother?” “Eeyep! Big MacIntosh Apple.” “Eeeeep!” “Is everything alright with you? Maybe the narcotics were too strong?” Fluttershy tilted her head “E-everything's alright here. Y-yes, you are right! I have go down to thank him! Eeep! I - I mean to visit him at the fields!” she blushed hard and took the pillow to hide her face. Applejack just had to giggle “Eyup, just make sure you don't forget it.” she left the room. Fluttershy was alone with Angelbunny, she looked in the mirror and fetched her mane out of her face then she looked to the rabbit “Do you think Big McIntosh Apple wants to be my friend too?”