For some time, the animals walked quietly along the main path winding between the bent and twisted trees. The level of light diminished startlingly fast; despite the late afternoon sun above, the forest was shrouded in semidarkness.
“Oh my,” said Opal, scrunching her nose in distaste. “This place is every bit as cheery as the rumors imply, isn’t it?”
“Were you expecting differently?” Angel asked. “Be glad it’s just dark and musty right now. Later on, we’ll probably have a whole lot more to worry about.”
“Oh yes. I am so looking forward to meeting all the bloodthirsty beasts,” Opal said sarcastically. “The thought of the seven of us getting the flesh stripped from our bones because of an attempt to help one unfortunate pony just fills me with so much excited anticipation.”
“No one’s forcin’ you to do this, you know,” Winona said crossly. “If you’re just gonna be gloomy and cynical all day, then I reckon we’d all appreciate it if ya just turn yourself around and walk out of here.”
“Oh, like you want to be here any more than I do,” Opal replied. “Why must you play the hero all the time, Winona? You’d get on my nerves a little less if you’d stop acting so superior to the rest of us. I’m sure you have your faults too.”
“Oh, well excuse me for trying to be a good neighbor to my fellow critters,” Winona replied, rolling her eyes.
“Good neighbor?” Angel cut in, turning around. “You certainly haven’t treated us as neighborly as you treat Fluttershy.”
“Now don’t you start on me!” Winona barked back. “You rascals haven’t given me any reason to! Do you expect me to sit by passively while your mob comes in and steals our crops?”
“Hey, we’re getting off topic here, aren’t we?” Gummy said. “I’m not usually one to be the voice of reason, but shouldn’t we return to the task at hand?”
“What do you know about staying on task, anyway?” Angel laughed. “All you ever do is stand around staring into space and spouting nonsense!”
“Hey, at least I don’t mind actively helping!” Gummy said, defending himself. “You know, instead of hiding out in the library all day like somebunny else here.”
“What are you implying?” Owloysius hooted angrily. “We wouldn’t even have gotten this far if it wasn’t for my research!”
The five angry animals continued to argue as Fluttershy looked on.
“Guys… please don’t fight…” she squeaked nervously. Her words went unheard as the intensity of the debate and insults increased.
“Maybe this was a bad idea after all,” she mumbled to herself.
A small chuckle came from behind her. “Don’t worry, Fluttershy,” said the comforting voice of Tank behind her. “Allow me to handle this.”
Tank took to the air and landed with a thump in the center of the arguing crowd, causing the others to stop speaking and look on in surprise.
“I’m disappointed in all of you,” Tank said slowly. “No one is to blame for anything here. All of us could have done more, it’s true. But right now, all of us are here because we were selfless enough to risk our safety for one animal we all care about. We all lead very different lives, but if we can’t get along just this once, not only are we going to fail to aid the dear mare we all care about, but we’ll probably put ourselves in more danger as well.”
The others looked shamefully at the ground. “I suppose… some of our comments were less than called for,” Opal admitted.
“Yeah,” Winona agreed. “Let’s just try to treat each other like team members from this point on. Y’all okay with that?”
The others nodded.
Tank walked back over to Fluttershy, winking discreetly as he passed her. She smiled, and continued to follow the group.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“How are we going to cross this?”
A huge pool of bubbling mud spread directly across the path. The muck was so thick and sticky that movement within it was almost impossible. Yet the only way further into the depths of the Everfree was the small winding path on the other side.
“The solution is simple, I believe,” said Owloysius. “Look up there.”
The group looked up to the place Owloysius indicated. An old, gnarled, rotting branch dangled from a tree, hanging directly over the mud puddle.
“All we have to do is break this branch,” Owloysius said, fluttering up and landing on the limb. “It should make a nice bridge for us if we can just get it to fall.”
Owloysius jumped on the branch, but it was too sturdy to collapse beneath him. “I think we need some more weight up here,” he admitted.
A whirring filled the air as Tank’s copter began to spin. The old tortoise lifted into the air and touched down on the branch next to Owloysius, and the limb bent considerably under their combined weight.
“It’s almost there,” Owloysius said. “We need one more.”
“Well shoot, pardner,” Winona said. “I’d love to help, but there’s no way I can jump up there.”
“Neither can I,” Angel said. “Rabbits can jump well, but not that well.”
“Don’t look at me,” Gummy added. “I don’t mind the mud, but I can’t possibly get into that tree.”
“Cats can jump pretty high,” Fluttershy pointed out.
There was a moment of silence. All eyes turned to Opal.
“Oh, no!” Opal said defensively. “Sure, I could get up there, but when the branch collapses, I’ll tumble into the mud! You can’t expect me to become coated in that grime! There must be another way.”
“I don’t think so, Opal,” said Owloysius. “We’re running out of time. We need to get across here soon, and I believe you’re the only one who can help with that.”
“Yeah,” said Angel mockingly. “You’re the only one who’s fat enough anyway.”
Opal glared daggers at Angel. The rabbit just snickered.
“Please, Opal?” Fluttershy pleaded.
Opal stuck out her tongue. “…Fine,” she agreed, “but I demand a deluxe grooming treatment when we get out of here.”
“Oh, of course!” Fluttershy said. “It would be the least I could do!”
Opal scowled as she crouched low to the ground, and then she sprang into the air. The second she landed on the branch, a loud crack echoed through the air, and a moment later both the branch and the cat fell into the mud with a tremendous splat, as Owloysius and Tank hovered above.
Opal gasped for air as she surfaced and dragged herself up onto the log. Not a single spot of her pure white coat could be seen beneath the veneer of thick grey-brown muck. Quickly, the rest of the group darted across the log, with Fluttershy at the rear.
“Thanks, Opal,” she said sweetly as she rushed past.
Opal just hissed and attempted to shake a bit of the grime from her coat before plodding along after Fluttershy.
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“Angel, would you stop laughing already?!” Opal complained.
“Sorry,” Angel chuckled. “It’s just that I’m so used to calling you a slimeball, and now you actually are one!”
Opal scowled as she examined her blackened coat. “Fine. Laugh if you will, but I have performed a heroic act. Which is more than you can say.”
Angel continued to do just that. Miffed, Opal pushed the rabbit with her paw. Angel stumbled sideways into the plants lining the path.
“Hey, careful Opal!” he said. “You don’t know what could be hiding in-”
Angel didn’t get to finish his sentence, as he was snapped up at just that moment by a large carnivorous plant that had been growing in the shadows. The other pets gasped.
“Angel!” Fluttershy called. “Are you okay?”
The response was muffled, but sounded as if it was something along the lines of ‘get me out of here.’
“What do we do?” she asked the others.
“I’m not sure,” said Owloysius. “This plant is a Grand Forest Snapper, the largest carnivorous plant in the Everfree. Anything weaker than a pony doesn’t stand a chance of prying open its jaws.”
“But we have to get Angel out somehow,” Fluttershy argued. “It’s not like he’ll be digested right away, but we can’t just leave him here.”
She glanced down the path, looking for anything that might help, and spotted a familiar tree a few dozen yards away.
“Wait,” she breathed, hardly able to believe her luck, “that’s Zecora’s house! Maybe she can save Angel!”
The remaining six animals dashed to the large tree that was the home of the friendly zebra. They peered in the window, and were able to make out the silhouette of Zecora hunched over her cauldron.
“How do we call her?” Fluttershy asked. “Like the other ponies, she won’t be able to hear us.”
“She can’t hear us talk,” Winona said. “But she should be able to hear this.”
Winona took a deep breath and began to bark as loudly as she could. Zecora immediately looked up and turned to the window. She spied the odd collection of animals, and a moment later she opened the front door and stepped outside.
“Well, this is a strange sight to see. Now what, my friends, do you need from me?” Zecora asked in her usual rhyme.
The pack of animals quickly ran down the path a short distance, with Zecora following behind. She bent down to examine the thrashing plant that held Angel and chuckled lightly.
“Here, let me rescue your little friend, before this plant incites his end.”
Zecora gripped the plant with her front hooves, shaking it until at last it spit up a gasping, slimy Angel.
Zecroa smiled triumphantly. “Now back to Ponyville you must go. This forest is not safe, you know.”
With that, she turned and retired again to her hut.
Angel sputtered and shook the goop from his fur, eliciting a laugh from Opal.
“Well, Angel darling, it looks like I’m not the only slimeball here anymore.”
Angel ignored her. “I guess I owe you one, Winona,” he said grudgingly. “Maybe you aren’t such a worthless mutt after all.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Winona said. “Unfortunately, the path through the forest ends here. If we’re going to keep looking, we gotta go through the underbrush.”
“As long as we keep an eye open for any more of those plants,” said Angel grumpily.
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Progress became slow after the path disappeared. Owloysius and Tank stayed slightly ahead, scanning for danger from the air while their land-bound companions fought through the brush. Finally, dirty and tired, the party arrived at a wide clearing with a large, clear pond.
“This looks like a good spot for a rest,” Owloysius announced. “That is, if you’ll allow it Fluttershy. It’s your time that is running low here.”
Fluttershy collapsed. “I think… a rest is a good idea…” she panted.
Opal and Angel went quickly to rinse themselves in the water, and the others took a moment to catch their breath as well. Fluttershy sat at the water’s edge, looking at the rapidly darkening sky, and listening to the intimidating sounds of the surrounding forest growing louder.
After a moment, Fluttershy realized that Gummy was sitting next to her. He stared blankly into the cool water.
“Gummy,” said Fluttershy listlessly, “do you think we’re going to find a Twinklecap Mushroom in time?”
“I don’t know,” Gummy said. “I don’t have a clue where in the forest they grow.”
He brightened suddenly. “You know who I bet would know where to find one? Jim.”
Fluttershy sighed. “Yes, but Gummy… Jim exploded. He’s gone now.”
Gummy laughed. “Nonsense!” he chortled. “I told you on Saturday, Jim achieved a higher level of consciousness. Now he’s everywhere.”
“Gummy, I don’t think you understand…”
“Or maybe you’re just having trouble trusting your friends instead of your own eyes,” said Gummy. “What looked like an explosion was actually a simple transcendence of the standard state of mortal being. I’m telling you Jim is-”
“Hey, hey, who’s talking about me?”
Gummy and Fluttershy turned to the new voice. “Oh, hi Jim! I figured you’d be around,” said Gummy gleefully.
Fluttershy peered into the pool from which the voice had come and was startled to see a translucent reflection of Jim. The squid appeared completely intact, but strangely ethereal as well.
“Gummy, Fluttershy, how good to see you both!” Jim greeted. “How goes that quest for Fluttershy’s cure?”
“Not bad, thanks to you finding that flower for us,” Gummy said. “And get this: silly Fluttershy thought you were dead after what happened at the lake!”
Jim glanced at Fluttershy, who looked rather thrown-for-a-loop. He just chuckled.
“So Jim,” Gummy continued, “now that you’re so much closer to omniscience than we are, think you could tell us how to find a Twinklecap Mushroom in this forest?”
“A Twinklecap Mushroom? Of course!” Jim announced. “I’m directly aware of everything in Equestria now that I have transcended that pesky mortal plane. However, one thing I’ve learned since achieving a higher consciousness is that the balance of the universe is slightly tipped in one way or another if I do anything directly. So, in order to maintain balance for a little while longer, I won’t tell you where the Mushroom is. I’ll give you a riddle concealing its location instead. How’s that sound?”
Fluttershy was still too shocked at the reappearance of Jim to be able to respond to the proposition, so Gummy replied with a hearty nod. “Sounds good Jim, you know how I love thinkin’ games.”
“Very well,” said Jim. “Here’s your clue: The Twinklecap cannot be yours… until you find the stars indoors. Decipher that quick rhyme, and you’ll have your Mushroom.”
Gummy nodded. “Gotcha! We’ll do that!”
Jim nodded. “Then I must go. I have much more to discover about the universe! And Gummy, we must chat again soon, when you aren’t so busy. I have much to tell you!”
“I don’t doubt it,” Gummy laughed. “See you soon.”
The rippling reflection of Jim vanished from the water’s surface. Gummy smiled in satisfaction.
“Well, that should help lots! Right Fluttershy?”
No response.
“Right? Fluttershy?”
“Y-yeah,” Fluttershy sputtered, finally getting a hold of herself. “Yeah, we should… get started…”
“Right! Let’s go!” Gummy announced, leading Fluttershy back to the others.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Alright, repeat that one more time, kid,” Angel said.
“He said ‘The Twinklecap cannot be yours until you find the stars indoors’,” Fluttershy said yet again.
“Well, what in the hay is that supposed to mean!?” Angel yelled in frustration.
“Oh hush,” said Owloysius. “We’ll think about it as we walk. For now, we’ve got to keep going.”
“What’s the point?” Angel grumbled. “It’s gotten too late. I can’t see my paw in front of my face anymore. It gets too dark in this Celestia-forsaken forest!”
“Really? I can see just fine,” Owloysius observed.
Angel groaned. “You’re an owl, Feathers. It comes with the territory.”
“Wait, maybe this can work!” Tank said. “Owloysius, why don’t you lead us from here on? At least until we get to some thinner trees and some light gets in, we’re going to need you to guide us.”
“And you might wanna hurry,” Winona added, grimacing at the chirps, croaks, whistles, and growls that seemed to be closing in around them. “I don’t think we’re going to escape this forest’s hostility for too much longer.”
“Right, follow me,” Owloysius said. “And keep looking. We are in the very heart of the forest now, so hopefully we can spot a Twinklecap sparkling in the darkness somewhere around here.”
“I don’t think we’re gonna find it by just wandering around,” Gummy commented. “The stars still look like they’re in the sky to me.”
Angel shook his head at his alligator friend. “I swear, if ‘Shy hadn’t confirmed it, I would say you were just spouting nonsense like usual. Believing that a semi-omniscient squid told you how to find the mushroom isn’t exactly the easiest thing to do.”
The team began to follow Owloysius along a winding course through the trees. It was easy to lose sight of him in the extreme darkness, so the old owl repeatedly hooted to help the others get their bearings via sound. But even that became increasingly difficult as the threatening sounds of the forest increased to an echoing cacophony all around them.
“We’re as good as dead,” Opal grumbled. “Just listen to that. There are almost certainly hundreds of evil little creatures watching us from a mere few feet away through the trees. We’re probably just wandering in circles in this vile place, and any moment now, something’s going to take charge and kill us all in a heartbeat.”
The group found a gigantic hollow log rotting between the trees, and entered into its cylindrical chamber to escape the unerring noises around them. Fluttershy sat down upon the carpet of moss within.
“It’s getting extremely late,” Owloysius noted sadly. “Our path has taken us through a large portion of the Everfree Forest, yet our search has been unsuccessful. Now it is nearly eleven thirty, meaning there is just over a half-hour left before we can officially consider ourselves too late.
Fluttershy groaned. “I know,” she replied. “At this point, I just want to get out of this forest alive. Let’s take a quick rest here where it’s relatively safe, and then we’ll head straight for Ponyville.”
“I’m afraid that is our best option now,” Owloysius affirmed sadly.
“Well, shoot,” said Angel. “All that work for nothin’, huh? That’s a real pity…”
He sat down next to Fluttershy. “Looks like this turned out to be just a fiasco after all,” he said, lying on his back on the moss.
Fluttershy lied down as well, a small tear escaping her eye as she thought about the ponies she’d never be able to speak to again. For that matter, she’d probably never even see them again, since their chances of escaping the forest were dwindling with each moment. She stared up at the stars, peaceful as usual against the black sky despite the clamor of the surrounding forest.
“Wait, the stars?” Fluttershy asked. “Why can we see the stars here? We’re inside a big log.”
Gummy jumped up suddenly. “You’re right! Fluttershy, this means we can see the stars indoors!” he exclaimed.
“I think he’s right,” said Tank. “So, assuming we’ve solved the riddle, then where is the mushroom?”
“That should be obvious,” said Gummy. “We can’t really see the stars through the ceiling. The lights we see above us aren’t stars at all; they’re the sparkling tops of Twinklecap Mushrooms!”
Owloysius flew up to the ceiling, examining the glimmers closely. “He’s right!” the owl exclaimed, plucking a small mushroom from the underside of the log’s ceiling. “These little lights are in fact the mushrooms we’ve been searching for!”
“We found it?” Fluttershy breathed, almost unable to believe it was true. “But… can we get back to Ponyville in time?”
“Wait here,” said Owloysius. “I’ll fly above the trees and check where we are.”
The owl disappeared for about a minute. When he returned, he appeared very excited.
“I have good news! Our route through the forest has been random, and we are actually not very far from Ponyville at all! If we just proceed southwest in a straight line, we should be able to get out and return to the cottage with a little time to spare!”
“Well, what are we waiting for?” Angel asked the group. “Come on, you lazy slobs, let’s get going!”
Angel and Fluttershy ran out of the log, followed by the rest of the group, but after only a few steps, Angel stopped.
“What’s wrong?” Fluttershy asked.
“I don’t know,” Angel said. “But listen. All the noises have stopped.”
Fluttershy listened. The terrifying sounds of the forest had been replaced with utter silence. In its own way, it was even more unsettling.
“Something ain’t right,” Angel said quietly. “I think we’d better get moving.”
“Aw, leavin’ so soon, chums? That’s a pity,” said a loud, raspy voice behind them.
In one powerful leap, a huge creature jumped from the brush and into the path of the pets and Fluttershy. Its yellow eyes glowed menacingly, but the rest of its body was made of wood. Fluttershy knew from the tales of the forest that they now stood face-to-face with one of its deadliest creatures: a timberwolf.
“’Ello,” the huge beast said, grinning maliciously with a mouth full of jagged wooden teeth. “Now what’s a group of little critters like you doing all the way out ‘ere at this time of night? Seems a mite foolish, if I do say so m’self.”
The wolf took a step forward, so his snout was only a few inches from the two rabbits at the front of the group. Fluttershy recoiled in terror.
The wolf snorted. “Aw, she’s afraid o’ me,” he chuckled. “I wonder what brought a group of little critters like you in here if you’re afraid of the place. Surely you realized you could wind up as dinner.”
“Yes, quite,” said Opal. “Thank you for the warning, and, erm… we’ll just be going!”
The timberwolf shook his head as he began to slowly circle the small group of animals. “Sorry, kitty, but I ‘aven’t had me midnight snack, and I think any one of you would do nicely. The gator could be a bit chewy, and I’m gon’ have to crack open the tortoise, but even they’ll do in a pinch.”
The wolf gave a raspy laugh again as he watched the looks of terror on his victims faces increase. “Now, the question is… which one of these unfortunate wanderers do I eat first?”
Nobunny responded, and their fear just delighted the predator even further.
“What do we do?” Fluttershy whispered to Angel as the beast continued to slowly circle them. “Can we escape somehow?”
“I doubt it,” Angel whispered back. “This guy is an elite forest predator. As soon as we make a move, we’re as good as gobbled up.”
Fluttershy just whimpered.
“Hey kid,” Angel whispered again as the wolf continued to prowl around them. “Um… I’m kinda ashamed that we had to be in mortal peril before I brought myself to tell you this, but… I owe you an apology. For a lot of things. So I figured I’d better let you know that now.”
Fluttershy frowned. “Angel, I’m not sure this is the time to-”
“And hopefully what I’m about to do will make up for at least some of what I’ve done,” Angel finished, cutting her off.
Fluttershy’s eyes widened. “Wait! You’re not going to-”
Angel jumped up onto a rock, catching the attention of the others, including the timberwolf. “Hey, you glorified pile of twigs!” he taunted. “You want dinner? It’s right here; just gotta catch me first!”
“Well, I can never resist a challenge!” the timberwolf roared back, jumping over the others and pursuing Angel. Angel let out a little yelp and darted into the brush as fast as he could, with the monster right on his heels.
For a brief instant, Fluttershy was too stunned to move. Then suddenly, she was being flung onto Winona’s back.
“No time to gawk, hon!” Winona cried. “Lucky for us that timberwolf is stupid. Angel’s given us our only chance to escape, and we’ve gotta take it!”
The next thing Fluttershy knew, she was clinging to Winona’s back for dear life as the two of them charged through the forest, with the other land-bound pets right behind, and Owloysius and Tank flying directly overhead. As the plants battered the fleeing animals, Fluttershy closed her eyes and listened to the sounds of the chase going on nearby.
“Yeah, keep running you pile of firewood!” came Angel’s voice. “I dare you to-”
Angel was cut off for a moment by a loud growl and a snapping sound. Then his voice became audible again.
“Hey, let me go! I ain’t afraid of you, buddy! Go ahead and try to-”
Angel didn’t get to finish his sentence. Instead, a desperate scream of mortal peril echoed through the woods.
“Angel!” Fluttershy cried.
“Nothin’ we can do, pardner! Just keep hangin’ on!” Winona urged.
Fluttershy clutched Winona’s fur tightly and shivered as the sounds of the nearby conflict faded away. The pets' pace didn’t slacken, however; it was still quite possible for the timberwolf to come after them as well.
For ten minutes, they saw and heard nothing but the crackling brush around them. And then suddenly, the tree line ended abruptly, and open fields and clear skies replaced the dark forest.
Winona collapsed, panting, and Fluttershy slid off her back. The other animals settled around her.
“We made it,” Owloysius hooted. “And I can see the clock tower in Ponyville. We still have about fifteen minutes to complete the cure.”
“But… but what about Angel…?” Fluttershy asked.
The others shook their heads. “You heard what happened, hon,” Winona said. “I’m afraid Angel won’t be coming back. Even a rabbit can’t outrun a timberwolf.”
Winona carefully lifted Fluttershy and placed her on her back once again, and the party proceeded back to Fluttershy’s cottage on the neighboring hill. Winona nosed open the door, revealing the dark, and now somewhat dusty interior of the uninhabited home.
“Now, you and Owloysius get to work on that cure,” Winona commanded. “No sense in not using that mushroom now, after what it took to get it.”
She turned around. “C’mon, y’all. Let’s give Fluttershy a little time.”
Tank turned to face Fluttershy on his way out the door. “I am… truly sorry, my dear,” he said to Fluttershy. “I don’t think any of us expected Angel to do what he did. I believe he has done what he intended to do, however; give everything he had in an attempt to reconcile his earlier actions.”
Tank shook his head. “It’s still a sad conclusion any way you look at it, though.”
Tank followed Winona out of the cottage. Opal began to saunter out as well, but after a moment, she stopped and glanced at Fluttershy in discomfort.
“Um… do feel better darling,” was all she managed before she stumbled awkwardly out the door.
Gummy was the last to leave. He stood in the doorway and gave Fluttershy a sad nod.
“Sorry about Angel,” he mumbled.
Fluttershy managed a sad smile. “Hey,” she mumbled, “maybe he just achieved a higher consciousness like Jim.”
The grim irony was wasted on Gummy. “Nah,” the alligator sighed. “I think he’s dead.”
Fluttershy frowned as Gummy waddled away.
Owloysius sighed. “Right then,” he said listlessly. “Peewee should have delivered the cure. Let’s see now…”
The owl flew up to the counter where, sure enough, a tiny cup containing a small amount of bright liquid sat. He carried it down to the floor and proceeded to add the tiny, luminescent mushroom to it. The solution changed color rapidly and issued a small cloud of pinkish smoke. When the reaction finished, a dimly glowing whitish mixture filled the cup.
“And there we have it,” said Owloysius with relief. “Provided you drink this in the next few minutes, your pony form will be restored. Just in time, huh?”
Fluttershy nodded. “I guess…”
There was silence for a few moments.
“Well… go on then,” Owloysius urged.
Fluttershy lifted the tiny cup, staring at her reflection in the shimmering liquid within. After a few seconds, she set it down.
“Owloysius, I… I can’t do it.”
Owloysius ruffled his feathers. “Fluttershy,” he said comfortingly, “I understand that you are upset about what happened to Angel. But you must understand that he did what he did so that you could have the cure that’s in front of you right now. To waste it would be to soil his memory.”
“I know that,” Fluttershy said. “But… but I feel like I don’t deserve the cure anymore…”
Owloysius hooted. “Whatever do you mean?”
“Think about what Angel has done,” said Fluttershy. “When I was a mare, and for the first few days while I was a rabbit, I thought Angel was great. When I learned that he was actually in charge of the rabbit mafia, I couldn’t believe it; I was completely furious with him. Now today, he asked for my trust once again, claiming that he had changed. And the only reason I went along with that was because I still needed to find the cure. But I still wasn’t completely sure that it wasn’t all some twisted plot to get me out of his business. I never really trusted him today, and I never really offered him the forgiveness he asked for…”
Fluttershy paused to sob quietly for a moment. “But he was being sincere!” she wailed. “I guess Angel really did care about me more than his mob after all. He cared about all of us, way down inside, and I guess I helped him to realize that. But then he… he gave his life for us, and in his last moments he only knew me as suspicious and disappointed in him, even though he had done everything he could to repent. I’m the cruel one for not giving him another chance.”
Fluttershy stared at the cup sitting on the floor. “And so… I don’t think I deserve another chance either…”
The scrabbling of paws on the soil caught Fluttershy’s attention. She glanced toward the rabbit hole in the corner of her living room, from which two familiar identical brown rabbits emerged. Both of them looked haggard and out of breath.
“The Buttons?” Fluttershy asked aloud. “What are you two doing here at this time of night?”
The Buttons didn’t answer her, but one of them turned and called down the tunnel.
“You’re right, the Main Mare’s here! She hasn’t drunk the cure yet, either!”
There was a muffled reply from further down the tunnel.
“He says to wait a moment,” the other Button said, turning back to Fluttershy. “He’ll be here shortly to talk to you.”
“Who?” Fluttershy asked, expecting a stand-in capo or perhaps Professor Snuggles.
“Who do you think, kid?” came the irritated reply from within the tunnel.
A white rabbit limped out of the hole. He was covered in dirt and slime, and a third of his left ear had been bitten clean off, but his identity was unmistakable nonetheless.
“Good, you’re still here,” Angel grunted. “I was worried you’d be a pony again by the time I got back.”
Fluttershy was unable to move. There was no way this could really be the rabbit that had supposedly been eaten in the Everfree just a short while earlier, could it. Slowly, almost mechanically, she approached the battered rabbit, reaching out as if to check if he was a ghost.
“Kid, you’re freaking me out,” Angel said, batting her paw away. “Yes, I’m alive. Get over yourse- oomph!”
Angel almost had the wind knocked out of him as he was pulled into a tight hug. Fluttershy squeezed him as if worried that he’d vanish if she didn’t hold tightly enough. A few tears of relief trickled down her face and onto his shoulder.
“Yo, Feathers,” he gasped from within Fluttershy’s tight grasp. “You mind lettin’ the others know I’m alright? Fluttershy and I need a minute to talk.”
“Of course!” Owloysius hooted. “But Fluttershy, don’t forget to take the cure in the next ten minutes!”
Owloysius did a loop in midair before flying out the open window.
“What happened to you?” Fluttershy asked when she finally let Angel go. “How did you escape? I thought we heard you get eaten.”
Angel smirked. “Ah, yeah, the timberwolf,” he said almost casually. “Well, like I figured, he ended up catching me after a while. I ran from him for as long as I could to try to give the rest of you a chance to get out of that place, but timberwolves, unlike rabbits, are kind of built for thick forest navigation. I was hanging from his jaws by the ears, and I figured at that point that I was dinner, and then… then something unexpected happened. And I’ll be honest, kid, I still don’t believe it. And here’s the best part; it never would have happened if it weren’t for you.”
Fluttershy cocked her head. “I was running for my life,” she reminded him. “How could I have saved you from the timberwolf?”
“Think back to this afternoon,” said Angel. “It seems like forever ago now, but you came in and stubbornly tried to stop the Big Job. Then the rest of the rabbits tried to kill you, so I had to intervene.”
Fluttershy nodded. “Oh yeah. I guess you probably have lost your status as the leader now.”
“That’s certainly what I thought,” Angel admitted. “I mean, what are the odds of a self-righteous newcomer and a traitorous capo winning over the allegiance of an army of malicious criminal rabbits?”
“Not very good,” Fluttershy deadpanned.
Angel smirked. “But they were good enough, I suppose.”
“Huh?” Fluttershy asked.
“There I was, dangling from the timberwolf’s jaws, and throwing a few final idle threats at me before he snapped me up,” Angel continued, “when suddenly, the whole dang rabbit mafia comes pouring out of the bushes!”
He turned to the Buttons, who were standing near the wall. “Ain’t that right boys?”
The Buttons nodded.
“You see, kid,” Angel continued, “after we left, there was apparently some further discussion among the members of the mob, and they came to the conclusion that we had a point. At least, the majority of them did. So the Buttons took charge in bringing the mob to find me, since I had the best idea of how to change our operations for the better. After they found out I’d gone to the Everfree, they convinced the whole army to come in and rescue me.”
Again, Angel looked at the Buttons. “I’m proud of you boys, you know that? I knew there was a reason you two were next in command.”
The Buttons both smiled sheepishly. “Thanks, boss,” they said in unison.
“So anyway,” Angel continued. “I think it’s safe to assume the timberwolf wasn’t expecting the kind of assault we hit him with. I don’t know if you’ve ever seen two hundred rabbits attack a timberwolf before, but if you ever do in the future, I’d advise you to put your money on the rabbits.”
He smirked. “Unfortunately, the timberwolf was a little surprised when all this happened. So surprised that he instinctively clamped his jaw shut. That’s where this little injury came from.”
Angel winced as he gingerly touched his ear. The wound had mostly closed, but it still looked rather painful, as well as gave Angel an almost comically asymmetrical appearance.
“I cried out at that point, which is probably what you mistook for me being eaten,” Angel explained. “But with that part of my ear bitten off, there was nothing holding me in the wolf’s jaws. I don’t think the big dope even noticed; he was a little busy panicking as he was covered in hundreds of angry rabbits. He managed to shake just enough of us off to get to his feet, and then he ran away into the depths of the forest, yelping like a frightened puppy. Big sissy, that’s what he is.”
Angel waggled his injured ear around a bit. “After we determined that I was gonna be okay, the whole lot of us exited the forest together, and then the Buttons and I came straight here.”
Fluttershy was stunned. “Do you mean to tell me,” she began, “that we actually managed to change the overall opinion of the rabbit mafia today?”
Angel nodded. “Looks like you were able to get more than just me thinkin’ about what we’re doing with our lives, kid,” he admitted. “The rabbits have been talking about it, and I think they finally are taking notice to the pain and suffering we’ve caused to the other critters. They know it’s time for a change, and so do I. But they don’t know where to start.”
Angel put his paws behind his head awkwardly. “In fact, even I’m not really sure where to start. And that brings me to the reason I needed to get back here and talk to you before you took the cure.”
Angel’s usually arrogant expression became more somber. “’Shy, I… I need to apologize. I tried to do that in the forest, but I didn’t realize I’d get a chance to see you again, so now I can do it right.”
He frowned. “Kid, you were right,” he continued. “It was horrible for me to take advantage of your kindness to forward the aims of the mob. Somewhere inside, I knew you’d be completely heartbroken if you ever found out that I was reversing all your hard work… but I was too selfish; my judgement was too clouded by the glamour that came with my executive position for me to realize that clearly.”
Angel turned away. “I know you ain’t got a reason in the world to forgive me. I know I don’t deserve it. But I’ve done everything I can to undo what’s been done over the years, and all I can ask now is for your guidance in rebuilding the animal society around here… the right way.”
“Angel,” Fluttershy began, “you were almost killed, just to help me and the other pets escape the Everfree Forest. If willingness to put your own life at great risk isn’t a sign of sincerity, then nothing is.”
Angel found himself pulled into a hug again. “So of course I’ll forgive you, Angel Bunny,” she finished.
Angel smiled. The expression surprised Fluttershy; it wasn’t a smirk, or a sarcastic, lopsided grin. It was a just a smile. In all her years with Angel, Fluttershy could not remember seeing that look on his face before.
“Thanks, kid,” Angel said. “Now remember, I can still understand you, even once you’re a pony again. So drink up, and tomorrow, we’ll ‘talk’ about restructuring the animal society.”
Fluttershy nodded. “Of course, let me just-”
Fluttershy glanced at the floor, and stopped in mid-sentence.
“Wait. Where did the cup go?”
A malicious, high pitched laugh emanated from the shadows. “Oh, you mean this cup?”
Another rabbit revealed himself as he stepped into the moonlight, which glinted off the white fur surrounding his eyes. Professor Snuggles chuckled darkly as he showed off the tiny cup clutched between his front paws.
Angel immediately became furious. “Professor!” he shouted. “Give that back right now!”
“Oh no, I can’t do that, capo,” the Professor replied calmly. “You see, sir, we are now oh so very close to the utter collapse of the rabbit mafia. You’ve gone off on this silly little stint of righteousness, and managed to drag most of the rest of the mob along with you. And it’s all because you’re mesmerized by the emotionally charged but ultimately meaningless words of that meddlesome little rabbit behind you.”
Fluttershy tried to say something, but Angel cut her off. “Shush, kid,” he said. “I’ll handle this.”
“So I’ve come to bring you back to your senses, boss,” said Professor Snuggles. “What you don’t seem to realize is that the rabbit behind you, should she regain her pony form, would become the last link in the chain of events leading to the destruction of our organization. I cannot allow that to happen.”
The Professor’s expression did not look so malicious now. Rather, it looked imploring; the rabbit was searching for the side of his boss that he had known before.
“Please, capo, you must listen,” Snuggles urged. “If you go through with this, the rabbit mafia will lose its strength and its ample resources. At the moment, many of the members may think that is a good thing, since it will allow for the improvement of the lives of other animals, but eventually they will realize that their quality of life has decreased, and then they will see the error you have made and rise up against you!”
He stamped his foot. “But it’s not too late! Nothing has changed… yet. We can still pass this off as a failed experiment and maintain the luxury you have nearly caused us to shed. But even that won’t be possible is Fluttershy actively impedes our efforts!”
He glanced at the clock. “So, if I understand correctly, all I have to do is keep this little mixture away from Fluttershy for about three more minutes, and she won’t be able to become a pony again. As a rabbit, we can deal with her in whatever way is necessary and continue with our operations.”
“Professor, you’re talking crazy!” Angel replied. “I’m pretty sure you’re one of the only ones left clinging to our old ideals. And we are absolutely not harming Fluttershy!”
Professor Snuggles shook his head sadly. “I see I still can’t make you see reason. Ah well, it’s not like you have a choice in the matter. In a few moments it will be too late anyway.”
Angel crossed his arms as he glowered at the arrogant Professor. “You know, Professor,” he commented, “I gotta say, this plan of yours is pretty well thought out. There’s only one thing you didn’t think of.”
Snuggles raised an eyebrow. “Oh? And what argument do you have for me this time?”
Angel chuckled. “Ha, argument. That’s a good one.”
And he delivered a mighty punch to the Professor’s head. The grey rabbit cried out and toppled backwards, the cure flying out of his paws and into the air. Fluttershy leapt forward and caught the cup, spilling only a few drops.
Angel turned around and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the cup was safe. “That was a little close for comfort,” he admitted.
Fluttershy nodded. “Thanks, Angel. I know I usually try to be nice to all the animals, but for once, I think he deserved that.”
Angel grinned. “Yeah, I think it’s safe to say Snuggles isn’t going to be on my board of advisors anymore.” He glanced at the Professor’s unconscious form, which groaned weakly on the floor. “A word of advice, ‘Shy. Once you’re a pony again, you may wanna do something about him.”
“Oh, I will,” Fluttershy said with a giggle. “He’s been a very bad bunny, but I know how to deal with misbehaving animals.”
Angel glanced at the clock. “Kid, not to cut this conversation short, but you’ve got less than a minute to drink that thing.”
“Oh yeah,” Fluttershy remembered. “Thanks for everything, Angel. I’m going to miss talking to you and actually hearing your response.”
Angel nodded. “Yeah, but don’t worry kid. We’ll be working together more closely than we used to. Now drink the cure, kid! Hurry!”
Fluttershy hesitated for an instant longer, and then quickly tipped back her head and swallowed the liquid. It had a fresh, earthy taste that seemed to fill her body with energy as soon as she drank it. Almost immediately, she felt herself beginning to grow larger.
“Just in time,” Angel mumbled. “See you soon kid.”
He smiled, and Fluttershy smiled back as she was engulfed in a magical light.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The knocking was so loud that it sounded rather like somepony was assaulting the front door. Without waiting for an answer, Rainbow Dash kicked the door open and leapt into the cottage, where sure enough, a familiar yellow pegasus was dusting off her knickknacks.
“Oh, hello Rainbow Dash,” Fluttershy greeted warmly. “You’re certainly up early today.”
“Fluttershy!” Rainbow cried, flying over and scooping up her friend in a welcoming hug. “You’re back from your vacation! How was Las Pegasus? Did you see any of the the famous places? Did you visit the night clubs? Did you see a Wonderbolts show while you were there?”
“I… um…” Fluttershy stuttered, trying to process all the questions.
“Spit it out, Fluttershy!” Rainbow said excitedly. “Tell me what you thought!”
Fluttershy smiled sheepishly. “It was… nice.”
Rainbow’s ecstatic expression froze on her face for a moment. Slowly, it was replaced with an irritated frown.
“That’s it?” she asked. “It was nice?”
“Yep,” said Fluttershy, nodding enthusiastically. “Nice.”
Rainbow groaned. “Sheesh, Fluttershy,” she said, “you probably didn’t do anything exciting or adventurous at all during your whole vacation, did you?”
Fluttershy blinked incredulously, and then began to laugh. “Oh Rainbow, I don’t think you have to worry about that. I had plenty of adventures during this last week.”
“Well, then tell me all about it!” Rainbow pleaded.
“I’m a little busy with the animals right now,” Fluttershy admitted. “Maybe later, okay?”
“Fine,” Rainbow muttered. “By the way, Fluttershy, have you seen Tank around? He’s been missing a lot lately.”
“Try the big tree in the forest past Sweet Apple Acres,” Fluttershy suggested.
“Alright. Later Fluttershy,” Rainbow said, before speeding off.
“Bye,” Fluttershy called after her.
She turned back to her cottage. “Now, let’s get back to work.”
Fluttershy trotted first over to her table, where a certain grey rabbit was confined to a cage. She offered him a carrot, but he turned away, crossing his arms defiantly.
“Now Snuggles,” she said calmly. “I know you’re upset that your evil plans didn’t work out, but you still have to eat.”
Snuggles snorted. Without a further argument, Fluttershy trotted to the other side of the cage and calmly issued the stare. Snuggles shrank back in fright, and then grudgingly took the carrot and began to nibble.
“Much better,” Fluttershy said with a smile. “Now you be good, Snuggles. I’m off to talk to your former boss.”
Fluttershy trotted over to the rabbit hole in her wall and knocked on the wall. After a moment, Angel appeared, glancing up at her expectantly.
“Good morning, Angel,” she said. “Have you gotten all the others ready?”
Angel nodded, and motioned for Fluttershy to meet him outside.
Fluttershy trotted outside to the hill in her front yard, where Angel emerged. And behind him came a huge gathering of animals, all looking a bit ragged and very suspicious of their situation.
“Hello, little friends!” Fluttershy announced. “I’ve brought a special bag of food just for all of you. And it’s all for you; don’t worry about giving any away to the rabbits.”
Angel nodded in agreement.
Cautiously at first, but then energetically, the animals began to enjoy the food. They gazed at Fluttershy and Angel with grateful expressions.
“There’ll be more tomorrow, I promise!” Fluttershy said. “And the rabbits have promised to share the other resources they’ve found. Angel here will make sure of that!”
Angel gave them a thumbs-up, and Fluttershy patted him on the head.
“Angel, I have something for you,” she said. “I found it in my closet, and in light of recent events, I couldn’t resist giving it to you. So… I made a few modifications.”
Fluttershy reached into her bag and pulled out a little light grey fedora with a red stripe around it. She handed it to Angel.
“I found this in my closet,” she explained. “I only cut one ear hole in it, so you can cover up your injured ear. Plus, I think it fits with your job pretty well. At least, it fits your old one!”
She giggled as Angel put on the hat. His good ear poked up through the opening, and he grinned at Fluttershy before jumping back down his rabbit hole.
“Now you be good!” she called after him. “Come to me if you need any help! I’ll be checking up on you!”
Angel held up his hand in salute before disappearing into the darkness of the tunnel.
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About a week later…
“So what’s the status on the main area?” Angel asked.
“Just fine,” the Buttons replied. “The west and south wings all reported satisfaction with their food supply. Our scouts are in the north wing now. Winona came by and was kind enough to donate a few apples, so it looks like we’ll have some cider this week after all. Oh, and now that we have open trade routes with the animals from the Haven, we’ve been able to get some fresh supplies from the woods in exchange for a load of those little red berries that only grow around here. Tank sends us his best wishes, and Owloysius is enjoying being the ambassador. He gets out of the library a little more often now. Although he keeps complaining that Peewee is getting strong enough to outfly him. All in all, connections with the Haven are looking up.”
“Excellent, what else?” Angel asked.
“Well, Opal said she guesses that you two are even since you saved her life and all,” the Buttons continued. “But added that if you ever tell anyone about her letting you off the hook with paying her back, she will personally make sure your good ear matches your bad one.”
“Good to know,” said Angel sarcastically. “What about Gummy?”
“The new executive position you gave him is working well,” the Buttons replied. “It turns out he is an excellent resource manager. That gator is smarter than you give him credit for; he’s found creative new ways to keep everybunny well fed, rabbits and others alike.”
Angel chuckled. “That’s Gummy, all right.”
The Buttons nodded. “Any further orders, capo?” one of them asked.
Angel sighed. “I told you, I’m just the middle-man. If you want to work with the capo, then go talk to her. I’m sure she’s up in the cottage, like usual.”
The Buttons smiled sheepishly. “I’m not sure I’m ever going to get used to Fluttershy being the capo,” one of them admitted.
“Why not? She’s doing a heck of a better job than I did,” Angel said.
He laughed. “But really, I’ve never seen Fluttershy so happy. She really loves all the animals, and now, even though she’s a pony again, she’s still one of us.”
He exited the rabbit hole and found Fluttershy resting nearby. She gently patted him on the head.
Angel hesitated for a moment, and then jumped up and snuggled onto the couch next to his best friend.
She is one of us.
And she always will be.
Together, Fluttershy and her beloved pet drifted off to sleep.
---THE END---
Special Thanks:
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MischiefLily on DeviantArt for creating the lovely cover art.
Several authors and artists: There are quite a number, so I won’t name them all here, but I appreciate your fanart and writing based on this.
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