//------------------------------// // Terrible With Secrets // Story: We Need A Medic // by Onomonopia //------------------------------// Terrible with Secrets The librarian at Canterlot High rarely let students in over the summer that weren’t taking classes. After the Crusader fiasco the year before, where dozens of pigeons and one rabbit trapped in a hat got loose, they began to be selective about who could come in and who could take books out. Twilight and Sunset were always allowed in. Rainbow Dash was permanently banned. But when Fluttershy walked up to the librarian and gave her a meek smile, she raised an eyebrow at Fluttershy and thought for a minute. “Bag,” the librarian asked and Fluttershy obliged. As Fluttershy was known for bringing animals with her wherever she went, she wasn’t surprised in the slightest that the librarian had wanted to see inside of her bag to make sure she wasn’t bringing in any more of the fuzzy little troublemakers. Fortunately, Fluttershy had the good sense to leave her little pet at home. Mostly because she was smart enough to not bring them to the library, but also because she was scared of bringing them into another Deceptacon attack. “Go on in,” the librarian said at last after having checked every last inch of Fluttershy’s bag. Fluttershy thanked the librarian before she entered into the silent chamber, which was stacked to the ceiling with rows and rows of books. A few other students were in the library as well, but Fluttershy didn’t recognize any of them. Actually, she was glad that none of her friends were there. Today was a day about learning and she didn’t need any distractions. Her destination was the section on human biology, where hundreds of books could be found about the human body, how to break it and how to put it back together. She took plenty of these, to the point where her arms screamed out in agony under all of the weight that Fluttershy was forcing them to carry. Once she had gathered her collection of knowledge, she sought out a hidden table in the very back of the library, one few students knew about. That was because there was a rumor at the school that an ancient and evil magic lay dormant back there and if you weren’t careful the magic would swallow you whole. Naturally Fluttershy and her friends had already dealt with that magic, but why give up a quiet place where no one would bother you? She sat down and dumped the books onto the table, kicking herself for not bringing a cart to place the books upon instead. But her moment of self-critique lasted only a moment, for in the next moment she had flipped open one of her many books and began to learn. For hours she sat by herself, learning and studying the human body and how it worked. Sometimes the thought would cross her mind why she wasn’t studying the medical books on animals like she normally did, but then her brain reminded her she had read most of those books. Not to mention the fact that she could still vividly recall Ratchet’s story, a story that had set a spark alight in her chest. A spark that made her feel the desire to do…something. “Fluttershy? That you?” Fluttershy glanced up to see Twilight Sparkle walking towards her, a few books tucked under her arms as well. This Twilight wasn’t the one from Equestria, but instead was a normal human girl who had gotten mixed up with Fluttershy and her friends the previous summer. That had been fun. “I’m kinda surprised to see you in the library,” Twilight continued on as she placed her books down on the table and sat next to Fluttershy. “Your friends told me that you normally spend your summers out in the field, getting a first-hand look at all of the animals you’ve studied.” “I figured that a day of learning and studying wouldn’t be all that bad for my mental health,” Fluttershy replied. Twilight nodded in agreement before she reached over and picked up one of the books that Fluttershy was reading. “And I know for a fact that you never read about the human body. I’ve seen the books you read and, unless they’re for a class, you always read about animals or something related to animals,” Twilight pointed out. “Perhaps I’m just broadening my horizons,” Fluttershy replied with an innocent smile as she took the book back, placing it on the table closer to her. Twilight raised an eyebrow at Fluttershy’s response, but then her eyes behind her glasses took on a more concerned look and she crossed her fingers. “Actually, I’m glad to find you here,” Twilight said in a tone that instantly put Fluttershy into worry mode. “With how off the grid you’ve been lately and the fact that we’ve had trouble getting in contact with you through your phone, I had actually begun to think…that you’ve gone missing like the others.” “You mean like Sunset?” “I mean like the others,” Twilight replied in a very stern, but also very panicked, voice. “Sunset hasn’t contacted any of us in about three weeks and now Rainbow Dash isn’t answering her phone. Then there’s Applejack calling me and telling me that she thinks there’s something stalking her in the woods, something massive and made of metal. Did she tell you about it?” “She did. Actually, can you repeat what you said about Rainbow Dash, I don’t think I heard you right,” Fluttershy asked while reaching up and touching the communication device in her ear, calling Ratchet and putting her device into speaker mode. “Yeah. We tried calling her this morning and she didn’t answer. We didn’t think much about this at first, but then we called her family and they said she hadn’t come back yet from her morning run. And she had taken her phone with her,” Twilight added on, the concern in her voice rising with each word. “They said that she does this from time to time and probably just found someplace cool to hang out, but with the disappearance of Sunset and Applejack’s fears…I can’t help but think there’s something going on.” “You think that it has something to do with Equestria?” Fluttershy asked, trying to divert the conversation away from the giant robot and more towards a magical problem. “I mean, over the last year and a half we’ve dealt with plenty of problems from that world.” “I thought that too, but my Equestrian magic tracker hasn’t picked up any traces of Equestrian magic aside from what we already have in this world,” Twilight muttered as her brows furrowed, not happy that she couldn’t figure out a solution to this problem. She then cast a glance at Fluttershy’s ear and in one, swift motion snatched the communication device from Fluttershy. “Hey!” “This device you have is incredible! I’ve never seen anything like it before,” Twilight muttered, ignoring Fluttershy’s protests and moving her hands to keep the device out of Fluttershy’s reach. “It seems to work like a regular phone, but the material used to make it is of an origin that I have never seen before! What is this and where did you get it?” “A giant robot gave it to me after it saved me from being blown up. What do you think?” Fluttershy asked, hoping her voice sounded as sarcastic as she had intended it to be. Twilight narrowed her eyes for a moment, trying to discern where the mocking ended and the truth began. She lowered her guard for a second and in that second Fluttershy snatched the device back from Twilight, this time placing it in her other ear so that Twilight couldn’t grab at it. “Fluttershy…you know about what’s going on, don’t you?” Twilight asked, having decided that Fluttershy’s words weren’t just mockery. “You know something about the disappearances and who is behind them. So what aren’t you telling us?” For a long time Fluttershy stared at Twilight, trying to think of some lie or fib that could get her out of this mess. But she knew that she was going up against Twilight, one of her smartest friends and who was very skilled at sniffing out when something strange was going on. So with no other options left, Fluttershy sighed and lowered her head. “I’m sorry Twilight, but I can’t tell you. I made a promise to someone that I would keep things a secret,” Fluttershy replied. “What? You can’t tell me?! Even after both Sunset and Rainbow Dash have gone missing?! What kind of promise would keep you from telling your friends?” Twilight exclaimed in such a high pitch that a moment later the librarian let out a shushing sound. “Come on Fluttershy, you’ve got to tell me! Our friends could be in danger!” “There’s nothing we can do at the moment. Trust me when I say that,” Fluttershy replied calmly. “Trust you? How can I trust you when you’re keeping something from me?” Twilight whispered angrily. ‘Fluttershy, you cannot tell her about us. It would cause too many complications and put her at risk,’ Ratchet’s voice whispered in her ear. ‘Right now the Cons don’t care about her, but if she learns about them they will try to eliminate her. Think of a way to get rid of her. We need to talk.’ “Why are you keeping this a secret from me?” Twilight asked once more and Fluttershy braced herself for what she was about to do. ‘I’m so sorry for this, Twilight,’ Fluttershy thought. “Maybe it’s because I still remember how you stole my magic from me without asking…and I wonder if I tell you this secret will you try something like that again?” Fluttershy knew it was coming and yet it still felt like a knife was being driven into her heart when she saw Twilight’s eyes widen in pain and shock. “Oh…that…yeah, I didn’t…sorry Fluttershy, I need to go. I’ve…I’m sorry.” Twilight gathered up her books and walked toward the exit to the library, while Fluttershy closed her eyes and cursed herself for having to do that to her friend. She then placed a finger to her communicator and resumed her call with Ratchet. “I hope whatever it is you have to tell me is worth it Ratchet, because I may have just broken my friend’s heart,” Fluttershy said angrily to the Transformer. “Unfortunately, it’s not good news, Fluttershy,” Ratchet replied with his voice cold and emotionless. “I looked into Rainbow Dash after hearing what Twilight said and it’s not good. The bot watching her has sent out an S.O.S. The Cons are after Rainbow Dash.”