“Hey, where you going, Miss Fluttershy,” The blue colt asked, stopping the yellow mare at her door. It was his job as her caretaker to make sure she was safe and… well… taken care of. Sometimes, like today, she liked to make doing that hard for him.
“Oh, please, Cordis,” The old mare replied, “I just want to go for a little walk—just for a little sight-seeing…”
“You’ve lived here all your life. Why would you need to go sight-seeing,” Cordis sat down in front of the door and crossed his forelegs, “In case you forgot again, I’m going to my sister’s wedding tomorrow. Tomorrow! I need to make sure everything is set for you the next couple days.”
Miss Fluttershy sat down slowly, her legs shaking slightly from the strain on them. She sat quietly staring at the ground for a few moments making Cordis think he had stepped over the line, but she spoke slowly after that, carefully enunciating her words, “I’ve been wanting to go out and see the town—reminisce a little of my life here before I move on. I’ve put off going for a couple months now, but today… Today is the day, if that’s all right with you.”
“But why today,” Cordis asked, regaining his annoyance, “Why when I’m trying to get so much done? You can barely walk down your own cottage stairs, let alone across town.”
“Oh, please, Cordis,” Miss Fluttershy asked again, her voice dropping into a saddened tone, “You can come with me, if that would make you feel better. You may have a few good stories to tell your kids while you’re out at Manehattan.”
Cordis uncrossed his forelegs and let out a deep sigh. What was it that his wife had told him? You can’t care for a person if you just care for their body. You care for the mind, body, and soul. He let out another sigh, “Fine, but we’re taking the wheelchair.”
The look of joy and thanks that Miss Fluttershy gave made it almost worth the hassle.
The old pony sat up happily in her wheelchair as her living assistant pushed her out of the small cottage and down the mini-ramp he had built a couple years before when Miss Fluttershy began to lose her leg muscles. She waved happily at the animal caretaker she hired and wished her a good morning. The caretaker smiled and waved back before tossing another hooffull of bird seed into the bird house.
Miss Fluttershy noticed the disagreeable look on her assistant’s face as he pushed the wheelchair in the direction she asked and immediately felt bad. She was making his life harder for him so that she could have a day for herself. How could she be so selfish?
“If you don’t want to go, Cordis, it’s okay. I can try to go another day,” Miss Fluttershy said quietly.
“No, it’s fine, don’t worry about it.”
“Really, it’s okay if you aren’t okay with it.”
“No, we’re out now, so just enjoy your day. You’re gonna be alone all weekend anyway, so we’ll just consider this a hang-out day,” Cordis attempted a smile, and it made Miss Fluttershy feel slightly better about asking for her personal day.
They travelled a little ways into the small village until Miss Fluttershy asked Cordis to stop. She stared at an overly-decked-out kid’s playplace named “Sugarkube Korner”. She smiled at the sight of the young foals through the window playing and eating cakes and cookies and other sweets.
“I remember this place from when I was a young filly,” Miss Fluttershy said, “Back when the name was spelled right. It’s changed a lot from the bakery it used to be.”
Cordis sat quietly as he listened to Miss Fluttershy talk about the place and her memories of it. She thought back, though, not even realizing how many of her memories she was saying out loud.
She remembered coming into the shop every once in a while and being welcomed by the overly energetic pink pony that lived in the attic. Even into their middle age years, Pinkie Pie was overly-energetic and always happy. It wasn’t a surprise to Pinkie’s friends and family the night she died that she slipped away with a smile permanently frozen on her face.
Miss Fluttershy even recounted how she met the love of her life in the place. They had met over a milkshake, the whole date a set-up by their energetic friend. She remembered barely being able to speak to the stallion for quite a while all while he sat and tried to make her smile or at least give him her name. She liked that about him. Persistence. It wasn’t until he mentioned his love for animals and his profession as a veterinarian that young Fluttershy finally spoke to the guy. Miss Fluttershy joked about how Pinkie almost broke her spine patting her on the back after a date well done.
Sugarcube Corner was always her and her friend’s favorite place to meet up and have a good time—mainly because Rainbow Dash hated the spa unless she was just there for a soak. She remembered all their escapades, cunning plans, and jokes all shared within the welcoming confines of the food-shaped shop. Cordis even shared a laugh when she told him about the time they all feared a gossip column in some school newspaper back when they all felt personal reputation was all that mattered.
Miss Fluttershy found herself smiling at the building, reminiscing the good old days. She was brought back to the present when the door opened and a few young foals chased each other out the door and ran around each other in front of her wheelchair. Miss Fluttershy laughed quietly at the group and they stopped, breathing heavy breaths.
“Sorry, Ma’am,” They all chorused and took off down the street.
One of them stopped, however, and ran back to her while the others watched. She reached into her saddlebag and pulled out a small bag of left-over brownies. She set them on Miss Fluttershy’s lap and smiled, “Have a good day, Ma’am.”
“Thank you, Sweetie,” Miss Fluttershy replied and pat the filly on the head. The pink filly smiled brighter and took off back to her friends. She looked down at the still-warm brownies and took one out of the bag, “It’s so nice to know that kids are growing to be such respectful and respectable ponies.”
She offered Cordis a brownie, and he took a bite out of it, “Kids when I was that age were always mean and disrespectful.”
Miss Fluttershy shook her head, “Which reminds me…”
She took a bite of her brownie and pointed to their next destination.
On the way to their destination, Cordis complained about a cramp in his leg. He sat down on a nearby bench as Miss Fluttershy stared off into the past—reveling in what once was. Cordis looked at her as he massaged his sore leg, and then followed her gaze to the grade school up the path a ways. On cue Miss Fluttershy started speaking.
“Those three. Always up to no good,” She smiled and shook her head, “These three fillies back in the day called themselves the Cutie Mark Crusaders. They were bent on making their mark, even if it was the most ridiculous thing. I believe they even tried getting a cutie mark in arguing. How silly is that?”
Cordis smiled, “Sounds ridiculous.”
“I was asked often to watch after them. I was the only one who got them to mind, I suppose,” Miss Fluttershy laughed once and coughed a couple times, waving off Cordis’ worry. She straightened up in her chair and looked up at the school yet again, “They were the ones that got the whole town riled up with a gossip column in that school’s newspaper. Back when we all assumed that our image was what mattered the most. I didn’t leave the cottage for a few days, to be honest. The whole town seemed to hate those little fillies.”
“I think I would too if somepony started rumors about me,” Cordis said.
Miss Fluttershy shook her head and smiled at the young stallion, “We all learned in time, maybe a few years after the incident, that our image is not what mattered, it was what we thought about ourselves. You are a little young, still yet to learn that.”
Anxious to keep from being lectured, Cordis asked, “Where are those three now?”
Miss Fluttershy was quiet for a long time. After a few minutes of silence, Cordis stood and continued on their path to the next destination.
They came to rest at a dead, hollow tree near the center of the village. Several yards behind it was the Ponyville Public Library—a large, stone building that seemed to be the center of Ponyville’s tourists, since it was the second largest library—second only to that of the Canterlot Royal Library. However Miss Fluttershy wasn’t interested in that. She stared at the tree like she did at the party shop and at the old schoolhouse—deep in her memories.
Cordis sat against a light pole knowing that her memorial narration was sure to come next.
Sure enough, Miss Fluttershy started her narration: “This tree used to be the library. Hard to believe, right? The librarian was the student of Celestia herself, Twilight Sparkle.”
“You mean the Twilight that funded the new library with her will,” Cordis interrupted.
Miss Fluttershy sighed, “The one and only. She was a bright filly, quite a bit younger than the rest of us, but she was twice as smart as all of us put together. Twilight was the one that brought us all together, all six of us. We were friends before her arrival here, but she brought us all closer.”
She and Cordis sat for nearly an hour as she recounted their first meeting and the defeat of both Discord and Night Mare Moon. She told the story of how her closest foalhood friend, Rainbow Dash, had discovered the joys of reading. After a good fifty minutes had passed, she went quiet and Cordis looked at her expectantly, surprising himself that he was actually interested in the old mare’s stories. Something about how she spoke just drew him in. She sighed and said finally, “This tree died years ago. You can tell it’s still rotting away, slowly but surely. No amount of magic can preserve it forever.”
She pointed out in the distance towards the new library. On the sides of the stone steps were two statues of a young unicorn, “That’s Twilight there. Inside there’s a few more statues of the rest of us, but we’ll save that for another time.”
“So you six were the Elements of Harmony,” Cordis asked.
“Yes. We were, but now I believe the magic has gone back to the princesses when Rainbow Dash….”
Again she went silent. By now Cordis knew not to ask any questions, so he stood and wheeled her off to the next building. Down the road, he stopped at a boutique when Miss Fluttershy held up her hoof.
She stared at it knowingly, “Rarity used to own this place…”
Miss Fluttershy stared quietly at the place. She reveled in the memories of it and the spa the next building over. Without saying another word, Miss Fluttershy rubbed her face and nodded, giving Cordis permission to continue on their trail.
They traveled along the dirt road with an apple field on either side toward their final destination. Miss Fluttershy reminisced as they walked, “This whole apple farm belongs to the Apple family. Right now it’s probably run by Applejack’s grandson. I think you would have loved Applejack. You remind me a bit of her with a bit of Rainbow’s attitude mixed in.”
She looked behind her and laughed at Cordis’ expression. She took a large breath. Even a little laugh like that sped up her heart as if she had just run a mile. When her pulse returned to normal, she continued to tell Cordis about Applejack and her family. She recounted her crush on AJ’s brother, Big Macintosh, and the Hearts and Hooves Day incident that kept her from acting on it.
“I don’t really mind. I met my husband not long after that. It was when I told Pinkie about Big Mac,” She smiled and stared off into the distance. After a moment, she lowered her eyes and shaded them with her foreleg. A wobbly figure walked along the fence and Miss Fluttershy called out to it, “Applebloom, is that you?”
The red-maned mare turned around and smiled, “Fluttershy? My, it’s been months!”
Cordis pulled up next to the fence and leaned against it for rest. Miss Fluttershy looked more lively than ever, “What are you doing this far from the house?”
“Th’ doc said that the more Ah stretch these ol’ legs th’ longer Ah can avoid a walker, so Ah walk the Northwest field e’ry day,” Granny Applebloom said, “What a’ you doin’ all th’ way out here workin’ this poor feller ta death fer?”
Miss Fluttershy sighed and thought a moment before answering, “I’m just taking a stroll around Ponyville, reminiscing and whatnot for… well…”
Granny Applebloom’s smile faded and she nodded, “Ah understand, Fluttershy.”
“How’s the farm?”
Granny Applebloom looked behind her and back to Miss Fluttershy, “It’s doin’ fairly well. Ah’m sure we can keep it goin’ fer a few more decades.”
“That’s great. I would stay and chat more, but I gotta get back before too late and I wanted to stop by the graves.”
“Say hi t’ ev’rypony for me, wouldja, Fluttershy,” Granny Applebloom asked, she reached her foreleg over the fence and patted Miss Fluttershy on the shoulder, “Ah’ll see you sometime later.”
Miss Fluttershy put her own foreleg on Granny Applebloom’s, “Of course. Good luck to you.”
After a few moments like that, Miss Fluttershy motioned for Cordis to continue their journey. Cordis looked back at Granny Applebloom and watched as she sat down against the fence and let out a deep, sad sigh.
They had just passed the fields when Cloudsdale came into view. Miss Fluttershy silently recounted her childhood in the wretched place. All she could ever associate with it was the deep emotional scars from the incessant bullying she underwent there. She thought back to the time she fell the hundreds of feet to be caught by the woodland animals. It was the day she had earned her cutie mark—the day her life finally had meaning.
Whenever she thought about that event, however, she was always reminded of Rainbow Dash. She loved Rainbow like a sister. Dash had always stuck up for her in school. Miss Fluttershy smiled when she remembered the days Dash tried coaching her in sticking up for herself, or the days she tried coaching her to give a proper cheer. She always saw the potential in Miss Fluttershy that she didn’t think she would ever have. And Miss Fluttershy always saw the insecurity Dash always tried to hide. In a way, it gave her hope that she could do the same. Hide her fear and weakness with the guise of confidence and bravado.
Her thoughts were interrupted when Cordis walked them into the graveyard at the edge of Ponyville and announced, “Here we are, final stop.”
Miss Fluttershy pointed to the area she wished to visit. She and her friends and family and their families all planned to be buried in the same area, forever bound together. When they arrived, Miss Fluttershy got out of her chair and walked along the bright green grass towards the graves. Cordis followed, but he stayed a respectable distance, knowing this was Miss Fluttershy’s time, but that he needed to be there in case she needed her chair again.
She sat quietly for nearly twenty minutes before speaking, “Rainbow Dash was a strong mare. She got into the Wonderbolts. It was her dream, you know. She stayed with them for two years before leaving to come back home. Heh, she wanted to be with her friends more than she wanted to be with her idols.”
Cordis walked closer and Miss Fluttershy continued, “She was the first to go. We didn’t expect it since she was so athletic and well built. Not to mention she was the second youngest of us all. She died of a massive heart attack brought on by overstressing it with her extensive exercising. She went down with a bang. She was in the middle of a show during a festival for the princess. She did a sonic rainboom right before her heart stopped… It was then that we lost our abilities as the Elements…”
Cordis kept quiet. Miss Fluttershy stood and walked to the next grave, lost in memories again, “Pinkie Pie was a sweetheart. She went on to buy that candy shop from the owners when they moved off to Manehattan. She was always the one to call when we were down. You would think that she and I would never get along with how our personalities are so vastly different, but we did. She got along with everypony.
“She died of a heart attack, too, but she died in the hospital. It was caused by her eating habits of course. The last thing she said to us was to not cry. She wanted to remember us smiling, and she wanted us to remember her smiling. All she cared about was happiness. We smiled with her when she slipped away. Heh… Who smiles at their best friend dying?”
Cordis reached out and pat Miss Fluttershy on the back. He noticed that she was not crying. Her eyes were dry, but her voice was wavering like a person crying. She looked up above the grave she sat in front of—up at the two behind it.
“Rarity was a good friend of mine. I think I got along with her more than she got along with anypony else. She was quite the drama queen, after all. She went on to become a semi-famous designer. While all the business was in Canterlot, she was like Rainbow Dash and stayed here with us. She brought quite a bit of business to Ponyville. My daughter, Jewel, went on to become a fashion model for Rarity’s clothing lines.
Miss Fluttershy took a breath. Cordis felt a deep pit of despair with each story she told, but she must have felt a deep need to tell them. She continued to tell the story about Rarity and Jewel’s fifth tour of Equestria seven years after Pinkie’s death. She told Cordis about how a pair of detectives had come to her door and told her that both of them had been murdered by an obsessive fan. Her husband had fallen into a deep depression and attempted suicide twice. He was put in a mental hospital for the rest of his life.
“He was stuck in that hospital for quite a few years,” Miss Fluttershy continued, “They found the killer. He was sentenced to a fate worse than death, but I don’t really like to think about that. My husband’s third attempt at suicide came as a success. The hospital paid a huge sum for not being able to stop it. I gave it all away to Applejack’s family to keep their farm, though. It was on the edge of foreclosure.”
Miss Fluttershy stood up and got back into her chair and looked off at another gravestone, “Applejack was never the same after Rainbow’s death. She pretended she was okay, but her death really did affect her. The rest of us secretly assumed they had feelings for each other in more than just a friend’s sense, but we never judged that. She stopped bucking apples after Rarity died. I’m fairly sure her death was all it took for her to give up.”
Cordis felt a clutching feeling in his chest. He hated sad stories.
“In a lightning storm a year later, a fairly large tree fell on Big Macintosh. They couldn’t get him to the hospital in time and his lungs collapsed. Applejack stayed in bed for weeks after that. She died in her sleep, and the doctors couldn’t quite figure out why. We knew, though. She had given up. I still think that if Pinkie was still alive when it happened that Applejack may still be around now.”
Miss Fluttershy got out of her chair again and walked out of the gates of the graveyard and started picking flowers, storing them in her hair. That didn’t stop her story; she talked as Cordis followed behind her, helping her pick the flowers.
“Sweetie Belle went on to be a wonderful singer. She was fairly famous, too. The famous DJ Pon3 even remixed a couple of her songs. She was torn up when her sister died, but that didn’t stop her. It opened a new era in her music. She dedicated an album to her sister and Jewel. I’m sure you’ve heard it, ‘Thread and Gems’ I think it was called. She dedicated her next album to the Apple family, one song made directly for Applebloom to help her through it. People wrote her from all across Equestria telling her how her music helped them through harsh times.
“She died from kidney failure. I believe it was some genetic disorder. Scootaloo had offered her a kidney, but her body rejected it.”
Miss Fluttershy picked one more flower and walked slowly back into the graveyard. She walked along the graves and pulled a flower from her hair, putting one on each gravestone, “Twilight went on to become a scholar. She worked out of that tree-library until her death. Her studies switched drastically to the afterlife when Sweetie died and when she was diagnosed with cancer. She refused treatment for it and died in her sleep a year and a half later. She left all her money and life insurance to the city to build the new library. I believe I told you that already.”
Miss Fluttershy stopped at the final grave, “Scootaloo became a stunt mare for movies. She was really good at it too. Everypony rather enjoyed her movies and we would praise her when she came back to Ponyville after a shooting. She died of a brain tumor after her final movie shooting.”
Cordis watched Miss Fluttershy place the final flower. She stood and let out a shaky sigh and returned to her chair, "Life seems to go by very slowly, Cordis, but when you look back, you will wonder why it went by so fast."
“You can take me home now, Cordis, sweetie,” Miss Fluttershy said. Her eyes were still dry. Her tears had dried up years ago.
Cordis walked Miss Fluttershy up to her cottage just as the clock hit five in the pm. He helped her out of her chair and back into the cottage. Miss Fluttershy lay on her belly on the sofa while she watched Cordis finish the previsions for her weekend alone. When he was finished, he went through the checklist, telling her where he kept her medicine, what quick foods he left for her, and how to contact somepony if she needed assistance.
Though Miss Fluttershy kept waving him off, telling him to quit babying her, he didn’t feel quite so annoyed. Instead he smiled, told her to take care of herself, and walked towards the door.
Before he walked out, Miss Fluttershy called to him, “Cordis, sweetie…”
“Yes, Miss Fluttershy,” He asked patiently.
She looked down at the floor and back at him, “Thank you.”
He smiled and nodded, “And thank you.”
“Enjoy the wedding, dearie.”
And Cordis walked out the door. He trotted off, waving goodbye to the gardener. Something about their adventure today put him in a great mood. He felt like he had just changed the world somehow, but all he did was change one mare’s day. He did, in fact, have some stories to tell his kids on the trip. He could tell, with pride, the story of the mare he cared after.
Miss Fluttershy waited for about an hour after Cordis left before she got off the couch. The sun was nearing the edge of the horizon, so she thought she had better make this quick. She grabbed a sheet of parchment and a quill and inkwell. Then she wrote. It wasn’t a long note, but it was the second most important part of today.
She knew her time was coming, and the door was closing quicker than she would have really wanted. There were so many windows left open, so many thresholds uncrossed, but who was she to argue with what nature commanded?
She finished the letter to Cordis and set it on the table, so it was the very first thing he would see when he returned. He was a good stallion. He deserved every bit she was leaving to him.
What she regretted the most was leaving old Granny Applebloom all alone. She would have loved to have tea with her one more time, but what nature commands, nature receives.
Miss Fluttershy walked up her stairs slowly to her bedroom and lay down in her bed. She pulled the sheets up to her neck and closed her eyes. It would be a few days before somepony found her, but she was okay with that. She just wished Cordis wouldn’t be the one to do the finding.
She could feel herself slipping away. Her body felt cold and her head swam. It was over sooner than she expected.
A darkness washed over her, then a light, and off in the distance she could see a smiling face, and then another, and another. A smile spread across her face and a single tear slid down her cheek. Her friends were waiting for her.