//------------------------------// // Mud Dabbing // Story: The Secret of the Everfree forest // by DerpTape //------------------------------// Chapter 2 – Mud Dabbing “Where is the real Fluttershy?” Captain Shining Armor’s tone was that of steel, and barely restrained violence. Again, the other ponies made no comment on his behavior, wrapped as they were in their own astonishment. Queen Fluttershy seemingly ignored the question as she addressed Princess Celestia, “Do you recall the letter that Twilight wrote you about how all of the Elements got our Cutie Marks? Though now more befuddled than before, the Princess shook herself and responded, “Of course, they had all been triggered by Rainbow Dash’s first Sonic Rainboom.” Queen Fluttershy nodded sadly, “Part of the story in that letter was made up. I have kept this hidden, not just for me, but to keep pain from others as well.” She closed her eyes, replaying the events in her mind, both hers as well as her namesake’s, before continuing, “Fluttershy waved the starter flag for the race where Rainbow Dash performed the Sonic Rainboom, but as the racers flew past her she was knocked off the cloud. In the version I told others, she was saved from her fall by a kaleidoscope of butterflies . . . the truth is that they didn’t catch her.” A gasp of realization came from the Princesses, “I was wandering nearby and heard the impact. When I arrived, I found her completely covered by butterflies. Most ponies only think of them as feeding from flowers or fruit, but they will also feed from other things that they find, like dung . . . or spilled blood. She was still alive, somehow, when I waved them away from her, but,” She shuddered, seeing the event again in perfect clarity in her closed eyes. “She was Shattered.” Opening her eyes, she looked at the celestial Diarchs, “Even if you both had been on the spot when it happened, I doubt you could have done anything. I . . . I did the only thing I could. I took the pain from her. I opened my mind to her, as I would to a newly hatched changeling, and invited her in. In a real way, she was the first hive member I ever had. Through this, I was able to block her from sensing her wounds and instead felt them for her.” She shivered, her folded wings rustling against each other, feeling the shadow of the agony once again, “Even before I did this, though, she had looked on me in this form, and she did so without hate or fear, only hope. “She knew that she was dying, even in the absence of the pain, and she looked at me and smiled. She smiled while she was dying, and thanked me. Not for taking her suffering, I don’t think that she knew I did that. No, she thanked me for just being there. She had been so isolated most of her life, and she thanked me for not letting her pass alone. I was very young, only a few months out of the egg, I had just been banished from my birth Hive. I didn’t have the experience or control that I needed. When she said that, I opened my MindGates fully, and, as the Rainboom signaled her passing, she . . . she became a part of me.” The Queen saw the shock deepen on her audience’s faces, and quickly tried to clarify, “No, No! I didn’t feed on her, or steal her essence, or anything like that!” The expressions of incredulity were not encouraging, “Um, think of it like a Gramophone record. The orchestra isn’t diminished when the record is made. In my case it was like . . . two musicians playing separately, her mind, and mine. When my MindGates opened, a new record was made of both songs together, a duet. When her eyes closed for the last time, she was still Fluttershy that she had always been. Me, on the other hoof, I became somepony new. No longer was I just a disappointing offspring, but neither was I the young filly who had just passed before me either. I took her name, yes and her form, as a tribute, a memorial of thanks to the one who had allowed me to grow beyond what I was hatched for.” She felt both lighter, and heavier as she revealed this, but she knew she had to finish, “I built her a cairn in the Everfree, so we could visit her, but the . . . pony Fluttershy has always been with us. Since that day, neither I, nor any of my Hive, have taken the place of another pony.” Her tale complete, Queen Fluttershy again searched the faces that surrounded her. All the Princesses eyes glistened with emotion, damp tracks lay on either side of Princess Cadence’s muzzle. The stallion alone seemed unmoved, “We will see what we find when you take us to this ‘cairn’. Forensic pathology spells can tell us more than you know.” “Shinny!” Cadence exclaimed, “Things may have changed,” She glanced at the obviously frightened pink and black being, “. . . a lot. But this is still Fluttershy. The Element of Kindness, for goodness sakes!” Captain Shining Armor never took his eyes off the changeling while cutting his wife off, “No, that is only what this thing has told us. All we know is what it has told us, and that is that this is not the real Fluttershy.” Queen Fluttershy reacted to the words as if they were physical blows, softly stating, “I am telling the truth, I just wanted to stop hiding what we were.” The Prince did not let up, “We will find the truth, creature.” He spat, “Don’t you worry. Or maybe you should, since we will be finding out what you have been hiding.” His horn, having never faltered since he first ignited it, now acted. Pink, magical bands flashed into existence, binding her wings painfully against her body. As well, mystic chains hobbled her legs so suddenly that she toppled onto her side. Before the Princesses could respond, he declared in an officious tone, “Queen Fluttershy, you are hereby under arrest for suspicion of kidnapping, abiding a terrorist action against the crown, violation of the sanctity of the mind, and murder.” Queen Fluttershy no longer had the strength to be strong. She curled up on her side and began sobbing. She had known that something like this might happen, but she had hoped so hard against it, “Please,” She whimpered, “I never meant to do anything wrong. We just wanted to live in peace with ponies!” Then she continued sobbing again. Princess Celestia stepped forward, “I understand your fervor, Captain, but I am unsure that all this is necessary.” “And I am unsure it will be enough,” Captain Shining Armor stood firm, “We know very little about their abilities, but what we do know is terrifying, Princess. They can change their shapes skillfully enough to deceive family members, and I know just how well they can influence the minds of ponies directly. We saw the drones slam so hard into the cobblestone that they left craters in the streets, they feed on ponies emotions like Vampiric Jackalopes, they can secrete some kind of resin and form cocoons strong enough to keep Alicorns hostage. As well, Princess Celestia, let us not forget that Queen Chrysalis was able to overpower you yourself in a direct magical force duel!” This time, Princess Luna interjected, “I doubt my sister will be forgetting today’s events anytime soon, Captain. While you do raise good points, and I will be joining the investigation to combat some of them, you will remember to treat the accused with respect, ‘Captain’.” She looked at the weeping form on the ground, “If she is being truthful, then this is the same . . . being who helped defeat Discord scant months past. Helped to purge the Nightmare from my very form, and even helped me this recent holiday past to learn how to better relate with our subjects.” Her face became sterner, “We also realize that it is possible that the pony Fluttershy could be else ware, and in need of rescue. We shall work with you, Captain, and together we shall uncover the truth.” Princess Cadence, having overcome some of the shock brought on by the situation, now approached the magically bound monarch. Her instincts told her that she could trust this creature, but . . . she couldn’t risk being wrong, “Please cooperate,” she prompted, getting those strange, tear swollen eyes to look up from its bizarrely hole filled hooves, “If what you have told us is true, help us prove it so we can move forward. Shinny is only doing his job, he just wants to make sure everypony is safe.” Queen Fluttershy nodded, stifling another sob. This could still work out, she brightened. Prince Shining Armor was just trying to protect those he loved, just as she was. Once she showed that her Hive was not like Mother’s, they could move on, and things would get better for everypony, and everyling. This would improve things for other Hives, not just for Everfree Hive. She had to be strong for them all. She resolved herself then and there to hold nothing back, it would likely not be enjoyable anytime soon, if the Prince’s attitude was anything to go by, but as Applejack has said, “The Truth shall set you free, Sugar cube.” She just hoped it would be more than just a metaphor. Struggling to bring herself to a sitting position, Queen Fluttershy looked at her captors, and with as steady a voice as she could muster, she asked, “OK, what do you want me to tell you?” Questions, unfortunately, were not the first thing on the Captain of the guards mind. His first priority was *security*, “Princess Celestia, Permission to transport the prisoner to Detention Level A? The Diarch in question started, then nodded her head sadly, “As you see fit, Captain.” She then looked at the newly revealed Changeling Queen, “I am sorry it has come to this, and I do hope that we can continue this under better circumstances,” Then she abruptly turned and walked out of the throne room. “Cadence, I want you to return to the party, try to enjoy yourself, but I think it best to keep the revelations on a need to know basis. Until we have more information, nopony else should be told about this.” Princess Luna nodded her agreement with the Prince, and dispelled her magic from the room. The Prince then shot a bolt of magic into the night, “Two of my most trusted guards are on their way to meet you here. Please don’t try to ditch them this time.” The Princess of Love glanced again at Fluttershy, even revealed as she was, she still seemed like the Fluttershy she had only meet briefly, “I won’t, but please Shinny, I know how you feel about what happened, but try not to be too hard on her. She isn’t Queen Chrysalis. Allow her a chance to prove herself.” “Her treatment will depend on her behavior. Compliance will be rewarded.” Despite the neutral tone, Fluttershy couldn’t help but feel a chill down her carapace. Nopony else reacted however, and so she was led, shuffling, towards the dungeons.