//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: New Fluttershy - Extended // by RushyFiction //------------------------------// Fluttershy, Fluttershy, Fluttershy can hardly fly! Fluttershy, Fluttershy, Fluttershy can hardly fly! The refrain echoed through New Fluttershy's mind as she floated towards Twilight Sparkle's tree house. For most of her life, it had been a torturous reminder of her inadequacies, and an infinite well of embarrassment. But now, she found it strangely comforting to think of. It reminded her that she had bested them all. Thanks to Iron Will's rigorous mental training, she didn't feel the slightest twinge of fear going to face her friends. So what if they were angry with her? They had no right to dictate her behaviour or any of her choices for that matter? And if they tried, she'd show them who's boss! With an eerie, malevolent smile on her lips, the yellow pegasus landed in front of the tree house and gently knocked on the wooden door. She wasn't raised in a barn, after all. Unlike some. The door became enveloped in a purple field of magic and opened up, revealing five very upset mares glaring daggers at Fluttershy. Pinkie Pie's mane had completely straightened out and the look of betrayal in her sweet(no! Naive!) eyes was... alarming, to say the least. One side of Applejack's face was as red as her brother and swollen up. Twilight looked completely frazzled and had a nervous twitch going on. Even though it had only been a few hours since she met Fluttershy, it looked to her as if she'd been up a week... probably in existential crisis over how her life choices. Rainbow Dash's eyes were puffy and bloodshot as if they'd been rubbed over and over again to remove any hint of moisture. Rarity was the only one to look... normal... ish... in fact, she was wearing even more make-up than usual. "Hello, girls." Fluttershy said in her usual timid voice, and extended the intervention letter. "You wanted to talk with me?" "Yes! We know you're upset with all of us... and we can appreciate how Iron Will's lessons have bolstered your confidence, but-" Twilight began diplomatically, but was cut off by Rainbow. "-WHAT THE HAY IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" the blue pegasus screeched and flew towards Fluttershy, stopping a few millimeters away from her impassive face. "You're treating all of us like we're your enemies!" "Indeed, darling." Rarity joined in. "It's one thing to have a misunderstanding, it is quite another to deliberately hurt someone's feelings. If I didn't know you any better, I would've mistaken you for a bully." Fluttershy giggled, to their surprise. "And you'd know, wouldn't you? How many times will poor 'Spikey-wikey' have to hurt himself before you finally decide to tell him you have no feelings for him?" She began to parody Rarity's ladylike gestures. "Oh, but it would simply be uncouth to turn down a willing work hand, wouldn't it? So long as YOU get what you want!" The yellow pegasus hit the floor with her hoof. "It's always about what YOU all want! The Wonderbolts, the books, the apples... I can't take it anymore! I want..." Suddenly, Fluttershy's mouth clamped shut in fear as she realised she was about to break down when that's exactly the opposite of what she came here to do. Twilight pushed Rainbow Dash aside. "Fluttershy, I... all I'm asking you is to at least remember you're the Element of Kindness, and you didn't become that by seeing everypony's worst side, but their best." Applejack trotted beside her. "Yeah look, sugarcube, ya can't expect us to be mighty considerate all the time, we just ain't perfect. But ah swear on mah good name that as long as you still got faith in us, we'll always have faith in you, and if you ain't happy with us, all ya gotta do is just say it." "I..." Fluttershy mumbled. Her resolve was starting to break as the indulgent, bitter side of her fought with the one that just wanted to be with her friends again. She couldn't deny that she thoroughly enjoyed lowering her inhibitions and giving Ponyville a piece of her mind, but there was honesty and then there was honesty. And she had used the truth as a weapon rather than to mend bridges. "I just..." Kindness towards others was so synonymous with her that Fluttershy hadn't even stopped to consider that she herself did possess a darker side and could make her own mistakes, even if her cause was technically correct. And she still felt that urge to lash out and make things worse, just to spite them all. This is what it feels like to be a villain. "I do want to be more appreciated." She finally said, the cold icyness melting away from her voice. "But that will never happen if I don't have any friends left. I'm sorry, I'm very selfish... I didn't think this could happen." Fluttershy sniffled. "You must think I'm an awful pony." She began to cry. A pink hoof gently stroked her cheek and she looked up to see Pinkie Pie smiling widely with her mane as poofy as ever. "Well, you were going pretty 'Great and Powerful Trixie' there for a moment, but I'm SO happy you made it back!" Pinkie hugged the yellow pegasus so tightly that the latter's eyes nearly bulged out of her sockets, only letting go shortly before Fluttershy collapsed from oxygen deprivation. "And as soon as you're ready, we are having a 'Treat Fluttershy Like A Princess' party!" Applejack gently touched her swollen face. "That was one mighty buck to the face you gave me back at the farm. I might just have to hire you as a helping hoof!" She nuzzled Fluttershy. "Welcome home, sugarcube. Don't wander off again." "I-I won't. I promise..." Fluttershy said quietly. "And I'm sorry about your face. I-If you'd like, you could come by my cottage later and I'll give you something for it." Applejack grinned before wincing. "Sounds swell." Rainbow Dash floated closer, cautiously inspecting her fellow pegasus. The yellow pegasus blinked and looked up hopefully, only for Dash to scowl and fly away out of the window in a huff. "Oh dear..." "It's alright, Fluttershy, dear." Rarity put a comforting hoof on her shoulder. "I'm sure she'll come around. Rainbow Dash has always been rather... stubborn." "I know, but it's not that... we've been friends for a very long time... I have to make it up for her!" Magic, generosity, fun, honesty... those were easy to mend. But broken loyalty was something different.