A Study In Nonsense

by Professor Piggy


Cruelty and Lies

Apple Bloom lay huddled in the corner of the room, eyes fixed firmly on the sight before her – she didn’t want to look, didn’t want to see it, but she couldn’t look away. The mouse was screaming, and it wouldn’t stop. It lay on the table, writing in pain and staring up with frightened, pleading eyes at Fluttershy, who stood staring down at it with just a hint of a frown on her face.

The Pegasus leaned close, pressing her cheek against the mouse and whispering softly. “Aw, did you hurt your leg? That’s simply awful. And it looks like it might be broken too.”

The filly couldn’t help but flinch away from that voice, that tone. It didn’t sound right. Fluttershy didn’t sound scared. She didn’t sound worried, or sad, or at all like herself. She sounded excited – like she couldn’t wait for what was coming. And the small smile she gave the mouse as she continued didn’t do anything to make it better.

“But don’t worry, Mr. Mouse. Mama’s here. Mama will make it all better just like before, okay?”

As Fluttershy spoke, she lowered a hoof gently to rest on the mouse’s wounded leg – Apple Bloom saw him freeze, for just a moment, before relaxing. As Fluttershy pulled her face away Mr. Mouse’s eyes followed her, his screaming having dimmed to the occasional pained squeak.

“There’s a good boy.” The Pegasus cooed softly. “Now this might hurt just a little, so you have to be brave, okay?”

The mouse began to squeak it reply, only for it to turn into a shriek of agony as Fluttershy reared up and slammed her hoof down onto his wounded leg with all the strength she had. Apple Bloom felt bile rise in her throat and tore her eyes away and snapped them closed, unable to watch. The mouse continued to scream, and she could hear him scraping against the table as he struggled to get free.

“There there, don’t struggle.” There was a hint of a giggle in that voice now, and Apple Bloom realised that she was terribly, terribly afraid. “It’s hard for mama to fix you when you keep trying to get away like this. You don’t want to make mama angry, do you?” If the mouse heard, if he cared, he didn’t show any sign – the screams continued above Fluttershy’s soft words until, after what felt like an age, the Pegasus sighed. “Well, if that’s how you’re going to be I’ll just have to leave you like this until you calm down. Try to relax, okay? I’m going to go and talk to our guest for a little while.”

The sound of something being slammed down on the table echoed throughout the cottage and Apple Bloom opened her eyes, hoping desperately that it was over. She couldn’t help but take a step back at what she saw – Fluttershy stood not a foot away, a smirk on her face and those horrible, cold grey eyes fixed locked onto her own.

“There’s no need to look so worried,” the Pegasus assured her softly, “Mr. Mouse will be just fine. He just has to calm down a little before I can treat him without making him worse, that’s all.”

“But…can’t you give him somethin’ for the pain?” Apple Bloom’s voice shook as she spoke, “He sounds like he’s hurtin’ real bad!”

“Mmmm.” Fluttershy’s eyes flickered closed as she let out a soft sigh. “He does doesn’t he? He really is suffering.” She shook her head, opening those eyes again and frowning intently. “I’d like to stop him hurting, but I’m going to need him later. And I’m afraid I need all of my anaesthetics for something…” She trailed off, and stared at Apple Bloom for a moment, smile growing just a little wider, “…special.”

The little filly had never been so afraid.

“A…Applejack said I should come here. She said you’d look after me.” Something about that seemed right. Like if Applejack had told her to come it would all be okay.

“Oh, really? That wasn’t very clever of her, but that’s not really a surprise. Did she say why?”

“You ain’t my sister.”

The memory of the words bought tears to her eyes again and she looked away, doing everything she could to fight them back. “She…she told me I ain’t her sister. Or Big Mac’s neither. She said…she said I was adopted.”

“You ain’t my sister, and I don’t want you ‘round here anymore!”

She had begged her s…begged Applejack to let her stay. Begged her to still love her – it didn’t matter to Applejack if they were related, they were still sisters. They loved each other. But Applejack had just scowled.

“Love you? I don’t love you, and I never did. Now get goin’!”

And so she had run. She had fled and come to the one pony she knew would never turn her away, who never had. She had come to Fluttershy, seeking comfort. And instead she had found this.

Fluttershy’s expression changed, and now she looked concerned. With a few steps forward she wrapped a foreleg around Apple Bloom and began to stroke her mane. The earth pony couldn’t help but notice the tiny flecks of blood on her hoof.

“Oh, sweetie, I’m so sorry that she said that. I’m sure it’s not true.” Apple Bloom relaxed, just a little. Maybe it would be okay. Maybe Fluttershy would help her after all. Maybe…maybe she didn’t need Applejack anyhow.

“She probably only said you were adopted because she never wants to see you again.” The Pegasus whispered softly, tone reassuring. Apple Bloom tried to pull away, and when that didn’t work she began to cry.

“But why? What’d I do? Why doesn’t she love me anymore?”

“Anymore? Oh, no – she’s always thought that. She told me so. And can you really blame her? All you ever do is run around and cause trouble. I can’t think of anypony who’d want a sister like you. But it was very cruel of her to say it.”

“That – that’s a lie!” Apple Bloom was shouting now, and Fluttershy pulled away a little in shock. “Applejack loves me! She always has! She told me so just this mornin’! And my sister don’t lie!”

Fluttershy smiled, and patted her on the head. “Of course she doesn’t. She’s the element of honesty after all. I guess she just must have changed her mind since then, hmm?”

“Well I gotta make her change it back! You gotta help me! Please?”

The Pegasus nodded happily, “Of course I’ll help. I know just how to make her miss you more than anything! Come with me, and I’ll sh –“ A knock on the door interrupted the Pegasus, and her expression darkened. Lifting herself onto her hooves she glared at the door and called out, voice frighteningly cheerful. “Who is iiiiiiiit?”

“Fluttershy, you open this door right now! I gotta talk to you, an’ I know my little sister’s in there!”

Little sister. The words sent warmth flowing through Apple Bloom, and she took a step towards the door quickly – only to be stopped dead by Fluttershy’s foreleg, still wrapped around her. “Just a moment, Apple Bloom. I need to have a talk to Applejack about treating you properly. Could you step into the other room for just a second?”

Before Apple Bloom could answer the door cracked of its hinges and Applejack burst through, green eyes burning and with Twilight at her side. She glared at the Pegasus for a moment and then snarled. “Fluttershy, I know you ain’t right and we’re here to fix that. But if you don’t get your hooves off of Apple Bloom I’m gonna break a few o’ your teeth in the process.”

As she pulled Apple Bloom even closer to her, Fluttershy narrowed her eyes and smiled.