It was with a small groan that Fluttershy returned to the waking world. Still a bit dazed, she tried to move only to find herself buckled into her seat. 'When did I get back in the truck?' She also noticed they were heading farther into town in the direction of Rarity's place. The fancier buildings and businesses all blending together as they drove past. A momentary thought made her heart leap into her throat, and she looked around frantically until she found her dreamcatcher sitting on the truck's dashboard. With a small sigh, she reached over and picked it up.
A motion that grabbed Applejack's attention. "Oh, yer up!" Fluttershy looked over at Applejack, who had a relieved smile on her face as she kept her eyes on the road. "I was startin' to get worried for a sec there. Ya fell over like one of them faintin' goats the moment you saw Sonata."
Fluttershy smiled as she quickly put the dreamcatcher around her neck. 'I should make sure I don't lose this. Just in case I faint again.' It was after she made sure it was secure, that Fluttershy blinked in confusion with a tilt of her head. "Wait, who's Sonata?" Applejack just pointed a thumb towards the back of the truck, a more amused smile on her face. Fluttershy turned to look back and jumped in surprise, clutching at the dreamcatcher.
Sonata, for her part, could have done something other than press her face into the glass with a giant smile, but she was just too happy and thankful. "HI!"
Fluttershy weakly pointed at Sonata as she turned back in her seat. "Um...A-Applejack?"
"It's fine, Fluttershy." Applejack shrugged and shook her head. "'Parently her sisters are as reliable as your brother. Done ditched her, and she needed a ride to find at least one of 'em, so we're heading for the library to drop her off."
"Oh." Fluttershy looked down at her feet, lips pursed. She felt it again as she agreed with the comparison, that twinge of pain lancing behind her eyes.
"Yeah." Applejack chuckled a bit and raised an eyebrow. "Sure is a talker, though. I swear if you hadn't started stirrin' she'd have given Pinkie a run for her money."
Frowning, Fluttershy looked over at Applejack. "But, when I came out, you were..."
"Using magic?" Applejack raised an eyebrow, to which Fluttershy nodded. She took a moment to sigh and focused her eyes back on the road. "Yeah, not sure why I was either. One sec, Ah'm tellin' Sonata that Ah'm willin' ta give her an honest chance, the next, magic's pourin' offa me like water on a duck's back."
Fluttershy smiled a bit at the simile, but couldn't stop her eyes from darting back to where Sonata was currently breathing on the glass and doodling tacos. "If you're giving her a chance, then why is she in the back of your truck?"
Rolling her eyes, Applejack let out another sigh, sounding a touch more exasperated this time. "Again, she could give Pinkie a run. I told her she could have a back seat, but she insisted she got the bed. Somethin' about it being more fun that way. Between you and me, I ain't fightin' that fight. Tried it once with Pinkie herself. Never again." Applejack looked over at that moment and noticed the slight cringing of Fluttershy's face, and switched to a concerned frown. "Fluttershy? You sure you're feelin' alright?"
Was she? Fluttershy kept telling everyone she was, but that didn't feel true. Her head hurt a lot lately. Ever since Sunset left, she'd been feeling like this, she realized. At the mental image of the fiery-haired friend, Fluttershy started to turn her thoughts to a more introspective direction. "Do... do you think I ever really gave Sunset a chance?"
Applejack's frown turned to a more sympathetic one as she glanced at her friend. "Shy, there ain't no re-"
"Yes, there is!" Fluttershy's head whipped around as she snapped at Applejack. It took her a moment before she realized what she'd done, and another lance of pain ran through her head. Shamefully, Fluttershy turned to look at her feet again. "I... I think for the longest time, I've been angry at Sunset. Ever since she started bullying me, I hated her more than anything, but I couldn't admit it to myself. I just kept wondering why she would be so mean to me for no reason." Fluttershy's grip tightened on the door panel, and her hands trembled. "Then, when we all got back together, I was supposed to be the 'nice' one, but when Sunset stopped being a bully and became our friend, my thoughts were anything but." Another bolt of pain hit her, making her teeth grit down. "I kept thinking if she could be like this all along, why did she spend years making my life miserable? How could I just move past that like it never happened?" Then like a dandelion's seeds flying away, all of her tension left her as she slumped forward, shoulders quaking. "I guess... I'd convinced myself I had, for a while at least. The Battle of the Bands, enjoying her first-ever slumber party... I-I wanted to believe I'd been wrong. That she really was nice..." Fluttershy's throat started to feel tighter as she remembered the past month. "B-but then we all just- just threw her aside! We didn't even try to listen to her! She was crying, begging us to listen!"
A sob caught itself in Fluttershy's throat as she put her head in her hands. "And I enjoyed it."
"When it came out that she was innocent, I felt disgusted. I-I had been exactly what she used to be. I hurt someone who saw me as her friend, as her family even." Applejack flinched at that but said nothing. "I don't want to be like that ever again, but I keep feeling angry at little things, and it hurts. I was starting to get better, but-" Fluttershy's composure crumbled as she started to silently sob. She moved one hand to clutch the dreamcatcher like it was her only lifeline.
Applejack reached over and placed a hand on Fluttershy's shoulder, snapping her attention away from her thoughts. "But then Sunset dropped that little bomb on us before she left. Right?" Fluttershy nodded, sniffling back a few of her tears. "Fluttershy, it's okay to feel like that. Everyone has moments they get mad. Sure, we were out of line, and there ain't no excuse for that, but we can always be better moving forward."
Before she could continue, there was a tap on the back window that led to both of them looking back at Sonata; through the rearview in Applejack's case. They saw her pointing at the pack of motorcycles that were headed their way from behind. At Applejack's raised eyebrow, she opened the sliding panel on Applejack's window and frowned. "Do you, like, know those guys? They've been following you for a while."
"Huh?" Applejack looked into her side mirror, and a few of the cyclists sped past, slowing down before her. Worse, was the spike strip they were holding between the two of them. The message they were sending was clear. Pullover, or lose your tires. When she looked at the griffin design on their backs, her face instantly fell into a glare. "Dagnabbit! It's these guys again."
'Again?' Fluttershy looked out the window only yelp as one of the cyclists drove up next to it and was brandishing a crowbar.
As the truck slowed, Applejack kept her eyes on the guys surrounding them as her hand moved to the door controls. "Fluttershy, whatever you do, stay in the truck and keep the doors locked."
When the truck stopped, and Applejack started to reach for the door, Fluttershy reached over and grabbed her arm. "Applejack, you can't-!"
Applejack looked over and had steel in her eyes. "Sonata is in the bed of my truck Fluttershy. She ain't got anything between them and her, and I promised to get her to that library." She gently put her hand on Fluttershy's, before slowly pulling them off of her arm. "Ah ain't got a choice right now."
Even after she'd pulled over and parked, the motor gang continued to circle her truck, going as far as driving on the sidewalk. They kept this up until one of them stopped and pulled her helmet off. "Well, if it isn't the Apple girl again." Rolling Thunder taunted as she leaned against her bike, hand on her hip. "Do ya want to go another round just from seein' us?"
"Unless you want to get humiliated again, I suggest you get goin'." Applejack growled and cracked her knuckles.
As the two started to square off, Fluttershy hastily hid the dreamcatcher down the front of her shirt. It was a vain hope, but it was all she could do with how many of the gang members were surrounding them. They were mostly too busy watching their boss square up against Applejack to pay much attention to her.
Rolling Thunder chuckled and cocked an eyebrow. "Now, why would I do that after goin' through all the trouble of getting your attention?" Rolling rolled her eyes and shrugged. "Course, it wasn't my idea to square off against you again, but ya just had to be toting around your little friend there. It would have been so much easier if you just let her walk."
Applejack glanced for a moment towards her truck, before resuming her glare at Rolling Thunder. She even took a few steps to the side to stand between the two of them. "Ah don't know what Sonata did ta rile you up, but-"
Rolling Thunder starting laughing madly, interrupting Applejack's threat. "You think I'm here for the bimbo!?" Her face twisted into a sneer as she snapped her fingers. "Nah mate, I was talkin' bout your little friend there."
Applejack's head whipped around as she heard the shattering of her passenger window and Fluttershy screaming. She started to rush around the truck as two of the bikers began unlocking the door from the inside. "HEY! You get yer hands off a-!" Her charge stopped abruptly as she felt something sharp stab into her back, and an outrageous amount of pain fire up her spine. The pain was enough to send her sprawling across the hood of her truck, gasping for air.
Rolling Thunder only chuckled as she held up the taser and walked over to the downed farmer. "Now, it came to our attention that you and ya friends have a few special items that Lightning wants. I also heard that ya were gonna go and stash it all away soon." She lifted Applejack's head by her hair and tapped her chin with the taser. "So, figuring that ya just made a pitstop at her place, she's gotta have hers on her, right?"
Fluttershy could only watch helplessly as she was held by one of the bikers with an arm around her neck. She was too scared to even faint anymore. Everything about this was wrong. Today was wrong. It had to be a nightmare. Just another nightmare. She didn't even notice as the dreamcatcher started to glow ominously under her shirt. There was a jolt through her again, only this time, her body went slack.
Applejack was unceremoniously thrown to the ground, and Rolling knelt down next to her. "So, where is it? What special little toy did you bring home?" Applejack tried to push herself up, only to have Rolling stand and stomp on her hand, making her cry out in pain. "I'm waiting!"
Growling through her teeth, Applejack grabbed onto Rolling's ankle with her uninjured hand. "Let. Her. Go."
Rolling just laughed as she kicked Applejack's hand away. "Or what? You'll glare at me while another shock runs through your back?" Rolling pulled the trigger on her taser, and Applejack screamed as another jolt went into her. She glanced back at the truck, where Sonata was busy cowering against the cab as a few of the bikers started to climb in. "What do you think, boys? Should I get the third wheel in on this too?" She looked back down at Applejack with a chuckle, "I wonder how long you'll keep quiet with both of you on the ground."
Rolling was about to continue when she felt a chill run through the air. She paused for a moment, looking up at the sky for a second before one of her goons caught her attention. "Uh, b-b-boss?"
"What!?" She snapped, only for him to point behind her. The guy looked absolutely terrified, and so did the few who were turning to look at the same sight he was. It was when she turned around to see what the big deal was that she shared their terror. "Holy..."
Where the biker had been holding a terrified Fluttershy in a headlock, he now desperately tried to get his arm free. With an eerie calm, she casually held it in place. The very air rumbled as a faint glow spread from her chest to the rest of her body. Her hair was covering her face, and there was a subtle blue glow coming from behind them. As her head lifted to look forward, her hair parted to reveal the glowing, vacant eyes underneath.
As she let go, the biker was knocked back as massive yellow wings sprung forth from her back, dwarfing the rest of her body. Feathers gently fell as she took a step forward, bursting into motes of light where they landed. From the impacts, various animals began to appear. From mice to rottweilers, they sprung forth and waited for their master's commands with the same haunting eyes.
Rolling Thunder's eyes couldn't get any wider. She hastily dropped her first taser and pulled out a second one. As she aimed, something darted by, scratching her hand badly and making her lose her grip. When she looked around for the taser, a hawk perched itself on Fluttershy's outstretched hand, giving her its prize. With little care, Fluttershy dropped it into the jaws of the rottweiler, who crushed the device remorselessly.
It was then one of the bikers tried to do something and took his crowbar and charged her. He was swiftly taken down by a Doberman that lunged from Fluttershy's wings. It snapped its jaws onto his weapon and yanking him down to the ground, where it pinned him, growling into his terrified face.
Fluttershy threw her arm up as she flapped her wings, gracefully moving into the air with the hawk. From above, she looked down upon the bikers, many of which were frozen in shock. The light was steadily leaving the roads around them, shadows building overhead. It was then that they noticed it was not clouds that were starting to darken the sky. Rolling's heart began to race when she took in the sight of an actual murder of crows and ravens flying above. Her eyes moved to alleyways and any side streets she could think of, only to see more glowing eyes form from every shadow and window they could. In every direction, she could see them waiting for someone to move. Entire packs of dogs growled from behind doors.
Applejack felt someone pulling her up, and looked over to see a terrified Sonata trying to help her and pulling the darts from her back. "In the truck." Her simple command was followed to the letter, and Sonata had both of them quickly locked in the cab, broken glass forgotten.
Fluttershy pulled an arm back over her chest, and Rolling turned to her gang immediately. "BAIL!"
Fluttershy's arm swung forward, and the birds immediately began their attack, flying past her like living missiles. Many of them found their targets, latching onto bikers as they tried and failed to get on their rides and tripping them, pecking and clawing at what they could. The animals that had been still until then all darted in, joining in the assault. Those that managed to escape the birds were met with hoards of rats coming from dumpsters, or dogs and cats latching onto them as they leaped from the windows.
From inside the truck, Sonata and Applejack watched in fascinated horror as goon after goon was taken down by the pack of animals. Less domestic breeds were starting to appear. Applejack jumped a bit as an albatross picked up one of the bikers and flew off. "Ah don't think I'll ever underestimate Fluttershy again."
Sonata gulped as a black panther lunged off of the truck's hood and into the fray. "Same."
Rolling ran for her bike as fast as she could. A glance over her shoulder showed at least three dogs all coming for her. One of the other bikers was next to her bike trying to start their own, and when she got there, she grabbed him by the coat and snarled. "Out of my way!" The poor fool was thrown straight into the dogs, which all latched onto his arms and legs as he screamed. Rolling mounted her bike, even as birds continued to peck at her head, and revved her engine as she took off.
Fluttershy's eyes followed Rolling as she raced off, wings giving a mighty flap that carried her higher. Many of the animals that weren't pinning down a biker started to fade back into motes of light, only to gather in her palm. With a flick of her wrist, the small ball landed in the middle of the street. The pale yellow light spread as it fell, and a blue mist began to seep out. Where the fog did not grow, the glow looked like stars in the night sky. The spreading began to deform, moving to shape into clawed limbs and an ursine head with glowing blue eyes.
With a mighty roar, the stellar bear that had formed rose and issued its challenge to all. Fluttershy flew down and placed a hand on the bear's face, giving a small smile, before flying up and pointing off in the direction that Rolling drove off. The bear went back down on all fours and bolted down the road, Fluttershy flying overhead.
Eyes wide, Applejack pulled herself up and flinched at the pain in her back. "We gotta stop her." She hastily started to get out of her truck and stumbled, watching Fluttershy fly away. "If Fluttershy keeps this up, she might end up killin' someone!"
Down the road, Rolling's motorcycle flew like a bat out of hell. Her heart was thumping in her chest. A glance over her shoulder made her think she was safe, and she laughed to herself. "Money ain't worth this load of-." The feeling of the road starting to shake under her made Rolling's eyes widen, and she glanced behind herself again.
Only to see the Ursa Minor barreling towards her, quickly catching up, and Fluttershy flying just overhead.
Rolling Thunder slammed on the gas, speeding up as much as her bike would allow. Terror welled in her chest as the Ursa Minor slowly closed the distance in her mirror, its eyes filled with anger. With a single swipe, it shredded the back wheel of Rolling's bike and sent the teen flying.
Rolling flipped through the air, screaming until she found herself being held by the collar of her shirt by a yellow hand. She hesitantly looked into Fluttershy's eyes, feeling them bore into her soul. Overwhelming fear and panic paralyzed her, as she couldn't tear her eyes away. "Let me go! I-I was just doing what Lightning asked!"
"Then why did you take pleasure in harming my friend?" Fluttershy's voice echoed slightly as the magic coursing through her sparked. "Why did such acts of cruelty make you happy?"
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry, I swear!" Rolling was crying as she desperately struggled to get free of the pale yellow grip that trapped her. "I-I was just mad that she beat me last time!"
Fluttershy's eyes narrowed, the glow intensifying as she floated to face the Ursa Minor. "You must learn from this."
Rolling finally found herself able to tear her eyes away from Fluttershy's, only to look down and see the Ursa looking hungrily up at her. Her grip on Fluttershy's arms tightened as she struggled. "I said, I'm sorry! Please! D-Don't do this!" Fluttershy closed her eyes and sighed as she shook her head.
And she let go.
Rolling screamed as she fell towards the Ursa minor. She saw her life flash before her eyes and prayed to any gods she could think of, even as she felt the jaws of the beast closing in around her.
Only, they didn't puncture her. She could feel the teeth on her back and stomach, and the drool oozing across her skin. She didn't even realize she'd closed her eyes until she cracked them open, and stared right into the eye of the Ursa holding her. With a thud, she found herself on the ground, scrambling away as Fluttershy floated down gently in front of her.
"Leave." Fluttershy's command echoed with power, and Rolling scrambled to her feet and bolted down the road and out of sight.
When she was gone, Applejack's truck soon arrived, and she nearly fell to the ground herself as she clambered out. "Fluttershy!" The girl turned to look at Applejack and smiled, only for the magic surrounding Fluttershy to fade, and she collapsed like a stringless puppet. Applejack ran over to her immediately only for the Ursa to growl and step over her friend protectively. "W-Woah, there big fella."
Sonata hid behind the door to the truck as she stared wide-eyed. "She made an Ursa Minor!?"
"A what?" Applejack raised an eyebrow but kept her focus more on the Ursa Minor than Sonata.
Sonata shook as she did her best to hide. "It's Equestrian! That's one of the biggest predators in, like, the whole continent. Not even my sisters and I would mess with it, and like, that's not including the mom!"
Applejack paused and felt her legs threaten to fall out from under her. "Are y'all tellin' me this is a BABY!?"
Fluttershy stirred and groaned, blearily opening her eyes. "Applejack?" The Ursa backed up a few steps and gave a tentative nuzzle into Fluttershy's side, making her turn to face it, only to squeak at the sight of its eyes so close. Her trembling was quelled when she felt it lick her face and lay down on its belly next to her. Fluttershy took a second look and saw the Ursa Minor's golden eyes looking up at her. There was no malice, only curiosity, and want for attention. She smiled and gently put a hand to the Ursa Minor's head, petting it as it was lulled into a content rest.
When Applejack risked a step forward, the Ursa growled, only for Fluttershy to stop petting. "Now young lady, there's no need to act like that! Applejack is my friend, and wouldn't ever hurt me." The Ursa whined, but moved a bit and allowed Applejack to get closer.
Applejack, finally allowed to step closer, knelt down next to Fluttershy and helped her to her feet. "Uh, Fluttershy? Ya feeling alright?"
Fluttershy tilted her head a bit and put a hand to her chin. "I think? I feel a bit tired and exhausted, but that's all."
A cringe crossed Applejack's face as she adjusted her hat. "Well, Ah, just wanted to be sure. Not too long ago, ya had magic pouring out of ya like a monsoon."
Jumping in surprise, she moved her hand to her mouth. "I did? Oh my."
Sonata dared another peek from behind the truck's door, eyeing both Fluttershy and the Ursa wearily. "You really don't remember?"
Fluttershy shook her head. "N-No." She gasped as a thought struck her, and she turned to Applejack with her eyes starting to tear up. "I didn't hurt anyone, did I?" Her eyes fell on Applejack's hand, and she felt her breath hitch in her throat. "Applejack, your hand!"
Applejack's mind flashed back to how they had to pull a guy who was being squeezed by a boa constrictor out of the road, doing their best to avoid getting bit as it snapped at them. "I'm fine, Fluttershy. This wasn't you." Seeing Fluttershy start to get distressed, which was agitating the Ursa, Applejack jumped a bit. "Y-you did take out a buncha them bikers, but all the critters ya sicced on 'em only held those varmints down. Ah promise." Though they probably are scared of dogs now, she added mentally.
Fluttershy gently sighed and put a hand to her chest. "Oh, good. But um..." They all looked to the Ursa Minor, who perked up at the sudden attention. "How did she get here?"
Scratching the back of her head, Applejack shrugged. "Ya kinda... made her? Not sure, honestly."
"Oh, my." Fluttershy knelt down next to the Ursa Minor's head and started to pet them again, making the Ursa smile as it pressed into her hand. "Is that true? Did I make you?" The Ursa nodded, much to Applejack's surprise, and Fluttershy smiled. "Do you have a name?" The Ursa shook her head sadly, looking forlorn. "Well, that won't do at all." Fluttershy hummed in thought before smiling again. "How about Stella?" The bear lifted its head and licked Fluttershy across the face, standing and bowling her over as it did so, only to continue as she laughed on the ground.
Applejack chuckled a bit. "Ah guess she likes it." She looked between Stella and her pickup before scratching her head. "Though, Ah don't see how she's gonna fit in my truck. Can't rightly just let her walk off, bein' Equestrian and all that. Ah wonder how Ah'm gonna explain this to Bloom."
Fluttershy got up and gasped. "The Dreamcatcher! I almost for-," Fluttershy pulled the dreamcatcher out from inside her dress, only to feel her heartbreak instantly, "-got... oh."
The dreamcatcher was broken in several places. The wood that had held it in shape had snapped, and now threads were tangled, frayed, or cut entirely. Worse, is whatever caused the damage also tore the feathers she had gotten to ribbons.
Seeing Fluttershy stare down at the broken dreamcatcher in her hands, Applejack put one of her own on Fluttershy's shoulder. "Sorry about your dreamcatcher, Sugarcube."
Fluttershy shook her head with a small smile and put the broken pieces in her pocket. "It's alright, Applejack. I don't think I'll be needing it much more. After that talk we had, I'm sure I'll be sleeping better from now on."
"Glad to hear it." Applejack and Fluttershy shared a hug before the former headed for the truck. "So... plans on how to get, uh, Stella there to Sweet Apple Acres?"
Fluttershy nodded and turned to Stella before climbing up on her back. "Stella shouldn't have any trouble keeping up with your pickup. Will, you girl?" Stella grunted and let out a snort as if challenging Applejack's truck to try and lose her.
Sonata jumped out of the truck and started to walk away. "Like, you do that. I'm gonna stay away from that as much as possible, cause I don't have many good memories of Ursas. Thank you for the ride, though!" And with that, Sonata ran away, headed straight for somewhere other than there.
Applejack shrugged a bit and sighed. "Well, at least she's headed in the right direction." With that, the two girls headed to Sweet Apple Acres, and individually were trying to figure out how the heck they were going to explain this.