Pegasus Densetsu

by Wyrm

Patience

Pegasus Densetsu

MLP:FiM by Lauren Faust (Hasbro)
Angel Densetsu by Norihiro Yagi

Chapter 8: Patience

"I should have thought of this ages ago!" Fluttershy mused happily to herself as she stretched. Shifting her weight from limb to limb, alternately bending and stretching them this way and that, was all in an effort to limber them up for the coming task. She had on a grey hoodie and leg warmers to protect her from the morning chill. "A daily trotting regimen to improve my cardio health will keep me from being winded so often and reduce stress. Plus it'll improve my complexion along with it, my immune system, and give me more chance to see the neighborhood. There's no way this could possibly go wrong!"

In the distance, a googly-eyed filly kicked a raincloud, causing it to spit a bolt of lightning and a clap of thunder. "Oops! Sorry!" Derpy Hooves called out, a bit carboned by the blowback.

Paying the sudden report no mind, Fluttershy started off down the nimbus street in a slow trot. Her wings extended, flapping but not catching air as another set of muscles to work, as was the norm for pegasus trotting for exercise, known to the pegasi as a 'ground-trot.' The idea was to get the blood moving and to work the muscles, but not actually fly.

"The crisp morning air tastes delicious!" Fluttershy sighed aloud. She paced a few more steps before wondering aloud, "I wonder if I could gather some trotting partners. Won't that be fun?"

It was only a few minutes before she came upon another pony in full sweats and hoodie ahead of her, flapping his wings in that particular way that was the ground-trot. He was quite old. Not yet elderly, but his cream-colored mane was definitely thinning and greying.

Fluttershy's sneer tightened, thinking, It's a fellow trotter. Trotter etiquette says that it is appropriate to greet him, even if we're strangers. Quickening her pace to settle alongside him, she greeted through her slightly raspy voice, "Hello there. Nice morning."

The sepia Cloudsdale ground-trotter known as Winged Hoof heard the slightly raspy voice besides him. He had been a regular ground-trotter for nearly twenty of his years, and dared to say that he was pretty good at it. However, he was always lonely on his trots. The young ponies didn't seem to be into it. But the voice besides him sounded young, and like a filly too. Good. It heartened him that the younger generation was taking their cardiovascular health seriously, even if the filly was probably only doing it to keep herself shapely.

Finally, he turned to speak to the filly, "Likewise, a good morning to you! This is just perfect trotting weather..." Winged Hoof finished turning his head, finally getting a good look at Fluttershy.

There was a sudden manifestation of fear and loathing in Cloudsdale, or at least fear, visiting this particular old pony.

Winged Hoof flew like the wind, not quite flying, but galloping at fill tilt with wings helping propel him, spurred on by a sudden rush of adrenalin.

Fluttershy looked on in awe. "Wow. He's fast. That pony must do this every day!" she said out loud and with genuine admiration. "I better make sure to keep up."

Winged Hoof was propelled by fear and terror. What in Tartarus! What in the name of the Sun Goddess! his addled mind screamed as he kept up his ferocious wing-assisted gallop, What kind of hooligan trots?! This is an activity for normal ponies!

Eventually, he slowed down, the fear evaporating and his previous activity catching up to him. "That pace was a bit fast, but at least I left that demonic cretin in the dust!" he said with annoyed confidence.

Ah, if only. You underestimate the stubbornness of Fluttershy the Pegasus.

The sound of galloping hooves on the clouded street made him turn to its source. The old pony let out a whinny of fear as he saw the she-demon galloping after him, a grimly determined look on her sneering face.

Fluttershy panted hard as her tongue wagged about haphazardly about her mouth (which didn't do anything to make her look approachable, as you can imagine... quite the opposite). Still, she was elated with herself. Look, fellow trotter! I caught up to you! Doesn't that make me a great trotter, too? she thought, too short of breath to give it proper voice.

With another shriek of fear, Winged Hoof bolted away from her. A determined grimace on his face, he resolved, Don't mess with me, you sneering piece of punk wood! I've been ground-trotting for twenty years! You can't best me!

Fluttershy marveled again at the fleeing pony. "Oh my goodness! I've never seen someone run at such incredible speed outside a panicked flight!" she murmured, mouth agape. A grim determination set into her features, she murmured with resolve, "Can't be a slacker now, Fluttershy! Show him what you're made of!"

And thus the chase was on. Limbs stretching into a full gallop, and wings pumping to add distance during the airborne phase of their gaits, Winged Hoof lead Fluttershy in a merry chase through the byways and avenues of Cloudsdale. Neither Fluttershy nor Winged Hoof were tracking where they were going or how long they were running. Some distance and time later, maybe a few thousand hooves, maybe miles, or perhaps even a complete circuit around the cloud-bound city, Winged Hoof still heard the inexorable, unstoppable pounding of hoof-falls behind him.

Th-This is impossible! This she-demon... is keeping up with me! She has in-equine endurance! he thought, not realizing that he was the one keeping pace for the both of them (and as such, he had comparable levels of endurance).

Behind him, Fluttershy was barely keeping up. Between pants, she shouted ahead, "My goodness! With such a... crazy pace like this... trotting must be a harsh exercise!"

Despite the burning in his muscles Winged Hoof felt a shiver run up his spine at Fluttershy's words. She's taunting me! Playing with me! he thought in ever escalating panic, manifesting in another increase in speed. Th... this is it! This is all I got left! he thought in desperation. What would he do if this she-demon could perpetually keep up with him, wearing him down, and then catching him when he finally tired?

No, don't go faster! I can't keep up with you! thought the frightening filly. Her back leg, already burning with exertion, began to tense and spasm in protest of the extended gallop...

Winged Hoof finally hit the wall. Not literally, of course. That implied either recklessness or complete inattention towards where he was going (though there was both of that in spades). No, we're talking about the sudden onset of fatigue that comes with burning through once's reserves quicker than they could be replenished. Winged Hoof's knees buckled, and he collapsed in both exhaustion and despair. "I'm done for!" he lamented aloud, tears spilling from his eyes, "I've been trotting for twenty years, dang it, and I still get caught by a demon! Caught by a..."

He trailed off, realizing that he was still not in the demon's clutches. He looked back wearily.

A few lengths away, fluttershy lay with legs sprawled in all directions on the hard cloudy road. She groaned in pain, as her left hind leg was aching in protest. Oh goodness me! I'm about to get a leg cramp. I can't even stand! she lamented to herself.

Winged Hoof stepped over, eyes wide in surprise at what he was looking at. "W... what just happened?" he asked aloud.

Fluttershy lifted her face from the cloudy cumulophalt. "E-excuse me..." she stammered, "Could you help?"

Winged Hoof's face brightened, a gleeful smile stretching across his face. "Oh, I see now! I've won!" he shouted triumphantly. "WAHAHAHA!! Take that, you horrid scoundrel! He who trots every morning always wins the day!" Winged Hoof lectured the fallen she-demon. He turned to continue his morning trot, laughing all the way, "Hopefully, this has taught you to mend your wicked ways! WAHAHAHAHA!!"

"ummm.... please..." Fluttershy started, then sighed, "He must have been in such an awful hurry." The tired filly let herself slump back to the road. "I can't stand up on my own... ow, my leg... It's so early the street is all but abandoned. I'll just wait here."

Minutes later, she was snoozing like a young foal. A fugly foal, but a foal nevertheless.

A honey-yellow pegasus with flaming red hair tucked her legs in as she dove towards the massive cloudy foundation of Cloudsdale. Spitfire buzzed the nimbal villas that made up the town, weaving through some closely-spaced cloudy columns that came with them. She arced up to hover over her impromptu obstacle course, contemplating her performance. "Too long. The Wonderbolts would never allow a slacker like you in their ranks with such a poor time," she rebuked herself. "Get it together, Spitfire. It's been your dream to get into the Wonderbolts and bring honor to this town, and you almost succeeded last season."

Her pep-talk ended when she spotted a prone pony below her. "An unconscious mare. Maybe had too much hard cider last night?" she mused as she alighted on the cloud before the fallen filly. "Wait. She's too young, and she has on trotting clothes. Oh dear! What if she had developed some kind of heart condition while trotting?"

She knelt down before Fluttershy, shouting, "Hey, you! Are you okay? Hang in there!"

Fluttershy stirred from an uncomfortable rest. Wh... what? I... I guess I fell asleep. She groggily lifted herself up.

Spitfire smiled. "Oh! You're awa—"

*JARRING CHORD!*

"—WAAAAAAAAAGH!!" shrieked Spitfire as her hoof shot out to punch Fluttershy in the muzzle. The downed filly had just enough time to look bewildered and her nose to start spurting blood before she dropped again, unconscious.

Spitfire stood, no longer interested in helping this horrific creature. "Whew! That was a close one! If my reflexes were a little slower, she woulda got me!" the victorious Wonderbolt-wannabe murmured, and took off for more training.

The ghostly-white form of Sylph quietly opened the door to their living room. "Dear... Fluttershy hasn't come back from her trot yet. It's been an hour already," she said, in a very subdued tone.

Patience, a massive, golden-yellow stallion with a severe and cruel countenance, rumbled in thought, "One hour, huh? That is odd."

These were, as you might have guessed, Fluttershy's parents.

"I told her to take it easy starting out. After all, she isn't used to ground-trotting, but you know her..." Sylph said, her tone still quiet, yet exasperated. "I'm really worried."

Patience stood, shrugging on a coat to complete his office attire. "I'll go check around for her," he said, moving towards the hallway.

"Thank you, Patience," Sylph all but whispered. "Be sure to wear your sunglasses. The morning sun is bright."

"Yes, good idea."

In the meantime, Fluttershy had accumulated a crowd. The air buzzed with gossip as they regarded the supine steed.

"What's wrong with her?" asked Cloud Kicker aloud.

"Looks like she passed out while trotting," said a nearby colt.

The filly regarded the downed pony a while longer. "H... hey. Doesn't she look like Fluttershy?"

"Huh?" sputtered her colt companion.

"Hahahaha! Don't be silly! Fluttershy would never go trotting," added another colt.

"But look at her coat and hair. It's Fluttershy's coloration. And how many ponies with her coloration have no cutie mark yet?"

The colt regarded the fallen Fluttershy. "No way," he swore. He bent down to examine the fallen filly, but dared not touch her, lest he come back with some parts missing. "It does look like her, doesn't it?" he said cautiously, "But we're talking about Fluttershy! She wouldn't be lying passed out in the middle of some road."

Cloud Kicker laughed at that. "It would be the most warped irony if she were to actually have heart failure while out exercising."

"What if Fluttershy got into a fight with the mafia, and got stabbed and was bleeding all over the road. That would make sense!" ventured Yakkity Sax, a saxophone playing band-pegasus. Chuckles floated from the gathered crowd at the dark humor.

Meanwhile, Fluttershy stirred from her place on the cloud bank. Sure is noisy up there. Won't somepony help me? Lifting her head with great effort, she managed to pull her head up and reach out in a strangled and weak plea for help, "S... somepony..."

Her nose, still dripping, had bled into her mouth and across her chest, making her hoodie dark with blood. The fluffy white clouds under her were smeared with blood. She had not cooled down properly after her exertion, and her muscles were stiffening in the cold. Her plea was soft and pitiful, and the only sign of strength in her body was holding up a hoof for help.

The gathered ponies saw this, and screamed in fright. "Fluttershy is near death! She really got stabbed by the mafia!" squealed a colt. Shouts of horror filled the street.

"Eh?" Fluttershy murmured, puzzled by the loud screaming and shouting and general din raised by the gathered students. Absently she wiped at the hot, wet sensation about her mouth, and her hoof came away with blood. "Oh dear..." I got a nosebleed when I was socked by that pony. Lots of blood, too. No wonder they're alarmed.

"Someone call an ambulance! Hurry!"

Oh no! This will be a complete catastrophe if an ambulance shows up! "W... wait," she croaked. The surrounding students froze, then slowly looked back at her as Fluttershy slowly and deliberately found her hooves. "No need for... an ambulance," she gurgled, the blood in her mouth foaming a bit from her breath and making her voice sound awful.

Record Time swallowed. "But... look how much blood there is!" he said in alarm and horror.

"You're going to die!" Cloud Kicker said, her voice tight with horror.

Fluttershy almost snorted in laughter at the notion, if her nose wasn't fully of blood. Die? What silliness! The only thing I can do is show them all I'm perfectly fine, she thought, And the only way I can do that is by standing up on my own four hooves and walk normally! Resolve steeling her nerves and giving her strength, Fluttershy drew herself up stiffly, getting all of her limbs in order under her, and finally standing on her own above the smear of her own lifeblood. It took a lot out of her; her joints and muscles were protesting from the strenuous exertion, combined with improper cool-down stretches. They all made promises that tomorrow Fluttershy's body would be one big, nasty ball of the purest essence of ache.

"Sh-she stood up!"

"She's standing!"

"How can she stand after being stabbed?!"

Meanwhile, Fluttershy was in a bad way. Her legs were twitching in official protest of their treatment. My legs are screaming at me, but this should reassure them. The bloodied filly let out a small squeak as her legs began to buckle beneath her. She was growing unstable, and furthermore, every one of her classmates knew it. Oh my, but this is bad! They'll start screaming again if I fall! I cannot allow that!

Her forehoof shot out and made a firm clop against the retaining wall at the street's edge. She was grateful to finally able to steady herself. With a small nod of satisfaction, Fluttershy addressed the gathered ponies. "See? I'm fine," she wheezed, "I don't need an ambulance."

It's her fighting spirit!

She's standing through her sheer willpower, nothing else!

She probably knows she has only a short time to live.

The Nightmare Filly will not take being humiliated by dying in an ambulance.

I don't want to ask anyone for help, so I'll walk home by myself, Fluttershy thought, determined. She was confident that she had assured everypony that she was perfectly fine as she turned around and slogged down the street, hoof to the wall, panting all the way.

"Where's Fluttershy going?" whispered Cloud Kicker.

"That's obvious. There's only one thing for her to do now!" Record Time hissed back, his voice full of awe and —perversely— pride for his fellow student. "She's going back, to avenge herself against the mafia thug who stabbed her!"

"Wha—?" Cloud Kicker gasped. "Don't talk nonsense, Record!"

Record Time ignored her protest. "It's obvious Fluttershy would never let things end like that. Even if she should die, she'll drag that mafia plothole back to Tartarus with her."

The fillies and colts looked back Fluttershy, watching her with a sense of shared awe and pride that Record Time felt and expressed. Even if she was a bad pony, they could not fault Fluttershy for her guts and warped sense of justice.

Meanwhile, in complete obliviousness to the Grim Fate that her classmates were projecting onto her, Fluttershy was beginning to regret not asking for help. Whew, this is tough! she thought, straining to keep herself from faceplanting to the road, I wonder if I'll be able to get back by myself.

Fluttershy didn't get any further. Perking at the vision resolving before her, she slowed to a stop. Her fellow students also perked, seeing the figure materialize out of the wavy morning air.

He was a large pony. His golden-yellow coat seemed to shine as the rays of the morning sun caught in each tiny hair. The coat he wore was stark black, like a businesspony. A shirt with a hanging necktie covered his breast. Even though they were shielded behind a pair of sunglasses, severe eyes stared from behind them to burn holes everywhere this statuesque stallion stared. Everything about this fellow screamed, 'Menace!'

The students gasped.

"A mafia soldier!"
"Tough looking fella, he is!"
"Is he the one who...?"

Daddy! Fluttershy thought, acknowledging the visage of her father.

Fluttershy! Patience likewise recognized his daughter.

Fluttershy suddenly screamed an started galloping full steam towards him, screaming, "KIEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!" 'Daddyyyyyy!'

Likewise, Patience bolted forward towards his daughter, roaring, "GOOOOHHHHHHHH!!!!" 'Fluttershyyyyyy!'

(Yes, every person and every pony reading this, Fluttershy's stress-related aphasia is something she shares with her father.)

Fluttershy, a collection of randomly flailing legs, and Patience, a massive mountain of pony meat, demolished the distance between them as their hooves slammed the cobblecloud pavement of Cloudsdale civil engineering.

The gathered students exploded in a flurry of gossip.

"AHHHHH!!!"
"Fillies and gentlecolts, it's officially ON!"
"Fluttershy's Final Fight begins now!"

Thank goodness! Now I'll be able to make it home!
Why are you so bloody, my cute little girl?! Are you okay, Fluttershy?!

The two finally closed the gap to a mere pony length, when simultaneous disaster struck the both of them.

Ack! My legs! thought Fluttershy as her muscles finally threw up the little black flag of disqualification, and she stumbled forward as they seized up.

My sunglasses! thought Patience as an anomalous jerk of the head sent his shades slipping off his head. How clumsy of me! he thought, reaching forward to catch them before they slammed against the pavement, which while not as hard as asphalt, isn't exactly soft either.

Their heads came together, and a solid, and final-sounding crack echoed down the road. With one last yelp of pain, the two collapsed to the cloud embankment, not moving.

For a long moment, nopony moved. They just stared at the destruction that had just been wrought in front of them. Fluttershy was no more, and her adversary and murderer had been dragged back to Tartarus with her.

"She did it," gasped Record Time, "She really did it!"

"Fluttershy beat the mafia soldier!" another colt added.

"Even up against a mafia boss, bleeding from the chest, she kept on living her destined path," Cloud Kicker morosely stated, already overstating the legend of Fluttershy.

"What an amazing filly," said Yakkity Sax.

"It was a short, but vibrant life! She had lived as few ponies hath dared to dream!" Verdant Prose ad-libed on the spot as Derpy Hooves sorrowfully wiped away tears of sadness.

And thus, Fluttershy was about to be enshrined into legend as the filly who dragged a massive mafia boss back to Tartarus with her upon her death...

I thought she was dead! thought Cloud Kicker, seeing Fluttershy guilelessly step through the classroom door.

She's come back dancing from the depths of Tartarus! thought Yakkity Sax, Does that mean she punched out Cerberus?

A demon! thought Derpy, amazed at the complete lack of dead attributes to an oblivious Fluttershy.

...but when Fluttershy showed up at school that afternoon looking perfectly whole and healthy, the students felt a newfound fear towards the invincible filly who could be stabbed with a knife and live.

I am a bad panda for letting you go without an update for such a long time. I truly and sincerely apologize, and realize that there is another special place in hell for me when I die for delaying so long: Twilight Sparkle will be jabbing me with a cattle prod for all eternity, making me learn about the Paleopony Period.

She's going to have to work out an arrangement with the Flutterages, though.