"It's a dream come true," She murmured softly, her voice caught up in the zephyr, and carried it over the land stretched before her. Long, soft pink hair swept against her arms, as she started forward, her footsteps barely making a sound as she plodded forward, the long grass waving hypnotizingly back and forth. "It's everything I've ever wanted!" Her mustard yellow wings spread and caught the breeze, lifting her a few feet in the air. She angled toward, leveling with the horizon, her white sandals brushing the tallest stalks.
"It was hard, but I did it! I'm here! I'm home!" she sang, hugging herself. One of her wings closed while the other tipped downward, causing her to go into a sideways spin.
She landed again, and dance forward on tiptoe, her arms and hair playing with the wind in a nameless dance of joy. A dance without music.
Minutes turned to hours, and before long she found herself laying contently in the grass, almost invisible. She smiled, he teal eyes closed. She had her own place, in a town far away from home. She was on her own. The sun shown brightly down on her, warming her pale skin.
~
The chittering sound of birds and a very insistent rabbit, prodded a soundly sleeping Fluttershy from slumber. She blearily opened her eyes to the sun sinking low in the horizon, It's yellow and orange hues blossoming out to dark indigo colors.
"Oh, my, I better get back before it gets dark! Thank you, my friends!" She called out. She began skipping, and with her wings partly spread, not a dent in the stalks was made. The wind played with her hair and feathers as she made her way to a large shadow in the near distance. Birds flocked and flew alongside her, singing in harmony with the wind.
She spread her wings fully, and flew the rest of the distance, closing it quickly. "Good night, friends!" She called once more, before lading softly on her doorstep, closing and locking the door behind her. Birds outside trilled in response, before carrying on with previous conversations.
She slumped against the wooden door, and closed her eyes, sighing in contentment. Finally. A place of her own. Long and hard had she worked for this. Unpacking and settling in, would be a breeze.
"Sis!"
She picked up a good-sized box, hefting it to her hip, before turning a surveying the room before her. She knew what what was inside the box. Problem was, where would she put it?
"Fluttershy! Please! Wake up! She's coming!" the voice shouted, breaking Fluttershy's focus.
"Eep!"Teal eyes snapped open and she sat up. Spotting a boy at her bedside with a panicked look on his face, she whipped the threadbare covers aside, and swung her feet down on the icy floor, standing ramrod straight. The boy darted behind her, and towards the other side of the room. She quickly smoothed her dress. Jus the door opened with a bang, and a woman, her sliver wings opening slightly. stood there, her sharp, gray eyes scanning every inch of the vicinity.
"Well," She drawled, "it appears some of you thought it was okay to wake up late, I suppose?!"
"No, Ms. Whitewing," Fluttershy instantly responded, her voice meshing with a chorus of many others.
"Hmph!"
Fluttershy swallowed, incredibly nervous. She had been dreaming, and a wonderful dream it had been, but thank Ice Wind one of her roommates had woke her. Otherwise, she might not be.
"Did you know why I'm up here, with you useless excuses for pegasi?" She snapped, striding forward.
Pegasus after pegasus quickly moved aside, letting the woman pass. "No, Ms. Whitewing," the voices chorused again. They closed in behind her.
She came to an abrupt halt. In front of Fluttershy. Fluttershy instantly looked down, and took a step back. This was it. Today was the day.
"Today's your lucky day, Miss Shy! I expect good things from you! And I'd better not see you here again, or Ice Wind help me, I will strip you! Are we clear?!"
"Y-yes, Ms. Whitewing, crystal," she mewled.
"Good! Pack your stuff, if you even have anything, and get out!" Fluttershy squeaked and darted away from the intimidating woman. She raced towards the bathroom, was quickly out of sight.
Whiitewing scoffed and turned on her heels, striding out of the room, as pegasi scrambled to get off of her way. A collective sigh of pure relief was heard as the heels clunked down the marble stairs.
Inside the bathroom, Fluttershy was plastered against the wall. She followed their example, slumping against the wall. She grabbed a toothbrush, and quickly walked back through the room, making her way to her bed and snatched the the flour bag from underneath her pillow. She then darted towards the door where Whitewing had exited, and tiptoed down the stairs, her feet brushing the white marble.
A few murmurs trailed in her wake. There were no goodbyes, no tears, and no friends. There never was. She'd seen and heard it too many times. And she knew that once she was on the outside of the building she was completely and utterly on her end. The only good thing about the outcome facing her: No more Whitewing.
"Good, you're here. Finally! Out you go! Scoot!" Ms. White wing clasped her thin, left shoulder and shoved her unceremoniously out the door.
" AND DON'T COME BACK!!" The door slammed shut.
Fluttershy quickly stood up and raced around the building to the back, where she wouldn't be seen, inside or out, by anyfeather. The back was where many of the children had hung out for several days, before they disappeared for good. She'd seen it before. Way too many times. She also knew that if she stayed here for long, she'd freeze, especially with Blue Eyes White drawing near. She quickly dusted off her measly nightgown and stripped, her dirty mustard-yellow wings hiding her from sight. When they parted, Fluttershy stood there with a white tee, two-sizes too small, and a pair of black leggings. She clutched the ratty flour sac tighter and squeezed her eyes shut, feeling the first tears pricking the corners of her eyes.
No crying, tears will freeze to you, and everyfeather will know you're weak! She silently chastised herself. Opeing them, she took a few timid steps forward in the direction she'd just come, ears pricked for for an sort of noise. Hearing nothing, she spread her wings and took to the sky.
She pumped her wings raising herself higher and higher above her previous home. Home for Little feathers, it was called, an orphanage built several to house the young homeless in Pegasopolis, another reminder of just how hard life was here. Flutttershy was 17 as of today, and at 17, you were considered an adult, and responsible to be on your own. But she didn't feel like it. The only adult role she'd ever known was Whitwing, and although she was grateful to her for food and a roof, it just wasn't enough. It was a well-known fact the that Whitewing had had the entire estate remodeled into a mansion of incredible majesty. The richest of the rich. She belongs with the magic-grounders, thought Fluttershy, almost bitterly. She'd fit right in! The building had three floor and two wings, with a tiny little attic above where she and the other children stayed. When Whitewing had bought the orphanage, the fledglings there thought she was going to help. But they were wrong. Ms. Whitewing was paid pretty bit every day to collect more orphans from the street. Where they disappeared, nofeather knew. They didn't question it either. To be fair, more orphans meant less space, and Pegasopolis was going smaller. It was to help the cause, the flock needed to be stronger in order to win this fight. So, 'Praise the damn flock!' as they say.
Fluttershy settled on a small cloud and thought it over. Objective: Grow out, get out. Status: Complete. Second objective: Join the Flock. Status: Almost impossible, and she had nary a friend.
"Hey there, fledgling," a voice drawled. Fluttershy froze at the voice and the sound of flapping wings.
"You lost?"
"No."
"Need help?"
Fluttershy paused at that, and stared at the outstretched hand. It's owner was a pale-faced man, with white wings and pink eyes. Albino. Fluttershy gasped in surprise, stood, and jutted her wings out threateningly.
"No! I don't!" She said very quickly. "You can go, now!"
"Hey now-"
"I don't need anything!" She turned away from him and shut her eyes tight. Please go away, please go away, please go aw-
"You sure, sugah?" A white hand landed on her thin shoulder.
"No!" She squeaked, and thrusted her wings against him, pushing him back. He yelled in anger. She gasped and took off again. He gave chase. Albino pegasi were dangerous, very dangerous. Young fledgings, whether male or female, were in equal danger. Albinos were fast and speedy, and their pink eyes gave them an unnatural ability to see things a lot better. . . like how many layers of cloths you were wearing. They also tended to blend in, REALLY well. Fluttershy squeaked again, and flew faster, pushing her limits. She sneaked a look behind her. Bad move. He was gaining on her.
"HEY!"
A hand blocked her vision. She screamed, flailing and kicking, as she felt her wings get locked into place via rope.
"Hey. . ."
"Lay off her, airhead!"
Fluttershy fainted.