//------------------------------// // Equis // Story: Mass Effect: Element of Kindness // by CommanderApplejack //------------------------------// Chapter 157 Equis Go to Equis. 80% "I'm going to miss you, you know..." Fluttershy said looking up at Garrus. They were standing down in the Normandy's hangar, a dark grey Kodiak shuttle with dark blue markings and a crescent moon standing behind them. "We'll keep in contact via extranet connection, Legion informed me the geth are allowing limited usage of the relay for Equestrian communication with the Citadel," Garrus reassured, kneeling to give Fluttershy a hug. "I'll try to call you as often as possible." "Let's hope we get to see each other again before the reapers arrive, we're going to be really busy when that happens..." Fluttershy sighed, letting go of the turian and looking over to Dash, Tali, and Shepard who were standing a bit further back. "Same goes for you three." "Hey, all the time calling your boyfriend doesn't hog up I definitely will!" Dash laughed, stepping forward and embracing her friend only to awkwardly bump into her. Tali and she had designed and made a helmet and mass effect system to keep her sealed for the protection of the fleet, only Rainbow was still adjusting to being fully enclosed. "Don't worry about me, I'll be surrounded by the biggest fleet in the galaxy. Say hi to Pinkie for me." "I guess that's true and I will," Fluttershy smiled. "I should get going, the Normandy has more places to be and we all have our work cut out for us." “That we do. I'm glad you could help out the cause again, Fluttershy, I'll miss having you around,” Shepard smiled. “Being on the Normandy has been a pleasure Commander. Until next time we meet,” Fluttershy replied before stepping into the shuttle and Checking up on Amethyst. Finding the filly strapped in to her liking she stepped into the cockpit and opened communications, a hologram of Fidelis appearing. “Fluttershy, are you done up there?” the AI asked her. “I'm ready Fidelis, you can bring me down.” “Understood, I'll signal EDI that we're going to depart.” Fluttershy waved out through the window towards the group outside as the Kodiak took off and flew out through the mass effect fields that held the air in and into the void. Walking back into the crew compartment she took a seat next to Amethyst. “So, are you excited to see your new home?” 'I-I'm scared they won't like me...' Amethyst anxiously replied. “Some might not but most ponies won't even remember your species, only the Normandy's crew really had contact with them. They'll like you just fine.” Fluttershy extended a feathery wing to wrap the filly into as the inertial dampeners set in to reduce vibrations from re-entry. “Just one thing I'd change: use your voice. Ponies are really going to freak out if you're talking to them with your mental link.” “O-Okay,” she softly replied, bringing a smile to Shy's face. The rest of the way down went by quickly, Fidelis' remote-controlled descent being as smooth as re-entry could be. “We're landing in Ponyville in a few minutes,” Fidelis reported as they got close to their destination. The short timespan later the shuttle landed and powered down. “Ready to come meet some more ponies?” Fluttershy smiled. “No...” Amethyst silently said, reminding Fluttershy of how she used to be as well. “It'll be fine and I'll be there to keep you safe.” Fluttershy lifted the changeling onto her back with biotics and pressed a button to open the shuttle's door. Outside there was a flurry of activity, Guards making their way around the landing pads that looked to be attached to a temporary base of sorts. “Welcome back to Equis, Fluttershy!” Shining Armor greeted. “I got you a chariot when I got word from the princesses that the collector mission was a success and you were coming back.” “Thank you captain, I appreciate it.” Shining glanced at Fluttershy's back, keeping a passive face but the pegasus could feel his concern. “Who's the passenger?” “She's called Amethyst, I'm taking care of her.” “Well okay, just give the princesses a heads up if you take her to them,” Shining warned as he lead them to the chariot. “I might pop in around here soon, I'm interested in how far you've gotten with the guards. Maybe knock a few of them a peg down,” Fluttershy smirked as she set Amethyst down in the chariot. “Heh, I'll be looking forward to that. See you around Fluttershy.” Shining waved them off as the pegasi pulling the chariot made their way into the air. It wasn't exactly a spectacular distance to Ponyville but the gesture was wat counted. After the two guards had flown back off Fluttershy took a moment to take in the village. I'll really be staying here now for longer than a day... “Fluttershy!” Four ponies crashed into her, hugging her tightly. “Where is Rainbow? Is she alright?” Twilight asked with concern. “She's with Tali on her way to the Migrant Fleet to stay with the quarians,” Fluttershy replied with a reassuring smile. “Oh, ok, that's good,” Twilight sighed in relief, her eyes falling on the cowering little changeling. “She's called Amethyst, I'm taking care of her,” Fluttershy pre-empted the question about who the changeling was. Pinkie beamed as she crouched down to make herself the same height as Amethyst. "Hi there Amethyst, my name's Pinkie Pie and everyone in Ponyville is my friend! do you... want to be my friend as well?" she asked with remarkable restraint. "O-Okay..." Amethyst whimpered back, Fluttershy couldn't help but smile at how similar the filly's demeanour was to her own but two years prior. The other three mares introduced themselves as well to the little changeling afterwards before Fluttershy excused herself and started heading over to her old house, only Twilight accompanying her. "So, how have you been doing back here Twilight?" Fluttershy asked her. "Not being wanted by the Solar Guard is relieving," Twilight chuckled though there was clearly sadness in her voice. "Shining is helping in that regard but the Princess... I've yet to really talk with her." "Twilight..." "I screwed up Fluttershy, I should never have brought you and the others to that place in the Everfree. I should have just researched it on my own first, that way it might have been me out there... it would have saved so much grief..." "If I got the chance to re-do all of this I wouldn't have changed a thing, Twilight." Fluttershy stopped her friend in her tracks. "If you had gone out there you wouldn't have been able to communicate with anyone at all, which means you'd never have met Shepard, never found out about the reapers, and when they finally had come you'd have been living proof to them that they failed last cycle. They would search for Equis tirelessly and if they found it, we'd be crushed beneath their weight." Twilight's eyes were shimmering with guilt as she looked at Fluttershy. "B-But what about you? Y-You lost so much..." "Plenty," Fluttershy agreed. "I've seen conflict, been abused, raped even, seen the worst of the worst happen to people who didn't deserve it by criminals, murdered those criminals with ruthless efficiency... Yet I also saw the most shining examples, people who'd give up everything to help another, sights more beautiful to describe here, made new friends and went on to both laugh and cry with them, and found love out there..." Placing a hoof on Twilight's shoulder Fluttershy smiled. "I've made my peace, Twilight, you must find yours." Twilight shot forward and embraced her friend, nearly knocking off Amethyst who had been listening in from Fluttershy's back. "Thank you." "No problem, Twilight," Fluttershy smiled back gently before looking down the road to her old house. "I should probably go see what kind of mess it's in there..." "None at all," Twilight responded with tears on her cheeks but a smile on her face. "We kept it maintained over the last two years, some of us more than others but we always made sure it would be ready for you to return to." "That's... I'll have to thank the girls." "I... I'll leave you to it, I remember I needed to do something with Spike at the library." "Of course! We'll have to go out with the girls at some point to really get back up to speed with each other," Fluttershy smiled back, "See you around Twilight." The purple unicorn trotted back down the path to Ponyville while Fluttershy walked towards her old home. The door squeaked as she pushed it open, light falling in through the windows enough to illuminate the room behind it. Nothing had truly changed from before she left. They really did a good j- Fluttershy didn't even have time to respond as a carrot flew at her face with such velocity that her barrier activated to stop it. On the table stood a small bunny with its little paws crossed, foot tapping on the wood as it gave Fluttershy an annoyed glare. Fluttershy couldn't help but smile at the little brat. "Hello, Angel,"