//------------------------------// // Chapter 2- Getting Help from up High // Story: Fragile // by deselp0 //------------------------------// For Fluttershy, Canterlot always felt like she was being perpetually smothered. Whenever Rarity would ask for company on her 'fabric resupply missions' as she liked to call them. They would always end up in the market district. She remembered how the carts would pack in, row to row, forcing the crowd of customers to cram themselves into the street. Rarity would often have to coax her on to keep moving. All she'd ever want to do is leave. The current district she and her friend Twilight were in, commonly referred to as The Royal District, had to be Fluttershy's least favorite. Guard presence was notably larger with this being the Alicorn Princesses' Home.  The eyes observed her vigilantly watching as she walked here and there. Their gazes pierced her soul, judging her and making assumptions as to Fluttershy’s ability to threaten the ponies they guarded on full display. It was the same look, every time. Every step felt heavy as she could feel their eyes all over her. The yellow pony didn't want to be here. Do it for Harry, do it for Harry. The yellow pony thought to comfort herself. Even as she lagged a hoof or two behind her friend she chanted it hypnotically like a mantra. Hoping to remind herself why she had to deal with the looks. This wasn't Rarity forcing her to be social, this was important. "You ok Fluttershy?" Twilight asked her friend sympathetically. The yellow mare eep'd out her response. Twilight nodded satisfied with the response. "Good to hear! Say did you make sure Rainbow knew how to feed your animals? She seemed a little overwhelmed when we left!" Twilight chuckled. She remembered the look Rainbow gave them at taking care of Fluttershy’s flock. Fluttershy eep'd again shrugging off her friend's attempt at levity. Twilight craned her neck back to look at her friend. Wearing a disarming smile. "Anything else to say besides eep?" Twilight asked hopefully. Eep. Twilight frowned at that, looking away. "Welp, attempt number one hundred and fifty-three of conversation is a massive failure..." Twilight whispered to herself. Her attempt to keep that statement from Fluttershy was also a massive failure. Frankly, Fluttershy would have preferred she'd have stopped counting at attempt one. But she appreciated her friend trying to make conversation. She was beginning to think Rarity brought her along to Canterlot to make it look like she wasn't talking to herself. At least that's what she assumed Rarity meant when she told her that she was 'a great listener'. From anywhere in Canterlot the Castle could be seen, but only did its size become imposing when you approached. The drawbridge that you entered through was a Flying Field's length in size. Walking across its length would likely count as daily exercise to someone of a more sedentary lifestyle. Its entire length needed to cover a river flowing from the nearby gigantic waterfall that flowed around the castle like a makeshift moat.  As the pair drew close to the end Fluttershy could see the black iron gate that was currently opened. Its edges are sharp, quite capable of cutting through the skin. She couldn't stop thinking about it, what if the gate broke as she passed and it slammed down into her? She shivered as she imagined it in her mind. A moment passed and soon the yellow pony realized she had stopped in her tracks. Her friend had followed suit. "Come on Fluttershy! No backing out now!" Twilight commanded the frozen mare. Fluttershy had been asked a hundred times intermittently whether she wished to back out of meeting the princess. Now it seemed the first time Fluttershy wasn't totally sure of her answer. She was frustratingly locked in.  "B-b-but..." "No excuses!" Twilight jumped behind the frozen mare and used her head to attempt to push Fluttershy forward. Fluttershy felt something brush somewhere she really did not want to be brushed and her usually plain face flushed an apple red. She jumped forward and turned a hundred and eighty degrees. Twilight barely managed to right herself to notice Fluttershy's right forehoof raised against her. "Get away from me you... you pervert!" Fluttershy shouted and smacked her friend with her eyes closed. Causing the apparently lecherous bookworm to fall to the ground in a heap. Her supposed victim huffed and puffed as she curled inwardly on herself as if a means to defend herself. The whisper and gossip of passing noble ponies was the only thing that coaxed her to open an eye. She had just smacked Twilight about ten feet and done it in front of members of high society. Fluttershy rushed to Twilight and shook her violently in an attempt to wake her. But it seemed that the usually kind pony had knocked the daylights out of her unsuspecting friend. Attempts to awaken the unicorn proved fruitless, Twilight was out cold. As the crowds of onlookers grew larger so too did the shy ponies desire to leave. With no other options, Fluttershy put her friend on her back and braved the iron gate. If the gate was made to intimidate, the welcome center was meant to impress. The cathedral ceiling stretched higher than Fluttershy had ever seen. The roofing was covered in various artworks depicting adventurous ponies completing tasks of heroism. Pillars stretched to meet their very heights as they dotted the room in a rhythmic line formation. A red carpet was the central pathway that led to a desk-like platform filled with ponies welcoming various guests of the castle. As Fluttershy lugged her kindly light but frankly heavy friend along the ruby path the passing visitors eyed her with concern as she carried Twilight’s unconscious body along. Fluttershy’s cheeks were red with embarrassment as she walked along annoyingly slower with the extra weight. To avoid the situation she glued her eyes to the ceiling. It was absolutely gorgeous. Tales woven with images and not words of different tales of heroism and skill. One showed a pony as small as a little filly taking on a giant manticore. Another showed a snake creature being charmed by an earth pony, with only a flute! Tales of bravery dotted the walls like little flames in a bonfire of bravery. This was a place to remember those that had done grand acts. The tiny little yellow pony began to think of these grand heroes as she studied all that this ceiling provided. This was the point, wasn't it? Open you to the wondrous deed of ponies around the country. Then as you walked along this long path so far away from your destination you began to question your purpose for coming here. Was it really relevant? Did it fit into what those ponies hanging in the sky had done? What were you providing? What was Fluttershy really providing to the world? "Excuse me miss, can I help you?" An annoyed attendant asked. The kindly ceiling observer had now been standing in place in front of the help desk for longer than is socially acceptable and gasped at the sudden social stimuli. She darted her eyes around to see if she hadn't made too much of a fuss and found that sadly a line had formed behind her. Good start Flutters, good start. "Oh, Um, I, Uh, Yes. My name is F-F-Fluttershy and I have an appointment with Princess Celestia so could you take me to her uhm... please?" Fluttershy finished with a whimper leaving the attendant to merely raise an eyebrow in suspicion. "You have an appointment... with Princess Celestia?" The attendant attempted to confirm. Fluttershy stepped back nervously, seeming unconvinced if what she knew was true was actually true. "Uhm...yes?" Fluttershy squeaked. The attendant groaned and began flipping through a binder Fluttershy swore was bigger than a fully grown stallion. "D, E, and F... Fluttershy, Fluttershy, Fluttershy..." The Attendant murmured as she quickly cataloged the various F filings for the day. She shook her head. "I don't have a Fluttershy in here. Are you sure the pony you filed this 'appointment' with didn't pull your leg or something?" The filing pony pressed. Fluttershy could hear ponies waiting for her groan as her eyes darted to them waiting patiently to the attendant looking expectantly. Fluttershy took this pressure in the only way she knew how. "Ididn'tmaketheappointmentmyfriendtwilightdiditI'mreallysorryplease I need to see celestia pleasepleasepleaseplease..." Fluttershy rambled out in a fast-paced mess of word salad. The attendant sighed and fiddled with the binder again, catching a name in that garble. "Q, R, S, T... Ah, there it is! Twilight Sparkle, right this way." The attendant beckoned a guard to escort the still rambling pegasus. "andthisonetimeatbandcampI... Wait what?" Fluttershy finished blindsided by the sudden acceptance. "That's her on your back, right? Surprising to see the element of magic sleeping before an appointment with the princess. You're a nice friend to help that little hero out!" She told the dumbstruck Fluttershy. The guard to her left lightly nudged her out of her reverie. He motioned to follow which the kind pony gladly accepted. She looked back to see the line had moved on. As if she were never there. Hallways. This was the one word Fluttershy could use to describe her experience walking through Canterlot Castle. Hallway after hallway preceded another hallway which promptly led to another hallway. It seemed the architect had distinctly designed the walk from the welcome center to the throne room to be as unrevealing as possible. The short yet tiring spiral staircase the guard designed she was allowed to walk through was an oddly welcoming escape from the tedium; However Twilight's frame on her back did not make its endless stairs enjoyable. Fluttershy could tell they were getting closer to the throne room based on the detail and intricacy of the hallways. Slowly they became more endowed with detail and niceties than the ones before. The shy ponies' heart went from its usual slightly elevated pace to a beating drum as they moved further in. What were the sisters going to say to her first? What was she going to say first? She kept trying to think of ways that she could introduce herself, why her friend was unconscious, and an opening that didn't open with her stuttering or making a general mule of herself. Doom crept into her mind as the next hallway got even grander in scope. A week from now after she'd spent at least the prerequisite few days apologizing profusely to Twilight for knocking her out she'd have to ask how she managed to do this as often as she had. Being in the lead. Taking charge of the situation. The final monotonous hallway crept up on Fluttershy faster now that she was nervous. The door to the throne room was immaculate in its design. A grand gate symbolizing that you were going to meet the most important ponies in Equestria. It was lined with gold with an immaculate sheen of some otherworldly metal that Fluttershy marveled at. Its sheer size forced the small pony to crane her neck up high. She would have been leg locked from fear by now if only for the nice guard guiding her to their destination. Just because she was filled with crippling terror didn't mean she could start being rude. "ENOUGH" A thunderous roar cracked through the air putting Fluttershy in an autopilot fetal position, her friend landing a little ways away somehow still unconscious. The doors to the throne room slammed open with a speed that would be unheard of for their size. The progenitor of both scream and slam had fur of dark blue and a mane of the starry night. She turned from the room, eyes frustrated and hurt. "Dearest Sister, we tire of these petulant excuses! If thou will not discuss our proposals with the gravitas of somepony in your position, stars save us! Somepony in your situation! Then we see no reason to bang our head against this castle's very walls! If thou will not listen then ought to be it that you continue on with this path. Ruling thine country! ALONE!" Luna's voice roared like a crack of lightning. She rapidly deformed into a miasma of pure evening and bolted down the hall. Passing by the quietly saluting guard stoically braving the inclement effects of Luna's wrath and two brave elements of harmony laying on the ground unconscious and cowering in fear. The room fell silent again, a stillness that held painfully like the remnant atmosphere of a now quiet battleground. Fluttershy lay on the floor, curled up, shaking in fear, again. In her mind, Fluttershy's brain was scattered and mixed between typical terror and an atypical self-hatred she had been picking up as of recent. Here she was again. Just laying here. Like with the dragon, now with the princesses. It didn't matter, did it? She was in the most secure location in Equestria and the mere act of sibling rivalry was enough to break her down. Was this all she was anymore? Just a background reaction to an event? Tears trailed openly down her eyes. She just wanted to get up. She just wanted to be worth something. "You are relieved, my dutiful guard." A soft voice ordered. The clack of metal-lined hooves ringed out in the silence of the hallway. Fluttershy could feel the room warm slightly as if a presence hung over her. "Fluttershy, are you alright?" The voice grew softer as the presence stepped forward a hoof or two. The mare's body reflexively and frustratingly curled deeper into itself. She could hear her own sobs now, how she hated them. Fluttershy heard a light sigh as an audible thump could be felt, the very marble floor rumbling lightly from the impact. The warmth grew more as the presence drew closer. She liked it, the warmth. It was oddly welcoming in its presence. A hoof brushed through her mane slowly and gently. The quiver that continuously ran through her yellow body from the flank to mane waned brush by brush. She could feel herself settling. Feeling brave Fluttershy unburied herself from the mixture of hooves and mane to look at her helper. The serene white coat was unmistakable. The celestial flowed over both of them like a cover from the world, odd how it seemed conscious. Celestia looked down on the pony with a state of benevolence that was disarming to the mare. It kept the situation far away from the once panicked mare's mind as she slowly cooled down. She found herself taking more and more peeks from her mane; Slowly capable of making eye contact with the regal white pony. Celestia's smile deepened. "Are you feeling a little better my little pony?" Celestia asked quietly. Fluttershy looked away again, her nibbling anxiety keeping this conversation from being purely normal. She dried her tears on her hoof and sighed in a light huff. She nodded. "T-thank you.... y-y-you're really nice." Fluttershy whispered out. Neither side said anything for a moment. A welcome change for the usually quiet pony but quite odd. If Celestia was anything close to Twilight she would have moved on by now. Much as she appreciated Twilight as a friend she tended to treat Fluttershy's... issues like a checkmark on a task list. It was like this alicorn could read her thoughts. She needed a few more moments to recover. How was she capable of that? She turned her head back to make eye contact, looking to thank her again for a moment of peace. Fluttershy gasped, the towering pony she had locked eyes on twitching at the action. Her face was a walking paradox compared to her cool and calm voice. She wore a frown as deep as a ravine. It was as if her will to give her comfort was fighting a deep seated desire to fall asleep. The tired expression she held radiated the conflicting desire to just curl up and hide. Fluttershy could feel it in her bones, her natural inclination to empathy roiling with what she saw. "Is everything alright Fluttershy?" Celestia asked, the juxtaposition of her tired face mixed with her pleasantly cool voice jarring to the yellow pony. She didn’t feel this was right, letting someone comfort her while they were tired and sad. That wasn’t nice. Wordlessly Fluttershy wrapped herself around the ruler of Equestria's sitting frame. Hugging her head tightly to her neck.  If Celestia provided an ambient warmth to everything near her then being fur to fur was like bathing in the sun. As much as Fluttershy wanted to comfort the tired creature in front of her, no matter who she was; She couldn't help but admit she held on because it felt good. It didn't take long for a surprised Celestia to back off, standing upright and stepping away not understanding the sentiment that Fluttershy was conveying. "Fluttershy while I appreciate all acts of thanks, a hug is frankly unusual." Celestia questioned in a tone that could be best described as pleasantly monotone. Fluttershy finally took the plunge and stood up again, shading the world from herself using her mane  "I-I'm sorry... you just looked like you could use a hug." The concerned pony croaked out, hoarse from crying. At first the princess’s face warped from tired to confused. Then it seemed something clicked in her head. Fluttershy noticed the large pony seemed to loosen slightly from her stoic stance, as if exhaling. But as quickly as it came, so did it leave, as tears watered and rested on her eyelids. It seemed the tears' owner did not appreciate their presence. "Just a moment please!" The alicorn quickly blurted out. Fluttershy never anticipated in her lifetime she'd hear a sitting monarch panicking as she was now. With no other way to pursue what she saw she deemed to wait. It would be rude to push someone who clearly doesn't want the topic brought forward. Without a word, Celestia popped out of her hair cubby, her usual warm and calm smile lay plain on her face and her eyes were dried. Clear of any bloodshot that tears would naturally bring. It was as if it never happened. "My my! A pleasant surprise to be receiving Fluttershy and my most faithful.." Celestia's eyes darted to the miraculously still passed out Twilight. "unconscious student! To what do I owe the pleasure?" She finished with an unusually louder voice for the ruler. "Are you oka-" "Absolutely fine Fluttershy, however I doubt my student is in the same state as I. May I ask why Twilight is knocked out?" Celestia questioned. Fluttershy, realizing the new situation. Looked up at the millennia-old ruler. Defeater of demons, queller of evil, capable of sending people to the dungeons with a single command, and gulped. "I... uh... um..." "Is it that bad?" Celestia questioned further. "Do... Do you really wanna know?" Fluttershy nervously asked, sweat beginning to bead on her forehead. Her pupils constricted to the size of bullets as Celestia stepped forward. Eyeing her with suspicion. "Do I?" Celestia broached with a raised eyebrow. "Nooooooooooooooooooo..." Fluttershy squeaked out. Celestia watched her, looking for the other pony to flinch. On many occasions did Fluttershy indeed flinch, and eep, and back into the wall but more importantly she did flinch. Celestia broke her stare and chuckled. "Then it appears I don't! Why don't we see if we can wake her up shall we?" Celestia moved towards the sleeping mare and looked her over. Leaving Fluttershy to watch on. After careful inspection, she nodded. Her horn came to life with a slight aura as faint cracks of electricity arced from her horn. The sight confused her pegasus counterpart. "Um... why are you-" "Just a moment! You'll understand in just a second." Celestia explained. She moved her horn closer and closer until a spark connected between her horn and the unicorn's horn. Fluttershy eep'd in surprise and jumped back. Twilight's frame shivered and jittered but ultimately the unicorn's eyes remained closed. Celestia shook her head. "Unfortunately for you Twilight, I will have to up the voltage." The tall alicorn said guiltily. Fluttershy piped up. "Um... Excuse me your majesty but, um... I'm not sure if shocking Twilight is very nice." Fluttershy breathed out worried she was pushing her luck with the sun god. Celestia nodded as she charged her horn again. "I agree with you, my child, that this is indeed barbaric. However, if my experience with my faithful student is correct she will likely not be awake for the preceding hours unless drastic measures are taken. She can be quite the sleeper when her body wishes her to be!" Celestia chuckled as another shock rang through twilight to no effect. "If you haven't noticed by now Twilight can be quite the study bug!" Celestia smiled as she prepared to shock her student once again. "This reminds me of when she would come to test days! She would study 48 hours in advance, not stopping to sleep! Without warning my study doors would slam open and she'd scream 'I have arrived!'. It always astounded me how every time she would promptly fall asleep right there in front of me." The Princess waxed nostalgically. Another shock ran through the air as Twilight's muscles tensed her into an upright position. Eyes open and manically darting. She grabbed her attacker's leg, panicked and confused. "OH NO I FELL ASLEEP AGAIN PLEASE DON'T FAIL ME!" She screamed at her teacher. Clutching her left foreleg like a child caught in the cookie jar. In the distance, a lone Fluttershy raised an eyebrow watching her adult friend and often someone she looked up to in such a state. Celestia's now-familiar chuckle echoed through the hall. Brushing her student's frazzled mane into some sort of unfrazzled normalcy with a hoof. "I don't believe I have any tests that I could fail you, my dearest student. I would however like to apologize for shocking you again." Celestia said, helping the purple unicorn to her feet. "Wait, you shocked me, again?" Twilight said before checking the room for anyone she didn't trust. She leaned in close to her teacher. "How many did it take this time?" The purple pony whispered quietly in a vain attempt at privacy. Unfortunately with the silence of the hall mixed with its acoustics that seemed built for echo Fluttershy heard the statement loud and clear. Celestia's smile turned semi-serious. "Four this time my student. Nowhere close to your record I might add." The princess whispered back to a now relieved Twilight. The purple unicorn quickly moved away and cleared her throat. Stunning her yellow pegasus friend with her ability to recover from Princess Issued Torture. Fluttershy could see the letter she'd be writing to Celestia after this day was up. Dear Princess Celestia. Today I learned that slapping ponies is not a way to punish them for attempting deviant sexual activity in public. While their acts may be unclean in nature it doesn't justify the consequences which may or may not include impromptu electroshock therapy. Sincerely Fluttershy Fluttershy's mind contemplated the wording of her inevitable letter to the Princess as Twilight explained their situation to her teacher. Celestia's eyes never wavered from the unicorn as she slowly re-explained the happenings of the last two weeks. Only until they reached the part about a dragon skeleton did an eyebrow perk up in surprise. "Pardon my interruption Twilight but did you just say you found... a skeleton of a dragon?" Celestia's normal calm and reassuring voice dropped at the statement. Concern grew on her face as her smile faltered lightly into a more neutral even look. Twilight didn't seem to expect this change in demeanor but expected the question. "Yes, we were going through the forest when we heard a roar louder than anything we'd ever heard before. We thought that maybe it was the cause of the animal skeletons and-" "Yes Indeed a fair assumption but where did you find these dragon bones?" Celestia reframed her question while interrupting her student bluntly. Twilight once again seemed surprised by the action but tried to hold firm. "W-w-well uh." Twilight stumbled in her response slightly "We found it in a cave. A cave nestled into the canyon that surrounds the castle of the two sisters." Twilight finished her statement as Celestia raised her head towards the ceiling, her face kept its same neutral expression but her pupils dilated largely showing at least some reaction. "Continue." She stated evenly and plainly. Twilight took a moment before beginning the story again. Her voice lowered an octave as if jarred by her teacher's new stance. Fluttershy watched as Celestia's eyes darted every which way as she silently sat there listening. She suddenly seemed unfocused on what was going on. "And so then we left the cave and decided that we would come to you. This seemed a little bigger than me and my friends. So I thought that maybe you could help us?" Twilight broached that last question somewhat diplomatically knowing her teacher to be a busy mare. Twilight's question hung in the air for a while as Celestia stared at the ceiling for longer, her eyes now locked on a particular tile. "Um... Princess?" Twilight quietly asked, this time seeming to adopt her yellow friend's nervousness as to the answer the Princess would answer with as those big eyes suddenly locked on her. She seemed to awaken from what seemed like a long thought. Her pupils constricted to a normal size as suddenly the Princess of the Sun now was suddenly present for the conversation once again. "Excuse me, would you both accompany me to this cave and identify it?" Celestia asked plainly, her warm tone gone denoting her seriousness. Twilight's eyes brightened at what seemed like a yes from her teacher.  "So you'll help?" Twilight asked, trying to bury her excitement at working with her idol. "Of course, now will you come?" Celestia asked again plainly, seeming to answer only to have her question answered in kind. Twilight smiled brightly and jumped with a solid whoop before realizing she was doing this in front of her teacher and a close friend. "Heehee... sorry its just-" "I'd like an answer Twilight." Celestia's now firm tone suddenly threw off both other ponies. Her neutral face had curled backwards slightly into a frown. She now looked impatient "W-W-Well of course we'll come! I mean how can we investigate if we don't go back to-" Without warning both Fluttershy and Twilight were crushed into Celestia's sides by magic as the world suddenly transformed from the Castle to the entrance of the Everfree. "The scene of the crime." Twilight finished as she and her friend were lightly floated to the ground by The Princess's magic. She took a few steps forward before addressing the dumbstruck ponies. "We must go, nightfall will come if we do not hurry." The Princess said evenly as she trotted along into the Everfree's depths. Her horn illuminated the forest brighter than Twilight could. Twilight stood first. "Heh heh... right..." Twilight began to follow before she felt Fluttershy's hoof pulled at her tail. She looked back to see earnest concern on her friend's face. "Fluttershy, are you worried about the forest?" Twilight asked. Fluttershy merely shook her head. "No, I'm worried about The Princess! Don't you think she's acting a little odd?" Fluttershy retorted. Twilight looked surprised at the thought. "What? The Princess? Oh she's fine! She's probably realized the seriousness of the situation and is trying to get started as soon as possible! I mean I know teleportation spells but a teleport of that much distance? I didn't think it was even possible!" Twilight seems less concerned as to the purpose of the teleport and more of the skill that it took to do something of the sort. Causing Fluttershy to facehoof as she rose to her hooves. "But she seems to be in a rush, more of a rush than I'd expect of somepony like her! Twilight I'm worried that something about this dragon has affected her in some way!" Something screamed at Fluttershy that something seemed off about this whole situation. Twilight merely waved a hoof. "Celestia always takes things seriously when it's a threat to Equestria! Look Fluttershy I get that you might be worried about the forest but worrying about Celestia is the last thing I'd think about. She taught me for years and if I learned to rely on one thing it was to rely on the Princess." Twilight stated flatly. It all seemed very final to her, no room for wiggle. Fluttershy merely sighed. "If you think so... I trust you." Fluttershy whispered out unsure as her friend turned to follow the Princess. "Good! Now come on! We're gonna get left behind." Twilight called out as she disappeared to follow the white ball of light that shined from Celestia's horn. Her guiding light seemed sure and focused as it trailed deeper into the forest. Fluttershy sighed. She hoped her friend was right.