//------------------------------//
// Chapter 24: Fluttershy Instinct.EXE 
// Story: Mechaniquus 
// by DougtheLoremaster 
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Twilight silently stood in the virtual doorway with a warm smile. Fluttershy’s eyes twitch and fluttered. Curled up in a ball with a stuffed teddy bear, she sucked peacefully on her wingtip, deep in sleep. Twilight’s mind replayed memories of the past back before Fluttershy married Discord, back before she tortured others, back before she was a Pegasus. Back when Fluttershy was nothing more than a mangy dog.





Flying above the treeline of the Everfree on a pair of new wings, Twilight thought about what she had overheard the oracle tell her mentor; Lord Sombra. 
Five to destroy the shadows, huh? One with a silver tongue, another taking what she wants, one who is self-centered, one who is nature-minded, and the youngest who is outside of time. Quite the riddle, what in the world?
On the pathway down below, A Pegasus Mare was walking next to a stallion and a little fledgling on a…
Leash? Why is that filly on a leash? Pausing in her flight, Twilight dropped down to sit on a tree limb and observe. the strange sight below intrigued her and…Did that filly just bark? 
Twilight’s eyes narrowed as the pieces fell into place when the mare placed a water dish on the ground and the filly eagerly slurped at the lukewarm water, complementing the action.
“Good girl.”
Twilight’s felt her rage rising within her. Those scum! They’re using a filly as a common mongrel. Aristocrats of Canterlot were known for buying slaves at auctions and breaking their minds to turn them into pets; some had mares or stallions, and a few had dragons or griffons through Blackmarket listings. As a noble-born, Twilight was no stranger to the idea of pet training mares or stallions, but watching a filly enduring it, made her blood boil.
Her eyes glinted with destruction as the amulet around her neck pulsed a ruby red, and in an instant, it was over. A radiating blast of red glowing light, and the mare and stallion lay unmoving on the ground; though the filly seemed unbothered, not moving a muscle.
Dropping down, Twilight used her magic to dissolve the leash that bound the butter-furred fledgling to the now-dead mare. Growling at the filly, Twilight said.
“You’re free, go home. Get out of here, before I kill you too.”
The filly just tilted its head in confusion, as though it didn’t understand a word Twilight had said. Twilight tried again.
“I said get out of here!”
In response, the filly lifted its hind leg and kicked at her ear as though scratching it. Twilight stared incredulously at the strange filly. Couldn’t she understand what Twilight was saying? 
“Ruff!”
Watching the young Pegasus wiggle her flank to shake her tail, Twilight got a sinking feeling in her gut. Something was wrong. Her suspicions were confirmed when the filly’s stomach began to rumble and she whimpered, looking around her. 
The filly gently nosed the dead mare, pushing the corpse lightly as though trying to wake it up. She did this for a few minutes before ceasing and opening her jaws; showcasing the sharpened fangs that looked like they had been filed by a blade. 
Minutes later, Twilight stumbled over to the nearby bushes and heaved; again and again, as the filly sat there, panting. Happily wagging her tail, the young Pegasus’s tongue licked her now-crimson-stained fangs amidst the glistening bones of her former walkers.
Relieved of the contents of her stomach, Twilight wiped a hoof across her muzzle before turning to stare at the filly; who was now gnawing voraciously on the edge of a bone, still wagging her tail. 
Nothing but an animal. Alright, then.
With her horn aglow with chaotic magic, Twilight cast a spell upon herself, letting it envelop her, and in a flash, it was over. Twilight turned to face the filly and opened her muzzle.
“Can you hear me?”
Letting the bone drop from her jaws, the little filly giggled and rolled over excitedly.
“Who are you? Did you come to play with me?”
Standing on her large furry paws, Twilight inwardly smiled as her tail wagged. Her spell had worked. Struggling to keep her new form from rushing over and grabbing a bone herself, Twilight nodded. Barking loudly, she proclaimed.
“My name’s Twilight and I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”
“Tiwi- Ti-Tli-”
The filly looked confused as she tried to pronounce Twilight’s name. Twilight wasn’t sure why she was doing this; it was just another filly with the short straw in life, right? Still, she couldn’t help but feel this one was special somehow. Twilight smiled gently and said the first thing that came to mind.
“Just call me Mamabear.”
“Ma..ma?”
“Mamabear.”
An expression of excitement glinted in the filly’s baby blue eyes
“Mama!”
A certain warmth filled Twilight, a mother? Her? She smiled silently as she choked back a tear. For some reason, even after all her atrocities, denying this filly was something she just couldn’t bring herself to do.
“Yes. Yes, little one, I’m Mama. And what is your name?”
The filly looked confused for a moment before muttering.
“Name? Name? I…”
The filly had a sad look cross her face as she whimpered pitifully.
“Don’t have a name, mama.”
That did it. Twilight’s heart of ice shattered right then and there. There was something about the innocent way the filly called her mama that completely disarmed her; her rage, her hatred towards Ponykind, all of it just dissolved as the adorable little filly stared hopefully at her. Gesturing to her with a fur-covered paw, Twilight pulled the filly in for a nuzzle as she whispered.
“Well then, my little cub, let’s give you one.”





I knew it right away, my little cub. Twilight smiled at the sleeping Pegasus, tears glistening in her eyes. I saw how you had been ensorcelled to leave behind your pony self, at such a young age. And so I took you under my wing, raised you as my own.





“Come on Shy, show mama what you’ve learned.”
The butter-colored Pegasus mare gripped the jagged bone knife in her jaws, as Twilight patiently watched her circle a tied-up prisoner. Shy leaped on the prisoner, snarling and growling as the unbridled screams of terror tore themselves from the victim's throat.
Twilight nodded, shouting encouragement, as Shy drew the blade’s tip across the victim, leaving red dripping lines in its wake.
“That’s my little cub. Remember, slowly and deliberately; that is how a life is taken. Waste no movement and instill fear with each moment.”
The victim screamed rapidly about their willingness to talk, but Twilight shook her head. 
“Remember little cub, that first shout only means they will say anything to stop the pain, we want the truth. And to get it, we will drain them to within an inch, until they are ringing death’s doorbell. Only then, can we be certain of getting the truth. Continue on, sweetie.”
Walking up beside Twilight, a black unicorn with a low guttural voice spoke up.
“She is learning fast.”
With pride, Twilight beamed.
“Yes, she is a quick learn-”
“Get rid of her.”
The words were like a knife through her heart as she stood there speechless. Sombra continued without mercy.
“She’s too clever, and supposedly she will be party to my destruction. I want her taken care of. Tonight. It’s her or you.”





Twilight and Shy walked side by side in the Everfree, Twilight’s mind racing, how could she- she had raised Shy from just a filly, just a little cub. Her little cub. Her filly. On all four paws, she strode effortlessly as she walked beside her adopted daughter, her heart heavy with the impossible decision she was about to make.
Her amulet glowed brightly with a blinding cherry red magic. With a groan amidst the bright red flash, Shy sank to the ground as Twilight stood there; tears streaming down her face. With a choked sob, Twilight wrapped her daughter’s still form within her magic and the two vanished from sight.





Tears poured like raindrops onto the parchment as Twilight penned a final letter to the one she never thought she would.:


	Starlight, I hate you. I’ve always hated you, but now this is bigger than me. This is my daughter, though she’ll never remember that, thanks to an amnesia spell. Please train her, teach her the Element of Cruelty, teach her to be a normal Pegasus. So much has gone on and now Sombra wants her dead and I, can’t bring myself to do that to my little cub. I beg of you, no plead with you, to look after her. As if she were your own.


-Twilight Sparkle






“Shy, bring her down!”
Starlight’s shout echoed through the torrential downpour and vicious winds. Snarling and growling, the now fully grown mare leaped at the Dragon Emperess who was flying above the group. Spreading her wings, the Pegasus lunged with her trusty bone dagger, slicing through scales and tendons; shearing the wing clear off. The traitor; Ember of the Dragonlands; Sombra’s Right Claw, came crashing to the ground and a cheer went up from the six watching; the five on the ground and Twilight who was hovering high above, out of sight:
“Thata girl. That’s my little cub.”





Quietly trotting into the room, Twilight sat next to Fluttershy’s bed; running a hoof through her mane. You’ve been through so much, and I couldn’t be prouder of the mare you’ve become. Smiling, Twilight gingerly tucked in her estranged daughter, before standing up and leaving the virtual room. Behind her, she heard the sleepy mumbling of Fluttershy.
“Night, mama.”
Smirking with a bit of pride, Twilight noticed her recharge gauge was flashing full.
“Well now, I suppose I should go see how Starlight is doing. After all, two weeks is long enough for her to wait for me to be rebuilt.”