Dear Twilight,
I'm sorry for how long it took to write this letter. This village isn't near any post offices, and we don't have any mailponies.
I'm also sorry for leaving Ponyville the way I did. I lost myself to what Iron Will was saying, trying so hard to stick up for myself and be assertive. I became a monster, and what I said to Pinkie and Rarity was unforgivable. I was scared of who else I would hurt, so I left.
The new village I found is really friendly! Everypony was very welcoming, and helped me feel like part of the group! I don't have to worry about being mean anymore, or about being a pushover. I'm really happy here!
I'd also like to introduce you to the founder of the village. I think you two would get along. She really likes friendship, too! Also, we have a really interesting magical artifact I think you'd like to see. It's Mage Meadowbrook's ninth enchanted item!
Eager to see you again,
Fluttershy
Fluttershy shuddered a little at the cold wind blowing through Our Town. Yet, excitement still built up in her core at the thought of seeing her friend again after so long. But not too much excitement. A normal amount. She checked her mane braids; Everything was still in place properly. Her wings fluttered slightly. Her eyes flicked back to the mostly-eaten Muffin resting on the table.
Suddenly, on the horizon, a bit of purple. Fluttershy put on her best Smile, and her Friends in the town wore those proudly as everypony got ready to welcome Fluttershy's old friend. As Twilight got closer and closer, Fluttershy's Smile faltered just slightly. Would she accept her? What if Twilight didn’t want to be friends anymore? Fluttershy shook her head slightly; No, Twilight wouldn’t have sent a reply if she didn’t want to be here. As the unicorn in question drew closer, Fluttershy noticed a thin blue streak running through her mane.
"Welcome!" Fluttershy said. "I'm so happy to see you again, Twilight!"
Twilight Sparkle was not smiling. She was looking at Fluttershy as if considering a complex mathematical formula. "New Cutie Mark."
Fluttershy blinked, then looked at the equal sign on her own flanks. "Y-yes, well, it's a part of life in this nice little village!"
Her old friend let off a hum. "It's nice to see you again, Fluttershy." Twilight said as a smile finally crossed her face. Yet, there seemed to be something off about the smile. A hint of… Reservation, perhaps? Nonetheless, Fluttershy walked her further into the village. Everything would be okay. It had to be.
All of her Friends greeted Twilight with Welcomes as they walked into the village, passing by the cottages, each the same as the other. While Fluttershy did want to take Twilight to go meet the Founder, that should wait; They should catch up a bit first. Sitting at the table outside of Sugar Belle's cottage, it wasn't long before the mare went out to greet them.
"Welcome!" Sugar Belle said. "What would you two like today? We have muffins."
"Two muffins, please." Fluttershy said. With a nod, Sugar Belle returned to her cottage. Twilight regarded the mare for a moment more before steepling her hooves on the table as she focused on Fluttershy. "What is all this, Fluttershy?"
"Oh, um, this is Our Town, and we're all Equal here!" Fluttershy explained happily. "Down to even our Cutie Marks!"
"Yes, but why?"
"Well, um... Maybe it's best if I just explain why I left?" Fluttershy said with some hesitation.
"Please do." The tone of voice was quite tense, as were Twilight's furrowed brows.
Fluttershy gulped. "I just wasn't happy with the pony I was, Twilight. First, I realized how much of a doormat I was to everypony, and then I met Iron Will, and he showed me how to be assertive! It was nice at first, but..."
"Pinkie and Rarity mentioned something about you snapping at them." Twilight said.
"I just became a bully... I was so angry about how pushed around I was before that I started taking it out on everypony. But then, I realized who I had become... A bully. I just... I couldn't bear to hurt any of you anymore... So I left."
Twilight huffed. "With a note. Not saying where you were going."
Fluttershy's face twitched slightly. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you or the others in-pony, Twilight, but I was worried you'd just make me stay. For the first time in a long time, I wanted to make a choice for myself."
“I…” Twilight started before sighing. “Fair enough, I guess.”
“How have things been going for you, Twilight?” Fluttershy asked. “I like the new stripe in your mane.”
Twilight blinked, seemingly confused by the question. “How have… You haven’t heard?”
"We don't get news from outside, Twilight." Fluttershy replied. She let her smile fade altogether. "What happened? How are things in Ponyville?”
Twilight sighed. "Ponyville’s gone.”
Fluttershy froze. No, that couldn’t be right. “Gone?”
“Half of it was wrecked by these vines that came from the Everfree Forest, apparently planted by Discord a thousand years ago. That alone, we could have recovered from. Ponies were working on the repairs for months, cost us a place in the Equestria Games, actually. Then Tirek attacked. I’m not going to get into it right now.”
Fluttershy gaped. "I... Oh, wow... That's... That's a lot to take in..."
“Try living through it.” Twilight said. She glared at Fluttershy. “If we could have used the Elements-”
Sugar Belle returned, giving them both some very plain-looking muffins. "Let me know if you need anything else!"
"Thank you, Sugar Belle." Fluttershy said as she ate her muffin, ready to change the subject.
Twilight took a bite. "It's, um..."
"You get used to the taste." Fluttershy said.
Sugar Belle frowned for a moment, before spotting Double Diamond and putting her Smile back on.
Twilight took notice. "...I just don't get it, Fluttershy. Why do you like... This?" She gestured to the general area.
"It's comforting. We're all Equal here. Nopony's better than me, and I'm not better than anypony. I don't have to be Old Fluttershy, I don't have to be New Fluttershy. I can just be Fluttershy. Sure, perhaps some days I miss helping animals, but being in a town where everypony is truly Equal and friendly makes up for it." Fluttershy explained. "Perhaps you'd understand if you spoke with our Founder, Starlight Glimmer?"
"I think that would be a good idea." Twilight said, finishing her muffin out of politeness. “It’s why I’m here.”
"Oh, and there's something I'd like to mention..." Fluttershy said quietly.
Fluttershy led Twilight to the last cottage of Our Town, and knocked on the door. Once she heard a cheery "Come in!", Fluttershy and Twilight entered.
Starlight Glimmer beamed at the two ponies as Fluttershy closed the door behind them. "Starlight, this is the pony I was talking about, my friend Twilight Sparkle."
Twilight shifted her position awkwardly as Starlight walked up to her and examined her. “So, Twilight, what brings you to our little corner of Equestria? Cutie Mark trouble?”
"I'm just here to meet an old friend." Twilight said. "Nothing more."
"Perhaps I should explain Our Town for you." Starlight said. "In Our Town, we are all truly Equal. We don’t flaunt our special talents because we don’t have any special talents to flaunt! In our perfect Equality, we have found true friendship and harmony!"
"What kind of spell do you use for that? It's clear you don't just paint over them." Twilight said. "It requires some powerful magic to replace a pony's Cutie Mark."
"Oh, no spells here." Starlight said. "We use the Staff of Sameness, one of Mage Meadowbrook's nine enchanted items! The Cutie Unmarking is a process all ponies of this village have gone through, leaving their lives with Cutie Marks behind in order to live better ones among true equals!"
"Must be a pretty powerful artifact." Twilight said. "Where do you put the Cutie Marks?"
"Ah, they are kept in the Vault!" Starlight said. "My ponies are fully welcome to visit the Vault to remind themselves of the heartache of their lives before they gave them up.”
Twilight glanced at Fluttershy, who gave a slight nod. "So, may we visit this Vault?"
At the top of the hill overlooking Our Town sat a cavern. Once Twilight, Fluttershy, and Starlight entered the cave, Twilight froze as she saw the large Vault and all the Cutie Marks captured within. "Wow..."
"It is very impressive, isn't it?" Starlight said. She then picked up a wooden staff in her magic. "And this is the Staff of Sameness itself!"
Twilight raised an eyebrow. "Interesting. May I examine it? The kind of magic required to take and replace a pony's Cutie Mark is something I've never seen before. Magic is sort of my thing, and I can't simply pass up an opportunity to learn more about it."
Starlight hesitated for a moment, her previous smile fading as Twilight talked. "Th-this is ancient magic, Twilight, and if you did something to this Staff, well, I don't know what we'd do without it!"
"Really? By the way, Starlight..." Twilight said. "...Could you please show me where your Cutie Mark is in this Vault?"
“My Mark isn’t anymore important than anypony else’s.” Starlight deflected. “It’s not something worth bringing attention to.”
“Really? It doesn’t seem that hard.” Twilight pressed, stepping towards Starlight. “Surely it’s one of these, among those of your cult? I understand magic pretty well, and that includes knowing the difference between a real magical artifact and a fake one!”
"You don't seem to understand the position you're in, Twilight." Starlight said, glaring at Twilight. "You're thinking you're special because of your Cutie Mark, that that Mark somehow makes you and your knowledge superior. You think you can just waltz into our village, insult our way of life? Perhaps with a little perspective, you will understand!”
Starlight pointed the staff at Twilight, and a beam of magic shot out of the staff. Twilight’s eyes widened as she readied a spell, but was soon encompassed by the beam of magic. Her legs stiffened, and she grunted in pain as her Cutie Mark was pulled, tugging on the strand of magic trying to hold on. Finally, with a small snap, the Mark was removed. Grinning, Starlight placed it into the Vault as the familiar Equal Sign emerged onto Twilight’s flanks.
“You… You won’t get away with this…” Twilight groaned.
“Twilight, it’s okay. You’ll be happier this way.” Fluttershy said.
Crickets chirped in the distance. This late at night, with only Luna’s moon illuminating the village, Fluttershy could see that everypony had turned in. As quietly as she could, she slowly opened the window. She flared her wings and glided away from the town, towards the Vault.
At the entrance, she carefully peeked in. Good, nopony around. Carefully, she made her way towards the Vault, where Twilight’s Mark resided. Fluttershy checked behind her to make sure nopony had followed her, then opened the panel. She ducked as the Mark zipped past her head and towards its owner. Hoping beyond hope that this would work, she grabbed the Staff of Sameness in her mouth and made her way to the Shack of Enlightenment.
She flapped her wings and came in for a soft landing right behind the Shack, and crept up next to it, checking once again in case somepony could see her before sliding the Staff into the window. She then peeked her head up. “So… Twilight, do you have something?”
Twilight, using a pencil she had stored in her mane, was scribbling something in the margins of one of Starlight’s Manifestos. “You didn’t say it would hurt.”
Fluttershy blushed sheepishly. “Sorry, I… You tend to forget that after a while.”
“Clearly.”
Fluttershy watched as Twilight continued to focus on her writings, the only sound being the speaker playing a recording of Starlight’s affirmations.
“So…”
Twilight whipped her head towards Fluttershy, fixing her with a glare.
“Sorry!”
Twilight sighed. “I think I have it figured out, at least the theory. While getting hit with that spell was unpleasant, thank you very much, with my cutie mark back I can piece together how it works. Your staff will be properly enchanted in an hour, then you can take my mark back so that she doesn’t suspect anything.”
“Oh, good, that’s good to hear.” Fluttershy said.
Fluttershy flapped her wings awkwardly, the tension being thick enough to choke on. “I… I really am sorry, Twilight. I didn’t think-”
“No, you didn’t. You didn’t care about the good of Equestria, you didn’t think about the importance of your role as an Element, and you certainly didn’t think about your friends.” Twilight said. “You just left.”
“It wouldn’t have been any better if I stayed, Twilight. You know what I was becoming” Fluttershy said. “That… That assertiveness, it was poisoning me.”
“You ran from it. You knew what you were doing was wrong, but instead of trying to fix it, you ran.” Twilight replied. “You weren’t there when we needed you, and we lost Ponyville.”
“But you still have your other friends!”
“Not anymore.” Twilight replied softly as she looked away from her former friend.
A cold chill ran down Fluttershy’s spine. “What?”
“Pinkie, Rainbow, Applejack, Rarity… They’re, well, not really friends as much anymore. We try to keep in touch, but without Ponyville as an anchor… Pinkie’s travelling Equestria with another party pony named Cheese Sandwich, Rainbow Dash lives in Cloudsdale and is entirely focused on her Wonderbolt duties, Rarity moved to Manehattan to pursue her fashion career, and Applejack lives with her family in Appleloosa. I went back to Canterlot, and am focusing my studies on magic as the High Archmage of Equestria. Our lives took us in separate paths.”
“Your Cutie Marks took you apart-”
“Spare me.” Twilight growled.
“Why are you even here, Twilight? You could have just ignored the letter.” Fluttershy replied. “I understand that I hurt you, all of you, and that there’s no way I can make it up now; But my place is here. Even with… With Starlight’s lie, I still feel like I belong.”
“Of course you do.” Twilight said dismissively. “They brainwashed you.”
“I’m not-”
“I don’t care to have this argument.” Twilight said. “And I don’t care if you stay here or not. You were my friend once, and I figured I’d help you out one last time so that we can at least part on decent terms. That, and figure this magic out.”
“...I’m a terrible pony.” Fluttershy muttered, stepping away from the Shack’s window to give Twilight some space. “All I did was hurt everypony around me, even leaving just caused more pain. I… I shouldn’t have written that letter, I’m making it worse…”
The sun shined as Twilight walked out of The Shack. The village looked at Twilight expectantly as Starlight and Fluttershy walked up to her.
“Are you feeling better, Twilight?” Fluttershy asked.
Twilight glared.
Starlight stepped forward. “This is good for you, Twilight. You don’t have to hold yourself over everypony else anymore, you can be equal! No more expectations, no more-”
“No.” Twilight said.
There was a pause as Starlight and Fluttershy looked at each other.
“I don’t think she’s ready.” Fluttershy said.
“No, she isn’t. Sorry, no new friends today!” Starlight announced, the village sounding its disappointment. For a moment, Fluttershy’s eyes met Twilight’s before Double Diamond escorted Twilight back into The Shack.
Fluttershy hesitated for just a moment before turning to Starlight. “Starlight, there’s something I need to tell you, it’s about the Staff of Sameness.”
Starlight blinked, a hint of confusion crossing her face. “What is it?”
“I’m worried that Twilight might have… Messed with it, somehow. I know her, she’s really good at magic, she might have done something to the Staff without us realizing!” Fluttershy said.
Her Leader looked like she was holding back an eye roll. “I’m sure the Staff is fine, Fluttershy. It’s a very powerful artifact, if she did something to it, I’d notice.”
Fluttershy fluttered her wings nervously. “Still… Could we check, just to make sure?”
Starlight huffed, then put on a smile. “Of course! I want nothing more than to ensure that you feel safe, Fluttershy. Double Diamond, Party Favor, let’s bring Fluttershy to the Vault so we can ease her worries.”
“Of course!” Both ponies said in unison with their brightest Smiles.
Fluttershy tried her best to fight down her anxiety. She’d only have one shot at this; If she messed this up, she might not have any home left.
Fluttershy bit her lip as Starlight examined the Staff closely, then picked it up in her magic and twirled it a bit.
“Hm, it doesn’t look damaged.” Starlight said. “It doesn’t feel different. Whatever she might have tried, it didn’t work.”
“May I take a look?” Fluttershy asked.
She saw the split second of hesitation in Starlight before she responded. “Of course, if it helps you feel safer, Fluttershy!”
Fluttershy trotted over, her heart hammering in her head. Starlight set the Staff down, and once she was right up next to it, Fluttershy placed a hoof upon it. It would work, Fluttershy used it last night, but she would have to take Starlight off-guard. She took a moment to examine the Staff closely.
“Are you satisfied?” Starlight asked.
“A-Almost. Just… Just to be safe, could you check to make sure Twilight’s Mark is still there?”
This time her Leader did roll her eyes. “We just saw Twilight, Fluttershy. She didn’t have her Mark then, but if it makes you feel better-”
Just as Starlight turned around, Fluttershy pointed the staff at her. She pulled a trigger in her mind, and the Staff fired, hitting Starlight.
“WHAT THE-”
Fluttershy watched as the makeup covering her Cutie Mark came off in a puff of dust as Fluttershy started pulling the Mark off. Both Double Diamond and Party Favor gasped in disbelief at the reveal of Starlight’s betrayal.
With a snap, Starlight’s Mark was severed, and it floated towards the Staff. Fluttershy pointed the Staff at the Vault, opening up one of the panels and placing the Mark inside. Starlight groaned as a real Equal Mark appeared on her flank.
“She… She had her Mark this whole time?!” Party Favor asked.
“She hid it from us?! Why?!” Double Diamond asked.
“How… How did you do that?!” Starlight shouted. “You couldn’t have! That piece of wood is nothing! It was my magic that made it work!”
“It was nothing.” Fluttershy said. “Until last night, when I brought it to Twilight.”
Realization dawned on Starlight. “...You… You planned this!”
“I found the secret tunnel leading from your cottage months ago, Starlight. I was confused why it led to underneath your bed… And then I saw you, with your Cutie Mark. I tried to rationalize it, tried to come up with a reason… And it came to me. You had no choice, didn’t you? Your magic really was the only thing that could remove a Cutie Mark, so you accepted that burden for all of us. But now, you don’t have to anymore, Starlight. You’re Equal now.”
“I… I still can’t believe she lied to us, all this time…” Double Diamond said.
“She did. I think it’s time we helped our Leader see the light again, my Friends.” Fluttershy said. “Take her to The Shack. With some time to think about this, she’ll understand why what she did was wrong. But first…”
Fluttershy placed the Staff back upon its pedestal before flying over to Twilight’s Mark. She opened the panel, and released the Mark once again.
“What are you doing?!” Starlight asked.
“Twilight’s place isn’t with us.” Fluttershy said. “She must leave.”
“So, what’s this idea you have, Twilight?”
“I had time to think about your philosophy. I still don’t agree with it, but if you’re going to live here like this anyway… I think I can improve the spell.”
“Improve the spell? How so?”
“See, the problem with the spell is that it drains everything from you and gives nothing back. I can’t imagine that would be very fulfilling; Don’t you ever miss your talent, being able to care for animals?”
“...I, um, sometimes.”
“I can fix that, while still letting you all stay ‘Equal’, or whatever.”
“What do you mean?”
The next day, Starlight was let out of the Shack to face the village. Hearing her own propaganda for a full day had broken down any resistance she had left. "I... I'm so sorry..." She muttered to the townsponies. She sighed, then looked them all in the eyes. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done this to you all. But now, we truly are all Equal, thanks to Fluttershy. Could you have it in your hearts to forgive me...?"
The townsponies looked at each other for a moment then came to a decision. They all walked over to Starlight and shared in a group hug.
"You...!" Starlight said in surprise.
"It's okay, Starlight. All is forgiven." Party Favor said.
"Things are going to be even better from now on, thanks to Fluttershy's friend!" Sugar Belle said.
"...What do you mean?" Starlight asked in confusion.
"Oh, well, you see..." Fluttershy said. "So, the Staff of Sameness really is the Staff of Sameness now. It can work on its own without needing your magic. But, um, Twilight tweaked the spell a little bit. It doesn't take our special talents away anymore, but spreads it among the village."
"Spread it? What do you mean?" Starlight asked.
"Well, for example... Sugar Belle, um, your muffins before..." Fluttershy said. “I hate to say it, but they were kind of…”
"It's okay to say it. They were awful." Sugar Belle said.
"...That, yes. But now, she can make okay muffins, and so can any one of us, too. And, if we work together to make those muffins, they can be really good!" Fluttershy said. "We're all still Equal, but now we can be good at things too, but only if we all work together!"
Starlight hummed. "I... I suppose that would work. Are you still the leader?"
"Actually, that's something else the village and I agreed on. We won't have a leader anymore. Instead, we all will decide things together by voting together." Fluttershy said. "Nopony will be above anypony else anymore. We're all Equal in every way now!"
"I don't know if that will work, but..." Starlight said. "...I'm willing to give it a try."
The townsponies cheered. "Let's build a brand new cottage for you, Starlight!" Double Diamond said, and the townsponies left to get to work... Except for Fluttershy. The pegasus walked towards the edge of town to where Twilight was waiting.
"I wasn't expecting her to go along with it so readily." Twilight said.
"She truly does believe in Our Town." Fluttershy said. "Though I wonder if getting rid of her Cutie Mark might have helped, too?"
Twilight shook her head. "I don't think I'll ever really understand this whole 'Equalism' thing, but... Maybe that's okay. You seem to be happy here, Fluttershy, and you made a positive change."
"I couldn't have done it on my own, Twilight. But... I have to stay here. They need me as much as I need them." Fluttershy said.
“I understand.” Twilight said. “I… I’ll go ahead and let the others know. We don’t spend time together anymore, but I can send them letters. And Fluttershy?”
“Yes, Twilight?”
“This is the last time you’ll see me.”
Fluttershy frowned. The sunset cast its orange rays upon the village as her friends celebrated. “Why?”
“Because I haven’t forgiven you.” Twilight replied. “I just can’t, not for what I had to go through because of you. Maybe… Maybe someday I might come back, but right now I have a lot to think about, and being around you is only going to complicate that.”
Fluttershy sat down on the dirt, feeling a numbness take over her heart. “I understand… I’m-”
“Goodbye, Fluttershy.” Twilight said, walking away from the mare that was once one of her best friends.
Fluttershy watched as she left, her vision blurring as she let the tears come. She wasn’t in the mood for a muffin anymore.