Chapter 18
Fluttershy
Fluttershy went after Rainbow Dash. She didn't leave immediately; it wasn't until Zecora suggested that she was probably heading for Cloudsdale—how Zecora figured that, she didn't know—and that the others couldn't follow her, so that left Fluttershy (and Derpy). Not that she didn't want to go after Rainbow Dash. She was just afraid to go back out into the world. She wasn't afraid of the forest any more, not after Big Mac explained that the changelings couldn't get into it. She was now afraid of leaving the forest.
Fluttershy had tried to convince Derpy to come with her, but the grey pony was too afraid to go back to Cloudsdale. She had run away from it after all. So, Fluttershy left on her own.
She took a deep breath as she stood at the edge of the forest. She couldn't see any changelings in sight. The others had told her that they hadn't seen any in a while, which was odd, as though they had all momentarily disappeared.
Summoning all of her courage, Fluttershy spread her wings and dashed into the air. She knew she would have to fly as fast as she could to catch up to Rainbow Dash before she did anything stupid. She had to admit that she was slightly surprised that the news of Scootaloo had affected her so much. Everypony knew that Scootaloo idolized Rainbow Dash like no other.
It was quiet as she flew to Cloudsdale. There were no changelings in sight, just as the others had said. Fluttershy wondered where they all went, and how long she had before they all came back.
When she arrived at Clousdale, she spotted Rainbow Dash right away. She sat on a cloud overlooking the city. As Fluttershy approached her, she heard Rainbow Dash sniff. When she heard Fluttershy behind her, she quickly wiped her nose and eyes.
"Last time I was here, they were attacking the city. I wanted to come and teach some of them a lesson; but they're all gone," Rainbow Dash said. "She couldn't fly. I-I didn't know she couldn't fly..."
Fluttershy put her arm around Rainbow Dash's shoulders.
"She adored me, looked up to me, wanted to be like me... but she couldn't, because she couldn't fly.. She knew that and I didn't.. I never gave her the time of day she really deserved.. and now I never can..."
Rainbow Dash put her head on Fluttershy's shoulder.
"She won't be suffering anymore," Fluttershy cooed softly, "and in heaven, all ponies can fly."
After Fluttershy consoled Rainbow Dash for a few minutes—and promised not to tell the others that she cried—Rainbow Dash suggested that before they returned to Zecora's, they should check out the rest of Cloudsdale.
The streets were quiet. Cocoons hung on awnings, but there weren't as many around as there were in Ponyville. There were also a few dead bodies. Fluttershy didn't see anyone she personally knew, but it was still sad to see.
Something stirred from underneath some rubble. Fluttershy squeaked and partially hid behind Rainbow Dash. Somepony moaned from underneath.
"It's a pegasus," Rainbow Dash said. She flew down and helped the pony up. "Are you ok?"
The pony stood up and shook his head, some dust flying from his helmet. Fluttershy recognized his golden uniform; he was one of Celestia's guards.
"You're one of the Royal Guard," Rainbow Dash said, "What are you doing out here? What happened to Princess Celestia?"
"I don't know what happened to the Princess; everything that happened in Canterlot was utter chaos. Once the Princess went missing, and after Shining Armor snapped out of the spell, he said it was everypony for himself. He gave us dismissal. I came here because I have family here, and because the fight in Canterlot was useless; here we had a bit more of a chance," he explained.
"Where did all of the changelings go? What happened?" Fluttershy asked.
"We'd been battling endlessly since this all began; the pegasi refused to give in. But then suddenly, maybe about an hour ago, all of the changelings dropped what they were doing and flew away. They seemed to be heading towards Canterlot; it was like the queen had called them away. I was helping another injured pegasus, when this awning collapsed on me," he said.
"Maybe there are other survivors," Fluttershy said. She looked around, scanning the area.
"If there are, I wouldn't doubt that they've either banded together somewhere and planned another attack, or many of them might have left Cloudsdale to find refuge somewhere else," he guard said, dusting himself off.
"Pfft, abandon Cloudsdale? What pegasus in their right mind would abandon this place?" Rainbow Dash said. The guard looked at her sternly.
"If it meant the difference between being trapped in a cocoon and survival, then yes, any pegasus in their right mind would go elsewhere. They've been barraging Cloudsdale ever since this whole mess started months ago. Cloudsdale was the last place still putting up a front, and because of that, more pegasi were being killed than being harvested. If you're put in a cocoon, you at least have a chance for survival; I remember seeing you in a cocoon when I left Canterlot," he said, "And now look? You're free. And you're ok."
"Doesn't mean everypony who's in a cocoon is going to turn out to be ok," Rainbow Dash snapped.
"Still a better chance than being killed by one of those changelings," the guard said.
"Now, we shouldn't argue, we should—" Fluttershy said.
"So what, it's better to just give Cloudsdale over to the changelings? Just give up? Let them officially take over everywhere?" Rainbow Dash said.
"Survival isn't giving up; you need to survive first in order to fight back. Sometimes that means lying low for a bit; it doesn't make anypony a coward," the guard said back.
"There might be survivors who need our help and—" Fluttershy said.
"Yeah, but it's easier to defend a city than to take it back once it's been conquered," Rainbow Dash said.
"And how would you know that? What sort of army training have you ever had?" the guard said.
"You don't need training to figure something like that, it's common sense!" Rainbow Dash said.
"Um, ok, Rainbow Dash, maybe we should—"
"Don't need training?! Training is essential in a crisis such as this!" the guard said.
"Good it did to you, you don't even know where Princess Celestia is! She's your ward and you've lost her? No wonder Equestria is falling!"
"Excuse me? Are you saying that it's my fault that the princess is missing? How dare you assume that I am not working towards the greater good of finding out where she is—"
"In Cloudsdale? Last time I heard, she was in Canterlot, the very place you ran away from," Rainbow Dash said.
"I did not 'run away' from Canterlot! I was—"
"LOOK!" Fluttershy shouted. She pointed her hoof towards the air. A dark figure was flying towards them. Rainbow Dash and the guard stopped arguing and turned their heads.
"I-I-Is it a changeling?" Fluttershy asked. Rainbow Dash squinted.
"No, it's not dark enough to be a changeling; it looks like—"
"It's another guard," the guard said.
The dark grey pegasus began to descend towards them. He landed softly and nodded towards the other guard.
"CloudsArmor," the dark guard said as he nodded towards the other guard. He nodded back.
"Forgive me, as many of Princess Luna's guards' names escape me," he said.
"Titan Wings," he said. The two shook hooves. Titan Wings then turned towards Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. "Are you civilians alright?"
"Yes," Fluttershy said.
"You managed to survive the wrath of Cloudsdale?"
"Actually—"
"We were actually in Canterlot when the initial attack happened," Rainbow Dash interrupted Fluttershy. "We were in the wedding and we were cocooned. Our friend set us free."
"So you have a unicorn amidst your ranks; that is good," Titan Wings said.
"I'd completely forgotten about Princess Luna! How is she, is she ok? Is she with Princess Celestia?" Rainbow Dash asked. Titan Wings put up his hoof to stop her.
"I do not know where the sun princess is; nopony seems to know. Princess Luna has sent me on a secret mission; I merely stopped here because I saw CloudsArmor," Titan Wings said. He then turned towards CloudsArmor, "I think it wise for you to join me; my mission is relevant to all of Equestria, including to figure out where Princess Celestia is."
CloudsArmor nodded. Titan Wings spread his wings, getting ready to take off again. CloudsArmor followed.
"What about the injured civilians here, who might need our help?" Fluttershy asked.
"They must care for each other; we cannot stop to mend everyone until all of Equestria is safe," Titan Wings said.
"They're right; we should go back to Zecora's. Maybe Twilight's arrived by now," Rainbow Dash said. Titan Wings stopped and turned towards Rainbow Dash.
"Twilight? As in Twilight Sparkle?" he asked.
"The captain's sister...?" CloudsArmor said. Fluttershy nodded.
"We're meeting her in Ponyville. She's the one who set us free; we need to find the Elements of Harmony to stop the changelings," Fluttershy explained.
"Wait; you two are Element bearers?" Titan Wings asked. Fluttershy nodded.
"Loyalty and Kindness," Rainbow Dash said.
"Then we are headed towards the same place. Princess Luna has sent me to find Twilight Sparkle, to aid her in her quest," Titan Wings said.
"What happened to the princess?" Rainbow Dash asked. Titan Wings sighed and looked far off into the horizon.
"She's been detained."