//------------------------------//
// 3-Fluttershy 
// Story: Darkness Abound 
// by thefulkboy1 
//------------------------------//

	“Fluttershy, come near. Come closer, so I know you can hear.”
Fluttershy crept toward Zecora. The old pony had lived long past her life expectancy, as she had discovered. For nine years now, Fluttershy had been taking care of Zecora, because she had nothing to do. She sure as hell couldn’t go and attempt to overthrow Equilarsous. That idea was preposterous. So she ran away into the Everfree Forest, trying to escape the grasp of the evil king. She knew he was evil, because she felt it. It was like Pinkie Pie’s twitchy tail, except more important.
“My dear Fluttershy,” Zecora whispered. “I fear… tonight I will die.”
Fluttershy started. That was probably the first negative thing she had heard Zecora say for years! And how did she know she would die? She had hooked up all the machines, hadn’t she?
When she asked her about this, Zecora said, “Now, now, young one, do not be frightened. Instead, let your anger be heightened!”
What was she talking about?
“Wh… what are you taking about?” Fluttershy asked her.
Zecora smiled weakly. “You cannot hide your anger from me. Go and fight him, for you are stronger than he!” Fluttershy knew “he” meant Equilarsous, the evil king who had been ruling over Equestria for ten years. How could Fluttershy be stronger than and robotic unicorn? That was the reason she had ran. Fluttershy may have hated Equilarsous, but she didn’t have the strength to confront him. Not to mention the fact that Rainbow Dash, one of her longtime friends, was a royal guard, meaning she was loyal to the king. Fluttershy couldn’t bring herself to fight her.
Zecora moaned, thrashing around in her bed. Fluttershy rushed to her side, but the old pony brushed her away, saying, “Hide, my little pony. Once he has left, it will be you only.” Fluttershy glanced at the door, hearing a loud knock. If Zecora wanted her to hide, then it must have been something bad. So she obeyed, ducking under a table piled with books and potions.
The door flew open, and in walked a massive red pony with a metal foreleg. He stomped over to Zecora and stared down at her.
“My dear Zecora,” he growled. “You look like shit.”
“Equilarsous, you fiend!” Zecora muttered. “I curse you, you-“
Equilarsous stepped on her tail, making her words fade. “Now, let’s not get too hectic. You don’t want to hurt yourself, do you?” Zecora thrashed once again. Equilarsous was doing something to her, and Fluttershy knew it. She had to do something.
Making sure Equilarsous didn’t see her, Fluttershy reached up and grabbed a vile. Examining it, she saw that it had a greenish tint to it, which meant one thing. It was acid.
Fluttershy gripped the vile in a hoof, then, with all her might, threw it at Equilarsous’ face. It hit his blaring red robotic eye, making him flinch. As the acid began to eat away at the king, he roared, and backed away from Zecora. Fluttershy made her way out from under the table and began to take Zecora out of the bed.
“No, Fluttershy!” Zecora said, fighting out of Fluttershy’s grip. “Go! This is where my body must lie!”
“I’m not leaving you, Zecora,” Fluttershy growled. “You have to come with me!”
“GO!” Zecora roared, shoving Fluttershy with the rest of her strength. Fluttershy stumbled and toppled out a window. She landed in the grass and watched as Equilarsous made his way back into Zecora’s hut. There was a smash, and a crack. Then Equilarsous exited the hut, blood on his horn. He glanced around the front of the hut, and, seeing nothing, made his way out of the Everfree Forest.
After the king was a fair distance away, Fluttershy returned to the hut, and stared at Zecora’s mangled and bloody body. She was right when she said she would die. But Fluttershy would not leaveher in the hut to rot, or worse. So she grabbed the body and carried it away from the hut. Then she deposited it next to a tree and sighed.  Nine years of living out in the wild during the dark years of Equilarsous’ rule had hardened her. She was no longer a shy, weak Pegasus who cared for the small woodland creatures. Those days were over. Now, Fluttershy was a battle-ready warrior, thirsty for the blood of those who had cost her the peaceful life she once knew.
Fluttershy buried Zecora and briefly mourned her. Then returning to the hut, she found two silver blades and a gun. She strapped the gun onto her back, and placed the sheathed blades on the side of the straps, like Zecora had taught her. 
She vowed to kill every last bastard who supported Equilarsous, slowly and painfully. 
That’s when Fluttershy saw the two ponies. The first was a grey pony with a spiky red and green mane. He wore a green cloak that covered his eyes. The other was a bouncy pink pony with a curly mane. She wore a loosely fitting blue and white striped garb, not unlike what rail workers… Wait, was that Pinkie Pie? She was dragging somepony, a blue one with a rainbow mane… Rainbow Dash?!
Fluttershy watched as the ponies got closer, deciding not to kill them. Yet.