Friendship is Magic; Damnation is Alchemy
By Anonymous Card Captor
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is created by Lauren Faust and owned by Hasbro Studios. Fullmetal Alchemist is created by Hiromu Arakawa. All other characters are the creation of the author or EllisPONY (used with her permission). All thoughts or anything read by a character is in italics.
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Chapter 10: The Sins of Another
Fluttershy then broke the lip lock. "I love you with every ounce of my being. That's why I was so afraid of losing again." Fluttershy rubbed her lips along Sinclair's neck and whispered into his ear, "Please make love to me like you used to."
At that moment, the nagging thought that Sinclair confined to the back of his mind since he became acquainted with Fluttershy swelled up inside of him and burst through the mental blocks like the force of a raging river cracking a dam in half. The feelings that he harbored for Fluttershy was more intense than mere gratitude for taking him in and deeper than the lust he felt for the blue earth pony mare with the neon pink hair he met after leaving the hospital. It had been that way for a long time, but he refused to acknowledge it. But why? The only female that ever really loved him is offering herself to him. Why not consummate their love here and now? He certainly returned Fluttershy’s affection.
“It’s been a while since...” Actually, that was a lie on Sinclair’s part. He never kissed someone of the opposite sex before as far back as he could remember, let alone had sexual relations.
“You don’t have to be embarrassed. If you don’t feel sure about yourself, I can take lead, Wind Racer.” It was then reality struck Sinclair like a ton of bricks and hearing it from Fluttershy’s lips made the sting that much more unbearable.
Fluttershy doesn’t want you. She wants Wind Racer. The self-doubt came back to torment him.
No, she wants me! Fluttershy loves me, not the Impostor.
Could have fooled me considering she called you ‘Wind Racer’.
“Oh dear,” said Fluttershy, “you must think I’m a floozy for coming on so strong, Wind Racer.”
You see. She only wants to have sex with you because she thinks you’re Wind Racer.
Shut up! It’s just a formality!
Oh rape is a formality huh?
I would never...
Well you’re about to if you have sex with Fluttershy when she thinks you’re Wind Racer.
Shut up!
You know it’s true.
She’s in love with me!
Don’t kid yourself.
I SAID SHUT UP!
If you really love Fluttershy, you won’t do this.
With a downtrodden look on his face, Sinclair, as gently as he possibly could, pushed Fluttershy off his chest.
“Oh you do think I’m a floozy.” Fluttershy frowned and looked away in shame.
“No, that’s not it,” Sinclair said while taking Fluttershy into his loving embrace. “It’s not you. It’s me. I’ve changed since we were last together. I’m not exactly the same stallion I was. I would be taking advantage of you if we...”
“No! You wouldn’t be taking advantage of me!” Fluttershy pleaded. “You have changed and it’s been a dream-come-true. You’ve become the stallion I always wanted to be with.”
You see! She wants me, not the Impostor.
You’re pathetic! She said you changed. You haven’t changed other than switch bodies with the pony Fluttershy believes you to be. I thought better of you than to make excuses for taking advantage of Fluttershy. The self-doubt, no, conscious, was right. He was about to rape Fluttershy just to relieve himself from his years of loneliness. You’re right. I can’t use Fluttershy just to fulfill my selfish needs.
That’s better.
But I’m not giving up on her.
What?!?
“Wind Racer,” Fluttershy said as she stroked Sinclair’s mane. “You’re...umm...awfully quite.”
“Fluttershy,” said Sinclair, “I want to take time with our relationship. I want you to know me better first. And if you can accept who I have become...”
“But I accept you right now...”
“Fluttershy, you told me about how I used to be. And now that I’ve changed, I have to know you can live with the new me. If you can, if you still want me...
Don’t you dare!
“...I’ll spend the rest of my life with you.”
“You want to...marry me?”
Tell her no, dammit!
“I want to marry you right now, but I want to make sure I get things right between us. Will you accept my hoof in marriage? Will you become my fiancée?”
“I am already...sort of. Before you left Equestria, I was your unofficial fiancée.”
Sinclair shook his head. “No, I mean a real engagement.” Sinclair stroked Fluttershy’s long, flowing pink mane. “My life is a tragic waste if it’s not spent with you.”
Fluttershy shoved Sinclair’s hoof away and give him a short, but passionate kiss. “Can we have the wedding before autumn? Will that be enough time?”
Sinclair nodded. “I think it should be.”
You moron! How could you be so stupid?
It’s not rape if I tell who I really am.
No it won’t because she’ll either think you’re lying to get out of the wedding or you lost your mind, and that’s if she doesn’t believe you. If she does, she’ll hate you for stealing Wind Racer’s body...
I didn’t steal it, and you know it.
I know you didn’t steal his body, but would she?
If I explain it to her, yes, and I can show her my alchemy as proof that I’m not the Impostor.
Are you kidding me? Alchemy is the worst way to show her who you are. She’ll probably think you’re some sort of monster and that you took Wind Racer from her and she’ll be repulsed at the thought of being in a relationship with somepony who used to be a hairless primate.
In other words, I have nothing to lose from trying.
Except being imprisoned or killed.
I don’t care. I meant it when I said my life is worthless without her.
Fine, it’s your funeral, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.
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The Bearers of the Elements of Harmony retired to the guest bedroom arranged for them in the palace tower. None of them ever imagined Shining Armor and Cadence’s wedding would have been so eventful or that the Changeling Queen would try to use the event as the means to invade all of Equestria.
“That bouquet should have been mine,” Rarity whined. She slipped off her dress and, after she folded it up, left it on the nightstand.
“Chill with the drama queen act will ya,” Rainbow Dash groaned.
“May I have a moment to lament...please? I have to wait until for another wedding to have my turn at the altar.”
“Oh Rarity,” Fluttershy said with a coy smile on her face, “that’s just an old mare’s tale. You can get married without catching the bouquet. I never caught one before and I’m...well...”
Everypony was stunned into silence. Fluttershy tilted her head away for a moment before looking back at her friends with a smile that screamed perfect contentment.
“You don’t mean that unofficial engagement manure, do you?” Twilight Sparkle asked.
“Oh no, Twilight, Wind Racer and I are formally engaged.”
“Oh you go girl!” Pinkie Pie said.
“Fluttershy ain’t so shy after all,” said Rainbow Dash while hovering over her friend and patting her on the back.
“I’m so happy for you,” said Rarity. However, not everypony took kindly to the good news.
“I don’t believe this,” Applejack said just low enough for her ears only as she facehoofed and shook her head.
“When’s the wedding?”
“Just before fall,” Fluttershy said beaming with pride, “and we’re having it at my cottage so that all of my animal friends can be there.”
“Fluttershy, my boutique would be far more suitable for your special day.”
“But what about my animal friends?”
Rarity looked away. “We can have a little reception outside just for them.”
“But Rarity, they’re like family to me. And what’s wrong with my cottage?”
“It’s just so small and so close to the Everfree Forest.”
“Hold it one second!” Twilight Sparkle interrupted. “Aren’t you going a little too fast?” Applejack breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at Twilight.
“Yeah, we have to plan the engagement party,” said Pinkie Pie. Twilight rolled her eyes and huffed while Applejack did another facehoof. “I owe Wind Racer a return home party and I haven’t even given him one yet. I know-I’ll throw him a really big party. It’ll be the ‘return home to an engagement’ party.”
“Oh that sounds wonderful,” Fluttershy smiled. “Though, I am a little worried. Wind Racer didn’t leave on good terms with my family, but he’s changed so much I’m sure they’ll warm up to him...if they gave him the chance.”
“What do you mean ‘he changed’?” Twilight asked with a puzzled look on her face.
“Well...umm...,” Fluttershy said nervously, “he...isn’t so rough around the edges anymore.”
“Now that I think about,” Twilight grinned mischievously, “Wind Racer could use an engagement...”
“That’s ‘return home to an engagement’ party,” Pinkie Pie corrected Twilight.
“Right, a ‘return home to an engagement’ party is a great idea.”
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“Blanche 75?” Shining Armor looked over the bottle before taking a sip. He and Princess Celestia were meeting in her private study, and the princess offered Shining Armor a sip to take the edge off. “Never seen this label before.”
“Shining Armor, how has the search coming along?” Celestia asked.
“We still haven’t found these human creatures. Who would have thought a hairless ape that walks on only two legs would be so hard to find.”
“I can’t emphasize the severity of having a human alchemist in our country enough!” Shining Armor stared wide-eyed at Celestia. The princess has always been so laid-back, even with her palace guard, but these ‘human alchemist’ was so vexing for her.
“Your majesty, I know you’re concerned, but after the Changeling attack, I’ve been hesitant to deploy more troops away from Canterlot.”
“I assure you, the Changeling army won’t be back anytime soon.” The princess then took a sip from her own glass. “Everypony in Canterlot has been wondering where I galloped off, haven’t they?”
“The royal court’s been on pin and needles since you disappeared.”
“You like the wine, Shining Armor?”
“I do. Where did you get it?”
“From the humans?”
Shining Armor took too large of a gulp and strangled on his wine and dropped his glass during the coughing fit. It shattered into a thousand pieces upon hitting the palace stone floor. “You were in the human’s country!” After he cleared his throat, Shining Armor levitated the pieces of broken glass into a waste basket. “I apologize for making this mess, your majesty.”
Celestia let out a little giggle. “Don’t fret over it. I picked the worst time to tell you about my fact-finding mission, but to answer your question-humans don’t have a single nation. They don’t get along well with each other, but yes, I was in their lands visiting as many of their nations as time permitted.”
“So, they know about ponies?”
Celestia shook her head. “I took their form while traveling amongst them.”
“I didn’t know you could shape shift.”
“It’s a power I share with Princess Luna. Just ask her. She had fun scaring foals on Nightmare Night.”
“Now I remember. Twi told me Luna could make herself look like Nightmare Moon.”
“Wanna see?”
“If it pleases your majesty,” said Shining Armor.
Celestia glowed bright white until her features were no longer discernible. Her form molded from her familiar alicorn outline to a bipedal form. Celestia was in the very form she took during her dinner with Roy Mustang.
“What do you think?” She placed her hand on her hip showing off her womanly figure.
“My honest opinion, your majesty?”
“Your princess would be displeased if she was lied to.”
“It’s...creepy.”
Celestia frowned up before turning back to her true form. “Oh well, it really doesn’t suit me anyway, though I had the male humans drooling like adolescent colts in spring.”
“Is that what I’m looking for?” Shining Armor asked.
“You should look at a few more pictures to get an overall picture. Not all humans are as shapely as this form.” Princess Celestia then removed a file from her filing cabinet. The modern furniture clashed with the Classical decorum, but Celestia’s clerks insisted on updating her office. She levitated black and white pictures out of the file. “These photos came from a human country called Amestris. A member of their ruling class was gracious enough to give me a copy.”
The humans in the background were wearing the same restrictive clothing over their furless bodies, which was an indication to Shining Armor that they were military. Two humans were prominent in the picture. The first one had a short, ebony mane and wore the same uniform as the humans in the background. The other human was much shorter, had a longer mane done up in a braid, and was dressed in a completely different suit from the others. Some of the photos showed the human in uniform shooting fire from the tips of his digits at the short human. The shorter human always seem to be posing in the middle of the fight with his paws pressed against random stone structures that appeared to be glowing.
Celestia pointed a hoof at the short human with the braided mane. “This human, I believe, is called the Fullmetal Alchemist.” She then pointed to the tall human. “This one is Roy Mustang. He was, until recently, the leader of Amestris.”
“He doesn’t look like any mustang I’ve ever seen.”
Celestia gave the picture a second looking over. “I don’t how he came across the name either.”
“And you said ‘until recently’. What happened?”
“As I said before, humans don’t get along well with each other. He was overthrown by one of his generals.”
Shining Armor flipped through the photos until he came across one where the Fullmetal Alchemist had some sort of blade on his right foreleg and slashed Roy Mustang on his paw. However, the cut wasn’t that deep. In fact, on second inspection, it left no wound at all. It only managed to leave a gash on the mittens Roy Mustang wore.
“Is that the one who took over?” Shining Armor asked.
“Not at all,” said Celestia, shaking her head. “That was a different human. The one who gave me the photos said it was only a friendly sparring match.”
Shining Armor looked through the other photos was aghast to see how much of the surrounding area was reduced to rumble. “All this was from a friendly sparring match!” Shining Armor bowed to Princess Celestia. “Your majesty, grant me permission to go to Ponyville and direct the search myself.”
“You’re the captain of the guard. I can’t have you on patrol without raising suspicions.”
“But your majesty, the palace guards can’t handle something that powerful. My magic may be the only thing strong enough to contain it.”
“They’ve been instructed to report back to me, immediately, if they find the human. I’ll handle them myself.”
“But I can’t leave Twi alone with those *things* running around. If Chrysalis wasn’t screwing with my mind, I would have been there looking for that human alchemist on day one.”
“Don’t be so brash, Captain Armor. You didn’t even give me the opportunity to finish speaking. I won’t permit you to join the search parties, but you are still needed in Ponyville.”
Shining Armor perked up. “What is it, your majesty?”
“I just received a message from Twilight asking if you come to an engagement party for Fluttershy.”
“You mean that quiet pegasus that directed the bird chorus at the wedding?”
“She’s getting married to Sky Ripper’s son, Wind Racer.”
“I vaguely remember him. He didn’t really leave much of an impression other than giving off this ‘I don’t want to be here’ vibe. What really sticks out of my mind was what happened after he left. Captain Ripper was peeved off right up to the day he retired and took it out on us.”
“I didn’t want to tell you this at the time, but Captain Ripper wanted Wind Racer to take his place as captain of the guard, but Wind Racer had other plans. From what I understand, he wanted to make a name for himself by finding was on the other side of the Everfree Forest. Of course, you and I both know that’s human territory. I would have stopped him from going if I had known. About four months ago, he came back missing his wings and suffering from amnesia. Twilight believes Wind Racer isn’t Wind Racer.”
“Twi thinks Wind Racer is a changeling, and he’s faking the amnesia?”
“She said in the note for you to use your shield magic to determine if Wind Racer is a pony or changeling. Your sister also said for you to be discrete. She doesn’t wish for you to upset Fluttershy.”
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“They keep animal feed in a candy store?!?” Fluttershy and Sinclair were making their way to Sugarcube Corner.
“Oh yes, they’re my biggest supplier.” Sinclair raised an eyebrow at Fluttershy who strained to hold back the smirk fighting its way to her lips.
“And wouldn't it been prudent to bring the cart?”
“Oh, we won’t need that.” Fluttershy let out a little ‘teehee’.
Sinclair couldn’t see any light shining through the tiny cracks between the Venetian blinds.
“You know it’s rude to peek in other ponies,” said Fluttershy as she nudged Sinclair to the door.
This is probably the surprise party that Fluttershy’s pink friend wanted to throw for me. I suppose I can fake being surprised. “Are you sure they’re open? There’re no lights inside.”
“Oh it’s open alright.” Fluttershy pressed a hoof against her lips trying not to laugh.
“Well, okay.” Sinclair followed Fluttershy inside. They were immersed in total darkness for a moment before the lights switched on illuminating the multicolored bundles of balloons. Confetti poured from the ceiling. A banner that read “WELCOME BACK TO AN ENGAGEMENT” stretched across the room.
“Surprised!” The ponies in the room cried out in unison. It was practically everypony Sinclair met and then some: Sky Ripper, Wind Dancer, Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and quite a few he didn’t recognize. Oh wait! Not all of the ponies he became acquainted with were here. Applejack and her bruiser sibling were graciously absent. At least he didn’t have to worry about getting into another fight.
“I hope you like it, Wind Racer,” said Fluttershy. She then leaned over and whispered in Sinclair’s ear. “I’m sorry, but Pinkie Pie insisted on throwing you a really big party to make up for not having a get-well party, though I hate to admit I wanted you to have one.”
Sinclair, in kind, whispered into Fluttershy’s ear. “I don’t mind now that I’ve gotten to know everypony better.” Fluttershy smiled and kissed Sinclair on the cheek. Well, it wasn’t totally true. I’d rather not be at a big social gathering, but it was better than throwing the party when I was just released from the hospital.
“Wind Racer,” said Twilight, “this is my brother Shining Armor and his wife, Princess Cadence.”
Sinclair gasped and stared intently at Cadence. “Oh my...” Shining Armor and Fluttershy wore irritated scowls at the added attention Sinclair was giving Cadence.
“Is there something wrong?” Cadence took a slightly suggestive pose and tossed back her hair. “Do I have something in my mane?” Cadence had no interest in Fluttershy’s fiancé, but she did take a mischievous delight in making her overly protective husband jealous.
“You’re a hybrid!” Sinclair said pointing to Cadence.
“Wha...” Twilight, Shining Armor, and Fluttershy gasped at the same time.
“I never saw your kind before.”
“The term you’re looking for is ‘alicorn’,” Shining Armor said gritting his teeth.
“Oh I’m so sorry. Are you the offspring of a pegasus and unicorn? Are you able to perform magic *and* fly?”
“Alicorns aren’t exactly hybrids of unicorns and pegasi, but yes, I can fly and perform magic.”
“Do you know what the sun and the moon are?”
“What the sun and moon are?!?” Cadence and Shining Armor repeated Sinclair’s peculiar question.
“What is the nature of the sun and moon in your sky? Did the other two hybr...alicorns ever disclose their physical properties to you?”
“No,” Cadence denied. “What are you talking about?”
Fluttershy forcefully tapped Sinclair on the shoulder. “Wind Racer, I know you’re trying to remember, but it’s kinda...rude to bother the princess. Didn’t we go through this with Rarity?”
Sinclair hung his head down. “You’re right, Fluttershy. I’m sorry,” Sinclair apologized to Cadence and Shining Armor.
Fluttershy patted Sinclair on the back. “It’s okay. Just save the questions for an appropriate time. You’re not mad at Wind Racer?” She then asked the royal couple.
“Oh no, not at all,” Shining Armor lied.
“I’ll gladly answer all Wind Racer’s questions whenever I get the time,” said Cadence.
“Oh good,” Fluttershy smiled.
Twilight tapped Shining Armor on the foreleg. The two exchanged glances before Shining Armor gave his younger sister a nod.
“Shining Armor, since Wind Racer is interested in magic, how about a little demo of your special skill?”
“Sure,” said Shining Armor. Shining Armor created a force field about half the size of a pony between him and Sinclair. “I can create magic barriers that keep Canterlot safe from danger.”
Sinclair cautiously reached out to the magical transparent dome and stopping within a centimeter. “Is it safe to touch?”
“Oh, it won’t hurt a bit,” Twilight smirked.
Sinclair pressed a hoof against the barrier only to pass through it. “I think there’s something wrong with it.” He then picked up a party horn that somepony left on the floor and dropped it on the barrier, which offered no resistance to the falling party favor passing through it. “It doesn’t even stop inanimate objects.”
“My spell can permit ponies to pass through while keeping anything dangerous out.
“How does it know something is dangerous?”
“It just does.”
“The barrier knows if something dangerous? Does that mean it doesn’t need any conscious thought from you to differentiate between friend and foe? And what about dangerous ponies? Will it keep them out?”
“Well...it’s complicated.”
“I can wait to talk to you later about the barrier. Thanks for the demonstration.” Twilight waited until Sinclair and Fluttershy joined the other well-wishers.
“You see what I’m talking about.”
“Twi, if he was a changeling, my barrier would have stopped him. Wind Racer’s a genuine pony.”
“But didn’t you hear him say ‘your sky’? It’s like he’s from a different world.”
“Twi, he’s legit from what I can tell.”
“What about the hydra that was killed in the Everfree Forest?”
Shining Armor pressed Twilight up to his muzzle and whispered. “Don’t say another word about the hydra. The princess asked me to do a top-secret investigation. Do not, I repeat, do not talk about it to anypony.”
“But why would the princess keep secrets from...”
“I said don’t talk about it.” Twilight knew from the tone of her big brother’s voice that she should drop the matter. “Have faith in the princess and trust her judgment.”
Pinkie Pie hopped between Twilight and Shining Armor. “Whatcha talking about?” She asked.
“Us, talking?” Twilight laughed nervously. “What gave you that impression?”
“Your lips were moving and so was Shining Armor’s. And I heard your voices,” Pinkie Pie said with a vacant expression that was fostered by innocence.
“Well, you see...I...I...I can’t tell because I made a pinkie promise with Shining Armor?”
“Okey dokey.” Pinkie Pie hopped away without giving their secret conversation a second thought. She hopped along for a bit before she stopped in her tracks and gasped. Twilight and Shining Armor braced themselves for the worst: Pinkie Pie heard them speaking and put two and two together. “I almost forgot Wind Racer’s wedding gift.” Pinkie Pie raced upstairs slamming the door behind her.
Both Twilight and Shining Armor breathed a sigh of relief.
“I almost thought she heard us,” said Shining.
“That’s the last pony I want eavesdropping on our conversation.”
“You mean the one about Wind Racer being a changeling.” Twilight then realized the last pony she *really* didn’t wanted eavesdropping on their conversation was standing behind her. Fluttershy had the same angry look that she had when she was taking those assertiveness courses with Iron Will.
“Fluttershy! Wait! I can explain.”
“Don’t bother Twilight Sparkle. Thinking Wind Racer was a changeling?!? How could you? They found him near death in the forest.” Twilight backed away from the advancing Fluttershy. “You think a changeling would let himself get near death just to fool...”
“Fluttershy!” The voice of a mature mare called out to her. Twilight didn’t recognize the voice, but she was, none the less, thankful for that last second save.
“We’ll talk about this, later.” The harsh look on Fluttershy’s face softened. She turned around flew over the other ponies and landed next to a middle-age pegasi couple. The male pegasus had a white coat, blue mane, and a red hose and a ladder cutie mark while the female pegasus was the spitting image of Fluttershy. She had a yellow coat of fur and an almost identical cutie mark. The only features setting her apart were her blonde mane and butterfly birth mark on her forehead. “Mom, Dad, I’m so happy you came.” Fluttershy gave each of them a hug. “I was afraid you wouldn’t show up.”
“Well,” Fluttershy’s father grumbled, “don’t think us being here is an approval of your...OUCH!” He shook his foreleg where his wife nudged him too hard.
Fluttershy’s mother smiled at her daughter. “Dear, all that matters to us is that you’re happy.”
“Where’s Flying V and Racer?”
“Your brothers still haven’t warmed up to your fiancé.”
“But Mom, Dad, Wind Racer’s changed a lot since you last met him. He doesn’t yell at me anymore and helps me around the house and he...”
“And how will that last?” Fluttershy’s father said in a hushed but harsh tone of voice. “Until he remembers being a flankhole...OUCH!”
“Not now. This is a special occasion for our daughter,” said Fluttershy’s mother.
Fluttershy looked away from her father and stared at the floor with sad eyes. “I’m sure you’d change your mind if you got to know the new Wind Racer.” Fluttershy flew up and waved at Sinclair. “Wind Racer, could you come over here for a second?”
“Sure, sweetie,” said Sinclair. He weaved through the herd of party ponies to the other end of the Sugarcube Corner to where Fluttershy was waiting.
“I want you to meet my parents. This is my mother Dancing Butterflies and my father Chief,” Fluttershy said as she pointed them out.
“I’m pleased to meet you.” Sinclair offered a friendly hoofshake to Fluttershy’s parents but only Dancing Butterflies was receptive.
“I suppose this would be, for you, the first time ever meeting us,” said Dancing Butterflies.
Sinclair offered a hoof to Chief. “It’s an honor to be marrying your daughter, sir.”
Chief wrinkled his brow and looked at Sinclair’s hoof as if somepony was handing him a slice of molded bread. “It’s an honor you don’t deserve...OUCH!” Once again, Dancing Butterflies kicked Chief on the knee.
“You know fathers,” said Dancing Butterflies. “No stallion is good enough for their daughters.”
“I may not remember it, but whatever I did that was unbecoming to Fluttershy is in the past. You have my word.”
Dancing Butterflies stared into Sinclair’s eyes giving him a glimpse into a darker part of her soul. “So you say, dear.” Dancing Butterflies’s tone had a menacing undertone. Sinclair backed away a bit before Dancing Butterflies returned to her congenial demeanor.
“Yo! Wind Racer! Over here!” Three pegasi were hovering over the other ponies and calling out to him. They seemed familiar to Sinclair. The largest of the three had beige fur, a brown mane brushed over his eyes, and three orange globes for a cutie mark. The smaller one had a dark brown coat of fur, blonde hair, and a hand weight cutie mark. That can’t be right. How the hell would they pick up hand weights? It must be something else. The shortest one had a dark gray mane, a light gray coat, and some sort of dark brown egg-shaped objects with white stitching as his cutie mark. Now I remember these three-they were on that cloud teasing me the day I checked out of the hospital.
“He’s right over there, Dumb-Bell,” the big one said in a dull voice while pointing at Sinclair. The three swooped down on the alchemist pony and cupped him in their hooves.
“Hey! What the...” Sinclair said as he thrashed around while still being held aloft in their forelegs. The three struggled to stay airborne while supporting Sinclair.
“Calm the hay down, W.R.,” said the dark brown pegasi.
Sinclair broke out of their grip and hit the ground face first.
Fluttershy galloped to his side. “Wind Racer!” She panicked. “Oh, are you okay?”
“I’ll be fine,” said Sinclair.
Fluttershy helped Sinclair back on his four legs and tenderly rubbed the bridge of his muzzle where he landed. The dark brown pegasus shoehorned his way between Fluttershy and Sinclair.
“Long time no see, W.R.? Sorry we haven’t had a chance to drop in for a visit.”
Rainbow Dash flew between the dark brown pegasus and Sinclair. “What the hay are you doing here?” She said while staring down the dark brown pegasus with her forelegs crossed over her chest.
“Wind Racer’s is our bud. We just wanted to take out on the town. He hasn’t been to Cloudsdale since he came back.”
“Well, Wind Racer doesn’t want to go with you.”
“Oh come on, Rainbow Cra...Dash,” the dark brown pegasus corrected himself, “we’re on the up and up, right?”
“W.R., this is Hoops, Dumb-bell, and Score,” Rainbow Dash introduced the large beige pegasus, and the shorter dark brown and light-gray pegasi, respectively.
“Now that we’re all acquainted, we can go out on the town baaacccchhhlor styleeee.”
“Don’t you dare go with them!” Fluttershy cried out. “I know what goes on during bachelor parties.”
“I hope they take him on a bachelor party...and never bring him back,” Chief whispered in Dancing Butterflies’ ear. She then whispered something in Chief’s ear as well. They then both looked at each other and nodded.
“Fellows,” said Sinclair, “look, I appreciate the offer but I can’t fly.”
“Don’t worry W.R.,” said Dumb-Bell, “we got a party cart all set up waiting for you. You can still cloud walk even without wings.”
“I can’t ask you to drag me around on a cart.”
“You don’t have to do that.” Pinkie Pie towed a metal framed striped in white and red like a candy cane with a propeller, one of the blades broken, on top. “This is my flying do-hickey. You can fly to Cloudsdale and back on this...as soon as I fix it up.”
Dumb-Bell, Hoops, and Score rolled on the floor beaking out in laughter.
“You expect W.R....to...fly...on that...thing,” Dumb-Bell barely managed to squeeze out the words.
“But it works,” Pinkie Pie said defensively, “if Gilda wasn’t such a big meanie and broke it.” It only made the three pegasi laugh harder. Sinclair, however, took Pinkie Pie more seriously.
If the propeller wasn’t busted, it could generate a down draft. Yes, it has the correct aerodynamic profile. And given what I’ve observed in pony leg strength, it might generate enough lift to be air worthy.
“This is an ingenious invention you’ve created,” Sinclair said to Pinkie Pie. “I hope you continue your research.”
“Dinkie Pie doing research?!? That’s a good one, W.R.” Dumb-Bell chuckled for a moment before noticing that Sinclair wasn’t in on the joke. The three pegasi bullies stopped laughing. Their jovial mood replaced by the solemn realization that their buddy wasn’t acting like himself.
“Hey W.R.! How about we go outside and chat in private? We can talk about the good old days. Maybe we can jog your memory.”
Sinclair followed a block away from Sugarcube Corner. The three pegasi left Sinclair ill at ease. Their shift in mood from obnoxious party crashers clowning around at everypony’s expense to stone-faced inquisitors did not go unnoticed.
Dumb-Bell made an abrupt stop next to an old crooked streetlamp. “So, whatcha up to, W.R.?” He said flat out.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Come on, W.R. We know you still got your memory.” Dumb-Bell playfully nudged Sinclair in the side with his elbow/front left knee. “We know you’re playing sick for a reason.”
“No, I’m not playing sick.”
“Look, we won’t rat you out. What is it? Can’t find somepony else to take you in beside Sluttershy?”
“Yeah, Sluttershy-can-hardly-fly after you put it to her,” Hoops heckled.
“Don’t call her that.” Sinclair growled.
“Call who what?!? Oh, you mean ‘Sluttershy’? You were the one that gave her that nickname. Afraid they’ll overhear us talking and blow your cover?”
“No, that not...Just don’t call Fluttershy that anymore.”
“You are serious,” Dumb-Bell glowered. “You really did lose your marbles. Well, let me refresh your memory. After your daddy, the captain of the royal guard, kicked you out of the nest, you sweet-talked Sluttershy into taking you...” Dumb-Bell was interrupted when gave him a right hoof.
“I said don’t call her that name again!”
Dumb-Bell hopped back up and pounced on Sinclair. A flurry of hooves came down on the back of Sinclair’s head. Suddenly, a rainbow blur slammed into Dumb-Bell. The impact threw him off of Sinclair’s back.
“What the hay’s gotten into you flankholes!”
Dumb-Bell pointed at Sinclair. “He started it. He threw the first hoof.”
“And I bet it had nothing to do with your big fat mouths.”
Fluttershy raced to Sinclair’s side holding him against her chest. Her yellow fur was stained by the blood seeping through the cuts on his head. “Wind Racer, are you okay?” Behind Fluttershy were the other party guests including Wind Racer and Fluttershy’s parents, Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Shining Armor, and Cadence. Wind Dancer joined Fluttershy and both them held Sinclair against their bosoms.
“Wind Racer, what happened?” Fluttershy asked.
“Who did this to you, baby?” Wind Dancer cried.
“I already told you what happened!” Dumb-bell yelled. “He hit first because I was going to tell his dirty little secrets.”
“Nopony’s talking to you,” Rainbow Dash retorted. “I want to hear Wind Racer’s side of the story.”
Shining Armor put a hoof on Dash’s shoulder. “I’ll take it from here.”
“And who in Tartarus are you?” Dumb-Bell sneered.
“Yeah, who in Tartarus are you?” Score parroted Dumb-Bell’s taunt.
“I’m the Captain of the Royal Guard, and if you don’t leave, you can cool off in the Canterlot dungeons.”
“Okay! Okay! Okay! We get it.” Dumb-Bell brushed himself off. “We’ll head back to Cloudsdale.” He stretched out his wings and made slight flapping noises as if he was taking off but then paused. “Oh, by the way, Wind Racer didn’t want me saying this, but he’s only with Fluttershy because daddy booted him out of the house and needed a place to crash, he’s been hopping in the bed with every other mare that crossed his path, and...”
“I’m ordering you to leave NOW!”
“...and he had a pet name for you that used only around us-Sluttershy!”
Fluttershy darted straight fore Dumb-Bell. She was about a yard away but only because Rainbow Dash was holding him back.
“Lies! Wind Racer would never do those awful things. If you think I’d believe anything said by a bunch of bullies, YOU GOT ANOTHER THING COMING!”
“She’s crazy!” Hoops cried out.
“Let’s get the hay outta here,” Score said while pulling Dumb-Bell away.
Fluttershy struggled to break free from Dash’s grip. “I’m not going after them, Dashie,” Fluttershy strained. “I need to tend to Wind Racer.”
“You promise?”
Fluttershy turned and looked at her best friend as if she accused her of murder. “You’d think I’d waste my time chasing down those meanies when Wind Racer is hurt?”
Rainbow Dash let go of Fluttershy who swooped back to Sinclair, who was back on his hooves. She looked Sinclair over. The wounds were all superficial. There were no serious injuries caused by Dumb-Bell.
“Stay right here while I get something to clean up those cuts.” While Fluttershy flew off to get first aid, Shining Armor had a word with Sinclair.
“Tell me the truth and don’t lie. Who threw the first hoof?”
Sinclair held his head down. “I did it, but only because that bastard called Flut...”
“I don’t want to hear your excuses. Striking a pony, even if they say something mean, is against the law,” said Shining Armor. “I should throw you in the dungeon for that.” Just then, a glance back at Cadence reminded him that, had some stallion said such despicable things about her, he would have done the same. “Since this is your engagement party, I’ll let it slide, but stay out of trouble.”
“Yes sir.”
Shining Armor stepped aside for Fluttershy to tend to her wounded fiancé.
“Go home everypony. I’m afraid you’ll have to cut your party short.”
Pinkie Pie looked at Shining Armor with puppy dog eyes. “But...but...”
“Go home Pinkie Pie.”
“But if I could finish throwing the party then everypony wouldn’t all sad and...”
“Pinkie, sometimes ponies need quiet time. You can throw your party another day.”
“Okay,” Pinkie Pie moaned.
“Excuse me, Captain Armor,” said Dancing Butterflies. “I’m Fluttershy’s mother. I know this may be imposing, but my husband and I would like to stay in town a bit.”
“You may.” While Shining Armor’s back was turned, Dancing Butterflies and Chief whispered back and forth into each other’s ear before Chief flew to Fluttershy’s side.
“You need any help, Wind Racer?” Chief asked.
“No sir, I can walk,” said Sinclair.
“You can come with us just in case we have to carry Wind Racer, Dad.” As Fluttershy was speaking, Shining Armor was confronted by his old commanding officer. Sky Ripper stood at attention before his successor.
“Captain Armor, I apologize for the spectacle my son made of himself today.” Sky Ripper said with lips trembling under the tug-of-war between being too proud to speak to the stallion that ‘stole’ the position that should have stayed in his family and the need to save face after his son made a fool of himself.
“No harm done. I would have done the same if I was in his place.”
“No you wouldn’t because you wouldn’t keep company with delinquents.”
“Your son was beaten bloodied and all you can think about is your reputation!” Wind Dancer yelled at her husband.
“OH HE’LL LIVE! NOW SHUT UP!”
“Perhaps you should come and keep my wife and I company,” Shining Armor said congenially. “Let your wife and Fluttershy tend to Wind Racer.” He then said Fluttershy and Wind Dancer. “You two, take him to the doctor, pronto.”
“We’ll talk about this later, Sky Ripper,” said Wind Dancer.
“Gladly!” Sky Ripper yelled out to his wife. He then took a deep breath and exhaled. “I suppose I could use the rest.”
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Twilight surveyed the table full of uneaten cake, pie, potato chips, animal crackers, and chocolate-covered dandelions.
“All this food gone to waste,” Twilight sighed.
“Don’t worry,” said Pinkie Pie. “I got it all figured out.”
“I hope you’re not planning on eating all of this yourself?”
“Naw! We’ll give them to Fluttershy’s animal friends.”
“Yeah, Fluttershy would want them to have the leftovers,” said Rarity, “and they’ll have even more, thanks to those ruffians.”
“Yeah! What a bunch of meanies! I hope Fluttershy doesn’t invite them to the wedding unless they’re really, really, really, really, really sorry.”
Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity looked at each other in their solidarity of doubt.
“Why you’re making those funny faces? And I don’t mean the ‘ha-ha’ funny, I mean the ‘not funny’ funny.”
“What if what those pegasi said is true?”
“Hold your horses, Twi,” said Rainbow Dash. “I grew up with those flankholes, and they’ll do anything to give a pony a rough time.”
“Don’t you think it’s weird they were chummy with him before? I mean, Wind Racer used to their friends before he lost his memory.”
“And I used to be friends with Gilda. Does that I mean I’m as bad as her?”
Twilight hung her head and sighed. “You’re right, Dash. I’m sorry for saying Wind Racer isn’t on the up and up because of who he used to have as friends.”
Rainbow Dash gave Twilight a hug. “No harm done. Now let’s take these treats to Fluttershy’s place and call it a day.”
“Excuse me, young ladies,” Dancing Butterflies said as she walked into Sugarcube Corner. “I was wondering if I could help you clean up.”
“Oh no ma’am,” said Twilight. “You don’t have to. You’re a guest here in Ponyville.”
“Why thank you, but, I wouldn’t be working alone.” Suddenly, thousands of butterflies poured into the candy shop and lifted up all of the remaining food. “So, where should we put it?” Twilight and the others just stared dumbfounded. “I don’t mean to rush you, but the food is getting rather heavy for my butterflies friends to hold.”
“Oh, we’re taking them to Fluttershy’s cottage and giving them to her animal friends.”
Dancing Butterflies closed her eyes and smiled. “Oh, what a wonderful idea. Just lead the way.”
“You don’t know where your daughter lives?” Twilight asked.
“I do, but I have to stay with my butterfly friends, and it’s hard to see where you’re going with them blocking your view.”
The five mares were trailed by a kaleidoscopic cloud carrying trays full of party treats. Ponies stopped in the middle of browsing the local market or pulling carts to watch the motley swarm float through town tagging behind Twilight and her friends.
When they were on the outskirts of Ponyville, out of earshot of anypony that might overhear, Dancing Butterflies revealed her true intentions.
“So, what do you think of Wind Racer?” She asked Twilight.
The lavender unicorn felt a bit uneasy telling Dancing Butterflies that her daughter was marrying a very peculiar stallion or that he may or may not be involved in the impalement of a hydra.
“I haven’t spoken to him that much, really. Rainbow Dash knows more about him than I do. Don’t you, Dash?”
“Sure do,” said the rainbow-mane pegasus. “Wind Racer is really cool. I know him all the way back from Flight Camp.”
“The way you speak, you seem to be under the impression that he’s a good pony.” Rainbow Dash didn’t like the tone Dancing Butterflies took.
“You’re having second thoughts about your future son-in-law, Mrs. Butterflies?” Rarity asked.
“No, I’m not. I never wanted Fluttershy marrying that horrible stallion.” There was no mistaking the derision Dancing Butterflies had for Wind Racer.
“But...at the engagement party...”
“That’s ‘coming home to an engagement’ party,” Pinkie Pie corrected Twilight Sparkle.
“But at the party, you took up for Wind Racer when your husband bad-mouthed...”
“I did no such thing. Don’t think I approve of my daughter’s choice for a husband because I wasn’t rude to him. Chief may be too forthcoming and tactless, but we’re in agreement when it comes to our feelings for *that* pony.”
“But why do you dislike him so much?”
“Before his accident, Wind Racer was absolutely cruel to Fluttershy. He called her ‘stupid’ and ‘worthless’. She had no life of her own and had to wait on him hoof-and-hoof. I believe what those hooligans said about Wind Racer calling my daughter that horrible name. I’m just surprised he didn’t say it to her face, as brazen as he was. And I’m not surprised he would be unfaithful to my daughter. When Fluttershy came flying home to us crying the first time Wind Racer threw one of his tantrums, I had a word with his parents hoping they could rein him in. His father told me Wind Racer was just ‘sowing his wild oats’ and that the relationship would run its course.”
“So Wind Racer is a wild oat farmer?” Pinkie Pie asked.
“No, it means Wind Racer sleeps around with other mares,” Twilight corrected her.
“Ooooh! Hey! That too-timer!”
“He may not be anymore,” said Twilight. “He doesn’t seem the type.”
“Assuming he isn’t faking his amnesia, what is there to stop Wind Racer from going back to his old ways once he regains his memories?” Dancing Butterflies asked. “I have no intention of risking my little foal’s happiness out of some misguided sense of fairness. Unfortunately, Fluttershy is at that age where children think their parents are clueless or says ‘no’ to them just to be mean. I know because I was at that age myself and was worse than Fluttershy. I was lucky that it was Chief I fell in love with and not someone like Wind Racer.”
“Why are you telling us this?”
“Because sometimes, a young mare will listen to her BFFs before she listens to her parents.”
“Mrs. Butterflies, Fluttershy wouldn’t even listen to Princess Celestia when she gave her advice on her relationship.”
“You underestimate the bond each of you share with each other. It’s stronger than even the social status of a princess.”
“And you expect us to stop the wedding?” Rarity asked.
“As her best friends, you should do no less than warn her. By the way, does my daughter not have five close friends?”
“Now that you mention it, where is Applejack?”
“She said a last minute emergency at Sweet Apple Acres came up and that she couldn’t make it,” said Rainbow Dash.
“She skipped out on her best friend’s engagement party? Of all the uncouth things to do,” Rarity fumed.
“Maybe it wasn’t family business,” said Twilight. “She told me that she didn’t approve of Fluttershy getting married.”
“I didn’t know she was against the wedding.” Then Rarity stopped in her tracks with eyes gaping wide open. “It couldn’t be the reason why.”
“The reason for what?”
“Wind Racer was in a fight with Big McIntosh.” Twilight, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash raced to Rarity’s side. “Sweetie Belle told me after Apple Bloom told her.”
“When did this happen?” Twilight asked.
“It happened before your brother’s wedding. Applejack said Big McIntosh mistook him for an apple thief that stole from them before.”
“I believe your friend Applejack knows more than she’s letting on,” said Dancing Butterflies. “Please, for the sake my precious little foal, go to Applejack and confront her about Wind Racer.”
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Applejack was in the kitchen canning apple preserves when there was a knock at the door.
“Now who in tarnation would be up this early?” She asked herself. It was still dawn, and the sun had yet to rise over the horizon. Applejack peeped out the door and saw Twilight Sparkle standing right in front of the door window. “Why Twi, whatcha doin’ up so early in the mornin’?” She asked as she welcomed Twilight inside. “Ida figured ya still be snoozin’ this ear...” Applejack was stunned into silence to see Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity walking behind Twilight single-file. They all had a somber expression etched on their faces, even Pinkie Pie.
“Is the rest of your family here?” Twilight asked.
“Why would ya wanna know?”
“Are they here or not?”
“The only other pony o’er here is Granny Smith, and she’s still asleep.”
“We need to go somewhere in private to talk.”
“Underneath the Cutie Mark Crusader treehouse is plenty private enough.”
“Let’s go.” Twilight said while walking out the door. A second later, she peered back inside. “Applejack, please, this is very important.”
“Oh right! Go ahead and lead the way, Twi.” Applejack followed behind Twilight and was feeling boxed in as the others trailed behind. The caverns of the diamond dogs never made her feel this claustrophobic as she did sandwiched between her own friends. “Mind me askin’ why y’all draggin’ me out ta the Cutie Mark Crusaders’ lit’ clubhouse?”
“I’ll explain everything when we get there.”
“Awfully early for ya, Dashie,” said Applejack nervously. “I know ya like sleepin’ in.”
“Yeah I suppose,” Rainbow Dash yawned. For a brief moment, Dash’s expression softened before it became solemn again.
“Is this here sum sorta surprise party, Pinkie?”
“Sorry, not this time, AJ.” If her hair wasn’t so fluffy, Applejack would swear it was Pinkamena speaking.
It felt like an eternity, but the trek to the treehouse was finished. Applejack had a gut feeling what this was about and was ready to get it over with.
“Y’all wantin’ ta talk ‘bout Fluttershy and Wind Racer, ain’t ya?” The farm pony asked.
“Please Applejack, I don’t mean to pry, but our best friend may be throwing her life away.”
“Yeah, on some mean two-timing jerkface...meanie.” Pinkie Pie lashed out.
“I know you’re afraid of losing Fluttershy as a friend, but you’ll regret standing by and letting her make the mistake of marrying somepony that doesn’t really care about even more.”
“You’re right, Twi,” Applejack said. Her cheeks were moist from the sorrow of remorse. “I’ve been nothin’ but a coward-a lyin’ coward. Sum Element of Honesty I turned out ta be. Yer reckoned Ida learnt my lesson from Discord about bein’ afraid ta tell the truth.”
Twilight hugged her sorrowful friend. “We’ll be there with you when we confront Fluttershy.”
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“Rainbow Dash, where are we going?” Fluttershy asked. The two pegasi flew over Ponyville and was heading towards Sweet Apple Acres. “Um...Rainbow Dash.”
“Yeah, what is it?”
“Umm...are we going to Applejack’s?”
“Yeah, why you asked?”
“I...I…rather not, if you don’t mind.”
“Rather not what?”
“I don’t want to go there.”
“Fluttershy, this is absolutely important that you come,” Rainbow Dash said sternly.
“But her brother hoofed Wind Racer.”
“Fluttershy, AJ’s your BFF. You shouldn’t push her away.”
“Oh you’re right, Rainbow Dash. I shouldn’t hold a grudge against Applejack. I shouldn’t be mad at her over something Big McIntosh did.”
Rainbow Dash just looked back at her friend with a regretful frown. “I’m sorry Fluttershy that we have to do this.” Rainbow Dash came in for a landing near the Crusaders’ clubhouse in front of the other Element Bearers.
Fluttershy hovered in midair nervously. “What do you have to be sorry about?”
“I think you should be on the ground when you hear this.” Fluttershy hesitantly followed Dash’s advice. “This is about Wind Racer.”
“What about Wind Racer?” Fluttershy asked.
“We talked with your mother,” said Twilight Sparkle.
“Oh so now that you know Wind Racer isn’t a changeling, you have to find another excuse for hating him.”
“Your mother came to us. I didn’t go to her just to make trouble.”
“Twilight, my parents don’t know Wind Racer like I do. He’s changed. He’s a good stallion.”
“If he changed and is a good stallion now, then what was he like before?”
Fluttershy then came to the realization that she had inadvertently incriminated Wind Racer. “No, I didn’t mean it like that. He...he...he was a little rough around the edges before. That’s what I meant.”
“That’s an understatement if I ever heard one,” Rarity interjected. “Your mother told us how he mistreated you.”
“Why are you taking her word for it?”
“Are you saying your mother was lying about Wind Racer calling you those terrible names and making you cry?”
“No, she would never lie about anypony! But she just misunderstood. We had a little fight. That’s all.”
“No, it wasn’t a fight. It was one-sided abuse, and you were on the receiving end.”
Fluttershy shook her head emphatically. “No! That’s not true!”
“His own father said he was sowing his wild oats.”
“Wind Racer’s father is a mean old pony who hates his own son! Why would you believe anything he says?” Fluttershy was about to take off when Rainbow Dash bear hugged her from above. “Let me go! I don’t want to speak to any of you!”
“I’m sorry, Fluttershy, but I can’t.” Dash said choking back to the tears. She couldn’t let Fluttershy see her break down.
“Why are you being so mean to me?”
“We don’t want to hurt you, but we can’t let you marry Wind Racer.”
“Why everypony against us? Why can’t you be happy for us?” Fluttershy’s cheeks were drenched in tears.
“You’re not like those other mares. I can’t really talk to them like I can with you.” Fluttershy’s heart skipped a beat. “Those colts are too immature to know beauty when they see it.” Fluttershy looked over her shoulder at the source of those familiar words and saw Applejack staring back at her stolidly. “That’s what Wind Racer said ta ya, weren’t it?”
“H...how did you...”
“I know ‘cause he said the same ta me.”
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Flashback
It was another long wait at the Ponyville reservoir for Applejack. The young cowpony was between a blank flank filly and a full-grown mare. The brown cowpony hat tethered to a string around Applejack’s neck rippled in the wind blowing along the concave concrete foundation of the reservoir. The farm pony was oblivious to the chilly breeze as she fought to keep her eyelids, which were growing heavier by the minute, from closing. The cold weather wasn’t the only thing that escaped her attention. Applejack didn’t see the blue-green pegasus stallion, about as old as Big McIntosh, with the blonde mane landing behind her, the one she first met at this very reservoir.”
“So, Dumb-Bell wasn’t kidding,” said Wind Racer.
A jolt of energy quickened the sleepy farm filly. “Wind Racer! I miss ya so much.” She galloped straight at her beloved with a smile from ear to ear but was stopped dead in her tracks when she ran into Wind Racer’s extended right foreleg. “What’s wrong?” Applejack asked.
“I’m not here for a visit.”
“But Wind Racer, ya said yer come and see me the night after we...did it...and that was a week ago? I came over every day waitin’ for ya ta come back.”
Wind Racer turned his head to the side and rolled his eyes. “Look, I don’t think this’ll work out between us.”
Applejack halfheartedly laughed hoping this was a joke. “Whacha talkin’ about? You don’t really mean that.”
“Well, let me said it for you slowly so that even a hick like you would understand. I-am-leaving-you. I didn’t make a special trip from Cloudsdale just to hear you yammer about farm choirs. In fact, I came over to tell you to stop hanging out at the reservoir. I don’t want everypony thinking I’m actually interested in you. I mean, I’m the son the captain of the royal guard, and you’re just some inbred mud pony.”
Applejack shook her head in disbelief. “You don’t mean that. Why are ya sayin’ those things?”
“Look, I got what I wanted, and I’m done with you.” The utter contempt in Wind Racer’s eyes did not waver even at the sight of the crying mare before him. “Quit your bellyaching. You have a brother. Go ride on his pole. That’s what you mud ponies do-keep it in the family. Though, you should roll around in the hay with your cousins for practice. You need it. I know because I’ve had better.”
“But...you said I was yer first...”
“Well, I said a lot of things that weren’t true,” Wind Racer smirked. “Now run back to your apple farm and don’t hang around the reservoirs. I don’t need you ruining my rep.”
Applejack’s tears left a path along the parched earth leading back to Sweet Apple Acres.
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“That’s why Big McIntosh hoofed your bo,” said Applejack. “It wasn’t ‘cause he was tryin’ to bully him or mistook him for an apple thief. He was afraid Wind Racer would throw it in Apple Bloom’s face how he got the better of me, or worse, take advantage of her like he did me.”
“No, that can’t be true,” a despondent Fluttershy murmured.
Applejack hugged Fluttershy lovingly stroking her mane. “Sug, I would never try ta ruin yer happiness. I want cha to find a stallion to spend the rest of ya life with, but Wind Racer ain’t that stallion. He’ll sweet-talk ya till he gets what he wants, and then he’ll toss ya to the side like he did me.”
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Sinclair was leaving the Ponyville Hospital early, much to the chagrin of Dr. Stables, after an overnight stay and was heading back to Fluttershy’s cottage when a patch of flowers adorned with a fiery red and yellow color pattern growing in the shade of an old oak. I’ve never seen flowers like this before. They’re beautiful. Sinclair pawed the ground surrounding one of the flowers until he dug a miniature trench around it. He then gently plucked the red and yellow flower and slid it in his saddlebag. I’ve always wanted to give Fluttershy something nice and since I don’t have any bits to buy her something...
A few minutes later, Sinclair trotted through Fluttershy’s door. There waiting for him was the coldest welcome he’d ever had. Standing right in front of him was Fluttershy, Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and a pony Sinclair only saw once and that one time was enough-Applejack.
“Um...hello.”
“Don’t hello us,” said Rainbow Dash. “I can’t believe I used to look up to you.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I told Fluttershy what ya did to me,” said Applejack. “In case ya still don’t remember, ya sweet-talked yer way into mah bedroom and toss me ta the side when ya were done.”
“No that’s not true! I wouldn’t.”
“Are you calling Applejack a liar?” Fluttershy’s angelic face was twisted into an abominable, hate-filled visage.
“No, that’s not what I meant.”
“Then what did you mean?” Fluttershy sneered.
“This is all a mistake.”
“Oh did somepony else that looked like you broke Applejack’s heart and called her a mud pony or say vulgar things about her and her brother?”
“I...I...I didn’t do those things, and I can prove it.” Sinclair stood upright and was about to clap his hooves together when Twilight telekinetically pinned him to the ground.
“Don’t you dare hit Fluttershy!” Twilight yelled.
“You dare raise a hoof against our best friend after getting caught in your lies?” Rarity fumed. “What a brute! I bet you don’t even have amnesia.”
“Please you have to listen...”
“I won’t listen to another word from you, mister.” Fluttershy marched over to Wind Racer. “Yelling at me, lying, or cheating is one thing, but saying those terrible things about my best friend is unforgivable.”
“Please Fluttershy listen to me. I’m not like that. I’m not...” Sinclair was silenced when Fluttershy, having enough of his ‘lies’, unleashed the soul-crushing power of the Stare.
“Don’t you dare come near me or my friends again!”
Sinclair received the full blunt of Fluttershy’s terrible wrath. The kind, gentle smile that he had grown to love was no more. In its place was an unsympathetic judgmental gaze, a dark abyss that swallowed all compassion and gentleness and expelled cold indifference and Sinclair happen to be in front of that dam when the deluge behind it finally broke through and swept him up along its path. Sinclair stopped struggling against Twilight’s telekinesis and lay on the floor broken in spirit.
Twilight released her hold over Sinclair. “I suggest you leave right now before things get any uglier.” Sinclair did not respond but, rather, stared listlessly.
“Well, what the hay are you waiting for?” Fluttershy glared. “I said LEAVE!”
Sinclair picked himself up and got back on all fours. His feet moved as though he was wearing lead weights for horseshoes.
Twilight slammed the door behind Sinclair. “Well, I’m glad that’s over. At least we won’t have Wind Racer...” Pinkie Pie placed a hoof over Twilight’s mouth and pointed to Fluttershy, who had collapsed on the floor in the pool made from her tears and was being tended to by Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash.
“Why am I crying for the awful pony that treated you so badly,” Fluttershy said to Applejack, who was on the floor giving Fluttershy a shoulder to cry on. Applejack shivered as the chilly air blew over the wet spot on her back.
“Our hearts are a funny thing, sug. It took me a piece ta get over Wind Racer mahself, and sum part of me still haven’t.”
Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie joined in on the group hug. They stayed at the cottage for the rest of the day comforting their heartbroken friend.
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“I heard Fluttershy caught him in the bed with two mares at the same time...her own bed.”
“Well, my cousin Diamond Glitter told me Twilight put a curse on him after she caught him hoofing Fluttershy.”
“He must have hit her after she caught him in bed with the two mares.
“Well, my brother Dusk Storm said Rainbow Dash had three of her old boyfriends from Cloudsdale rough him up.”
“Well I’d do the same too for putting his hooves on my friends.”
“He better not date my daughters if he knows what’s good for him.”
“Yeah! If he touches my sister, he’ll wish he was getting a hoofing from Rainbow Dash’s boyfriends.”
Sinclair shuffled through time seemingly oblivious to the whispers and disapproving stares of the residents of Ponyville. The vacant stare screamed out to all Equestria that here was an emotionally catatonic pony that was dead on the inside.
“Uh oh!” Berry Punch, the town’s resident wine ‘connoisseur’ pointed to the sky. “Looks like Dash’s sicced his boyfriends on Wind Racer again.” The three pony bullies from the party circled over Sinclair like vultures waiting for their next meal to drop dead.
“Yo Wind Racer! Heard you got dumped,” Dumb-Bell gloated.
“Yeah, you got dumped,” Hoops chimed in.
“Oh is the widdle colt crying ‘cause his girl don’t like him no more?”
“Poor widdle colt.”
The three pegasi landed around Sinclair and surrounded him.
“Oh he’s about to cry.” Dumb-Bell laughed.
“Yeah, cry little foal.”
But Sinclair didn’t cry. In fact, Dumb-Bell could barely hear him breath.
“You think you can diss your friends even though we bothered to come to Loserville to visit you and think we’re still buds?” Sinclair did nothing but stare at the ground.
“Oh, the silent treatment huh?” Dumb-Bell mule-kicked Sinclair in the ribs and knocked him off his legs. “Bet you’d talk now.” Sinclair didn’t utter a word or get back up. He just laid there still staring at the ground.
“I said talk!” Dumb-Bell slapped him.
“Hey! He’s had enough!” Berry Punch cried out. “Even Wind Racer doesn’t deserve that!” Some of the other townponies gathered around Berry Punch calling out to the three bullies to leave.
“Get lost, you...” Dumb-Bell sniffed and held his hoof over his nostrils,“…drunk. Now where was I? Oh yeah. You don’t leave your buds for some stupid whore you’re just using for room and board.” Sinclair snapped out his daze and set his sight on Dumb-Bell. “Oh you don’t like it when I talk about your stupid little fillyfriend, Sluttershyyyyy.”
“Yeah, Sluttershyyyy.” Score and Hoops snickered.
Sinclair jumped back on his feet.
“What did I tell about calling her that!” Sinclair said in a low straggly voice.
“Whacha going to do about it, Fart Breaker? Bleed all over me like the last time?”
Sinclair stood on his hind legs and clapped his front hooves together.
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“Spike, are you done organizing the bottom shelves?” Twilight asked her assistant. She was systematically, one by one, pulling books halfway off the shelf and sliding it back in. On occasion, she would remove a book she inspected and place it in one of the many stacks on the floor.
“Why do we have to do this?” Spike griped. The baby dragon was also checking the books on the shelf.
“If someponies wouldn’t put books back up in random spots, completely out of their proper order, we wouldn’t have to do this.”
“Who cares if the books aren’t in order?”
“I do and so do the ponies looking for specific books. Now quit complaining.”
The door flew open and a cross-eyed gray pegasus flew in and crashed into the pile of books.
Twilight facehoofed. “Derpy! Do you have any idea how long I spent organ...”
“Twilight, I have ask you something really, really important.” Derpy was fidgeting nervously.
“You can’t just barge in and ruin our work and then demand answers.”
“I’m sorry Twilight, I really am, but please I need your help.”
Derpy was more anxious than usually and Twilight couldn’t just dismiss her, even if she did ruin a day’s worth of work.
“I accept your apology, Derpy,” said Twilight. “Now, what did you want to ask me?”
“Can pegasi cast spells if they lose their wings?”
Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Why would you ask that?”
“Because Wind Racer is hurting some ponies from out of town with magic.”
“Spike, I’ll be right back.”
“Twilight, what’s going on?”
“Just stay put till I come back.”
“But Twilight...”
“I said ‘stay! Derpy, lead the way.”
Twilight followed Derpy to the edge of town to crowd of ponies all looking in the same direction.
“Oh thank Celestia you’re here!” Caramel said, who just happened to look in Twilight’s direction.
“What the hay’s going on?”
“It’s that Wind Racer fella! He’s beating up on some pegasi. When we tried stopping him, he made that.”
Twilight couldn’t believe her eyes. A circular wall surrounded by a ditch just appeared in the middle of town. An ominous feeling of déjà vu came over the lavender unicorn. It was just like the time when Zecora showed them the rotting corpse of the hydra impaled on stalagmites and how each stalagmite was in the middle of a ground depression, as though the earth itself spout up and stabbed the hydra.
“Everypony! Stand back!” Twilight powered up her horn and shot a beam of magic at the barrier yanking it apart. She recognized them as the bullies that attacked Fluttershy’s fiancé. The gray one had both wings dislocated while the big one had a wing bent at an odd angle, undoubtedly broken. Both were being held in place by what looked like dry cement that came up to their shoulders. At the far end of the wall was the dark brown pegasus, also being held in place by cement, and being beaten to a pulp by Sinclair. Globs of blood were flying everywhere.
“Hep us pease!” Dumb-Bell screamed out as best he could with a busted lip.
“Shut up! No one’s saving you from me!” Sinclair clapped his hooves together and struck the ground. Forks of electricity danced around two mounds of dirt shaped like battering rams rising from the ground on each side of Dumb-Bell. They jolted forward and smashed into his ribcage. The cracking of ribs could be heard even over Dumb-Bell’s screams of agony.
Twilight teleported on the other side of the ditch and telekinetically pushed Sinclair away from Dumb-Bell. “What the hay’s gotten into you!” Twilight yelled.
Sinclair directed his attention at Twilight. “Stay the hell out of my way!” He yelled. Twilight inched back. Sinclair’s face was covered blotches of Dumb-Bell’s blood. And those eyes! She had only seen those eyes before on a wild animal and only those trying to kill her and her friends. She had never seen eyes filled with such murderous rage on a pony. Is that what Fluttershy’s stare like? No, it wasn’t the same. This was much darker. Fluttershy’s stare was only for intimidation. There none of the malice which were in these eyes.
“I’m not letting you hurt those ponies.”
Sinclair clapped his hooves together and slammed them into the ground. A strip of dirt between Sinclair and Twilight was transmuted into iron. Then the ground under her hooves, behind her, and, finally, on each side transformed. Twilight looked down and saw hinges in front of her, on her sides, and behind her that connected the iron square she was stood on with the iron plates extending from the square. Suddenly, another folk of electricity circled the perimeter of the metal plates which then folded in on her. Sinclair had put her in a metal cage.
Twilight focused her magic to force the cage open, but some force was holding them together at the seams. She cracked it open a few degrees before they slammed back shut. Is this cage magnetized? Twilight thought. She forced the cage back open a second time, not to get out, but to see where to teleport. As the cage was closing, Twilight transported herself between Sinclair and Dumb-Bell. She then suspended Sinclair in mid-air. The rage-field alchemist thrashed about trying to break free from Twilight’s magic.
“Let me go!”
“Don’t take it on these ponies because we uncovered your lies, Wind Racer.”
Sinclair wasn’t in the mood to argue. “Butt out!”
“I said ‘calm down’.”
“You can’t hold me here forever. You have to put me down sooner or later.”
“Everypony! Get these three as far from here as possible.” She then said to Sinclair, “I only need to hold you here till then.” The townponies weren’t in a hurry to come to the rescue. Only a few of them stepped forward and cautious crept towards the three bullies from Cloudsdale. “Don’t just stand there! They need your help!” Twilight’s prodding was enough to get the other townponies to put aside their fears. They hastily chipped away at the cement holding the three in place with hooves until some of the ponies who worked in construction came back with tools.
Meanwhile, Sinclair was still fighting against Twilight’s magic.
“Look, you’ll tire out before I do. So stop resisting before you hurt yourself.” Sinclair wouldn’t stop struggling while Dumb-Bell and his friends were still in sight.
“Hurry up. I can’t hold him here all day.”
Fortunately, for Dumb-Bell, Score, and Hoops, the pegasus running the local moving company lent out his wagon and workers. They parked beside the three bullies.
“Oh tank Celesia you saved us!” Dumb-Bell mumbled as the two ponies carrying him on a stretcher loaded him into the back of the moving wagon. It was only after they flew away did Sinclair calm down.
Twilight set Sinclair back down. “Okay, mister, I want answers. Did you...kill the hydra?”
“Does this answer your question?” Sinclair clapped his hooves together and struck the ground. Smaller versions of the stalagmites sprouted from the ground to the right of Sinclair. “Well?”
“Why...no...how did you...?” Everything that had transpired in the last half-hour has placed doubt on everything Twilight ever read about magic. While all ponies have magic inside of them, only unicorns could use it on a conscious level. But here was a pegasus who could cast spells. Not only that but the magic felt all wrong. She could sense the flow of magic coming from a pony if she concentrates and the flow didn’t come from ‘Wind Racer’ but from deep underground.
“Why? So, you can write that report to your princess? You know what? Don’t bother. I’m sure your princess would rather talk to me herself.” Sinclair began heading down the path leading to Canterlot.
“Uh, Twilight, shouldn’t we stop him?” Derpy asked. “What if he hurts the princess?”
“Oh I’m not worry about Princess Celestia,” Twilight said beaming with confidence. “She’s too much for Wind Racer to handle. All I need to do is to give her a head’s up.” Twilight then headed back to the library to write a letter to the princess.
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The sun, or whatever it was that illuminated the skies over Equestria, was inching below the horizon. The long shadows cast from the trees lining the road from Ponyville to Canterlot by the evening sun were quickly fading into the encompassing darkness. Sinclair had made up his mind to drop all falsehoods and tell the princess who and what he was. He had nothing to lose. His old life in Amestris was over. He could never go back in his present form. Not that it mattered anyway. There was nothing worth going back to. Fluttershy, the one person in the world that mattered to him, had rejected him. It didn’t matter if the princess had him imprisoned or banished back to Amestris or executed. All roads led to the same pointless, empty existence. At least execution meant his spirit would no longer languish under this meaningless life. Sinclair was ready to place his fate in the hooves of the pony princess, though this would come sooner than he expected.
The instant the sun dipped below the horizon, a ball of light burst forth on the road ahead of Sinclair. As the after image of the flash dimmed, the form of a white unicorn with wings, standing as tall as a full-grown horse, appeared. The alicorn was adorned with a tiara, necklace, and horseshoes of gold and had a mane that could only be described as liquid light. It was colored in bans of cerulean, turquoise, cobalt blue, and pale heliotrope and flowed like normal hair would underwater.
“Are you Princess Celestia?” Sinclair asked.
The alicorn gritted her teeth and grimaced at Sinclair. “Where is he?”
“Where is who?”
“The pony whose body you stole. Where is the real Wind Racer, human?”
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The relationship between Sinclair and Fluttershy had come to a bitter end and now Sinclair’s secret has finally been uncovered by Princess Celestia. What fate will befall Sinclair? And how this will affect those he left behind in Amestris, and what of Fluttershy, Applejack, and the other Bearers of the Element of Harmony? Find out in the next chapter of Friendship is Magic, Damnation is Alchemy. Special thanks to EllisPONY for giving me permission to use her characters (Dancing Butterflies, Chief, Flying V, and Racer). Check out her deviantart page at http://ellispony.deviantart.com/