Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were both exhausted. A good portion of the southern side of Canterlot had been flattened by them fighting. They now stood across from each other, taking deep breaths and waiting for the other to make a move. Their coats, manes and bodies were bruised, scuffed and covered in debris. Of course, it was harder to tell where Fluttershy'd been scraped because she was gray.
"Why... don't... you... just leave... me alone?" Fluttershy asked between huffs.
"This... this isn't you... Fluttershy... we have to get you back."
"I don't want to go back!"
"Why... why not?"
Fluttershy stomped the pavement again. "I'm through talking about this! You're not cutting me down to size again!" Fluttershy flapped her wings and took off from the ground. Rainbow leapt at her, grabbing one of her legs and pulling her down. They both dropped onto street. Fluttershy's face scraped the side of several buildings as she slid along the street, her outstretched left wing bisected the same buildings. Half a city block was transformed into dust and rubble, buildings turned into piles and poured into the streets.
"Let go of me!" Fluttershy shouted, trying to shake Rainbow Dash off. Rainbow didn't let go though, despite both their lack of energy Fluttershy still struggled and Rainbow held fast onto her hindlegs.
"Fluttershy!" Twilight called, approaching them fast from down the street.
Fluttershy let out an exasperated, heavy sigh. "Buck me... what does purple want now? How did it get here?"
Twilight didn't know what that meant. It wasn't Fluttershy, just Discord's magic. Magic she could undo.
"Fluttershy! I've got Discord's... glove... paw, thingy! I can change you back! We can end all of this!"
"NO!" Fluttershy screamed. "Get it away from me! I don't want to go back! You can't make me go back!" She continued struggling against Rainbow Dash's grasp on her but her energy was ebbing. Her gray body and main matched the color of the pavement beneath her, the shade of the buildings and the color of the piles of rubble around her.
"She's not herself! Don't listen!" Rainbow yelled.
"What's the use." Fluttershy asked, ceasing her thrashing. "Nothing ever changes anyway."
Curiosity would get the better of Twilight one last time it would seem. "What do you mean Fluttershy?"
"Nothing ever changes. You're still a panicky narcissist, our friends are still crazy and I'm still too shy to ever say what I really feel... or even get noticed. The only reason you're paying attention to me now is because I'm too big too ignore."
Pinkie put a hoof to her chin. "Didn't we already have an episode where you stood up for yourself?" Rarity nodded in agreement, Luna raised an eyebrow.
"It's not the same. No matter what happens, problems like these will just keep popping up. Things will keep getting worse and worse until... until cities start getting destroyed." Fluttershy said. Twilight looked around her. She was right; all of this had pretty much still happened because Twilight... behaved like Twilight. Her worrying hadn't solved the problem, Fluttershy's timidness had caused her to flee to Canterlot, fighting with Rainbow Dash had destroyed nearly half the city and their other friends hadn't helped the situation... it could be said their involvement had made things worse.
"It's just going to keep happening like this Twilight. One big problem after another is going to come our way... and ponies are going to get hurt just because we're involved. We're the giants. Megasi, Unicolossus, Alicolossus, Earthnormous Ponies, insert other giant pony species name pun here, hint and sequel, trail off as gaze drops to the side, joke about King Sombra and screentime." Fluttershy said.
Fluttershy's friends were silent. They were all at a loss for words... even Pinkie Pie, her mouth firmly shut as the implications of the facts Fluttershy revealed pressed heavily on her adorable pink mind. A party would not fix this... but she planned one anyway. Regardless of what size everypony was in when this was over. She thought about inviting King Sombra... then quickly corrected herself. It would've required him to get screentime.
Rarity thought about her lack of patience. The argument with Trixie is what had frightened Fluttershy off in the first place. Rarity felt partially responsible too. She knew a bit about size-altering magic but she'd never tried it on anything larger than threads. Still, she'd tried to help, tried to be suggestive and supportive. She didn't know what else to do.
Rainbow Dash was still holding Fluttershy. She looked around to the damage they'd caused, that they'd both caused. She'd done everything she could and still it hadn't been good enough. She was fast but she wasn't perfect and it showed. She'd underestimated Fluttershy under Discord's influence and the Canterlot had payed the price. She'd tried to get the problem over with quickly... but there are some things she just couldn't get through like it was a race.
Luna had let Fluttershy's little insults get the better of her. It had once again brought out her bad side, Nightmare Moon, and her frustration had mirrored Twilight's though she reacted on it much differently. She should've gone to get her sister but pride had blinded her. She was partially guilty for the destruction of Canterlot as well, despite the fact she'd done everything to save the town. Everything except rely on her big sister, which she should've done.
Twilight thought back to all the things she'd been through with Fluttershy and their friends since she'd moved to Ponyville. Fluttershy was absolutely right; one thing after another had happened mostly because of them. Ponies just trying to live their lives in peace had been put in danger because of what had happened many times before and would likely happen again. But she realized something else: they'd also overcome every single challenge, every obstacle no matter how big.
"You're right Fluttershy." Twilight said. Fluttershy's gaze drifted over to Twilight. "You're right. A lot of things do happen to us... and even become bigger problems just because we're involved. But we always get through them, together. Because we're a team Fluttershy. Because we're friends."
"What happens when you finally do come across something that's too big to handle? Even for all of us?" Fluttershy asked, casting doubt one last time.
Twilight smiled. "I'll be ready when that day comes. Until then, no matter how many problems we get into, no matter how big, I'll try to look for the bright side... and learn to appreciate the little things." she galloped up to Fluttershy to press the thumb of the glove onto her forehead. But she didn't have to. Fluttershy was smiling too. Her color slowly returned over her body on its own, Twilight's words alone had been enough.
"Oh... ohhhhhh... oh my... my head." Fluttershy said, trying to stand. Rainbow Dash released her slowly and the two stood. "Thank you... thank you all so much. I'm sorry. I'm sorry about everything."
"I'm sorry too Fluttershy." Twilight said. "But it's going to be okay now. Everything is going to be fine."
"Says you." Discord said from behind them. "I shot the BEST action sequences I think I've ever seen. It was gorgeous, it was chaotic, it was... kickass. Now it's all ruined by a cliche'd ending."
"Cliches are pretty fun sometimes Discord. It's kinda like chaos. Sometimes, it's out of place and can be really random... but sometimes it can be fun too. Just as long as you put them in the right place." Fluttershy encouraged him.
"Oh whatever." Discord said. "We all know this is before the episode you reform me meaning you're going to put me back in stone when this is over."
"Looking forward to it!" Twilight said with a huge grin. She still hadn't forgotten it was Discord that had turned Fluttershy gray and started this alternate storyline in the first place.
"Ha-ha." Discord laughed sarcastically. "So let's get going back to Cloudsdale so we can get this over with."
"Sounds good to me." they all made similar remarks in agreement.