{Slice of Life}
Knock Knock Knock
I looked up from the table, wondering who might be at the door. Angel sat next to me, eating the salad I had just prepared. The immediate wave of familiar emotions hit me as I pondered the meaning of the unexpected visitor.
Slowly I approached the door, eying it suspiciously. The round golden knob sat perfectly still. I had cleaned it recently to keep the taste of brass to a minimum when I would use my mouth to open it. Above it sat the two deadbolts I used to ensure I was safe at night. There were all manner of scary creatures that came out at night to feed.
Knock Knock Knock
I jumped back and let out a soft squeak, hoping I hadn’t revealed myself to the guest. Beyond the two inches of oak door stood something unknown, and my time in the Everfree had taught me to fear the unknown.
There could be a manticore knocking on my door. It was their mating season and they had to eat as much as possible before hibernating. It had likely eaten all my critters from outside and wanted to come in for dessert. It would stab me with its barbed stinger, paralyzing me. I would cry and whimper for help as I had to watch it eat Angel. . .
Knock Knock Knock
Or it could be changelings. They could have come since I’m the weakest of the elements. I’ll open the door to find Twilight there, only it isn’t Twilight. It’ll be queen Chrysalis herself, and she’ll drain me of all my love and kindness, leaving a shallow husk.
Everypony will grow up telling their kids stories of how Fluttershy the coward let the changelings take over Equestria.
Knock Knock Knock
I slowly approached the door and put my ear to it. I couldn’t hear any chittering or buzzing outside. There was no foul stench to the air, so that only left. . . dragons.
There was a dragon outside my door! It was the only other explanation. I slowly backed away, careful not to make a sound. When the dragons had migrated, they must have picked up my scent and smelled my fear. I bathed in skunk-oil to prevent such a thing from happening, and it took nearly a month and three new sets of tail extensions to get rid of the smell.
It was all for naught. Right now it was circling the cottage in its wings, preparing to burn it down and turn me into a tasty pony fricassee. It would gobble me up and pick its teeth clean with my bones. It’d use my feathers as fresh quills to tell all the other dragons how tasty ponies were, and they would come eat all my friends.
Knock Knock Knock
No. Nopony eats my friends. I looked deep inside to find my courage. It was there, beneath the kindness and compassion. It hadn’t failed me before when I really needed it. When I stood up to Nightmare Moon, when I had to joust with Rainbow Dash, or when they dragged me on top of a mountain to stare down a dragon.
That’s it, I’ll give it the stare. I’ll look deep into its eyes before it can eat me, exert my dominance for long enough to make him leave, and then I can go hide under my bed and read a romance novel until I stop shaking. It’s a foolproof plan.
Knock Knock Knock
Except it isn’t foolproof. First I have to open the door and let the dragon know I’m home. I found my belly grazing the floor, my ears flattened against my head. Slowly inching towards the door, I tried to peer under the narrow crack to see the feet of the scaly reptile.
Something landed on my back and began thumping it. I screamed in pure terror, the dragon had sent it’s parasprites in to eat my legs! Oh this is awful. I scrambled under the sofa, knocking it over. I continued to burrow my way under it until I was hidden in the mattresses.
A loud popping sound echoed through the room, dulled by the fabric and my frenzied breathing. If I stayed perfectly still, if I held my breath, it would think I had run away.
Angel! Oh no, I need to go back to save him. I began to crawl towards the end of the sofa to save my Angel bunny. My tail got caught on something, stopping me.
“Fluttershy?” a voice called out. With a soft snap, the sofa was turned into thousands of butterflies.
I slowly uncovered my eyes and pushed my mane out of the way. I breathed a huge sigh of relief, sending up a lair of dust from the floor.
“Discord! I’m so glad you could make it for tea. For a moment there, I thought there was a monster at my door.”