I've always been a bit of a fraidy-cat. I was scared of heights, earthquakes, fires, loud noises, the dark... Well, let's just say I have a lot of fears.
But sometimes, even the fraidy-cat can be brave. I might have been scared out of my wits doing so, but I've stood my ground against bears, manticores, dragons, minotaurs, and many more! It wasn't exactly me being brave all those times though. I always had my best friends by my side. They were the brave ones, not me. But, even though I was terrified everytime we went on an adventure, I always kept coming.
That's what Kindness was all about.
"Celestia is dead, and Twilight Sparkle is responsible. I am here to gather the remaining five elements. They may be Equestria's last hope."
I didn't want it to be true. Twilight was my friend. Or at least she had been. She was a murderer? It just didn't make any sense to me.
And they wanted me to fight her? Me? The mare who hid under the couch during thunderstorms? But, when I saw the rest of my grim-faced and heavy-hearted friends boarding the train for Canterlot, I climbed on board with them.
I shook and trembled the entire ride. I couldn't help it. The train car we sat in was dead silent. Not a single pony dared to speak up, not even Pinkie Pie. Everypony was just as scared as I was. If my friends were just as scared as me, who was left to be brave?
I didn't have much time to dwell on that thought, as we soon arrived in the empty shell that had been Canterlot. Princess Luna led us through the now deserted palace until we reached the throne room. Celestia and Cadence were dead. I closed my eyes, but I could still see the bodies in my mind. It was horrible. I tried to force them from my mind. I tried to be brave.
I couldn't.
Not this time.
Through tear blurred eyes I caught my first glimpse of the new goddess. She hadn't changed much from the last time I saw her, but something was distinctly off about her. It was her eyes. The Twilight I had known had eyes that were deep, serene, and full of life. The goddess' eyes were like glass. They looked glossy and glazed. They were like they eyes of a doll. Or more accurately, like a corpse.
"Twilight Sparkle, you have committed crimes against Equestria, against the Royal Court, and against Harmony itself. You have made yourself an enemy of Equestria, and thus an enemy of Harmony. Prepare to face justice."
It was time. This was what we had come here to do. I closed my eyes as the warm yellow glow of Kindness wrapped itself around me. When I had done this last, the glow had been comforting. It had soothed every fear that I held. But now, as I slowly ascended from the marble floor, I felt more afraid than I ever had in my life. What if it didn't work? Would the Elements work without Magic?
My worries only intensified as my yellow glow joined with the others. I cracked open my eyes and watched as the rainbow descended on Twilight. It couldn't have taken more than a second, yet it felt like an eternity. I held my breath in anticipation.
"Enough!"
That single word sent a chill down my spine. A split second later, I felt it impact me like a high velocity cannonball. The whole world went silent, then went black.
A screaming pain ripped through my lower body. The world began to fade back in. I wished it hadn't.
I heard a second loud crack, and watched as Rainbow Dash was hurled against the wall opposite me. She slumped to the ground, spitting up blood. Then, she fell face down on the floor amid the crimson puddle. She didn't move.
I closed my eyes. I could feel a pulsating pain rippling through my back legs. I tried to move them, but they felt as though they were made of lead. The only thing heavier than my legs was my tongue. Between my sobs and raspy breaths, I managed to say only two words.
"Twilight...why?"
My eyes, though held firmly shut, began to pour out tears. My body, though broken and bloody, trembled fiercely. I wanted to hide. I wanted to run.
Then, I felt it.
I felt a hoof upon my shoulder.
For the first time in what felt like hours, I opened my eyes. Applejack stood over me, her blonde mane stained with splotches of blood. She held a hoof to my shoulder, but didn't look down at me. I followed her eyes, and stared directly at the goddess.
Her dead eyes bore into me like a drill. My entire body went numb from a mixture of blood loss and sheer terror. Purple flashes of lightning ripped the air around her, illuminating her frame in the dim light of the throne room.
I whispered to Applejack.
"Applejack? Are we... Are we going to be alright?"
"Of course we are Fluttershy. Everythin's gonna be okay."
I looked at her face as she said those words. She had never been a very good liar.
I felt the air around me grow hot, and looked on in horror as the goddess' horn took on a bright white glow. I knew what was coming next. Applejack and I both faced our certain death, but faced it as opposites. She faced it with dignity and resolve. With her face set and eyes wide open. She faced death with bravery.
I faced death with my eyes slammed shut. I couldn't bear to watch. I could only sob softly.
I couldn't be brave.
Not this time.