Rarity was enjoying the enjoying the scenery of Ponyville, as she trotted towards the spa for her weekly spa appointment. Rarity was eager for this day to come so she could have a private talk with Fluttershy. I haven't seen the poor darling since the incident at the library! Was she okay? Rainbow has gotten terribly mad at her two days ago. After that incident, no one has seen Rainbow Dash or Fluttershy at all lately. Fluttershy spent her days locked up in her house by the Everfree Forest.
Rarity's mind was filled with concern for her friends as she walked into the spa. Greeting the two spa ponies, she sat down and waited for her shy friend. Rarity sat for what seemed like hours, when Fluttershy trudged in. At least Rarity thought it was Fluttershy, this pony looked simply exhausted, constantly trembling, her mane was ravished, and her body was thin. Her coat was pale and stained with tears.
The creature in front of Rarity was simply a fashion disaster! Yet it would not move from her side. Surely this could not be Fluttershy, right? What happened in her house was a complete mystery. There was only one way to figure out if it was her missing friend or not."F-Fluttershy darling . . . i-is that you?" Rarity walked up to the mystery mare and stared, trying to deduce if it was her friend. The pony just trudged on into the sauna room. Rarity walked in after her only to walk in to see the mare bawling. Rarity's eyes widened as anypony would recognize those cries anywhere.
"F-Fluttershy!" Rarity's eyes filled with tears. How could such a mare be reduced to . . . thatin two days! "W-what happened Fluttershy! Are you okay? Are you not feeling well? What's wrong? What happened to you? Who did this to you darling?" Rarity began stammering as her mind was flooded with questions. Who would do this to her? What would make Fluttershy this way? Rarity slowly walked up to her being as careful as possible. Each step Rarity took forward, Fluttershy pressed herself into the corner. "P-please darling! Tell me what happened. Darling please, I can't stand to look at you like this!" Rarity's eyes filled with tears.
Fluttershy was trapped. She didn't want to be here at all, she might find her, now that she was outside. She only left the house because Angel asked for a flower from the garden and locked her outside. First Rainbow, now Angel? What did she do to be betrayed like this? But Rarity was always an available confidant, as she knew so much about relationships. Fluttershy took a shaky breath and whispered barely audible "O-okay . . . if you d-don't mind . . ."
Three days earlier
Fluttershy couldn't take it anymore. She knew she was sick and it was time to get help. Why did it have to be her? What did she do? Fluttershy grabbed the thermometer and crawled onto the couch with an ice pack. What where her symptoms again? Fever, chills, hallucinations, irregular heart beats, shaking, mood swings, and of course that voice in her head. Fluttershy couldn't recognize any of these symptoms in any of her books, so hours beforehoof she went to Twilight. Twilight had no idea what it was so she told Fluttershy to go to Zecora's hut. Zecora gave her a book on infamous plagues and diseases, and that's when it became official. Fluttershy had an infamous disease named Everfree Fever. She was going to die in ten days.
Fluttershy wrapped her hooves around her blanket, and petted Angel sadly. This is absolutely ridiculous! Angel thought, as he tried to wriggle his way out of the Yellow One's grasp. Angel knew he had to fix this somehow, she had been like this for hours! Surely she understood what was happening to her. Angel looked at his watch Isn't it time to get to the root of this? Angel looked out the window to see the cause, and answer to his problems. The Rainbow One! This is her fault!
Angel Bunny was ready to put his plan into action. The Super Bunny Cannon was ready! Angel squirmed free of The Yellow One's grasp, and he hopped to the kitchen. Step 1: Get the Yellow One onto the rug! Angel grabbed a pot and started thumping his leg against it, creating a loud ringing noise that could easily be heard from the outside. A moment later the door was crashed open by a clearly overly dramatic limping bear. Is that really necessary Harry! I know your mad that they didn't house sit for you but help me out here! The bear limped over onto the rug and stood on his hind legs. Harry then put his paw over his head and let out the most mellow dramatic moan Angel ever heard, before falling onto the rug and playing dead.
Fluttershy let out a startled gasp "Harry!" Fluttershy yelled almost at a normal speaking voice. She then rushed out of her blanket and checked Harry's pulse. Angel then winked and Harry rolled off of the rug. Angel then pulled his secret lever hidden under the kitchen. Fluttershy tensed as she felt the rug arm itself and launch her through the roof of her hut. YES! I'm free! Step 2: Lock every entrance to the hut so she will have to spend the night with her 'Terminal Disease'. Angel smiled as he could finally sleep in peace.
Fluttershy panicked. She was barreling towards Rainbow Dash's location uncontrollably. She tried to unfurl her wings but they clenched to her body in pure terror. Screaming at almost a normal speaking tone, her mind flashed through its most favorite possession Rainbow Dash. Her mind raced through all her days of flight school, how Rainbow Dash protected her fearlessly and loyally. Her mind also drifted towards Rainbow's other friend. The thought of her made Fluttershy shudder. Even though Rainbow never believed her, Gilda was the cause of her endless torture. Don't worry about it 'Shy, Gilda's cool! She would say that over and over again, and Fluttershy would believe it, only until when Rainbow turned her back and was no longer there to protect her. Gilda would constantly torture her with harmless pranks. From pulling out her feathers at night, to spiking her food with powerful sedatives and hallucination inducing herbs from the griffon lands.
"Fluttershy!" Rainbow Dash's voice pierced through her thoughts as she looked down at her yellow friend. Rainbow landed on a cloud and gave her shuddering friend a hug. "Are you alright 'Shy?" Rainbow looked at her shaking friend with worry. Why was she shooting through the air like that? Rainbow smiled lightly as she looked at her friend She always looked so innocent when she shakes like that. "Here," Rainbow said, picking her friend up and lifting off of the cloud. "Lets get you to my place so you can explain to me what happened."
Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy landed on the former's cloud house. Fluttershy could not help but to loose herself in Rainbow's flanks. She snapped out of it as she felt her illness's symptoms returning. Rainbow opened the door and they both walked inside. "Hey Gilda, I'm back!" Fluttershy winced as she heard her former tormentors name. Gilda walked into the living room and gave Dash a playful look.
"'Bout time Dash, you arn't getting fat on me are you?" Gilda shot a look at Fluttershy that made her cringe. "If we are going to do this you need to be in top condition." Rainbow blushed and rubbed her head softly. "Oh hey, you again, Fluttercry was it?" Gilda smirked as she walked towards Fluttershy.
"Um I-its Fluttershy" Fluttershy looked down at the clouds wishing that she could hide behind her guardian. "I-I was just wondering what you are doing here?" Rainbow perked herself up and walked towards Fluttershy lending her a wing.
"Oh yea Gilda and I are going to take a tour of the Griffon lands!" Rainbow beamed with excitement. "It's going to be awesome! Gilda brushed up against Rainbow Dash and leered back at Fluttershy. "I just think it's about time I try to push my limits don't you think 'Shy?" Rainbow Dash looked down at her pink friend.
W-wait what? Fluttershy looked up at Rainbow Dash and Gilda " A-are you leaving us Rainbow?"
Rainbow Dash looked down at her friend. "It's something I have to try y'know? The Griffon lands are supposed to be the roughest skies ever! It would be great practice! Isn't it great 'Shy!" Fluttershy had no idea what to do. If she let her friend go, then they wouldn't be there for her, especially to help her through this illness that she was dealing with.
"I-i'm happy for you R-Rainbow, I really am, b-but I don't wan't you to go . . . It's dangerous! Y-you could get hurt!" Fluttershy urged her Rainbow friend not to go, but she knew that if she really wanted to she couldn't stop her. Rainbow saw her pet tortoise Tank out of the corner of her eye and left to get her food with a sigh.
Gilda turned towards Fluttershy and glared. "Look Fluttercry!" Gilda roared and pushed herself closer to the yellow mare. "Dash may not have told you this but your holding her back." Fluttershy cringed under the hateful glare of the griffon. "We both had a long talk and we agreed that she should leave with me to test her limits." Fluttershy was attempted to say something but she couldn't get any words to form. "Look I don't think you understand her situation. She thought you were a Pegasus. Not some dumb old earth pony with useless wings. Rainbow tried to stick around but she can't take it anymore! She can't take the fact that a Pegasus is wasting her gift of flight petting animals on the ground, and being afraid of their races natural element. It's driving her crazy!"
At the Spa
Rarity hugged her crying friend, completely forgetting the fact that they have been in the sauna for hours. Rarity had no idea that Fluttershy had been in so much pain. "Fluttershy darling, I think it's time to talk about this illness you have . . ."