//------------------------------// // Home again // Story: The gateway to heaven // by LillyBreeze //------------------------------// It had been seven weeks since Fluttershy had landed in the other Equestria. She trotted down the road towards the library, smiling to herself. "Hey guys, how are you all today?" "OH! Fluttershy, its only me here but great news!" Dusk Shine grinned "Really? what" "You can go home to your Equestria tomorrow!" "R-r-really, thats um great. Yeah that great" She mumbled, staring at the floor " Fluttershy? whats wrong?" "I d-d" Fluttershy broke down in tears "Oh Fluttershy" Dusk sighed, and hugged her "Its Funny Feather, inst it" "M hm" Fluttershy nodded "I cant leave him!" "I know, I know, but maybe when you get home you can-" "NO! I CANT FIND ANOTHER STALLION! I LOVE HIM AND IM GOING TO FIND A WAY WE CAN BE TOGETHER!" Fluttershy screamed "I know your upset Fluttershy" "Im sorry Dusk, i didn't mean to shout at you" "Its ok, just, let me write a letter to King Solaris first. I will see if he can help?" "Thanks Dusk" Dusk got Barb to take a letter, and soon he was back, tending to Fluttershy. A knock at the door interrupted them. Dusk walked over and opened it, to see Solaris himself standing there. Fluttershy stared at the king. He was the same height as Celestia. His coat was white, but his mane and tail were red, orange and yellow, in the same style as Celestia's. He had a beard the same colour as his mane. "Dusk Shine" he smiled "I got your letter and came as quickly as i could. Where is this, Fluttershy" "Im here your highness" Fluttershy called softly "Ah, Fluttershy, its lovely to meet you" "You to sir" "So, what happened to cause you to end up here?" Fluttershy explained what happened to the king. He nodded and began to take notes. "Now, please dont cry Fluttershy, but im afraid, if Funny Feather tries to go home with you, it wont end well. Im sorry, but there is no way you two can go back to your home and stay together" "O-o-ok" Solaris said his goodbyes and left. Fluttershy walked home, her legs shaking. She opened the door and walked in. She sat down and began to cry. A knock on the door didnt even shift her. "Flutters? Fluttershy! honey, whats wrong!" Funny Feather dashed over to her "We-we-we cant be t-t-together" "how! who told you that?!" Fluttershy told him what had happened, and Funny Feather hugged her, stroking her mane, a single tear rolling down his cheek. He had to stay strong, for her. Fluttershy met her friends down by the lake that she had been found by. She hugged them, and one by one, said her goodbyes. Elusive, Butterscotch and Dusk had tears rolling down their cheeks. Bubble was howling like a baby, his mane and tail flat and lifeless. Even JA and RB had tears in their eyes. Fluttershy finally reached Funny Feather. She hugged him, her tears soaking his coat. He put a hoof under her chin and lifted her face to meet his. He stared into her eyes, and for a final time, he kissed her. After a minute or so, she pulled away. Walking down to the edge of the lake, she turned, and waved to her friends. They waved back, and watched as she walked into the water, until she was out of sight. Once she was gone, Funny Feather broke down in silent tears, his friends trying to help him and ease a little of his pain. Fluttershy looked around her. She was lying in a hospital bed, ropes connecting to her legs. She stared in wonder, until a nurse walked through the door. Nurse Redheart looked at Fluttershy for a moment, before a grin covered her face. "Hiya honey, its so good to see your awake again" "What do you mean?" Fluttershy asked, confused "Well, you have been in a coma for about three weeks now. Your friends found you lying unconscious by a lake, and Rainbow Dash flew you right here" "Oh, my. Are they ok?" "Yes honey, in fact, they are just coming to see you" Fluttershy heard ponies talking in hushed, but exited voices outside her room, and soon her friends burst in. They were a flurry of laughter, smiled and tears. "Fluttershy! Darling, its great to see you are ok!" "Great to see you to Rarity, great to see all of you" "Fluttershy" Twilight stepped forward " You have been mumbling the last few days, and gathering as much information as i could, I wrote a letter to the princess. We know what has happened to you, all we want to know is what it was like" Fluttershy told them everything that had happened, but left out all the parts about Funny Feather. After days of recovery and help, she was ready to go home. Her friends came to help her, and soon, they were on their way. "Thank you, Nurse Redheart, for looking after her" Twilight said to the nurse "Your welcome Twilight, but there is just one thing that i didnt tell you" "What is it?!" "Heart break. Its not easy to recover from. Please, take care of her" "I will" Fluttershy sat in her cottage. It was a week after she had been released from hospital, and life was as it used to be. She finished putting angle to bed, when there was a knock at the door. "Two moments, I'll be right with you" Fluttershy called. She walked to the door, opened it and gasped. "Hey Fluttershy"