//------------------------------// // Chapter 15 (part 2) // Story: An Expression Of Love // by Fluttershy20 //------------------------------// The hour for the pair went by quickly, thanks to the serenity of the gardens, and the warm and gentle sun shining on their coats. Twilight and Fluttershy were lying on their backs, with their heads locked back to back, and were staring up at the vast number of branches and leaves the oak tree they lay under had, whilst coming up with the most ridiculous questions they could think of. “Ah, how about this one. If you had to choose a Princess to go to dinner with, which one would it be?” Twilight asked. During the peace, and the long wait until the play or whatever was happening later began, the two decided to play a game where they asked each other questions, and had to come up with an answer. It did not sound like fun compared to Rainbow’s standards, but it was interestingly fun, and revealed much about each other’s thoughts that they wouldn’t normally share as friends. Before they had begun, the two had agreed that they could ask anything they would like. “Wait, does this mean it can be a friendly thing, or can it…?” Fluttershy asked hesitantly. Even with their agreement, Fluttershy still had problems with some of the questions asked. “It can be whatever you like, sweetheart,” Twilight replied kindly. “Oh. Okay, well, um…” Fluttershy mumbled. She tapped her chin in thought for a long time. “I barely know Princess Luna, so it should be her just so I could get to know her better. However, I would have to say Princess Celestia. She was just so lovely when I met her at the brunch at Sugarcube Corner, and I will never forget the kindness she showed me after I kidnapped Philomena that day. Who would you go for, sweetie?” Twilight rubbed her chin as she pouted thoughtfully. “Yeah, I think I would go with Princess Celestia as well. If it wasn’t for her, I might be some magical monster who levels entire cities without a care in the world. And she is so nice.” “Nice as in, kind nice, or nice as in…?” Fluttershy asked slyly. “Kind nice, Fluttershy, kind nice,” Twilight answered rapidly, a blush blazing on her cheeks at the thought. “Now you think of something.” “Um… okay, uh…” Fluttershy thought, her eyes wandering the length of the branches above for something to help her. “Oh, I think I know one. Out of our friends, who do you think has the biggest plot?” Twilight laughed. “Oh that’s easy. Applejack has, by miles.” Fluttershy looked surprised. “Really?” “Uh huh. Have you seen Sweet Apple Acres from the air? Applejack’s land covers an entire hill, sweetheart. A hill. She has about three of the seven orchards the farm has in her care. She certainly is the winner by far.” “Oh, of course, I forgot about all the orchards. I was thinking about the main farmhouse, mostly. Um, why don’t we try that again, only this time without Applejack?” She could feel Twilight’s head move to nod. “Okay, so who has the biggest plot of land? Rainbow Dash, Rarity or Pinkie Pie?” Twilight didn’t really need to give it much thought. “Again, it’s still an easy question to answer. Pinkie Pie only has the top floor of Sugarcube Corner. Rarity’s boutique has a wider area around it, but you still cannot go about twenty paces in any direction before you run into another building. Therefore, that leaves Rainbow Dash’s house. Her cloud home is situated over a large meadow miles outside of Ponyville, with not even Cloudsdale close by to keep it company. So to conclude, Rainbow Dash has the largest plot.” She craned her head up to look at her marefriend. “What would your answer have been?” “Hmm, I think it would have been Rarity, actually,” Fluttershy replied, much to Twilight’s surprise. “Why do you think that?” Twilight enquired. Fluttershy casually shrugged. “I don’t know. Every time I go to hers for tea or to try on a new dress she’s made for me, I always see it when I leave my home and it never seems to get any closer.” She paused to breathe deeply, her belly rising and falling heavily as she did so. “Okay, what’s your question?” “Hmm,” Twilight hummed, tapping her chin in thought as she crossed her hind legs. “Ooo, I know one. If you couldn’t live in either Ponyville or Cloudsdale, where would you go to live?” “Oh my, that is a good question,” Fluttershy commented, looking perplexed as she didn’t know the answer. Ponyville had always been the one and only place she would live, and she never wanted to move away and go someplace else. Where would she have gone? “Um…” Fluttershy started tapping her chest in thought. “My first choice would have been Canterlot, for the gardens, but after the Grand Galloping Gala, I wouldn’t pick there. I guess I would have to say Neighagra Falls Nature Reserve. It has plenty of animals to make friends with; it’s out the way from any main city, I wouldn’t have any problems with food and water as there would be plenty of both around me, and I would have great views of the sunset and the night sky.” She let out a dreamy sigh as she perfectly imagined all of it. “Maybe I should take a holiday up there for a week, just to see what it looks like.” Twilight smiled at the thought as well. “Would you mind if I join you on that? I wouldn’t mind seeing the falls myself. Go and research some of the exotic plants that make up the reserve, you know.” Fluttershy smiled as she reached out a hoof for Twilight to hold. Her smile grew wider when she felt Twilight’s hoof make contact with her own. “I would love the company, thank you,” she said. She arched her head back so she could look at her lover. “Where would you have gone if you wouldn’t have been sent to Ponyville? Or if you decided to leave Canterlot?” Twilight pondered briefly before answering. “I would have to go with either Trottingham or Hoofington. One, I don’t think I could live without chips ever again. Two, both cities have some of the largest book collections known to ponykind. And three, they are just so amazing to look at. Every street is narrow and old, with ancient cobbled paths, and the houses are all attached together, giving the sense of claustrophobic feel to those walking around it – well, it did to me anyway. But they were lovely cities to walk around, and had great parks to relax in and read a good book, kinda like what we’re doing now.” They fell silent for moment as they heard the sounds of birds tweeting deep in the canopy of the tree above them. It didn’t take long for both of them to realise they were baby birds being fed by their mother or father. Fluttershy smiled sweetly at the sound, and almost felt at peace. Almost. “Okay, Fluttershy, your question to me,” Twilight said, sounding quite excited of their little game. Fluttershy’s smile vanished, and she rolled onto her stomach to look at Twilight grimly. “Why are there ponies out to kill us?” Twilight stared in shock at Fluttershy for a minute, before bursting into nervous laughter. “Wha-what? Don’t be silly, sweetheart, nopony is out to kill us. Wherever did you get that ridiculous idea from?” she said assuredly, grinning to ease Fluttershy’s mood. Fluttershy, however, stared bemusedly at her marefriend. “Twilight, you know how much I hate being talked to as if I am a fool,” she said. Twilight’s ears fell flat. “Sorry, Fluttershy,” she said, rubbing her foreleg nervously. “I just didn’t want to worry you with what I thought.” She rolled onto her stomach, and then sat up onto her haunches, staring at the ground between them. “But yes, I think there might be ponies out there that want to do us harm, or worse, kill us,” she answered gravely. She looked up at the pegasus. “Why do you think that?” “As we walked up the hill I saw the rock again, and I noticed how big it was compared to the rest of them. I knew instantly that rock was placed there deliberately to trip us up and hurt us,” Fluttershy replied, looking at the ground between them. She looked at her marefriend again, and asked, “The same reasoning?” Twilight nodded. “Yeah. The same reasoning.” She brushed at the grass before her. “I must admit, you’re taking this better than I thought you would be.” Fluttershy smiled bravely, shaking her head. “Oh, no, Twilight, inside I’m trembling with terror. Yourself?” Twilight smiled as well. “Terrified,” she replied quietly. That instant, the two flung themselves into each other’s embrace, and started to shake with fear as the situation started to dawn on them. “Why does somepony want to harm us, sweetie?” Fluttershy asked, her voice shuddering with fright as she tightened her grip on Twilight. “What have we done to any of them?” “I don’t know, sweetheart, I just don’t know,” Twilight replied, rubbing Fluttershy’s back to calm her marefriend down, even though she felt terrified herself. “They might be scared of our size, or maybe we insulted them someway like…” She trailed off as her mind came to a conclusion. Fluttershy thought the same thing as well, as her eyes went wide with realisation. “Like the Captain of the Esperian Guard!” the two bellowed out at once. This time, they didn’t poke each other’s noses and shout, “Honk!” Their situation was too troubling to have a bit of fun. “He’s the only one I can think of that might hold a serious grudge against us,” Twilight said. “After all, we did insult him and his band twice by saying they’re cute.” “And if Grey Spot said it was the worst insult a pony of Esperius could make, it might have had some affect on him,” Fluttershy concluded. She hugged Twilight harder, whimpering. “Oh, what are we going to do about him, sweetie?” Twilight’s eyes narrowed in determination. “We will tell Grey Spot about what happened earlier, and tell him that we think the Captain tried to hurt us.” Another thought abruptly came to her. “We will also tell him that we want to take a ship as soon as the tide comes back in and we can leave. Hopefully he will take action on both subjects.” Fluttershy’s eyes widened. “Leave? As in, head back to Equestria?” Twilight nodded. “We’ve come further than any other explorer has ever dreamed, Fluttershy. We have re-discovered a city and a continent, found out where the ancient ruins of our ancestors are, and have discovered more about the flower than what was originally documented. Isn’t that enough to revel in?” Fluttershy dipped her head a bit, her ears drooping. “I guess.” Twilight could smell the reluctance of leaving oozing from Fluttershy’s body like it was a bad stench. “Why do you want to go after the flower so badly, Fluttershy? We talked about this earlier, I thought we had agreed to go home now.” Fluttershy whimpered as she clung to Twilight. “I know, sweetie, I know we must have gone over this several times already, but even now… it’s hard for me to accept. Remember when we left Ponyville? Remember why we set out in the first place, or at least, why I set out in the first place? We set out to find this flower and see it for ourselves. See it, Twilight, not come so close to it yet never taking the brave step forward. What would be said that we came back without laying eyes on it? Others would see us as failures, and I don’t want to be seen as a failure anymore. “I was always thought of as a failure, by all those at school. Throughout this trip, I wanted to prove to myself that they were wrong. I wanted to say that we did it, that we found this incredibly rare flower that sings about love and shines in the moonlight. I wanted to say that we saw what nopony else has ever laid eyes upon, sweetie. I want to say that I did something worthwhile for once.” Twilight started to feel tears running down her shoulder. “Please, Twilight, please don’t take that opportunity away from me.” Twilight clung to Fluttershy harder, her eyes staring forward intensely. “Fluttershy, let me start by saying that you are not a failure in anyway at all,” she said sternly after a brief period of silence. “How many ponies in history can say they stared down a dragon, or a cockatrice, or even Cerberus like you have done? You have achieved so much and more than I imagine anypony in your old class has ever achieved in the space of two years! Nopony can boast as much as you and the rest of our friends about how we saved Equestria together! Twice!” The two pulled away from each other, and pressed their forehooves together while their eyes were fixed on one another. “I know the plan was to see the flower to the end, but that was before we learned the flower, and the road leading to it, was dangerous. I care about you a lot, sweetheart, and if anything happens to you, I would have to deal with Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Pinkie Pie, and I know that will not end well for me. As far as I am concerned, you have succeeded in my eyes, and, I’m sure Rainbow Dash will agree with me on this, you have proven yourself as a greater adventurer than Daring Do, and that’s saying something.” Twilight smiled demurely. “I know it is something that you feel is important to you, but I want you to realise that it shouldn’t be. That should never be important to you, for you have already done all of that in the eyes of your friends, family, and especially me.” Fluttershy looked at the ground between them, finding herself at a loss for words. Yet, through the thin veil she felt that clouded her mind, she could see the reasoning behind Twilight’s words. She had done all of those things Twilight had pointed out, and more besides them. With her friends, she had saved Equestria from eternal night and chaos and ruin. She had saved Equestria as well from the dragon that had snored smoke across the country, but she considered that little compared to the other two. She looked up at Twilight, and felt a small, demure smile crawl across her face. “Do you really mean all of that?” Twilight kissed her forehead. “I meant every word, sweetheart. Like I said earlier, you are the bravest mare I have ever known.” No more needed to be said. Fluttershy flung herself at Twilight, pinning the unicorn to the ground, and wrapped herself in Twilight’s embrace. “Thank you, Twilight. Thank you for believing in me when I can barely believe in myself.” Twilight freed her legs out from Fluttershy’s body, and then gently wrapped them around Fluttershy’s shoulders and waist. “You are welcome, Fluttershy.” The two nestled into each other’s coats and relaxed, forgetting in their contentment that ponies that wanted to kill them targeted them earlier. When Fluttershy opened her eyes once again, she found to her shock that the sun was going down. She sat up on the unicorn’s lap and shook Twilight by the shoulders. “Twilight, wake up!” she shouted. “We need to get going or we’ll be late to the amphitheatre.” Twilight stirred groaningly as Fluttershy shook her again, then opened her eyes and stared narrowly at the pegasus. “What is it, Fluttershy? I was having a really good dream involving you and–” Before she could finish, Fluttershy pressed her lips closed with a hoof. “I really don’t want to know what you dreamed about me, and I am so sorry about that. I just woke up myself and saw the sun was going down. I didn’t want us to be late to the amphitheatre tonight, so I woke you.” Twilight’s eyes widened as she remembered that they were meant to be at the amphitheatre before the sun fell. “The play!” she exclaimed. She teleported herself off the ground and reappeared a foot away from Fluttershy, who fell onto her backside unceremoniously with an, “Eep!” “We should get moving if we’re going to make it in time!” Twilight said rapidly, jogging on the spot to show she was panicking. “Oh, what if we don’t make it in time? What if Grey Spot has us imprisoned for our impudence?” Fluttershy tilted her head in confusion as she watched Twilight starting to pace. “I mean, he made it sound as though it was important to him that we are there when it starts. If we’re not there when it starts, doesn’t that mean we did not follow an order from the Merchant Prince of Esperius? Does that mean we–” For the second time that day, and undoubtedly in Fluttershy’s mind it would not be the last, she pressed her hoof against Twilight’s lips to silence her. “Sweetie, I don’t think for one second that Grey Spot will put us in prison for turning up late at a play,” Fluttershy said assuredly, smiling whilst shaking her head. “And secondly, I doubt he’s even going to notice we’re late.” Twilight sighed calmingly, and then smiled elatedly. “You’re right, as always, but let’s not give him a reason to think poorly of us.” She grabbed Fluttershy’s hoof with her own, then started cantering towards the amphitheatre with the pegasus being dragged along behind. The first stars of the night sky had started to appear by the time Twilight and Fluttershy arrived in the courtyard that surrounded the amphitheatre, out of breath after running non-stop through the streets and avoiding wooden stands, pot plants, and restless seagulls among other things. Twilight leaned on Fluttershy as she got her breath back. “I don’t… think I’ve ever… run as fast as that… since that hydra,” she rasped. Fluttershy leaned her head against Twilight’s, not paying attention to the stares coming their way from the little ponies walking through the giant archway that led into the heart of the giant roundhouse. “I know. I’m just surprised how long it took us to get here,” she said. She didn’t realise that she sounded in better shape than Twilight was. “Do you want to go in?” “No, not yet,” Twilight replied, waving her hoof in gesture. “Give me another minute.” Fluttershy nodded, and allowed Twilight to lean up against her to regain her breath. As she waited, Fluttershy had a look at the amphitheatre. In the fading light, the elegantly round building had walls with the colour of the clearest ocean, with a dome-shaped roof like the colour of the setting sun. Statues of wyverns sitting on their haunches with their tails wrapped around their legs ringed around the mid-way point of the building in finely constructed arches, and their heads bowed as though looking at the hundreds of ponies walking in. The main entrance itself was a large archway with two red wyverns flying towards the tip. ‘This place has a fascination with wyverns,’ Fluttershy noted. “Okay,” Twilight sighed as she pushed herself off Fluttershy and onto her hooves once more. “I’m ready to go in. You?” Fluttershy looked back and nodded. “I’m ready, sweetie.” With smiles of encouragement for one another, the two ponies walked slowly into the amphitheatre, flanked on all sides by hundreds of little ponies. Fluttershy felt her heart quicken at the sight of so many, so inched herself closer to Twilight for safety. The unicorn smiled, and then wrapped her tail around Fluttershy’s to comfort her. It had the right effect the instant it started twirling around Fluttershy’s tail. “So um, if we get the chance to see Grey Spot, are we going to ask him about a ship and what happened earlier?” Fluttershy asked. Twilight nodded, though she looked surprised that Fluttershy wanted to go for it. “I hope so, and I hope he’ll say yes. Do you want to go back home now?” Fluttershy nodded slowly. “I’ve been thinking about what you said earlier, and you are right. I have been thinking too much about going after the flower that I failed to think about the dangers that lie before it, and thinking about others that I haven’t spoken to in five years when I should have thought about those I know closest to me. I have been a fool. We’ve come this far together and that is something I think I can be proud of, especially if I’m coming back home with a lover.” She leaned her head closer to Twilight’s so their cheeks were touching. “I think I am ready to go home now.” Twilight smiled, and then affectionately nuzzled her marefriend’s cheek. “So am I,” she said. They pulled away when they felt the world start to turn colder as they disappeared into the blackness of the tunnel on the other side of the archway. Fluttershy shivered in fright as she felt little ponies brushing past her, yet it was too dark for her to see them. Her nerves were at breaking point. Ever since they had suspected themselves to be the targets of assassination, Fluttershy had found herself suspicious of every street, every pony that passed them by, every window and every dark patch like she was in now. She knew the pony that had tried to harm them was out there, and as long as he or she was free to roam, they would always be in terrible danger. She knew also that she would be freaking out and wanting to get back to the sanctity of their room in the palace by now, but for a reason she knew already, she wanted to see the play. The reason was Twilight Sparkle. Being at the unicorn’s side was the safest place she could think of, and she knew Twilight would feel the same way about her. ‘We’re completely dependent on each other, at least I think we are,’ Fluttershy realised, her eyes widening at the discovery. ‘Does that mean I really do love her?’ Before she could answer her own question, she could feel the warming touch of light on her coat, which forced her to look up and stare at the interior of the amphitheatre. Hanging from the ceiling, half a dozen great chandeliers that glittered with light from their candles lit up the large chamber, arrayed in a large circle so they covered the whole interior. At the centre of the room was a large white circle, barren of anything and elevated from the rest of the floor on wooden stacks so those watching from far away could see what was happening. Surrounding the circle was at least a hundred raised seating benches that went up right to the top of the building. And along the walls, resplendent in eternal colours, were massive paintings that breathed life into the amphitheatre. Twilight and Fluttershy craned their necks and looked around to find a place to sit. However, with so many ponies taking up seats across the chamber, it was difficult for them to find one. “Oh, I see free seats over there!” Fluttershy announced, pointing to the other side of the stage where space wide enough for the pair of them to sit were available. Twilight grinned when she saw them as well. “Then let’s get them quick before other ponies sit there,” she said as her horn started to light up. In a flash, the two ponies disappeared, only to reappear on the seats on the other side of the stage. “Perfect,” Twilight said happily, lowering her backside onto her haunches. “And a pretty good view, too.” Before Fluttershy could agree, she received a hard shove on the back from a pony behind her. She looked behind to see that Twilight and herself were obscuring the views of about twenty ponies behind them, who were hissing at them in their rough language. “Oh my. I’m so sorry,” she said loudly, much to Twilight’s confusion. She turned to Twilight and whispered, “I think we should move; we’re blocking everypony’s view.” Twilight looked back and her eyes widened at seeing loads of angry ponies glaring down at them. She grinned sheepishly at them, before glancing at Fluttershy. “Hold on tight,” she said as she powered up her horn again. The two ponies disappeared once more in a flash of white light, only to reappear on the other side of the amphitheatre about twenty seats up from the stage. “There,” Fluttershy sighed contently as she made herself comfortable once more, “I think this is better, don’t you?” Twilight nodded. “Mm hmm,” she said as she pressed her hooves into the hard stone bench like a cat. Fluttershy giggled at the sight. “Never ever stop doing that, Twilight,” she whispered. “It’s so cute.” Twilight blushed when she realised her marefriend was watching her. “Um… th-thanks, I guess,” she said. Fluttershy nuzzled Twilight’s cheek gently. “You’re welcome,” she said. She looked back at the stage. “How much longer do you think we’ll have to wait until the play starts? I hope it’s not too long; I might get restless.” Twilight frowned wryly in thought. “Hopefully not much longer. Maybe until all these ponies stop com– hey!” she shouted just as something light tapped her on the back of her head. She looked around to see more ponies glaring at them for obscuring their view. She returned their gazes again with a sheepish grin of her own. “Sorry,” she said. She turned to Fluttershy, who looked back at her with a worried look. “Okay, I can see where this is going. We’re going to go right around this place to find more seats only to be blocking the views for the ponies behind us. And this will only continue until we make it to the top of the amphitheatre, where we will have the poorest view.” She sighed exasperatingly. “I should write a comedy novel, because that would earn a few laughs.” Fluttershy smiled politely, though she already thought the situation was quite funny. “Okay, um, so should we head straight to the top and avoid any more trouble?” Twilight nodded as her horn lit up for the third time and, in an instant, the two ponies disappeared once more. They quickly reappeared in the material realm on the highest bench, where only a few other ponies occupied the benches. “You know, this isn’t as bad as I thought it would be,” Twilight said as she pressed her back against the wall behind her. “We get back rests, and still have a really good view of what’s going on down below. The only way this can go wrong is–” The moment she said the word ‘wrong’, a drip of water that leaked through the roof tapped her on the nose, followed shortly by another one, then another. Twilight stared intensely at the drops of water hitting her muzzle, while Fluttershy looked away and sniggered quietly with her hoof over her mouth. After a moment, she calmed herself down enough to start shifting down the benches. “Come on, sweetie, let’s move up,” she said. Twilight sighed as another drop hit her, before taking Fluttershy’s good advice and following her marefriend down the benches. They eventually stopped after going about ten feet or so away from the leak, and even from that distance, Twilight could still hear the agitating sound of water hitting the stone bench. “Somepony should have fixed that leak by now,” she muttered. Fluttershy smiled comfortingly. “Oh, don’t let it get to you, Twily,” she said soothingly. “A little bit of water doesn’t hurt anypony.” “Unless you’re Rarity or an evil witch pony,” Twilight countered with a grin, which made Fluttershy snigger with laughter. “Seriously, I have never seen anypony panic like her when rain starts. She literally runs for the hills the moment a drop of rain is spotted.” “Maybe she is a witch,” Fluttershy giggled playfully, earning a giggle from Twilight. She poked Twilight’s side. “Maybe you’re a witch as well.” Twilight gasped jokingly. “Oh no,” she said dramatically, “you have discovered Rarity and my self’s secret. I will have to turn you into a newt to keep you silent.” Fluttershy laughed as she tilted her head to the side. “A newt?” Twilight shrugged casually. “Oh, don’t worry, you’ll get better in no time.” “Not that, I was just wondering a newt. Why a newt, of all creatures?” Twilight shrugged once more. “I read it in a book somewhere, I think. Quite a good one, too. I should lend it to you sometime. But back to the subject, if Rarity is a witch, what shall we do?” Fluttershy tapped her chin in thought, giggling constantly. “Oh, I know. We have to see if she weighs the same as a duck, and if she does, then she is a witch.” Twilight snorted with laughter. “A duck? Of all the things to test a witch on, a duck is not one I ever expected.” The two laughed for a long time, as the image of Rarity sitting on one scale with a duck on another was too good for them to take it out of their heads. After a minute, the laughter died down, and Fluttershy rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly, feeling slightly ashamed of herself for making fun of her friend like she did. “Do you think Rarity has felt a cold shiver down her back while we talked about her like that?” she asked worriedly. Twilight chuckled. “I’m sure she didn’t feel a thing,” she said assuredly. “The most she probably felt was a raindrop falling on her head.” The two laughed once more, which promptly faded away as ponies began to clap their hooves together. “Oh, looks like it’s starting.” Fluttershy squinted her eyes to get a proper look at the stage. At the centre of the stage was a large pony with a golden mask covering the top half of his head and wore a golden toga that covered his entire body. The pony twirled around on the spot, bowing his head as he did so, while the whole amphitheatre exploded into further applause. Even from the distance between her and the stage, she could tell that the pony was Grey Spot. “Oh my,” she gasped. She nudged Twilight. “I think that’s Grey Spot down there.” Twilight leaned forward and squinted her eyes as well. After a moment, they widened in recognition. “That is Grey Spot,” she said, sounding surprised. “I didn’t expect him to be actually taking part in whatever is going on down there; I just thought he would have a special balcony for him to watch it all.” “So did I,” Fluttershy concurred, nodding. “I thought he wanted us to be with him watching the play.” “I even thought out what the seating arrangement would have been,” Twilight said. “I would be at the far side, you would be in the middle, and Grey Spot would be next to you.” Fluttershy’s eyes narrowed, and then she gave Twilight an odd stare. “Why would I be next to Grey Spot?” Twilight looked at her marefriend expressionlessly for a long time. “It’s taken me a while, but I think I figured it out. Have you ever noticed how friendly he is to you and not to me?” she asked. Fluttershy looked at Twilight aghast for a second, before looking back at the stage, just as Grey Spot was talking in Esperian, welcoming everypony and thanking them for coming, she figured. As she thought about it, Grey Spot did seem to act differently to her than he did to Twilight. The things he said, like saying her name was beautiful, or answering a question he felt uncomfortable with. Nopony else would do that unless… Oh dear. Fluttershy felt her heart skip a beat. “He likes me romantically?” she gasped incredulously. Twilight nodded, even as she felt a smirk coming across her face. “I think so,” she replied. Silly mode engaged, she started swaying from side to side, singing, “He wants to love you, he wants to hug you, he wants to kiss you, he wants to…” She trailed off and shivered when she saw the darkest glare she had ever seen from Fluttershy. “Say anymore, and I will personally end you,” she growled, even as she felt a faint blush on her cheeks. “Sorry,” Twilight squeaked, her eyes wide with regret. Fluttershy found she couldn’t stay mad at that face for long. “I forgive you,” she sighed, her angry look fading away, to be replaced with a heavy frown. She pulled back and rubbed her forehead in confusion. “How can he fall in love with me? What have I done to gain his affections?” Twilight chuckled. “To be honest, I don’t think you need to do anything for a pony to fall in love with you. Especially you, sweetheart. You’re just, well, you. How can anypony not fall in love with you?” Fluttershy felt her cheeks heat up once more as Twilight’s words sunk into her mind. “You’re taking this pretty well, since you’re my marefriend,” she noted. Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Are you considering returning his feelings?” Fluttershy shook her head rapidly, ridding Twilight of the small stain of doubt that always lingered. “Of course not. I’m attracted to other mares, not stallions.” “Then why should I be worried this time?” Twilight asked, smiling assuredly. That smile withered a bit like an aging flower when Fluttershy stared at her explanatory. “That was always my greatest worry, you know. I feared I would wake up and later find out you had a coltfriend, or a marefriend. I once had a terrible nightmare about that; it was enough to make me cry myself awake.” Fluttershy suddenly felt terrible for even considering saying ‘no’ to returning Twilight’s feelings. She slowly and hesitantly flung a foreleg over her marefriend’s shoulders, ready to take it off at a moment’s notice. When Twilight didn’t react, Fluttershy gently pulled her in, until the unicorn’s head was resting against her shoulder. She smiled and nestled her head in Twilight’s mane. “That would never happen, Twilight. Not ever,” she assured her. “I don’t think I haven’t told anypony else this, but a few months ago I asked Applejack if she would help me find a marefriend.” Twilight looked up, unable to bring herself to move away thanks to Fluttershy’s relaxing heartbeat. “Really?” Fluttershy nodded. “She asked around to see if anypony else wanted to give being with me a try, but none of the mares Applejack asked were interested, or were in the middle of their own relationships. Nopony wanted to be with me, Twilight, so you had nothing to worry about.” Twilight frowned. “That’s not true, though. Somepony did want to be with you.” She leaned her head down and nuzzled Fluttershy’s chest affectionately. “Me.” Fluttershy blushed, but kept her smile and didn’t say a word. The two stayed comfortably silent as the lights started to dim, and the play began in earnest. It started off with Grey Spot singing in Esperian a narration about the events the play was about to portray; in the darkness she could see the other actors and actresses beginning to form up, ready for their turn on the stage. “Doesn’t Grey Spot have such a good singing voice?” Twilight said as she listened intently, trying to understand what was going on. Fluttershy nodded, finding herself almost entranced by the deep, operatic voice Grey Spot had. “He’s not as good as you, though,” she said cheerfully. “You have an amazing singing voice.” Twilight blushed. “Thanks, but I don’t think I sing as well as you,” she remarked, making Fluttershy blush bashfully. “You can make a bushel of rabbits fall to sleep with your voice, whereas I can only send them running for the hills. How are you such a great singer?” Fluttershy shrugged. “I’m not sure, really. My mother and I used to sing on the train a lot when we were together; it passed the time, but I wasn’t very good at it. My mum’s fireman was a singer, though, and a very good one, so during breaks he would teach me how to sing and use the full potential of my voice. He told me to avoid the more modern rubbish music and go back to the classical ways of singing and such. I’m glad he did, cause I can’t get enough of this kind of music.” Twilight smiled serenely. “Neither can I. Though I have to admit, Rainbow Dash’s collection of music is starting to get to me. Once I caught myself humming one of those awful-sounding tunes she has.” Fluttershy gasped in horror. “Oh dear! We must exorcise you before her vile music takes you over!” she cried, grinning and giggling teasingly, which looked and sounded so cute it made Twilight start to giggle with delight. Twilight put a hoof to her forehead, swooning. “Oh no, what can save me from this dreadful peril!” she gasped dramatically. Fluttershy looked away from her marefriend and began rubbing her chin in thought as she pondered a way to ‘exorcise’ her marefriend of Rainbow Dash’s horrible taste of music. Her face lit up when an idea sprung to the front of her mind. “Doctor Fluttershy has come up with a solution!” she proclaimed. “And what has Doctor Fluttershy come up wi– oh, hello,” Twilight said as Fluttershy wrapped her forelegs and her wings around her marefriend, bringing her in close and tickling her with the pegasus’s feathers. “The power of hugs compels you!” Fluttershy shouted quietly, nuzzling Twilight’s neck with the tip of her muzzle. “The power of hugs compels you!” Twilight giggled as she found herself getting comfortable with her newfound position as a large plush. “You know, if this was the cure to getting rid of Rainbow’s vile music, then I should have been cured weeks ago thanks to your hugs.” “Mmm hmm,” Fluttershy said as she sunk into Twilight’s coat. “And is it working?” she asked. Twilight smiled, then relaxed in Fluttershy’s loving but tight embrace. “Of course,” she replied as she freed her hooves from the pegasus’s iron grip and wrapped them around her marefriend’s back. The two fell into a peaceful, companionable silence as they watched the play unfold, not knowing what was going on, but not really caring. They were together, and that was all that mattered. The next two hours flew by quicker than Rainbow Dash ever could. Various ponies, all dressed in clothes – from rags to the finest dresses that would make Rarity envious – came up to the stage, sung to the audience, sung to each other, and then departed from the stage as the applauses deafened the hall. A few seconds later, two or four more appeared and sang or fought one another for the affections of a mare or stallion, with one winding up dying over-dramatically to the point he fell off the stage. As Fluttershy watched with a small smile, she found herself glancing over to Twilight, who was still nestled in her super hug, as she called them, and admiring her beauty from time to time. The way her eyes followed every movement on the stage, her sweet, content smile, and finally the way her ears flickered and twitched with every sound and every note coming from the ponies’ voices. It all added immensely to the beauty of the pony she could proudly call her marefriend. ‘So why can’t I just say I love her?’ she wondered agitatedly. She sighed sullenly, which did not go unnoticed by Twilight. Fluttershy thought she was pretty, sweet, loving and caring, but could not understand why she couldn’t say the three words Twilight desperately wanted to hear. Was she scared that if she said them, something bad would happen to them both? Or was it something else? “Everything all right, Fluttershy?” Twilight whispered concernedly. Fluttershy looked up at her with sad eyes. “Are you absolutely sure you’re okay with this? Me being so hesitant in saying I love you and feeling like I really mean it, I mean.” Twilight smiled as she began to run a hoof up and down Fluttershy’s back. “Of course I don’t mind it. It’s you, after all. I honestly didn’t expect you to say you loved me back the first time you learnt about my feelings, or even expect you to say those words for a long time.” She nuzzled the side of Fluttershy’s face delicately. “So don’t worry about it.” Fluttershy did not look convinced, however. “But you must be feeling impatient by now, surely.” Twilight shook her head. “You do know it took me almost a year to realise my true feelings for you, right?” Fluttershy nodded attentively. “Well, before then I knew I thought of you for something else, but until my brother’s wedding I could not understand why I thought differently of you. These feelings didn’t come sporadically to me; they grew over a long period of time.” Twilight leaned her head lovingly against Fluttershy’s. “Love isn’t something that comes instantaneous to us like friendship does, at least in our cases. It grows in us like a flower, rising from the ground until it blooms with colour and beauty. Though it may not come to you in a week, or even a few weeks, but it will, if you really do love me. You just have to be patient, and you must always listen to your heart.” Fluttershy stared at Twilight for a long time, before breaking out a smile. “You are sweet, Twilight,” she said softly. “I wish I could share your patience.” Twilight chuckled. “No offence or anything, but isn’t impatience a common trait among pegasi?” Fluttershy shrugged. “I guess so, though some express it more than others. I think I’m more in the middle,” she said. Fluttershy fell into silence as she listened to the singing below her, and the alluring scent of Twilight’s mane billowing through her nostrils. Another hour or so later, the lights began to brighten again, and the room exploded into applause as the play finished. Fluttershy covered her ears with her hooves as the noise deafened her. Twilight noticed her discomfort and wrapped her forelegs around her marefriend to keep her close. “It’s okay, sweetheart,” she whispered soothingly. “Nopony is going to hurt you so long as I am around.” Fluttershy relaxed a bit within Twilight’s comforting hug, and she nestled into it. “I know, and I am sorry about this. I just don’t like loud applauses like that. It’s very uncomfortable to my ears.” Twilight smiled. “No need to be sorry, sweetheart.” She looked around and noticed ponies were getting up and starting to leave the amphitheatre in an orderly fashion. “Right, now that the play is over, shall we go and see Grey Spot about earlier?” Fluttershy swallowed down the lump in her throat, and then briskly nodded. “I guess we should,” she replied as she got up, releasing Twilight from her feathery prison. “I hope he hasn’t already left, though.” Twilight got up as well. “I doubt he has. It must take ages to take clothes off without magic,” she said. She pointed to a door that was just right of a small flight of stairs leading onto the stage. “Let’s go through there and see if we can find him.” Her horn lit up suddenly, and in a flash of light the pair was gone. The couple reappeared just outside the door, avoiding anypony as they all tried to use the ways closest to the exit. Twilight knocked on the door. “Hello? Grey Spot, are you in there?” she called, knocking again. The door opened slightly, revealing the smiling face of the Merchant Prince of Esperius. “Ah, hello, Twilight, Fluttershy, if I am honest I didn’t think you both were here; I’ve been looking for you throughout the night.” “Ah, we were at the top there,” Twilight explained, pointing behind them. Fluttershy nodded meekly in agreement. “That was a great play as well,” she added happily. “A great way to end the day, despite the fact we couldn’t understand a word that was being said.” Grey Spot smiled. “You two are most welcome,” he said. He pulled the door open a bit more to look at them both. “So what can I do for you two?” Twilight looked to Fluttershy for approval, which the pegasus gave with a few nods of her head. “You see, we would like to talk to you about some things,” Twilight said, pawing at the ground with a hoof. ‘Please say yes,’ she thought. Grey Spot’s smile fell. “Um, can’t this wait until I get back to the palace?” he asked, glancing back every now and then. “I’m kinda busy with something at the moment. Something really important.” Twilight’s ears fell flat, as did Fluttershy’s, but she kept her smile. “Oh… okay, then. We’ll be in our room at the palace if you want to find us. See you there.” They bowed their heads at the Prince, then turned around and trotted around the stage and into the black tunnel dejectedly. “I was so sure he would talk to us,” Twilight said agitatedly as they left the darkness of the tunnel and into the cool night air. The sight of the stars dotting the sky above them gave them a peaceful feeling, despite what happened a few hours ago. “Don’t worry about it, sweetie,” Fluttershy said comfortingly. “We’ll still get our chance to talk to him. It’s just been held back for a bit later, that’s all.” Twilight smiled. “I know, but I would have liked to get it over with.” Her face lit up as an idea came into her head. “How about we wait here until he’s done with whatever he’s doing, then we can tell him on the way back?” she suggested. Fluttershy frowned nervously, even as she felt her heart starting to beat faster at the thought of staying out in the open for so long. “Oh, um…” she started hesitantly, but when she looked into Twilight’s loving eyes, she felt safer already, and found she had the courage to finish. “Okay, sweetie, but we’ll stay for a little while, and then head back to the palace.” Twilight nodded assuredly, and then plonked her rump onto the ground, sighing contently as she looked at the stars. Fluttershy moved to sit beside her, and then lowered her head until it rested on the unicorn’s shoulder. She looked up, and giggled a little when she saw Twilight’s mouth hanging open, making her look like a fish. Gently, she lifted a hoof up and closed Twilight’s mouth, jolting the unicorn out of her gaze. “Oh, sorry, sweetie, but I didn’t want any flies to fly into your mouth,” Fluttershy explained giggly. “They might get hurt.” Twilight glanced down at her marefriend, and smiled widely. “They might get hurt! What about me? I might choke on them,” she said. Fluttershy giggled as she stretched a wing out and started caressing Twilight’s back. “Oh, I don’t know, they migh–” She cut herself off when she glanced movement to her right, and froze in horror. “I think there’s somepony out there,” she squeaked fearfully, inching closer to her marefriend. Twilight stood up immediately, and moved to position herself in front of Fluttershy while she thought of a spell that would defend them from any attackers. She scanned the streets and the area around and even above her, but couldn’t see any ponies or anything that might potentially harm them. “Stay here,” she whispered as she plodded forward. Fluttershy squeaked a reply, nodding her head bubbly. “Just be careful, sweetie,” she cautioned, her eyes wandering frantically around her. Twilight looked back with an assuring smile. “I’m always careful,” she said, just before something heavy hit the top of her head, and sent her falling to her side like a tower of bricks. “TWILIGHT!” Fluttershy screamed in horror. She sprinted towards her unconscious marefriend, but before she could get far, another thing hurtled towards her and slammed into the side of her face. She cried out in pain as she fell to her side, her vision clouding over as she felt herself go numb. The last thing she saw before darkness took her was a group of little ponies appearing from the shadows, and marching menacingly towards her… Twilight groaned agitatedly as her head throbbed, and she could feel her body ache with mild pain. “Wha… what happened?” she wondered aloud, as she rolled onto her stomach, a hoof clutching against her head as she tried to remember what brought her out. All she could feel, however, was the drumming pain in her head, and she gritted her teeth together to try to fight it back before it could bring her into darkness once more. “Urgh,” she groaned. “Fluttershy, what happ…” She trailed off when she saw that she was in the courtyard just outside the amphitheatre, right where the pair was standing before she went out cold. Fluttershy was nowhere to be seen. Twilight felt her heart skip a few beats as she looked around for her marefriend. “Fluttershy?” she called fearfully. When she received no reply, her heart began to beat like a fast drum. “Fluttershy, sweetheart, talk to me!” she called as she got up, the pain in her head put to the back of her mind. There was still no response from the pegasus; Twilight could feel her heart stopping altogether. “Fluttershy!” she cried again, tears beginning to fill her vision. When she did not hear a squeak from her marefriend, Twilight’s hind legs buckled beneath her and she collapsed onto her rump, sobbing loudly as terror began to strangle her. ‘Who would have taken her?’ Twilight thought through her tears. It was obvious to her that the ponies who knocked her out wanted them, but took only Fluttershy, but who would have done that? ‘Who could do such a thing to her?’ She looked out at the city, heaving back tears as she felt her heart strengthen into stone. She couldn’t wallow in misery, not now. Her marefriend was out there somewhere, alone, in peril, and undoubtedly very afraid. Twilight stood upright once again and took deep breaths, not just to keep herself calm, but to control her growing anger as well. “I will find you, Fluttershy,” she said aloud. “Even if I have to turn this whole city upside down, I will find you!” “Twilight?” The unicorn spun around upon hearing her name being called, and gasped in delight when she saw Grey Spot emerge from the amphitheatre, along with the Captain of the Guard and a few other soldiers at his side. “What are you doing out here?” Grey Spot asked. Twilight ran up to him and brought him in a hug. “Oh, good, you were still in there. That means I haven’t been out for very long,” she said as she pulled away, though it was more to herself. “Haven’t been out long, what are you talking–?” Grey Spot cut himself off when he saw the spot where a rock or something hit her on her head. “What did that?” he shouted. “There’s no time! Whoever did this to me has taken Fluttershy!” Twilight yelled, staring into his eyes pleadingly. She set her hooves on Grey Spot’s shoulders. “Please! You have to help me find her!” Grey Spot’s eyes widened as he stared at Twilight for a long time, before narrowing them in determination. “If Fluttershy has been kidnapped, then I will do what I can.” He turned to his retinue. “Send word to all battalions. Start searching the city for Fluttershy. Turn Esperius upside down if you have to, just find her!” he commanded. At once the soldiers nodded, then split off and galloped swiftly into the city. “Thank you, Grey Spot,” Twilight whispered, feeling slightly better with his quick actions. ‘Though I would feel much better if Fluttershy was here with me,’ she thought sullenly. “You’re most welcome, Twilight Sparkle,” he said amiably. He turned to the Captain. “You start searching, as well, Captain; you know this city more than anypony, you know who’d have her.” The Captain nodded. “Yes, my lord,” he said roughly, saluting. Grey Spot nodded, then turned back to Twilight. “Get back to the palace and head straight for your room. I’ll come to you with news when I hear some,” he ordered kindly, gesturing with his head at the great structure in the distance. “If the kidnappers are out there still they might try and get hold of you again.” Twilight bobbed her head. “Thank you for your concern, but I would rather look for my marefriend,” she said. “I assure you, we will do everything we can to see her safe and sound,” Grey Spot said, smiling kindly at the unicorn. “Now, if you excuse me, I must return to the palace to conduct the search. Captain, you know your orders.” With that, he galloped down the street towards the palace. Twilight watched him go, and then glanced back as the Captain skulked away, who was looking back at her with a small sneer, which did not look friendly at all. The unicorn narrowed her eyes suspiciously as he turned a corner and disappeared down a street. ‘What is he up to?’ Twilight lit up her horn and cast her teleportation spell, disappearing in a flash of light and appearing at the end of the street the Captain went down. She saw him walking along slowly, looking left and right every now and then as mice scurried from their hiding places to get away. Judging by the little pony’s movements, he didn’t look as if he was searching for Fluttershy; he looked like a pony extremely pleased with himself. Twilight, now highly suspicious, teleported again, this time ending up on the rooftops above the Captain as he turned into a narrow street. Twilight followed him slowly as he walked, taking great care not to cause too much noise as her hooves touched the tiled roofs. As she followed the Captain further down the road, and further from the palace, her suspicions grew more and more. As well as the attempt on their lives a few hours earlier, did he have something to do with Fluttershy’s kidnapping? ‘Let’s see if our suspicions were true,’ she thought, smirking as a plan came together in her head. She watched as the little pony turned into a darker street below her, then teleported herself to the ground and beside him. Before the Captain could react, Twilight pushed him to the ground, disarming him of his weapon with a flick of her magic, and stood over him triumphantly. “All right, pal,” she growled, poking him in the chest. “It’s time to own up and tell me the truth.” The Captain growled at her, trying to rise but against Twilight’s larger body and strength he had no chance. “What truth? I tell you no truth.” Twilight picked him up with her magic and threw him against the wall of a building heavily. “You should learn that it’s not a very good idea to lie to me, especially if one of my best friends is in danger,” she threatened, snarling with rage. “Now, tell me a few things. Earlier, back in the gardens, did you or did you not put a rock in Fluttershy’s way that caused her to trip up, with intent to hurt or kill us?” The Captain didn’t look as though he was about to say anything. “You won’t talk, huh?” The Captain shook his head. Twilight looked at her forehead in thought. “You know, a few weeks back I learned a new spell that could make parts of a pony grow back, like a leg, a mouth or maybe an ear. I also learned it was reversible, meaning I can take them away as much as give them back; it was used as an early method of torture in the first age of Equestria. I didn’t want to test it out on my friends or any other pony from my town, in case I got it wrong and did something horrible, but I guess you would make a good volunteer.” The Captain’s eyes widened with horror as he stared at Twilight’s manic grin. “Now, what shall it be first? The leg, your muzzle, your ears, or your eyes?” “Yes!” the Captain blabbered out frantically. “I put the rock there! I’d been following you all day so I could get a good chance to take you down! When I saw you two heading for the maze, I moved ahead and placed the rock there! Please, don’t take my eyes!” Twilight’s teeth grinded against each other loudly. “And under whose authority did you do that? Your own or somepony else’s?” She dropped the little pony to the ground, and lit her horn up once more. “Now think really carefully before you lie to me.” “Grey Spot ordered me to do it!” he replied. “He told me if that didn’t work, then pick some ponies I know and trust to knock you both out and take your friend away!” Twilight’s eyes widened in horror and disbelief. ‘Grey Spot… betrayed us?’ she thought perplexedly. She turned back to the little pony cowering in front of her. “Why? Why did Grey Spot ask you to hurt us?” At once, the Captain relaxed and sneered devilishly. “Oh no, not you. Her.” Twilight’s eyes slowly bulged in fright as the pieces came together in her head. ‘I had it all wrong,’ she thought. She shook her head of such thoughts for the present, and then looked down at the Captain with nothing but contempt; the Captain seemed to shrink a few inches under the unicorn’s gaze. “Where did you take her?” she demanded. “To the palace!” he replied, shivering in place. “To await whatever Grey Spot wants done with her!” ‘No wonder he was in a hurry to get back to the palace.’ Twilight nodded determinedly, then spun away. “Then I better hurry,” she said as she trotted away to the palace. “You’re going to go against the entire palace?” the Captain asked incredulously. “I will go to war with the whole of Esperius if I have to!” Twilight declared. “Fluttershy means the world to me, Captain, and not a singly pony in this city will stop me from freeing her from this place and heading home in my embrace.” She didn’t feel afraid, or nervous at the prospect on taking on an entire city. She was angry, and if anypony from Equestria other than Fluttershy were with her, they would know full well to keep away from her until she cooled down. ‘It’s a shame none of my other friends are here with me,’ she thought as she trotted down the street. ‘I could really have them here to kick some flank.’ “Oh wait, I almost forgot something!” she announced before she made it to the end. She turned around and, staring at the Captain, who was picking himself off the floor, cast a spell. At once, the Captain’s eyes widened in horror as his lips disappeared from his face. He began to scream as he tried to feel around for them. “Oh don’t worry, the spell will wear off in a couple of days; it is illusion magic, after all,” Twilight assured him. “But that should teach you to never call Fluttershy dumb, not when I am around.” With that, she spun away from the screaming and crying Captain, and began to gallop down the road, with fury in her heart and her eyes lit up with anger as she weaved down one street into another as she charged towards the palace. “I’m coming to get you, Fluttershy,” she whispered to the sky. “And not a single pony is going to get in my way!” Fluttershy’s eyes shot open as she felt her body switch itself back on. The moment she felt her eyes were open, she closed them again tight and groaned loudly as she felt a bump the size of a molehill on her head. “Ouch,” she moaned. She gently set a hoof on it, only to instantly pull it back as pain shot out of the bump like a cannon and flowed around her body. ‘At least it isn’t bleeding,’ she thought thankfully upon inspecting her hoof for blood. “Twilight, what happen…” Fluttershy trailed off when she looked around at where she was, and felt her heart skip several beats. She was in a cell of some sort, with dark, damp walls leaking water, a single wooden door with no window on it, and only a small candlelight on the corner beside a stone bed with no pillow or duvet. Worst than all of that, though, was that she was alone. “Twilight!” she cried out, spinning around as she looked for a window, an opening, anything to make her see her marefriend. Yet there wasn’t any, and there wasn’t a peep from the unicorn as well. Fluttershy felt tears begin to build up in her eyes as panic started to set in. “Twilight, sweetie, please say something!” she yelled. But there was not a word. She looked to the door, and then ran up to it and knocked repeatedly on it hard. “Let me out!” she yelled. “Please, if anypony’s there, please open this door!” Nopony replied, so she continued banging against the door. She continued to do it until her leg began to ache, and she couldn’t see a thing thanks to the tears running down her face. As far as she knew, she was alone, and worse, she did not have the loving embrace of Twilight to hold her comfortingly and her soothing voice telling her that everything will be all right. With that thought, Fluttershy rested her head against the door and cried inconsolably, her heartbeat going faster than a train yet feeling it crack from being apart from Twilight. “Plea-a-a-se,” she sobbed, tapping at the door. “I just want to see my marefriend again.” When there was no response, she continued to cry. After what felt like ages crying against the door, she heard the sound of the bolt forming the door lock loosening. She stopped crying and backed away towards the bed, particularly towards the candle in case she had to use it to defend herself. ‘I would rather not, but I will if I have to,’ she thought to herself as she glanced at it. A sudden hopeful thought came to her. ‘What if it’s Twilight coming to rescue me?’ She broke out of her thoughts when the door opened, and from the other side Grey Spot emerged, walking into the cell with a serious expression on his face. Fluttershy felt her hopeful smile fall a bit. ‘Sloppy seconds, I suppose.’ “Grey Spot?” she said as he stood before her, though the look on his face wasn’t very amiable. Grey Spot bowed his head nimbly to the pegasus. “Fluttershy,” he greeted her dispassionately. “How are you feeling?” Fluttershy stared at Grey Spot with a narrow eye, feeling wary by his presence. ‘Something’s not right,’ she thought. ‘Grey Spot should be a lot friendlier to me.’ “Um, I’m okay, thank you. My head aches a bit, but I’m sure it will get better soon,” she replied amiably, hoping it would be enough to rid Grey Spot of his stern look. It did nothing of the sort. Fluttershy looked over his shoulder, and saw from the door two guards peeking in from the other side. “Um… are you here to rescue me?” she asked, sounding moderately hopeful. To her horror, Grey Spot shook his head. “Nope. I’m just here to see how my latest prisoner is,” he answered casually. Fluttershy opened her mouth in shock, and could feel terror creep across her body like a snail crawling across a leaf. “Prisoner?” she repeated. She looked around her again in confusion. “Then, where am I?” “You’re in the palace dungeons. Just below the throne room, to be exact,” Grey Spot replied, looking at the ceiling. He looked back at Fluttershy again, who stared at him in horror and anger. “Why am I here, Grey Spot?” she asked when she felt angry enough to talk. “Why have you done this to me? I thou… I hoped we could be friends.” Grey Spot sighed sadly. “I am sorry it had to be this way, Fluttershy,” he said. “But you were simply in my way. It was either this, or get rid of you completely, and I couldn’t do the latter.” “But why do you want me out of your way in the first place?” Fluttershy demanded. “What have I done to earn your hate?” Grey Spot looked at the ground beside them. “It isn’t what you have done that causes me to do this. It is what you have earned that grieves me. Something that should be mine.” Fluttershy’s eyes widened in confusion. ‘What have I earned?’ she wondered. Her eyes started to wander the cell, trying to think of what she had that Grey Spot wanted. ‘My wings?’ She inwardly shook her head; Grey Spot already said he liked himself the way he is. ‘My Element of Harmony?’ Again, she didn’t think so; he probably didn’t know what the Elements of Harmony were to begin with. ‘Twilight’s aff…’ Her mind trailed off when the answer came to her. Fluttershy looked up at Grey Spot in shock. “So… it isn’t me you loved after all, was it? It was Twilight all along,” she said incredulously. Grey Spot nodded. “I love her more than this entire city, Fluttershy,” he said. “She is like the bright light in the closing night. The last bastion of intelligence and kindness in this sick world.” ‘How poetic,’ Fluttershy thought, rolling her eyes. “I am sorry, Grey Spot, but I don’t think you have a chance. Twilight loves me and no other. I do not think she will dump me for you, I’m afraid.” Grey Spot grinned wickedly. “We’ll see about that,” he said, as he turned back to the door. Fluttershy felt uneasy all of a sudden, though it was not for herself but for her friend. “What are you going to do to her?” she yelled. “Nothing she will not remember in due time,” he replied. “Like what?” Fluttershy demanded, advancing towards him. Grey Spot stopped and then turned back to face Fluttershy menacingly, sending the pegasus backwards in fright and cowering behind her mane. “Nothing that concerns you, Fluttershy. I don’t want to hurt you, but if you want to be fed and kept well in your stay here, then you will be a good little girl and keep your mouth shut. Understand?” Fluttershy nodded meekly. “A-and how long will my stay here be?” she asked timidly as she got up again, shivering in fright under Grey Spot’s gaze. Grey Spot turned around once again and continued to walk away. “When Twilight doesn’t even remember what you look like,” he replied. “And trust me, that might be sooner than you think.” Fluttershy felt anger in her she had not felt since her assertive lessons went awry a year or so ago. It made her want to charge Grey Spot and beat him senseless with her bare hooves, and then go and find her marefriend covered in his blood. ‘Okay, that bit’s sick,’ she thought, shaking her head to rid herself of the vile image. But it was true, nonetheless. Yet, she knew if she did do that, the guards outside would kill her, and Twilight as well when she turned up to rescue her, then her friends would have to mourn both of their losses. ‘All I can do is to sit tight and pray that Twilight will find me,’ she decided. The warming thought of Twilight finding her – to see her face light up in delight – sent a warm feeling in her stomach. ‘Maybe that’s what love feels like,’ she wondered. She looked up once more as Grey Spot started to leave. “I am sorry, Grey Spot,” she said solemnly. Grey Spot stopped suddenly, then looked back with a questioning smile. “Why are you saying sorry for?” Fluttershy’s solemn look hardened into a narrow stare. “Because I won’t be there to stop Twilight from whatever she is going to do to you,” she answered gravely. “You give my friend less credit than you should. She is smart and cunning, kind but ruthless to those who do us wrong. By now, she should have realised that you have a part in this, and she will be coming for you. My advice? Run.” Grey Spot stared at her for a long time, visibly going pale at the seriousness in Fluttershy’s tone, before chuckling. “I don’t think so. I have gained her trust by now. She won’t suspect me in any of this.” He turned back and continued to walk out of the cell. “Oh, and don’t worry, Fluttershy, I’ll keep her nice and warm for you.” Fluttershy snapped. She screamed in rage and charged him. Grey Spot leapt through the door, laughing as he shut it behind him, locking it in place. Fluttershy collided with it just as it locked, sending her staggering backwards and her eyes spinning around in their sockets. She regained her senses quickly thanks to her thick pegasus skull, and then charged at the door again, punching it fiercely with a hoof to the point the spot she was hitting started to crack. She slammed her hoof into the door one last time, and snorted with rage. “You better hope Twilight goes easy on you, Grey Spot! Because when I get out of here you will wish she hadn’t been!” she bellowed, her voice easily carrying itself down the hallway outside, and reaching Grey Spot’s ears. Fluttershy realised how angry she really was, and immediately regretted it. ‘Oh my. I’ve never threatened anypony like that before,’ she thought, gasping in horror of herself as she felt the anger in her slide to the back of her mind. “Um… sorry, Grey Spot!” she yelled. “I’ll be quiet now!” She backed away from the door, spun around and stared at the cell, huffing slowly. “Now what to do?” she asked herself. Until Twilight broke the door down, she was stuck in this cell. “I could have at least been given a book to read,” she grumbled as she walked over to the uncomfortable-looking bed. “I might not be able to read it, but at least it would help pass the time.” She walked up to the horrible-looking bed, then jumped up and lowered herself onto her side, pressing her back against the wall behind her while tucking her legs under her stomach. Once she felt a bit comfortable, she slowly tilted her head back until it rested against the wall. The pain in her head, now amplified thanks to running into the door as it closed, made it awfully difficult to make her head comfortable; it felt like she was placing her head in the roaring fire of a furnace, or at least against one. After a few minutes or so, she couldn’t take it any more and lowered her head against the bed. To her surprise, it felt so much better resting on her chin than the back of her head. She could feel the pain melting away like ice, and felt surprisingly comfortable where she was. But for all of that, she still felt her heart beat quickly with worry. ‘What if Twilight hasn’t figured out where I am?’ she wondered. ‘What if I am going to be stuck here until Grey Spot does whatever he planned to do with her?’ The thought made her grind her teeth together in anger. How dare he! By what rights did Grey Spot think he could take Twilight for his own without taking the unicorn’s thoughts into consideration? The thoughts flowing through her head made her begin to think about what happened earlier, when she screamed in rage and charged Grey Spot with murder on her mind. “What made me lose myself that bad?” she asked herself fearfully. “I’ve never been like that before.” The answer was more straightforward than she thought. She wanted to protect Twilight, like the unicorn had protected her on so many other occasions. She felt obliged to charge forward and protect her marefriend when the need arose, and found herself willing to face anything if it meant Twilight would continue to smile and laugh with her. Fluttershy’s eyes widened as the answer sunk and forged itself into her head. ‘Is that what love really feels like?’ she wondered. ‘The feeling to protect the one I love so much I would face any evil that stands in our way?’ She knew already that Twilight meant a lot to her, a lot more than she originally thought. Would she be willing to face, say, a dragon if it meant saving Twilight? A dreamy smile came onto her face as she imagined herself standing in front of a dragon, with Twilight behind her, staring at her in shock, as the pegasus berated the dragon for harming her marefriend. She could imagine the dragon’s look of terror and regret on its face as it listened, and then it started to fly away, crying its eyes out. ‘Twilight makes me feel stronger, because she believes in me,’ Fluttershy thought, her dreamy smile growing wider. ‘And if she believes in me, then I can do… hang on, what’s that trickling sound?’ Fluttershy looked into the furthermost corner of the room, and saw to her horror water leaking into the cell. “Oh bleep,” she said as the floor started to turn damp and dark from the water. She jumped off the bed, ran to the door and started banging against it. “Um, excuse me, but the cell is leaking water, so would you mind opening the door and putting me in a less leaky cell please?” she asked. There wasn’t a word from the other side of the door. Fluttershy knocked again, this time harder. “Um, I know this might take some of your time, but could you let me out so I don’t drown in here!” she called. When there was no reply, Fluttershy pressed her ear against the door and listened intently. There was no sound of hooves running up to the door to release her, or the murmuring of ponies talking. Nothing. It was as if there were no ponies out there at all. That was when it hit her. She walked away from the door and crouched to look at the hole where the water was coming out. Even in the darkness, she could make out a white pipe channelling water into her cell in the hole. ‘Grey Spot doesn’t want me alive,’ she realised in terror, tears leaking from her eyes as she stared at the hole. ‘This is not a cell. This is where I’m going to die.’ She weighed her options quickly as she felt the water begin to build up around her hooves, and realised that she only had one option open to her. She charged to the door once more, and began banging her hooves against the wood in desperation. “PLEASE!” she screamed frantically, looking back every now and then as the water began to rise steadily. “SOMEPONY PLEASE LET ME OUT!” She smashed her hoof against the place she had hit it earlier, splintering the door to the point it began to buckle under her kicks. Thinking she almost had it, she spun around and with all her strength in her hind legs she could muster, bucked the door. The door cracked, but it was not enough to break it down fully. Fluttershy screamed in distress and collapsed against the door, the strength in her all gone and tears cascading down her face as she wailed in sorrow. Behind her, the water streamed around the bed and began to swallow the tip of her tail. She figured it would only be less than twenty minutes before the water filled up the entire cell, and then after that she would only have a minute or less to live. “Twilight,” she sobbed as she looked up pleadingly at the door. “Please hurry. Please find me. Please save me…”