//------------------------------//
// On Fragile Wings 
// Story: Nightfall at Sweet Apple Acres 
// by Midnightshadow 
//------------------------------//


On Fragile Wings


by Midnight Shadow

An MLP:FiM sad fanfic





Fluttershy awoke. She stretched and winced as her joints played up again. She'd been worried for many a year whether the disease which had struck down Rainbow Dash had caught up with her as well, but the doctors had told her no. They were perfectly normal – if annoying – aches and pains.
As she stood upon her hooves and stretched the last few kinks out, the bunnies crowding in around her tumbled off in a living blanket of warm fur. She smiled weakly, kissing The Angel on his wise head and stepped carefully out of the living cuddly puddle.
“Good morning my dears,” she said, looking down and around at them all. It had started with just one bunny – just the one – that would forever have a special place in her heart. Angel had been his name. He'd been a faithful animal-servant – no, not servant, never a servant. He'd been a friend, a companion, someone to talk to, a great listener and a bunny of very few words. He'd found his own family, something which Fluttershy had never really managed, and had brought them home. From those humble beginnings it had started. Fluttershy's cottage was now home to almost a hundred of the darling little creatures with the head, the eldest, being The Angel and head of the clan.
As Fluttershy made the stately, slow, daily commute between the bower where she slept and the garden she tended, told herself she hadn't needed a family and didn't need too many friends under her hooves.
She paused – that wasn't quite true. She loved her friends, all of them, very deeply – but she didn't need too many to be happy. It was quality more than quantity that mattered to her. With the good friends she had known throughout her life, she was very happy indeed. She had her dear circle of friends, her bunny rabbits and her small cottage on the outskirts of Ponyville where she tended to the sick and injured or the otherwise needy critters. With plenty of sunshine and the wonders of nature surrounding her, she led a full life.
Out in the garden she stopped for a moment – she found herself doing that a lot these days – as the chest-pains started again. She would really have to go see Twilight about them, she mused, but she did so hate to be a bother. She'd always been shy and retiring, a shrinking violet, and didn't see a need to change that now.

Birds sang in the clear blue skies and she felt a song rise in her heart with the play of the warm golden sun on her face. Closing her eyes, she gave voice to the uplifting feeling and started humming. The birds – recently home from a cold winter's getaway in the South – zipped and twirled around her head singing a counterpoint.
She laughed and took a peek, “Are we having a good day my fine feathered friends?”
One of the birds alighted momentarily on her yellow-hued ear and pecked at her pink mane, preening it before taking flight once more and joining it's mate in the skies above her.
“Oh I'm so glad! And your wing is all better, huh?” she smiled as a happy trill was the reply.

The vegetable garden was in full swing and she trotted imperiously through it. Originally a relatively small plot of land, the bunnies had taken over several acres of cropland for their own devices where they tended everything from herbs and spices to flowers to carrots and cabbages. Fluttershy oversaw the management of these works with pride. Her back had been flaky enough these past few years that she'd all but given up gardening for herself, sticking instead to pulling the odd ornery weed and handing out advice:
“A bit more fertilizer, Dizzy – mind the water, Tippy – oh yes, Patch, I think that carrot's quite ready for tea today!”
As she passed she gave her blessings, laid down admonishments and generally made sure that her garden was in tip-top shape. She knew the names of all of her charges and not once did she fumble or seek for the right name or title. Some rabbits were diggers, others planters – still others pullers, cleaners or cutters. The first harvest of new vegetables were to be brought in this very day and it looked to be a fine one.

Her inspection done she retired to the gazebo, where a gaggle of paws and long furry ears bustled out with a tea-pot. She wheezed slightly, holding a hoof to her chest as the pains returned. At her sharp intake of breath, the smallest bunny – who held the title of 'baby' until he was named and replaced in his turn as he had replaced the previous – bounced up and put a worried paw on her flank from his perch on the table.
“Oh don't worry your snuggly wuggly little head, my baby bunny-wunny, Auntie Fluttershy will be fine. It's nothing. How are your lessons coming along?”
Baby puffed up proudly. He thumped first one foot – one, two, three – and then the other foot – once, twice, then he bounded up to Fluttershy's muzzle and gave her five kisses.
“Oh well done! I shall be sure to tell Feather Blossom when she gets here today! She's coming for a visit to see me. Be sure to keep the house tidy now!”
The little bunny nodded and scampered out the way as five larger, more experienced bunnies stirred the pot and strained out Fluttershy's favourite herbal infusion.





Fluttershy had sat and contemplated life for long enough, she decided, as she drained her cup. Feather Blossom was late, and she'd spent so long preparing the surprise. At the sound of hoofsteps echoing up her path, the yellow pegasus snapped back to reality and eased herself into motion. Expecting it to be the golden-and-cream coloured pegasus filly relative, she was already calling out, “Feather Blossom! So good to-”
“Good morning Fluttershy, dear,” said Bright Eyes, customary twinkle in her odd gaze. Instead of the pegasus she'd been expecting,  Fluttershy was greeted by the sight of the familiar grey winged mare with the yellow-blonde mane and tail. Seven bubbles adorned her flank and she had mail-mare panniers strapped to her frame.
“Oh, oh no! Is Feather Blossom going to be late? Is she okay?”
“Oh don't worry, she's okay but she will be late. They had a bad storm last night and her chariot was delayed. She's safe and sound in Hoofington and will be in tomorrow. She sends her regards. No letters today, but I felt like the walk. How are you keeping?”

Bright Eyes was one of Fluttershy's trusted friends – a harmless but annoying medical condition meant that sometimes one eye would look off in the wrong direction. She'd never really been teased for it, but she was well-known as the dependable wall-eyed mail-mare of Ponyville. Some called her Derpy Hooves, but Fluttershy always used her real name.
The pair sat down together and more tea was brewed and brought out, followed by some light refreshments. Bright Eyes would be missed on her rounds today, but everypony knew she'd gone to see Fluttershy. Truth be told, a lot of ponies were worried about the yellow pegasus. She was a well-loved old mare and had grown increasingly reclusive as of late. Bright Eyes, no spring chicken herself, took it upon her own head to keep an extra eye out, so could often be found having tea and a light chit-chat gossip session.

They laughed, swapped stories and caught up with the local news. Pinkie Pie was doing well – her own business, Pinkie's Party Emporium, was now the biggest supplier of face-pies, jokes, knick-knacks and tongue-twisting jokes in almost all of Equestria. She hadn't slowed down much, but her customary Pinkie-Bounce wasn't quite so sprightly. Twilight was doing well down on Sweet Apple Acres – one of her filly-foals had just had another foal herself, Twilight's son Morning still hadn't found himself a partner...
“Life goes on, doesn't it, Bright Eyes?” said Fluttershy with a smile, shivering slightly.
“That it does. Aren't you lonely out here?” Bright Eyes sipped her tea, looking solidly at Fluttershy.
Fluttershy shook her head, Bright Eyes always asked her that, “Nope, I like things just the way they are. I have my lovely little bunny-wunnies and my birdies and my herb-garden and this suits me just fine.”
“If you're sure. We miss you down in Ponyville.” prodded the mail-mare
“I'll be sure to drop by more often – I'm running low on tea and I need some medicinal supplies for my animal-friends.”
“Don't be a stranger then,” said Bright Eyes, getting to her hooves, “I'll send my regards to Twilight, AJ and the gang. We'll have to get together again soon.”
Fluttershy blushed and hid a little behind her graying hair, “Oh no, I don't...I don't do parties.”
“Just a small one – after all, Rainbow and Rarity...”
Fluttershy closed her eyes momentarily, “May Celestia rest their souls.”
“They went the way they'd want to go, Fluttershy.”
“I know,” she winced, “I miss them so.”
“We all do. We miss seeing you too. I'll be back tomorrow to help Feather Blossom settle in.”
“I'll see you tomorrow then, Bright Eyes,” said Fluttershy, giving a little cough as she got back up and stretched her wings. Spots danced in her vision but she tried not to let it show. The mail-mare looked concerned for a moment before turning to leave. The bunnies cleared away the meal as Fluttershy walked inside. Despite the early-afternoon sun she felt a bit of a chill.

Inside, the hut was a bustle of activity, but it ceased the moment Fluttershy passed the threshold. She headed to her favourite spot in the sunlight and settled down onto the mattress. The bunny horde brought out a whole pile of cushions and many of the smaller members of the bunny battalion piled in on top of her. Soon she was warm and snuggly. She kissed each and every one on the head between the ears – they would jump off in turn, take their assigned place, receive her blessing and return in a very orderly fashion.
“Where's Angel?” cried Fluttershy all of a sudden. There was a bustle, and The Angel presented himself.
“There you are! Now listen very carefully my lovely little bunny-friends, I want you to get me something. The package for Feather Blossom from upstairs – can you do that for me?”
The Angel nodded and dispatched a hardy group of male bunnies to fetch it. The package wasn't that big, it had been wrapped up in brown paper and string for delivery to Feather Blossom, but Fluttershy re-opened it. It was still hers after all and she thought she deserved one last look at it.

The package contained the Element of Kindness, a beautiful but hefty necklace with a gem shaped like a butterfly to match the butterflies on her flank.
“Was it really so long ago?” whispered Fluttershy as she looked at it again. Tears stained her cheeks as she remembered all that had gone before. Two very good friends had been lost to old age and infirmity.
The Angel twitched his nose and put a soft paw on her fore-hooves.
She smiled and nuzzled him, “Thank you. Take it away and wrap it back up. It's Feather Blossom's now. She can have it when she gets here. I think it's time for lunch, don't you?”
The rabbit nodded and ordered in his own silent way that the necklace be returned to it's storage box and put away.

Lunch was brought out – Fluttershy opened her mouth obediently as the little bunnies forked in her food. She was more than capable of eating by herself – she knew that – but the darlings did like to help so. Eventually it was finished – she didn't eat much. Pegasi were usually hearty eaters but Fluttershy didn't really fly all that much so could make do with a lot less fuel. The remains were cleared away and Fluttershy yawned. It was not very late but she felt tired.

“Angel? Angel? Where's my Angel?” she cried, fidgeting. Bunnies tumbled off her as the porters were sent. Reverently a simple grey glazed urn was brought to the almost-frantic pegasus. On the outside was a simple metal plaque which read “Angel” - no more and no less. No more was needed.
This was the Angel bunny, passed on from the world many summers before – the life of a rabbit is brief when held against that of a pony, but he had been her first and best friend.
“Oh Angel,” she whispered to the urn, “I miss you so much. I met Bright Eyes today, she thinks I should move to Ponyville. What do you think?”
Fluttershy nuzzled the cold clay pot affectionately and it soon grew warm between her hooves. Once more tears dripped from her muzzle and she remembered the good times she'd had with her friend. Pulling all that was left of his earthly remains closer, she snuggled down under the rabbit-blanket and told Angel of her day; her hopes and dreams, her plans - just as she had every day and would do for always.

Eventually, she slept.





It was night-time. She was startled awake by some noise, some presence – something...or maybe it had just been the call of nature. She eased herself to her hooves as the rabbits around her grumbled and squeaked, but allowed her to pass. She was their Auntie Fluttershy after all.
The fire had burned low and all the lamps had long been extinguished. She'd slept through the evening again, that was becoming far more common these days.

The hut was quiet, with no sounds but the squeaking of a hundred little rabbits and assorted chirps, hisses and purrings of whatever animals Fluttershy was currently nursing back to health.
Her chest hurt again, badly this time and she winced, breathing hard. Her chest was on fire and it felt very heavy, like somepony was sitting on it or pushing against her. She staggered to the front door.
“He-hello?” she called, fearing to open it and let the night in.
“Fluttershy....” came a voice, like a faraway musical note.
“Who...who is it? Where are you?”
“It is I, Luna.” said the soft voice, as the yellow pegasus leant against the hallway wall for support. The pain in her chest...it would get better soon, she reasoned. Maybe she just had to...had to sit down. The door though, she had to open the door first.
With great difficulty she mouthed it open. A sudden gust of wind blew at the door and it knocked her slight frame backwards onto her rump, where she collapsed in an unceremonial heap.

“Wake up, Fluttershy,” said the soft but insistent voice of Luna.
Fluttershy remembered now, the voice belonged to the younger of the two eternal princesses of Equestria. She felt a flutter in her chest as she recalled Nightmare Moon, but it soon passed. The pain passed with it, she realized. She started feeling much better.
“Luna? Is it really you? ...You gave me quite a start there! Quite knocked the breath out of me!”  Fluttershy tried to open her eyes, they felt strangely heavy. The night air was heavy too, it felt very hard to breathe.
“Indeed it is I, dear Fluttershy. I've come to take you on a journey.”
“Me? A journey? Oh no - no, no, no - I couldn't! I have my grand-niece Feather Blossom coming tomorrow and I'll need my sleep.”
Luna laughed, a tinkling rain of bells that seemed to dance like starlight, “You don't need to worry about that, my dear. Up you get now, take my hoof...”
“Where? It's too dark to see...and...” she panted, “I can't breathe. I don't feel too well.”
“Hush now, take my hoof, it will be over soon.”

Fluttershy felt a soft hoof touch her own, warm and inviting. Leaning on it, pulling strength from it, she felt herself rising to her hooves. As she did, she realized she was outside. She looked up in surprise at the sudden clarity of vision. She was feeling much better! The stars were crystal hard, the kind of vibrant sharp-edged pinpoints that usually only came during blackest winter. The moon was full too and glowed with an ethereal light that blanketed the land.
“Oh Luna! It's so nice to see you again!” whispered Fluttershy excitedly. She kept her voice low for fear of waking her darling rabbits, but it was hard hiding the joy in her voice.
“It's...” the princess looked pained for a moment, “it's wonderful to see you, Fluttershy. Now, we don't have much time, you must come with me.”
“Why, where are we going?”
“Nowhere far, you won't get tired.”
“Is it magic? I haven't felt this alive in years!”
Luna seemed to wince, “you've never felt this alive, Fluttershy....yes, it's...it's a kind of magic.” she finished, smiling weakly.

The dark blue mare was bigger now than she had been when the six bearers of the elements of harmony had vanquished her evil alter-ego, Nightmare Moon. Her mane and tail had regained their awesome luster, steeped in the veil of the stars.
Fluttershy smiled, laughing, and jumped lithely from hoof to hoof, “whatever magic it is, Luna, I wish I could have it always. It's so wonderful to feel like this.”
“I can only use such magic on special occasions,” Luna whispered. Her face smiled but her eyes and her voice were sad, reticent, “come! Come! I must show you this.”

Luna led the way through the undergrowth, skirting the Everfree Forest and heading for a hill. It was called “lookout hill” in rather unoriginal fashion for the simple fact that from the raised vantage point, all of Ponyville and some of the Everfree Forest were spread out beneath it.
“What did you want to show me?” giggled Fluttershy. She didn't feel the cold, although she knew it had to be. It must be Luna's magic, she reasoned.
“What do you see beneath you, Fluttershy?”
“Ponyville! Oh, I see Twilight's Library – young Morning works there now. There's Rarity's Boutique, run by Elusive. He'll have to pass it on soon too...why did you want to show me this?”
“Fluttershy, there's not a pony in that village that doesn't love you, that you haven't helped at one time or another, and I thought you deserved one last chance to see it all.”
“One...last?”
Luna bowed her head, eyes wet, tears glistening like diamonds as they fell to the ground, “When I gave you that start,” she whispered, “I gave you a stop. It was your heart, Fluttershy, it gave in. It stopped.”
“Then...what? How?”
“Look around, Fluttershy, look at yourself. You're a wisp, a spirit-pony – freed by my magic for this one last trip to the places that you love before I send you on your final journey.”
“Another journey?” Fluttershy looked up.
They always looked up, mused Luna proudly, as if they knew, “Indeed. Home. It's time to go home, Fluttershy.”

Fluttershy looked down at her hooves, spread out her wings, eyed the tint of moonlight and stars that she now realized she could see through them, and shook her head, “No.”
“No?” Luna looked up, a strange expression playing on her muzzle.
“No, not yet. Use your magic, you have great magic! I don't want to go yet. I am home!”
“You want to stay here?”
Fluttershy nodded, and danced, pirouetting through the air, her wings flashing and hooves spinning, young again – young, wild and free, “I want to say goodbye properly.”
“They'll never see you, they can't.”
“I don't mind,” Fluttershy laughed, “I never was loud and boisterous like Rainbow Dash, or the centre of attention at parties like Rarity or Pinkie. Give me this, Luna, please?”
Luna bowed her head, deep in thought, “Okay, alright. I will give you a day.”
Fluttershy danced around Luna, her ethereal body springing lightly from hoof to hoof, step to step, “It will be enough.”
In the moonlight, the indistinct form bent down to pick up an even less distinct form – there was a suggestion of ears, a hint of paws, a touch of a poofy little tail. The two embraced.

The ghostly form of the spirit-pegasus bounded away, no longer held down by age or weakness, no longer shackled by pain, no more earth-bound with fear. She was free, free to dance and sing and twirl across the beautiful vistas, her song playing in every blade of grass her laughter in every waterfall and her footsteps and wing-beats echoing with every woodland creature.
Luna raised her head, a smile playing across her features as she took to the skies, turning to smoke and evaporating towards the rising sun, her task complete, “I give you a day, dear Fluttershy. A day for every life you touched. A day for every song you sung and a day for every pony who loves you, May you dance for as long as they speak your name.”





Feather Blossom trotted up the path happily. She was going to see her great-aunt Fluttershy! She was late, but she knew the old mare wouldn't mind, she'd be there with a smile and a cup of tea...

She stopped short.

The door to Fluttershy's cottage was open and a still, cold form lay in the doorway. The top half of the door had been shut but the rabbits had been unable to pull their mistress back inside. The clouds closed in over Feather Blossoms head as she took the last few steps to the gate.
It started to rain, but Feather's cheeks were already wet before the first drops touched the earth.

Little baby bunnies were clustered sadly around Fluttershy's unresponsive muzzle, a plate of the finest greens set out before her, gingerly trying to get her to eat them, nuzzling and nudging her, urging her to wake and greet them with a kiss like she always did. But she wouldn't. Ever again.
Feather Blossom shooed them away gently, “She...” her voice cracked, “she's sleeping. Let her sleep.”
The golden-and-cream pegasus bent down and with a deft hoof closed Fluttershy's unseeing eyes and kissed her forehead between the ears. The Angel looked on, unsure but approving.
Feather Blossom remembered, and with a deep breath realized the task would fall to her now, “Angel? You're the Angel? You hold down the fort, I'll be back in a while. I...I need to get help, help for Fluttershy, okay? Be my big brave bunny now.”
Feather Blossom bent her head and kissed the rabbit softly. The rabbit saluted, and then set about cleaning up the cottage. He would miss Fluttershy, he loved her like no other, but there was a new mistress now. She would want things to be done right by the old mare.





The wind whipped cruelly around the solemn procession of ponies as they walked resolutely up the mountain. So many years before, some of them had done the self-same trek as they sought to rid Equestria of a sleeping, snoring dragon. It had been Fluttershy that had vanquished the beast – with kindness. It was only fitting she be laid to rest here.
Big Mac pulled the wagon. He was old, but still strong. Two of his nephews flanked him in case
he faltered. He knew he wouldn't, not in this task. Twilight and Applejack – his wife and sister – followed behind, with Morning Sparkle behind them. Pinkie bounced – solemnly somehow – next to him. She had flown in specially by chariot, no expense spared.

The procession rounded the final bend and the dragon's cave was ahead of them. It was empty now, as it had been ever since that fateful day.
“We gonna put her in there?” asked Big Mac, pointing a hoof.
“Not quite,” said Twilight, “according to her diary there's a path somewhere around here....ah!”
Twilight led the way – there was a small path behind some scrub bushes. It was slow going, and the apple-twins had to help push a couple of times, but they cleared it.

The rocky vista gave way, all of a sudden, to a green and verdant meadow. Secluded at the very top of Dragon Mountain – called by most inhabitants of Ponyville “Fluttershy's Peak” - was a veritable miniature paradise. The sun shone brightly and the wintry cold air was a distant memory.
“My stars, Twilight, to think this was here all this time!”
“Beautiful, isn't it?” said Twilight, “I...I read her diary, afterwards. She wrote in it what she wanted to...to happen.”
The unicorn stopped, squeezing her eyes shut, to be comforted by her family and friends. They all grouped together for a moment, before setting about their allotted tasks. The way was prepared, the tomb was built – Morning lifted the rocks using his magic and then, gently, reverently, lifted Fluttershy's remains into position before settling the urn of her beloved long-departed Angel to be nestled forever more in her hooves. Casting another spell, he set about covering the pair up and creating a protection spell that would last for decades. The cairn would be a monument to a pony who had, in her own small quiet way, touched the lives of thousands.

“I approve,” said Twilight, “I know she would. This meadow, this secret place of sunlight and the full might and majesty of nature's glory - it’s perfect. Her final resting place.”
They stood there for a moment, solemn and silent, paying their last respects before they turned as one to look back down the mountain towards their home.
“Who would have thought,” said Morning brightly, “something so lovely as this, so remote...”
“It suits her, Twi.” said Applejack.
“Eeeyup.” said Big Mac, bending down to kiss the purple unicorn and his orange earth-pony sister on their foreheads.
“It's her.” whispered Twilight, nodding to herself, as with a sudden flutter of wings that hummed a sweet tune speaking of friendship and magic, thousands of butterflies flooded through the meadow and danced in the summery breeze.