//------------------------------// // Chapter Four: Confliction // Story: The Greatest Show of Kindness // by Sonik //------------------------------// The Greatest Show of Kindness Chapter Four: Confliction Fluttershy had just awoken from her nightly sleep and was in her restroom, washing her face; all of the tiredness of her sleep swirling down the drain along with the warm water, leaving Fluttershy feeling fresh and prepared for the day. She then brushed her teeth and mane, making herself look more presentable for the day. She then went into her kitchen and made herself some toast with butter and poured herself a glass of apple juice; a simple breakfast, but one that always fulfilled her and provided plenty of energy for the day. Once she finished the meal, she said her graces to Princess Celestia. “Thank you for the great sunlight needed to make this meal I have eaten possible,” she recited. “I just wish that you could show that child the light needed for him to realize that I’m here to help him, not to hurt him,” she prayed. After rinsing her dishes, she fed her animals their first meal of the day. Next, she went up to check on the young changeling. Today, she was a bit more hesitant to approach him as his outburst earlier that morning had caught her off guard. Still, she went up to him, gently pulling the sheets from over his face and kissing him on the forehead. In his sleep, he mumbled something, but she couldn’t understand what was being said. Nuzzling his face, she went down to her main room, beginning to do her daily chores. After sweeping her floor of all the food the animals accidentally split, she dusted all around the house, making sure that not even a spec of dust or fur was on the various surfaces of the cottage. After this, she cleaned her shower and took out her garbage bin. Subsequently, she took her daily nap. Once awoken, she decided it was time for a shopping run. ‘Okay, so I need milk, juice, bread, butter, cheese, fruits and vegetables. That sounds good enough for now… I just hope nopony asks about changelings while I’m out in Ponyville. I don’t want to look suspicious…’ With that, she went into Ponyville, bringing along some bits to pay for all the things she needed. While she was there, she had no trouble. She went in, got most of the things she needed, and almost got out without having to worry about the changelings. Just before she was about to exit the village; however, she was stopped by Twilight. “Hey, Fluttershy!” she called out. A cold chill went down Fluttershy’s spine as she audibly gulped. “Oh… hello, Twilight,” she greeted, turning around to face Twilight. “How are you?” “I’m well. And you?” she asked. “I’m also doing… fine. Was there something that you…um… needed?” Fluttershy questioned, trying to hold back her nervous sweat. “I was just wondering how you were doing because nopony’s seen you in the last few days. Is everything alright?” she worriedly inquired. “Yes, everything’s… wonderful. I just haven’t had the… um… need to come into town recently,” she lied. “Why? Do I not seem okay?” “I was just wondering. With the way that Shining Armor and Cadence’s love beam worked, it spread changelings all over Equestria. I was just concerned that one had gotten you,” she said. “Oh, no, no. I haven’t seen any…” she started, once again gulping, “…changelings. If I did, I would’ve definitely told you… heh…” she replied, thinking that Twilight was on her trail. She had started to visibly sweat as the perspiration dripped down her face; she was scratching the back of her head. “Okay… are you sure you’re alright? You’re sweating really badly as if you’re scared of something,” Twilight commented. “No, no… I’m fine, really…” Fluttershy falsely denied. “I’d… best get home now. I need to feed the animals now.” “Alright… I guess I’ll see you later, then,” Twilight departed, turning back toward Ponyville. “Bye!” “See you…” Fluttershy repeated, heading back toward her home. ‘That was really close…I really need to watch what I say from now on; I almost gave myself away.’ When Fluttershy got home, she fed her animals their lunch and followed up by making herself a lunch as she did every day. Afterwards, she went up to check on the changeling. She could tell that he was awake because of the constant shaking of the blanket above him. Fluttershy noticed that every time that he was awake, he had pulled the covers over his head as if he were afraid of the light. The light was a beautiful thing, but he only seemed to think that it was an omen, greater than the blackest darkness; the worst evil. Approaching him slowly, she spoke. “Little one? Are you okay?” she called to him. “Please… leave me alone… I don’t want to talk to you…” he quietly said, not changing his position. “Little one, you’ve been laying there for the past week or so. I just want to check up on you, to see if you’re feeling any better,” Fluttershy explained. There was no response from him for at least a minute and a half. Fluttershy approached him. “Are you, little one?” “I said, 'leave me alone!' I won’t talk to you, so just leave me be!” he rudely shouted. Fluttershy was more prepared for it this time, so she didn’t recoil much. “Why won’t you talk to me?” Fluttershy asked, not changing her caring tone at all. “Because all you want to talk to me about is how horrifyingly terrible I am! You’ll just boast that ponies are so much better and that I’m just a worm!” he yelled. “That is not true!” she refused, raising her voice very slightly. “I don’t think either of those things! I would never think of you like a worm!” “Then what do you think I am!?” he screeched. “I think that you’re a very hurt child, and one that’s going through a lot of stress right now. I believe that you, inside, are a very sweet boy, and you have trouble bringing it out to me,” she told, placing a hoof on the back of his head, causing him to growl as he snapped his fangs. “I really am here to help you, but I can only help if you let me,” she softly carried, kissing his forehead. He brashly pushed her away with his fore hoof, hissing at her. “Why should I let you help me!? The last pony who helped me ended up hurting me in the end! I can’t trust you to help me, so just go away!” he shouted. “Little one-“ “No! Shut up and go away!” “No, listen to me! Hear me out, please!” “What!?” “I think it’s terrible that you’ve been betrayed by other ponies, and I now understand why you don’t trust me, but please try to understand me when I say that I will never hurt you. Everything I’m doing to you is either trying to make you feel better or make the pain go away. If I ever do hurt you, whether it’s when I say something or I touch you somewhere that it hurts, it’s fully accidental. I really want you to get better, but you have to believe in me that I will make it better.” “H-How can I trust you to make me better?” “Well, let me put it this way: Instead of telling my friends about your position and letting them put you in a dungeon cell, I decided to bind your wounds and bring you here to heal further. I gave you love every single hour, and I made sure that your bandages were fresh. If you truly think that I’m here to hurt you, then… I just don’t know how to make you trust me.” With that, she turned around and left him to think about what she had told him. He just lay there, unable to say anything to what she had told him. Silently, he began to cry, staining the pillow his head was laying on. He stayed there like that for what seemed like an eternity as a barrage of questions flooded his mind. ‘She’s being so nice to me, and all I’m doing is being a jerk to her.’ ‘I’m such a horrible creature.’ ‘She’s just trying to look out for me, and I’m throwing it in her face and acting as if she’s a monster. ‘I’m a monster.’ As these questions flashed in his mind, the words that Queen Chrysalis had relayed to him haunted his mind. ‘You are not to trust any ponies in this life! They are vile, disgusting creatures who live only to deceive! They live only to breathe hate into you! Shall you place your trust in them, you will only find betrayal and pain!’ Suddenly, he found himself with a massive migraine. He grasped his head with his good fore hoof, wincing at the pain. Before anything else happened, he fell into the pillow, unconscious.