//------------------------------//
// chapter 61. Quiet now. 
// Story: Becoming Fluttershy 
// by Hope 
//------------------------------//

We stand on grass looking to the doctor, waiting.

He approaches the conscious mind, the Fluttershy the world sees, and he lays his hand on her head, ever so softly as though comforting her.

“You are going to disappear, Fluttershy,” he commands, his voice echoing through our mind and wavering our resolve. “disappear so that no one can hear or see you.”

She bites back a sob, from fear, and whispers “Will I be safe?”

“Yes, yes you will be safe,” the doctor swears, the earnest dedication in his voice something new, something he had been lacking up until now. “And when it is time, you will come forth and do great things.”

She lets herself relax, hoping for peace and to see her friends again, as the doctor pushes her into the grass, melting into the blades like water and leaving behind a pony shaped yellow tint.

The doctor takes a breath, looking at the symbology, and gathering his strength, before standing.

“Now then.” Franklin moves quickly towards the other half, tapping her forehead with a quick motion and catching her before she can fall onto her back, in a trance not unlike that of a carnival magician.

“Erica, you will do everything that I say, and nothing that anyone else says. You have no will of your own. I take full responsibility for your life, and will do everything in my power to protect it, this I do swear.”

She fades, and drops away out of sight. Franklin leaves and all is smoke. 





I awake, and I can only see smoke, a haze covering everything, but I am not scared. I know I will be safe. So I look ahead and wait, the smoke swirling and noises far off in the distance reaching me as muffled static.

Nothing is scary, or hurting me. I am just laying down. Everything is okay.

I hear three soft pops, like firecrackers, but I remain calm, the smoke swirling around me. 

Then I hear a voice. It’s my voice, and I see myself standing in a doorway. Clearly it is time to go. 

“Fluttershy, please come here,” I hear myself say. I get up from the soft cushion and walk to my duplicate’s side. She smiles, and then we wait for a time, muffled noises not bothering us, the smoke swirling meaninglessly.

She then moves away from me, walking around this small room, picking things up and making sure it is safe for us. The muffled noises get softer, so there is only the sound of our steps.

Then she gathers some things on a cart and goes away for a bit, but I wait. I know she will be back, and soon she is. Then she looks to me with a sad expression, a fearful one.

“We are awaiting your further orders,” She whispers, looking up to a new figure.

I turn to see a woman, all dressed up in shining silver armor, a sword in her hands. She looks down to me and freezes, staring at me in shock.

Maybe she’s never seen a pony before. I wait as she examines me. I wait... 

There’s another murmur of static, and she looks away from me again.

“Right, thanks Are Jay,” she says before looking back up into the smoke. “You will stay here. I advise you not to touch that body. The rest of my team is en route. If you resist, we will do what is necessary.” 

I try not to think about bodies. It will all be okay. He will make sure I am okay. She will make sure I am okay.

“Follow me,” she tells me, and I follow her out a door, a cloud of static following us, humming away while I watch my new leader.

“What was that about?” She asks, listening to the static hum away, before she sheaths her sword and turns back to Nathan.

“You’re my keymaster for now, Nate. Lock the door, please.”

He does so, and then they are talking, but I can’t hear them. It’s more static and I relax, looking off into the smoke and thinking about Angel bunny. I wonder if he has had any trouble handling the other animals.

“Fluttershy, please lie down,” the other version of me that feels like the nice doctor Nate speaks, and I lay down. The floor is cold, a little uncomfortable, but I’ll be fine. It’s not that bad. But I hear something in the static, and an orange glow in the smoke that makes me pause... Trying to examine the haze for what it hides... 

Then I relax, and I almost imagine a familiar scent of apple blossoms and fresh cut grass, a touch on my cheek, and a warmth. I can almost hear a familiar voice...

“See you soon, ‘Shy,” it whispers. So, I whisper in return, pretending like she is there. 

“Thank you, Applejack.” 

Then, the darkness came back.





He completed his promise. Nate kept me safe, and brought me back.