//------------------------------// // May Your Dreams Be Sweet // Story: Canterlot Academy: Knights of the Dark Moon // by LordLycaon //------------------------------// The door to his office creaked loudly as he pushed it open with his magic. Shining Armor saw quickly that his desk had a fresh new stack of reports awaiting his attention in the ingoing box. He gave a soft sigh and took a sip of his coffee that floated by his face before closing the door to his office. “Could’ve sworn I had it all caught up yesterday when I left,” he muttered before taking another sip of the near-black coffee. Grumbling, he tossed his scarf across the back of his chair before sitting heavily in the worn out cushion. He pulled over the first report, which was nothing more than one of the night patrol’s report of an all clear. Even as he scribbled his signature across the bottom, he couldn’t help but feel somewhat relieved by it. ‘Ever since the disappearances stopped, there’s been less work lately.’ He lifted up another report, this one detailing a pickpocket that was apprehended and jailed. “Mm, poor kid. Maybe a night’s stay in guard custody will set her straight.” There was a knock at his door and he lifted his gaze towards it. “Come in.” The door gave another groan as it admitted a small purple and green scaled dragon. “Morning, boss,” Spike said as he gave a sharp salute. Shining gave a salute in return. “Good morning, Spike. Sleep well?” he asked as he floated another document to look over. “Like a log,” the young dragon said in a chipper tone that Shining grumbled at. At least he was able to get some good sleep. Shining looked at the stack of forms the dragon carried under one arm, and another huff escaped him. “More reports?” “Eh, not many this time,” Spike said as he placed them on top of the others on the desk. “It’s been so quiet lately, it almost seems like we’re on a vacation.” Shining’s blue eyes settled on the larger stack of papers and gave a helpless shake of his head. “I might need a vacation from my vacation before long.” Spike gave a chuckle and nodded. “You need anything else, Captain?” He waved the little dragon away. “Not right now. Just give me time to get this done, all right?” Spike gave another salute. “You can count on me!” As the dragon left his office, Shining wished to Celestia that he had half the youngling’s energy for these boring days at the office. If he did, he’d have this done and could spend the day on patrol or visiting with Cadence or Twilight. He glanced over to a framed picture of himself, Cadence, and a young Twilight all making a funny face at the camera as it sat on his desk. A warm smile crossed his face as he began working in earnest. “Well, the sooner I get this done, the sooner I can do that.” Getting out a quill and some ink, he finally set to work, signing reports that required his signature and quickly reading through others. He gradually settled into the tedious monotony of paperwork, filing away forms and setting aside signed security requests that would need to be sent to Princess Celestia for further approval. The tedium was enough to distract him for several hours until the door to his office opened again, Spike returning with a scroll in his claws. “Letter for you, boss,” he said. “Looks important. It’s got the royal seal and everything.” Shining blinked at that. What could the princess want? Nodding, he took the scroll off Spike’s claws in his light purple aura (it wasn’t pink, no matter how much Cadance or Twilight insisted it was) and broke the seal, unrolling the parchment and reading through it. He narrowed his eyes at it, making sure he was reading it right. “It’s a summons,” the guard captain finally said. “She wants to talk to me in private in a few days.” “Oh, boy,” Spike muttered. “What’d you do?” The stallion arched a brow at the baby dragon. “Why do you assume I did something?” “Well… doesn’t the princess usually only call for a private chat with captains when they’ve done something stupid? Or… something like that?” Shining bit the inside of his cheek as he mulled over Spike’s point. It was true; Princess Celestia rarely summoned anypony for a private conversation, and whenever it did happen, it was usually something serious. Worst case scenario, it was the precursor to trial, court martial, dishonorable discharge, and sometimes even execution, depending the severity of the offense. As far as Shining could recall, however, he’d done nothing wrong. So what was on the princess’s mind that she needed to talk to him of all ponies? Setting the summons aside for now, he said, “Thank you, Spike. Dismissed.” The little drake gave a mock salute and left the office, leaving Shining to his thoughts. Something was bothering the unicorn. He could feel in his gut that something was up. When Spike had told him of Twilight’s tip regarding the foalnappings several weeks ago, his subsequent digging for intel had led him to a supposedly dead, thousand-year-old cult. Odd things had been happening lately, and he didn’t like it. Celestia’s summons only put him more on edge, as if something was trying to tell him that something was going to happen, and it was going to happen uncomfortably soon. -o- Fluttershy tugged her scarf on tighter as the cool breeze blew through the streets of Canterlot. The snow was beginning to melt, and many ponies were busy with the mountain city’s Winter Wrap-Up. The roads were bustling with ponies as they worked hard to clear the streets and rooftops of the winter’s snow and ice. Carts full of snow and icicles were being hauled up and down the streets as the annual elemental festival was in full swing. She wasn’t really a part of the festival herself, though many of the students of the Academy often volunteered to help out. Her goal for walking the crowded streets was for another purpose. She remembered once when the Academy had done a surprise inspection of the dorms, and had found her assorted collection of cute little animals that needed her help. They had told her, and quite firmly so, that pets were not allowed on campus, and that they would not be happy if they found more in her room. A sigh escaped her as she remembered so many times when she wanted to take a poor, innocent stray back and feed them and take care of them, only to remember she couldn’t. Instead, she decided that if she couldn’t take them to her, she would go to them. A warm smile spread across her face as she trotted down the street towards the one alley where her newest friend lived, tugging on the bags over her back to make sure they were still fastened correctly. Stopping for a fully loaded cart to pass, she hurried across to the almost bare alley, and gave a low whistle. “Buddy? Buddy, I’m here.” Her soft voice carried down the alley and she heard the sound of tiny, scrambling paws. Her teal eyes widened happily as the little brown and black Germane Shepherd puppy crawled out from under the nearby dumpster in the alley. His wide, brown eyes practically glowed at the sight of her, and his tail wagged so fast, she thought he would take off into the air. A giggle escaped her and she knelt down to greet the yipping pup, and he wasted no time in covering her face with wet dog kisses. “Oh, I missed you, too, Buddy,” she cooed as she scratched him behind the ears, causing his back leg to thump repeatedly. “Who’s a good boy?” The little pup gave an excited yip. “That’s right, you are.” She dug into her saddlebags and pulled out a small bag of dog chow that she had bought, along with a small bowl. She carried it over towards the dumpster, cleared away the snow, and filled up the bowl. Buddy quickly forgot that she was even there as he chowed down on the offered food. “Now, now, not so fast. You’ll get a stomachache.” She giggled again as she watched his tail fly back and forth even as he ate. She reached under the dumpster and removed the old straw bedding she had first made for him, and replaced it with a new little doggy bed, which came complete with a soft cushion for him to snuggle into. She sat on her haunches to watch him as he sniffed at the bed. He climbed in and turned around twice before settling in. “Aww, you like it, don’t you?”  Buddy gave her a high-pitched, confirming bark as he shifted to get comfortable. She gushed a bit at the sight. “Oh, I wish I could take you to the Academy with me, so you could stay with me. But I don’t want to get in trouble and lose you, either.” She ran a hoof over his head as she settled next to him. “But don’t you worry, Buddy. I’ll take care of you until I graduate, then you can finally come home with me, and you won’t have to stay out in this cold anymore.” The pup gave her hoof a lick, and another warm giggle escaped her. She then dug into her bags again and produced a red bouncy ball. “Look what else I’ve got for you.” When she gave it a squeeze, causing the ball to squeak, the puppy was up and bouncing around, barking excitedly, his tail going a mile a minute. “Go get it!” She tossed the ball down the alley and the pup scrambled after it. The ball landed in a snow drift, and Buddy didn’t hesitate as he pounced in after it, digging through the snow to acquire his “prey.” His head popped back out of the snow, and he gave his ball another squeak. “Bring it back now, Buddy.” The dog bounded through the snow, tossing the ball up and chasing it down himself. With a little bit of coaxing, with the promised reward of a treat, she finally managed to get him to bring the ball back to her. She spent the next few hours playing and cuddling with the young pup, remembering when she first found him, shivering and alone on the streets as the first winter’s snow had fallen. She wanted so badly to take him back to the Academy, but once again, she knew she couldn’t. So instead, she promised to make him as warm and comfy as she could in his little home in the alley until she graduated, at which point, she would take him in and give him a real home, one where he wouldn’t have to worry about being cold at night, or the possibility of mean ponies or other animals bullying him. Come to think of it, she could take him home come summer vacation. He definitely wouldn’t need to wait nearly as long. Just a few more months, and he’d have a family! She spent the evening with him until she noticed the sun was beginning to set. “Already?” A sigh escaped through her nose, and she turned a sad look to Buddy. “I’m sorry, Buddy, I have to head back to the Academy. I don’t want to get in trouble by not getting back before curfew.” The pup tilted his head at her, whimpering. “Yes, I’ll come back soon. If not tomorrow, then the day after for sure.” She then made the motions and gave the words of Pinkie Pie’s Pinkie Promise. He licked her face. “I love you, too.” She gave the pup a hug and stood to collect her bags. Buddy watched her and stood up to follow. She turned back at him. “No, no, you stay, Buddy. Keep warm in your new bed, and I’ll be back.” A soft whine escaped from the puppy, and she saw the sadness in his brown eyes. Pursing her lips in an effort to keep her tears at bay, she shook her head. “No, don’t give me that look. You have to stay.” He sat back down, but no sooner did she turn away, she caught him standing back up to follow her. “No, Buddy. You stay!” Putting more sternness in her tone than she wanted to. He lowered his head and ears and gave a final whine before turning back for his bed. The temptation to ignore the Academy’s rules was so strong that it hurt to turn her back on the puppy. As she stepped out into the street again, she saw that the traffic hadn’t really slowed at all. Ponies still scrambled about, and carts still moved up and down the road. Seeing a break in the traffic, she dashed across the road and managed to get across. “Look out! Runaway cart!” The shout echoed through the street, and all eyes turned to see a cart filled to overflowing with snow barrel down the street wildly. The push of the panicked crowd shoved her around, and she found it difficult to keep on her hooves. She spread her wings to get above the crowd but a sudden shove caused her to slip and fall on the sidewalk with a loud “Oomph!” She shook her head to see Buddy running across the street for her, concern in his brown eyes. He was utterly oblivious to the danger. Fluttershy’s eyes widened and her mouth quivered as a pained yelp filled the street. “BUDDY!” her horrified scream echoed against the buildings around her. -o- “Where is that last ingredient?” a white and black mare asked herself as she shifted a number of vials and bottles around on her shelves. “My brew must be completed with all expedience.” Her golden accessories rattled against each other as she sought the missing herb she was looking for. She could’ve sworn she’d left next to the poison joke. Or maybe it was by the timberwolfsbane? A sigh escaped her as she mused on the idea that she needed to organize her ingredients better. A eureka moment reached her as she finally found what she was looking for; the petals of a heart’s desire flower. Now all she needed to do was carefully get out just two petal, and she could finally— Her door slammed open, startling her and sending the whole bottle of petal flying into the cauldron where she was mixing her ingredients, the liquid bubbling violently and overflowing, drenching the floor around it in a purplish fluid. The mare stared at the mess with a sigh and turned to her visitor, seeing a familiar, butter-yellow pegasus that looked especially frantic. “Professor Zecora, you have to help him!” Fluttershy pleaded, her eyes red from crying, as she ran into the room. “Calm yourself, Fluttershy, my dear,” Zecora said in her usual, composed tone, only to freeze up when she caught sight of a small, badly hurt puppy lying on the pegasus’ back, blood seeping from the poor creature’s gaping wound across its back. “Oh, my. I see what brings you such great fear.” “Please, you need to help him!” the young mare pleaded, her expression desperate. “He tried to follow after me, and he got hit by a cart, and I panicked, and brought him because I know you can—” A black hoof went over her mouth, the zebra before her nodding her understanding of the situation. “Set him down over there,” she said, motioning to a table at the back of the room, the same table where Zecora treated injured and sick animals of the Academy’s arboretum. “With all due haste, I shall check my wares. Surely, I have something to help him, lest his hopes grow dim.” Fluttershy gently laid the injured animal on the table, nervously watching as Zecora dug through a mountain of pre-made herbal remedies and elixirs, setting aside a few items that looked like healing balms and one bottle liquid, taking each of them and setting them next to Buddy, then examining the massive, bleeding gash on the poor pup’s back. “He was hit by a cart, you say?” she asked, and Fluttershy nodded with a morose look. “Then his road to recovery will be a bumpy way.” The zebra then set to work, uncorking the bottle of liquid and carefully dabbing a cotton swab with it. Gently, she pressed the swab across the puppy’s wound, earning a pained whine from the little creature and a weak struggle from his front legs, his hind legs unmoving. Fluttershy, her eyes nearly drowning in tears, leaned towards the pup, trying to sound reassuring as she said, “It’s okay, Buddy. It hurts now, but Zecora will make you better. She’ll have you up and bouncing again in no time. I know she will.” Zecora sighed, shaking her slightly. Fluttershy was a true dear, and was a remarkable student—she earned top marks in the botany class that Zecora taught—but she was so prone to naivete. A wound like this… the poor little thing would be lucky to make it through the next day or two, let alone make a full recovery. Her remedies could only do so much, after all. They weren’t miracle cures. Regardless, she still had to do whatever she could. There was was no such thing as a hopeless case in her eyes. Retrieving a ceramic jar, she removed a bit of foul-smelling gunk and spread it over the open wound on the pup’s back. Buddy gave a pained whine and tried to squirm away—his back paws remaining lifeless—but Zecora kept him from moving too much. Fluttershy watched with a shiver as Zecora worked, hating that such an innocent little creature had to suffer like this. ‘It’s my fault…’ She hung her head miserably, choking back a sob as Buddy’s whines pierced her ears like fangs. She should’ve taken him to a shelter immediately when she first saw him! He would’ve been taken care of, given food, water… and he wouldn’t be going through this. He was just a puppy. He didn’t deserve this pain. He didn’t deserve it! “Fluttershy, dear, bring me the jar from over there.” Zecora nodded towards a shelf. “It will help him rest, and make his pain easier to bear.” The pegasus nodded reluctantly, turning to the shelf Zecora had pointed out, looking over all the assorted herbs and ingredients. She took the large jar in the middle and said, “Is this it?” When Zecora nodded, she brought the jar over to the zebra, who took it and popped the lid off. Instantly, the foulest, most pungent, most absolutely repulsive odor she had ever had the misfortune of inhaling bombarded Fluttershy’s nostrils. She gagged at the smell, trying her hardest not to vomit on the spot. She could only imagine what the putrid stench was doing to the already suffering Buddy. “What is that?” “As much as I appreciate your curiosity about this ingredient,” Zecora said as she pulled on a glove over her hoof. “But for now, it is probably best that you remain ignorant.” Dipping her hoof into the mix, she dabbed a bit around the puppy’s nose. Buddy gave a sneeze before settling down, his brown eyes closing, and his breathing slowing. Fluttershy felt the panic rise up in her chest. “Is he…?” “He is sleeping, my dear, but it will take far more than this, I fear.” Zecora gave her a soft look.  “Fluttershy, you do realize that he is hurt most severe? You should know that he may not persevere.” She shook her head, her long bangs whipping around. “No, please don’t say that, Zecora! Buddy will be fine! You’ll save him!” Looking back at the sleeping pup, she hung her head. “You have to…” Zecora let out another sigh, then put a hoof on the younger mare’s shoulder. “You must go and rest. Worry not for Buddy, for I shall do my best.” Fluttershy was about to retort, but Zecora gave her a stern glare. “Do not make me repeat myself.” The pegasus hesitated at that. She’d been at the Academy long enough to know what it meant when Zecora didn’t speak in rhymes. There was no way she was going to take no for an answer. Reluctantly, she stepped back and nodded, giving one last look to Buddy before leaving her teacher to her work. Letting out a breath through her nose, Zecora eyed the puppy. She had given her word that she would do all she can to help the little one, and she would do just that. But she had her limits. -o- She barely listened as her teacher droned on and on about something relating to… something. She wasn’t paying attention. She couldn’t if she tried. Her medical history class felt like a waste of time. Valuable time she could be using to help Zecora take care of Buddy. He needed her right now, and what was she doing? Sitting on her flank, her head low as an old stallion blathered in ceaseless attempt at education. She trembled at the thought of Buddy’s wounds, the memory of the sound of his agonized whimpers, undoubtedly pleas for help. Why was she even here right now? She had given Buddy to Zecora yesterday, and the zebra had given her no update on her little friend’s condition. How was he doing? Was he any better? Was Zecora feeding him properly? What was going on in Buddy’s mind right now? She squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting them to produce more tears. No more. She wasn’t going to cry anymore. Once her class was done, she was going straight to Buddy. He needed her. “Miss Fluttershy, is my class so boring to you that you’re trying to sleep through it?” Her eyes snapped open to find the instructor giving her a steady glare, while the other students all quietly snickered at her. A bright blush erupted across her face, and she partly hid behind her long pink mane. “N-No, sir, I’m just…” She let a sigh through her nose. “I’m sorry. I’ll pay attention.” The instructor hummed and continued his lecture. Fluttershy looked around and saw a few of the other students giving her amused glances, a few even chuckling at her. She again retreated behind her mane, wishing to Celestia it would all just end so she could go do what she wanted. Where she needed to be. -o- “Hey, Fluttershy!” Fluttershy stopped when she heard her name called. Rainbow Dash darted over to her, landing next to her friend. The cyan mare looked… uncharacteristically concerned, as if she’d just received some bad news. “I overheard some of your classmates talking about you being distracted in class today,” Rainbow said with a frown. “We missed you at lunch, too. You all right, Shy?” “Um…” She hesitated briefly. “Y-yes, I’m fine. Just… I’ve had a lot of assignments lately, and they’ve taken up a lot of my free time.” Rainbow quirked an eyebrow, her expression skeptical at best. “Fluttershy, how long have we known each other?” “Um… as long as I can remember. I had to have been five or six when I first met you. Maybe even younger. Why?” “What makes you think that, with all those years of us being friends, I can’t tell when you’re lying?” The cream-coated pegasus flinched at the question, looking away from her oldest friend as she tried to think of some out of this. She didn’t want Rainbow Dash to worry, but the cyan mare would only keep digging until she gave her a straight answer. “Shy, you know can talk to me about anything, right?” Rainbow added, putting a hoof on her friend’s shoulder. “If something’s bothering you, don’t let it eat you up. Just tell me what’s on your mind. If it’s something embarrassing, I promise not to laugh.” Fluttershy looked to the prismatic mare in front of her, a cyan hoof still on her shoulder, and bit her lip in her anxiety. She could just try to assure Rainbow that everything was fine and that there was nothing to worry about. In the end, however, she knew she couldn’t just lie through her teeth. Rainbow was no scientific genius, but she certainly wasn’t stupid. Lying to her would only make her worry more than if she just told her the truth. With a defeated sigh, she gently pushed Rainbow’s hoof off her shoulder and said, “It’ll be… not easier to show you, but… simpler.” With that, she turned, motioning with her head for Rainbow to follow her. The colorfully maned pegasus, for her part, hesitated for only a moment. She recognized that look on Fluttershy’s face. It was face that she hadn’t seen in years. Not since… She shook her head. No sense in digging up old memories like that. Giving her wings a flap, she flew after her friend. -o- When they arrived in Professor Zecora’s lab/office in the arboretum, Rainbow wasn’t a hundred percent sure what she should’ve expected. She looked around until she spotted a small form on a table on the opposite side of the room. It didn’t take her long to realize what it was, as she could hear weak whines coming from it. “Oh, man,” she murmured as Fluttershy led her over to the severely wounded puppy that was drawing nearly all of Zecora’s attention. She turned to Fluttershy, who was obviously fighting back tears, probably to look strong for the puppy’s sake, but she knew that that mask would peel right off like an old scab. Once more, it was a face she knew from a long time ago, when the timid pegasus was even more naive than she was now. “How… how bad is it?” she asked her friend quietly. A sigh escaped through Fluttershy’s nose. “He’s hurt bad, Rainbow. His back…” She choked back as a lump formed in her throat. “Flutters—” Fluttershy lifted her head up resolutely, stepping towards the working zebra. “Zecora, how is Buddy doing?” Zecora looked up from biting off the thread of the stitches to peer at the two, giving Rainbow a quick glance before looking back at Fluttershy. “Fluttershy, dear, I must tell you true. His chances for survival are very few. His injuries are grievous, and I fear that he will soon leave us.” Rainbow hissed as she quickly looked at Fluttershy. Seeing her friend’s eyes widen and tears forming around them caused a pang of sadness in her own heart. “No, no, no! Please don’t say that, Zecora! Please, you have to have something that can help him! Is there a medicine we can give him? A magic spell? Anything?” With a sigh, Zecora stepped away from the table and rested a hoof on her shoulder. “You must understand that there is only so much my tonics and cures can do, and magical spells for healing within my knowledge are so very few.” She rested her hoof back to the floor and gave her a long look. “You wish to become a veterinarian, yes?” Fluttershy gave a mute nod, wiping at her nose. “Then you must know that you will not be able to save them all. Believing so will cause your dream career to fall.” “B-but, there has to be something! Buddy is just a puppy! He’s so young! He can’t… he can’t die. It’s not fair.” Zecora could only offer a quiet sigh through her nose, glancing back at Rainbow Dash, who was quiet for the entire exchange. All Rainbow could give her was the most minimal shrug and slight shake of her head. The zebra turned to Fluttershy again, watching as the young mare sobbed. Neither Zecora nor Rainbow Dash knew how to deal with this. Eventually, the striped mare stepped forward, putting a hoof on Fluttershy’s shoulder. “If you truly believe he can be healed, I will give you an opportunity before his fate is sealed. Take him with my blessing, and see to he gets medicine and his wounds receive dressing.” Fluttershy stared at Zecora in shock, speechless for several moments. “You-you’re giving him to me?” The zebra nodded, and the young mare slowly began to smile. “Th-thank you! I’ll take good care of him, and he’ll be healthy again by the end of the week!” Zecora hummed, giving the mare a knowing look before she helped wrap Buddy up in a cloth. The puppy gave a small whimper as he was handled, and the two gently laid him on Fluttershy’s back. “Remember, dear Fluttershy, that if he needs medicine, you can come to me.” The zebra gave her a warm smile. “I have plenty of herbs, and I can give some for free.” The pegasus gave a thankful smile and dipped her head. “Thank you so much, Professor Zecora.” She held her head up, elation on her expression. “When he’s better, I’ll bring him so you can meet him. He really is a little sweetheart.” After departing from arboretum, Rainbow kept glancing at the injured pup on her friends back. The little Germane shepherd pup kept giving soft whines or whimpers whenever Fluttershy would unintentionally bump him as she walked. While no expert whatsoever with animals, Rainbow could tell that pup was hurt bad—real bad. “Fluttershy,” she said softly. “do you really think you can make him better? He looks pretty banged up.” Fluttershy nodded firmly. “I can, and I will. Buddy will be up and running around in no time at all. Just you wait and see.” Rainbow scrunched up her muzzle at her friends optimism. To her, it really sounded like Fluttershy was trying to convince herself as much as she was trying to convince her. “So… what happened, anyway? How’d he get hurt?” Fluttershy lowered her head, an ashamed look marring her features. “It was… it was horrible, Dashie. He-he ran across the street because I tripped. And a cart full of snow was rolling down the street with nopony to guide it, and…” She brought a hoof up to her muzzle, but set it back down quickly as Buddy whimpered again. “S-Sorry, Buddy.” When he settled she continued on. “He got hurt because of me.” Rainbow rested a hoof on her side, making sure not to bump the pup. “Hey, don’t blame yourself. He’s a puppy. They… you know, they do things like that.” “I know but—” She held her head up in resolution and picked up her pace a bit. “I’m going to do this, Dashie. No matter what, Buddy will get better, and I’m certain that you’ll love him just as much as I do.” As Rainbow watched her friend head for her dorm room, she could only hope that Fluttershy wasn’t getting in over her head, or deluding herself with false hope. She let out a huff and turned away, loathing that all she could do at the moment was hope for the best. -o- The door creaked as she slowly pushed it open. Being mindful not to bounce the puppy on her back, Fluttershy took extra caution to not cause him any more pain that he was already in. Her eyes settled on her bed for a second before she shook her head. ‘No, I need to get him a special bed, so I can work with him.’ Her eyes darted at her back when Buddy gave another small whine. “Don’t worry, Buddy, I have a nice, soft bed just for you. I just need to get it out first.” She carried him towards a corner of her room and, as gently as she could, slid him off her back, carefully laying him down. She softly nuzzled him before she ran for her closet, digging frantically. Finally, she dragged out a small little pet bed that she had saved from another stray she had tried to hide, and had kept just in case. Once she got him situated in the bed, she dug through the various herbs she’d received from Zecora. “Hmm… woundwort, sun’s tears, bay leaves… painkillers.” She set them aside and dug out some fresh wrapping. She smiled at Buddy. “Don’t worry. I’ll patch you up good as new, and you’ll be your old happy self again.” The puppy could only whine in response, his tail shifting in a weak wag. A hopeful smile graced her face. Seeing the tail move dispelled her fears that he was paralyzed, but she knew he wasn’t out of danger yet. As carefully as she could, she cut away the old bandaging with a pair of scissors before applying some of the mushed up paste of the herbs to his wounds. Even though he tried to squirm away from her touch, she kept a calm, yet firm, hoof on him. Losing herself in her work helped her forget the awful events that happened just a day ago. The day that started out so well. Playing with her little friend, seeing the happy smile on his dark tan face, and the look of adoration in his eyes just before she fell and— She shook her head quickly to dispel those memories. He was going to be all right. She was going to make him better, and she was going to give him a happy home and life. Not caring if she had to slave away her whole years at the Academy, she was going to save him! “I promise, Buddy. I promise that you’ll get better. I won’t let another—” She bit at her bottom lip to keep the tears from forming. No, she wasn’t going to let that thought gain traction either. Tying off the end of the wrapping, she settled beside him and nuzzled him. “You’ll be all right,” she cooed at him. Buddy lifted his snout enough to give her nose a lick and she giggled. “Thank you.” She kept close to him until he had drifted off to sleep. If it wasn’t for the fact her that stomach was grumbling at her for skipping dinner, she would’ve stayed beside him all night. “I won’t be gone long, Buddy. You just sleep until I get back, and I’ll give you something for the pain,” she said to him, more for her own benefit than for the sleeping pup’s. As she left her dorm room, her mind thought ahead of all the things she would have to do. She realized that the herbs she got from Zecora weren’t going to last forever, and she should offer her something in return. Which meant sending her parents another letter asking for some more bits—something she was loathe to do. Still, it was for Buddy. It was worth all of her father’s complaints and then some. ‘Dad will understand. He knows I’m just looking out for my friends,’ she told herself as she trotted for the cafeteria. ‘Is it truly a kindness, young one?’ She gave a startled squeak and whirled, her eyes searching the lawn for whoever had spoken to her. A shiver traveled down her spine as she saw no one. Not even a bird flew overhead. “H-hello?” she called out, though her voice barely carried past her muzzle. Only a soft breeze greeted her, causing her ears to flick as the wind tickled at them. “Umm… please come out. I don’t like to be scared.” Her tail gave a nervous swish as she hurried along for the cafeteria. Maybe she had imagined it due to her hunger and stress. Yes, that must be it. A good salad and some nice warm tea would settle her frazzled nerves. -o- Today had been slow for Applejack. Her classes seemed to be getting duller and duller, while practice with the track team felt as though it was getting shorter. She needed a break from all the endless numbers and fancy words that her instructors were trying to cram into her head. When would she ever use the Ponythagorean Theorem in day to day activity? Heck, it surprised her that she even remembered how to pronounce it, seeing as she was, admittedly, terrible at pronouncing new words that went more than four syllables without practice. She shook her head with a sigh. ‘I’ll never understand big city learnin’.’ She’d gotten by pretty darn well with what she’d learned on the farm back home, but the teachers just had to stress the importance of solving for ‘x’ and calculating the mass of a rock or something. Just say that something’s heavy. Some ponies should be able to figure out how heavy it is without having to go through a bunch of numbers. As she trotted across the campus courtyard, having left her final class for the day, she spotted a familiar cyan pegasus heading for the track and field. Something, however, was wrong. “Heya, RD,” Applejack greeted Rainbow Dash with a neighborly wave. The prismatic pony turned the farm mare and waved back, though not as energetically. “Why’re you walkin’, Dash? Lose a bet or somethin’?” Rainbow glanced down at her hooves, which were on the ground as her friend had pointed out. “It’s kinda that ‘or something,’ really,” she confessed. She gave a humorless chuckle. “Been awhile since I actually walked somewhere.” Applejack blinked for a moment, her eyebrow rising with her curiosity. “You all right?” She gave a faint shrug as she continued. “Me? I’m fine. I’m just… just worried about Fluttershy.” “Why’s that?” the farmpony asked as she walked alongside her friend. “Well…” Rainbow hesitated, setting off a number of alarms in Applejack’s head. Rainbow Dash never hesitated, except when it came to tight spaces and closed-in crowds. “Look, I don’t really think it’s my place to tell anyone about it. It’s probably for the best to just ask Fluttershy face to face. Who knows? Maybe you can help her. I think she needs a bit of your bluntness.” “I prefer the term ‘offerin’ an honest opinion,’” the blonde mare retorted with a toss of her mane. “If you’re so sure I can help, I’ll see what I can do, but I can’t promise ya anythin’.” “Trust me, once you know what’s going on, you’ll wanna help.” Rainbow averted her gaze for a moment. “Honestly, it’s just a matter of how you’ll help.” Applejack’s brow quirked up again as she made a note to talk to Fluttershy as soon as she got a chance. Things must be serious if Rainbow is worried enough to walk rather than fly to where she needed to go. -o- Fluttershy couldn’t stop her mind from wandering as she poked at her food, instinctively thinking up ways she could help Buddy to get better. She could try mixing some of the different ingredients Zecora had shared with her to make some kind of salve that could, at the very least, ease his pain a little, if nothing else. Perhaps she could clean up around his stitches? She didn’t want them to get infected, so maybe she needed to clean them again. She’d need some alcohol and gaze, which she could likely get from the nurse’s office. Nurse Redheart would probably be okay with parting with such things, as long she didn’t take too much. Just she took a bite from her salad, she heard the chair across from her be pulled out. She looked up to see Applejack taking a seat, a single apple held in her hoof. The orange earth mare took a bite of the fruit before speaking. “Heard from Rainbow Dash that somethin’s troublin’ ya, Fluttershy,” AJ said, swallowing the chunk of apple in her mouth. “She seemed awful worried ‘bout ya. What’s goin’ on?” Her eyes brightened. “Oh, Applejack. Maybe you can help me!” “Yeah, RD said I might be able to.” “Of course you can! You have a dog, right? You know how to take care of puppies?” Applejack gave the cream-coated pegasus an odd look. “Uh… sure. I raised Winona from when she was just a little thing. I don’t really see how that’s relevant, though.” “Then maybe you can tell me what I can do to help Buddy.” She lowered her gaze, her eyes half lidding. “Buddy got hurt because of me. He ran into the road when I fell, and a cart hit him, and…” A wince crossed Applejack’s face and she reached over to pat her friend on the foreleg. “Don’t worry, Shy. We can take a look at ‘im, and might be we can find a way to patch him back up.” She settled back on her seat and looked at the pegasus as she lifted her gaze up again. “Don’t go blamin’ yourself over somethin’ that ain’t your fault. You weren’t the one that hurt your little friend, so don’t take any blame that ain’t yours.” Fluttershy again averted her eyes. “B-But—” “But nothin’, Shy. You’re innocent in this. None of what happened is your fault. I can’t see you doin’ anythin’ like that intentionally.” She nodded slowly and sighed. “I just wish… I could go back and save him from ever being hurt in the first place.” Applejack roughly tapped a hoof on the table, pulling Fluttershy out of her self-loathing. “That’s enough o’ that, now, sugarcube. What’s important right now is takin’ care o’ your friend. Ya can’t change the past, but you can make up for it.” The pegasus turned her gaze away slightly, offering a weak nod. “Now, why don’t ya take me to see your friend, and I’ll see what I can do?” Fluttershy nodded again and took one last bite of her food before trashing the rest and - with a mixture of eagerness and apprehension - escorting Applejack to her dorm room. As they trotted down the halls, the cream-colored mare couldn’t stop a small, hopeful smile from building on her face. She pushed the door open to her room as they arrived, and nodded for Applejack to enter. Closing the door behind her, she motioned to the little bed in the corner of the room.  “He’s over there.” Applejack nodded and the two of them walked over to the pup. Fluttershy’s eyes widen when she didn’t see his chest rising and falling. “Buddy!” The pup’s eyes snapped open, and he gave a whine as he was jolted awake. She was beside him in an instant. “I-I’m sorry, Buddy. I didn’t mean to startle you.” She ran a hoof over his ears softly. “You scared me.” He gave a weak wag of his tail and settled himself again. Fluttershy bit at her lip and looked up at Applejack with watery eyes. The earth mare gave a soft sigh through her nose and sat beside the pup. Her green eyes looked the stitched injuries over for a minute before she gave a soft prod to the puppy’s back hip. The both of them cringed as she heard the grating of bone and Buddy giving a pained yelp. “Fluttershy… I, uh… “ Applejack bit at her lower lip, knowing that what she was about to say was not going to be what her friend wanted to hear. “I think his hip is busted. Ya heard the bone as much as I did, and if he got hit with a full cart, I’d bet my hat that the other one is broken up, too. And ain’t no tellin’ what else is wrong with ‘im.” Fluttershy nodded slowly, looking down at Buddy.  “What… what can we do for him?” She felt Applejack rest a hoof on her shoulder. “Fluttershy, there ain’t no easy way to say this, but… well, there might not be anythin’ we can do for him. I’ve seen critters take wounds like this back on the farm before. Don’t ever end well ‘em, ‘specially for ones young as Buddy, here.” “N-no,” Fluttershy stammered, shaking her head violently. “No, there has to be something I can do! I-I could set the bones back in place! Give him a cast, and he’ll be fine in just a few weeks!” “Shy…” The pegasus shook her head again. “A little doggy wheelchair, I’ll buy him one and he can get around in that!” “Fluttershy, listen to—” “I’m not giving up on her!” Applejack blinked. “‘Her?’ Ain’t he a boy pup?” Fluttershy froze at that, her eyes wide in realization. She hung her head low, turning away from the blonde mare and laying down in front of Buddy. “Thank you for coming here, Applejack,” Fluttershy said with an uncharacteristically cold tone. “You can leave now.” Applejack blinked once again, looking at the pegasus in confusion. “Fluttershy, what’s eatin’ ya?  You can tell me.” “Just… just go. Please.” Fluttershy’s voice barely carried above a whisper. “B-But…” Applejack stammered, one of the few times she could ever remember being so off balance with her words. Fluttershy lowered her head, and Applejack could see her shoulders shaking with quiet sobs. Taking in a breath, she realized that now was not the time to press her friend for answers. She turned for the door but paused to look back at her. “If ya ever wanna talk, ya know where ta find me. You can talk to me, or you can talk to the others. Don’t keep whatever’s botherin’ ya bottled up. It ain’t good for ya.” There was no response from the pink-maned pegasus as the door closed after Applejack. She only stared down at the puppy below her, her gaze not even seeing him anymore. Her mind was elsewhere, lost in a memory she had thought she’d come to peace with a long time ago. She gritted her teeth as she fought back tears, lowering her head into her hooves as she failed hold tears at bay. ‘No, I won’t let it happen again. I won’t!’ ‘Do not mistake surviving for living.’ Her head shot up. There was that voice again, an echo from nowhere. There was no speaker within her view, and she doubted Buddy had said anything. ‘Please understand, child, that mercy is not always about continuing. There are times when letting go is the kinder route.’ Her eyes were half lidded. Was it a kinder route that Buddy had to suffer? Was it a kinder route that she had to go through all of this… this pain before she… before she finally… Fluttershy shook her head, but the thoughts refused to leave her. She looked down at Buddy, who looked up at her weakly and gave a soft, weak whine. She stared into those adorable brown eyes and saw the plea in them—the pain. “Buddy… please, don’t do this…” She choked back a sob. “I… I’m so sorry…” -o- Applejack wasn’t completely sure what to make of what had just happened. Fluttershy was more than depressed, even more than distraught; she was completely devastated. She’d known that the pegasus was faint of heart at times, but this… she wasn’t entirely certain what to do with this. Applejack ran a hoof over her face and groaned. She didn’t like seeing her friends like this, hated it in fact. If only she knew what was wrong with Fluttershy; maybe she could help her friend through this. As she left the mare’s dormitory, Applejack’s thoughts drifted to what she knew of her friend. During her tirade, she mentioned a “her.” Who was she talking about? What thoughts were festering in the timid mare’s head? She glanced over towards the track field, noticing a familiar prosmatic blur racing through the obstacle course, which hesitated in front of the tube that still hung in the air. Rainbow Dash gave an audible groan, zipping back to the starting line and going through the course again, only to once again stop herself in front of the tube. AJ watched as Dash raced through the course over and over, each time stopping before the tube and letting a frustrated growl. It didn’t take long for Rainbow to throw in the towel (temporarily, Applejack would bet) and fly down to the ground, where she had a few bottles of water waiting for her. When Dash was taking a swig of water, AJ approached and picked up a bottle. “Ya mind?” she asked, holding the bottle in view of the pegasus who shrugged indifferently. The blonde mare unscrewed the cap and gulped down some of the water inside before speaking again. “I talked to Fluttershy.” “What happened?” inquired Rainbow as she got to stretching her wings and legs. Applejack hesitated for a moment. “Well… she didn’t take what I had to say very well.” She wiped at her mouth with a foreleg. “The little guy is in a bad way, Rainbow. He ain’t gonna to live well if he survives.” Dash sighed, hanging her head some. “That bad, huh?” She nodded. “His hips are bad, and they won’t ever heal right.” A sigh escaped her as she lowered her gaze for a moment. “My pa always said when a dog’s hips go bad, the best thing for ‘em is to put ‘em down, quick an’ painless.” “And she didn’t like that suggestion.” She shook her head and looked back up at the floating tube, her gaze going distant. “Flutters always had trouble letting go.” Applejack quirked an eyebrow at that. “What do ya mean ‘lettin’ go’?” Rainbow immediately froze up, looking like somepony had just told her she was unicorn. She turned her head away, searching for something to change the subject. “Rainbow…” Applejack asserted, glaring at the pegasus, who took a step back before hanging her head shamefully. “Rainbow Dash, what’s goin’ on? First, Fluttershy says somethin’ about a ‘her’ and has me leave her alone, and now this about her not bein’ able to let go. What’s eatin’ at her?” “It… it’s not really my place to say,” Dash answered, looking anything other than confident. “It’s really personal for her, you know?” Applejack sat next to her, lifting her hat a moment to scratch at her scalp. “Trust me, RD, I know all about things bein’ personal. It don’t mean that it should stay bottled up. Tell me what’s wrong.” Several moments of silence filled the air between them as Rainbow Dash looked around, making sure no one else was present. When she was assured that nopony could overhear, she sighed and sat down as well. “Fluttershy…” she began reluctantly. “Fluttershy’s mom died. A long time ago. I was, like, six or seven, I think.” Applejack blinked, her eyes widening some. “I never knew that,” she murmured. However, an inconsistency reared its head to her. “Wait a minute. Shy’s talked about her folks before. Her mom and dad.” “Stepmom,” Rainbow corrected. “Her dad remarried two years back. Nice mare and all, but I doubt Fluttershy ever really accepted her.” The orange earth mare felt her throat go dry. “What happened to her real mom?” “She got sick. Like… really sick. I don’t remember all the details, but I remember my parents talking about it one night. Something to do with her lungs not working right anymore.” Rainbow huffed out a sorrowful sigh. “Last time I saw Shy’s mom, she coughed up a lot of blood, right in front of Flutters and me.” A shudder ran up Applejack’s spine as her mind’s eye played the scenario out. She shook her head, not wanting to imagine seeing a young Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash in such a horrible situation. “Did she pass peacefully?” Rainbow closed her eyes for a moment. “I wasn’t there, but Fluttershy was. Afterwards, it took a long time for her to stop crying every night. Even longer for me to get her to smile again.” She looked back up at the sky, watching the clouds drift by overhead. “She blamed herself. Fluttershy tried so hard to make her mom comfortable. To make her better. Helping her eat, drink, cleaning her up and everything. She’d even read to her sometimes… but…” Applejack looked at Rainbow as she sighed. “But she felt like she could’ve done more.” Rainbow nodded. “I guess she feels the same way with Buddy. Fluttershy won’t give up on him, even when she knows there’s nothing that anyone can do for him.” She kicked a hoof on the ground. “Don’t tell her I said this, but I… sort of don’t like that about her. I’m all for not giving up and everything, but… well…” “There’s gotta be a time when ya have to know when to quit.” Applejack nodded, looking back at the mare’s dormitory. She took in a breath and stood tall. Rainbow turned a curious glance her way. “What are you gonna do, AJ?” She looked at Rainbow. “She has to know, Rainbow. She needs to let Buddy go so he doesn’t suffer anymore than he has to.” “She won’t listen to you, not when she’s like this.” Rainbow’s ears flickered. “You’ve already tried.” Applejack stamped a hoof into the grass. “That’s why you and me are gonna talk sense into her together. She has to hear it, Rainbow.” The pegasus bit her lip, but instead of arguing, she hung her head and said, “I know, I know. Let’s get this over with, then. The sooner the better.” -o- “Are you okay, Mom?” A young Fluttershy asked as she bit at her hoof. Watching as an older, amber-colored pegasus sat upright, fighting a fit of ragged coughing. “Let me get you some water.” The older mare panted a bit before she turned a soft smile to her. “Oh, that’s okay, Fluttershy, I can get it myself. Don’t you have homework to take care of, sweetie?” She shuffled her hooves and averted her eyes. “Um, well…” With a hard cough, the mare shuddered, but didn’t stop smiling at her daughter. “Go finish your homework, sweetheart. Mommy will be okay by herself for a few more minutes.” Nodding weakly, Fluttershy said, “I-if you need anything—” “Don’t worry,” her mother said with a grin. “I know just who to call if I need help with anything. You’re my strong, little girl, after all.” She gently nuzzled the lanky filly, whose mane fell over her face. The mare giggled, brushing Fluttershy’s bangs from her eyes. “We really need to get your mane cut a little at some point, or at least make it so that your bangs can't hide those pretty eyes of yours.” Fluttershy giggled and gave her mother a hug. She might’ve been sick right now, but the little filly just knew that her mother would pull through. Things like this always worked out in the end. That’s what she was raised to believe. It’s what she chose to believe. Her eyes opened slowly, her ears twitching in response to the sound of soft whining from next to her. She must’ve fallen asleep at some point, and dreamed about old memory from when she was just a filly. Buddy had to have sensed her depression, because was watching her with a worried stare, reaching to try put his little paw on her hoof. She wanted to smile at him, as a way of letting him know she was okay, but she couldn’t bring herself to lie to him so blatantly. She knew she wasn’t okay. There was no point in hiding that anymore. “I’m sorry, Buddy. I know it hurts, but… I know you will pull through. I believe you will. I have to.” She hollowly sighed through her nose and nuzzled him. “It’ll all work out. I know it will.” Buddy tried to waggle his tail at her, but shocking pain flashed in his eyes, and he gave a yelp. She rested a hoof on his shoulder, biting at her lip. “Please, don’t try to move. You’re not well yet.” The pup gave a few more faint whines but settle in his bed, his soft brown eyes looking at her pleadingly. ‘He’s hurting, and there’s nothing I can do… just like before.’ ‘At times, letting go is the greatest show of caring one can offer.’ She didn’t even react to the faceless voice this time. All she could do was watch Buddy and wallow in pity, though whether that pity was directed toward the puppy or herself, she wasn’t sure. Whatever the case, she was suffocating in it. It wasn’t very often she admitting such feelings to herself, but she hated this. She hated the misery. She hated the pain. She hated seeing one she held so dearly suffer. ‘I wish there was something I could do…’ she thought, silently praying for a miracle, but knowing that one wasn’t likely to happen. Her head snapped back as a rough knock came from her door. “Fluttershy, it’s me,” a familiar southern drawl came from the other side. “Let me in. We need to talk.” Her ears flattened, and she looked away. “I wanted to be left alone, Applejack. Please, just go away.” “Flutters, it’s me…” Her ears perked back up. “Rainbow?” “Yeah. Come on. Let us in.” “I… I don’t want to talk.” There was a sound of shifting hooves from the other side of the door. “Fluttershy, you need to talk. Please, open up before Applejack kicks the door down.” “And I will, too.” Fluttershy’s eyes widened. She knew from AJ’s tone that the earth mare meant what she was saying. “No! Don’t do that, you’ll upset him!” “AJ, don’t!” She heard Rainbow’s panicked cry from the door. “Don’t!” She flew for the door and flung it open, only to find that the two mares stood there with smiles on their faces. Fluttershy blinked before realization crossed her face. “You tricked me…” Rainbow dropped her smile and gave her friend a serious look. “Sorry, Fluttershy, but you do need to talk about this. You’ve been brooding on it for years now, whether you realize it or not, and…” She motioned past her to the puppy bed. “You’re not really thinking straight.” “I am thinking straight!” Fluttershy stamped a hoof, her tail swishing. “I’m going to look after Buddy, and he is going to get better!” Rainbow put a hoof on her friend’s shoulder. “Fluttershy… you have to let it go. I know this isn’t about Buddy.” She lowered her hoof. “It wasn’t your fault. You’re not responsible for what happened to your mom.” Fluttershy’s eyes widened, her bottom lip quivering. “N-No. It’s got nothing to do with her. This is about—” “Fluttershy,” Applejack said, walking into the room to stand beside her. “I know what happened. Rainbow told me. Ya’ve gotta realize that you’re lyin’ to yerself, sugarcube.” Fluttershy shook her head. “No, it’s not that. I wouldn’t lie about this.” Applejack looked at her, tilting her head a bit. “Even when ya called Buddy a she?” She averted her gaze, her pink bangs falling across her face. “...That was a slip.” “And a mighty tellin’ one.” AJ rested a hoof on her friend’s withers. “You know you’re doin’ wrong by Buddy by not lettin’ him go.” Brushing off the hoof from her withers she looked at AJ with a tragic expression. “Applejack, you weren’t there. You didn’t see her. You didn’t see how she…” She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to force back the tears that were starting to form. “I can’t give up. I won’t give up again!” Rainbow nuzzled her friend. “But I was there, too, Flutters. I saw what happened, and how you took it when your mom died.” She stepped back to look at her. “It wasn’t your fault.” “B-but it was! I could’ve done something! I could’ve found her medicine! I-I...” “Fluttershy,” AJ said, standing next to Rainbow again. “It wasn’t yer fault.” She shrunk back, trying to hide in her bangs. “You-you… please… don’t do this.” “Fluttershy, it wasn’t your fault,” they said in unison. It was like a dam had broken, all of those pent up emotions came surging through her. Slumping to her haunches, Fluttershy cried. Her sobs filled the room, even as Applejack and Rainbow wrapped her up in a tight hug, tears threatening to fall from their eyes as well. “Mom, I’m so…” she sniffed. “I’m so sorry. Mom…” Quietly, Rainbow Dash draped a wing over her friend, letting the mare lean on her as she bawled. Fluttershy pressed her face into her friend’s neck, while Applejack walked to her other side and wrapped her in a tight hug. Even as she let lose of all of her regret, she felt warm knowing her friends were there.   The three held that pose for a while before Fluttershy finally stood straighter and rubbed at her eyes. “Dashie, Applejack… Thank you so much,” she quietly whispered. Rainbow brought her wing back to her side and smiled. “Feeling better?” “No.” Fluttershy sniffed, and wiped at her nose with a hoof. “But… I needed that.” “Anytime, Flutters,” Dash said with a light nuzzle. Discreetly, she gave Applejack a warning glare with a fairly clear message: tell nopony about Rainbow Dash getting touchy-feely, ever. The blonde mare could only give a small smile and nod as Rainbow continued to comfort Fluttershy. Eventually, Fluttershy turned to look at Buddy, who was whining in pain as he tried repeatedly to get to her, only for him to elicit another whine when he tried to move his back legs. The cream-coated pegasus cringed at the sight, before giving a defeated, forlorn sigh. She couldn’t stand to see him suffer like this. He didn’t deserve this. She was tempted to ask the others to give her some time with him, but quietly kicked that thought out. Prolonging things would only make it harder. Gently, she picked up the crippled puppy, carefully placing him on her back. She turned to her friends, giving them both a look of grudging acceptance. “Let’s go see Professor Zecora. She… might have something to…” She trailed off, unable to finish the sentence. A cyan hoof fell on her shoulder, Rainbow giving her a tiny, comforting smile, not saying a word. Quietly, the three mares left Fluttershy’s dorm room, one injured pup in tow. -o- Even as she walked towards the door, she could hear Professor Zecora singing on the other side. Knowing what she was about to do made her pause, instinctively second-guessing this decision. She knew that once she opened that door, there was no going back. Buddy would have to… She shook her head, knowing full well that this was for the best. Buddy would never be able to live a full life with his injuries, not without constant aid and care. That was no way for any creature to live. “You sure you’re ready for this, Fluttershy?” Applejack asked, her ears tilting back some. “If ya want, I can stay with ‘im—” “No,” she answered immediately, her long bangs swaying as she shook her head. “I… Buddy is my responsibility. I should be the one to…” Again, a familiar hoof touched her shoulder. Rainbow Dash gave her a single, solemn nod before lowering her hoof. Fluttershy nodded in turn and opened the door to the zebra professor’s office. Zecora was apparently working on some concoction, as she usually was, when she noticed Fluttershy enter the room. Seeing the dour look on the younger mare’s face and the puppy lying on her back, it didn’t take long for Zecora to figure out what Fluttershy was here about. “So, you are here,” the zebra said in a somber voice. “What have you learned, my dear?” Reluctantly, Fluttershy answered, “Sometimes… you need accept a loss. But I did everything I could.” “Take pride in that, Fluttershy. You learned this lesson quicker than I.” For a brief moment, the pegasus wanted to ask what she meant, but the melancholic look in Zecora’s blue eyes told her it was a sensitive topic that shouldn’t be touched upon. Instead, Fluttershy simply nodded and took Buddy to the same table where Zecora had treated him before. With a light sigh, Zecora turned to a shelf and took a small jar of some reddish liquid, setting it on the table with a small spoon. “This brew will do the task. Is there anything else you wish to ask?” “Will it hurt him?” Zecora shook her head. “It will be as though he is falling asleep. His spirit will then be Elysium’s to keep.” “Do you want us to stay with you, Flutters?” asked Rainbow softly. She turned to look at Rainbow Dash and Applejack and shook her head slowly. “No… I want to be alone with him… If you would, please.” With silent nods of their heads, the two mares left the room, Zecora following them, leaving Fluttershy alone with Buddy. For a few moments, all she could do was stare at him. His soft, brown eyes watched her, and she could see that even now, he still hurt. She could see the silent plea in his eyes, the need for release. She sat beside him and nuzzled him, and a sad smile crossed her face when he licked her cheek. “I’m so sorry, Buddy. I never wanted this to happen.” She rested her head beside him. “Do you forgive me?” He gave a soft yip and nuzzled at her. She steeled herself before she could begin to doubt her resolve. Pouring the red liquid into the spoon, she looked back at him. “You’re going to go to sleep, and you won’t hurt anymore… I promise.” Buddy gave another soft yip, an understanding look in his eyes. Taking in a breath, she pried his mouth open a bit more and poured the liquid down his throat. The pup gave the expected, instinctive squirm, but she knew it had all gone down. Setting aside the spoon, she rested her head beside him again. “I wanted to take you home. To give you a good life. A happy life where you could run free and never have to be hungry or cold again.” She sniffled. “You deserved so much more than this, Buddy. It’s not fair.” She could see the medicine was beginning to work as he seemed to calm down, his eyes drooping some. His body tried to fight it, but she knew it wasn’t going to last. “Don’t fight, Buddy, just… let go. You won’t hurt anymore, and you can run free again.” She bit her cheek to force herself not to scream. “I guess… in way… I did give you what I wanted to give you. Just… not in the way I wanted to.” For several, agonizing seconds, she sat next to Buddy, lightly stroking his back and fighting off the tears that threatened to fall like rain. Those seconds became minutes until the pup was unable to keep his eyes open. She looked one final time into his eyes, and all she saw was a look of… gratitude… before Buddy’s eyes shut forever, and he breathed one final time. Gritting her teeth for a single second, she nuzzled the pup one last time. “Goodbye, Buddy.” For some reason, a single memory resurfaced to her. The last memory she had of her mother; the last words he mother ever spoke. With small, woeful smile, she whispered into Buddy’s ear, “Goodnight, little one. May your dreams be sweet.” Softly, oh, so delicately, she lay her head on the table letting the tears fall. -o- Hours later, Fluttershy sat in a corner of the arboretum, mourning the still painfully raw loss of a creature who had yet to live up to his potential. Add to that the realization that she’d never truly gotten over an even more agonizing loss, and it was like rubbing salt into her own wounds. A part of her was glad that Buddy wasn’t suffering anymore, but a larger part of her hated herself for letting all of this happen in the first place. If only she were more careful… if she’d simply taken him onto campus in the first place… if she’d brought him to a good shelter… taken him to a family willing to raise him. Her already hanging head sunk even lower. The saying about hindsight being 20/20 was almost an insult to her now. So many things she could’ve done… but she was selfish, and kept him for herself, yet she wasn’t even willing to risk getting caught with him on campus. If she’d done literally anything differently, maybe things wouldn’t have turned out the way they had. As she berated herself, she felt something small brush against her leg. She didn’t bother reacting to it. It was probably just one of the arboretum animals trying to get her attention, and so ignored it. Whatever it was, however, must’ve been persistent, because it brushed her leg again, only for her to ignore it once more. Suddenly, she felt something smack against the back of her head, eliciting a yelp from the mare. She rubbed the spot where she’d been hit and looked to find what had struck her. Behind her, a carrot lay on the ground, a small white rabbit sitting just a couple feet away, its forelegs crossed and one leg thumping against the ground with an impatient look on its face. It motioned to the carrot, then to Fluttershy, as if to say, “Are you gonna take it or not?” She didn’t quite know what to make of this. Most rabbits she’d taken care of were very passive and quiet. This one seemed… a tad more assertive. She looked down at the carrot, then at the rabbit again, wondering if it had somehow sensed her sadness. If so, was this carrot some way of consoling her? “Is this… for me?” The rabbit rolled its eyes, hopped forward, and pushed the carrot at her, motioning to it, then to her. “Oh…” She had never received a gift from an animal before. This was an entirely new experience for her. Picking up the carrot, she gave the rabbit a small, grateful smile. “Thank you,” she said as she bit into the vegetable. Its natural flavor did make her feel a little better, and the rabbit’s company was nice, even if it did look rather prideful at the moment. Curious, she inched closer to the rabbit. “This was very kind of you,” she said. “Thank you again. Do you have a name?” The bunny made a circular motion above his head, and flapped his arms as if they were tiny wings. She blinked at him at first. “Is your name Flappy? That’s an odd name for a bunny.” The rabbit made a small groaning sound as he slapped a paw on his face. -o- Shining Armor gulped as he approached the throne room. All manner of scenarios ran through his mind as he pondered why Princess Celestia would want to see him. Had he offended her somehow? Made a critical mistake in his paperwork that he wasn’t yet privy to? What if he’d accidentally authorized the release of a dangerous criminal? Or rejected payment to a charity that the princess was particularly fond of? ‘Okay, maybe not that last one.’ The princess was strict, to be sure, but she wasn’t a tyrant. Abusing the power her office gave her was so far out of her nature, that it wasn’t unreasonable to say that her abusing her power was as likely as a rock sprouting wings. It was virtually unimaginable. When he arrived at the doors to Celestia’s throne room, the two guards on duty saluted him and opened the doors, ushering him in. At the other end of the expansive room was Princess Celestia herself, sitting at the throne as she managed some paperwork of her own. He trotted closer until her was about ten feet or so away, and cleared his throat. “Ah, Captain Armor,” the princess said as she wrote her signature on a document, setting aside the rest of the papers for after this meeting. “I’m glad to see you could make it. We have a very important matter to discuss.” “I can only assume so, Your Highness,” Shining replied. “What’s wrong?” Celestia stood from her throne, descending the small flight of steps as she approached the stallion, who stood just a bit higher than her barrel. “It’s come to my attention that the recent foalnappings seem to have stopped. However, I feel that whoever was behind these disappearances may still pose a threat.” Shining nodded. She likely wanted him to continue looking into the matter. “I’ll have as many guards as I can keep an eye for—” “No, Captain. I want you to keep a close eye on a specific location, one that I believe may actually be the center of these happenings.” He blinked. “Er, of course. Where do you need me to watch?” “Canterlot Academy.” Shining Armor’s blood almost instantly went cold. His thoughts went to his little sister immediately. What was going on at the Academy? Was Twilight potentially in danger? “Twily…” he muttered under his breath. She flicked her ear and tilted her head at him. “While I do not believe the students and staff are in any immediate danger, I must stress that vigilance of the Academy campus is of the utmost importance right now. Keep a close eye, but remain discreet about it. We don’t want civilians to panic.” “Y-yes, Your Highness.” He had to fight back a relieved sigh. The way she’s put emphasis on ‘students’ made him feel that his sister was still relatively safe. Heck, with any luck, this whole thing would blow over without her even realizing she was in danger in the first place. He gave the princess a quick salute as she dismissed him, and left the room. With Shining Armor gone, Celestia let out a breath through her nose, turning to the nearby balcony. That time of day came once more, and her horn lit up with a golden aura. The sun slowly fell past the horizon, and after a few moments, the moon rose, bearing the eternal glare of the mare on its surface. “It won’t be long now,” the princess murmured quietly. “I pray that I’m right. I want nothing more than to be reunited with you, little sister.” With a forlorn sigh, she returned to her throne, and, with only minimal reluctance, returned to her paperwork. ‘Just a few months more…’