//------------------------------// // Act 3 Chapter 15 // Story: Collision Code // by SSJRandomMaster //------------------------------// Act III: Collision of Wills Chapter 15: The Chilling Penalty Starts ------------------------------------------ Both Discord and Fluttershy stood in silence, their sights locked on the door in front of them. Something was behind it, that much was clear. But what it was still remained a mystery. Fluttershy seemed to know, but her answer only raised more questions.   “Me, the other me…” That was what she had said when she’d realized what that awful noise was, but Discord didn’t know what she meant. As far as he knew, all the split personalities he’d created in the past had been erased after his defeat…hadn’t they?   “I’m afraid I don’t understand,” said Discord. Fluttershy took another step towards the door, resting one palm on it. Just as it had before, the door began to rattle violently as something banged at it from the inside, screeching. This time, Fluttershy didn’t recoil, her brows simply furrowed as she stared at the door, waiting for the ruckus to stop.   “You said it yourself. All that I am, my true self, that’s what we’ve seen. But this is the only part that isn’t me. This house, the one inside it; it’s all that I’m not and everything I’ve never wanted to be. The other me, the one locked inside, is my opposite in every way…as well as where the Stare comes from.”   Discord paused for a moment, taking in what he heard. The mere thought of something that was the opposite of Fluttershy in every way, right here inside her own psyche... That was a terrifying prospect to consider. Even though the Stare didn’t affect him, he’d dreaded to think what would happen if any more than the eyes were revealed of the savage behind that cottage door.   “But how did she come to be?” he wondered, never once betraying the uneasiness inside him. Fluttershy looked down for a moment, rubbing her shoulder as she let out a sigh.   “I…I made her,” she said, looking back to the door,” Growing up was hard for me. I was small, I was slow, and I was weak. Because of all that, I was almost always the one that got picked on, and though I tried to play it off as no big deal, it hurt. It hurt a lot. But what could I do? I couldn’t stand up for myself, and I couldn’t fight back. So I just repressed any negative emotions I had. It wasn’t healthy, I knew that even then, but I didn’t have a lot of options.   “I did it for most of my life, just tucking them away so that nopony could see them. But somewhere along the way, they started to have a mind of their own. And at the center of all that, she was born…”   Again, the creature within the dilapidated cottage screeched, as though it was listening to the conversation.   “Has she ever come out?” asked Discord.   “Only a few times…” she said, “The very first time was when I had also realized she existed…before I’d even moved to Ponyville. I was being bullied when Rainbow wasn’t around. Suddenly, she came out and…” Fluttershy paused, trembling, “He stopped bullying me from that day on. After that happened, I was terrified with what she could do, so I locked her away to keep her from hurting anyone else. But I think that locking her away…only made her worse with time.   “The second time…was when you let her out with your magic. That time, I’d managed to hold her back. She was mean, but I kept her from doing anything worse than what I did do that day.”   At that news, Discord loosened his tie for just a moment, clearing his throat. So that was what he’d let out. And experiencing guilt was still a fresh experience, though certainly dulled by recent events for sure.   “Sorry about that, by the way,” Discord said quickly, but Fluttershy waved her hand dismissively.   “The final time she came out was probably the worst. It was only a few months ago, when a minotaur named Iron Will came to town. Around that time, the fact I was a pushover started to get to me. And…in a moment of weakness, I turned to him for help, thinking that maybe he could teach me to better control her. At first, I thought I could, but I was wrong. Without me noticing, she’d started to take control.   “And she wasn’t just mean, she was violent. She threatened ponies, she hurt them. By the time I was able to lock her away again I was scared that I’d have lost my friends. Luckily, I didn’t, but from then on, I was scared that it might happen again. So I haven’t tried to use her…not even the Stare. I’m just…too scared of the risks…”   Fluttershy fell silent after that, looking to the ground of her mindscape. Discord turned back to the door, deep in thought.   There was no denying that this other Fluttershy was dangerous if left unchecked. But there was also no ignoring she had the bravado that the true Fluttershy lacked. If something like this could be harnessed—and pointed at the right target, of course—there’s no telling what could result.   “What if there was no risks” he asked, “What if she pointed her violence to those who really deserve it?”   “I told you, there’s no way to control her!” Fluttershy said, looking up.   “But what if you could? What if you could take control of her strength, more than you’ve ever managed to in the past?” he asked, “You’d finally have what you wanted, you’ll be able to fight alongside your friends.”   Fluttershy opened her mouth in response, but quickly closed it. The mere thought of no longer being a burden was enough to tempt her. But still, she feared the risk, the risk of what could happen should something go wrong. If something were to happen and her other self would take control again, she wasn’t sure if she’d be able to lock her away again.   She wasn’t sure what to do, and Discord could see this. He didn’t want to make her choose, but he also couldn’t pass up this opportunity to ensure her safety. Especially since he couldn’t lift a finger to protect her.   “How about a compromise?” he asked, lifting one arm slowly before snapping his fingers. The door to the cottage, originally wooden, shifted to one of solid steel. There were now several locks seen on the outside as well, and in the middle of all that was a key hole.   “There,” he said, “With this new door, the only way for her to get free is if someone undid the spell I just cast, or…” Discord then extended his hand, revealing something to Fluttershy, “If someone has the key.”   Fluttershy stared to the key for a moment before shakily reaching out and grabbing it.   “I…I don’t understand,” she said, looking at it in her own hands.   “To put it simply, while locked away, the other you cannot get free. But with this key, you’ll be able to tap into her strength, and with it you will be able to point it at whoever you want. All you have to do is use that key.”   It was hard to believe. All her fears and all her concerns about the other “her”, solved by something as simple as a key? She’d known of Discord’s powers since she’d first met him, but still, she’d wondered one thing.   Could it really be contained? Could she really trust it to help her fight beside her friends? ------------------------------------------ Some time had passed since Discord gave Fluttershy the key to the door. Afterwards, the two of them had left her inner nature and returned to reality. Discord, having done what he set out to do, excused himself. This left Fluttershy all alone with her thoughts once again. Now, she simply sat in her kitchen, staring at her empty palm. Of course, the key was not with her when she returned, but Discord assured her that she’d have it whenever she needed it.   But having access to the key wasn’t her concern at the moment. It was the question of whether or not she should use it. Should she finally let out what she’d spent most of her life trying to keep locked away? And above all else, the same question kept nagging at her.   Can I trust her…?   From the moment her other side was born, she had done everything she could to keep it locked away. Her fear of what she was capable of only increased with every incident she caused. There was virtually nothing that could stop her when her other self had a target in sight. But if she truly had control over it, and could point it at those who would hurt innocents, was it worth the risk?   It was a hard choice to make, certainly harder than anything she’d had to do before. There was too much to consider, too much to weigh. The only certainty she had was how long she had to make her choice. Her friends had already gone, so at the very least she had until their return to make a choice; maybe a little bit longer.   It came as a slight relief, knowing that she had some time. Right now, she had too much to think of to make a decision now.   “Maybe I just need some air,” she thought aloud to herself. A brief walk through Ponyville would clear her mind, help her to relax. With that decision made, Fluttershy walked out her front door, making her way back into town. ------------------------------------------ At least, that’s was the idea at the time. Just knowing I had so much time to think about it was comforting for me. I thought that I could go at my own pace, and make my decision when the time was right. But it wouldn’t be long before I found out just how wrong I was. ------------------------------------------ Time raced onward, and soon the day was done. Though she tried to clear her head, Fluttershy wasn’t any closer to a solution than she was before. She had spent most of the night thinking it over, wondering just what was making her so hesitant. She thought that maybe a good night’s rest would help her, to give her a new perspective come the next morning. But as she slept early into the morning, her sleep was disturbed.   She awoke to several loud bangs. At first, she froze, not knowing what the cause was. But as her sense caught up to her, Fluttershy realized something simple.   Someone’s at my door, With that thought in her head, Fluttershy tossed her sheets to the side and made her way out of her room and down the stairs. By now she was able to hear someone calling her from outside.   “Fluttershy, are you here!?” the voice called out. She’d know that voice just about anywhere.   “Spike?” she asked as she opened the door. When the outside was revealed, Fluttershy saw the look on the young dragon’s face. He seemed…panicked?   “Finally!” he said, sighing.   “Spike, what’s wrong?” she asked.   “You have to come to town!” Spike wasted no time in tugging at her hand, “Mayor Mare is calling a meeting for everyone in Ponyville!”   “But what…what happened?” Fluttershy asked, as her heart rate began to rise in alarm.   “A foal went missing overnight!” said Spike. As soon as he did, Fluttershy felt her heart sink, the fur on the back of her neck standing on point. But before she could say anything else, Spike finally managed to pull her along with him, leading her into town. The two made short work of the run, finding themselves in Ponyville quickly. Once there, Fluttershy was able to spot the mass of ponies gathering around Ponyville Hall.   Once mixed with the crowd, Fluttershy was able to catch her breath, just in time for Mayor Mare to take the stage.   “Thank you all for gathering in such short notice,” she said, “On this morning in Ponyville…we have received unfortunate news. Upon awaking with the rise of the sun, a single mare, one of our own, was treated to a sight no mother should ever have to witness. She had found her foal gone without a trace.”   The crowd immediately reacted, a collective gasp followed by several conversations consisting of hushed whispers. They were confused, afraid, and wondering what had happened to the child.   “Ponies, please!” the mayor called out, raising her hands. The crowd quickly began to quiet down, “If you will allow, the mother would like to say a few words.”   Mayor Mare took two slow steps away from the podium, motioning her arm to the mare standing far from her side. Now that she was facing the crowd, looking up for the first time since the meeting had been called, they could see the signs of stress in her eyes. Her eyes were stained and red from nonstop crying, her body trembling as she leaned on the podium. Standing in front of the crowd was not a mare, but a hollow shell of one.   “I…” Her voice was trembling, filled with sorrow, “I don’t k-know how this could have h-happened. I have no enemies as far as I know…I don’t know who could possibly do something like this!” She hid her face in the podium, on the verge of a breakdown. Soon, she pulled herself back up, “P-please… I beg you all, please help me find my foal! I’ll do anything to have her back…”   At this point, the mare broke down completely. The mayor stepped in at this point, giving the distraught pony a hug before addressing the crowd once more.   “I am putting up a reward to anyone who can come forth with any information leading to her foal’s whereabouts. And mark my words, whoever is behind this will suffer the consequences.”   The crowd rumbled in agreement. This would not stand, not in their town. But as they talked, planning on what to do, Fluttershy felt a tug on her arm once again. Looking down, she saw Spike looking back up at her, a flat look of disapproval on his face.   “It’s them, isn’t it?” he whispered. Though he wasn’t as involved as the others, he had been there when the news of the breakout had happened.    “W-we…We don’t know that, Spike,” Fluttershy said, though the lump in her throat betrayed her words.   “It has to be. Who else could do something like this?” he asked. Fluttershy’s heart raced once again as the implications washed over her.   But it made no sense. Why would they strike at the Crystal Empire, just to strike back in Ponyville next? Was it a distraction? Was it all just a ruse to drive the Elements of Harmony away so that they could strike Ponyville one more time while they were gone?   No matter what the answer was, it didn’t matter, all Fluttershy could think about was what was going to happen now. ---------------------------------- My friends were gone, and even if it was a trap, I knew you wouldn’t be back for days. Which meant that if this turned out to be one of them, I’d have to face them… alone. ----------------------------------------- The weight of it all: the sudden foalnapping; the chances it connected to the “game”, and the possibility that she’d have to face it alone… It all crushed her at once before she knew it. She didn’t expect this; she wasn’t even ready for this. Unable to cope with it all, Fluttershy did the only thing she could.   Her legs carried her back home as fast as they could, nothing registering to her other than the clear path she had to take. Once home, Fluttershy slammed the door behind her, placing her weight on it as she leaned back. Only when she was safe did her legs give out on her. She slowly slid down until she was sitting on the floor.   “What do I do!?” she asked, her whole body trembling as she ran her hands through her mane, “I can’t fight them… not alone!” She’d seen firsthand what Lyon could do, and she knew what another had managed to do to Cadance. These weren’t just everyday bad guys. These were monsters, and she was in no way equipped to fight them.   “But you’re not alone,” Fluttershy nearly jumped out of her fur. Looking over to the side, she saw Spike was standing near.   “H-how did you get in?” she wondered.   “I jumped on your back before you ran,” he said, having known more than enough about her to predict she would, “But back to what I was saying: you’re not alone. There are still guards posted in Ponyville, and if anything happens they’re ready to fight!” Spike began to punch at the air to emphasize his point. And he was certainly correct, but it didn’t do much to ease Fluttershy’s worries.   Whoever did this was skilled enough to be able to break into someone’s home and kidnap their foal without making a sound. Could they really face someone like that? Would they even be able to find who did it before they could strike again? So many questions flooded Fluttershy’s mind, enough to have her shrink into a ball. She could vaguely hear Spike’s voice trying to call her out of her shell, but it was no use.   So many things could go wrong. So many ponies could be hurt. Worst of all, she was powerless to stop it as she was now. Fluttershy managed to get a grip, sitting up and staring at her open palm. Again, the image of the key Discord had given her in her mindscape appeared.   She had thought she would have had the time to come up with an answer, time to figure out what she should do. But now, that seemed like some innocent fantasy that harsh reality came crashing down upon.   I-I’m not ready… she thought, closing her hand as though the key was actually there, I don’t know if I can make that decision. Will I… Will I have to let the monster inside of me roam free again?