As the little cottage grew closer, Turquoise's steps became heavier and slower. One claw fell into a puddle, and he winced as he removed it, sighing as he tried to shake off the clinging mud.
"Something wrong?" The mare beside him asked. Despite the cloudiness in her near-sightless eyes, her hooves kept dry.
Turquoise shook his head. "It's nothing, Anthea, nothing."
"Oh." They took a few steps forward in silence, then, "You know, you don't have to come with me. I know last time was--"
"Yes, yes I do," Turquoise said firmly. "She needs help, more than you can provide."
Anthea pressed her lips together and turned away with a frustrated huff. "You don't have to be so mean about it."
A gust of wind blew by. "Sorry," Turquoise said, "I'm just, well, still a little uncomfortable, I guess." He bowed his head shamefully, avoiding Anthea's gaze. "Sorry."
A light pink hoof tapped softly against Turquoise's cheek. It traveled down under his chin, forcing Turquoise to look up. "Hey, it's fine," Anthea whispered, pressing her forehead into his snout. "You're right, and I'm sorry I snapped. It's just so frustrating seeing Mother like this and being so useless. I can't even take care of her properly, and I should be grateful you're here, but I, I, ugh!"
The unicorn pushed herself off Turquoise and quickly wiped at her eyes. "S-sorry, just, I just--"
A large leathery wing draped over her shoulders. "Hey, hey, it's fine," Turquoise cooed. "Just being there with her helps, even if she, well..." The hybrid bit his lip. "Well, you know."
Anthea took a deep breath. "Yeah, okay, okay." She turned to the cottage ahead, now just a stone throw away. "Alright, let's get this over with."
They walked forward, through the muddy trail leading to the little house. A few songbirds poked their heads out of the tiny birdhouses guarding the path, warbling mournfully as they passed.
"They sound hungry," Anthea noted with a frown. "Mom never forgets to feed them."
"Well take care of them before we leave," Turquoise promised. They had finally arrived at the front door. The little garden that greeted them was infested with gnarled weeds that threatened to choke out the last remaining flowers. "Should we do something about the garden?"
Anthea thought for a moment before shaking her head. "Not unless she mentions anything."
"Alright." Turquoise's claw tightened around the door's handle. He pushed forward and stuck head in.
"Hello? Ms. Fluttershy?" he called, stepping inside with Anthea right behind him.
"How bad is it?" she asked, feeling Turquoise wince beside her.
Turquoise stared at the mess before him. Books and papers covered the ground, along with glass shards from broken picture frames. Bundles of cloths and cleaning rags hung over tables and furniture while dresses and gowns were thrown haphazardly on the floor.
Turquoise reached down and retrieved a pair of photographs hiding under a cracked frame. He winced again at the smiling faces of a cheerful yellow pegasus and the little pink filly tucked in between her forelegs in the first photo. The second was of himself, the filly grown into a mare, and the same yellow pegasus as before in between the two. All three were well dressed, with him and Anthea in white, and a pink floral gown for the pegasus, who also wore a look of pride.
"Pretty bad, I don't think we can clean everything today."
"That'll fine, we can come back tomorrow. I-if that's alright with you," Anthea added hurriedly. "If you're busy, we could do it some other time or I could try to clean everything myself."
"Don't worry, I'll be here," Turquoise said. They moved deeper inside, into the living room. There, in the corner rocking chair, slept the yellow pegasus from the pictures, though the pink of her mane had faded into a light gray. Her brow wrinkled as they approached, and slowly, she opened her eyes and yawned. She blinked several times before focusing on Turquoise.
"Oh, oh my, what time is it?" Fluttershy looked around her frantically. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Spike, were we supposed to meet today?"
Turquoise cleared his throat nervously. "Y-yes, that's right. I, uh, guess I'm early."
"Oh, and you brought a friend." Fluttershy smiled warmly at Anthea, but the gesture chilled her. "Um, hello," Fluttershy said softly with a wave.
Anthea took a deep breath and stepped out from behind her husband. "H-hello," she said, doing her best to return Fluttershy's smile. "I'm Anthea, a..." She hesitated, her fake grin faltering. "I'm a friend."
"Ah."
The silence between the two grew as both Fluttershy and Anthea looked down shyly, away from the other. Turquoise cleared his throat.
"So, uh, would you like some tea?" he asked, lifting himself up.
"Oh no, I'm sorry." Fluttershy struggled to rise from her chair. She gave Anthea another smile, this time out of embarrassment. "I haven't offered you anything yet. I must seem so rude. Spike, please sit, I'll prepare tea."
With gentle but firm claws, Turquoise forced Fluttershy back into her seat. "It's fine," he said, "I'll take care of it."
"Well, if you don't mind." Fluttershy settled back snugly. There was no reaction as Turquoise removed a knitted quilt from the floor and blanketed her with it. "If you like, there are a few cupcakes in the kitchen. Pinkie Pie was here earlier." She turned to Anthea. "Have you met Pinkie yet? She likes to throw newcomers a party."
"Yes, I've met Mrs-- I mean, Ms. Pie already. Er, I mean Pinkie."
"Oh, that's nice." Fluttershy turned to the dusty window and smiled. "She likes to throw newcomers a party. She's a wonderful baker. I have some of her cupcakes in the kitchen, if you like."
"Oh, no, that's alright," Anthea assured, holding up her hooves. "I'm fine, thanks."
"If you like," the pegasus was muttering. Anthea sunk back. Had Fluttershy even heard her? Anthea pressed her hooves together to keep them from shaking.
"I'm sorry, I never asked for your name."
She was smiling. Anthea couldn't see it, but she knew Fluttershy wore a smile, a polite little one normally reserved for passing strangers and third-degree acquaintances. Anthea bit hard into her lip to keep herself from crying out.
"It's Anthea," she managed to say shakily.
"Anthea," Fluttershy repeated. "It's beautiful. What a lovely name."
"Thanks." This time, Anthea's smile didn't appear forced. "My mother always thought so."
"Ah."
Silence reigned once again as the conversation came to a halt. Fluttershy shifted in her seat, and her blanket dropped to the ground. Anthea's ears twitched at the soft thud the quilt made, and she turned to the colorful blur her eyes perceived. She reached for it. "Um..."
"Hmm?" Fluttershy opened her eyes and yawned. "Oh, I'm so sorry, I must have drifted off. I'm sorry, what did you say?"
Anthea quickly withdrew her hoof. "Oh, no, nothing," she said. "So, um, I hear you like animals."
Fluttershy began to beam. "Oh yes. It's my special talent, taking care of critters. It's actually a little odd," she said, looking around the room. "Normally, there would be the cutest little bunny hopping around here right now. I wonder where he went?"
"Maybe Angel went out to play," Anthea suggested. As she spoke, Turquoise walked in, carefully balancing an old tea set on a tray. He dusted the coffee table with a nearby rag and placed the tray down before picking up the fallen quilt and draping it over Fluttershy. As she watched the green blur she recognized as her husband fuss over the yellow shape she knew to be her mother, Anthea frowned.
"Hmm, maybe," Fluttershy said before thanking Turquoise for the tea. "His name is Angel. I think you would've liked him."
The wrinkled, old hoof shook as it tried to raise the dainty, little tea cup to its owner's lips. Turquoise gently took hold of Fluttershy's hoof with his own claw to steady it. She took a sip and smiled.
"Thank you, Spike, this is amazing."
Anthea drank from her own cup and tasted nothing but warm water. Taking hold of the sugar box with her magic, she removed two cubes and added them to her drink. "Would you like some sugar?" she offered, holding the container up.
"No thank you," Fluttershy replied. She yawned and the cup suddenly slipped from her hooves. Turquoise grabbed for it but was too slow, and the cup shattered against the floor. "Oh dear, I'm so sorry," she said. "I don't know why I'm so tired today."
"Maybe, maybe we should call it a day," Turquoise said, turning to Anthea. "It is getting pretty late."
Anthea turned to the window. She could feel the light and the warmth of the sun. "Yeah, I guess so."
"Hmm, I guess I could use a nap." Fluttershy tried to lift herself from the chair, her legs quaking as they pushed down on the chair's arms. With Turquoise holding her, she slowly rose and hobbled toward the stairs.
"Um, maybe you'd better sleep on the sofa tonight," Anthea said. Her horn lit up, as did the living room couch. The cushions began to stretch and rearrange themselves until a queen sized bed now stood in the center of the room.
"Oh my," Fluttershy exclaimed, her eyes widening. "You're quite talented."
"Thanks, I've studied under the princess."
Turquoise was helping Fluttershy into the makeshift bed. "Really? Maybe you know Twilight..."
She yawned once more, her eyelids heavy and drooping. Smiling weakly, Fluttershy pulled the quilt Turquoise placed over her to her neck. "I'm sorry we didn't get to talk much today, Spike," she said, patting the dragon-pony's claw. "I'd still like to hear about your and Rarity's day together."
"Uh, yeah." Turquoise rubbed the back of his head. "Sure."
Fluttershy turned to Anthea. "And it was a pleasure to meet you today, Miss, um..."
"Anthea."
"Anthea." Fluttershy closed her eyes. "What a lovely name." She became silent, and soon her soft snores were the only sounds in the cottage. She didn't stir as Turquoise bent over and swept the porcelain shards into a neat pile and cupped them in his claws.
"I'll start cleaning this place up," he whispered, standing up.
Anthea followed the clicks Turquoise's claws made against the floor as he went to dispose of the broken cup. "What should I do?" she asked.
Turquoise hesitated. He looked around the room for inspiration. "Do you have a spell for dusting?"
Anthea shook her head. "I mean, if you pointed me at what needed to be dusted, I could summon a breeze or something like that."
"That's okay. Oh, uh, you, could you watch over your mother, make sure sleeps alright?"
Anthea raised an eyebrow. "Wait, you want me," she said, placing extra emphasis on the word, "to watch--"
Turquoise paled. "I mean, look, er, you know. Sorry."
The unicorn tried to muffle her giggle. "I know, you're just too easy to tease, even after all this time." She slowly approached Fluttershy's side. "I'll keep her company."
"If there's trouble, shout, okay?"
Anthea nodded. "Got it. Don't forget to feed the birds."
"Right, got it."
Turquoise's footsteps grew softer and softer until they finally disappeared. Anthea turned to the old mare sleeping beside her. "Guess it just us now, Mom," she murmured. "Want to talk?"
As if in response, Fluttershy exhaled loudly. Anthea felt her warm breath and shivered. "Guess not."
Fluttershy's brow furrowed, and she started to frown. The blanket fell back to the ground as she started to flail weakly. Light from Anthea's horn shined over the pegasus, like a sunbeam, and she slowly relaxed. Her limbs fell back against her sides, and the frown disappeared, replaced by a content grin.
"Well, at least I can do that," Anthea muttered as she levitated the quilt off the floor and tossed it over Fluttershy. She couldn't tell how well she managed to cover the old mare or if she'd be warm enough like this. She considered calling Turquoise but immediately decided against it. "You'll be fine like this, won't you?"
Fluttershy said nothing, responding only with a snore. Anthea sighed. She turned her head, as if scanning the room, before reaching out toward the sleeping pegasus. Her hoof timidly approached Fluttershy's, as if closing in on something scalding. When the blanket rustled as the pegasus turned in her sleep, Anthea froze and stood frozen for minutes before continuing closer. At last, she brushed against her mother's fur, as soft and as warm as she remembered.
Carefully, Anthea's hoof descended down Fluttershy's foreleg until it reached the bottom. Her fetlock tightened around Fluttershy's, and, as she bent down to meet it halfway, Anthea slowly lifted Fluttershy's hoof and pressed it against her cheek. She waited, waiting for a loving caress or a playful pinch. Her heart soared when she suddenly felt pressure against her face, and it swiftly sank after Anthea realized that in desperation, she had simply pressed the hoof deeper into her cheek.
Even as water rolled down Anthea's cheek and against the hoof, wetting the yellow fur around it, Fluttershy barely stirred. Defeated, Anthea released the leg, letting the limb fall limply along Fluttershy's side. She sniffed and covered her face, forcefully holding back her tears and muffling her cries as her shoulders shook. Her horn began to glow, but Anthea's shaking only grew more violent, her sobs more audible, her face more stained.
Anthea suddenly felt something hard and warm press against her back as a pair of canvases draped themselves over her. She let her hooves fall as she turned and buried her face into Turquoise's chest. She screamed and screamed as he held her tightly until eventually, she grew slack in his arms. Slowly, Anthea pushed herself away from Turquoise to wipe her face.
"I'm alright," she insisted, anticipating the question. Turquoise could only nodded meaninglessly before walking over to the couch to fix Fluttershy's covering.
"It's getting late," he said, looking to the window. Just in the horizon, he could see the setting sun painting the looming clouds above bright red. "We should go home, or do you think we should stay here in case something happens?"
Anthea sniffed and shook her head. "He'll take care of her, he said he would."
Turquoise frowned, clearly doubtful. "We haven't seen him all day, are you sure?"
"Mother trusted, trusts him. The princesses trust him," Anthea said as she got up. "Let's getting going. I'm not sure I can stay here much longer."
"Annie..."
The unicorn hissed as she bumped into the coffee table. "Could you help me to the door? I'm, I'm just tired, that's all."
"Sure." With one last glance back at the old mare sleeping away behind him, Turquoise held Anthea to his side and slowly guided her to the front door. The door creaked open, and both shivered as wind howled by. In the corner of his eye, Turquoise thought he spotted something slither by, but he had blinked, and the shadow had vanished.
"Hey, Annie, did you s--"
"Hmm? What was that, T?"
Turquoise cleared his throat. "Nothing, never mind." Instead he looked up and frowned at the clouds rapidly forming above. "Was there another storm scheduled today?"
"Oh, shoot." Anthea brought her hoof to her forehead. "Right, there was a mix up this week, and, well, it's a long story."
One droplet had fallen onto Turquoise's snout, and he could already feel several more. "Tell me later, when we get home," he said, gently prodded Anthea forward. The two hurried off just as the clouds opened up, and the torrents were released. Fluttershy's cottage turned smaller and smaller until it disappeared, swallowed up by the rain and the dark as the skies turned to black.
*
Once again, Turquoise found himself dodging puddles as he followed the old dirt trail. There was no unicorn mare beside him this time to guide around mud, however, and his steps seemed heavier than before. Several times, he looked back toward the town, yearning to return home, but Anthea's stubborn insistence drove him forward.
She was right, of course, as always. Anthea could take care of herself, she had colds before; Fluttershy needed his help far more than she did. Still, Turquoise couldn't help but worry, even after their daughter promised to watch over her.
Shaking his head, Turquoise tried to focus on the task before him, mentally listing a series of chores. Though he had successfully tidied the kitchen, much of the rest of the house was still a mess. He hadn't even seen the upper floor yet, and he tried not to imagine the state of Anthea's old bedroom.
The cottage drew closer, despite his slow, reluctant gait. As he passed the birdhouses, a few of their inhabitants peeked out at him. One brave songbird flew by and landed on the dragon-pony's shoulder, cheerfully chirping away. Several more joined the first, turning Turquoise into a walking bird post, and he couldn't help but laugh.
"Guess you guys recognize me from yesterday, huh?"
The first bird sang a few short notes in response before taking off. The others followed, leaving Turquoise's back covered in down and loose flight feathers. Shaking his shoulders to rid of the fluff, he continued toward the cottage door. With his claw around the door handle, Turquoise turned to his right, searching encouragement. Anthea was missing, of course, and slowly, Turquoise turned back to the door.
"Alright," he muttered, tightening his grip on the door handle as his forelegs quaked. He pushed forward and stepped inside.
Their endeavors yesterday were not wasted; the floor was clear of debris, and Turquoise had little trouble making his way through Fluttershy's cottage. A few bits of clothing still hung over the seat of chairs, but everything else was in their proper place. Even the photos on the wall were dusted and gleaming, with Anthea's grin bringing out Turquoise's own.
His eyes arrived at their wedding picture, preserved in a beautiful frame. Turquoise stared at the seemingly flawless craftsmanship. Had he repaired the frame before leaving last night? Odd, perhaps he had forgotten. He continued through the cottage.
Turquoise found Fluttershy in the living room, awake, alert, and standing, and he immediately froze as she turned around. She wore a small frown, and her brow was furrowed in confusion. Her lips moved as she spoke to herself silently. Her eyes widened as they fell on the strange looking intruder. Turquoise caught hold of his breath, trying to keep still as he waited for Fluttershy's reaction.
"Where have you been?" she said at last, her voice soft but surprisingly firm. Turquoise began to relax. "I've been looking everywhere for you, silly. Come on, it's time for breakfast."
Turquoise let Fluttershy nudge him toward the kitchen, where a small bowl sat on the floor. A few cucumber slices were inside the bowl.
"There you are, a nice delicious salad," Fluttershy said before walking to the sink. She hummed as she wash her hooves. "Now I know how much you want to go out and play, but you have to eat first."
Turquoise picked up one of the cucumber slices and stared at it.
"What's the matter, Angel? Don't you remember how much you love cucumbers?"
He placed the vegetable in his mouth and started to chew. It was tasteless and left a sickly sweet aftertaste after he had swallowed.
"You wouldn't stop eating them last week," Fluttershy said with a giggle. "Oh, I'm so glad Discord wasn't too upset when you stole his sandwich." She began to frown. "Still, that was an awful thing to do to a friend, and I want you to promise to apologize to him the first chance you get, understand?"
Turquoise started chewing the second slice. Fluttershy's eyes narrowed, and he immediately swallowed.
"Well?"
"I-I, uh, yeah, promise," Turquoise bumbled through. Fluttershy's glare vanished, and her smile returned.
"That's good. It's nice to see everypony getting along. I hear Discord and Princess Celestia are spending a lot of time together." She sighed. "Maybe I should start look for a special somepony too."
Fluttershy's cheeks reddened, and she gasped and shook her head. "Oh, how silly. What am I thinking?" she said with a giggle. Fluttershy placed her forelegs over Turquoise's shoulders and pressed his head against her chest. "As long as I have you and all my friends, what more could I ever need?"
Silent seconds passed before she released Turquoise. "Is something wrong? You're being awfully quiet today."
"Uh, no, it's nothing," Turquoise answered, rubbing his claws together awkwardly. "But, um, what about children?" he asked suddenly. "Don't you want children of your own?"
"Children? I, I don't know." Fluttershy ran her hoof through her mane as it extended over the side of her face. "I guess I've been so busy later, I've never gave it much thought. Well, no, that's not exactly true," she admitted, brushing her mane back and tucking a few strands behind her ear. "I've always dreamed of taking care of a foal, telling them stories, tucking them in at bedtime, waking them in the morning with gentle nuzzles." Fluttershy smiled as she stared wistfully past Turquoise. "Oh, but don't worry, they'd never be able to replace you," she quickly assured, giving Turquoise another hug. "It's just a dream after all. I don't even have a stallion I like."
"You could adopt."
"Adopt?" Fluttershy tapped her chin. "I, yes, I could always adopt. But haven't I already, I mean, wasn't there already a--"
Turquoise rushed forward and caught her as she began to sway. She brought her hoof to her forehead and moaned. "I-it's alright, Angel. I'm just feeling a little dizzy. Could you help me sit down?"
"Yeah, hold on," Turquoise instructed. Holding onto the staggering pegasus, he made his way to the living room and helped Fluttershy onto the couch.
"Thank you, Turquoise. I think I'll just close my eyes for a few minutes." She yawned. "Don't worry, it's just for a few minutes."
"Yeah, o-okay."
"And don't tell Annie. I don't want her...to...worry..."
Soft snores slowly filled the room. Turquoise sat by the old mare's side for a few minutes before making his way to the kitchen on the tips of his claws, keeping his journey silent. He threw the remaining cucumbers into the compost bag and gave the bowl a light wash. Taking the bag of spoiling materials, Turquoise walked to the front door and went outside. He circled the cottage and emptied the bag onto a small ditch behind the house, then climbed over the fence and into Fluttershy's backyard. He made his way to a shed at the very corner where a large bag of bird feed sat waiting for him inside. With the bag secured to his back, Turquoise started back to the front of the cottage, toward the birdhouses.
He could hear the impatient chirps and squawks as he walked. A pair of birds suddenly ambushed him, flying around his head and pecking at the bag of seeds on his back. "Hold on," Turquoise said, waving them away. "Give me a second, alright?"
"Annoying, aren't they?"
Turquoise turned toward the cottage entrance. There, leaning its head lazily against the door, sat a familiarly odd figure. Its mismatched legs were crossed while a paw and a talon sat folded over the creature's chest. Its outstretched tail served as a perch for a family of chickadees. The two bothersome birds left Turquoise and rested instead on the figure's horns.
"Oh, uh, um." Slowly, Turquoise set the bag of bird feed down and rubbed the side of his neck. "Uh..."
The creature shook his paw carelessly at him. "Don't worry about all that pomp and circumstance, Celestia knows I sure don't. Discord works fine." One eye, bright red within a gold ring, opened. "It's what my friends call me, after all."
"Ah, right." Turquoise coughed. "Well, uh, good afternoon."
Discord snorted. "Little Annie not here today?"
"She has a cold," Turquoise explained. "We got caught in the storm yesterday."
"Huh. Sucks."
"Yeah, it does."
The conversation ended, but neither the draconquus nor the dragon-pony moved. Seconds passed in silence, until the wind whistled by as it carried a tumbleweed between the two. Turquoise watched the mesh of branches roll by before clearing his throat.
"So, are you here to see Fluttershy?" he asked.
The birds resting on him flew off as Discord shifted in his place. Sitting up, he was now eye level to the large dragon halfbreed standing in front of him. "See Fluttershy?" he repeated, his tone oddly steady and unemotional. With a low, mirthless chuckle, he shook his head.
"Are you alright?" Turquoise held up his claws and leaned back. "Sorry, I didn't mean to assume or anything, I just thought she'd might enjoy the company."
The laughter died away. "I bet your mom and pop told you all their little stories about how they save Equestria, huh?"
"Yeah, they, did," Turquoise answered cautiously. "Why?"
The smile Discord wore was forced. "Oh, no reason really. I was just wonder how dear old Fluttershy would react to seeing big bad Discord suddenly out of his stony prison after all the horrible things he made her and her friends do? Can you imagine what she'd do, how'd she react?" The smile grew wider but colder, more pained. "Oh, I'd bet it'd be chaotic."
The last word was spat out venomously. Turquoise swallowed but stood his ground even as soil Discord's spittle landed on sizzled. "She still remembers you, the reformed you I mean," he said, taking a step forward. "Fluttershy, she mentioned you and Princess Celestia being together. She remembers. I think she'd like to see you."
"I've been watching her for a while, you know," Discord said, giving no sign of registering Turquoise's words. "I've seen Fluttershy reminisce about her grandchildren fondly, then suddenly freak out because she surrounded by all these pictures of complete strangers. What she remembers and what time she lives in is pretty much random. I can't even begin to predict where she'll end up. Who knows what she'll remember me as, who she'll see me as." He turned to Turquoise. "You saw it yourself. One moment you're that inappropriately named rabbit, the next Fluttershy's calling you by name."
Turquoise's protest died before it grew into anything more than a desire. He lowered his head and closed his mouth. Discord was right. "Isn't there anything you can do? I mean, your magic, can't it heal her?"
"Heh, that'd better amazing, wouldn't it?" Discord muttered bitterly. He lifted his talon to his face and snapped. Turquoise squeezed his eyes shut, and his claws dug into the ground as he bracing himself.
"Nothing."
Turquoise opened his eyes. He looked around but saw nothing out of the ordinary. When he looked to Discord for an explanation, the draconquus merely repeated himself:
"Nothing. There's nothing we can do but try to keep her comfortable. I mean, it's not all bad." Discord stretched and got up onto his feet. "We've still got our memories, so at least we know they happened, right? Even if Fluttershy can't remember them, or us, we've still got her up here, right?" He tapped his temple with a small, sad grin as Turquoise held a claw over his heart.
"Memories," he muttered. "They never last, do they?"
"No idea," Discord answered with a shrug. "They're a funny little phenomenon, memories. I mean, you're a hare today, dragon tomorrow."