//------------------------------//
// We All Make Mistakes 
// Story: The Phantom Pony of Everfree 
// by LightningSword 
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Fluttershy and Applejack had gone along the mailmare’s usual delivery route backwards, as Applejack had suggested, so that they might spot her coming the other way.  The whole time, Fluttershy was sick with worry; her last encounter with Nocturne ended with ominous threats and an injured Rainbow Dash, and Nocturne had said himself that he was holding back.  But he had gone from intimidation to inflicting bodily harm in mere days.  If it got any worse, the unsuspecting Pegasus would learn a brand new meaning to the phrase “kill the messenger”.
 
While going door-to-door to see if the mailmare had been in the area, another pony said she hadn't seen her and closed her door, prompting a sigh of frustration from Applejack.  “Ooh, how could she be this hard to spot?” she groaned. “The only pony in Ponyville with a lazy eye shouldn't be easy to miss!”
 
“We have to keep trying, AJ,” Fluttershy replied, worried.  “I never put an address on that letter, but I’m sure she can put two and two together. I don’t care what ponies say about her, she’s not stupid.”
 
“No doubt about that,” Applejack replied resolutely.  “That’s what worries me. Dash is the only pony we know of that took a thrashin’ from that coward. Who’s to say he won’t do the same to her?”
 
“I know, I know. If she runs into Nocturne before us, then . . . .”  Fluttershy struggled not to imagine it, and couldn’t help but break down under the stress.  “Oh, this would never have happened if I hadn't written that silly letter!” she wailed.  “It was such a waste of time, and now somepony else is going to get hurt! Oh, this is all my fault!”
 
“Now, now, just hold on there, sugarcube,” Applejack comforted her.  “Nopony's blamin' you for anything. You've just been doin' what y'all do best, and that's being the kindest, sweetest pony in Ponyville. The only pony in the wrong here is that devil, Nocturne. He's the one who's been makin' things difficult for you and for Rainbow Dash, and now for a simple mailmare, too. You had the best intentions at heart when you wrote that letter, and if Nocturne ain't a changed pony after all you've done for him, then he's better off alone. Way I see it, it's more'n that rascal deserves.”
 
Fluttershy felt her wings droop at Applejack's less-than-sensitive words.  “But . . .” she tried to answer, “but . . . nopony should have to be alone . . . .”
 
“Look!” Applejack shouted, looking up and pointing.  Fluttershy looked up with her, and she saw the cross-eyed Pegasus herself, flying above town, a mail bag slung over her back and a carefree smile on her face.
 
“Oh, no!” Fluttershy squealed.  “She's headed for the Everfree Forest! We have to stop her!”
 
“Come on!” Applejack commanded as she unfurled a lasso that hung from her side, “If we can't reach her, this will. And it'll hurt a lot less than what that scallywag'll do to her!”
 



 
“Ahh, there it is! The Everfree Forest!”
 
The steadfast mail carrier pony flew low, reaching the border to the woods in record time.  The foliage was still and quiet, showing no signs that anypony lived there.  She dug around in her bag, spent a few extra seconds rooting around for the letter, pulled it out, and walked up closer to the border.  It was a really creepy place for anypony to live, but she had a job to do.  This letter had to get delivered.
 
Reaching out, she knocked against a tree as if on a door, and she spoke up to the forest as if addressing a pony.  “Excuse me? Mail call for . . .” she took a quick glance at the letter just to be sure, “‘Knock-turnee'! Oops! Sorry . . . ‘Knock-turn’ Hello? Is 'Knock-turn home? Mail call for 'Knock-tu—ooh!”
 
She was cut off when she felt something grip her tail and pull her away from the woods, shaking the letter out of her reach.  She was pulled backwards off her hooves and landed on her belly, and was dragged back, bag and all, into town by her tail.  She was dragged across the grass, and soon across the dirt road until she stopped behind a building.  She stood up on wobbly hooves, her already crooked eyes spinning in her head until she shook it to gather her senses.
 
“Sorry, hon,” she heard a voice behind her with a distinct drawl, “not enough postage. Better return it.”
 
When the mailmare turned around, she saw that there was a rope lashed to her tail, and that the mare to whom the voice belonged was pulling on it.
 
“Applejack? What are you doing here? And what’s with the lasso?”
 
“Just lookin’ out for ya,” Applejack replied as she wrapped her lasso up around her hoof.  “At least, I hope so. If Fluttershy doesn’t come back, we’re in big trouble . . . .”
 
The Earth pony peeked around the edge of the building and straight at the border to the Everfree Forest, her brow furrowed in worry.  The Pegasus followed suit, peeking around and seeing Fluttershy carefully sneaking up to the border, approaching the letter that the mail carrier had accidentally dropped.
 
“Why are we hiding from Flu-mmph!”
 
“Shhh!!” Applejack ordered, stuffing her hoof into the Pegasus’ mouth.  “I sure hope this works, Fluttershy,” she continued under her breath.  “But if somethin’ happens, I’m here for ya.”  She felt for her rope hanging loosely around her hoof as beads of sweat began to form on her face.
 



 
Meanwhile, Fluttershy stepped carefully up to the forest border and grabbed the letter in her mouth.  Already her heart was awash in relief.  “Whew . . . that was close,” she mumbled through the paper, resisting the reflex to shake nervously.  Just as she was about to turn away, she caught something in the corner of her eye, and she yelped in surprise.  She saw them.  Nocturne's fiery red eyes, glowing from the shadows of the woods.
 
To say she was afraid would be only half-true; she was afraid, but not nearly as much as she had been before.  He’d intimidated her several times before, and had been afraid for her life each time, but this time, somehow, was different.  She couldn't explain it, but somehow, he seemed far less intent on being threatening now.
 
Owed, perhaps, to the fact that he didn't make a single move.
 
They stared at each other for a long time, her teal eyes locked into his glowing red ones, until fear strangely gave way to awkwardness.  In fact, Fluttershy felt her face getting warm after a few seconds more.  What was he staring at?  Was he going to be angry?  Was he about to yell at her again?  Was he going to attack her as he promised, like he did Rainbow Dash?
 
Still, she waited, and nothing happened.
 
Fluttershy glanced backwards at Applejack as she and the mailmare peeked out from behind the building they hid behind.  She could see that they saw the same sight—Nocturne was completely still.  After a while, Fluttershy slowly lowered her head towards the ground, as if to bow to Nocturne, trying to let him know without words that she was being submissive.  She placed the letter back in the grass, keeping her eyes locked onto Nocturne's all the while.  Finally, she took a step backwards, waiting for him to react, hearing her heart thrashing in her chest the whole time.  Fluttershy found herself worrying that he might be able to hear her heart, which made her fear grow and her heart race faster, and louder.
 
And still, Nocturne made no move.
 
Fluttershy took another step back, and still nothing.  By now, it was becoming clear that he wouldn't come after her, but still, for Fluttershy, there was no point in taking risks.  Another step.
 
No reaction.
 
Two more steps.
 
No reaction.
 
Another two steps.
 
Whether this was the trigger at last, or by sheer coincidence, Nocturne’s eyes narrowed, seemingly out of annoyance.  Giving a nervous squeak, Fluttershy turned and scurried back to the building her friends hid behind, finally able to breathe a sigh of relief when she met them there.
 
Applejack and the mailmare both jumped away from the edge of the building and turned to meet Fluttershy.  “You alright?” Applejack asked urgently.  “He didn't hurt ya, did he?”
 
Fluttershy shook her head.  “No,” she answered breathily, “in fact, he didn't do anything at all. I thought he would, but something stopped him . . . I'm not sure what . . . .”
 
“Uhh, girls?” the mailmare asked, tilting her head in confusion.  “I don't really know what's going on, but I think I should tell you that messing with the mail is a federal offense.”
 
“We’re awfully sorry,” Fluttershy replied.  “We just didn't want you to get hurt.”
 
 “Huh? Hurt? By who? You mean, by Knock-turnee? Oops, I mean, ‘Knock-turn’? But, why?”  The mailmare looked genuinely concerned now.  “I didn't mean any harm. Did I do something wrong?”
 
Applejack sighed and responded, unsure, “Well, no, but . . . it’s just hard to explain, sugarcube.”
 
“How come?” she asked.  “I mean, was he really gonna hurt me? Is he really that mean?”
 
Fluttershy was about to answer, but she stopped herself.  She wasn't entirely sure just how to answer that question.  Why did Nocturne let Fluttershy go?  Why had he not kept his promise not to hold back next time he saw her?  He’d been free to do so, but did not act.
 
“I . . .” Fluttershy tried to answer, hoping it would come to her as she spoke; it didn't.  “. . . I don't know.”
 
The mailmare screwed up her face in contemplation, then shrugged after a few seconds.  “Meh,” she said simply as she hoisted up her mail bag.  “It was probably just a misunderstanding. You know, all ponies make mistakes. I know I make mistakes all the time. But it doesn't make me a bad pony, does it?”
 
Applejack smiled and nodded, “Of course, not. Nopony's blamin' you for doin' your job, sugarcube.”  She then turned to her other Pegasus friend, “Fluttershy? You okay?”
 
All ponies make mistakes, Fluttershy repeated her words mentally.  She makes mistakes. It certainly doesn’t make her bad. Nocturne’s made mistakes, too . . . .
 
“Fluttershy?”
 
Snapped out of her thoughts by Applejack’s voice, Fluttershy answered, “Hm? Oh, yes, I'm fine. Thank you so much for your help today, AJ. I really appreciate it.”
 
“No problem, sugarcube. Ya sure you’re feelin’ okay?”
 
“Oh, yes. Thank you for asking.”
 
“Well, just to be sure, I'll walk you home.”  Applejack gave her a friendly tap on the shoulder.  “It's been a busy day for everypony.”
 
“That's so sweet of you,” Fluttershy smiled.  “Maybe that would be best. Oh!” she added, turning to the mailmare.  “I’m sorry for all the trouble we’ve put you through. I hope we haven’t put you too far off schedule.”
 
“Nah,” she replied, waving a hoof.  “I don’t have too much left to do, anyway. I can finish up the last of my route in no time.”  She then turned to leave, staying just long enough to add, “I hope your friend likes his letter.”  She gave a sweet grin before taking off.
 
Fluttershy and Applejack set off for the cottage together at the same time.  Along the way, Fluttershy once again thought back to what the naïve, yet charming mailmare had said.  Maybe it really was just a misunderstanding?  Maybe Nocturne just made a bad judgment call when he attacked Rainbow Dash, and he was regretting it even now?  The more Fluttershy thought about it, the more sense it made, and the less she could blame Nocturne for it.  His hesitation today seemed only to drive the point home—Fluttershy's original hypothesis suddenly regained plausibility.
 
Nocturne really wasn't a monster.  He really was just angry.  And lonely.
 



 
“As silly as it sounds, I know there's still good in you.”
 
Nocturne read and reread the letter over and over, to himself and out loud, until he had it memorized.  But the more he read it, the more it served to baffle him.  That one line especially had him vexed beyond words.  She still saw some good in him, even now?  How could she think that way after all he'd done?  How could she believe there was even a shred of decency in him after all that had happened?  How could she possibly have the nerve to continue this ridiculous farce?  When would this insipid little pony learn?
 
Of course, only half of him thought that way.
 
The other half had so much unbridled emotion, it was impossible to sort it all out.  Fear fought off joy; sadness mixed with rage; guilt gave way to confusion; and in the end, it all crashed together in a muddied, smoking heap, each emotion indiscernible from the others.  Why did he feel this way?  What was the hold that this Fluttershy character had over him?  Why did he simultaneously want to hug her and hit her every time he saw her, thought of her, dreamed of her?
 
And why in Celestia's name could he not bring himself to attack her, like he'd promised?
 
He thought he could answer that last question.  The feeling that held him back was as weak as the answer to the question, but it was all he had.
 
Do I . . . do I want to see her again?
 
There was almost no point in denying it.  He’d remembered what he’d said just as he saw Fluttershy fly away from the woods earlier today.  The feeling was there, and denying it was just plain foolish.  Unlike with the rainbow-maned one, whom Nocturne could effortlessly do without, he didn't want to drive Fluttershy away permanently—at least not consciously.  And he knew that attacking her would scare her away forever.
 
But why didn’t I?  Why don’t I want her to stay away?  What is it about her?  What is wrong with me?!
 
As much as he turned it over and over again in his head, he just couldn’t figure it out.  Why Nocturne even wanted anything to do with her, he didn't know.  All he knew was that, whether he liked it or not, Nocturne and Fluttershy had a connection.
 
And it was too late to do anything about it now.