//------------------------------// // It’s Like I’m Nopony At All // Story: Nopony Can Do That! // by bigbear //------------------------------// Down a long path, on the edge of Ponyville, near the Everfree Forest, stood a rustic cottage, its roof so covered in greenery that the building looked like it had grown, more than it had been built. Inside, it was more obviously pony built, with walls of warm woods, and rooms full, but not cluttered. It was eclectically, but tastefully, decorated with symbols of hearts, butterflies, and leaves on the furniture and walls. Everywhere there were affordances for animals, warm baskets to sleep in, bird houses with pegs to perch on, and small stairs for animals to run on. This cottage was clearly lived in, and reflected the attitude of its owner, who was just arriving home. Fluttershy made sure her long pink tail was inside, then slammed the door to her cottage. Anyone else would have called it closing the door. She stamped her hoof on the cottage floor in anger. Anyone else would have called it a tap. “Oooo, I hate this,” she whispered. “Such fierceness.” Discord popped his head out of the sugar bowl next to the tea pot. The sinuous draconequus slithered out until his full body stood next to Fluttershy. “Whatever is the target of your volcanic rage?” “Hello Discord, I’m sorry if I disturbed you,” the butter yellow pegasus said quietly. “It was no bother, I was just scheming.” Discord raised his claws in mock surrender. “Just theoretical scheming, nothing that would harm the fur on anypony.” He leaned in closer. “Now tell me, what has got you in such a state?” “Oh, I couldn’t waste your time with my concerns.” Fluttershy avoided Discord’s gaze. “Fluttershy, I literally have all the time in the world.” Discord sat cross legged in mid air, and whipped a notepad and pen from nowhere. “Please tell me, what’s bothering you?” Fluttershy looked both ways, to see if anypony else was around. When she confirmed the two were alone, she didn’t look Discord in the eye, but began her story. “I was on a picnic with the girls. Rainbow Dash saw a big creature moving in the shadows near the border of the Everfree Forest. The Bugbear had returned and was headed toward the Ponyville schoolhouse. We all rushed over to keep it from causing any trouble. “Just like the first time the Bugbear showed up, there was a lot of roaring and fighting. Ultimately Twilight made a big curved mirror with her magic. The Bugbear got scared by the larger version of its own reflection, and ran away back into the forest.” “School foals saved, monster on the run, high likelihood of a group hug.” Discord tapped the pen on the notepad. “What made you mad about that?” “Because I was useless,” Fluttershy whispered. She dropped her head and her long pink mane fell over one eye. “Everyone else was flying, or throwing lassos, or magic, or cupcakes. I was the last one there, and I ended up cowering behind a tree. When I did get up the courage to try and come up behind it, the Bugbear waved its big stinger at me. I got scared and ran back behind the tree for the rest of the fight. All I could do from then on was try and encourage my friends in their fight.” “Eminently sensible,” said Discord. “Bugbear stingers can make things very hazardous for ponies who are in the wrong place at the wrong time.” “Even if I got to the Bugbear, it’s not like I could have done anything to help.” Fluttershy put her wings over her head, as if to hide from Discord. “When danger comes, it’s like I’m nopony at all. But my friends are all so brave, and can do so much. I almost never get to really help when there is trouble.” Fluttershy looked up at Discord, her eyes shiny with tears. “I just wish I was never too slow, too weak, or too scared to help my friends ever again,” she whispered. Discord looked pityingly down at Fluttershy. He hated to see her so sad. Then he brightened. He snapped his claw. “Done,” he said. Fluttershy shivered at the sound, then looked up. “I’m sorry Discord, I was so focused on myself that I haven’t been a very good hostess. What did you say again?” Discord straightened up and let his feet hit the floor. “Nothing you should worry your head about. Fluttershy, why don’t you brew us both some tea. I’ll get some cucumber sandwiches. By the time we are finished eating, it'll be time for you to feed your animals.” Fluttershy took in and let out a tiny breath to help collect herself, “Those things always help make me feel calmer. Thank you, Discord. You do know how to make me feel better.” “Better and better,” Discord said. Before Fluttershy could ask, he continued, “I’ll be back with the sandwiches.” Then he disappeared. The next morning, Fluttershy was outside her cottage in Ponyville. She moved about the yard, giving the animals their morning meal. She heard a loud bang, then the long ripping sound of falling timber. Fluttershy was startled, her eyes hunting for what was making the sound. Far down the path, she saw the source. A large oak tree that had been damaged in the fight with the Bugbear was toppling over. “AAAAAAA,” came the cry from a small yellow pony with red mane and pink bow. Apple Bloom was up in the falling tree! Fluttershy shot off at a gallop, down the path toward the tree. Though she was a pegasus, Fluttershy seldom considered flying first when she needed to get somewhere quickly. “Faster, faster,” Fluttershy thought, as she watched the tree topple. She galloped as fast as her feet would carry her. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as Fluttershy sped down the path. Apple Bloom had lost her grip and was in free fall, with the trunk of the falling tree plummeting down just above her. She’d be crushed! With a final burst of speed, Fluttershy leapt and caught Apple Bloom in mid air. She closed her eyes and curled around the filly like a ball, protecting Apple Bloom with her body. They fell to the ground, still under the falling tree. The tree hit the ground hard, with a crescendo of loud cracks from branches breaking. When the impact sounds were over, Fluttershy opened her eyes and looked around. She was surrounded by tree limbs, but was in a pocket where the surrounding branches had broken away from her. Fluttershy looked in at Apple Bloom. She was stunned, but breathing easily. She felt the filly’s extremities gingerly with her hooves, but could find no signs of injury. Unfortunately, they were trapped under the fallen tree. Fluttershy carefully laid Apple Bloom down, and tried to stand up, but the broken remains of the tree trunk were directly overhead, pinning her to the ground. Fluttershy got her feet underneath her, and pushed with her back against the trunk. The unstable tree rolled away down the slight hill with more crashing and limb snapping. Fluttershy could feel her heart pounding. She had reacted without thinking. She hadn’t had time to be scared. Now, the danger was over, and there was nothing to be scared about. She took in a small breath, and blew it out. Her heart rate slowed. The movement made Apple Bloom stir. “Oh wow.” “Are you alright?” Fluttershy helped the filly to her hooves. “I’m good. That was close.” Apple Bloom brushed twigs from her coat. “Thank you, Fluttershy, you came out of nowhere.” “I actually came from my cottage,” Fluttershy looked Apple Bloom over. “I’m glad I could get here in time and you weren’t hurt.” “From you cottage?” Apple Bloom scanned up the lane. “Wow, I can’t even see your cottage from here.” Apple Bloom then looked over at the fallen tree. The foot thick trunk was bent almost in two, right in the area she had been climbing. She shuddered at the thought of what might have happened if Fluttershy hadn’t been there. “We’d better get you home.” Fluttershy wrapped a wing around Apple Bloom to calm her jitters. “Can we just not mention this to my sister, Applejack?” Apple Bloom calmed slightly and started walking. “Can’t Applejack normally tell when something important has been left unsaid?” Fluttershy asked. “Yeah, she can.” Apple Bloom kicked the ground, then looked up at Fluttershy. “OK, I’ll tell her.” Fluttershy smiled, and led the filly down the lane toward Sweet Apple Acres. A few minutes later, Discord slithered out from behind a large rock and examined the broken tree. He smiled. “Better and better” he said to himself. Later that day, Fluttershy was hovering near a tree at the top of a small hill overlooking the Everfree Forest. She had just finished putting a birds nest back up after it had fallen. “Here you go Mr. and Mrs. Finch,” she said. The two birds tweeted merrily in reply. “You are very welcome.” she said. Fluttershy heard a roar from far away. She recognized the sound; it was her friend, Harry the bear. He sounded like he was in pain! She scanned around and saw a cloud of smoke and dust rising deep in the Everfree. She heard a second pained roar. It was definitely coming from the direction of the smoke. She flew flew in the direction of the roar as fast as her wings would carry her. Fluttershy hated flying over the Everfree Forest. She was never sure what might find her out there. But Harry was in trouble, and she had to help if she could. Fluttershy crested the edge of a forest clearing, just in time to hear a loud K-ZAPP and then a BOOM. The clearing before her lit up in a blinding white flash, then the wall of a ruined building exploded into smoke and rock fragments. She halted her flight, hovered, and turned her head to avoid the glare. When Fluttershy looked back she could see Harry and several of his fellow bears cringing behind rocks and bits of ruined wall. A giant crystal spider, taller than any bear, stood over a large hole in the center of the clearing. On the spider’s back, a glowing dome shimmered and emitted sparks. Harry saw Fluttershy and rose from behind a large rock and moved towards her. The spider skittered to face the moving bear and the dome glowed brightly. The bear spotted the glow and ducked back behind the rock. Lightning bolts erupted from the dome and hit the boulder, cracking it into pieces and knocking Harry down. He howled in pain and had nowhere left to hide. “Oh no,” said Fluttershy. “Maybe I can distract it, so Harry can get away.” She snatched a piece of fruit from the wild apple tree she was hovering over, then threw it at a wall, away from all the bears. The fruit made a “thunk” when it hit the wall. The spider skittered around to face the movement and noise, then unleashed a lightning bolt that obliterated the wall. Fluttershy threw another wild apple, making sure no bears were near her target. When the crystal spider turned toward the impact of the second flying fruit, she called out to the bears, “Run into the forest now!” The bears all rose and bolted for the forest. Harry got up, but was limping painfully. The spider skittered and turned toward the fleeing bears. Fluttershy threw a third wild apple, but this one went low and hit the crystal spider on the dome. The spider skittered to face her. The dome began to glow. “Eeep!” Fluttershy flew up and tried to get away. There was a loud K-ZAPP and a blinding light. She felt tickles all over her body. She was momentarily blinded and tumbled in the air. Fluttershy kept flying as fast as she could, but couldn’t tell which way she was going.  When her eyes cleared, Fluttershy’s vision filled with the dome on the back of the crystal spider. She was aimed right at it, and was going too fast to avoid impact! Fluttershy twisted in mid-air and all 4 of her hooves hit the back of the spider together. The crystal spider shattered into a million glittering fragments. The shattered dome gave up all of its remaining lighting at once, filling the clearing with blinding light and and a sound like ripping cloth that went on a long time. When the lightning storm ended, and Fluttershy could see again, she was hovering just above the shattered remains of the crystal spider. Her body tingled all over. She shivered for a moment, which seemed to help. A low moan caught her attention. She swooped over to Harry. His fur was singed and he had a few cuts on his leg. “Let me help you,” Fluttershy said soothingly. She heard running water nearby and led Harry to a creak with a small waterfall. Harry grunted as he limped along, telling Fluttershy his story. She cleaned his wounds, calmed him down, and made sure he would come around her cottage later, so she could help him with all of her first aid equipment. Harry gave Fluttershy a big hug, then turned and walked into the forest. His limp was much improved. Fluttershy checked on the other bears, and was delighted that none of them were hurt. Once she knew all the animals were safe, Fluttershy took in a deep breath. She shivered for a moment. It had all been terrifying, really. But it had happened so fast that she hadn’t found time to be scared. Fluttershy looked over the clearing with the giant hole in the ground, and crystal fragments littering the area. “I don’t know what that thing was, but maybe Twilight knows, and can make sure that nothing else like it will try to hurt any of my animal friends.” Fluttershy flew to Princess Twilight Sparkle’s crystal castle in Ponyville and tapped quietly on the great front door. It took a few taps, but finally, the purple alicorn  answered. “Hi Fluttershy!” Twilight looked her friend up and down, then sniffed the air. “Is that ozone? Is everything okay?” “Something magical attacked my friend Harry the bear in the Everfree Forest.” Fluttershy pointed in the direction she had come. “The attacker is gone now, and Harry should be okay, but I want to be sure nothing happens to any of the other animals.” “A magical attack?” Twilight got very serious. “Can you show me where it happened?” Fluttershy nodded. “Um hum.” “Tell me what happened on the way,” Twilight said. They both spread their wings, and took off over the Everfree. Fluttershy filled Twilight in on what had happened. When they got to the clearing. Fluttershy pointed, “That’s where the spider was when I got here.” Twilight lit her horn. A magenta light settled over the clearing. “I don’t sense any other magic here,” she said. “I think it’s safe to land.” Twilight pulled in the glow of her magic to the area just in front of her, then levitated several crystal fragments. She cocked her head and looked at them closely. “It was shaped like a spider, was taller than a bear, made out of crystal, and shot lighting?” “Yes! Harry got hurt, but is feeling better.” Twilight rolled her eyes in thought. “It sounds like one of Starswirl the Bearded’s magical crystal guardians.” Twilight looked at Fluttershy. “I’ve read about them, but never seen one. Starswirl made them to protect important buildings, like the Castle of the Two Sisters.” “Harry told me he and his friends were pawing something shiny.” Fluttershy pointed to the hole. “Then the ground started to shake and the spider crawled out of the hole.” Twilight looked at the big hole in the clearing. “It might have been buried here for the last thousand years, until the bears disturbed it.” She looked at the depth of the hole, the volume of crystal shards in the clearing, and imagined a spider taller than a bear shooting lightning. “Crystal guardians were supposed to be very powerful. It must have been very scary.” Fluttershy ducked her head and looked away. “I mostly just threw fruit to distract it, then got blinded by a lightning flash and ended up flying right into it by accident. It shattered when my hooves hit it.” Twilight surveyed the clearing and sniffed the air. “There are a lot of marks from lighting strikes, and the air still smells of ozone. Did you get hit?” “I couldn’t have been hit.” Fluttershy looked away. “I just felt all tickly and tingly.” “Probably static electricity from near misses.” Twilight surveyed her friend. “You were really lucky, Fluttershy.  It was very old, which is why it must have shattered so easily.” Twilight moved over to comfort the pegasus. “You were very brave to help the bears, but the next time you see something like this, please come get help. I don’t want anything to happen to one of my best friends.” “You know me, Twilight,” Fluttershy whispered. “I’m never brave.” A few minutes after the girls had left, Discord popped into existence in the clearing. He looked at the shards of the crystal spider and smiled widely. “Better and better” he said.