Path of Kindness and Blood

by CommanderX5

Final Confrontation - The Final Trial

Little Seed could see Sunflower slowly opening her eyes, no doubt feeling restrained as he felt exactly the same. Her struggling failed to bring any result as she was tied against a wall. “What did I say?”

Sunflower looked at him bitterly. “Don’t say it.”

A smug grin appeared on Seed’s face. “I told you he was suspicious. I warned you that we may end up like this, but did you listen? Nooo...”

“Fine,” Sunflower started before releasing a long sigh. “You were right! Satisfied?”

“Eeyup,” Little Seed said with proudly raised head. “And don’t worry about our well-being. Apparently, he needs us unharmed.”

Sunflower nodded before examining the area.

Two massive seats sat prominently at the end of the room, each atop its own raised dias. One was a faded golden color, covered in dust and missing parts of its back. On the charred banner above it and in a faint inscription in the wall beside it, he could see the symbol of the sun that designated it as Celestia’s. The other was dark blue, similarly weathered by the passage of time, marked with a banner of a crescent moon.

The crumbling walls were in far worse condition. Numerous cracks extended from a multitude of holes, one of which featured prominently between the two banners above the thrones. Windows had been reduced to mere glass shards where they sat, and a small chunk of the roof was missing, allowing bits of sunlight inside. Rubble lay scattered across the broken flagstones of the floor, leaving only a few places where the threadbare surface of the carpet could be exposed to the eye.

Their attention focused on their captor while Little Seed asked, “So, mind tellin’ us what’s this all about?”

Hawkeye looked away from the large double door, now staring at him with mild-interest. “All ya need to know is that yer Fluttershy’s final trial.”

Little Seed was about to answer, but Sunflower beat him to it. “A last trial? If you blood sucking abominations want to play your stupid games, fine, but keep us out of it.”

“I must agree with my wife,” Little Seed spoke, taking a quick breath while finding the ropes more and more uncomfortable. “You’re not predators, but parasites. It’s bad enough your kind ruined countless lives for common ponies, now you even involve the innocent and elderly into your stupid games. Shame on you.”

Hawkeye felt yet another headache. After a moment to clear his thought, he spoke, “Parasites, ya say? Funny. Ah feel as if Ah thought of mah kind the exact same thing once.” He approached and sat in front of his captives. “Why do we deserve bein’ called such if Ah may ask?”

Little Seed frowned. “Isn’t that obvious? Ya can’t survive without our blood, and you need us to reproduce by turning ponies into more of your kind.”

“That’s a half-truth,” Hawkeye interrupted as he shook his forehoof. “We can reproduce just fine, but only purebloods can turn ponies. Pureblood thestrals are a pure and superior breed, an’ each family leads a clan, while turned ones are the lower grade ones whose only duty is to serve them.” A smirk appeared on his face. “And while we’re inferior to purebloods, compared to you lot, we’re somethin’ greater. We heal faster, we’re stronger, we gain power and magic beyond yer imagination. Parasites… no, we’re blessed.”

Sunflower blinked in confusion. “Wait a moment... I thought Flutterbat and her kind reproduce by turning ponies… at least this’s what I understood from what that blue pegasus told us.”

“Ya mean Rainbow Dash? She’s not even a thestral herself and she did kinda seem a few straws short of a bundle, so it’s no wonder she messed up the facts.” He rubbed his chin. “Why didn’t Fluttershy tell ya?”

“Well,” Little Seed started, “Flutterbat did look very sick. Odd, considering that she was suppose to recover from any injury.”

“So she’s sick… and those ponies ain’t liars… this is bad.” He started to walk back and forth nervously. “How can she face her trial when she’s weakened?” He stopped and took a few slow calming breaths.

Sunflower asked, “What do you want from us?”

The stallion stomped. “Ah wanted yer friend to face the past, reveal her secret, face either acceptance or hatred, and in the end,” he paused and turned to look at his hostages, “try to save her friends.”

“She isn’t a friend of mine,” Sunflower said with a frown. “Not anymore...”

Hawkeye approached and sat. “Ah’m curious. Why don’t ya see her as a friend anymore?”

“Isn’t that simple? Why would I ever want to be a friend of a liar and a parasite. Who knows how much blood she drank and how many lives she ruined.” She tried to move, but failed due to her restraints.

Little Seed joined in, “The pony we once called our friend was just a facade, fake. Just like you manipulated us, hiding your intentions behind a mask. The true Flutterbat wasn’t the pony she pretended to be.”

Hawkeye chuckled.

“What’s so funny?”

Hawkeye raised hoof up to his mouth, taking a moment to stop his chuckle. “Ah may not know yer friend all that well, but Ah can tell she’s innocent, afraid to hurt those who wish her harm, always thinking about her companions before herself. No… Ah feel she wasn’t hidin’ behind a mask.”

“Then why she didn’t tell us?” Sunflower asked, her voice filled with anger. “Why did she keep us in the dark if her intentions were pure? Why should we believe a word you say?”

The stallion looked to the side. “Ya don’t need to believe me, nor do Ah have interest in makin’ ya believe in mah words. Answer me this? Would ya still be her friends if she told ya?”

“Well… no…” Sunflower said hesitantly.

“And here ya answered yer own question,” Hawkeye said.

Little Seed joined in, “You can’t blame us. How can we be friends with a parasite? She’s aging far slower than a common pony, can turn one species into another, expanding their lifespan. Our so-called friend defies the laws of nature.”

Sunflower took over, “The sun is the bringer of life to all living beings, but she needs to hide from it. She’s an abomination.”

Hawkeye frowned. “Those are yer arguments? Those shallow reasons are enough for ya to hate yer best friend?”

“Hate?” Sunflower shook her head. “I never said I hated her… just that I can’t be her friend… but I don’t hate her.”

Little Seed nodded. “To be fair, I’m unsure what to think of Flutterbat. I feel betrayed, disgusted, lied to… but I certainly don’t hate her… This all is so confusing.” He sighed. “Even if she’s the cause of why we’re now tied up in the throne room of some ruined castle, Ah can’t bring myself to hate her.”

Sunflower frowned. “But don’t get the wrong idea. We still don’t want to see her ever again.”

“So ya regret that she’s not dead?” Hawkeye asked.

Sunflower opened her mouth, but closed a moment later. As angry as she was, saying that she would prefer Flutterbat to be dead than a different species felt cruel and unjust.

Little Seed decided to answer instead, “She’s expanding her lifespan by drinking blood. It goes against the natural order…”

“Hey,” Sunflower shouted. “Are you saying you wish her dead?”

“N-no…” Little Seed responded nervously, his ears flattened as droplets of sweat slid down his forehead and muzzle.

Upon noticing doubt, Hawkeye said, “Alicorns live for millennia, dragons live for centuries. Is being a pureblood really such a crime against nature?” Upon not receiving any response from the confused pegasi, he asked his next question, “Ah may not be smart, but even parasites have their place in the world.”

Little Seed thought for a moment. “Well… some plants adapted to grow without sunlight... and alicorns are considered ponies. Maybe purebloods are just part of the natural order after all.” He continued with growing confidence, “And now that I think about it,” he took a quick breath, “some organisms make symbiotic relationships to benefit each other. Maybe being turned into thestral is something like that. Gaining a longer lifespan and greater magic, but one becomes weakened under the sun and needing blood.”

“Earth ponies can grow crops faster, but as an earth pony thestral, Ah can bend plants to mah will.”

Sunflower looked between the captor and her husband. “Don’t tell me you’re taking his side now?” She turned to glare at the thestral, her voice both curious and sharp. “And you, why are you even talking with us? Not long ago, we were pawns in some sort of sick game.”

Hawkeye rubbed back of his neck. “Ah try to pass time… And for some reason, our talk seems to bring back mah memories, little by little.” He continued with a joking tone, “Maybe that’s why Ah’m wastin’ mah time talkin’ with lowlives such as yerself.”

“Hey!” both pegasi responded in unison.

Hawkeye was about to say something, but his ears perked upward. He jumped back, evading a few silver bolts from striking him before a white mare jumped from the tall window, landing between him and the hostages. “I don’t need a crossbow to use silver against you as long as I have my magic.”

She stood to her rear hooves and took a fighting stance. “And if you dare to take a step forward or try to hurt Fluttershy’s friends, I will kick you so hard that you will be sent flying out of this throne room.” She took off her hat and tossed it to the side.

Hawkeye pointed at Rarity. “So you followed me after all. I suppose that since yer mistress is sick, the burden of saving her friends rests on her clan members.” He added loudly, “Hey, Flower and Seed, did ya know Fluttershy’s white friend is a thestral? She’s the only pony she turned.”

Rarity looked back at the hostages. “True, but she did it to save my life.” She turned back towards the stallion and grit her teeth. “Speaking of which, I still owe you for almost killing me. It was the most painful day of my life, thank you very much.”

The double door into the throne room burst open as a farm mare stood on her forelegs in front of it, hind legs raised above the ground. Applejack walked inside, giving a glare filled with anger.

“Applejack on the other hoof is a huntress who tried to kill your friend,” Hawkeye said, pointing at Applejack. “An’ guess what? They’re friends now. She truly deserves becoming an emissary of peace.”

“A… huntress…” Sunflower said in confusion. “Is that true?”

Rarity looked between the stallion and the ponies behind her before asking, “Why are you telling them our secrets? What are you trying to accomplish?”

Hawkeye shrugged. “Honestly, Ah dunno. Mah mind’s a bit of a mess. Memories surface left and right. Ah don’t know what’s the truth or not anymore. Not that it matters since Ah’m goin’ to die.”

“Die? Who said anything about killing?” Rarity asked, raising her foreleg defensively. “I came here to rescue Fluttershy’s friends… and maybe introduce your face to my hoof a few times, but certainly not to kill.”

“And Ah’m here to give ya a beatin’, tie ya up and give ya ta Fluttershy. Even after all ya did, she still wishes to save ya and Ah want mah father back.” A silver blade shot out from her bracer as she aimed at Hawkeye. “But make no mistake, if ya try to hurt Flutters’ friends, Ah won’t hesitate to cut a leg or two, even if yer mah Pa. Got it?”

Hawkeye nodded. “Crystal clear.” He galloped at Applejack, the pebbles on the dusty floor bouncing from the strikes of his hooves. “But if Ah’m indeed yer father, ya know Ah was a more skilled hunter. Ah’m bigger than ya, stronger than ya, and almost as fast and agile. As a thestral, Ah heal faster and hit even harder. Yer silver blade won’t help ya against me.”

Hawkeye could see his daughter standing in place in a fighting stance. The moment he was close enough, he pressed his forelegs against the ground and turned around, his hind legs raised and ready to strike. With a noise as if a pegasus flew by with sonic speed, his legs went towards Applejack’s head, his strike exactly like Big Mac’s kick.

Applejack’s legs went to the side as her stomach and head fell to the ground, causing the two large legs to fly right above her head. With a quick swing of her foreleg, the silver blade left two wounds on Hawkeye’s forelegs.

The stallion struggled to maintain balance as his legs aimed at the floor, striking it with great force. A crater appeared in place of a dusty stone floor tile as his legs sank into it, but Applejack was already rolling to the side, quickly evading his strike. She delivered a quick sliding strike to the side of Hawkeye’s belly. His senses kicked in as he jumped to the side to evade two bolts, only for them to turn, aimed at his forelegs.

He grit his teeth as the silver went into his forelegs, adding additional pain. It was only thanks to his endurance that he could still stand. Distracted by his pain, he failed to notice the white mare jumping towards him as her hind leg delivered a kick against his muzzle, sending him flying across the floor. Applejack already waiting nearby to add her trademark kick, sending him flying into a wall.

“Not bad, Rares. Ya may be an unicorn, but ya can kick!” Applejack said with a prideful nod.

Rarity rubbed her chest. “Thank you, Miss Applejack. I suppose being a thestral has its benefits. Though I must admit, when you are not standing around, you can be quite helpful.”

“Ah had mah flank handed to me for weeks while trainin’ Fluttershy. Ah got lots of practice.”

Hawkeye struggled to stand. Feeling even more outmatched than when he fought against Fluttershy. His lack of his silver blades leaving him at a disadvantage. More memories surfaced as the image of a young orange filly staring at him flashed in his mind. A tear slid down his cheek.

Pinkie looked around nervously, unable to look away from the rusty suits of armor as she went through the darkened hallway. “Are you sure they went this way?”

“Y-yes…” Fluttershy struggled an answer. Her chin pressed against Pinkie’s puffy mane.

“If you say so. You’re the boss. Though if you want my opinion, this place is kind of spooky,” Pinkie said, wary of her surroundings. “Whaaa!” she shouted and jumped to the side, startled by the noise she heard from the distance while her passenger rolled off her back, now lying flat on the cold floor.

“S-sorry!” Pinkie shouted in panic before putting Fluttershy onto her back again. More loud noises followed, causing her ears to drop. “Maybe we should… go back to your cottage...”

“P-please…” Fluttershy plead.

Pinkie whimpered, heading straight for the source of noise, her eyes closed each time she heard a loud thump. She stopped, noticing a large, opened double door and gulped. “Well… here goes Pinkie…” She stepped through the door and looked around, quickly noticing two mares covered in bruises standing atop of a tied up stallion in the middle of the throne room.

“Applejack, Rarity!” Pinkie shouted, galloping towards the mares, only to press her hooves against the floor. She looked back at her friend, who once again lied flat on the floor. “Sorry!”

“Pinkie Pie?” Rarity said, stepping form Hawkeye and approaching Pinkie. “What are you doing here?”

“Bringing Fluttershy,” she responded, supporting the sick mare against her side.

“What?!” Rarity shouted, galloping over and staring at Fluttershy intensively. “Fluttershy, dear, you should be resting! You cannot even stand yet.”

Upon noticing that Fluttershy was too tired to respond, Pinkie said, “She told me her friends were in danger, and begged me to bring her here,” she smiled, “but it seems you did just fine.”

Applejack circled her restrained father and said, “We showed mah Pa the meanin’ of teamwork. He never stood a chance.” She pointed at the two elderly ponies behind her. “As for the friends Flutters was worried about, Ah think it was them, not us.”

Pinkie dashed towards the old ponies, only to get back to Fluttershy before she could trip over, Rarity assisting with her magic. Unable to leave her friend even for a moment, she pointed at the pegasi and said, “Are you new ponies? Are you friends with Fluttershy?”

“We were friends,” Sunflower said. “But no longer.”

Fluttershy whimpered, hiding her tired face behind her mane.

“What, why?” Pinkie asked.

“Because… because… ummm…” Sunflower paused for a moment, suddenly unsure of her own opinion. She poked her husband. “Come on… help me out.”

“Oh… ummm…” Little Seed started. “I can’t think of a reason on the spot.”

Sunflower half-closed her eyes, her stare annoyed. “You can’t possibly be considering her as a friend after what we learned?”

“To be honest, we learned way too much…” he took a quick breath, “at once. I can’t think of why we should still be friends with her… but at the same time, I can no longer think of a reason to give up on our friendship.” He massaged his forehead. “Faked funeral, being used as hostages in some sort of game, learning Flutterbat’s a different species.”

He looked between Rarity and Applejack, who kept staring back as their expression shifted from disapproval to curiosity. “But she did befriend a pony who hunted her kind, and turned another one who doesn’t seem to mind. Even our captor said she was innocent without a reason to lie.”

“But… but…”

Little Seed sat and lowered his head, his ears drooped as he sighed. “We’re scared after our bad experience and what we’ve learned. If I learned anything in my life, it was to not make rash judgments when my mind isn’t calm and clear.” He looked at his wife and gently grabbed her forehoof, stroking it. “You were always very emotional, often worried about Flutterbat’s lack of self-confidence or health. Don’t let your emotions blind you now, give it time.”

Sunflower closed her eyes, deep in thought. After taking a few calming breaths, she looked at the ill mare and said, “I… I’m unsure if we can still be friends after all that happened… I will think it over…” Upon seeing a weak nod, she added, “But know that we don’t hate you or anything… at least as long as you’ll keep your fangs away from my neck, deal?”

Pinkie trembled as she wished for nothing more than to just jump up and spread confetti all over the room, only to celebrate that her friend’s old friends didn’t hate Fluttershy. She bit her lip and restrained herself as she couldn’t leave Fluttershy’s side even for a moment. Years of struggling to keep her emotions in check around her bat-winged friend finally bearing fruits.

Fluttershy smiled weakly, only her weakness keeping her from fully expressing her joy while feeling as if a huge weight was lifted from her shoulders. Even if Sunflower and Little Seed were considering to no longer be her friends, the chance that they would accept her for what she really is was more than she would wish for.

For decades in her previous life as a veterinarian in Cloudsdale, she learned about Sunflower’s passion regarding the sun, how it was the source of energy and heat necessary to maintain life on the entire planet. Thanks to the time they spent together, she overcame her fear of the princess and learned to respect her, and even if the sun that Princess Celestia raised and lowered everyday was bringing her pain, she admired the flaming orb for shining upon plants and animals, keeping them alive.

The more time she spent with Sunflower, the more afraid she was to reveal her true nature, knowing that a pony whose special talent resolved around the sun would despise her kind. Now finally that fear was put at ease as Sunflower was willing to give her a chance.

The time she spent with Little Seed helped her learn more about plants and animals, bringing out her passion for taking care of cute little creatures. Becoming a veterinarian in Cloudsdale, helping animals in Ponyville, all of it wouldn’t be possible if not for that. The fact that Little Seed decided to give her a chance while convincing Sunflower to do the same gave her hope.

“Sorry for interrupting yer reunion, Sugarcube,” Applejack said, pointing at the captured stallion who struggled to free himself. “But we need to do somethin’ about mah Pa.”

Rarity frowned. “Applejack! You cannot expect Fluttershy to take action in her condition.”

Applejack shook her head. “Ah was thinkin’ about lockin’ him up or somethin’.”

“Well, this is not how it sounded.”

Fluttershy looked at Pinkie and whispered, “Can you… get me close to Hawkeye?”

“Sure thing,” Pinkie said, picking her up in an embrace before walking on her hind legs towards the stallion. Fluttershy grit her teeth until she was placed on the ground. Her legs bending before a pink tail started to support her belly.

“Fluttershy, what are you doing?” Rarity asked.

“Wait, ya don’t have to…”

Hawkeye interrupted, loudly, “Mah task is complete. Whatever ya want to do with me, don’t hesitate.”

Fluttershy opened her mouth and sank her fangs into the neck of the large stallion, her eyes closed as she focused on draining the leftover of blood from Hawkeye’s master before adding her own. Her body was once again filled with power as it overpowered Zecora’s poison. An urge to vomit growing in strength with each passing second.

Sunflower’s face turned green as she looked to the side. Little Seed on the other hoof observed the spectacle curiously.

Fluttershy retreated her fangs and licked the wound. “H-Hawkeye…”

“Yes?”

“I freed you from your master’s blood control,” more drops of sweat started to slide down her face as her breathing increased in speed. “Your memory… was altered, but I broke the locks that sealed your memories. Soon, you’ll remember everything.” Fluttershy’s eyes opened widely as she felt her blood burning, rebelling against her with full force. The pain she felt was cut short as her vision blackened. Slowly closing her eyes, she sank into the soft embrace of dreams as her body became feeble and unmoving, as if she were a pony-shaped doll.