//------------------------------// // Reluctance // Story: My Enemy's Enemy // by BudCharles //------------------------------// Chrysalis was talking to Twilight as they walked deeper into the Everfree, the dark shadows of multiple layers of plant life hanging over them. Twilight lit up her horn so they could see more than a metre in front of them. They had decided to walk to conserve their energy - they knew they’d have to do a lot of flying in the inevitable battle ahead of them.   “So who is this evil unicorn?” Twilight asked, with a mix of curiosity and nervousness.   “Well, I’m not sure he’s a unicorn, he seems like a dark, twisted version of one. And he killed thousands of us with one strike, I’ve never seen such power, or such violence.”   Could it be… no, no way. Sombra was dead, he shattered into a million pieces. It couldn’t be. Could it?   Twilight remained silent as she considered the possibility - the only audible sound now was the occasional squelching of mud puddles beneath the hooves of the two travellers. Combined with the cold air and the darkness, it was really quite unnerving.   The fur on Twilight’s back stood up, just slightly.   Back at the castle, Fluttershy sat next to Pupa, watching the sun set behind the Everfree. Her wing was gently wrapped around him, holding him close like a little teddy bear. Pupa was quiet, but the damp lines down his face revealed he had been crying for quite some time.   “I’m sorry for acting like such a baby” Pupa spoke up.   “Everypony cries sometimes,” Fluttershy assured, pulling him into a hug. “I’ve cried over some very silly things, I feel quite embarrassed about it actually. But you had every reason to cry today.”   “But I’m supposed to be tough remember?”   “Being tough doesn’t mean not crying. It means you cry about something, but then you move on, or have the bravery to face what’s happened.”   Pupa sat there quietly again, the cogs clearly turning in his mind.   Bravery… Face what’s happened…   Fluttershy didn’t notice his new, thoughtful expression.   The two of them tried to get on with the rest of the night as normal. Bath time was certainly an adventure - after a lot of persuasion from Spike, Pupa tried a bubble bath for the first time - and loved it! Especially when Fluttershy’s otters and seals decided to join in with the whole event and play tennis in the bath!   Eventually, bedtime came around…   “And then,” Fluttershy continued with a tired but satisfied smile on her face, “the little changeling found every last strawberry. The end.”   She looked down to see Pupa curled up with his eyes closed, facing in her direction, his nostrils twitching slightly.   “Goodnight, my brave little changeling,” Fluttershy smiled, giving him a kiss on the forehead, before quietly sneaking out of the room.   Pupa opened his eyes. The scent of love had receded, the coast was clear! He sat up - then hesitated. Was he really sure about this? That forest looked awfully big - and he was awfully small.   Be brave, he mentally told himself.   The little changeling quietly snuck out of bed and crept towards the open window. He still couldn’t believe the whole ‘I need fresh air to get better’ thing worked.   Pupa’s wings began buzzing as he made his way through to the other side of the window, and he took off, three full stories above the ground.   “WHOA!” he squeaked as something tugged him back.   Dangit, she caught me, he thought, only to turn around and notice one of his bandages stuck on the windowsill.   “Are you alright?” he heard Fluttershy say in the distance. “I heard you call out! I’m coming to check on you!”   Desperately, Pupa tried to untie the material, but it wouldn’t go. Starting to panic, he thrashed and kicked at the bandage, finally tearing it free of the window. His wings buzzed again and he flew off, his bandages once again coming off as they untied themselves and descended to the ground below. In the distance, he noticed a light turn on, followed by frantic banging and searching. He sighed, guiltily, but he knew he had to leave Fluttershy there. His mummy was in trouble, and he was going to find her…   Am I ever going to find her, Pupa thought to himself as he carefully stepped along some semblance of a pathway. The cold air stabbed into his uncovered wounds, and he had to rely his hearing as his eyes were blacked out from the darkness and his smell from the mud. The little creature started trembling - he wasn’t sure if it was from the cold, or from the fear.   “I’m brave, I’m brave, I’m brave” he whispered to himself, before suddenly freezing as a loud, echoing howl pierced through the sky beside him. The little changeling crouched close to the ground and closed his eyes in terror as not one, not two, but three huge timberwolves came splashing towards him through the nearby puddles, having picked up the scent of blood from miles away.   In the distance, Twilight and Chrysalis heard a piercing scream.   “That’s Pupa!” Chrysalis gasped.   Not another word had to be spoken - the two of them raced towards the scene.   Pupa covered his mouth, trying not to scream again as one of the timberwolves, its jaws clamped tightly around his leg, slammed Pupa into the ground repeatedly.   I just want mummy, he thought, I don’t care if she’s mad at me, I want mummy.   Right on cue, a huge beam of glowing green magic lit up the forest in a virtual lightning flash of neon green, accompanied by a thunderous explosive sound. It was followed quickly by a piercing yelp, and a timberwolf going up in flames and disintegrating. The timberwolf’s two companions scattered into the forest, terrified.   “Mummy!” Pupa squeaked, as he raced to hug Chrysalis, limping due to his wounded back leg.   “Never, ever, ever do something this dangerous again, you understand that you little terror?” Chrysalis demanded, trying to come across as angry but just sounding grateful and relieved.   Pupa just smiled and cuddled. He was alive. His mum was alive. Twilight was alive. Everyone was alive!   A few moments later, another voice was heard approaching the trio. It was flustered, fearful and just plain upset.   “Pupa! Where are you? Please tell me you’re okay! Please, please, please!”   “He’s fine, Fluttershy” Twilight answered, her smile barely visible in the light of her magic alone.   Fluttershy breathed a sigh of relief.   “I was so worried!” Fluttershy said, before turning to the dimly-lit form of Chrysalis. “I’m so sorry, I had no idea he would -”   “It’s okay,” Chrysalis assured. “I didn’t know either. Otherwise I would not have left him here.”   Her tone of voice was not at all convincing.   “I’m really sorry,” Fluttershy repeated. “I’ll take him back now, and I’ll make sure he doesn’t do it again.”   “No!” Pupa suddenly shouted. “I’m not leaving mummy again!”   “That’s enough Pupa, please,” Chrysalis argued back, “this isn’t easy for me either alright! You’ll be safe with Fluttershy. I can’t protect you out here.”   “I’ll just escape again. I’ll shapeshift into a colt again, and she won’t even know who I am!”   “Pupa-”   “Please, just let me come with you! I just want to be with you mummy! And you can’t stop me!”   “He does have a point,” Twilight sighed. “I could cast a spell to stop him shapeshifting, but it would only last so long.”   “He’s not safe with us!” Chrysalis argued. “I’m not risking his life!”   “He’s at more risk running off like this than with us. He can stay behind with Fluttershy when we actually head into the nest. I don’t want to bring him either but I don’t think we have much choice.”   “Okay,” Chrysalis finally gave in. “You and Fluttershy can come with us. But only if you agree to stay with her when the battle is happening, deal?”   “Deal” Pupa agreed with a small nod.   “What about my animals,” Fluttershy asked, “they won’t know I’m -”   “Relax,” Twilight assured, “I’ve been studying a one-time use communication spell. I’ll let Spike know he needs to look after the animals.”   “Alright then,” Fluttershy  agreed, “count me in”.   “Okay,” Twilight agreed, on behalf of everyone, “let’s get going”.   The others nodded, and Pupa climbed onto Chrysalis back to avoid walking on his sore leg. He turned over to notice Fluttershy hovering above him and re-doing the bandages he’d torn off.   “Really?” he said. “The badgers again?”   “Don’t think you’re getting out of them that easily” Fluttershy giggled.   With that, the group continued walking into the still, quiet night.