//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1 
// Story: Frienimies 
// by Melody_Wings 
//------------------------------//

The summer sun was beating down upon the green earth as, inside her cottage, Fluttershy was putting up her mane into an elegant bun, getting ready for her date. She sighed, rubbing her face with her hooves, the dark circles under her eyes extremely noticeable. She hadn't slept well that night, not at all. The pegasus shivered as she remembered the dream. It was one she knew very well and it contained Him...

Not long after the battle of the Crystal Heart did the nightmares start. At first, they were little and harmless, only featuring his red eyes with purple smoke billowing out of them and his abnormal horn. Soon, it was showing him whole and he was laughing at her, taunting her, whispering her name. Only last night was different, it was him again but he lost his regal attire and was cut and bruised, his eyes losing the smoke. He was reaching out to her as vines wrapped around his body, suffocating him. "Fluttershy..." he croaked. Then she woke up.

She assured herself that it was a horrible nightmare and that nothing was going to happen yet inside she thought otherwise. She slipped on a light green dress Discord got her for her birthday last year... Discord... How she missed him... One year ago, Fluttershy had managed to convince Discord to tell Princess Luna about his feelings and the two had been dating until about two months ago, when they were wed. She wiped away a happy tear at the idea of Discord being in love and being loved back truly for the first time in his long life. Sadly, Fluttershy had too moved on, herself dating Big Mac. She never felt real love towards him, more like puppy love (she had a crush on him a few months ago) but now it was harder and harder to be in love with him. If she told somepony, they would tell her to dump him but she didn't want to hurt his feelings. So, she carried on hoping their friendship would eventually blossom into true love.

Fluttershy nearly forgot that she Pinkie Promised to bring strawberries to the date. She galloped up to the cupboard but there were no strawberries there.  So, she grabbed a woven basket, closed the door and galloped off into the Everfree Forest.

***

Celestia's sunlight barely reached the canopy level of the trees, let alone Fluttershy. Slowly, she trotted through the dark forest, flinching at every rustle in the bushes. The unfamiliar cold wind was blowing in her face, destroying her perfectly neat bun, as a thousand pairs of golden eyes watched her from the shadows. Suddenly, she heard a little shriek. It was coming from an old oak tree before her. She crept up to it and saw that it was hollow, she leaned in... And got smacked in the muzzle by a pair of light grey wings. She rubbed her now pink muzzle looking at what hit her. She was surprised when she saw a little grey dove inside the hollow oak tree. "Hello there, little one" she whispered, smiling. "I'm not going to hurt you." The dove hesitated but then flew over and perched onto her sholder. She giggled and asked "What is your name?" The dove immediately became folorn, it sang a few short notes before drooping his head. "How can you not have a name!" gasped Fluttershy, before shaking her head. "Well I'm going to give you one." The dove immediately perked up, squeaking once more. "I'm going to call you..." she pondered, trying to think of a good name. "Eric!" she suddenly squeaked, the dove loosing his balance and toppling to the ground. "Ooops," she whispered, checking the dove over to see if he was alright. "Did you like your new name that much?" she giggled. Eric face-winged himself.
***
She and Eric were picking strawberries when she heard a rustle in the leaves coming from somewhere under the tree. Fluttershy thought she was hearing things but her curiousity won her over when she head a low moan escape from under the bush. She leaned down and moved the branches out of the way. As soon as she saw what she had uncovered she wished she had not seen. A thin body lay at her feet, bruised in many places. Deep, filthy and long gashes ran across his body, his breath jaggered and uneaven. His black fur was scarred and he was unconscious. But the one thing that made Fluttershy's blood run cold was the identity of the stallion. She could recognise him anywhere... It was the former ruler of the Crystal Empire, tyrant and king. The pony that was lying, near death, before of her was King Sombra...