//------------------------------// // Day 3 // Story: Jealousy // by Flutterpriest //------------------------------// “Everything’s going to be fine, darling. Just you wait,” Rarity says, closing the door behind her. Fluttershy sighs and shakes her head, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. “There. Now all-” The door to Fluttershy’s cottage creaks open and Twilight steps inside. “Hey, Fluttershy,” she says softly. “How are you holding up.” The pegasus looks away from Twilight and looks to the floor, sniffing her nose. “The best I can, I suppose. Did he...” “Yes… things got a little… rough.” Fluttershy shakes her head and turns back to Twilight. “Where’s… Anon?” “I thought I would have him stay at my place for the evening. Just to be sure he’s safe.” Fluttershy walks to the window and peers out at the night sky, thinking to herself. "I just hope Anon didn’t say anything too mean." Twilight tilted her head, studying the features of her friend for any hint to what was on her mind. "Anon said what he needed to. I heard it all. The duel tomorrow should be-" A silence falls over the room as Twilight chooses not to complete her sentence. Fluttershy’s gaze falters as Angel Bunny hops to one of her hooves and places a paw on her. The pegasus looks down to her pet, then to the princess. "I don't know if I want this, Twilight." Twilight remains silent, closing the gap between the two of them. "I just... I just don't want either of them to get hurt. Especially him...” “You mean Anon?” Twilight asks. Fluttershy looks to Twilight and remains silent. Suddenly, the Princess begins to see what’s truly on her friends mind. "You should have seen him out there tonight. He was defending you. Anon was… being kind of a jerk. He almost knocked down my barrier. I think he will be fine." Fluttershy nods, then wraps her hooves around her friend. Twilight pulls her close. “Don’t worry. Nothing bad is going to happen tomorrow, I promise,” Twilight says. “Get some rest. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Fluttershy nods, then breaks her embrace. “Is there anything I can get you?” Twilight asks. “No, I think I’ll be fine. Thanks, Twilight,” Fluttershy says. Twilight nods, then moves to the door. With a quick goodbye, she’s out the door. Fluttershy makes her way upstairs to her bedroom. She checks her alarm, then looks back to the door. She climbs under the covers and lays in bed, looking to where Anon laid last night. “It’s still not him,” she mutters under her breath. “It’s not the same.” She rolls over in bed, closing her eyes tightly. The blaring alarm is immediately silenced. It reads 2:30 am. A figure rises from their bed in the dark. Tired and groggy, they make their way hastily towards the bathroom. The light turns on to reveal the frazzled mane and bloodshot eyes of the mare, Fluttershy. “I’m running out of time,” she mutters under her breath. "My goodness, my mane is a mess. I have to look my very best." Fluttershy turns to the shower and turns on the burning hot water, filling the room with steam. She relished in the warmth that graced her fur, letting memories and all of her work that build up to this point wash off of her like suds in the shower. ~ ~ ~ “Oh dear,” Rarity says, “You simply must ditch that human, he’s simply more trouble than he’s worth.” “I know,” you say, taking a sip from your cup of tea. “But… I love him… and I’d do anything to make him mine.” “He’s physically hurting you. There’s one thing when it’s Pinkie’s comedy, but you can’t just toss a mare off of a roof.” “Well, I mean. I have wings.” “Fluttershy, that’s not the point. I’ve been in bad relationships. I’ve concealed a bruise before. That human is bad news. ~ ~ ~ “Do you mind if I bring Anon by to show him Sugarcube Corner?” she asks Pinkie. Pinkie looked at her over the counter of sweets in the bakery. “Fluttershy, don’t get me wrong. I’m really happy for you. Really, I am… but I’m really nervous about hurting… well you know who’s feelings. Maybe it’s not the best idea. Everyone should be happy. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt anyone.” ~ ~ ~ “Hey, Twilight… Do you have a minute?” Fluttershy asks, stepping inside the Golden Oaks Library. “Sure thing! I just got done reading that romance novel you loaned me last night. It was fantastic! The way he fights to win her heart at the end was so wonderful. So romantic.” “Well, um. That’s… not quite why I came. You can keep the book.” “Really? Wow, thank you. I appreciate it. Well, what’s wrong?” “Well… see, it’s about. Uhm. you know who.” Fluttershy says quietly. Twilight gives Fluttershy a curious look, then motions for her to sit down. “Is everything okay? You generally seem so happy with him. If, well, a bit frustrated.” “Well. No. I just. I just don’t feel very appreciated… I don’t know what to do.” Twilight remains silent, then an idea springs to her head. “You know, I have an idea. It will be so exciting! Just you wait. It's like we're writing our own little love story!" ~ ~ ~ Fluttershy snickers to herself as she shuts off the water. “She even thought it was her idea,” she mutters under her breath. “Though, I admit her clone spell was a very nice touch.” Fluttershy looks at herself carefully in the mirror. Taking her make up, she carefully tries to cover up days of built up dark circles under her eyes. Her eyes are heavy, but her resolve is stronger as she sets the make up aside. Wrapping her mane in a towel, she trots downstairs with a smile on her face. “But, my touch is a little better, if I do say so myself.” Fluttershy walks into her kitchen and quickly moves to a set of cabinets just beside her back door. She moves aside several heavy bags of animal feed away from the bottom drawer and unbolts the lock on it. She crouches down, opens the drawer, and pulls out a bottle of pink liquid, leaving two identical empty bottles inside. “There’s still plenty of time,” Fluttershy whispers to herself as she trots towards your home. “I paid too many bits for these to go bad, or to miss my time.” She pulls the bottle out of the bag and looks over it carefully, reading the label again. ‘Give dose every 24 hours for three days. After third day, love potion will take full effect. Side effects such as irrational behavior and judgment, loss of appetite, and severe chills… Only works if drinker has some existing feelings for intended lover.’ “I just hope nopony sees me… or I don’t wake him up...” Fluttershy whispers as she approaches your home. She trots to one of your windows, then pushes hard on the bottom. “Shoot… it was unlocked yesterday...” Fluttershy takes a few steps back and looks over each door and window. She moves to the front door and jiggles the handle. “Locked...” She trots around the back and tries the same to the back door with no avail. Fluttershy groans, but remains resolute. She looks up to your bedroom window and nods. Placing the potion in her mouth, she extends her wings and takes to the sky. She quietly flutters to your window and slides open the bottom half. She slips inside and places her hooves on the bedroom floor. One step at a time, she moves closer to your beside as you sleep soundly. Her shadow from the moon hangs menacingly over the covers and she smiles as she approaches the bed. You’re curled into the fetal position, trying to keep yourself warm under the covers. She pauses, then looks towards the window for a moment, before turning back to you. “This is for your own good...” she says, feeling your pain as if it were her own. Fluttershy sets the bottle down on your bedside table, then covers you in your blankets. She places a hoof against your forehead to check for a fever. Your skin is hot and clammy to her touch. "Wha?" you mutter in a groggy haze. "Fluttershy?" "Yes, Anon?" she quietly responds. "What are you doing here?" you ask. "You are dreaming, Sweetie. Go back to sleep," she whispers. She cradles your face in her hoof. You shiver and pull the covers close, eyes shut. "I don't want to. I don't want to lose you again," you groan and mutter as sleep tries to reclaim you. "I can't lose the fight tomorrow." Fluttershy smiles, a tear forming in her eye as she takes the potion in a hoof. "Here sweetie, drink this, it will make you strong,” she says, like a mother offering milk to her kin. She uncorks the bottle and pours it down your throat, one drop at a time. "You are going to be fantastic. I know you will," she says gently. You gulp down the last bit and lose yourself to the waves of the night. The tear runs down Fluttershy’s face as she finally takes what she always wanted. "I love you." Your eyes shoot open, feeling refreshed and renewed. Like a whole new person. It’s amazing what a good night’s sleep can do for a person. You probably could have done without all the nightmares though. Most of the night it was nightmares about losing Fluttershy, and being sent back home. In pieces. You thought going home was what you always wanted, but now it just feels different. You could never imagine going home now. The weirdest part, was right at the end, Fluttershy was there to tell you she loved you, and to give you strength. You felt stronger. You can do anything. And now, you had to fight for what you wanted. You cleaned yourself up quickly, speeding through your morning routine and stepping out of your home without a bite to eat. One could say you needed your energy, but more important was staying light on your feet. You could afford to think of eating anyway. All that matters is one thing. Beating the shit out of Anon. As you leave your house, you refuse to take a look back. You know that you will see it again. You have to believe that. Making your way into Ponyville, you catch sight of Pinkie Pie opening up Sugarcube Corner. "Hey, Pinkie." She freezes at the sound of your voice. "Hey," she responds. You've never actually seen or heard Pinkie Pie feeling sad, but this was definitely it. "You heard?" "Yeah," she says, trying her best to hold herself together. “I… I don’t want you to go.” "Pinkie, I'm not going anywhere." She nods and leaves the shop still locked to follow you. You two cross Carousel Boutique at about 7am. Rarity stands outside, holding a sturdy leather jacket. Silently, she falls in step with the two of you as she lifts the jacket to you with her magic. Putting it on, you manage to fend off the morning chill and warm yourself. "How do I look?" "Simply marvelous," she says. An awkward tension fills the air. Nothing more needs to be said. The mares follow you in silence. As you approach the library, Fluttershy is standing outside. Guilt sweeps over you for everything you said last night. You decide maybe it's better if you leave her alone for now. "Anon... could you... um... come here for a minute?" she asks. For the first time in a while, you feel warm inside. As you head towards her, you can't help but notice her true beauty. Her teal eyes looked so warm and inviting, and her hair gently blew with the wind. She was a goddess among ponies. You get down on one knee so you don't look down on her. "Yeah?" you ask. "Um... I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for what I did last night," she says "It's okay, I was the one out of line," you reply. Those words felt weird coming out of your mouth. They didn't really feel wrong though. "No, it was me. I just hope that, maybe after this fight... um. I-If you are still... here-" she stutters. She looked down at the ground with tears in her eyes. Instinctively you wrapped her in your arms. "I'm not going anywhere, Shy?" When did you start calling her Shy? Well, there was your dreams of course, but that was different. "Anon... you don't have to do this," she mutters. You look into her eyes, and she looks deep into you. For the first time, you feel like you see the mare for who she really is, a kind and gentle pony. The mare that the whole town knew couldn’t hurt a fly. The kindest pegasus you know. "This isn't just about us anymore, Shy. This is about standing up for myself." Fluttershy stops to say something, but holds herself back. "Just... do your best Anon. For me." She reaches up and you feel her lips press against your cheek. The first of many to come. "I promise." The door to the library opens. Anon steps outside with a smug look on his face, arms folded. "I didn't take you to be the early type," Anon says. "There is a lot you don't know about me." "Oh, like what? How you never even liked Fluttershy until I came along?" "That's not true." You take a moment to gather your surroundings. Twilight and Spike stood on the balcony of the library, watching from above. Fluttershy and the other two mares watched from a distance. "Suuure, champ. Everyone shows their feelings with violence and insults. You could have killed her you know. I bet you wouldn't have even cared," he says. "Things were different. I made mistakes and I will make them right. Unlike you. You don't even care for her." "So what? All I have to do is beat you, right now, and I might even have time to get to work early. Then I'll get all the tail I want." Magma fills your veins as you clench your fists. This wasn't about just beating him anymore. How dare he? "Gentlemen? Do you accept this duel?" Twilight calls from a balcony the Golden Oaks Library. "Yes," you respond. "Damn right." You stand 10 paces away from your enemy, your friends watching on in unblinking terror. “The loser of this fight, is sent back to Earth,” Princess Twilight says from the balcony of her castle. Taking a deep breath, you crack your knuckles and stare directly at him. “Fluttershy is mine.” You immediately charge at Anon with a strong left locked and ready. He strafes to the left, deftly dodging your attack. He's faster than you remember from yesterday. Jumping back, you narrowly miss a kidney punch. Trying to react quickly, you send a strong uppercut towards his jaw. This hit connects, and aim a follow-up to the solar-plexus. He grabs your arm and puts you in an arm lock. Stomping his foot, you use your free arm to elbow him and get your arm free. Taking a step back to get your bearings, his fist is flying towards your eyes. The fist hits so hard that you lose your balance and fall to the ground. Rolling to the left, glimpse a foot just missing your face. You hop up and wipe the blood off your eyes. You don't even feel where it's coming from. He doesn't even look phased. This is bad. That was almost the best that you had. Playing the defensive, you try to wear out Anon by letting him attack you. He hits a few times, but no major hits are slowing you down. His speed is what is wearing you down the most. You can't keep up with him. Capitalizing on a dodged left swing, you deliver another uppercut directly to his chin, and deliver a strong blow to his gut. He falls over, but quickly recovers. There is no stopping this guy. He charges towards you with another strong right hook prepared. This is going to be your only chance. Crouching down, you prepare for a strong jab to his diaphragm. If you hit, you should have enough time to get a head lock on him. When he is about two feet away, you put everything you have into one strong punch. Your face burns and blood begins to fill your mouth, as you feel the imprint of his fist on your cheek. You fist feels like it is digging into his body. He falls to his knees, trying to catch his breath. You wrap your arm around his neck. "Just a little bit of force, and it's all over! Give me one good reason not to!" Twilight gasps. You spit out the blood in your mouth, and Anon begins to laugh. "Is this what you really want?" "The FUCK did you say to me?" "Is this what you really want? If so, then do it." Every ounce of hatred that is coursing through your veins tell you to do it. Kill him now. He hurt your Shy. Your stomach becomes rock hard, and you begin to feel sick. Something tells you that killing him will make you feel better. Kill him. Fluttershy wants you to. You deserve to kill him after everything he did. "ANON! DON'T!" Fluttershy screams out. You push him down into the dirt. "Stay there." He coughs out some blood, but remains motionless. You look to Twilight with a determined look on your face. "I win." She nods to you, and Anon begins to disappear from Equestria, leaving nothing but a small bloodstain in his wake. Exhausted, you kneel down on the ground. Which turns into falling over. Your body must still be in adrenaline mode, because you know that you hurt, you just can't tell where. The sound of hooves galloping towards you signals the approach of Fluttershy, Rarity and Pinkie. Fluttershy is on top of you in seconds. "Are you okay? We need to get you to the Hospital right away," Fluttershy says. "No, I'm fine," you reply. "No way! You need to be examined right away, there is blood everywhere." "No really, I think-" A massive wave of tiredness overtakes you. He must have really messed you up. You close your eyes and find that breathing is hard. "Twilight! Hurry! Get help!" Fluttershy places her hoof on your hand, but you do not respond. The gentle beep of the EKG machine fills the white, sterile room as Fluttershy watches your expression for any sign of change. Dark circles weigh like anvils under her eyes as she tries to keep herself away for a second straight day. She checks the door to your hospital room, in some hope that the next passing nurse would be the one stopping in your room. She closes her eyes, and lays her head upon your chest. “This is all my fault...” she mutters. The sign on the wall had “Critical, yet Stable” in red dry-erase marker. Just in case it needed to be changed. The list of symptoms including chills, abnormal bruising, a broken rib, some internal bleeding is listed underneath. The doctors are searching for any reason why you aren’t waking up yet. “I’d take it all back… if you’d just wake up,” she whispers, eyes too ran out of tears to cry. A gentle knock on the room door catches Fluttershy’s attention. "Miss Fluttershy?" a pink haired nurse asks. She raises her head and looks to the professional. "Y-Yes?" "Could we speak with you for a moment?" "Of course." Fluttershy looks over your unconscious form, closes her eyes, then follows the nurse out into the hallway. She closes the door then gives Fluttershy a stern look. She flips a few pages on her clip book before she decides to say something. "We can release him once he wakes up. He just needs someone to take care of him once he’s out of the hospital." "T-That’s good. I'm sure he will be happy to hear that," Fluttershy says. "Do you intend to be watching him while he recovers?" Fluttershy’s expression flickers between a light smile, then back to a stoic expression. “Only if he wants me to be.” The nurse marks a few extra check marks on her clipboard then nods. "There is just one last question," she says. "Yes?" Fluttershy asks. "Do you know anything about this?" The nurse unclasps a piece of paper from her clipboard and hands it to the yellow pegasus. “This is the results of a few blood tests we ran on him. We found some… unknown substance in almost 20% of his bloodstream. It’s a major concern for us. For some reason, we are having some trouble maintaining his temperature. He seems to be coming out of it, but whatever is in his bloodstream is hurting him, and if we don't know what it is, we can't treat it.” Fluttershy stares at the paper, her ears wilting like a flower. “We just don’t want it to turn around and kill him. We could try performing more tests to find out what it is. We could send him to a better facility in Canterlot that could identify it. Or… well, we can wait it out and see if he comes out of it.” Fluttershy looks up to the nurse, then back down to the paper. “It could...” Fluttershy whispers. She looks up at the nurse, and takes a deep breath. "If you know anything about this, you should tell us, otherwise, it will take about 24 hours for his symptoms to subside," the nurse says. "We aren't sure what the long term effects might be though." Fluttershy opens her mouth to say something, but then closes it. "N-no. I'm... I'm afraid I don't know what it is." The nurse pauses for a moment, then nods. “Then, how should we continue treatment?” she asks. “He doesn’t have many bits… Let’s just wait it out,” Fluttershy says. The nurse nods. "Thank you for your help. That’s all we had." The nurse trots off down the hall as Fluttershy stands in the hall, staring at the floor. She places a hoof on the door, but pauses. She removes her hoof, then begins to walk down the hall towards the exit. A teal maned nurse trots by and stops beside Fluttershy. “Dear, is everything alright?” Fluttershy stops and raises her head. “Oh! Yes, everything’s fine! Just, lost in thought, I suppose.” Fluttershy turns in place and returns to your room, turning the handle and entering. She closes the door behind her and reclaims her seat beside you. She looks over your sickly form as you begin to shiver from the effects of the potion. Fluttershy pulls a blanket up over your chest and the shivers begin to subside. “I hope… you’ll forgive me someday,” she whispers. “It was for your own good.” You twitch and your fingers begin to flex. You grunt and your breathing begins to become heavier. You slowly open your eyes and see the patterned, tile ceiling of the hospital room. You take a deep breath then take in your surroundings, suddenly seeing your guest. Your heart is filled with warmth. A smile curls on your lips. "Am... Am I dreaming?" Fluttershy smiles, taking your hand and pressing it against her cheek. Her warm fur feels almost like fire to the touch, but your heart feels even hotter. "Not this time," she whispers. Months have passed since that big day and nobody knows the wiser of her plan. The door to Fluttershy’s cottage opens as you step inside. "I'm home, honey!" you say happily. "Welcome back, dear,” Fluttershy replies. He walks over to you and picks you up into a large hug. "Was it a hard day at work?" you ask, "Nah. A few bumps and bruises won't slow me down." Fluttershy laughs, holding you in her hooves. "How about you, Shy?" "Today was... okay." "Aww, how about I give you that special belly rub you like?" "I would love that," she says. You motion for her to lay down on your lap, and she obeys. Her fur is warm and soft, as if kissed by the sun itself. "Sweetie?" "Yeah, Shy?" "Tell me I'm a good pony." You laugh. "Shy, you are the greatest pony I've ever met, and you are everything to me." She remains silent, but looks up to your gaze. “Do you mean it?” she asks. “Of course! Why wouldn’t I?” you say. “I love you more than anything else.” Fluttershy opens her mouth to speak, but looks away. “If I told you something… would you promise not to be angry?” she asks. You look at her carefully. “Well, yeah. Of course. I couldn’t get mad at you if I tried,” you reply. Fluttershy opens her mouth, then looks you in the eyes. She brings a hoof to your cheek, and you place your hand to it, feeling her warmth against your face. “Never mind,” she says.