She sighed as she meekly turned away from the angry mob and dashed away into the forest, trying her very best not to cry.
She had been heading into town earlier that day to buy some vegetables which she needed to feed her animals who were by now, probably weak and sorrowful with hunger, begging her to return with some much needed food.
It started out as a pretty normal day. She arrived in town without incident and began making her way to the food stalls. It was there that things turned sour.
Three ponies, larger than she was, appeared from the shadows and stood in front of her blocking her path. It was a narrow passage wedged between 2 rows of houses and there wasn't enough room for her to move around them.
"Erm, excuse me please" she said.
The largest pony said nothing but advanced forward menacingly. He grinned maliciously and held out his hoof.
"Valuables down and do it quickly" he barked.
Already nervous of what was about to happen, she tried to open her wings to flap away but fear had gripped her already and they refused to cooperate.
"Now!" shouted the apparent ringleader of the group as his two lackies barred their teeth.
A more assertive pony would have threatened them right back before yelling at them to buzz off and go back where they came from, especially as they were not even armed.
But when your classmates at school teased you constantly and called you "Fluttershy" simply to condescend your poor flying skills as you stood there unable to utter a word in your defense, it didn't say much about being assertive.
"Gizzit before I smash your face in" bellowed the ringleader, a stallion with a coat of opaque, as black as the midnight sky.
Without further hesitation or thought, Fluttershy hurriedly threw down the bag she had brought with her at the feet of the dark stallion and bowed to him, hoping that her quick cooperation would lessen his black rage.
"P... please...please don't hurt me" she whispered as she closed her eyes "I, I'll do whatever you want me to"
The black stallion proceeded to empty out the contents of the bag, pocketing what few coins Fluttershy had brought with her into his own saddlebag. Fluttershy stood still as a statue as he did so, immobilised with terror and praying that this would be the merciful end.
But then, without warning, he grinned devilishly as he swung his hoof into her face with lightening speed.
There was no pain, only utter shock as blood poured from her broken nose onto the ground.
"Very nice of yer" sneered the black stallion "now piss off".
Sighing once more, she slowly ambled for her cottage hidden away in the woods, trying her best to put the painful memory out of her mind. This never would have happened if her friends were around, but even they could not be there for her all the time as reliable as they were.
It would take her a long time to make back that money, and by then her animal friends might long have starved to death.
It was this thought that hurt her more than her bleeding nose which she had to clutch tightly to stop herself from fainting due to excessive blood loss.
Head hung low, she slowly opened the door to her cottage. She resisted the temptation to look up, knowing she would only see the disappointed stares of hunger from her animals which had not eaten for 3 days and Angel bunny impatiently tapping his foot.
Angel was her favourite pet without a doubt, but even Fluttershy knew how unhappy it made him not to be granted his every request. And being served a delicious and exquisite dinner was of course, the first thing on his list which was due him.
She could already sense his frustration and the anger brewing inside him by the second.
"I'm sorry Angel" she sobbed, clearly trying to justify herself as best she could before his anger exploded to boiling point "I tried. I honestly, honestly tried. But I... they... they hit me and took my money. I didn't mean not to feed you"
His stare became even harder and he batted his eyelids.
"Please forgive me" begged Fluttershy as tears she failed to hold back began to trickle from her reddened eyes and she was forced to let go of her bleeding nose to wipe them away. "Please... believe me" Her tone was more apologetic than an apology as she looked Angel in the eyes with a look of pure desperation and pleading.
A look that perhaps even Satan would struggle to ignore.
At this, his eyes softened and he nodded emphatically, clearly sorry for once that he had gone too far. He gently caressed his caretaker in a genuine attempt to soothe her jangled nerves and to comfort her.
It was times like these when he finally understood the true extent of how much his caretaker truly loved him and could fully comprehend the magnitude of the kindness she had shown him despite his ungrateful attitude which he never seemed to grow out of, despite making a genuine effort time and time again.
Yet Fluttershy never punished him. Not once. That was big of her, in his mind. Big of her to continue to love him despite his ungrateful and spoiled tendencies which he might never grow out off.
And he swore a solemn vow to himself that he would make a change for the better starting now. Seeing the hardships that his caretaker had to endure first hand had finally revealed to him the true extent of his faults, and the least he could do was to avoid making Fluttershy's already unhappy existence any worse.
That would be a new low, even for someone as low as him.
Fluttershy continued to weep softly as Angel gently patted her as if to say "there, there." as he looked at her with genuine regret and pity.
It was dark outside when Fluttershy finally pulled herself together by which time Angel had fallen asleep next to her, still clutching her tightly. Tears trickled from his eyes as he slept, it was clear that the guilt he had secretly built up inside him was finally beginning to express itself.
A ghost of a gentle smile crossed Fluttershy's face and left as she gently tucked angel into bed, patting him softly on the head. It was moments like these where Angel expressed his true colors, and reminded her of what she came to love about him to begin with.
Her other animal friends had fallen asleep too, some on the couch downstairs and some on the carpet. It was clear that fatigue and hunger from having not eaten had made them sleepy.
She regarded them with an apologetic glance, they were probably very angry at having not eaten for so long now. She had run out of food 3 days ago and when she found there was no money in the mug on the mantle (for she had already spent her meager salary on other necessities), had taken up depriving herself of two whole days worth of sleep in order to make the money she so desperately needed.
The work was arduous to say the least, she was loaded with a huge, back-breaking load and tasked with delivering it to remote distant towns so remote and archaic, no railway connected them to the rest of Equestria.
She had to travel all day, and even darkness gave her no respite. To reach her destination in time she had to travel all night too, despite her fear of darkness with she still faced even as a grown adult.
She even had to sacrifice rest, even a 5 minute stop to catch her breath would have taken a great chunk out of what very little time she had to complete her task (for she had been warned that if the package was delivered even a minute past the deadline, she would get nothing).
It was only just in the nick of time that she arrived at her destination, where she regretfully pocketed what few coins she was given without a word. She had been promised a handsome payment for the difficult task, but these few coins barely paid for 2 days worth of food, but at least it was something
The journey back was easier, but her back howled with agony the whole way. And yet it was all for nothing.
She sighed as she tiptoed gently back to her room, and settled into bed trying without success to fall asleep. Random bouts of insomnia and several sleepless nights, the only parting gift her childhood had left her with. This wasn't the first time, and short of a wonderful miracle, certainly would not be the last.
She shivered, and with a defeated sighed got up and gently crept downstairs and unlocking the front door. She sighed, and left the room as silently as she had entered it.
She sat outside her cottage, grinding her hooves against the earth as she wondered what to do now that sleep, the one thing she needed the most after two long and excruciating sleepless nights had been denied her.
Twilight was not in town. She had left for Canterlot on some "very important business" that didn't involve Fluttershy.
Pinkie had gone back to the rock farm she was raised, to see her ill father who very desperately needed her presence.
Rarity, was away in Manehatten. She had promise Fluttershy she would be back before yesterday, but sometimes you had to go where potential customers were to keep your business afloat. Or perhaps she just wanted to look at the beautiful shops there just a little longer. She was very into fashion after all.
Meanwhile Applejack had dissipated to who knows where. The apple farmer had boarded the train last week with no explanation as to where she was going. She hadn't stated when exactly she would be back, but from what Fluttershy could deduce from the fact that the train was bound for Doge junction, she had gone to see a rodeo or something.
And Rainbow now a full time Wonderbolt, was busy with work so often, his trips back to Ponyville had become less and less frequent by the month. her job did require a lot out of him and the days off were not many. But it was she dream job, and it was not Fluttershy's place to demand that Rainbow give up her dream.
Fluttershy didn't blame them, what made you think that? Not everypony's life revolved around her, and they had their own lives to get on with too.
So unable to sleep, and devoid of any companions, chums or com-padre's she might pay a visit to for some counselling or comfort after another terrible day of being bullied, she decided she might go for a walk.
A walk, it sounded nice. A chance to enjoy the beautiful wilderness of the everfree forest that was her home, and a perfect opportunity for some soul searching.
When you ignored the Cockatrice that turned ponies into stone with its glare, or that dragon who was fiercely territorial with a breath that could barbecue you where you stood, it really was quite a nice place all things considered.
Not that she had anywhere else to turn, and frankly she needed the fresh air and exercise.
With this in mind Fluttershy slowly got up and trotted cautiously into the darkness of the trees, humming softly to herself as she did so.
She walked and walked, until her cottage was no longer in sight and even the slightest glimmer of moonlight was hidden by tall trees.
The silence and stillness did not frighten her, she had been here too long for that. This was her home after all.
She walked on and on further into the shadows, not once looking back lest the guilt over her starving animal friends consume her and ruin this brief moment of peace and tranquillity.
And on she trotted.