Shisno Chronicles: Friendship is Magic

by nightelf37

Putting Your Hoof Down

Putting Your Hoof Down

Dreamscape…

"Heartsong."

"Excuse me?"

"Heartsong. That's what the Musical Number Phenomenon is called in Equestria. Sometimes, an individual's emotions can be so strong that they manifest though their inherent magic in the form of a song. The music and special effects that go with the song come from the planet's ambient magic. Catharsis is induced during someone's Heartsong, so unless you were a part of the song, it would be rude to disrupt it with your noise. If the emotions were happy enough, there's a strong chance that the Heartsong would become a group number, which explains why strangers can learn the song without prior practice."

"Okay. That's interesting. But what are you even doing here, Wand?"

Chronicle was doing more spell-memorization sessions—the dreamscape being an empty black void with a white spotlight around him as usual—when his older brother came over and spouted out this actually reasonable theory.

"Sorry. I was, to paraphrase my Princess, to socialize some more. I will admit I don't really work much with any colleagues during projects, but—"

"What exactly do you do in Twilight Sparkle Equestria?" Chronicle cut off his brother. "I already know what our other siblings do, and what some of our other relatives are on. But I haven't heard yours."

Wand rubbed his nape in embarrassment. "Well, unlike the Equestrias you, our siblings, Ruby Gear and her siblings, David, Rock, and so on are assigned to, mine's not exactly 'OF Story-worthy' to many client worlds."

"Oh." An 'OF Story-worthy' world means what 'tales' the Story Crew can gather from it have enough worth to be transmitted to "client world" authors, producers, scriptwriters, and/or all other crew essential to making an official fictional work. Chronicle was told that his tale's client world was at the same one their Catalyst's resided in, while the others had their other client worlds. Their tales did make it to the Catalysts's world as well, but only one world per cluster has clearance for 'OF Story-worth' to a "client world" at a time, so the other tales 'have to settle' for fanfic writers.

(What does this mean to you, reader? It means that in an alternate Earth, an AU fanfic series here like "RainbowDoubleDash's Lunaverse" is their "Maneverse" there, while our "Maneverse" would be something like "{InsertNameHere}'s Celestiaverse" or some such instead.)

"As for what I do, all that's done there is discover new spells for the betterment of ponykind and beyond. If there are life lessons being learned by the natives, I'm not around to witness them often. Still, we're not involved enough to get mixed up in Story Crew affairs like the Solar Empire, Lunar Republic, Corona Blaze, or Princess Pinkie Pie. There's even mass production for air transportation that don't involve pegasi pulling them."

"I heard it's just starting in Luna Equestria, while I did see one blimp's maiden voyage once during Rarity's trip a few days before Twilight's birthday." And then Chronicle realized something. "Whoops. Twilight Prime." After all, Wand's Twilight Sparkle is an alicorn princess.

"Oh yeah. Speaking of Blue, I'm afraid he won't be available for dreamscaping much at the moment. Last I heard, it's spring there, and he and the other Knights, a.k.a. the Elements of Harmony, are taking a world tour of sorts. And Corona's started to become more active. Nothing of concern to the Story Crew in general, though."

"I see." After a few seconds of awkward silence, he started again. "Well, wanna spar? I got a few hours left before waking time."

"Sure thing, Brother," Wand agreed as he conjured an orb of light, ready to absorb whatever attacks his brother was going to start with, unless it's to charge with his signature horn blade, in which case he's ready to teleport away before blasting.

SCFIM—SCFIM—SCFIM—SCFIM—SCFIM—SCFIM

Daytime…

"Just what exactly did you do that made Angel so unreasonably angry with you today that he wanted that special meal?"

Fluttershy and her coltfriend, both equipped with saddlebags, were shopping at the marketplace. Or was it just the town square, and it was farmer's season or something with all the produce stands set up there? He wasn't sure. Curiously, Graphite also had a stall open here. The two shoppers were at his stall now, the unicorn waiting for his purchase.

"To be honest, even I don't know for sure. But it must've been very embarrassing. I did stay away from home for quite a long time after getting away from you guys when you wanted to invite me to see the Dragon Migration."

"I'll admit even I was a bit terrified that time," Chronicle reminisced. "Guess it was a good thing you didn't come. Was it any better showing it to you later?"

"I…guess it was," Fluttershy had to admit. "The roars aren't as loud, and I guess dragons aren't as scary on your 'screen' as they are up close."

"Well, auras of intimidation are hard to replicate. One has to resort to knowledge and proper immersion to give a proper scare that way."

"Yeah. Who knows what happened at the cottage while I was gone? It was early afternoon by the time I returned." The Migration was some time around 11 o'clock, and the gang tried and failed to convince her to come along some time at 10:30.

"Angel must've been working overtime to get the animals under control," guessed the unicorn. "Maybe some of the dragon roars spooked them and you weren't around to calm them down."

"Can you check to make sure? Or…"

"I don't have one tagged on Angel." Being out on the public means he can't mention his Surveillance. "Perhaps I should. Thanks for reminding me." By this point, the duo have reached the marketplace proper. "What did Angel want again?"

She explained the "salad piled high with fruit and topped with whipped cream and a cherry" that the bunny wanted. Meanwhile, Graphite came with what Chronicle purchased and passed it over to him ("Thanks.").

"I see. Well, you have to make it up to him. He did work overtime on your behalf, after all." They bid Graphite farewell and continued on their way. "Oh, here." Chronicle 'passed' his marefriend what looked like a black ball stuffed with grainy material. "It's a pepper bomb. Graphite's been getting another supplier. I know you can take care of yourself, but you can use that to save some poor animal from a poacher or something without having to put yourself between them, especially since you don't like fighting and they might not wish to be diplomatic. Just toss that in their face, and skedaddle with the animal victim."

Fluttershy was naturally hesitant as her saddlebag was opened. "I don't know. I'm not sure if I can."

"I'm not asking you to use it now." her coltfriend assured. "Just keep it with you. Or let Angel keep it or something, okay?"

"Okay."

After a while, they reached their next destination. From what they could see, Cherry Berry was purchasing some apples, Lucky Clover was seeing off Bon Bon (whose saddlebags were green and its clasp depicted Lyra Heartstrings's cutie mark), who was en route to Lyra at a far-off table.

"All right. What's left on the list?" he asked as the shopping scroll was held up.

"Hmmm…let’s see." Radishes, carrots, and broccoli are checked off, but asparagus and tomatoes (among other things) weren't. "Asparagus."

The two walked over to an asparagus stand just nearby. In front of them, Caramel and Goldengrape just finished purchasing. Just before they could reach it though, an orange-maned unicorn mare with reading glasses zipped in and beats them to it. She appeared identical to Lucy, the pegasus stage manager back in the Best Young Flyer Competition, but with three immediate differences: the lack of a headset microphone, fact that she is of a different race, and a cutie mark of a bunch of carrots.

Chronicle's first impulse was to yell at her for cutting in line, but he then realized this was a good opportunity for Fluttershy to apply what he's been trying to teach her: assertiveness. Teaching has been difficult, as she still finds it a bit difficult to apply to strangers. He doesn't know what he's doing wrong; maybe he's not being assertive enough with her, and the irony isn't lost on him.

"Um…" Fluttershy turned to face her unicorn companion, who in turn urged her.

"Come on," he said. "Best time to start as any."

Nodding, she turned back to the line-cutter. "Excuse me, um, I think you just stepped in front of me?" The line-cutter paid no mind, levitating a coin onto the counter and floating a bunch away as she spoke—with some annoyance—and departed. "Excuse me, I think you made a mistake?" She then hastily begun to follow her, Chronicle keeping her spot in line. "You see, I was actually here first and—"

"Sorry, didn’t notice you there!" the line-cutter replied, somewhat rudely.

"I know."

Back at the stand, an elderly earth pony stallion approached. His laugh and mumble caught her off guard, and she came up behind him. Her coltfriend has already left the line, asparagus already purchased, and he was urging her to try again as he motioned with his head.

And so she did. "Oh, pardon me, sir."

The old stallion mumbled, holding up an ear trumpet. "Yes? What?"

"I think you just cut in front of me."

"A cut of celery?" He misheard as he lowered his trumpet and let out a disdainful mutter. "This is the asparagus stand!"

"I said…" She leaned toward the ear trumpet to speak into it."…I think you just cut in front of me!"

His response was to flip a coin onto the counter and laugh. "No need, dearie. I’m already in front."

"I noticed," she muttered to herself, a bit annoyed.

Grabbing a bunch in his teeth, he walked off. Two earth pony mares stood up into view to take his place. The first was light blue, with two-tone orange hair secured by magenta bows; the other was light pink, her two-tone blue mane/tail held with light yellow bands, and has lightning-bolt earrings and orange sunglasses. Both were dressed in what Chronicle distinguished as "typical 1980s fashion", and spoke with a "valley girl" accent. Their cutie marks were a palm tree and surfboard, respectively.

He had no idea just how they got there so quickly, given they weren't unicorns, and his Magic Sight didn't reveal any artifacts on hoof.

"…and then I was like, 'Uh, well…'", one of them was rambling.

"Hey!" Pegasus and unicorn cried out. Both rolled their eyes at them.

"Would you mind moving back? You’re in my personal space."

"But—"

"Seriously, do you need your asparagus so badly?" the other asked as Fluttershy began to slink back. "Get a life!" She had her pal snickered softly as the pegasus retreated past Pinkie Pie and Rarity without noticing them.

"Oh, okay. There’s no rush."

Meanwhile, Chronicle was approaching them, incensed at their rudeness. "Yes, she does. Cutting in line is rude and you two just did so. So…"

If there was anything else he was saying, Fluttershy didn't catch it as Rarity caught her attention. "Fluttershy! You mustn’t let them treat you that way."

The yellow mare just turned away. "Oh, it’s—it’s really no big deal." One bunch of asparagus was left now, the other two having been purchased right after Chronicle shooed them off.

"It’s bigger than big!" insisted Pinkie. "It’s double-big! You are a pony with a problem!"

"What problem?"

The pink pony let out a long gasp. "You mean…he hasn't told you?! What exactly have you two been doing together, if not what I hope he's doing?!"

"Pinkie…" Chronicle warned as he went over to them. "That's not something you're supposed to say in public, especially if it isn't what you think it is."

The other two traded a calculating glance and nodded, after which Pinkie turned Fluttershy to face the stand and zipped up to it so fast that the yellow pony got spun in place and dumped flat.

"Oh, go right ahead, Pinkie Pie. You first."

"Right there!" Pinkie said, tapping Fluttershy’s forehead. "That’s the problem!"

"You’ve got to stop being such a doormat," Rarity told their pegasus friend as she stood up.

She was confused. "A doormat?"

"A pushover, darling." Unicorn mare turned to address unicorn stallion. "How are you not making any progress with her after so long?"

"She was doing well when it comes to being assertive towards me, but it seems she has problems with strangers." Chronicle rubbed his nape as he mulled over something. "I seriously don't know what I'm doing wrong."

Rarity turned her attention back to their pushover of a friend, which they really want her not to be. "You’ve got to stand up for yourself! Promise us."

Fluttershy was still uncertain, walking to stand. "Okay. I promise." She glimpsed at the last bunch of asparagus on the stand. "Oh, good!"

Before she can lay her money down, a geeky earth pony stallion strolled past and nipped the produce away, tossing a coin down in its place. He had an off-white coat, brown hair, taped-together glasses in front of blue eyes, straggly mustache over pronounced buck teeth, and a very bad complexion. He carried saddlebags and wore a green bow tie with white cross-hatched stripes. And his cutie mark seemed to depict a…robot, the kind invented by college geeks with engineering degrees in their spare time or for projects. His name was Gyro, and he was a colleague of Tricky Books' and his friends. A couple of months into the future, he would eventually meet a mare named Berry Dreams, but that's another story altogether.

"Oh, that’s okay, I don’t mind."

Rarity began to race over. "Watch and learn," she said as she trotted toward the geek, but a magic tether wound itself around her barrel and pulled her back.

"Uh-uh-uh," warned Chronicle as he reeled her in. "That won't be necessary." He promptly produced the asparagus he bought. "Already got one."

"Well, she needs to learn to—"

"Con a pony with her charms?" he finished. "Not happening, ever. Especially not on a poor geek like him. You could scar him into thinking the only reason an attractive mare would ever talk to him would be because of something he has and never for what he is."

"Wow," mused Pinkie. "You're a real considerate small-time hero on top of your bodyguarding! Impressive!"

"Thanks, Pinkie."

"Is it really that—" Rarity tried to reason, but the stallion wasn't having any of it.

"Yes. I try to think of others whenever I can."

"And yet when you do those kinds of things…"

"Better me than anyone else." I don't take pride in my moral compass…do I? Not wanting to discuss this further, he changed the subject. "But enough about me. I thought we were helping Fluttershy here."

Rarity didn't like this, but decided she could confront him about this subject another time as she took out Fluttershy's shopping list and unrolled it. "All right, then! What else is on your list?"

"Let’s see. I also need tomatoes."

C—R—F—PP—C—R—F—PP—C—R—F—PP

The company of four went over to the tomato stall run by an earth pony mare with a white hat and a cutie mark of three tomatoes, and there were three left on the counter. One yellow swept them gently off, and Fluttershy leaned in to lay down a bit in her teeth.

"Here you go."

"Um, I think you forgot something," Chronicle said as she walked away, seeing the perplexedness of the vendor. As well as the price signs posted on the barrels next to the stand.

As predicted, the tomato vendor cleared her throat. "That’ll be two bits…" Fluttershy stopped. "…not one."

"Oh, but last week it was only one bit."

"That was then, this is now."

She lay another coin down. "Oh, okay. I don’t want to argue about it."

As soon as she backed away, an indignant Pinkie took her place. Chronicle stepped in, too, but for different reasons. "What do you think you’re doing?" the confectioner/babysitter asked.

"Minding my own business. Maybe you should try it."

"Oh?" said Chronicle. "Perhaps I should then ask for two more tomatoes, then."

This caught his friend and the vendor off guard. "What?!" they both gasped.

"If this sign is correct…" Summoning his white glove, he picked up the sign with it and showed it to the vendor. "It clearly states two bits for three tomatoes." For emphasis, he extended three fingers.

"It's supposed to mean two bits for a tomato. Everypony in Ponyville knows that."

"What if an out-of-towner saw this sign? You could be accused for false advertising. Are you gonna have this kind of argument with every customer who doesn't know better?"

"What do you care? You already bought your tomato."

"Evading the issue isn't going to solve it. At least change the sign as soon as you can. Now, two more tomatoes, as your sign helpfully says, please."

To his mild surprise, rather than concede, the vendor swiped the sign from him, took out a marker, obscured two of the tomatoes, returned the sign to its place, then did the same with the other sign. "There. Happy?"

"…All right, then." And with that, he backed off.

Pinkie, however, wasn't finished yet. "Two bits for tomatoes is outrageous." She pulled one bit away. "One bit is the right price."

The tomato vendor: pulled that bit back. "I say it’s two bits!"

Pinkie pulled it away again. "One bit!"

The vendor pointed to the sign. "Two bits!"

Chronicle knew where this was going, and didn't bother to stay and watch because it was ridiculous. He turned to the others and said, "I'm just gonna finish up the list while Pinkie continues to haggle, okay? I'll find you girls later."

"All right, then. Take care!" Rarity bid farewell as he left.

As he walked, he tried to recall the unchecked items in the list, and remembered there was a cherry in that list, and nothing else. Looking around, he found the cherry vendor stall, which was tended to by an impassive, stubble-faced pegasus stallion. He took a glance at the price sign, approached the stall, and put down the required bits to purchase the required fruit. As he did, he gave an expression that indicated he was not going to brook any price changes, and the cherry was given with no further bargaining.

With that done, he made his way to one of the many tables around, seating himself, and then accessing Surveillance, the screen appearing in his vision, but not visible to any who would look at him. He then 'rolled back' to one particular moment…

F—L—A—S—H—B—A—C—K

Mystic Shield's Self-Defense Academy For Unicorns…

Not many were pleased with their newest classmate, even though their teacher couldn't have known since he was away when the blue monsters attacked Ponyville. She had been one of the six they've seen who were allied with those creatures. Having personally clashed against her, Twilight Sparkle had the most reason to not like her. Chronicle however was merely surprised.

"Now, I'm aware that Midnight Shadow here apparently has some history with this town," Mystic Shield explained amidst the hostile murmurs. "And she has bared everything regarding it to me. But she is here in Ponyville under probation, and while I won't ask you to forgive her so easily, do try not to induce a relapse with excess hostilities."

"I know I have done you all a terrible sin by putting myself in league with monsters that have attacked your town, and your distrust is well-placed," confessed Midnight, standing next to Mystic, the hood of the cloak she was wearing not covering her face, which was filled with grief. "That is exactly why I am here, to try and set things right, one deed at a time. This path I take is long an arduous, but it's no less than what I deserve."

C—TS—MS—MS—C—TS—MS—MS—C—TS—MS—MS

After classes…

The two co-teachers and the Spirit of Magic were discussing a private matter inside the kitchen. Mystic was preparing his own dinner, using a magic-powered rice cooker while he chopped up the ingredients he planned to mix into it.

"I'm not sure if teaching her is a good idea," Twilight voiced her doubts as she and her charge sat at the dinner table. But they'll be having dinner back at the library. "Ever since our encounter with Midnight, I checked the records from Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns just in case it turns out she was once a student. Turns out, she was a dropout after she dabbled in the dark arts—"

"That's harsh," Chronicle commented, thinking on Princess Luna.

"—for malevolent purposes."

"Okay. Justified harshness."

"I just worry she might be using your lessons for her own ends, Mystic."

The teacher let out a frustrated sigh as he continued his own cooking. "Instructions aren't the only thing I hammer into my student's heads. Twilight. There's also philosophy involved." And besides, you, Spike, and some of your friends have caused some chaos in this town before, and none of you haven't gotten much flak for it because of your connections. But he didn't mention that part. "I was hoping you could help in redeeming her, so if she's pretending all this, you can hopefully turn this 'pretend friendship'—if there's any—into a real one."

"I agree with Mystic," piped in Chronicle. "It's always good to have as many allies as we can. There are just some threats where using the Elements is inappropriate, and is best reserved for others. Besides, if anything happens, we can handle it."

Twilight had to agree with Mystic. She spent most of the day scrutinizing Midnight whenever she can, and from what she can see in conversations, Midnight seemed very remorseful, nothing like the arrogant taunting dark-caster she, Spike and Kairi battled before. If she hadn't confessed to her crimes, Twilight'd even swear the pony in front of her was a different individual altogether. Maybe the Elements of Discord also factored in to her personality when they first met, and now it's gone. There's also the fact that Midnight and her companions also underwent therapy, so there's that.

Besides, redemption has to start somewhere. Princess Luna doesn't count because they used the Elements to purge Nightmare Moon from her. She also did Trixie, but doing long-term hasn't been something available to do or ever occurred until now.

"I guess—"

E—N—D—F—L—A—S—H—B—A—C—K

Chronicle's reverie was broken when somebody whispered to him. When he started paying visual attention to his surroundings again, he saw a familiar big red pegasus mare in front of him. Immediately identifying a familiar hostile, his horn flared. Immediately, the whisperer raised a hoof in plea.

"Shh! I just need to talk to you for a few seconds!"

"Why sneak up on me, then?" he hissed in reply as he returned to the table.

"I didn't. You were spaced out and I just trotted over."

"Okay, so what's this about? I heard from Mystic Shield who heard from Midnight Shadow that you were under some kind of parole here."

Warmonger rubbed her nape as she thought of what to say next. "Well, I've been attending anger management classes, despite the fact that a short temper is not one of my shortcomings. I could use some meditation lessons, though. But my real issue is some unexplainable phobia I developed regarding…" She looked around for something or somepony, and then leaned closer to him. "Your marefriend."

"What?!" he whispered back. "How do you know that?"

"Everypony in Ponyville knows it, and I do listen to gossip."

He mentally slapped himself for forgetting that. "Oh, right. Wait…" He finally pieced together what exactly Warmonger was saying and raised an eyebrow inquisitively. "Are you saying you're afraid of Fluttershy?"

The red pegasus planted her face onto the table. "I know. It's embarrassing. I know while setting her off is a bad idea I learned first-hoof, I also know it actually takes a lot to get her to that point. But every time I see that face behind her long mane… the image of such fury haunts me every night after I see her. I know I need a therapist, but I didn't even know I had this problem until I got here. I don't react to photos and such of her, but her physical presence…" She moaned as she got up again. "…it makes my fur stand on end."

While this was a very interesting and enlightening conversation, Chronicle did have something else to ask. "I appreciate you talking to me even when we were on opposing sides when we last and first met, but…why are you telling me this?" He titled his head at an angle for a while to emphasize this. "You said so yourself that you need a therapist."

"You're the closest pony to her that I'm familiar with. And from what I've heard around town, among the Elements of Harmony, even though you aren't one yourself, you're the only one who's willing to show mercy to familiar enemies. Or at least be willing to hear them out. The others would've reacted either with hostility or fear."

"I'm pretty sure I'm not that good to be your first option. Surely you've also heard that I'm also more prone to considering violent methods, crossing lines they wouldn't, making threats, and calling out whoever I think is doing something stupid."

"Well, that's true," Warmonger rubbed her nape again. "But…" After a few more seconds of trying to figure out what to say next, she instead opted for slamming her face to the table again. "I don't even know what I'm doing. I just feel so empty, and being the wrathful pony I used to be has lost all of its appeal, now that I've had the time to look back. I don't know what to do next. I've been kicked out of the Royal Guard due to my battle lust, which has been been expunged from my system thanks to therapy. Very. Intense. Therapy."

Chronicle felt a twinge of jealousy, as he and the Element Bearers were provided no such sessions, instead having to resort to their own friendship to fix their problems, as his and Twilight's psychotic episodes can attest to for starters. But he didn't voice those thoughts out loud. Then again, he rarely heard of great heroes ever getting therapy, except he and his friends live normal lives most of the time. Come to think of it, as he continued to spend time in Ponyville, what Twilight had claimed during their first night in the town is starting to ring a little bit of truth; every pony in this town was crazy, though thankfully still functional in society.

His, Spike's, and the Element Bearers' problems aside, Mystic Shield seems to be working a bit too hard on ensuring that his teachings will continue through Greatstone, there's Lyra Heartstrings's antics that veer a little too close to the truth about him (not that he's a target of her investigation), the "Flower Trio" have had plenty of panic attacks with everything that has gone on in this town, Doctor Whooves has actually had more adventures and traumas than Record Keeper's entire roster of Field Operatives combined and having the Hooves family join on occasion isn't helping matters, Bon Bon has a habit of speaking in different voices every day (though thankfully her 'pool' is a bit small), Diamond Tiara's parents are letting her be such a jerk (one even encourages it), and he swears Skyla's interest in Rainbow Dash is a little more than just her mission as an Undercover Wonderbolt (though thankfully not as bad as some conventional stalkers, romantic or otherwise).

"I haven't seen any official therapists here though, but they have all other kinds of doctors," Warmonger continued. "I really should start making friends, but aside from Midnight Shadow, who I know is also here, I don't know where to start."

A quiet sigh followed as a certain pony joined her coltfriend and sat by the larger mare.

"Angel's gonna be so mad at me," she said, not noticing the red pegasus shiver. "I failed to buy the cherry he wanted so much."

Chronicle was caught off guard by this situation, unsure of what he could do without offending or emotionally hurting either of them. On one hoof, his marefriend was right in front of him. On the other, Warmonger certainly needs help and cannot be turned away.

Warmonger removed the choice from him. "Maybewecanmeetagainatanothertime?" she spoke in rapid-fire. "Pleasetellmewhere."

Being friends with Pinkie Pie, he understood her perfectly. "Books and Branches Library. 'Round the back, at the training range. Next Monday morning. Try Skyla."

"Okaythanksbye!" And with that, she zoomed straight up and away…taking the table umbrella with her since she flew straight into it as she fled. Naturally, the quickness of her flight sent a strong wind blowing towards where she just left.

The ridiculousness of this exit left the two now at the table, as well as Pinkie and Rarity a short distance away, stunned silent. Well, there were others, but none of them were relevant. Rarity was the first to break it. "Just who was that mare you were talking to?"

"If I didn't know any better," Pinkie added. "I'd say she was afraid of you, Fluttershy."

"That's because she is," Chronicle said. Warmonger never mentioned needing to keep this a secret from his friends. Besides, they'll all eventually know that she and Midnight Shadow are presently Ponyville residents, and he won't be there all the time to serve as mediator, a role he'd recently found himself taking a little more often than usual.

As expected, Fluttershy felt terrible, though not as much as during the first day after the blue monster attack in Ponyville. "I'm so sorry for her. What I did to her was worse than…than…" Despite her demeanor, she was used to the concept of death; her animal caretaking career has had her share of animals that were beyond saving from injury or disease, or were simply near the end of their lifetimes. "I traumatized her, but I didn't realize it was this bad."

"Nopony's holding it against you," Chronicle assured. "You had to protect a friend. That's what matters."

"I'm not at all comfortable with that…" Rarity paused for a bit. "…mare around. Why is she here, anyway?"

"During our stay at at Canterlot after we thwarted the blue monster attack, I asked around, starting with Princess Celestia, on what was going to happen to her and the others. From what I'm told, she and Midnight Shadow are here on a probation of sorts, and they have guards to keep them in check, hidden from/in plain sight."

"What about the others?" asked Pinkie.

"Bluebird and Black Rainbow are under probation in the latter's hometown, and Jewel's under house arrest in Canterlot. Unfortunately, Fungus Amongus managed to escape custody and is currently on the run."

"Well, that's a bummer."

C—R—F—PP—W—C—R—F—PP—W—C—R—F—PP—W

Later, at Fluttershy's cottage…

Chronicle watched through the door as a gray goat carrying a basket of envelopes/pamphlets in its teeth, walked away over the bridge spanning the brook. He wore a red necktie and a wireless headset microphone, and a laminate-style ID badge hung around his neck. The mailbox also happened to be stuffed with the day’s deliveries, and he decided to take them out before coming back in.

Inside the cottage, Angel was sitting at a table and tying a napkin around his neck. Across from him was a candle in a bottle. Fluttershy set down the piled-high salad from the cookbook—with everything but the cherry on top. And then the unicorn remembered the cherry he bought earlier and took it out of hammerspace.

"Ta-da!" His marefriend said to her pet as Angel opened his mouth to gulp it down. "Here you go, Angel. Sorry there’s no cherry on top, but—" His ears popped up in surprise, and he pulled out the cookbook for a read. "—the rest of it is exactly what you wanted."

After a couple of glances at the page and the food, his expression turned into the sort that a very small child might display before launching into a full-scale tantrum ("Angel?")…which instantly evaporated when the cherry in question suddenly appeared. He blinked in confusion for a few seconds before shrugging and chowing down.

"You're welcome," Chronicle said to the pegasus before she could ask. "Last time he got that angry, he bodily threw me out of the cottage after I…" She still doesn't know that he was actually lying about his magic aura having a negative effect on insect life. "…dealt with a parasprite that flew in here, destroying one of your books in the process (sorry), and then accidentally stepped on him right after. Didn't think that was even possible for a rabbit like him to do until he grabbed me." He then changed the subject as he checked the mail. "Clearly, I'm not as good of a teacher as I thought."

And then one particular pamphlet caught his eye. Its front cover showed the red silhouette of a bull’s head. "Huh. “The incredible Iron Will turns doormats into dynamos.”" He unfolded it, and a little bull-headed figure popped out. "“Assertiveness seminar today, hedge maze center.” Fluttershy, I think you should try this out. Looks promising."

She turned to look at the pamphlet, then walked over to his side to see the details. Then, her eyebrows descended into a glare of sudden resolve, startling the unicorn a bit. Then again, she came over to his table depressed after failing to purchase a cherry. Perhaps that had something to do with this. "As Celestia is my witness, I’m never gonna be a pushover again!" she declared.

"That's the spirit!" Chronicle replied with a smile on his face.

C—F—C—F—C—F—C—F—C—F

Eyecatch (picture-type) - Fluttershy and her coltfriend reading Iron Will's pamphlet. The show's logo is seen on the upper right.

C—F—C—F—C—F—C—F—C—F

The Hedge Maze…

The two followed the instructions on the pamphlet and approached the hedge maze that was now ahead of them, seen from the top of a nearby hill. Chronicle got flashbacks of the one Discord trapped him and his friends in and corrupted them one by one, and quickly shook his head vigorously to remove those thoughts. There was a banner over the entrance, and a visible stage proscenium at the center. Both carries the bull-head design from the pamphlet.

It also seemed that they weren't the only ones coming, quite obviously. And a lot of them seemed to be Ponyvillians he was familiar with, and they seemed to have enough assertiveness in them he wonders why they're even here. As everypony filed in, he could also see a white goat—outfitted identically to the gray one that he saw left Fluttershy’s cottage some time ago—standing here to keep an eye on things; the only difference is that this one’s tie is blue rather than red.

Well behind the others, Fluttershy peeked timidly around the corner and let her eyes pop when she noticed the goat, whose attention is directed elsewhere. She proceeded to slink in as if wishing she could cast an industrial-strength invisibility spell over herself. Chronicle on the other hand just strolled in casually as he took a look at the stage ahead. Speakers were set up at each end, along with a topiary carved to resemble a muscular minotaur. After a moment, Fluttershy began to ease across the front row, much to his surprise, as he was content to stay at the back, so he decided to follow.

Amid occasional little yelps, Fluttershy said, "Oh!…Excuse me."

She shoehorned herself in between Daisy and Bon Bon, to the amusement of neither, and gave them the biggest “please don’t hurt me” grin she can muster, coupled with her coltfriend's “don't you dare” glare. However, it failed to have any impact, judging from her short and graceless trajectory over the crowd to land in its back row, followed swiftly by two hard slaps with a summoned paddle ("You two know me. What the ████ were you two thinking?") before he teleported after her. Now the speakers blared a pounding rock beat as both goats got into position. The white one started up a fog machine, while the gray one switched on a spotlight on an elevated platform and aimed it at the stage. The illuminated circle settle on the center of the hazy area as the music built into a vaguely familiar tune for him. Something about a tiger.

Through the fog, a caped figure rose into view, bearing the same horns as those seen around the area. One goat darted in to nip the cape away and fully expose the wearer’s silhouette: bull head, muscular humanoid arms and torso, standing upright on a bull’s rear legs, long slim tail. Fireworks burst around this figure, which punched at the air as the fog cleared away to expose more details of what the pamphlet advertised as Iron Will: black necktie, Mohawk-cut dark mane, and black necktie. He punched at the air as the crowd cheered and stomped its approval. Once the light show died down, he can be seen to have dark gray legs and lighter, blue-gray hair over the rest of his body and tail. There was also a wireless headset microphone plugged into his ear, a ring through his nose, and a short tuft of beard, and he kissed his biceps before addressing the crowd and pacing the stage. His overall demeanor lay somewhere between “motivational speaker” and “professional wrestler”, all further amplified by the sound system.

"Welcome, friends!" he greeted as he paced across the stage, the goats descending to the front of the stage. "My name is Iron Will, and today is the first day of your new life!" He then rotated his right arm for a few cycles before putting his hand to his ear. "I want to hear you stomp if you’re tired of being a pushover!"

The crowd did exactly that while cheering wildly. Fluttershy jumped up and down, trying to get a good look at him from the back. Chronicle on the other hoof was getting a nagging recall of a certain warning he was given long ago, but he couldn't quite place the details.

"Stomp if you’re tired of being a doormat!" he said with his arms outstretched as he sidestepped from one end of the stage to the other before assuming the akimbo position.

They did so.

"Stomp if you want to pay nothing for this seminar!" he said as he sidestepped again back to the left side of the stage.

They did so again, but this response quickly gave way to confused murmurs and then laughter. Even Chronicle couldn't resist letting off a scoff. A steely glare and huff from Iron stopped them cold.

"That’s no joke, friends. Iron Will is so confident that you will be one hundred percent satisfied with Iron Will’s assertiveness techniques that if you are not one hundred percent satisfied, you pay nothing!" He then leaned over the edge and toward one stallion. Chronicle couldn't identify who it was from his distance. "But I pity the fool who doubts Iron Will’s methods." Iron then got in his face, getting on the backs of his two goat assistants in the process. "You don’t doubt me, do you?"

The audience stallion was nervously sweating. "Oh! Uh-uh, no, sir."

The rest of the audience voiced their agreement, as Iron backed up slightly.

"That, my friends, is your first lesson. Don’t be shy—" He winked "—look ’em in the eye."

All the way at the back, Fluttershy smiled to herself as the crowd talked excitedly and Iron returned to the stage.

"Now, to demonstrate that Iron Will’s techniques will work for anypony, I’m gonna need a volunteer."

Dozens of hooves instantly shot up, but Fluttershy sank out of sight instead while Chronicle just looked on passively. Both goats moved through the crowd, scoping out the prospects. White then stopped to bleat and point at one certain pony, and Gray returned to the stage to tell the boss.

Iron then pointed somewhere. "You in the back row!" The crowd immediately parted, exposing a huddled Fluttershy trying to disappear behind her own mane as Rose and Lily parted as well, with Chronicle standing off to the side.

"Who, me?" she gasped.

"Yes, you! Iron Will wants you onstage!"

She swallowed hard. "Uh, well…"

"Now!"

After shuddering, she conceded, to her coltfriend's urging. "Okay."

She trotted behind the crowd and up onto one end of the stage, Chronicle following her up, but White darted in to bar the way as soon as she arrived. Her dodge around the goat was met with a second interception.

"Whoa, he’s blocking your path! What are you gonna do about it?" Iron said.

"Um, politely walk around him?"

Chronicle smacked himself in the face with his hoof.

"No."

"Gingerly tiptoe around him?"

The stallion raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

Iron was getting a bit annoyed. "No."

"Go back home and try again tomorrow?"

"This is an assertiveness seminar," Chronicle told her. "That's not a suitable answer."

Iron proceeded to move behind Fluttershy. "No! When somepony tries to block, show them that you rock!"

The end of this, which was aimed at the back of her head, was delivered with the intensity of a small gale. Now the self-help minotaur flicked an index finger into Fluttershy’s rump, hard enough to propel her into White and knock him away. She got knocked silly for a moment, while White tumbled down on his back. Her coltfriend felt a little offense for Iron's touching her rump and glared at the minotaur for it.

"Oh! Sorry."

"Don’t be sorry! Be assertive!" Iron admonished. "Never apologize when you can criticize!"

"Getting in someone's way without having a good reason doesn't deserve much apology," Chronicle added as Iron cleared his throat, then leaned down over the supine White at close range.

"Why don’t you watch where you’re going?" He stood up again and addressed Fluttershy at normal volume. "Now, you try."

The soft-spoken pegasus glanced down at White, then at Chronicle, who gestured her to go ahead, then at White again. "Uh…" After a bit, she worked up a little nerve. "…next time, get out of the way before I bump into you, ’cause I totally won’t be sorry when I do!"

She grimaced as if expecting a blow, but Iron just smiled as coins rang up in his eyes—money in the bank.

"That's a start," Chronicle said as he nodded.

Iron then proceeded to grab his marefriend's foreleg. "You see, my friends?" He hoisted her up, cut to frame both. "If my techniques can work for this shy little pony, then they can work for anypony!"

Fireworks exploded around them while the crowd cheered wildly, and a smile gradually settled on Fluttershy’s face.

C—BB—F—D—IW—C—BB—F—D—IWC—BB—F—D—IW

Days later (because lesson applications can't be applied in just one day)…

"Okay." Fluttershy was regarding herself in a large mirror that had one of Iron’s pamphlets taped to either side of its frame; many of her animal friends, as well as Chronicle, were watching. "I feel good. I feel ready to 'attack the day,' as Iron Will says." She trotted determinedly across the room, and to the front door to open it.

The first thing she (and Chronicle as he joined her) saw was an old brown stallion with a streaming garden hose nozzle in his mouth. A ragged blanket was draped over his back, concealing whatever cutie mark he had. A tall, battered hat covered his head (and horn if he was a unicorn, which was unlikely), leaving a few unkempt gray locks of mane to hang down from under its brim. His tail was equally ragged, and he had a long wisp of beard as well and was chewing on a stalk of wheat. He was humming to himself while currently watering a rather swampy patch of flowers.

"Not again," Chronicle groaned as he and Fluttershy galloped over.

"Excuse me, Mr. Greenhooves," the pegasus said. "But I-I think you might be over-watering my petunias…" Greenhooves chuckled. "…again."

The gardener then scornfully replied, "Let the professional handle it."

As she turned around to go back to the cottage, the unicorn spoke, "I'm pretty sure even a novice like me can see that over-watering plants is bad for their health."

Erstwhile, behind him, his marefriend snapped fully upright after only a step or two. As Greenhooves hummed some more, she opened her mouth to speak, closes it, then found her nerve.

“Treat me like a pushover and you’ll get the once-over,” she emulated Iron Will before putting her hoof down on the hose, pinching it off so that the water backed up and caused the tubing to bulge like an over-inflated balloon. Mr. Greenhooves eyed the suddenly dry nozzle.

"Hm?" he mused as she shook and peered into it. "Hmmm…"

Chronicle immediately turned around to see his pegasus friend and was a little appalled by what she did as she then moved her hoof so that the backed-up water surged along the hose. Immediately, he conjured a panel barrier between himself and the inevitable loud splash that deluged Greenhooves, and backed up as the soaked, spluttering gardener did so too.

"Well, perhaps that is enough water," Greenhooves relented with a big, sheepish grin.

Fluttershy replied disdainfully, "Thank you." And she turned away, not noticing the frown that came over the old face, and trotted off, her coltfriend shaking his head in disappointment before following. At the top of the bridge over the brook, on her way off the property, she reared up and let off a giddy little squeal. "I can’t believe it worked!" And she went on with a giggle.

"You could've just swiped the hose from him, you know," Chronicle said. "Waste less water that way."

Rather than apologize as usual, she just remained silent.

C—F—MG—C—F—MG—C—F—MG—C—F—MG—C—F—MG

Later, elsewhere…

"Showpony business is tough."

"Like, go ahead. Try one of your jokes out on me. I laugh at everything."

Chronicle and his marefriend overheard Cherry Berry and Bon Bon as they approached a bridge. They were standing side-by-side, hooked up in harnesses each attached to a wagonload of garbage, which was blocking their way. Worse, the wagon-pullers were on the other side.

Rude! he thought to himself.

"Okay, okay, okay. A donkey and a mule are stuck on a desert island." Cherry was interrupted when Fluttershy cleared her throat firmly, stepping on the bridge.

"Excuse me! Would you mind moving your carts so I can pass?"

Both obstructors glared back at her and his coltfriend, not at all intimidated by him for some reason, despite his reputation.

"Yeah, yeah, in a minute. I just want to finish up this story." Cherry and Bon Bon faced front again. "And so the donkey says to the mule—"

Fluttershy was getting irritated, as was Chronicle. "A-hem! Can you move? You’re blocking my path."

"You're being very inconsiderate here," he decided to speak up. "You know who we are right?"

"Yes," said Bon Bon. "And we know one of you is a pegasus, and one of you can teleport. You can get around us no problem, so why are you arguing?"

"What about others who don't have either our advantages, huh? What about them, huh?"

"Yeah, yeah, we'll move in a minute!" Cherry said before continuing her story again. "So the donkey says to the mule…"

"Ugh, everyone's being super-assertive ever since Iron Will came to town," sighed the unicorn. "Bon Bon's right, Fluttershy. We can navigate this easy."

His marefriend however muttered to herself, “When somepony tries to block, show them that you rock.”

"And the mule says—" Cherry's punchline will remain a mystery, as the pegasus chose this moment to buck the rear ends of both wagons at once. They flip up to vertical and back again, dumping torrents of refuse over the two conversing mares. "Ugh! Easy does it, lady!" She and Bon Bon then pulled the carts ahead. "We’re moving, okay?"

"Good!" And as Fluttershy walked on with a smirk, Chronicle just shook his head.

C—BB—CB—F—C—BB—CB—F—C—BB—CB—F

Sugarcube Corner…

The two made it to the bakery for a snack, only to find a long line leading to the counter, with Daisy at the back of it before they joined in, barely making it inside. The pegasus stared ahead with popping eyes, the unicorn let out a sigh.

"Who’s next, please, and what can I get for you today?" Pinkie was at the counter serving the customers.

All of a sudden, a light blue hoof tapped Fluttershy's shoulder, and the mare attached to it, Shoeshine, nipped in to cut ahead of her and bump her backwards, putting herself between her and Chronicle.

And he was not at all amused. "No cutting in line, Shoeshine!" he scolded. "Get in the back!"

Fluttershy was naturally annoyed. "What do you think you’re doing? Didn’t you see me?"

"Uh, I—I guess, maybe," the earth pony answered with audacity, even as she turned to the line right in the face of a fierce glare from the unicorn in front of her, and she returned that glare in kind.

"Maybe? “Maybe’s are for babies!”" A flick of one foreleg against the interloper’s shoulder spun her like a top, and she came out of it half-hunched down and facing one irate customer. "Now go to the back of the line where you belong!" Fluttershy added with harshness.

Shoeshine immediately complied—and, to avoid getting anything worse than a scathing grimace, all the other patrons gasped and hastily backed up out the door.

"Knocking Shoeshine back was okay and all, but pushing the rest of the line behind us is a tad excessive," Chronicle said to Fluttershy as they made their way to the counter.

His marefriend however just ignored his comment and smirked over her shoulder as they approached Pinkie. Other patrons in the bakery immediately made themselves discreet. One who didn't however was Mystic Shield, who instead looked very worried.

"Heeey! Look at you!" Pinkie greeted Fluttershy.

Rarity zipped up alongside with a laugh. "Your attitude is so feisty, it’s fabulous!" she agreed. Fluttershy covered the gap between herself and the pair in one graceful, flapping leap while her coltfriend simply walked over.

"Looks like that monster’s workshop really paid off!"

Fluttershy resumed normal tone. "Iron Will’s not a monster, he’s a minotaur, and a true inspiration. His techniques really work."

"A bit too well for everybody, actually," Chronicle added, noting the assertiveness of everypony else they ran into on the way here.

"Well, they’ve certainly made a difference in the way you carry yourself," Rarity said to the pegasus. "You truly are a whole new Fluttershy."

"Yes, I am." Then, normally uncharacteristically for her, she began to hover briefly. "And New Fluttershy feels pretty stoked about New Fluttershy."

Upon hearing that, Chronicle's worry started to build up, partly because of what he's seen her do today, and partly from remembering something Moonbow Peek said about her, but he couldn't remember the details right now, which grated him since while he didn't pride himself for having excellent memory, this inability to recall certain things until it's too late was bothering him. Was this some flaw of his, or was it a form of Story Crew countermeasure that keeps him from disrupting things in client worlds too much? He'll have to ask his father about this at a later time.

"Well, Old Pinkie Pie feels really proud of New Fluttershy—proud as pink punch!" Pinkie whipped a bowlful onto the counter. "Want some?"

The subsequent gale of snorting giggles sent her to the floor but ticked Fluttershy off quite a bit. “You laugh at me? I wrath at you!” She then shoved, and the punch bowl tumbled off Pinkie’s side of the counter. Rarity stared in mute disbelief as the assistant baker stood up with the thing on her head, while Chronicle's worry grew even more. "Um, I'm pretty sure that wasn't at all offensive."

However, Fluttershy didn't notice, as she was on the way out with her usual sweet expression and tone. "Bye, girls!"

Her coltfriend immediately shook himself out of his reverie and followed her, even as outside the other would-be customers scattered as she exited and jumped off the step, where Chronicle stopped.

"Taxi!" she then called before running off as Pinkie and Rarity emerged and joined their friend, the former no longer wearing the bowl. A taxi carriage pulls up, its design and driver outfitted in yellow and black-and-white checkers. Fluttershy galloped over, but before she can jump aboard, a gray earth pony stallion (whom he barely remembered his name to be Royal Riff) beat her to it and ruined her mood.

What's with everybody being such jerks today? Chronicle mused to himself.

"Oh, no, you don’t," his marefriend said. “Cut in line, I’ll take what’s mine!” She then hopped on and instantly started brawling with him.

"Hey!" yelped Royal. The three ponies left at the front of Sugarcube Corner watched dumbstruck and inclined their heads to mark Royal's trajectory. "Heeeeyyyy!" He finally crashed to the flagstones in front of them. "Owww…"

"Nopony pushes New Fluttershy around! NOPONY!!" Immediately, the taxi driver galloped off in a fright, Fluttershy in tow, leaving her friends to comment on what they have just witnessed.

"Old Pinkie Pie’s not so sure New Fluttershy is such a good idea after all."

"Old Rarity agrees."

"These signs…I've seen them before," Mystic commented as he joined the three.

"Where?" Pinkie asked as the three turned to face him.

"The general behavior of the populace reminds me of that one time back in Baltimare when a minotaur named Iron Will came to town and started advertising his work. Some of my colleagues there, back when I was learning from my master Aegis, they've become…hyper-assertive just like Fluttershy." He then turned to Chronicle. "Don't tell me she's attended one of his sessions."

That immediately set off the mare-faced stallion as he remembered that one meeting the two had with Elphaba Trot and Sensei on the day after Twilight Sparkle adopted Owlowiscious. He turned to Mystic, justifiably angry. "He was that self-help guru you were talking about back then?!"

"You mean you advised her to go to him?!" the purple stallion gasped.

"Of course I did! I warned you that I might stumble into him without knowing him, and you didn't give me his name when I asked for it!" He sighed as he sat on his haunches and stared skyward. "What have I done? Because of you, I've turned her into…that."

C—R—F—PP—MS—S—C—R—F—PP—MS—S

Eyecatch (picture-type) - In the center is the "Assertive Fluttershy". To her right is Iron Will. To her right is a concerned Chronicle. Below Fluttershy are a scared Rarity and Pinkie Pie. The show's logo is seen on the lower right.

C—R—F—PP—MS—S—C—R—F—PP—MS—S

The next day…

Chronicle left the Books and Branches Library, which was about to be renamed (yet again) to Golden Oak Library, en route to Fluttershy's cottage. What should I do? Regardless of Mystic Shield's inadequate warning, I pushed her to this. I have to set it right!

On his way, he came beside a gray earth pony stallion in a postman’s blue uniform, with saddlebags slung up, white hair, and thick glasses obscuring squinty eyes. It was the mailpony that passes her place, and he's had a bad habit of delivering the wrong mail so many times he's officially filed a complaint to get a different pony for the job. Given his seemingly poor vision, he's worse than Derpy; at least she can see, and it's the occasional crash that's the problem, but she does get the right address.

Right now, he was at a different house, retrieving a stack of letters from his bag…and he proceeded to try and stuff them into a nearby birdhouse. As the correspondence drifted to the ground, an irate yellow pegasus inserted herself between the mail carrier and the ersatz receptacle. Uh oh. Not even he deserves this. He got off a panicked little yelp and she started to back him up as Chronicle made his way to both of them.

"And New Fluttershy does not want the wrong mail delivered to her cottage!" her marefriend said in third-person. Judging by the "and" at the start of her sentence, she was saying something else to herself before making her way here.

"Oh! Did I mix ‘em up again?" The mailpony pulled a letter from the bag with his teeth. "Sorry about that."

Now she leaned in so fast that the glasses went flying off, revealing scared light blue eyes. “You apologize, I penalize!”

Now plenty frightened, he raced ahead…and crashed run flat into the mailbox, wedging himself partially inside and knocking himself through it, scattering a few letters as he groaned. Fluttershy then produced a stamp on one hoof and slapped the stamp on his protruding rump and snatched the letter from his mouth with her own. In a few seconds flat, a second postal employee pulling a cart whisked into view in front of the box and peeled out. The offending stallion was now gone from sight, having presumably been picked up for shipment to parts unknown, or simply rescued and retrieved.

"I'll admit he had that coming for a long while now," Chronicle began, "But what's with you speaking in third-pony? You're reminding me of Trixie." And because of the Alicorn amulet incident, even after the whole ordeal with Antithesis, which was admittedly all done in the Everfree Forest, Ponyville wasn't very trusting of Trixie. Apparently, despite the incidents everybody else has pulled on this town, hers had quite the lasting effect.

Because she had a letter in her teeth, she did not deign to answer as she walked placidly along the road as a khaki earth pony stallion with short, unruly two-tone brown hair passed her and her coltfriend going the other way. Blue eyes, thick brown mustache and brows, leaf-print sweater over a white shirt, red sun visor, guidebook in hoof, and a generally bewildered expression. Definitely not from around these parts, the tourist galloped over to the two as they approached a puddle. He has lowered the book, exposing a camera slung around his neck.

"Excuse me, do you know how to get to the Ponyville Tower?" he asked.

"Sure!" Fluttershy began. "You just—" She cuts herself off once it dropped loose and landed in the water…were it not for Chronicle 'catching it in time. Regardless, a sharp gasp, and “New Fluttershy” got ready to throw down all over again.

"Awww…that’s a shame." As he said that, Pinkie and Rarity were coming up over a hill, and Chronicle gave a glare alongside his marefriend, though not as strong as he put the letter away.

Speaking of said marefriend, her rising growl was followed by—“You make me lose…I blow my fuse!” She then grabbed the camera in her teeth and pulled.

"Hey!" yelped both stallions in the area.

Slinging him around herself as if warming up for a hammer throw, she let fly toward the town’s clock tower. He landed in a haystack, while the camera came loose and smacked into the bell. The tourist then emerged from the haystack and pointed at the tower; she apparently got him to where he wanted. She smiled tranquilly at the sight as Pinkie and Rarity stepped up.

"Fluttershy, what are you doing?" Rarity asked as her friend's face hardened. "That’s no way to behave!"

"Assertiveness was unnecessary there!" agreed Chronicle. "In fact, that wasn't even assertiveness at all!"

"Didn’t you see what he did to New Fluttershy?" she turned to them. "And he thought New Fluttershy was a pushover!"

Rarity was calm, but reproving. "No, sweetie, he didn’t. We saw the whole thing. The pegasus began to hover in her and Pinkie's face. Now this was really unsettling and a testament to how much Iron Will has changed her; it was Rainbow Dash who usually hovered like this. "We think that you’ve taken your assertiveness training a little too far."

"A little?!" the only stallion left snarked.

Fluttershy was needled. "What? You just want New Fluttershy to be a doormat like Old Fluttershy—but Old Fluttershy is GONE!"

Pinkie was really confused. "New Fluttershy? Old Fluttershy?"

Rarity tried again. "What happened to Nice Fluttershy? We want that Fluttershy back."

"All I wanted for you was to learn assertiveness, not become this easily triggered ███hat!" added Chronicle.

Fluttershy began to fly around them. "No! You want Wimp Fluttershy! You want Pushover Fluttershy! You want “do anything to her and she won’t complain” Fluttershy!"

"Wrong!" he countered. "I want a balance between that Fluttershy and the one right in front of me!"

Pinkie had kept turning her head to maintain eye contact with the ranting pegasus, leaving her neck twisted through at least one and a half circles. The head finally snapped back into its normal position as the mouth let off a yelp and the eyes started jittering in their sockets. "Too many Fluttershys to keep track of!" She put her hooves to her head "Make it stop!"

Fluttershy then tapped Pinkie’s forehead, shoving her back. |Things getting too complicated for your simple little brain, Pinkie Pie?"

Rarity ducked in to catch her. "Now stop right there! Let’s not let things descend into petty insults."

"Why not? I thought petty was what you’re all about, Rarity, with your petty concerns about fashion!"

The elegant unicorn lost her composure with a gasp and an upwelling of tears. She turned away and covered her eyes with a foreleg as Pinkie rushed in to pick up the slack, standing on her hind legs to get closer to Fluttershy’s eye level."Hey, leave her alone!" she defended. "Fashion is her passion! "

The pegasus was being relentless, though. "Oh, and what are you passionate about? Birthday cake? Party hats?" As she backed away, Pinkie sank to her knees. "I can’t believe that the two most frivolous ponies in Ponyville are trying to tell New Fluttershy how to live her life—" At present, the other two mares were both tearing up and trying not to lose it altogether. "—when they are throwing their own lives away on pointless pursuits that nopony else gives a flying feather about!"

"Language!" scolded Chronicle.

The earth pony’s fluffy pink forelock sagged a bit on the end of this, as if telegraphing the danger that the whole mane and tail will deflate. How and why they failed to do so is a genuine mystery; both mares sobbed a bit on the start of their respective lines.

"Looks like Nasty Fluttershy is here to stay!" wailed Pinkie as she galloped off

"I cannot believe what that monster Iron Will has done to you!" wailed Rarity as she did the same.

Fluttershy called after them. "Iron Will’s not a monster! HE’S A MINOTAUR!!" She then settled to the ground, front hooves splashing in the puddle where she almost dropped her letter, and huffed above gritted teeth.

Finally finding the time to step in, Chronicle stepped in front of her face and glared back. This wasn't the Fluttershy he wanted her to eventually be, and the way she was behaving was leaving him shaking on the inside. But he mustn't run away. He mustn't run away. Not after what he did. Even when she was looking as insane as she had during that disastrous Grand Galloping Gala, which had been terrifying enough for him to faint. But he wasn't in a state of conviction back then like he was right now. "You're right. It's you who's become the monster, and it's my fault."

Even as the New Fluttershy, hearing him say that got her to reel back a bit. "But isn't this what you want? For me to stop being a doormat?"

"There is a difference between assertiveness and aggressiveness, and right now, you're failing to see that distinction. Iron Will's lessons have good intent, but his application has proved disastrous with all the resultant jerks around town, including you."

Despite his efforts, New Fluttershy took back control of the conversation. "If there's anything worse than pursuing something pointless, it's those who take back their word! You were failing in making New Fluttershy, so you took Old Fluttershy to Iron Will to do that!"

Chronicle could not back away now, even with that rage face in front of him, and he put his hoof down. Literally, on the puddle now between them, where she almost dropped her letter. "Had I known his lessons would make you like this, I would've searched for somebody else! Just look at yourself!"

She did as he said, and he did the same, and they saw the water framing her (and his) reflection—distorted by both the rippling surface and her own half-crazed expression. After a long moment, the latter gave way to a look of wide-eyed shock, and said eyes filled with tears as the water settled down and she voiced a crushed little whimper. She hung her head, allowing a couple of tears to drop into the puddle, and the full weight of her personality change hit her like a flower pot, anvil, piano, and wagon to the head.

"You're right. I’m the monster."

The only pony still with her released a sigh of relief. "Finally. That wasn't a New Fluttershy you were becoming, but another old one; the one Discord forced you to become. I wasn't there to see it personally; I ran off on my own that time." I remember what Moonbow said about her: She found a way to improve your life, but it did go too far, and it turned her into a terror. Now for the balance. And then, even though it was fairly wet, he raised his hoof to caress her face. "Now, let's do it right this time. No more of Iron Will."

For some reason, she reeled back, suddenly afraid. "No! I can't! Nasty Fluttershy might come back!"

He was shocked that she would think such a thing. "You can't seriously believe that! And even if you do, we should fix this together!"

"Stay back! Please!" She retreated once more, this time taking flight. "…I don't deserve you." And then, while not faster than Rainbow Dash, she zoomed away.

"Fluttershy!" he called back, but it was an exercise in futility. For some reason, he felt that going after her right now would only make things worse, so he just stood there, reflecting on what had just transpired.

C—R—F—PP—C—R—F—PP—C—R—F—PP

An undetermined long time later…

Chronicle spent some time wallowing a bit in self-blame and doing basic cleanup of the library with Owlowiscious (since both Spike and Twilight were currently in Canterlot, Rainbow Dash was watching another Wonderbolts show, and Applejack was visiting one of her numerous cousins), as well as some halfhearted venting of his anger at himself on the Discord statue in his training range. He also had time to reflect on what Iron Will had been teaching, having watched him teach Fluttershy what he was selling, and he had an epiphany regarding the minotaur's lessons and why they seemed to have the effects they had.

Just as he was finished slashing the statue from the top down (but stopping at the base), splitting it in two, he saw Pinkie and Rarity approach him, concern evident in their faces.

Upon seeing them, immediately knowing why they were here, he nodded and joined them as they ventured to Fluttershy's cottage. And it looks like it has seen better days, despite it being less than a day since the last time all four were together. The sky was a gloomy dark gray, and a bitter wind blew through the area, having already stripped the trees bare. The windows, door, and animal shelters were boarded up, and one birdhouse fell from its branch as a plaintive wolf howl can be heard in the distance as the three ventured up. Once they were at the door, Pinkie knocked.

Rarity then cleared her throat. "Fluttershy, are you in there?"

"It’s Chronicle, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity!" said the earth pony.

From inside, through the door, Fluttershy yelled, "Go away! Go away before Nasty Fluttershy strikes again!"

"Oh, sweetie, we all said things that we regret."

"We did?" Pinkie asked before Rarity clapped a hoof over her mouth.

"Shhh!"

"I've had my share of regrets, too," Chronicle added. "But I'm still here, when anybody else would've left long ago."

"Pinkie’s right," came the reply from the door. "I’m the only one to blame!" If Surveillance was opened, they would've seen the indoors and would find her sitting alone, tied to a chair by the fireplace (or was that the stove?) The only light came from a few openings in the boarded windows, and Angel was securing the ropes. "But don’t worry. I’m never coming out of my house again! Everypony will be a lot safer with me and my mean mouth locked away!"

"You're not to blame, Fluttershy! If anything, it was my fault for suggesting Iron Will to you, even if I was unaware of the consequences." And if you're nitpicky, it's Mystic Shield's fault for not warning me about him when I asked. But he did not say the last part.

"But I chose to go! I chose to take those lessons."

"The blame is on the both of us! I could've easily prevented you from going, but I urged you."

"Sweetie…" Rarity said "…Pinkie Pie doesn’t blame you, nor do I, and nor does Chronicle. You just received some bad advice from that Iron Will character."

"Yeah!" agreed Pinkie. "He’s the one that made you act super-duper-nasty!" Rarity socked her in the chest and a paddle slap in the face from the other unicorn followed. "What I mean is, there are other ways to assert yourself besides yelling at everypony."

"Yes!"

"Iron Will means well, but it's now obvious that his seminars are just not working," Chronicle added.

"You can stand up for yourself without being unpleasant about it," finished Rarity.

"Uh…I’m not sure I can," came the reply from the door. "I’m too far gone. Whenever I try to assert myself, I become a monster."

"Oh, sweetie, you’re not a monster."

Pinkie then pointed down the front walk. "No, but he is."

Iron Will was there, standing atop Gray’s back on the bridge over the brook, with White nearby. He then jumped down as the three ponies confronted him. "Iron Will’s my name, training ponies is my game." He then did a thumbs-up to a random location, causes Pinkie and Rarity to throw a properly bewildered glance. Incidentally, a Surveillance camera was pointed in that direction, and it was actually mere coincidence that he faced there. That or his eyes can see in a certain spectrum that Surveillance cameras can't hide from (one has to have some way of knowing where they are to even use them, after all).

"What a darling little catchphrase!" Rarity said.

"Your friend Fluttershy loved Iron Will’s catchphrases," Iron said before getting the mares in headlocks while Chronicle retreated elsewhere to serve as a last line of defense. He wanted to see what his friends would try out, and decided that violence would be a last resort. He didn't teleport inside Fluttershy's cottage, though. A barricaded house was a sign of privacy, and he wasn't going to breach it. "Word on the street is that she doesn’t take no guff from nopony." He then let the mares go and proceeded to walk past them. "So, Iron Will is here to collect Iron Will’s fee."

"Fluttershy’s in no shape to deal with that creep!" Pinkie said to Rarity, who then galloped after the creep in question.

She forced a laugh as she spoke. "I’m sure a big, brave, powerful, and rich monster—I mean, minotaur—like you…" Both stopped. "…doesn’t need that money right away. You can afford to come back later."

"Are you kidding? Fluttershy is overdue as it is." They have reached her door, and he picked Rarity up by the head. "Iron Will collects now!" Decorum and chivalry get a boot to the head when he dropped her bodily over the fence. She wound up in a bush near the brook, spitting out leaves as Pinkie got an eyeful.

"Do something!"

Pinkie turned to Iron, who started tearing the boards loose, and planted herself in his way.

"We’re not even sure Fluttershy’s home right now," Pinkie said as he picked her up, mistaking her for a board. "Uh, she might be off frolicking with some woodland creatures, uh…why don’t you give us some time to track her down for you?"

Iron dropped her and pulled out a sheet. "Iron Will does have some grocery shopping to do." He then whipped out a small basket and started off as Rarity climbs up. "Iron Will will come back this afternoon."

"But that’s only half a day!" she protested and he stopped. "We need one full day at least."

"Iron Will will delay for half a day and no longer!"

"A full day!"

"Half day!"

I'm sure half-day is enough, mused Chronicle from his place.

"Full day!"

"Half day!"

"Half day!"

"Full day!"

Pinkie stretched her neck upward to stare him in the face. "We need half a day and no more!" Her body then snapped up as Iron grabbed her tail.

"Well, you’ll get a full day and no less!"

The earth pony turned around brightly and walked away in midair, stretching the arm attached to the hand holding her tail. "Okey-dokey. See you tomorrow."

The minotaur lowered her to the ground, confused. "Wait, what?" A tiny little sneeze was then heard through the door. Hearing it, Iron walked back up to the door. "Huh. Sounds like the search won’t be necessary." Pinkie gasped. "Iron Will collects now!"

"Uh…but…w-w-we had an agreement!" She climbed up on his chest. "You gotta come back tomorrow!"

"When somepony tries to block, show them that you rock!"

Pinkie was thrown over the fence with a scream and splashed into the brook. Rarity cried out in surprise as the mud-streaked mare spit out a mouthful. Looking toward her own hindquarters, Pinkie found White chewing on her tail, having apparently mistaken it for cotton candy. Up at the door, the minotaur ripped the rest of the boards away.

"Your payment is overdue, Fluttershy!" He cried out, and then drew back one meaty arm, tensed for a punch that will surely reduce the door to splinters—and then knocked gently instead. On a unicorn's barrier. Surprised by what his fist made contact with, he looked down to see Chronicle behind the barrier that was generated, his signature spell unsheathed.

"By Luna, I swear if you scare her off or cause bodily harm to her, I'll…" he began.

"Iron Will remembers you. You're the one that took Fluttershy to Iron Will's seminar."

"Yes, and from what I've seen, you're actually a very bad influence here." You even succeeded in where Discord had to resort to his magic to do. "As a matter of fact, I don't think you're teaching your clients assertiveness at all!"

This clearly hit a nerve. "WHAT?!"

"All you taught Fluttershy was berate her and goad her into being rude and inconsiderate. She's still a doormat, only she's now a doormat who acts rude to everybody because you ordered her to. Your lessons don't help overcome pushover-ness, and in fact relies on them being such. All you did was give them the feeling they have power, but you're not actually helping them improve their assertiveness. In other words, you're not giving them the iron will they really seek!"

The tension was broken by laughter from Pinkie, and everybody turned to see her now rolling on her back, and her tail was no longer being chewed. She has done that every time the stallion has made a pun (which he actually prepared for his confrontation with the minotaur) or any intentional form of wordplay.

Iron actually got the pun and let out a single laugh before regaining his composure from the pun and of the tearing apart of his lesson, once more confronting the blue pony, who has since dismissed his barrier, but his horn blade was still 'lit'. "What you say may or may not be true, but Iron Will has made a deal. If Fluttershy is not one hundred percent satisfied with Iron Will's seminar, then she pays nothing! And Iron Will's not leaving until he gets her answer straight from her mouth. And Iron Will swears that Iron Will will not physically abuse her."

The two exchanged glares for a half minute before Chronicle relented a bit. "All right. But I'm stepping in if you do." He then teleported to Iron's left, blade dismissed as the minotaur knocked gently on the door. It opened as Rarity galloped up to help however she can, and Fluttershy—now untied from the chair, not that they knew that—stepped out. Her creditor stood up to full height and huffed impatiently down at her, spooking Pinkie and Rarity but good.

"You were nothing but a doormat—" He began striking poses. "—and Iron Will turned you into a lean, mean, assertive machine!" After hitting his last pose again, he got back in her face. "Now, pay Iron Will what you owe Iron Will!"

Fluttershy's answer was "Um…no."

Pinkie and Rarity were so completely shocked by this declaration that the former toppled over on her side, as if petrified from mane to tail. White and Gray cannot believe their ears either, and Gray uttered a puzzled bleat as White munched on his tie. Chronicle on the other hoof was doing his best not to burst into laughter from the blunt response.

"What did you say?"

Fluttershy repeated her answer. "No."

"Oooooh!" Iron began to limber up against the fence. The other two mares in the area were looking horrified, and the stallion was seeing whether or not Iron was indeed going to act on his physical threat. Sometimes, these were simply bluffs to test the bluffed. "I’d hate to be you right now—because Iron Will is gonna rain down a world of hurt unless Iron Will gets his money, PRONTO!!" He finished by leaning against the fence, stretching it backwards as if it were a rope at the edge of a wrestling ring, and catapulting forward to bellow the last word directly into her ear.

A huff of steam from the ringed nostrils dropped her out of sight, but a moment later she was back up and calmly pacing the front walk. "As I recall, during your workshop you promised one hundred percent satisfaction guaranteed, or “you pay nothing”. Well, I’m not satisfied."

"What do you mean, you’re not satisfied?! Everypony has always been satisfied!"

"Well, I guess I’m the first, then," Fluttershy then moved toward him. "But since I’m not satisfied, I refuse to pay. It’s as simple as that."

Neither of the other two mares can find her power of speech, and Rarity had to close Pinkie’s mouth to keep her jaw from scraping the ground. Chronicle continued to stand ready. Iron, meanwhile, stared incredulously at Fluttershy as White and Gray peek out over his shoulders. One quick goat/minotaur huddle later, he straightened up with a resigned grunt. He was speaking hastily and nervously now. "Are you…sure you’re not just a little bit satisfied?" He adjusted his tie. "Uh…uh, because maybe we could…cut a deal. I-I mean, we’re both reasonable creatures, aren’t we?"

Fluttershy was firm. "I’m sorry, but no means no."

"No means no, huh?" Iron climbed on Gray’s back. "Nopony’s ever said that to me before." His goat then carried him away. "Huh…I gotta remember that one." White handed him his grocery basket. "That’s a good catchphrase for my next workshop." He then turned to face Chronicle as he grew farther away. "Looks like you have a point! I'll will have to revise my program, start fresh! Thanks!"

Once he was gone, Pinkie and Rarity galloped up to Fluttershy. "You were amazing, Fluttershy!" the former said as they hugged her. "You totally stood up to that monster!"

"In fact, you didn’t change at all!" added Rarity. "You were the same old Fluttershy that we’ve always loved."

"The one we missed!"

"It's not nice to call Iron Will a monster," Chronicle reminded. "He wasn't malicious, just terribly misguided." He turned to his marefriend. "Still, it's nice to have you back."

"Don’t worry," their pegasus friend assured. "Old Fluttershy’s back for good. I’m sorry I took the whole assertiveness thing too far. Friends?"

She got a pair of teary smiles and one without the tears.

"Friends!" the three said and laughed for a while.

Once they finally stopped, Chronicle said, "Looks like I'll have to actually look for a better assertiveness teacher, and I'll make sure they're not like Iron Will or anything worse."

"Why can't you do it?" asked Pinkie.

"If you remember correctly, I said that I had no problems being assertive towards me, but she has problems with strangers. I think it's because we're too close for me to work." He turned to Fluttershy. "But I think I've done enough for you to trust a stranger enough to do that. Now let's get your cottage fixed up."

C—R—F—PP—IW—C—R—F—PP—IW—C—R—F—PP—IW

“Dear Princess Celestia, Sometimes it can be hard for a shy pony like me to stand up for myself. And when I first tried it, I didn’t like the pony I became. But I’ve learned that standing up for yourself isn’t the same as changing who you are. Now I know how to put my hoof down without being unpleasant or mean.”

Author's Note:

Apologies for not writing for a long time. Too many new things I discovered with the new desktop we have that I couldn't access with my old netbook. Starcraft II, Sakura Dungeon, Life is Strange, etc.

1. I decided it was fine again for Chronicle to change how things go in Prime. After all, there are various other alternate Equestrias where his interference doesn't occur that the Story Crew 'records' in the event of such an inevitability where Field Operatives end up getting in the way of things.
2. In the original draft, Chronicle was then supposed to run off after shouting back at Fluttershy, and vent his anger in his training range on the Discord statue, and then Pinkie and Rarity would come to him for help.

Unfortunately, this story's gonna be on hiatus for a while. I haven't had the real luxury of actually finishing any fic, or making a real finale in any of them, and I want to start now. Since this Shisno Chronicles series will be ongoing as long as My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic continues to air, it will not stop. So I will be working on another fic of mine in FF.Net: A Different Kind of Pacifist, an Undertale with…well, you probably don't know it; it's a relatively more obscure indie game than Undertale. Search for "Iji pacifist run" on YouTube, look for the playlist "iji pacifist" by ipsoko, and watch it start to finish before you read that. Or play Iji (search "Iji daniel remar" on the internet and download and play the game).

See ya on Third!

Comments

[nightelf37]

7714870
Read them like a normal story. This fic is not (always) going to be ordered by episode order.
7209718
It's a reference to a routine called "Who's on First".
7186735
There'd be a different member of the extended family there going what Chronicle does. Not really interested, so there's a low chance I'll reference it with that family member visiting him in the dreamscape.

[nightelf37]

8009154

Okay, sorry. It's just part of my writing experiment, to show he can have flaws, but yeah, he's not that balanced a character. There has to be consequences for his fight (and humiliation) against Discord, like Survivor's Guilt (being immune to his magic doesn't mean he No Sells everything the draconequus can pull), and I thought this obsession building would make for a nice original chapter, and that he's not just a "satellite" of my own making.

And no, while I think he may be quite overpowered, he's not OP; the Princesses can still beat him (not that he'd make it easy), and not all problems in the story are about combat and solving it that way. This is also NOT going to be a harem fic, since he isn't the type, and I suck at writing romance. Too many of such movies and live action shows (called telenovelas) where I live disillusioned me.

[nightelf37]

8007728

No story on her. It's just basically be exploring "Solaris Equestria", and while she and Chronicle are different in certain ways, their stories will still run parallel.

[Bronydude23]

So when are you going to continue writing this story i would really like to know what happens next after Putting Your Hoof Down