Chapter 7
The sounds of the main chamber of The Haven faded as Fluttershy cautiously made her way up the long, narrow tunnel. The wood around her had been painstakingly smoothed, creating a domed effect within the passageway. There was very little light, but after spending time in the rabbit city, Fluttershy had become quite accustomed to that.
Finally, she reached the end of the tunnel, where to her surprise, a door had been installed. It looked fairly professional, too; it was obviously crafted with greater care than the crude furniture adorning the chambers in the underground city. Fluttershy lightly pushed on the door, and was shocked when the tunnel was flooded with light.
Beyond the door was an outdoor area. It appeared to be a sort of bowl-like depression at the very top of the tree, but it was surrounded by a thick, intricate mesh of small branches, making the space impossible to access from the outside, unless you could fly. Fluttershy peered through the natural netting around the area, and was able to see the major branches of the tree radiating out from below her, and on them, animals going about their business. This room at the top, however, seemed deserted. Perhaps the director was out?
“Hey. Hey! Hey you! What are you doing here?”
Fluttershy looked up, and nearly jumped back in shock as a small, brightly colored shape dive-bombed toward her. At the very last second, it stopped, beating its wings at an incredible speed as it hovered just over her head. Once the newcomer’s erratic movement stopped, Fluttershy was able to see that he was a hummingbird.
“Are you the Director?” she asked timidly.
“Who wants to know?” the hummingbird snapped. “I asked you a question! Why are you-”
The hummingbird stopped talking suddenly, and flitted back and forth around Fluttershy.
“Wait. You’re a rabbit. You’re a rabbit! There’s a rabbit here! There’s a rabbit in the Haven! This is an emergency!”
The hummingbird flew right in front of Fluttershy’s face again. “Talk, you little thief! Are you a spy? Or some kind of assassin? So many possibilities! Well, you aren’t leaving this place! We’re gonna interrogate you; gonna bring in all the best methods of making you talk! Ooh, you’re gonna be sorry you ever-”
“Excuse me, Zipper,” called a much quieter, calmer voice. “As usual, you are jumping to conclusions. Please, allow me to handle this.”
The hummingbird, who was apparently named Zipper, turned around. “But Mr. Director!” he argued. “She’s a rabbit! Don’t you know what that means?!”
“No, I do not,” replied the voice. “Because I do not jump to conclusions like you do, Zipper. Now please, back down from our guest.”
Reluctantly, Zipper retreated. Fluttershy still couldn’t see the source of the other voice that had spoken. After several seconds, a thick patch of foliage finally moved, and very very slowly, a familiar animal began to emerge from the leaves.
Fluttershy recognized the creature at once; the familiar large, domed shell, stubby green legs, and calmly smiling face belonged to one the tortoise that had lived under Fluttershy’s care for some time, before eventually becoming Rainbow Dash’s pet.
“Tank,” Fluttershy said, pleasantly surprised. “I hadn’t expected to see you here.”
“Oh my,” Tank chuckled. “It’s been a while hasn’t it, Fluttershy? I’ve hardly seen you at all since Miss Dash took me in.”
“Wait!” Zipper chirped. “You two already know each other? Mr. Director, what are you doing associating with rabbits!?”
Tank shook his head slowly. “Zipper, Zipper… so naïve, as always.”
Tank closed his eyes for a few moments and stood still. Fluttershy and Zipper waited, and after a moment, he opened them again.
“Perhaps it would be best if you left the two of us alone,” Tank said. “Fluttershy and I would like to have a conversation that doesn’t involve your accusations.”
“But Mr. Director, I’m head of Security! You need me to-”
“That is an order, Zipper.”
Zipper sighed. “Yes sir, Mr. Director,” he said gloomily. He darted away into the sky, but not without throwing a final glare at Fluttershy.
“I apologize for Zipper’s behavior,” Tank said. “Keeping the Haven safe from those who wish to disrupt its peace is a big responsibility. He is a bit high strung.”
Fluttershy managed a smile. “Yes, I can see that.”
Tank smiled, staring at the sky into which Zipper had disappeared. Fluttershy waited for him to say more. And she waited. And waited.
Tank glanced calmly around the large basin. It seemed almost as if he had forgotten Fluttershy was there. After a minute or two, Fluttershy finally spoke again.
“…So…um… I kind of figured you’d have some questions or something,” she said timidly.
“Hm?” Tank asked. “Oh, no, not really. After all, you’re the one who came to me. If there was anything to be said, I figured you would be the one to say it.”
Fluttershy was slightly taken aback. “You mean… you’re not even going to ask me how I turned into a rabbit? Pretty much everybunny has asked me that so far.”
Tank shook his head. “That’s none of my business,” he said simply. “If you’d like to share, I would, as always, be happy to listen. If not, that’s fine. Like I said, you’re the one with the questions.”
Fluttershy had never met a creature, pony or otherwise, who had taken such a position on conversation before; Tank was not nosey or intrusive in any way, he was completely patient and at ease.
“Well then…” she said carefully. “Maybe you could tell me more about the Haven, and how you became its Director?”
“Ah, now we’re getting somewhere,” said Tank with a calm smile. “The Haven was established just a few years ago, as a means of escape for creatures who are unable to tolerate the conditions set for them in nearby Ponyville by the rabbit mafia. It is a community in which every individual works for the benefit of all; we all collect food from the surrounding forest, and we all live content lives here with plentiful resources as a result. The downside is that, in order to escape the corruption brought by the rabbits’ schemes, two regulations had to be in place. The Haven had to be built far enough away from Ponyville that the rabbits would not consider it a worthy objective to search for us regularly, and it also has to be kept fairly secret; if its location ever falls into the hands of the rabbit mafia, our peaceful way of life will be jeopardized.”
Fluttershy nodded. “It’s basically everything I wish the animal community around Ponyville was,” she admitted.
“Well, yes, don’t we all,” said Tank. “Anywho, up until a year or so ago, the Haven operated without a leader, and disputes were beginning to break out. Many feared that arguments would lead to corruption, which in turn would lead to the degeneration of the Haven into something no better than the miserable community the rabbits control. It was decided that an animal that could make decisions slowly and fairly was needed, and suddenly, I found myself in this position. It was quite a shock, really.”
“But you can’t be here all the time,” Fluttershy pointed out. “Aren’t you still Rainbow Dash’s pet?”
“Of course,” Tank said. “And Miss Dash is a wonderful owner, but she leads an active life; she isn’t home much during the day. And since her friends have granted me a convenient helicopter device for my personal use, it’s quite easy for me to travel from here to Ponyville and back again each day.”
Tank blinked slowly and took a deep breath before continuing. “And so, the Haven continues to thrive in this secluded grove, beyond the reach of the rabbits’ unwholesome mob. New animals join us every so often, and between the hummingbird security squad handling external defense measures, and my guidance up here keeping the internal community intact, we have had no problems for quite some time.”
“Wow,” Fluttershy breathed. “It really is an impressive place.”
“Yes,” said Tank, “I suppose it is.”
Another long silence followed, which Fluttershy took as an indication that Tank was done speaking unless she decided to ask another question.
“So…” she continued, “I did have a reason for coming here. I’d like to tell you about it, but it’s a really long story. Do you have the time?”
Tank let out a throaty chortle. “My dear, I have all the time in the world. Go ahead.”
Over the next few hours, Fluttershy explained in great detail everything that had happened to her since the evening she had spent with Rainbow Dash almost a week before. Tank listened intently to the tale of her strange transformation, her first meeting with the deceptive rabbits, and Owloysius’s efforts to find the cure, nodding occasionally and asking only simple questions for clarification.
The sun was on its way down by the time Fluttershy finished describing her quest for the cure’s ingredients, and Tank seemed no less interested then the moment she had started.
“So then, we had the sapphire and the pink lily,” Fluttershy continued. “And last night, we went to visit Owloysius to find out if he had discovered the location of the final component of the cure. And… that’s when we discovered that the mushroom we need is only found in the Everfree Forest.”
Tank nodded solemnly. “I see,” he said. “The Everfree is a hostile place. Do you intend to search for the mushroom there?”
“I don’t think I can,” Fluttershy admitted. “I’d be killed if I tried to find it. I don’t know any other animal brave enough to try, either.”
“I suppose that is true,” Tank agreed. “With luck, your Owl friend will find another location for the mushroom, although he appears to be running out of time to do so.”
“That reminds me!” Fluttershy said suddenly. “What if Owloysius has already found it, but hasn’t told me since he doesn’t know I’m here?”
“True, that is a possibility,” said Tank calmly. “If you like, I could get Zipper to notify him of your whereabouts.”
“That would be great!” Fluttershy exclaimed. “And thank you, Tank, for taking the time to listen. There’s something else I’d like to talk to you about… but maybe it can wait until tomorrow?”
“Of course,” Tank said. “I can see you are worn out; I’m sure you’ve had a long and difficult day. There is a chamber on the ground floor where you can get something to eat if you desire, and a room has been set aside for you on the fifth level, where you may spend the night. I suspect your friend Winona has notified most of the residents of your presence here, so they will assume that, since I didn’t see you as a threat, they have no reason to either.”
Tank backed up a few steps. “Zipper!” he called to the sky. “Come here, I have a task for you!”
A brilliant spot of color rocketed through the air, stopping right in front of Tank. “What are your orders, Mr. Director?” Zipper asked.
“Zipper, I need to send you to Ponyville,” Tank said slowly. “Please inform the scholarly old owl in the library that if he needs to speak with Fluttershy, he should come to the Haven.”
“Yes sir!” Zipper replied. He disappeared as quickly as he had come.
“Everything is taken care of, Fluttershy,” said Tank proudly. “You may go. Enjoy your evening.”
“Thank you, Tank,” Fluttershy said sweetly. She turned and hopped off into the tree for the night.
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Monday morning marked the beginning of Fluttershy’s sixth day as a rabbit, and this morning, the first rays of the sun found her perched on the end of a long branch high above the ground. From her seat on one of the Haven’s many outdoor walkways, Fluttershy scanned the surrounding forest. If she squinted, she could just make out the outline of Ponyville nestled in the valley a few miles away, and beyond that, the ever present silhouette of Canterlot situated in the mountains.
But despite the peace and serenity of this clear morning in the forest, Fluttershy felt anything but peaceful. Dozens of ideas bounced around in her mind, none of them really any more plausible than the others. Now that she was here, she had to come up with the right course of action. Deciding what to do next was crucial; after all, there were now less than forty-eight hours remaining until the effects of the Heart’s Desire became permanent.
But something else still dominated Fluttershy’s immediate attention: the rabbits. After her final conversation with Angel yesterday, Fluttershy’s world had been turned upside down. Now she was back at square one, in the care of a different set of animals, and still no closer to returning to her original pony form.
The sound of slow, rhythmic footsteps caused the distraught rabbit to turn around, and she was greeted by the sight of Tank approaching her.
“Good morning, Tank,” Fluttershy mumbled.
“Good morning,” said Tank pleasantly. “It appears that it’s going to be a lovely day. Clear skies. Bright sun. Gentle breeze. The works.”
Tank chuckled to himself. Fluttershy said nothing.
“So, Fluttershy… you look a tad upset,” Tank said after a while.
Fluttershy just nodded, still staring out over the forest.
“It’s because you aren’t sure what to do now that your relationship with Angel has fundamentally changed, isn’t it?”
This caught Fluttershy’s attention. “But… but I didn’t even tell you about my fight with Angel when we talked yesterday! How did you know?”
Tank chortled. “Oh, Fluttershy, you’re quite the open book. It’s easy enough for me to tell what’s wrong.”
“You figured it out just by intuition?” Fluttershy asked, astounded.
Tank smiled mischievously. “Well, that and the fact that I had a little talk with Winona last night after you had gone to bed,” he admitted.
Tank enjoyed a hearty laugh, and even Fluttershy managed a smile.
“So, dear, I imagine Angel is probably the subject you wanted to discuss with me today?” Tank asked.
“Well… yes, if that’s okay…” Fluttershy replied.
“Of course it’s okay,” Tank said. “Tell me what’s on your mind.”
“Well, Winona was there, so she probably told you the basics,” Fluttershy said. “Yesterday, I found out that the rabbits were actually running a mob and terrorizing the other animals. Angel had me convinced that the rabbits worked hard to protect the city and run it well… at least until Winona told me the truth.”
Fluttershy wiped her eyes. “You probably think I’m pretty stupid,” she mumbled. “I suppose anybunny could have seen the signs that something wasn’t right. I just… I trusted Angel because I’ve lived with him for so long. I… I never thought he’d betray me like this…”
“I don’t think you’re stupid,” Tank said. “Love and compassion for others can occasionally drive us to see things in an unrealistic light. Perhaps that’s why the rabbits abandoned it.”
Tank leaned in closer. “But you can’t live a full life if you can’t count on somebunny,” he insisted. “Sure, now and then, that trust is betrayed, and it is a sad moment when it is… but it’s still worth it to make those relationships in the first place, because many of them can be so beneficial. Think of your friends in Ponyville; they have helped you overcome many of your fears, and were always there for you when the going got tough. Where would you be today without them? Probably still holed up in your cottage, too afraid of the world around you to live the life you were destined to live.”
Tank glanced at the sky for a few moments. “And think of many of the animals you have met in these past few days. If you hadn’t put your faith in Owloysius, you would have had no idea if there even was a way to reverse your condition. Without the help of Opalescence, who was true to her word if nothing else, you may not have been able to obtain a sapphire. And without Gummy you would have drowned, and without brave Jim, rest his soul, there’s no way you could have obtained that pink lily.”
“And Winona,” Fluttershy added. “I guess I should be grateful for her. Without her, I’d still be living a lie among the rabbits.”
Tank nodded solemnly. “That is true.”
A short silence followed. “Anywho,” Tank continued, “my point is, yes, Angel Bunny betrayed your trust, but I hope you don’t let that change the way you view the others who care about you. Life’s too short to live in caution and suspicion all the time.”
Fluttershy wiped away a tear and smiled. “You’re right, Tank. But just because I can go on with my other friends… doesn’t mean I can forgive Angel.”
Tank said nothing for a moment; he seemed to be searching for the right words.
“Angel Bunny has controlled the rabbits’ forces for a long time,” Tank remarked. “To many, he probably seems to be one of the lowest, filthiest creatures in Equestria.”
Tank sighed. “Although… I can’t help but wonder if he is more than he appears.”
Fluttershy raised an eyebrow. “How so?” she asked.
“Well, it’s hard to say,” Tank said. “When you’ve known Angel as long as I have, you may start to notice some of his mannerisms don’t seem befitting of his position.”
Fluttershy’s expression became angry. “Well, let’s see,” she said. “He’s grumpy, inconsiderate, rude, spiteful, and, oh yes, he runs an organization that threatens and starves other animals so the rabbits can gorge themselves. That all seems pretty fitting to me.”
“He also has gone out of his way to help you in the past,” Tank said. “Remember when he helped you train for tornado duty? Or when he comforted you after those nasty newspaper articles were written about Ponyville’s residents?”
“Those were lies,” Fluttershy said simply. “Angel just wanted to keep on my good side so his rabbits could take advantage of me to steal more food. He doesn’t really care about me at all.”
It was Tank’s turn to raise an eyebrow. “Are you sure?”
“Very sure.”
Tank nodded. “Very well. By all means, you have no reason to humor him anymore. But I just wonder if you’ve given up too quickly.”
Fluttershy’s mild anger dissolved into sadness again. “Tank, I put every ounce of trust I could into Angel, and he let me down,” she explained. “I don’t think I can give him another chance now.”
Tank did not reply. He stood next to Fluttershy as she brooded over Angel’s betrayal. The two of them watched the morning progress over the forest for a while, saying nothing.
“So what do I do now?” Fluttershy finally asked.
Tank slowly turned to face her. “What do you mean?” he asked.
“I mean I’m just not sure what to do next,” Fluttershy explained. “I can’t find the last ingredient for the cure, and I can’t go back to Angel. Is there really nothing for me to do but bide my time here at the Haven and hope something miraculous happens in the next two days?”
“I don’t know,” Tank said. “You know what you want, Fluttershy. You just need to figure out what your heart is telling you to do next.”
Fluttershy sighed. “That’s more difficult than it sounds,” she admitted. “Recently, I’ve been thinking, even if I do manage to prepare the cure in time, and become a pony again… it won’t be the same.”
“Why not?” Tank asked.
“Well, it’s because of Angel,” Fluttershy admitted. “Angel and the rabbits have been running their mob for years. And it… it kind of breaks my enthusiasm to know that the work I’ve put toward the animals over all this time… it’s been almost meaningless. Even if I do become a pony again, what can I do? I can’t save every creature in Ponyville from their crimes; there will always be suffering in their city, and there’s nothing I can do about it.”
Fluttershy choked back a sob. “It… it’s really hard to decide what to do next when you discover that your passion, your reason for living, is pointless. If I can’t be Fluttershy, guardian of the little creatures… then who can I be?”
“Now, now,” said Tank comfortingly, “Nothing you have done is pointless, Fluttershy. You make a difference in the lives of the animals every day. Sure, the rabbits have prevented them from living satisfactory lives, but without your support, many who were desperate for food would have starved. In a way, that almost makes you more special; you’re like a missionary, a savior to a group in desperate need.”
“You… you really think they need me?” she asked. “Am I making a difference?”
“I know you are,” Tank responded with a sad smile. “Don’t forget, until Miss Dash adopted me, I lived at your cottage, and I was subject to the rabbits’ system for quite some time. I can’t tell you how much some of the animals appreciate your offerings. They are a beacon of hope in a dark situation.”
Fluttershy brightened. “You’re right, Tank,” she said confidently. “Angel and I may not be on good terms any more, but the rest of the animals still need my help. I have to find a way to become a pony again, and then do what I can to impede the rabbits efforts. And if I can’t do that, I need to find a way to lessen their effect even while I’m still a rabbit. It’s my duty; I owe it to the animals I love.”
Tank smiled. “Now, it appears you have found the path you were searching for,” he said. “Let me know if I can assist in any way.”
“I will,” Fluttershy said. “I’m going to go inside and think this through a little more carefully.”
“Will do,” Tank said. “And dear, don’t forget to get a bite to eat. Drastic self-realizations are no excuse to miss breakfast!”
Fluttershy laughed. “I won’t forget!” she called as the darted back into the tree.
Tank sighed contently as he gazed out over the forest. “She’s got what she needs now,” he mumbled to himself. “I just hope she manages to act on it in time.”
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“Capo? Capo! Are you even listening to me!?”
“Wha?” asked Angel vaguely, shaking his head to clear the daydreams. “Sorry, professor, what were you saying?”
Professor Snuggles glared at Angel, his arms crossed in front of his chest. “I was saying…” he continued in irritation, “…that it looks like the strategic preparations for the Big Job are finally complete. Winona will likely have noticed by this late point that the apples are disappearing from the farm, but with luck, the decoys will have moved her to the west side of the farm by then, while the final strike team collects from the southeast region and sends the spoils down hole seven. Unless you have any objections to the final phase, we will stick with this course of action and… and you’re really not paying any attention at all, are you boss?”
“Huh?” Angel asked. “Oh. Sure. It looks good. You’re a genius professor.”
The Professor’s eyes narrowed. “Do you believe this guy?” he asked the Button brothers indignantly. “The Big Job is tomorrow, and I can’t hold his attention for five seconds!”
The Buttons looked uncomfortable. “Well… you have been zoning out a bit today, boss,” one of them said feebly.
“Is something wrong?” the other asked.
“Nah,” Angel said, waving their questions away. “Just a lot of stress gettin’ this thing set up, that’s all.”
Professor Snuggles snorted. “I’ll tell you what’s wrong, boys,” he scoffed. “The capo is still flummoxed about yesterday’s argument with the Main Mare. And frankly, his being distracted this close to the biggest operation of the year is not helping my nerves, either.”
“You can shut up about ‘Shy now, professor,” Angel grumbled. “The Main Mare and I worked together for a long time; sure, she wasn’t too keen on the whole mafia business, but she was kind of… you know, a pleasure to be around now and then. She’s a lot less irritable than somebunny in this room.”
“I will cease being irritable when you quit lollygagging and help me with this work!” the Professor insisted. “Once the Big Job is over, we’ll have all the resources we want for quite a while, and then we can exchange all the pleasantries you want, boss.”
“Alright, let me see,” Angel snarled, snatching the plans away from the professor. Everything on the diagrams was organized to perfection. Every route was assigned times and group numbers, and a number of specially marked arrows marked the path Winona would likely take as she followed the decoys. If everything worked as this plan suggested, almost every ripe apple in Sweet Apple Acres would soon belong to the rabbits.
And as a result, Sweet Apple Acres’ profits would plummet. The Apple family would suffer.
Get out of my head, Fluttershy! Angel mentally screamed. All your babbling yesterday went and woke up my conscience, you stupid kid!
As he stared at the paper, his expression hidden from his three colleagues, Angel fought with himself in an internal battle. It was as if Fluttershy’s words had cut through all his justifications for the rabbits’ actions like a hot knife through butter.
“The plan looks perfect,” he said finally, keeping his voice as calm as possible despite the tumult in his mind. “Really perfect actually. But that got me thinkin’ about something…”
Professor Snuggles leaned forward expectantly. “Yes, capo, what is it? You always come up with great improvements.”
“Well, it’s not quite an improvement,” Angel said hesitantly. “I mean, it occurs to me that we’re swiping a lot of apples here. A lot of apples.”
“Yes,” said the Professor. “That would be why we call it the Big Job…”
“Yeah, but think about that for a second,” Angel continued. “Don’t you think maybe that’s a little… harsh? Maybe… just so the Apple ponies don’t have a problem growing more, of course… we could, uh… tone it down a bit?”
The effect was immediate. Professor Snuggles leapt onto the table and bent over, his face less than an inch from Angel’s.
“Capo,” Snuggles seethed. “We are less than twenty-four hours away from one of the grandest moments in the history of our glorious organization. Jobs like this one are what have made us a force to be feared; our own soldiers have come to expect nothing but fabulous success. And now, you mean to tell me, in the midst of all this, one teensy little argument with a mare who serves as nothing more than an insignificant food source is causing you to go soft!?”
“I didn’t say it had anything to do with that!” Angel shot back. “From a business standpoint, don’t you think it would be better to take, you know, fifty percent of the apples instead?”
“Oh, and what else?” said the Professor in mock interest. “I suppose next you’ll tell me we should share half of what we do collect with the other creatures!”
“Of course not!” Angel said. “Although… now that you mention it, we have made the rations budget pretty low lately…”
“I don’t believe this!” the Professor cried, hopping to the floor. “In all my years working with you, Angel Bunny, I never suspected that you were so attached to Fluttershy. If the complaints of just one sad-eyed mare, or rabbit, or whatever the devil she is now, can get you thinking about disrupting the Big Job, you clearly do not have the guts for this job that I always thought you had!”
Now Angel became angry. “Don’t talk back to me, Professor!” he snarled. “I’m still in charge here. I wasn’t going to, but if I were to suddenly decide to cancel the Big Job, you wouldn’t be able to do a thing to stop it!”
“Not alone,” said the Professor. “But you’re forgetting something, capo. Your empire.”
Professor Snuggles took a deep breath so he could talk more levelly with his boss. “Angel, you’ve been running this show for five years now, since the very day your father, who ran it before you, passed. You have a legion of rabbits at your command. And those rabbits will obey your orders faithfully, provided you provide them with one simple thing.”
Angel scowled. “And that would be?”
“Excess!” the Professor announced. “We are the rabbit mafia, Angel. We’re a thieving crime ring, and we’re darn proud of it! We steal and hoard at the expense of others so we can live lives of luxury! That’s the way it’s always been. I don’t know about you, but I find it’s rather hard to coax somebunny to give a life like that up.”
The Professor crossed his arms smugly. “The point is, boss, that while you control the mob, the mob also controls you. If you try to throw a wrench into the works of this system, it will not stop. It will just throw the wrench right back at you and keep on doing what it’s programmed to do, whether you like it or not.”
The Professor’s voice dropped to a malicious whisper. “So I suggest, capo, that you shake these idiotic notions from your head and get back to doing what you do best. Because if you try to stop it, your efforts will be in vain, and on top of that, I imagine things will end very, very poorly for you.”
Angel found himself quite unable to respond. He cast a sidelong glance at the Buttons, who were nodding in agreement with the professor. Even my two best boys are against me on this one, he realized.
Professor Snuggles returned to his seat. “This is not the first time you’ve shown an unnecessary amount of compassion for others, boss,” he said. “But it is the most severe. I’m telling you all this because I actually do value your leadership. You’re genuinely good at what you do, Angel, but you must face facts; we are what we are, and we like it that way. The need to exercise morality in these operations has simply become unimportant, and I’ve noticed, over the years, that you are the only one who cannot seem to accept that. It’s probably because you live in close contact with Fluttershy.”
Angel nodded. “Alright. I won’t deny that.”
The Professor nodded as well. “And I suppose,” he continued, “that your reasons for aiding Fluttershy in the first place went a little deeper than simply turning her back into a mare before our cover was blown. You wanted to help her, didn’t you?”
Angel said nothing.
“It’s irrelevant,” said the Professor. “But please, boss. I hope you understand. The Big Job must continue as planned. Our soldiers have come to expect it. They will not tolerate change.”
Angel sighed in defeat. “Right as usual, professor,” he admitted. “The Big Job begins tomorrow at noon. I’ll be there to get things started, as always.”
The Professor smiled. “Excellent, capo. Don’t let us down.”
Snuggles exited the room, leaving Angel with the Buttons.
“What do you boys think?” he asked carefully. “We should go through with it, right?”
The Buttons nodded. “The Professor does have a point,” the first admitted.
“Besides,” the second said. “If you were going to get sentimental about Fluttershy, maybe you should have done it earlier. Don’t forget, even if you want to help her now, it’s pointless. She’ll never forgive you for what you’ve done. She has shunned you anyway, so there’s no reason not to just forget about her and move on with the job.”
“That’s true,” said Angel a bit mournfully. “’Shy’s had it with me for good this time. She and her goody-goody friends at the Haven can deal with curing her.”
He stood up. “And as for me… well, whether it feels right or not, I have a mob to run.”
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And so, in two very different locations, two very different rabbits worked well into the night busily putting the finishing touches on their important plans for the next day. In Ponyville, Angel and his henchmen worked tirelessly to make sure all the rabbits involved with the Big Job were aware of their roles in the highly complex plan, and were informed to be present in the largest rabbit meeting hall by noon the next day.
Meanwhile, Fluttershy was locked away in a remote chamber of the Haven, working on a special plan of her own.
Finally, Tuesday morning dawned. If, by midnight on this day, Fluttershy had not managed to take the cure for her transformation, the effects of the Heart’s Desire would become permanent. Although, curiously, this was not the first thing on the rabbit’s mind.
At the very first light of dawn, Fluttershy climbed the winding staircase through the interior of the Haven, bound for the Director’s chamber. She pushed through the door and exited into the outdoor space atop the tree, where she found Tank enjoying a breakfast of berries and talking with Winona.
“Mornin’, Fluttershy!” Winona greeted. “How are ya?”
“I’m fine,” said Fluttershy. “Owloysius hasn’t been by, has he?”
Winona turned to Tank, but the tortoise shook his head. “Sorry, Fluttershy,” he said. “It seems Owloysius’s tireless research has yet to yield any further results about that mushroom.”
“I thought that might happen,” said Fluttershy. “He did seem pretty sure.”
“Don’t give up yet,” Tank said. “It’s six in the morning. You’ve got eighteen hours until that transformation is permanent.”
“I suppose,” said Fluttershy. “But I’m actually not worried about that now. I’ve decided something more important needs to be done.”
“And what is that?” Tank asked.
“I’m going back to Ponyville,” Fluttershy said. “The rabbits are planning something bad today at noon. I’m not sure what it is, but I intend to try to stop it.”
“Are you completely insane?!” Winona cried. “Fluttershy, you can’t take on the rabbit mafia by yourself! They’ll rip you to pieces if you get in their way! And Angel will probably join them in doing it!”
“I don’t care,” said Fluttershy calmly. “After I talked to Tank yesterday, I realized that I’ve been looking at the way I define myself all wrong. Just because I’m a rabbit now, and just because Angel has been secretly ruining my attempts in the past, doesn’t mean that I should give up doing what I was born to do. My life isn’t made meaningless if somebunny tries to stop me from doing the good deeds I try to do; it only becomes like that if I give up in the face of hardship.”
Fluttershy puffed out her chest confidently. “Well, I am Fluttershy, caregiver to the animals!” she announced. “And today, Angel and the other rabbits are going to try to do something bad. And I need to try to defend the animals being tormented, and the ponies being stolen from, no matter the cost. Because I want to put all my energy into helping those who need me, pony or otherwise. That’s who I am.”
“Darlin’, I admire your bravery,” Winona said. “But sometimes you need to come down to earth and make sure what you’re sayin’ is even possible. There are a couple hundred rabbits down there, ready to pull off whatever sinful thing they’ve been planning, and the actions of just one little would-be hero aren’t going to stop them.”
The dog turned to the tortoise standing next to her. “Right, Mr. Director?”
Tank smiled mysteriously. “I think Fluttershy should go.”
Winona’s jaw dropped. “What? Why?!”
“Because she is right,” said Tank calmly. “Running from her duty to her friends will not make her happy. Fluttershy is the caring pony on the inside, not the little, seemingly helpless rabbit we see on the outside. Even if it’s dangerous, this is a way for her to prove that Fluttershy did not vanish just because her pony form did.”
Tank turned to Fluttershy. “It’s a long walk back to Ponyville. You’d best get going if you want to make it there in time.”
“Yes, of course,” said Fluttershy. “Thank you, Tank! You’ve been a huge help!”
Fluttershy ran back inside the tree, and Winona and Tank watched her reappear at ground level a few minutes later. She tore through the forest, making for Ponyville as fast as her legs would carry her.
Winona shook her head. “She’s going to get herself killed.”
“Now, now, Winona, don’t throw in the towel so soon,” Tank said. “I think Fluttershy may find that she’ll have at least one more ally than she is expecting when she arrives.”
Winona glanced uncertainly at Tank, before turning back and watching Fluttershy disappear into the distance. “I certainly hope you know what you’re talking about, Mr. Director. I really do…”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The clock tower in Ponyville began to chime. A few passerby took notice as the redundant ring sounded again and again. It only stopped after the bell rang twelve consecutive times.
It was noon on Tuesday.
The gathering of rabbits separated fluidly to allow their leader passage through the crowd. Calmly, Angel paced down the aisle, clambering up onto a raised mound of earth at the end and turning to face the crowd. He pushed any lingering doubts to the back of his mind again and prepared to begin his speech.
Angel glanced at the crowd. Every one of his supporters was there, including the Button brothers in the very front row, and Professor Snuggles, who was situated off to the side. He silently locked eyes with Angel for a moment, as if to say, ‘don’t screw this up.’
Angel cleared his throat. “All right, gentlemen,” he began. “Today is a very important day. As you all know, Sweet Apple Acres has been left mostly unguarded.”
The rabbits nodded eagerly.
“You also know how delicious an extra few apples can be. I don’t know about you, but I love it when the café’s stock a little cider.”
Again, hushed sounds of agreement.
“Well,” said Angel. “It just so happens that there’s a whole lot of fresh, ripe apples at Sweet Apple Acres right now, just asking to be plundered! What do you say we go and help ourselves?”
Angel smiled darkly as a cheer broke out among his soldiers. This was the approval he always received. A pep rally before a Big Job was just the thing to get him in the spirit of things.
“Then what are we waiting for?” Angel cried out, raising a fist in the air. “You’ve all been given careful instructions. We’ll outsmart their defenses and steal every last one of those tasty apples! Who’s with me?”
The cheering got louder. Angel crossed his arms in satisfaction and glanced at the Professor, who gave him an approving nod.
“Well, alright then! I can tell you’re all excited!” Angel yelled. “So, without further ado, let’s go!”
“You’re not going anywhere, Angel Bunny!” a female voice called.
The noisy crowd fell silent at once. Angel scowled.
“Alright,” he said testily. “Who’s the wise guy?”
As the crowd parted to reveal the speaker, Angel expected to see a cantankerous old squirrel, or some other animal who had gone completely off their rocker and decided to directly threaten his army. Such cases came along occasionally, and the insane rebel was usually dealt with swiftly and forcefully.
What Angel did not expect was to see a certain yellow rabbit with long pink hair standing defiantly at the back of the crowd. His jaw dropped in astonishment.
“I said you’re not going anywhere. Not if I have anything to say about it.”
It took Angel a moment to find his voice. He uttered the protestor’s name in astonishment.
“Fluttershy?”
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PROTESTORS, now? And tank is director, as predicted by all... Also: gifsforum.com/images/gif/dis%20gon%20be%20good/preview/dis%20gon%20be%20good.jpg
Also, I FINALLY GOT ONE! 1.bp.blogspot.com/-_TkbcIBMy1Y/T2Ioh3r-T_I/AAAAAAAABGA/BAJcgUhFm7c/s1600/firstpost.jpg
MOD EDIT
User was actually banned for this post
Yeah! Go Fluttershy!
721725 You do know that saying first can get you banned now right?
Awesome as always. Angel is a buckin bunny B*yay*ch and he will never change. Dont even try that.
721756 you do know I said more than first, right?
Besides, I see it all the time. Also, having an actual comment to make, which i did, tends to dissuade mods from banning. Especially considering my effort thus far that I've put into the site. I don't think I'm doing anyone harm by tacking on "first post" to the end of my comment, do you?
EDIT: besides, I think that's mostly for repeat offenders than first timers.
721781 It tends to annoy people, like, really bad, still I can't stop you if you really want to.
did.... did Fluttershy quote Shadow the Hedgehog and manage to be adorably badass while doing it?
Intentional or not, it was AWESOME!
Shit just got real!
dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Soarin_dayum.png Somehow I'm expecting a mass-Stare and an epic fight 'Shy & Angel vs bunnies(maybe joined by other animals later on)
I'm still reading the chapter and I can't help but hear Tank sounding like Morgan Freeman.
721802 When did she do that?
epic bunny! Go fluttershy
Oh I hope Flutters gets the cure in time!
This is great!
Yay Tank! And more yay for 'Shy!
And Fluttershy is going to Stare them all into submission. Calling it now.
Looking forward to the final chapters.
Kick some ass Fluttershy!
721827
Holy cow, me too!
721827
I imagined him with Ben Kingley's voice.
Also, when the hummingbird asked "Are you a spy?" I read it with Dash's voice in my head.
It is ON!!!
722029 I can imagine Tank with that voice too... who is he voiced by? Morgan Freeman or Ben Kingsley???
HERE COMES SOME WIN.
Yikes. There's confidence, and then there's suicidal insanity. But Fluttershy has verbally beat down a dragon, made a cockatrice blink, and all that. So theoretically, taking on a few hundred evil rabbits just might be possible... maybe...
And if nothing else, she may get some help from Angel. Which will not go over well with Snuggles, of course. And being the mad scientist that he is, I'm sure he has some sort of diabolical plan in place for this. Hopefully Fluttershy is ready for it.
722029
Personally, I hear Tank as Laurence Fishburne ala Morpheus from The Matrix. And I cannot wait to see how this plays out.
Also, inb4 Gummy shows up with the mushroom.
Dat ending... Dis gon b gud...
Fluttershy is best pony. In case anypony was wondering.
In Fluttershy's words, Mama's gonna set them straight!
awsome
721756 Finaly! i realy disslike the first posts.
I wonder if flutter bunny can use the "stare" on all of them at once? hope she doesn't end up like derpy, I mean it works for beloved derpy but I don't know of any other ponies could live that way, she just that special.
Also I still miss jim......
i lol'd at the last part. GO FLUTTERS!
keep up the awesome work!
A W E S O M E ! ! !
(SO WAS BELLMONT:)
A W E S O M E ! ! !
(SO WAS BELLMONT:)
HOW WILL THIS END!?
Bad Ending:
"I'm sorry Fluttershy...But I can't have that. Take her away Boys."
Please don't let it be that.
zomg
I hope for the rabbits' sake that the stare works en masse. If not, well... Rabbit Mafia, meet New Fluttershy. So nice knowing you all.
According to what Tank said and my own view of the situation... Angel Bunny throws a wrench in the system, Fluttershy catches it, and uses it to beat the crap out of everything. Sound good?
So apparently I'm not the only one hearing Morgan Tankman. Why is his voice so cool?
Mortal Combat!!!!!
721827
I'm imagining Keith David's voice.
Hope there's a awesome fight scene..........BUNNY KOMBAT
Well, shoot.
S00perguy actually did get banned for that first post.
That's a shame, since he has stories here and most of his other comments were very thorough, and well appreciated.
I will miss him.
I guess the lesson here is... First posts are bad news.
Oh hey.....cliffhanger.....
Why did all the stories I follow decide to update and end in abrupt cliffhangers
723922
Writing rule #742!
Cliffhangers act as a safety net for catching reader's interest! If you make them desperate to know what will happen next, you have a much smaller chance of losing their readership in the time gap between chapters!
(No, there's no specific list of writing rules I'm referring to)
723990 oh great now I'm going to have to spend 3 hours making a list with that particular rule as number 742
Well if you have any OTHER rules that I could add to the list so I don't have to make them ALL up on my own...
shit is about to get flutterlicious up in here!
721725 There is a reason if I'm going to do something like that I use a different language than English.
723420 That's funny because my brother said the same thing.
721725 Harsh.
722990 No, the WORST ending would be if Snuggles usurps Angel's authority in his moment of weakness and bewilderment and deals with Fluttershy himself. Permanently.
"WHY!? I DIDN'T GIVE YOU PERMISSION TO DO THAT!"
"Sorry capo, somebunny needed to take charge before you ruined everything. You should thank me, I was only looking out for your best interests..."
"Fluttershy...Oh god, why..."