A Hoof In Two Worlds

by Raven Smite

Aftermath

A Hoof in Two Worlds
‘Aftermath’

He couldn’t believe it, he just couldn’t. Tory had been right there, the entire time, but he just couldn’t accept it. He kept playing the event out in his head, trying to think of something he could’ve done. No answer came to him. He thought back to her last words…

“Tory,” Fluttershy had said. “I’m glad that I spent this day…my one life…with you. I wouldn’t have had it…any other way.”

“I would’ve,” Tory muttered to himself.

After leaving the clearing, Tory had run as far away from Canterlot as fast as he could. He had no idea where he was, or where he would go. He just wanted to run away. He thought back to how the light left her eyes, and how she went limp in his hands. Tory gripped the cloth tied to his arm, the last thing he had of Fluttershy. It held her memories, and Tory refused to let it go.

The evening sun beat down on him, making him finally collapse under a nearby tree. He watched the sun fall into the horizon, and felt exhaustion tug at him. He closed his eyes, but sleep did not come to him. The scent of rose drifted around him. It reminded Tory of Fluttershy.

He opened his eyes to see the golden pegasus standing in front of him. Her golden body glittered with starlight, yet her eyes held the same love for him they had shown in life. Fluttershy walked up to him, and curled in his lap. She felt lighter than ever, and Tory smiled. Even death had not kept her away. Her spirit would walk beside him.

Tory began to stroke her hair, and soon he heard her even breathing. He felt his eyelids grow heavy, and let them shut tight. Fluttershy’s voice washed over him as he lost consciousness.

“I’ll always be with you Tory,” she said, her voice echoing in his head. “Never forget that.”

I.I.I

It was the second day after Fluttershy’s funeral. There was still no sign of Tory. Everypony and person had searched fruitlessly for him. It was as though he had simply vanished. Twilight had even asked Zecora if she had sent him back, but the zebra said no.

Back at Twilight’s library, everypony was trying to come up with a way to find Tory. No one said anything, just sat there, thinking. Twilight was rummaging through some old spell books, looking for a spell that could teleport her to someone directly, or one that revealed a person’s location.

“I hope he’s okay?” Pinkie said sadly.

“Okay?!” Rainbow Dash said loudly. “Okay?! He watched his wife die before his eyes! He held her in his arms as the life left her! Discord murdered Fluttershy in COLD BLOOD!! How can you even ask that?!”

Pinkie Pie shrank back at Rainbow’s voice. The blue pegasus sighed and apologized. She had been so frustrated with herself. Fluttershy was her best friend, and had died saving the one she loved. If she had seen it, Rainbow could’ve pushed them both out of the way in time. But it was too late for ‘ifs’.

“What’s done is done,” Twilight said. “Now we have to get Tory back before he hurts himself. I have the perfect method too.”

“What’ve you got?” Cory asked.

“It’s a tracking spell,” Twilight explained. “It’s a little complicated, but it should work. There’s only one thing, we need someone that knew Tory very closely.”

“I could do it,” Cory said raising his hand. “Or Grace could.”

“I’ve tried with Grace already,” Twilight said with a sigh. “Her emotions are too divided for the spell to work properly.”

“That’s cause she’s spendin’ so much time with Big Macintosh!” Applejack said, speaking up for the first time. “I’ve seen the two of them together since the whole incident began.”

“Grace and Big Macintosh?” Cory said with a laugh. “I never thought I’d see the day!”

“Come on you two,” Twilight said.”We need to get serious! Cory, you’re going to help us find Tory. We have to hurry. Any second now, he could be getting closer to doing something insane.”

Hey now,” Cory said, getting serious. “Tory is many things, but not insane. Yeah, he let his emotions get the better of him, but I’d probably do the same thing! Anyways, he wouldn’t do anything drastic, like suicide. That would be an insult to Fluttershy, and he knows it.”

“I guess…” Twilight said. “But we should still get moving. It’s better for us to be with him now than to let him wallow in misery alone. We’ve got to support him, even if he doesn’t want us to!”

Everypony and Cory gave a cheer and ran out of the room. All except for Rainbow. She picked her self off the floor and dragged her feet towards the group. She knew that something was wrong, she just KNEW it!

Rainbow wasn’t sure why, but she felt hollow inside. She’d been feeling like that ever since her last conversation with Fluttershy. They had fought, and Fluttershy said she would die before she let anyone hurt Tory. If only she knew that the next day, she would prove herself.

“Why does this keep happening to me?” Rainbow Dash said with a sigh. “Why do they all leave?”

I.I.I

“Okay, so the spell is actually kind of simple,” Twilight said. “It’s just the requirement that is complicated.”

After leaving the library, the group had activated the spell, and traveled Northeast. It was their second day out, and they hadn’t even come close to Tory. Twilight Sparkle was running herself ragged, keeping the spell up all day. Right now, she was teaching it to Rarity, who seemed willing to learn.

Rainbow looked on as the white unicorn tried the spell out, and failed. She sighed once, and walked away. Night was falling, and everypony was settling down for the night. All of the remaining Elements of Harmony and Cory had left on this trip, leaving behind Grace and Macintosh. Applejack said they’d be useless unless they could put the work in. Obvioulsy Macintosh could, but Grace couldn’t. She had to stay behind, so the red earth pony had stayed behind as well.

Rainbow felt the hole inside her grow deeper as she thought about it. Earlier this morning, she thought maybe what she was feeling was envy. It made sense to her. She had no one to call her own. Everyone seemed to have a special person besides her.

Twilight was becoming close friends with Cory, everypony could see that. Rarity was still cooing over that prick of a cousin Celestia had, Applejack was getting close with another shopkeeper that always set up near her, even Pinkie was finding love! She was starting to go out with a pony that had confessed to her recently. Rainbow was the only pony that didn’t have ‘that special somepony’ as Tory called it.

“I’ve just got to go out and talk with ponies huh?” Rainbow asked herself.

“Rainbow, are you okay,” Applejack said, coming up to her. “You look awfully out o’ it.”

“It’s…nothing.’ Rainbow lied.

“You can tell me,” Applejack insisted. “I know when you got a problem.”

“You wouldn’t understand.”

“Oh? Just try me,” the orange pony challenged.

Rainbow Dash sighed, and began to tell her everything. She told Applejack how empty she felt, and how she envied everyone else for finding love. The orange pony just stared at her, listening intently. When Rainbow finished, she was eerily quiet.

“Now I see what’s got ya all riled up,” Applejack said calmly. “You know, you’re already in love Rainbow. You just don’t see who it is yet. But I see.”

“What?” Rainbow said. “But I haven’t even tried yet!”

“Don’t you remember what Tory said?” Applejack said, reminding Rainbow Dash. “He said that love can come from the most unlikely of places. I reckon yours did too.”

“But who is it?” Rainbow asked, getting impatient. “How can I love someone if I don’t know who it is?”

“The same way you can love a person you’ve only met once.” Applejack said turning away.

Rainbow Dash thought about that for a second. A person she had only met once? But just who could that be? It had to have been recently, otherwise she would’ve had these feelings for a while now. There was only one person she had met recently, and he was gone.

“No,” Rainbow said, realization dawning on her. “I’m…I’m in love with Tory?!”

I.I.I

Tory wasn’t sure where to go now. He was stuck at a fork in the path he was taking. One path led into a forest, the other led down to the sea. After carefully thinking over the possibilities, Tory took the route by the sea.

The scent of salt hit his nose, and Tory looked out over the water. The sun was starting to set, turning the water to crimson fire. He walked under a tree, and let his shoulders sag. He pulled his sword out of it’s sheathe that he made, which was adorned with his mark. Then he summoned a wodden training dummy, and proceeded to attack it.

“I have to keep practicing,” Tory said in between slashes. “I won’t let another innocent life be taken away by that moster’s claws!”

After getting warmed up, Tory made the dummy come to life, and attack him with a speed equal to his. He dodged this and that, looking for openings. He struck once, making the wooden figure flinch. That was the opening Tory was looking for, and he pressed his attack. The dummy blocked each strike to a vital, never letting Tory keep up for long.

Tory took a big leap backwards, returning his blade to it’s case. He then unsheathed the daggers he made that hung at his waist. Like the sword, they were golden with a pink hilt. He held them upside down, and dashed at the wooden dummy. It slashed at him, but he deflected the attack with one dagger, and struck a vital point with his free hand.

Kicking out with one leg, Tory tripped the dummy. He brought down both daggers into it’s back, and stood up. He was slowly getting better, he knew that. But he also knew that he was still no match for Discord. The guy seemed to be good at everything! Tory knew he would have to master every weapon he knew of to be able to fight the demon. Right now, he was focusing on one-handed bladed weapons.

Tory had gathered a good number of facts on weapons over his many years of playing video games. He knew that swords were well-rounded, so they were nice to have around. But daggers were light, and were good for getting past an enemy’s defense. Tory was beginning to build up his body with everything he was doing. The sword was his opener, and he would switch to daggers if he couldn’t break an enemy’s guard.

Later, he was going to teach himself to use a bow, since he knew that stealth was important too. He figured it wouldn’t hurt to be able to use ranged weapons either. At one point, he thought about making a gun, but then he realized that the best he could do was an old school revolver with six shots. Tory was making all of this himself, that included the ammo. That being said, assault rifles and LMG’s were out of the question. He just couldn’t make ammo that fast!

Tory was so focused on his thoughts, he didn’t even notice anything on the ground until he tripped. He looked up, and heard a gentle giggling behind him. Tory smiled, and turned to face Fluttershy.

“Aw, now why’d you do that?” Tory asked, smiling.

“Because you looked so serious,” Fluttershy said, coming over to him. “You need to lighten up Tory, enjoy the natural beauty of Equestria.”

She looked up at her husband, and kissed him on the cheek. He held her close, enjoying her presence. During the day, Fluttershy couldn’t stay with him. But the moment the sun went down she was at his side again. It hurt him so much to be restricted like this.

“Fluttershy, I’m so sorry,” he said. “I failed to protect you…”

“No you didn’t Tory,” Fluttershy ressured him. “I was the one that pushed you. I couldn’t bear to be away from you, not even for a second. I did what I had to. You protected me Tory, I was just returning the favor.”

“But now look at us,” he whispered. “Only able to meet at night, and never able to truly be together.”

“Tory please,” Fluttershy begged. “Just because things look bad doesn’t mean they really are. There is a silver lining in every dark cloud, you just have to look for it.”

Tory didn’t respond. Instead, he just kissed his wife, and put his head down. Fluttershy began to sing softly to him. It was the song he had made for her. Her voice filled Tory with sadness, but he didn’t let it show. He looked up at the stars, letting Fluttershy’s beautiful voice lull him to sleep. Once she knew he was unconscious, she curled up beside him, letting her body keep him warm.

I.I.I

“Rainbow,” Twilight said, calling the pegasus over. “Can you please fly up and check the area? Tory’s signal is getting stronger, but we can’t tell what direction.”

It was the next morning that they had reached a fork in the path. Rarity had been guiding the group until the path split. One led into a forest, the other over a hill. Rainbow Dash nodded, and jumped into the air. She soared upward, until she had a good view that went out for about a mile.

On the right path, which led over the hill, a vast blue sea greeted the group. Rainbow saw a thin black line rising into the sky, and realized that it was smoke.

“That must be him,” Rainbow said, her heart starting to beat faster. “I think I see him! He‘s over this way!”

Rainbow set out for the smoke, her friends close behind her. After last night, she’d been thinking about what Applejack said. The more Rainbow thought about it, the more it actually made sense. She wanted to see Tory so badly!

Rainbow Dash put on a burst of speed, and came upon the smoke column. She glided down to the base of it, expecting to see Tory lounging around. She was disappointed to see that the area was empty Her friends caught up with her, and checked out everything.

“It definitely looks like he was here,” Twilight said. “We must’ve just missed him.”

“But that means we’re getting close!” Pinkie said happily. “We’ve almost got him, yay!”

“Then what’re we waiting for?” Rainbow said impatiently. “Which way did he go?”

“By the looks of these tracks,” Cory said, pointing towards the rising sun. “I’d bet he went down that side of the beach. But the weird part is, there is another pair of tracks here. And these are definitely pony.”

Sure enough, there were pony tracks going right beside Tory’s shoe marks. Everypony looked at each other, all except Rainbow. Without warning, she dashed ahead, keeping an eye on the trail.She was aware of Twilight calling her back, but she didn’t stop. Instead, she looked back to see Applejack talking with her. She sent her friend a silent thanks, and continued along.

As Rainbow Dash kept going, she noticed the tracks got deeper and deeper, which meant they were more fresh. She looked up, and saw a dark figure moving away from her. Rainbow felt her hooves tingle, and put on another burst of speed.

The sun was now well into the sky, making Rainbow exhausted quicker. Her wings grew heavy, and her eyes began to droop. She hadn’t slept a wink last night, her thoughts had kept her awake. Now, when she needed the energy, it left her.

The figure in the distance was getting closer, and quick. But Rainbow couldn’t keep going. Without meaning to, she veered towards the water, and her wings fell to her sides. She crashed into the water, and began to drown…

I.I.I

Tory was getting weaker, and considerably fast. There wasn’t a tree in sight, and he’d been walking since dawn. Fluttershy had gone part of the way with him, but now she was somewhere else, watching him.

Tory heard a splash behind him, and turned to see a pony in the water. She was struggling, and it looked like she didn’t have long to go. Without thinking, Tory dropped his gear, and dashed onto the water. He was forcing his magic into his feet, allowing him to hover over the water.

As he neared the drowning pony, Tory recognized her as Rainbow Dash. He moved his legs as fast as they would go, and came up to the pegasus. He grabbed one of her hooves, and hauled her out. She was barely breathing, and Tory knew she had inhaled some of the water.

Getting her back to land, Tory summoned a cabana. He placed her down in the shade, and checked her vitals. She wasn’t breathing now! Tory inhaled deeply, and opened Rainbow’s mouth. He breathed into her, praying that she wouldn’t die.

“By Celestia! Not her too!”

After a minute of CPR, Rainbow Dash coughed up some water. She inhaled sharply, and sat up. She looked around, but stopped when she saw Tory.

“T-Tory?” Rainbow coughed out. “Is that you? *Cough* I’m not dreaming am I?”

“No, you’re wide awake. At least, you should be after nearly drowning.” he said. “What are you doing all the way out here?”

“Looking for you,” Rainbow said, getting her breath back. “You can’t just leave like that! What if Discord had attacked you?!”

Tory didn’t look at her, and Rainbow felt her anger rise. She was glad he saved her, but did he have to be so distant? She let her anger fall slowly, and sat down.

“Look,” she said calmly. “We miss Fluttershy too, all of us! But it’s over now. I know you loved her, and it might still be too soon, but you have to move on! There are still people that care about you…”

“I can’t,” Tory said getting up. “I refuse to get close to anyone ever again! No matter what I do, they all leave me! My first friend ever, my longest friend a few years later, my aunt…now Fluttershy. If I get too close to someone, they either end up leaving me or dying!”

Rainbow saw his fists clenched so tight, his nails were drawing blood. Tears fell down his face, but he didn’t notice. Rainbow knew just how he felt. The reason she acted so cocky was to keep others from getting close to her, that way she wouldn’t lose another soul.

Rainbow Dash got up, and flew over to Tory. She put her arms around his neck, and rested her head on the back of his. He tensed up, but he didn’t move. He didn’t say anything either, just stood there.

“I know how you feel Tory,” she said. “I really do. It happens so often to me, I often force people to stay away. But no matter how distant I keep them, everypony still goes away. I always thought it was better to let them hate me, to let them think I was a jerk. Anything was better than them vanishing! But Fluttershy taught me something…She taught me how to care again. If not for her, I might not have fallen in love.”

“You, in love?” Tory asked, his voice betraying his curiosity. “Pray tell, who is the lucky fella?”

Rainbow reached across his shoulder, and kissed him lightly on the cheek. Tory tensed up even more, and Rainbow giggled. It amazed her how innocent he could be sometimes. She got off his back, and flew around to face him.

“I think you know,” she said with a grin.

“R-Rainbow…” Tory stammered. “I….I-”

“Found them!” came a high pitched voice from the opening.

Both of them turned to see Pinkie Pie bouncing in the doorway. She was looking at them with a curious smile on her face. From what she saw, the two were blushing. She couldn’t make sense of it, but then she couldn’t make sense of many things. She forgot about it as the rest of the group ran up to them.

“Rainbow Dash, Tory! Oh I’m so glad we managed to catch up!” Rarity said as she saw them.

“It took us a bit longer, but we finally got the group back t’gether.” Applejack said, giving Rainbow Dash a knowing look.

“All of you…came to find me?” Tory asked, looking at each of them in turn.

“Well duh!” Cory said, smacking Tory on the back of the head. “You didn’t think we’d let you ditch us too, did you?”

“Honestly? Yes, for a while I did.”

Everyone laughed at that. Tory had to admit, it felt great to laugh again. He looked out the cabana, and saw the sun was setting. This was the last day he would ever spend alone.

“Tory, where did you think you were going anyway?” Twilight asked him.

“…Out to find Discord,” Tory said, getting serious. “He’s due one ass whipping! I won’t stop until I see his head on a silver platter!”

“Dude, Tory,” Cory said. “Don’t you remember what Yoda says? ‘Anger leads to hate, hate leads to revenge, and that leads to the Dark Side.’ Do you really think that killing him will bring Fluttershy back?”

“I know it won’t!” Tory spat. “But he’s going to die! Every second that he stays in Equestria, another life could be lost! This isn’t just some vengeful suicide mission, this is actual war! I’m the only one that can defeat him!”

“Tory,” Applejack snapped. “Haven’t you learned anything? If you try to do everything yourself, you’re just gonna end up worse than where you started. You can’t do everythin’ alone!”

“I know,” he said. “But I can try. At least this way, I don’t have to see you guys suffer.”

“That’s it!” Rainbow said. She flew over to Tory, and punched him in the face, sending him into the sand. “You’re being selfish Tory! Fluttershy is dead, we all miss her. But that doesn’t mean that we’ll die too! It’s time you realized that! WE are going to help you, and THAT, IS, FINAL!”

Everypony and the two humans looked at Rainbow Dash in silence. Then Rarity nodded agreement, saying that she was perfectly willing to put her life on the line. Then Twilight agreed, and Applejack, followed by Pinkie.

“Fine,” Tory said, getting back up. “But it’s late, there’s no point in walking in the dark. Let’s rest here tonight, and we’ll set out first thing in the morning.”

Everyone agreed, and settled down in the warm sand. They let the sounds of the beach lull them to sleep. Tory, on the other hand, couldn’t. He was waiting for the familiar scent of rose to tell him Fluttershy was here. When nothing came, he quietly stepped out of the cabana.

He figured she wouldn’t show up in front of others. She would be to embarrassed to do something so bold. Yet even when alone, Fluttershy didn’t grace him with her presence. The thought that she might be mad at him came at him like a bull. He wondered what he had done to upset his love.

He was still deep in thought when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He looked around to see Rainbow Dash looking up at him. He smiled, and motioned for her to sit with him. Maybe Fluttershy wanted to talk with her as well? They sat in silence, one waiting for a sign, the other wishing she could think of something. Finally, Rainbow spoke up.

“The sea looks beautiful in the moonlight,” she said.

Yeah,” Tory said, actually glad to have the silence broken. “It reminds me of the beach back where I’m from.”

“Is it nice there? Where you’re from?” Rainbow asked, looking at him.

“Maybe I’ll show you one day,” Tory said. “After all of this ends.”

“I’ll look forward to it,” Rainbow replied.

They sat in silence for another minute. Tory was painfully aware of Rainbow watching him. He looked over at her, and saw something familiar in her eyes. He saw the same thing in Fluttershy’s too. It was love. But why did it have to be him? He only loved one pony, and that was Fluttershy! To love another, even if she was gone, seemed like an insult to her.

Tory wanted to turn away, to tell her that it would never work, but his head wouldn’t move, and his voice wouldn’t come. He was trapped in her gaze. She leaned into him, resting her head on his arm. Tory wasn’t sure of what to do. He couldn’t just push her away! Tory was a gentleman, and to just reject her was disrespectful and just plain hateful!

“Tory, I know you can never forget about Fluttershy,” Rainbow whispered. “So I’ll wait…Forever if I must. I’ll support you, just like she did…”

“…No.” Tory said, something in his head clicking. “No you won’t. Rainbow, don’t try to be like Fluttershy. Please, just be who YOU are. If you want to support me, you should do it the way you would.”

Rainbow Dash looked up at him, a spark in her eyes. Tory couldn’t resist a smile at how beautiful she looked. The moonlight turned her multi-colored hair into different shades of white, silver, and black. Her normally red eyes were a deep silver themselves. Tory found himself drifting towards Rainbow. She reached up, and they kissed. It lasted for only a second, but that was enough to make them both blush.

“Does this mean…” Rainbow trailed off.

“I don’t see why it shouldn’t.” Tory said, knowing the rest of her question.

Rainbow layed her head down on his arm once more, and began to breathe evenly. Tory just stayed there, stroking her soft hair. He smelled roses, and looked around. Beside the cabana, Fluttershy was smiling at him. Was this the silver-lining she was talking about yesterday? She turned around, and began to fade.

“Please wait,” he whispered to her. “Does this mean that…We’re…Do you approve?”

Tory couldn’t finish his first question. He didn’t want to know the answer. It would hurt him too much. Fluttershy smiled at him again, and vanished. Her scent surrounded him, and her voice filled his head.

“Don’t worry Tory,” Fluttershy said. “This is what I wanted. You deserve to be happy. Please, don’t mourn for me any more. Take good care of her…Good-bye, my love.”

Her voice faded, and her scent disappeared. It was quickly replaced by the scent of azaleas, which drifted up from Rainbow Dash. Tory smiled. A colorful, fragrant flower, for a colorful, beautiful pony. He looked up at the stars, a single tear rolling down his face.

“Good-bye…Fluttershy.”

“Tory?” Rainbow said, waking up. “Who are you talking to?”

“..I’m just saying good-bye to someone.” Tory said, smiling at her. “Come on, lets get inside. It’s going to get cold soon.”

They walked back into the cabana, and layed down next to each other. Soon their breaths became soft and even. Neither of them noticed the orange pony that had heard the whole thing. Applejack smiled, tears rolling down her eyes.

She had heard Fluttershy’s voice, smelled the roses in the air. The pegasus just refused to leave him, even after she died. She heard Tory ask her if she approved, and the reply that Fluttershy gave. Applejack knew she shouldn’t have, but she bet that Fluttershy knew she heard.

She sniffed sadly. Fluttershy was so amazing. She was a great friend, she loved so strongly, and even in death helped her friends keep happy. Applejack had always tried to act like a big sister for everyone, helping them with their troubles, giving advice wherever it was wanted, she did it all. But Fluttershy did all of that and more!

Applejack understood why Tory couldn’t bear to let her go. Maybe he was the only one that truly understood just what they lost that day…

I.I.I

The morning came like all the others, but something about this one felt pleasant. Maybe it was because Tory was back with them, maybe it was because Rainbow Dash wasn’t brooding like she usually did. Either way, everyone was starting off the day happier.

Twilight noticed it right away. She saw how happy Rainbow looked, and how much more active Tory was. She could have sworn something happened while she was asleep. When she asked Applejack, the pony just smiled at her, and let a single tear fall.

“I don’t think you’re ready to know yet,” she said, clearing away the tear. “Hell, I think I shouldn’t know!”

This left Twilight Sparkle more confused than before. Finally she couldn’t stand it any more, and walked up to Rainbow Dash.

“Are you okay Rainbow?” she asked. “You don’t seem like yourself.”

“Heheh, noticed already huh?” Rainbow said, a large smile on her face. “You certainly catch on quick!”

Rarity was having a similar conversation with Tory at the moment. She’d asked him if he was okay, and he smiled at her and said it was a great morning to be alive. Rarity was sure he’d be feeling terrible. So why was he so energetic?

“Let’s just say I found my silver lining last night,” Tory said, he eyes brimming.

“But surely you must feel some pain still?” Rarity asked. Then she wondered if she pushed too hard there. Tory didn’t even notice.

“Hey now,” he said, the smile never leaving his face. “Who’re you calling Shirley?”

Rarity groaned at the cliché line, and walked away, her questions still unanswered. Pinkie just laughed at Tory’s comedic attitude. She liked it when her friends were so playful, instead of serious.

After finishing breakfast, Tory dismissed the cabana, and they all walked along the beach. Cory hung back with Twilight, talking about what might have changed Tory so much. Pinkie Pie and Applejack were whispering to each other, and Rainbow Dash was flying circles around Tory, making him laugh.

“I wonder if you’ll ever get to see Cloudsdale,” she was saying. “ The view from up there is amazing this time of year.”

“How about you show me when we get back to Ponyville?” Tory suggested.

“But how’re you gonna stand on the clouds?” Rainbow asked.

“…Well, I know this might be cheating,” Tory said. “But it’s for a good cause.”

Before Rainbow could ask what he meant, Tory spun in a 360* circle, and a sound of ripping fabric was heard. At the sound, Rarity almost fainted, it was the most horrible sound in her opinion. Tory grunted once, and held still. Two large, silver, angelic wings appeared behind him.

Everypony gasped as they saw them spread out, and Tory took off into the sky. He performed a few backflips and barrel rolls for his audience, taking the time to show his speed too. Rainbow Dash was probably the most amazed of them all. The agility and beauty of those wings took her breath away. And she had to admit, silver looked good on Tory.

As he landed, Tory allowed himself the pleasure of sweeping Rainbow into his arms, and kissing her gently on the forehead. She blushed madly, and squirmed in his arms. The others didn’t see this though, as the wings blocked their views.

“How did you…” Twilight began.

“Discord’s magic can do many things,” Tory said with a shrug. “These babies are just the tip of the iceberg!”

“But they look amazing” Rainbow said still in his arms.

Applejack and Pinkie Pie exchanged amused glances. It was obvious from the way they looked at each other, and how different they had been this morning, that the two had shared a special moment last night. Applejack hadn’t said a thing to anyone about what happened, but Pinkie had seen it right away. She didn’t tell anyone other than Applejack because she didn’t want to ruin how perfect the mood was.

“Think I can get into Cloudsdale now?” Tory asked her.

This got everyone laughing again. Rainbow jumped out of Tory’s arms, and lightly cuffed him on the shoulder. He pretend fell back into the water, and splashed everyone with the wave that followed. Rainbow was the only one to escape dry, and she laughed harder than every other pony there.

“Tory! Hahahaha!” Rainbow laughed, gasping for air.

It had taken everyone a few minutes to dry off, as walking long distances while wet never did any good on the body. When they finally felt dry enough to move, they all kept a small distance away from Tory. Rainbow landed on his head, and used her wings to cover them from the sunlight.

“So I’ve been wondering,” Rainbow said when they were out of earshot. “What do you intend to do when all of this is over?”

“You have to ask?” Tory said jokingly. “I intend to settle down with a certain blue pegasus, maybe start working a weather job…You know, the finer things in life.”

Rainbow blushed at the first part. She liked the sound of it. She was sure that things would work out this time! Tory would never leave her, and Discord couldn’t kill her without trying to kill Tory. The two of them could take down the demon easy, Rainbow was that certain about things.

“Any chance you might want to stay with this loser?” Tory asked, breaking into her thoughts.

“Oh? And why do you think you’re a loser? What I saw earlier didn’t seem like that.”

“Well, that was just me showing off.” Tory replied. “I don’t know if I’m actually good at flying. It was mostly magic earlier.”

“It still looked good,” Rainbow said, looking down at him.

“Heheh, not as good as you though,” Tory said, blushing lightly. “Your hair is so different from the other ponies. It has this flair about it, but at the same time, it still holds this inner beauty. It compliments your body quite nicely.”

“Quit it,” Rainbow said, trying not to blush. “You’re gonna make me go red with all the blushing I’ve been doing.”

Tory laughed so hard, he started to scare his friends. Tears rolled down his face, but these were tears of joy instead of the pained ones. He reached up, and plucked Rainbow off his head. He held her closely, and kissed her softly. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and returned the kiss. She now understood what Fluttershy meant about actual love.

“Hey Tory,” Applejack called out. “I think I can see Ponyville up ahead!”

Sure enough, the small town that everypony called home was within view. It was maybe a ten minute walk for the others. Tory looked at Rainbow Dash, an excited look in his eyes. She knew from that look just what he was thinking. She nodded, her eyes lighting up at the idea. They had no intention of walking to town.

“Later guys,” Tory said, kicking off the ground. “I’m gonna race Rainbow back to town!”

Before anyone could say anything, the two flyers were gone. Rainbow took the early lead, but Tory was able to build up more speed, so he caught up with her easily. They weaved from cloud to cloud, trying to keep an eye on the other. They came within a short distance of Ponyville, and Tory pulled back just a little. It wasn’t that noticeable, just enough to make one think he was tiring.

Rainbow Dash landed at the fountain first, giving a victory shout before turning to Tory. She laughed as he landed awkwardly, and ran over to hug him. Tory didn’t feel comfortable though, as all of the other ponies were staring at him with hostile eyes. He took a step back, but found his way barred by some earth ponies.

“Just what is HE doing here?” One pony called out.

“He isn’t welcome in this town anymore!” another shouted.

“Wh-what?” Rainbow stammered. “Why? What did he do wrong?”

“It’s all his fault!” some unicorn cried. “He’s the reason Fluttershy died!”

Tory flinched at that statement. He knew he couldn’t argue with that. He was about to fly away, when he saw the sky was crowded with angry pegasi. Rainbow stared at the villagers, her hair bristling with anger. She took up a defensive position in front of Tory. She called out her challenge to every pony within earshot.

“Oh yeah/” she called out. “Well then why don’t you drive him out! Just know that you’ll have to answer to me before you can get to him though!”

“And us!” came Rarity’s voice behind them.

The crowd parted to let Tory’s friends through. They each took up positions around him, guarding every angle from the villagers. Then out of nowhere, Derpy ran up to the group, and hovered over his head. She held a fierce look in her eyes that Tory had never seen. Even she seemed to be challenging anyone to hurt Tory.

“Derpy? What are you doing?” he asked.

“Isn’t it obvious,” Twilight asked from his left. “She’s your friend, and she wants to protect you like us!”

“It doesn’t matter if there are one of you or seven!” cried out an earth pony. “He still has to pay for letting Fluttershy die!”

“What gives you the right to challenge him?!” Rainbow shouted at them. “Were you there when she died? Did you feel the pain that he felt? He held her in his arms while she died. He even begged Celestia to marry them before she passed on!”

“As if we’d believe that!” cried out the first unicorn. “If he loved her so much, why’d he let her die?!”

“He didn’t!” Rarity hissed. “He fought with every ounce of energy he had to protect her! It’s Discord’s fault! He used a dirty trick to kill her!”

“Obviously his best wasn’t good enough!” said one pegasus.

Murmurs of agreement rose from the other ponies. It hurt Tory so much right now to hear them say such things. But he knew they were right. His best hadn’t been enough. He failed to protect Fluttershy. Tory lowered his head, and clenched his fists. This had dragged on long enough.

“Rainbow…Everyone,” Tory said, just barely audible. “Let them through.”

“You can’t be serious!” Rarity cried. “They’ll kill you!”

“They have to do this,” Tory said. “Just let them. You guys are my friends, and I won’t let any of you get hurt for me. Not again!”

Tears began to fall from his eyes, but the only one to notice was Rainbow Dash. She understood how much pain he was feeling. He had seen enough blood shed for him, and it sickened him. Rainbow’s anger tipped over.

“HOW CAN YOU PONIES BE SO BLIND?!!!” Rainbow shouted. “LOOK AT HIM!! DOES THIS LOOK LIKE A MAN THAT DIDN’T CARE FOR FLUTTERSHY?!! IF HE COULD’VE REDONE THAT WHOLE EVENT, HE’D HAVE SWITCHED PLACES WITH HER RIGHT AWAY!!! HE WOULD GLADLY DIE FOR FLUTTERSHY!!!”

“Then why didn’t he?!” asked the pegasus.

“Listen,” Tory said, stepping forward. “I’m not asking you to forgive me. But every second that we waste arguing is another second that makes Discord stronger! Are you willing to let him reclaim Equestria? Let me show you something…”

Tory lifted his shirt, letting his mark shine through. Everyone gasped. They thought only ponies could get cutie marks. After putting his shirt down, he unsheathed one of his daggers. He aimed the blade at his chest, and slashed diagonally. It cut through the fabric with ease, and tore at Tory’s torso.

Blood welled out of the wound, but Tory ignored the pain. Everypony stared at him in shock. His eyes were wild with anger. He looked at each pony in turn. His voice was calm when he spoke, but it carried all the pain he ever felt.

“This is only the smallest FRACTION of pain I felt when Fluttershy died!” He said. “Every day I’ve been apart from her, I had thought of taking this dagger, and claiming my own life. You know why I didn’t? Because that would be an insult to what she did... Now I offer you the choice.” Tory held the dagger out, implying that somepony should take it. “You want to kill me? Now’s your chance! Go ahead, stab me, cut me, kill me however you want! You’d be doing me a favor!”

The ponies looked at him like he was crazy. Each of them looked into his eyes, and saw he was serious. Some backed away, others lowered their head. The truth of his words shook them. Tory took the silence as a reason to continue.

“…Well, what are you waiting for?!” He shouted. “You wanted to avenge Fluttershy didn’t you?! I’m the one that let her die… No takers? I didn’t think so! All of you understand that my death won’t bring her back. I came to accept that killing Discord wouldn’t either, but I’m still going to hunt him down! He is a bloodthirsty tyrant that MUST, BE, STOPPED!!!”

Some of the ponies nodded, the realization coming over them. They took up positions between Tory’s friends, showing their support of him. He kept the dagger out, still showing that his offer was available. The other ponies turned away, not wanting to look at him. If they did they knew they’d break down. The conviction in his eyes said everything.

Other ponies still looked unconvinced, and advanced on him. Rainbow Dash and Derpy kept the pegasi away, while everyone else turned the others away. Suddenly, Tory felt his heart pulse. His vision became blurry, and his legs gave in. He buckled, and hit the ground; the dagger skidding off to the side. He was vaguely aware of Rainbow at his side, and he smiled at her. Tory closed his eyes and lost consciousness…

I.I.I

The scent of rose drifted into Tory’s nose. He knew Fluttershy was here, otherwise he wouldn’t be smelling it. He tried to open his eyes, but they refused to move. He felt something soft beside him, and smiled. He reached over, and began to stroke the familiar pink hair that belonged to his now lost wife.

“Don’t worry Tory,” she whispered into his ear. “You’ll be fine. You have Rainbow with you now.”

“I know,” he said. “And I’m glad I have her…But Fluttershy, this seems wrong. I feel like I’m cheating on you.”

“How can it be cheating if I approve?” the golden pegasus asked. “You two need each other, so much more than I needed you. She was so lonely, and her fear of losing others kept her distant. You were lonely too, even when I was beside you.”

Tory sighed, knowing she was right. Fluttershy always had a way of telling how he felt. Yeah, he saw her every night, and yes it made him happier…but only a little. He knew that they would never be together again. That realization had hurt almost as much as her death did. To have her right beside him, but unable to fully enjoy her presence made Tory lose faith.

Then Rainbow came along, and said she loved him. The look in her eyes just proved it more. She said she was willing to wait forever, that she would do everything to support him. Tory couldn’t ignore her feelings. He had tried to keep away from others, but it seemed they flocked to him almost. He suppressed another sign, and stroked Fluttershy’s hair again.

“You’re right,” Tory admitted. “I guess I did need her. Why is it you always seem to know what we all need?”

“Call it intuition,” Fluttershy said, giggling. Tory heard her get up, and the sound of her walking away. “I’m sorry, but I have to go now. This may be the last time we ever talk again Tory. I just wanted to say that I’m glad you were there…I love you so much. Good-bye.”

“No, it’s not good-bye,” Tory said smiling. “I know you’ll always be with me. I’ll know every time I look at Rainbow, and think about how you helped us. You’ve done so much for me, things I can never begin to repay. I’ll never stop loving you Fluttershy, never.”

Tory’s vision returned for a second, and he saw his beautiful wife, smiling sadly at him. Her eyes were brimming with tears, but Tory knew they were tears of happiness. He blinked, and she was gone. He felt something press up against his chest, the pain from his wound returning, and knew it was time to go back.

As he opened his eyes, Tory felt a tear roll down his face. He blinked it away to see Rainbow Dash standing over him. She looked like she had just cried. He pulled her to him, and wrapped his arms around her, trying to comfort him. She stopped shaking, and relaxed under his gentle touch.

“Tory, are you okay?” she asked. “You weren’t breathing, you didn’t say anything. I was worried.”

“Easy now,” he said, stroking her hair with a free hand. “I’m fine now, I really am. A certain pony said she approved of a certain blue pegasus, so I’m actually better.”

“What…What do you mean?” Rainbow asked.

“Rainbow, Fluttershy came to me,” he told her. “She’s fine with me and you. In fact, she said she wanted this. Rainbow Dash, I love you.”

She gasped, as did the other ponies around them. Tory looked at each of them in turn, his eyes daring them to argue. His eyebrows raised when he noticed Celestia was standing there among them. For what purpose could she be here for?

Before Tory could collect his thoughts, Rainbow jumped on him, wrapping her hooves around his neck. She kissed him passionately, and didn’t break away until she remembered that her friends were watching. She looked at them, a blush on her face, and backed off of Tory. He kind of wished she hadn’t.

“Well it took you long enough Rainbow!” Pinkie said, bouncing up to her friend. “I thought you’d NEVER fall in love!”

“Quite,” Rarity said coming up, a gleam in her eyes. “No wonder you two were acting so differently this morning.”

“And all it took was the o.k from Fluttershy?” Twilight asked, joining them. “But Tory, don’t you think it’s too soon?”

“Aw, leave ‘em be Twilight!” Applejack called, a smile on her face. “Why ruin a perfectly good moment?”

Everyone laughed. The mood had lightened up considerably now. Tory looked from one pony to another, seeing the humor in their eyes. He turned back to Rainbow, and pulled her into him. He ran his hands through her hair, listening to her squeal in delight. Tory couldn’t resist her anymore, and kissed her.

But, I’ve still got a question,” Tory said as he finished. He turned to Celestia, a curious look on his face. “Just what might you be doing here Princess?”

“I happened to be in town today” she explained. “When I heard the commotion, I ran over.”

“Just what happened while I was out?” Tory asked, looking at Rainbow.

I.I.I Flashback I.I.I

Rainbow Dash was scared out of her mind. Tory just cut himself, and held the dagger out for anypony to take. He was telling them about why he didn’t kill himself, and how if they truly had the guts to go through with it, they should just kill him on the spot. She had almost cried when he said this. The look in his eyes had been so fierce, so distraught, that she could hardly believe it was the same Tory she held feelings for.

Then some of the ponies gave in, and forgot their hate. They knew he was making sense when he said that his death wouldn’t avenge Fluttershy, and that their common enemy was Discord. Rainbow was about to hug Tory when he collapsed on the ground. That was when all hell broke loose.

Rainbow Dash abandoned her spot in the sky, and rushed down to help him. She called out his name, but he didn’t respond. His eyes were clouded over, and she saw he wasn’t breathing. Then she heard one of the ponies scream.

Looking up, Rainbow saw that an earth pony that still hated Tory had picked up his knife. He had tried to rush past the front line, but Rarity had stopped him by grabbing him with her magic. Another pony took the knife from him, and continued through. Rainbow pulled herself together, and charged at that one, knocking them into the air with a swift punch. She accidentally cut her face on the blade as she did so. The knife was yanked from them by a passing pegasus, who made a beeline for Tory. Derpy had intercepted, showing a brute strength none had ever seen before.

Rainbow just backed up to Tory, begging him to wake up. She knew he wouldn’t die, but the longer he was out, the more danger he was in. She had considered lifting him up and flying out of there, but with the skies so crowded with pissed pegasi, odds of getting him away safely were slim.

Then Celestia came out of nowhere, her wings sending gales upon the fighting ponies. Everyone stopped what they were doing as she landed. The alicorn looked at all of the attackers, her glare making them flinch.

“How dare you!” Celestia said, her voice filled with anger. “You don’t know what this boy has gone through. He’s had the misfortune of being hated for so long, of being used by Discord, and losing the only one to ever love him! What gives you the right to say he must die?!”

Rainbow sighed in relief as she felt the battle die down. She was worried that nothing would stop those ponies from claiming Tory’s life. It was just a stroke of luck that Celestia made an appearance now of all times.

“Can any of you say you’ve suffered as much as Tory has?” Celestia challenged. “Were any of you ever rejected, spurned by everypony, and hated for being who you were? Have you ever felt the pain of watching your loved ones die in your arms?! I should think not! Let me show you what happened that day, when Discord returned.”

Rainbow saw Celestia’s horn glow bright, and everypony’s vision changed. what they saw now was the maze behind the castle. They were seeing what Celestia saw that day! Everypony watched in silence as they saw Tory rise into the air, struggling. They heard the malicious laughter of Discord, and saw him break free from the statue. Rainbow was horrified as she saw this. She had not been there in the beginning.

She saw her friends get defeated one by one, until Luna came in with Pinkie and Rainbow. She watched as she saw herself attack Discord, and was promptly turned to stone. Everypony felt a shudder go down their spine as they watched. It was terrifying for them, when they had never seen real trouble. They saw Fluttershy carried into the air, and heard her cry out for Tory. They saw him break free of Discord’s grasp, and smash the demon to the ground.

The memory continued to play out, as they saw Tory fight Discord with a ferocity that had never been seen by anypony in existence. It amazed them at how much one being could do when pushed so far. They saw him deal a potentially fatal blow to the demon, and heard the agonizing scream that erupted from it’s body.

Then they saw how Discord had taken Tory’s sword and attempted to kill him with it, hitting Fluttershy instead. Everypony watched in silence as they saw her die. Rainbow couldn’t suppress the tears at seeing everything again. It hurt so much the first time, why should she have to relive it again? She watched in silence as Tory called Celestia over, and made her perform the wedding ceremony.

It tugged at everypony’s heart when they saw him kiss Fluttershy, and how he sang to her as she died. They all wailed when Tory did. How could they have thought so badly of someone who grieved so strongly for Fluttershy? Many of the attackers began to kick themselves after seeing this. But the memory wasn’t over yet. They heard him beg for Celestia about a spell, heard him cry out his challenge to the sky, and saw him storm off.

As the memory ended, all of the ponies lowered their heads. They couldn’t believe what they had just saw. Rainbow was still crying as it ended, as were the other ponies that had been there. Celestia turned away, her own tears clouding her vision. Some of the ponies that attacked turned around and left, their hate forgotten after seeing just what really happened.

Rainbow Dash walked slowly over to Tory, and flopped down beside him. After seeing everything again, she just couldn’t control herself anymore. She shed a couple more tears before putting her head on Tory’s chest. He felt warm, and it comforted her to know that he was still fine. There was a weak scent of roses around him, which confused her.

Then Rainbow heard a groan come from Tory, and she got up. She saw a tear roll down his face, and smiled when he pulled her into a hug. She knew that she had made the right choice when it came to love…

I.I.I End Flashback I.I.I

“All that happened while I was unconscious?” Tory asked.

“Yeah,” Rainbow said.

After Tory woke up, many of the ponies apologized to him for their actions. He forgave them, naturally, which made them feel even worse. He forgave them like that, when they had tried to kill him? Now he was sitting there with his friends, listening to Rainbow Dash tell him what went on. They clustered around him protectively, as though another pony could attack any second now.

“That explains how you got that slash on your beautiful face,” Tory said.

“It’s just a flesh wound,” Rainbow said, blushing.

Tory put his hands on her face, and she felt a tingling sensation run throughout her. He smiled as he pulled his hands away, and Rainbow felt the sting from the cut vanish. She reached up with a hoof, and found the mark was gone.

“There, good as new,” Tory said with a smile.

After all of that was done, the group and Celestia walked over to Twilight’s library. It was the only place to hold a quiet meeting. Everypony and the two humans sat down, waiting for somepony to break the silence.

“So, what’s our plan?” Twilight asked. “What do we do next?”

They all turned to Tory, which surprised him. Surely they were kidding? They all expected him to make such a large decision? He wondered what to say, thinking carefully about every pro and con that would result from each action. Celestia cleared her throat, and Tory was grateful that she had something to say.

“If I may,” Celestia began, “I found out something that might interest you all, especially you Tory.”

“What’s up?” Tory asked plainly. She wasn’t acting as a princess right now. She was just another pony at the moment.

“I discovered a secret about the Everfree castle. I’m sure you remember, where the Elements were recovered?” Celestia asked. After they all nodded, she continued. “Well, it turns out there is a hidden level underneath it.”

“What does that have to do with anything?” Rainbow asked beside Tory.

“The hidden level is known as the Cloister of Love. I searched some of the royal library’s oldest books about it, and discovered something fascinating.” Celestia told them. “Apparently, anyone who make it down to the end is granted any wish that their heart desires…Tory, if you wanted to, you could wish Fluttershy back to life.”

Tory’s eyes flashed with excitement, but only for a second. He looked at all of his friends, his expression unreadable. He shook his head.

“No,” Tory said.

“What?!” Rarity burst out. She was so sure that Tory would be elated to bring Fluttershy back. “But Tory, why not? You were so miserable without her!”

“I know,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean I should bring her back to life. If I did, she could just as easily die again. I’ve gone through that pain once, and I never want to experience it again. Besides, I’m with Rainbow here. If Fluttershy was brought back, I’d have to choose between them. How could I do that to the most beautiful ponies in my life?”

Everypony knew he was right. They didn’t say it out loud, but they agreed with him. Tory looked so hurt, knowing that he had the chance to bring her back, but couldn’t take it. Rainbow also looked in pain, but there was something different in her eyes. It wasn’t one of triumph, or one of gratitude. It was the look of someone in deep thought.

“Listen, I’m grateful for the opportunity to bring back Fluttershy, I really am.” Tory said solemnly. “But I can’t do it. I’ve already come to terms with her death…I’m sorry everyone, I am. I know how much you wanted to bring her back too. But I’m not going to do this.”

With that, Tory left the room. Silence gripped the remaining ponies like ice. Each one of them wanted to bring Fluttershy back, but they wanted to respect his wishes. Finally, Rainbow Dash spoke up, confidence in her voice.

“I say we should bring her back anyways!” Rainbow said, getting up. “As much as he says he doesn’t want to do this, we all know he does. Let’s just go to the ruins and bring Fluttershy back ourselves!”

“I’m afraid we can’t,” Celestia said, shaking her head. “The doors to the Cloister will only open for someone that is truly in love. Tory was the only one that could open them.”

The meeting was called to a close, and they all went their separate ways. Rainbow tried to find Tory, but it seemed as though he completely disappeared. Her eyes clouded with tears as she thought of how much pain he must be feeling right now.

“Celestia said that only someone truly in love could open the doors.” Rainbow thought to herself. “If Tory won’t do it, then I will! He may be willing to go on, but I won’t if I know he can’t truly be happy! I said I’d support him, and that is just what I’m gonna do! I’ll get Fluttershy back, and they can be happy again! I don’t care if Tory picks her over me, so long as he’s happy again!”

Rainbow smiled at the plan. She would leave at dawn, and make the journey herself. No one would notice if she was gone for maybe a few hours. And wouldn’t Tory be so surprised to see Fluttershy again? He’d hold her close again, stroke her hair like he used to, and finally smile like he always did by her side. Rainbow let a tear fall at the thought. She knew what she was about to give up, but she knew without a doubt that she had to do this.

Rainbow Dash flew back to her place to find Tory waiting on a soft cloud. He motioned for her to lie down beside him, and she did with a smile and a blush. They watched the sun set, and listened to the sound of the breeze. It made Rainbow Dash drowsy, but she kept her head up. She looked into Tory’s eyes, and kissed him gently.

Tory watched her fall asleep. He listened to her soft breathing, and saw her smile while she was lost in her dreams. He wondered what she was dreaming. Tory felt so different around her than he did around Fluttershy. Rainbow had this passionate flair about her that made him feel confident in whatever he did.

She sighed in her sleep, and Tory smiled. He wished he could spend forever like this, just watching her so peacefully. He treasured every second he had with her, knowing that it could be their last. He never let his eyes close, he didn’t let the exhaustion claim him. Tory knew that even the best dreams he could have, even if they were of her, were nothing compared to the real thing.

He slowly snuggled up next to her, and felt Rainbow’s heart beating. It sped up continuously, and Tory wondered just what she was dreaming. A blush was seen on her face, but only barely. He wondered if she was dreaming of him. He leaned down, and kissed her gently between the eyes. She squirmed a bit, but she didn’t wake.

“Thank Celestia I have her,” Tory thought. “I just want to be with Rainbow, now and forever. I don’t want to miss a single thing while I’m with her. Not a smile, not a kiss! I just want to stay by her, and feel her beside me, forever.”

Tory looked up at the stars, and smiled. A single tear fell down his face, but it was one of happiness. The sound of Rainbow’s breathing and the breeze finally lulled him to sleep. He dreamt that he was flying beside her, soaring across all of Equestria. It was the first happy dream he’d enjoyed since the battle…

I.I.I

Cory was content. Things were going smoothly for everypony and the humans they called friends. Tory was with Rainbow Dash, he was getting closer to Twilight with every second, and even Grace was becoming close to Big Macintosh. Even though they all knew there would be hard trials ahead of them, they were happy enjoying the moment’s reprieve.

Cory heard flapping behind him, and saw Tory rushing towards him. The look on his face was not a good one, and Cory tensed up. What had happened now to get him so worked up?

“Tory, what wrong?” he asked his friend.

“I can’t find her anywhere Cory!” Tory said, his voice breaking. “I’ve searched all of her usual spots, asked everypony she knew, but I can’t find her!”

“What are you talking about dude?”

“She’s gone,” Tory said, tears falling down his eyes. “Rainbow Dash is gone!”

[centerI.I.I Author’s Note I.I.I

You didn’t think I’d keep Fluttershy gone forever did you?! Please tell me you didn’t! I was killing myself writing that last chapter! Of course I’m gonna bring her back at the first chance it makes sense. The only reason I didn’t do it this chapter was because I wanted to see what I could make when they were so wrapped up in her death. Anyways, don’t think I haven’t chosen who I’m sticking with, you’ll see when I post it.

And for those that are curious about how long things have taken, let me tell you.Chp1) One day, Chp2) Three Days (two in the human world), Chp3) Three Days (four in Equestria), Chp4) One Day, Chp5) One Day, Chp6) A Week and one morning. That evens out to the story taking Two weeks and four days, not including the last morning.

Anyways, how do you think I’m doing? Are you enjoying the story, beside Fluttershy’s death? Please let me know what you think, I like it when ya’ll tell me how I can improve my stories! Tell me what you liked and what you hated please.

Oh, and if you’re looking for that song from Chp5 you won’t find it. That is my own personal song and I claim all rights to it, besides the fact that it’s about Fluttershy. I’m thinking about making a song for the other ponies, but I’m not sure what genre to make it for Rarity and Twilight. Let me know what you’re interested in for that.

Comments

[High_Wind]

forum.paticik.com/thumbnails/70f/0cc/edc/4e7/fdf/b0a/7ec/0a0/a66/b15/96_450xNULL.jpg

[clearshot01]

Somehow I knew she'd be back. She's like the terminator, sort of.

[Azure Flame]

Pfft, Fluttershy can't die: SHE IS ONE OF THE ELEMENTS OF HARMONY AFTER ALL!!!

[shadowless_night]

i almost dont want to read the next chapter, knowing it would damage this beautiful moment were he finaly let go of his grief......

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[Berzerker_Mohawk]

With all the comments voicing the same thing, I doubt I can full express how wonderful this story was. ~yay
the Best part (plot wise) is the ghost of Fluttershy staying with him, his only tie to mortality until Rainbow Dash filled the void.
There's more that should be said but I can't think of it for the moment.

[Midnight Blues]

seriously you killed Fluttershy and didn't bring her back. WTF!!! This is your story why did did you murder Fluttershy. A pointless death.