Natureshy: RotE Episode 11

by Dream Volt

Power of leadership

My friends had all hugged me. I had been confused, but there were quite a few ways Twilight could have gathered them up quickly. I wasn't really paying attention. The princesses showed up, but when they saw us, turned to each other, nodded, and teleported away again. Now I was just having nice calming tea with Twilight in her kitchen. I think Spike said something about a nap when everypony was still hugging me but I was distracted so I wasn't sure. I know Twilight made the tea herself so I don't think he was around if he wasn't asleep. Twilight smiled.

"So ready to talk yet?"

"I think so. But, now I'm not sure that…"

"Fluttershy. We're all here for you. We'd all still be here if we thought it was needed. We just agreed one on one might be better and I actually had the least to do. Dash disagreed until AJ reminded her what the weather schedule actually calls for today."

"Is it also because Dash knew you would be most likely to help me?"

Twilight blinked. "Actually Rarity said that, but didn't explain. I'm not really sure what she was talking about and she said she was busy and you should explain it anyway."

I nodded. "She's probably right. It's power Twilight. You know power."

"I thought you were dealing with that." Twilight frowned. "I mean trying to ignore it for the most part doesn't seem like a good idea but it was a way to deal with things, and it seemed to be working well enough for you."

"I don't mean magic. Honestly I sorta like it now. I mean I've got my butterflies growing the things I want most of the time, so I have to do less work and all my animals get what they really want instead of dry food. I tried to limit it as much as possible but…"

"I know Fluttershy. For some of them it just didn't seem possible." She smiled. "But even if I wasn't a big help you're liking your magic now."

I nodded. "Especially the invisibility. Well, it's more than that. It makes me more quiet and blocks smell too. The only things it doesn't effect are taste and touch."

"I still have a really hard time understanding nature magic, but I think I'm getting the idea. It's still odd it's so, instinctive."

"It's odd nature magic is instinctive?"

Twilight laughed. "Well odd to me. Obviously it makes perfect sense it just makes it very hard for me to actually learn. But I think I can get there with your help."

I smiled

"So if that isn't it then why do you think I can help?"

"Because even though we never really discussed it, you are the one that makes the really hard decisions. You decided we had to go into the Everfree to find the elements. That even though it was dangerous you couldn't just run from Nightmare moon. That we couldn’t waste time trying to get back to each other, and had to get to the center of the maze after Discord separated us."

"That wasn't exactly one of my better decisions." Twilight blushed and looked away

"Oh no, it was a perfectly sensible tactical decision, even if it was scary and didn’t work out well. Carry on to the objective, as regrouping doesn't seem worth the effort considering the situation. It was a risk, but an acceptable one."

She blinked. "I am never going to be able to let the idea you are Steelwing's daughter get purchase in my mind. Silent Sky, that made sense. They're very different in some ways, but there is a certain similar demeanor but you…"

I nodded. "Yes, I'm not much like daddy at all."

"There are some things actually, but it's still odd." Twilight shook her head and took a sip of tea. "But forget that. That is one of the hardest possible lessons to learn. It's not obvious, but even Celestia makes mistakes. One of the amazing things about her is how easily she can salvage a situation and make look like the whole thing was intended."

"Really, how often does she do that instead of just planning it all that way from the beginning?"

Twilight laughed. "I have no idea. If she hadn't explained how things actually went in terms of her plans a few times I never would have even considered she could make a real mistake. So what is the problem then?"

"How do you choose? How can you choose when you know that if you choose wrong, bad things might happen? That something might die because of you? Maybe even a pony. Maybe even your friends."

Twilight sighed. "That's easy, though not fun."

"It is?" I asked

"There is always one option for every single problem. Sometimes it's even a solution worth considering, but not often. That option is to do nothing."

"Daddy says you should always act, but, I don't think he ever said why."

"Because if you do nothing you have no control. For a general it's so obvious a non-choice it's not worth considering. Even if you don't do much, do something. Remain in control of the battlefield."

"Real life isn't a battlefield." I said

"No, but most of the time it's still a bad choice. So no matter how terrifying it is, no matter how high the stakes if you're wrong, you have to choose, because doing nothing is worse. Because there are things worth fighting for, friendship being just one of them."

"But the fey are telling me to do nothing. That I should wait. That…"

"Waiting is something. As I said even nothing is something. But there is a difference between failing to make a decision and thus having it made for you and choosing not to act. So I choose."

"But what if I'm wrong?"

She laughed. "You know this is probably how we're most alike. We both worry way too much, the main difference being that I immediately start taking action when I panic, whereas you are too terrified to act."

"I'm sorry."

She laughed again. "The doll incident is proof that my method isn't really better than yours. You remain calm, take as much time as you feel you can spare, and then make the best decision you can. That's how Celestia does it."

"You do that most of the time."

"I, guess. Not all of the time though."

"This all makes sense, but how are you not terrified? I mean…"

Twilight laughed. "Who says I'm not? Who says anyone is? She never told me specifically but I think Celestia is too. Anyone that cares about those they might lose is terrified. They just know that if they don't push through that fear, that if they let that fear rule them, things will get worse. Because nothing usually isn't the solution."

I wasn't sure what to say to that. It made sense. Daddy talked about this sort of thing a lot, even if Twilight's way of saying it made more sense to me. The burden of command. I never quite understood what he really meant until just now. I sipped my tea. I didn't even think about the fact my butterflies were flying it around where I wanted it just like Twilight levitated her cup. It was just normal. I wasn't scared of my new magic anymore. But this was different.

"I'm not that strong. Not like that. Not like daddy, or Celestia, or you, or Dash. I don't think I can…"

"Yes you can."

"But Twilight…" I began

"Fluttershy, you can. With time I've come to see how much of a struggle things can be for you, but you can. Sometimes you'll be wrong, but you're not alone. Everyone will help you, not just me and the rest of the girls, but Celestia, Luna, Cadence, and at least you can even trust Chrysalis to a degree."

"She's not that bad."

"Maybe, but I'm pretty sure things would be very different if you weren't high queen."

"I still don't think I can…"

"But you can. You can Fluttershy, I know you have trouble believing that, but you can. Just remember, we believe in you. That will never change. Remember that."

"I know what to say now."

I smiled. I did. I know what I really learned form all this and it was amazing. Then I frowned a little.

"Though, if Spike is sleeping I don’t wan to wake the poor dear."