Path of Kindness and Blood

by CommanderX5

New Home - Arrival

Path of Kindness and Blood

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Chapter 1

New Home
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Part 1 - Arrival

The houses became larger and more visible as Dash and Fluttershy got closer with each passing second, when suddenly, a familiar mare caught their attention.

Dash waved her forehoof at the incoming pegasus, when suddenly her heart skipped a bit and her reflexes kicked in. She immediately flew towards Fluttershy, and pulled her out of the way as Ditzy passed by and crashed into the ground.

Both Dash and Fluttershy bit their lips and closed their eyes tightly as multiple sounds of impact reached their ears, one after the other.

Fluttershy landed in front of the trail she left on the ground, while Dash flew towards the pegasus and pulled her from a pony-shaped hole in a tree.

Rainbow Dash gently placed Ditzy on the ground, who shook stars from above her head and said, “Sorry Mr. Tree...”

Ditzy looked at the damage the crash had caused, eyeing the fragments of fallen wood and the raining leaves.

“Are you okay, Derpy?” Dash asked while examining the mare for any signs of injury, noticing nothing but a few barely noticeable bruises.

“I’m fine, thanks for worrying about me,” Ditzy said as she grabbed a piece of wood between her hooves. “I damaged this tree, and nearly crashed into both of you, sorry.”

Fluttershy slowly approached and sat next to her clumsy friend, the umbrella she was holding now covering them both. “Ditzy, you may be a half-breed thestral, but it doesn't grant you immunity from the sun. You need to watch out for your health,” Fluttershy said with concern. “You should always carry an umbrella or a cape to protect yourself.”

Ditzy massaged the back of her neck and smiled awkwardly. “Well… about the cape, a wolf made of wood shredded it after I crashed into him. Poor puppy even broke his teeth trying to bite off my foreleg! Good thing he didn't need a dentist as they seemed to reform on their own.”

Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and massaged her head, wondering how much more complicated her life has became ever since Fluttershy saved her life. If she learned anything from spending more time with her, it was that while thestrals were cool and had some really awesome powers, the downsides overwhelmed the perks. The very idea of becoming a poor flier while under the sun seemed unbearable. She shook her head in an attempt to clear her mind and asked, “Shouldn’t you be unpacking with the rest of your family? What brings you here?”

“Oh, right,” Ditzy said as she poked her armored saddlebag. Dash rolled her eyes upon examining the reinforced and enhanced metal. “Mom asked me to give you guys some bits and blood packs. She also asked me to show you the fastest way to your new homes.”

Fluttershy rubbed her chin before taking out a map from her saddlebag, and pointed at the road leading to Ponyville. “According to this map, the abandoned cottage is on the edge of the Everfree Forest. The fastest way would be walking through or flying over the town.”

Ditzy shook her head. “There is a much faster route, trust me on this.”

Fluttershy gracefully descended, the tips of her hooves softly touching the grass. She took a few slow breaths and wiped the sweat from her head before focusing her attention on the ruined cottage. Planks and nails were sealing the windows, while the main door was broken off its hinges. The roof was full of holes and dirt, and claw marks covered the walls, the surrounding area a mix of mud and grass. Even the nearby trees didn’t have any leaves, giving the place a ghastly appearance

Dash landed next to Fluttershy, and released the umbrella she had been holding in her teeth the entire way, trying to provide her friend with some protection. “Faster route, heh?” Dash said as her attention focused on Derpy, who landed ahead of her with a thump, leaving a small crater on the ground. She circled her foreleg and asked, “We flew around the edge of Ponyville and rounded the entire town, how was this faster than flying above it?”

Ditzy wiped grass from her hooves and responded, “If we flew above Ponyville, a certain party planner would notice us. Trust me, it’s faster that way.”

“Party planner?” Dash asked with a hint of confusion.

“I prefer this route. The less attention I gather to myself, the better,” Fluttershy stated as she struggled to force a thankful smile. “Thank you for all you’re doing for me, Ditzy. I may have a hard time showing it, but I really appreciate it.”

Ditzy smiled warmly in return. “Aww… that’s the smile I hoped to see. I’m just happy I could do something to help. I don’t like when other ponies are sad.”

“I’m sorry…”

“Sorry? What for?” Ditzy asked.

“For not being able to face my new life with a smile as I promised,” Fluttershy said.

Ditzy’s ears dropped. “Oh…” she said while looking down at the ground. “Then I’m sorry for not being able to make you happy.”

Fluttershy shook her head. “Please, don’t be, you are trying your best to help.”

“But what if my best is not best enough?” Ditzy asked.

Dash watched the argument between the two kind-hearted thestrals. The mere look of the ruined cottage and leafless trees in the background seemed to make the atmosphere more gloomy with each passing second.

The scene sent a chill down her spine. “Derpy,” the moment both mares turned to her, she continued, “didn’t you have something you wanted to give Fluttershy?”

Derpy’s wings shot upward as realization struck her. “Oh, right!” She took off her armored saddlebag and pointed at a small switch, apparently the opening mechanism. “This saddlebag is not only enhanced and armored to endure impacts, but also has a magical cooling rune that allows it to store blood packs. It’s yours.”

Before Fluttershy could respond, Dash grabbed the saddlebag and flew into the cottage, barely holding it above the ground. After several seconds, she returned and landed in front of the other mares, wiping sweat from her forehead. “I placed it next to an old dusty bed on the second floor. I must say, it’s very messy inside, even for my standards.”

“That’s why it was so cheap, and since it was abandoned and is far from the town, it can serve as a great hiding spot,” Ditzy said. “My mom and dad told me that Mayor Mare was eager to get rid of this place, selling it for the lowest price possible in less than five minutes. They also promised to help with the renovation once we settle up and finish unpacking.” She murmured to herself quietly, “And after they recover from our welcome party.”

“What did you say?” Dash asked as she exposed her ear.

Ditzy poked her own head. “Oh, right, I get sidetracked sometimes. Bits for food and decorating materials are inside the saddlebag next to the blood packs.”

“Sounds good,” Dash responded before pointing at herself. “What about the cloud house? Is it in terrible shape as well?”

Ditzy moved her forehoof in a ‘follow me’ gesture. “It’s not as bad.” A satisfied smile spread across Dash’s lips, but it vanished upon hearing Ditzy’s next words. “It is far worse.”

“Oh come on!” Dash responded before kicking the ground in front of her hooves. She looked to the side at Fluttershy, who shook her forehoof at her dismissively.

“Go with Ditzy, I’ll be fine,” Fluttershy said, though the lack of enthusiasm in her voice did little to make her sound convincing. “I’ll explore this cottage and take a short nap. You don’t have to hold my hoof all the time.”

Rainbow Dash bit her lips. On one hoof, she didn’t like the idea of leaving her friend alone even for a moment in this abandoned cottage surrounded just by a small swamp and near that dark forest, especially considering the claw marks on the cottage and Derpy’s encounter with some sort of wolf. On the other hoof, she couldn’t just foalsit her friend forever. Being worried was one thing, but being overprotective was another. Surely leaving her for an hour wouldn’t hurt.

“If… if you say so… I will go check on the cloud house, but I’ll be back to help you clean this mess,” Dash said before smiling encouragingly. “Besides, I swore to take care of you, and I am going to keep my promise.”

“Are you going to live at Fluttershy’s?” Ditzy asked.

Dash nodded. “I sure do. Can’t leave her alone in her current state.” She puffed her chest. “I mean, I could live on my own if I wanted to, but I figure I should stay with her until she’s feeling better and her place is patched up.”

Fluttershy nodded. “Thank you.” She watched as her friends flew away while waving her forehoof. After they were distant enough, her attention switched to her surroundings.

***

In times like this, I wish I was just an earth pony. With such magic and knowledge at my disposal, I could grow plants and revitalize this ground, Fluttershy thought as she examined her surroundings.

The noise of the wind reached Fluttershy’s ears as she looked around nervously, a growing feeling of loneliness kicking in. She curled slightly as her body started to tremble, her muscles weakened as she felt the sun rays assaulting her body. She picked up the umbrella with her teeth and slowly walked towards the cottage. Her ears perked upward as her sharpened senses picked up the wind moving through loose planks, while her hooves detected the small movements of earthworms under the ground.

Step by step, she finally reached the cottage, and carefully bypassed the lying door. Her heart started to beat faster, and the silence only caused her anxiety to grow. Come on, Fluttershy, get ahold of yourself. It isn’t the first time you’ve been left alone.

She flinched upon hearing a creak, and turned to the source of the noise, noticing a loose plank on the floor. The only difference is that you’re not inside a safe and comfortable room you shared with your friend, but in an empty—she gulped—scary ruined cottage… in an alien town you never visited before… hiding from scary, mean hunters, and power-hungry thestrals… Her legs started to tremble with each step, her attention now focused on a clock on the wall, whose ticking noises echoed through the empty cottage.

Fluttershy touched a wall with a hoof and examined the amount of gathered dust before looking around. She could see damaged planks near every window and the door, broken glass from least two windows, and many marks of claws on the walls and floor. One big plant pot was laying on its side, and a small table that was lying upside down had a large hole in it. She approached the table, which was lying next to the fireplace, and examined it, her forehoof touching the broken part of the wood. It looks as if this table was used as a weapon against somepony or an animal.

Her breathing increased in speed as she approached the broken window after noticing something stuck between the sharp glass and a plank. Is that… a claw? She carefully moved her forelegs to pick it up, but still cut her forehoof on the glass. After taking a step back, she placed the claw on her wing and then licked her wound, which closed in an instant.

Sweat started to drop down Fluttershy’s forehead as she started to examine her discovery. Was this cottage abandoned in haste… because some creature… or creatures attacked it? Is this place dangerous? She took a quick look around, noticing stairs leading towards the upper floor and two broken doors that opened to the outside and to the kitchen. The cottage itself was surrounded by dead trees and some sort of swamp. It felt as if some sort of monster could emerge from the shadows and attack her at any moment.

Calm down, Fluttershy. Remember who you are. You are a pure-blooded thestral. You’ve studied the arts of dark magic, learned about summoning spells, and what would be terrifying for a common pony is but a normal occurrence to you. She stomped with determination, but the noise of cracking wood under her hoof caused her to flinch, knocking over a small table right behind her as a result, which caused several random objects to fall on the floor. Her heart skipped a beat, and her breathing increased in strength while her wings spread. Calm down… you saw blood, but you drink blood, you saw many monsters before… whatever is in this cottage is nothing compared to that.

Fluttershy’s ears perked upward as she picked up a noise outside, as if something was approaching the cottage. In haste, she approached the window, but planks blocked most of her vision. She flinched and lost her balance upon hearing a noise coming from the closed door, her eyes opened wide and her pupils shrunk as she now stared at the door, terrified of whatever was behind it.

Wait a moment, this door was broken… why is it closed now?

A loud knock echoed through the house, making Fluttershy look in panic for any sort of shelter. Dash said that there is a bed on the second floor. I can always fly there and block the stairs with it if things get rough. With a plan set in her mind and her nerves on the verge of shattering, she slowly walked towards the door, grabbing the damaged table with her forehoof.

The knock repeated itself, when suddenly a hole formed in the door as a pink hoof emerged from it. The moment this hoof retreated, the door broke off and fell to the side, revealing a pink earth pony with a puffy mane who murmured to herself, “Aww… and I just fixed it.”

Fluttershy opened her mouth, but all she could do was let out a terrified yelp as the earth pony jumped inside and grabbed her. “Hello, I have never seen you before, have I seen you before?”

“D-don’t touch me!” Fluttershy shouted as she pushed the pink forelegs away and grabbed the damaged table, taking a defensive stance.

“My name is Pinkie Pie, party planner extraordinaire,” Pinkie said while standing on her rear hooves with a puffed chest. “My Pinkie Sense told me that there were new ponies in town, and that somepony was scared and sad, and it lead me to this old abandoned cottage at the edge of the Everfree Forest, and as I galloped here, I thought: what’s a better way to cheer up a sad pony and banish all the scares away than a solid laugh and a PARTY!”

Fluttershy lost her balance the moment Pinkie Pie took out some sort of cannon and shot confetti into the air; the loud explosion was like an assault against Fluttershy’s sharpened hearing. With her nerves already on the verge of breaking, the sight of a cannon and the terrible noise overwhelmed Fluttershy to the point that something in her finally snapped. She lost consciousness.

“Awww… this is no time for sleeping, sleepyhead. There are so many ponies you have to meet and so many games for you to play,” Pinkie said as she approached the yellow pegasus, who was lying on her back with curled up legs as if playing dead. Not wasting a moment, Pinkie wiped the dust from the unconscious pony before placing her on her back and galloping outside. “Just wait until you get to the party! It may have been going on for two hours, but you will have a blast."

Author's Note:

List of editors:
ShipIsLove ShipIsLife
Soge
Secondary editors:Alticron
Word Worthy

Comments

[KingJoltik]

And Pinkie's already here to ruin things...that was fast.

Great chapter!

[DualKitsune]

Pinkie started early this time huh?

[GMZ_Casper]

Hehe, classic Derpy, keep on being your lovable self. Interesting take on how she got the cottage. Can't wait to see how this Fluttershy handle all the animals...though, to be honest, I got a good feeling it will be nearly the same, with no vampire power needed.

And same ol’ classic Pinkie…heh.

Edited: First, I posted this a little too soon. Been sick and still not at 100%, so that’s understandable. Second, however, was that this somehow found its way on the first chapter…that was not my doing, accident or otherwise. Don’t know how that happen…

C&Cs will be PM (edited: and the rest as well).

[Empty Page]

Pinkie took an unconscious Fluttershy/bat outside into the sun for a party... Probably outside!?

[Legoliam1235]

fuck'n hell pinkey!!

[Misty Spell]

6609371 Well in her defense she has no way of knowing Fluttershy's a thestral.

[M4Tiger4014]

Damnit, where's your Pinkie scenes when u need it?

[AzureShade]

There is no escape from Pinkie Pie.

[Guner]

Time Spaces And Reality Fear Pinkie Pie ohhhhh AND THE FOURTHWALL DOES AS WAIL

[draco the flamewing]

She stomped with determination

Frisk would be proud.
(also, the cottage gives me one of those "Horror Movie" feelings)

[Mythic Day]

7203962 the fourth wall whimpers in fear when pinkie comes around

[Misty Spell]

barely holding it above the ground.

Hope Fluttershy's not expected to walk around with that during the day. If athletic Rainbow Dash can barely handle the weight then sun weakened Fluttershy shouldn't have a prayer given how weakened we've seen the sun make her.