18 - Fluttershy
Ponyville, Fluttershy’s Cottage
The sun was out and the birds were chirping away as they always did on a beautiful Ponyville morning. The townsponies were going about their usual lives, Ponyville market was opening up for the day’s business as was the Museum of Friendship, a group of school children having a trip to it later that day.
But throughout it all there was one specific, and glaring difference to the town that was painfully obvious to anypony who set eyes on it. In one location, at the very outer edges of the town near the Everfree Forest something was very, very wrong.
Fluttershy’s cottage seemed eerily quiet as Princess Twilight Sparkle came in to land just by the front door. There were no animals running and frolicking about like they usually would, here the birds did not sing and all was completely still and silent. A sense of profound sadness permeated through the very air as Twilight approached the front door, and with a slightly shaking hoof she pushed it open and stepped into her friend’s humble abode.
A great many eyes homed in towards Princess Twilight as she entered the living room. A great many animals of great variety, as well as a group of ponies all gathered in the space sitting silently, looking towards the doorway leading towards where the owner’s bedroom lay.
Twilight gave a sombre nod to Fluttershy’s family and gathered animal friends. Fluttershy’s children and that of her brother as well as some of her grandchildren too all were there, and they returned the princess’ gesture as she passed them by.
Twilight moved right on past the group, moving up through the door that they all looked towards. Moving down the corridor Twilight came across the door she was seeking out, Fluttershy’s bedroom… where the dying Pegasus was waiting for her.
Fluttershy had lasted the longest, but Twilight had known her time was coming soon. Memories of the other times she had went through these exact emotions, grief and terror among other darker things, came flooding back. The last of the element bearers, of her friends, was about to die.
‘Because I couldn’t save them. I had killed them when I failed to stop Grogar. I killed them just as I killed Celestia and Starlight…’
Twilight breathed out slowly, calming herself and dispelling the dark, bubbling glow that had started to form around her horn. As she got her emotions in check, she mentally prepared herself for what she would have to do next.
Say goodbye.
After what seemed hours, the Princess garnered the courage to open the door, her lavender magic taking hold of it and swinging it slowly open.
As she did so, voices became audible from within. One was definitely Fluttershy, but another was one she hadn’t heard in a very long time.
But Twilight couldn’t be surprised at this turn of events.
Of course he would be here now, at her end.
“Don’t be sad, please?” Fluttershy asked gently.
“Oh this ‘sadness’, I’m not sure I like it much,” Discord responded quietly. “What I wouldn’t give to be that cruel overlord my old self was. I much preferred it back then.”
Despite it all, Fluttershy couldn’t help but smile. “Liar.”
“Yes… I suppose if I never had been exposed to that little infection you call friendship, I would have missed out on spending time with you, my friend,” Discord smiled back. “Time well spent.”
Fluttershy looked at him sadly. “Try to make new friends when I am gone. Please?”
Discord diverted his gaze. “Fluttershy, I don’t think-”
“Discord,” Fluttershy stated him name, a determined expression coming across her.
Discord didn’t answer for a moment, but he did eventually break the silence. “I promise.”
“Thank you.”
Discord nodded, before gesturing to the door. “Now I better not keep you all to myself, however much I wish it. I believe somepony else wishes to see you.”
Fluttershy’s gaze drifted over to Twilight, who was standing in the doorway.
“You don’t have to go, you know,” Twilight said.
“No,” Discord shook his head. “If I don’t say goodbye now, I never will be able to do so.”
That was when Fluttershy latched onto the Spirit of Chaos into an affectionate embrace. One that Discord returned in earnest.
“I’m going to miss you,” Fluttershy teared up.
“And I you, wait for me on the other side, will you?” Discord asked.
“I’ll wait for you both,” Fluttershy said to both him and Twilight. “However long it takes.”
“You truly are the embodiment of kindness,” Discord said, with the once in a lifetime sight of tears in his eyes. “Goodbye.”
Discord slowly arose from his friend’s bedside, and walked towards the Sun Princess. Their eyes met for a moment, and Twilight couldn’t help but notice the grimace and look of worry on him as he looked towards her.
“Don’t give up hope, Sparkle,” Discord said, before disappearing in a flash of light.
Silence returned, and before long Twilight found herself at Fluttershy’s bedside as Discord had just been moments earlier.
“How are you doing, Fluttershy?” Twilight asked softly.
“Comfortable,” she responded. “I’m not in any pain, if that’s what you mean. My family and animal friends are in the next room and both you and Discord came to visit. I’m happy.”
“That’s good to hear,” Twilight smiled at her. “I’m not going anywhere, I promise.”
Fluttershy nodded.
The next few minutes were spent in silence between the two friends as they just enjoyed each other’s company one last time.
“Do you remember when we first met?” Twilight eventually asked.
“How could I forget? You scared me and my bird choir…”
Twilight chuckled. “That’s the one. You wouldn’t come out of your shell until a certain baby dragon came into your view.”
Fluttershy smiled. “Yes. He visited me a week ago.”
“Yes he told me he would after coming to see me.”
“He also said that, when he left Canterlot, you were on your way to admit how you felt to Princess Luna,” Fluttershy said with a slight smirk. “Do you mind telling me how that went? You know… if you want to.”
Twilight’s smile faltered and fell away. “Fluttershy, I would rather not talk about that.”
“Oh no, what happened?” Fluttershy asked.
“Can we please not talk about her? Not now of all times,” Twilight pleaded.
Fluttershy sighed. “Alright. But you really should talk about something like that. To Spike if not me.”
“I’ll… keep that in mind.”
Fluttershy’s breathing became laboured as she looked up into the Sun Princess’ eyes.
“Please do,” she asked of her. “I don’t want to see… you… sad…”
“Fluttershy?” Twilight called out as the Pegasus closed her eyes.
Twilight cast a quick scanning spell over her friend’s still body, and found no signs of life. Fluttershy had passed away.
It had been so fast. One moment she was fine and then the next…
Twilight stared in horror at the sight, her whole body trembling as dark magic flowed through the air from her body. Dark emotions ran free, memories of all she had lost burst from the pit Twilight tried to keep them locked away in. Her pain and her hate fueled the dark that was growing rapidly within.
She shut her eyes tightly as the images of those gravestones flashed before her eyes and King Sombra’s word screamed into her ears.
Her last remaining Ponyville friend was dead.
The bearers of the Elements of Harmony were no more.
And above all, another thread snapped within the Princess’ mind. Only one remained.
And the sun grew darker still. Only a little, and it went unnoticed by almost all…
All except for Discord, and the alicorns…
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And what will it be that cuts the final cord?
last thing keep twilight sane is it herself, is it cadance, is it spike, is it discord is it someone else all togeather.....
i want to knew
7476981 considering Cadence's moping for 40 years since Shining's death and Luna's idiotic actions, I'm pretty sure its spike.
7477023 it could be discord, or i think it twilight's memories of the princess that keep her sane and that will soon be gone,
I think you meant "I'm not sure I like it much"
breathed
him
Other than those nitpicks, this was a good chapter. I really do hope this ultimately has a happy ending.
7477032 It's Spike.
I almost cried at this.
This is such a good story,but it's so sad. 
7477467 But... I actually like Starlight...
(As she is now anyway, I despise who she was with a passion)
Well, it's time.
(Grabs Twilight Empire banner)
If this ends in the words Midnight Sparkle, I will be sorely disappointed. 'Nightmare Twilight' is not Midnight Sparkle. Midnight is the unreleased desire to learn the unlearned, with the power to back it up and not a single moral constraint to prevent. This building Nightmare is hatred, and a different form.
Fortunately the early chapters, dream sequences, indicate slitted eyes, like Nightmare Moon. This may yet be something different from the cliches popping up since Friendship Games.
Enjoying it so far though.
This chapter was very sad, it kinda feels like Twi is alone in all of this. Her against the world so to speak. Its a good chapter, but it still instills the mood of the sad tag. I like it. Also no sign of Luna at the end? Guess she is in her room cause she is ashamed of what she did, and rightly so!
And Cadance have just, kinda given up.
Well..just one thing left keeping Twi from outright killing everything. I wonder what will happen that will set in motion Spike's demise. Also Twi going nightmare, she is probably gonna be dubbed "The lady of Ash" Would fit in ^^
I am eagerly awaiting more, i've seen suprisingly little pyromancy or fire related spells from Twi though suprising as that is since she got the sun bonded to her, she can't use the suns power as an offensive thing then? Would be kinda awesome if she started burning things left and right
7478847 You are my favoutire commenter on this story!
She can, how do you think Nightmare Nova will be trying to kill everypony?
The bearer of the Elements of Harmony were no more.
Shouldn't it be bearers?
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Wow twilight is going through hell right now I can't help but feel sorry for her I really can't imagine going through that
Damn... This...
What is this feeling, I haven't felt it in so long...I don't like it...
I'm not crying,honest, someone just a bowl off onions in here.
Invisible, intangible, odorless onions.... Yes, that makes perfect sense...
Eh.
Curse you Luna.