Chapter 40 - Revelations
Night approached as the sun began to set and Canterlot remained on high alert for any threats in sight.
It had been an hour since Fluttershy's awakening and she was still feeling scared and on edge. Sadly, she hadn't bothered to move from her bed, she stayed sitting upright, lost in many thoughts. However, Princess Luna did a remarkable job of clearing fear venom that lingered in her mind thanks to Zecora. With the zebra safe, secured in Canterlot, the Cutie-Mark Crusaders offered to assist her in crafting more potions, some that could possibly put up a fight against the fear spells of their enemy.
Fluttershy looked around the room, her eyes wide and infected with disbelief. Twilight was looking disappointed in herself, Rainbow Dash and Applejack could only show looks of sadness and as for Rarity and Pinkie Pie, they averted their gaze from the Pegasus, heartbroken to tell the kind mare of last night's incident.
Her friends had informed her of The Hunter and his resentment against them and how Fright and Queen Chrysalis unleashed the denizens of Tartarus from their cages and how Ponyville how to be evacuated.
"We lost... You mean all those monsters are free and... Oh my... I'm not feeling too good." She quivered, almost losing colour from her face.
"This is a lot to take in, sugarcube, ah know," Applejack cooed. "But all the ponies from Ponyville are safe here, we're safe so there's nothin' to worry about."
"We tried everything, we would have stopped them for sure if that stupid hunter didn't get in the way," Rainbow Dash growled. "For his sake, he better hope he doesn't see us again."
Fluttershy could only hold onto her tail and whimper, frightened by the news.
"If anypony is to blame here, it should be me," Twilight confessed. "Maybe we could have stopped them if I didn't lose my temper at the last second."
"Twilight, you can't be serious," Rarity interjected. "You did everything in your power to stop those maniacs."
"We could never blame you, silly," Pinkie Pie chimed in.
"Thanks, girls, but..." The alicorn sighed. "Just seeing him there, alone and after the announcement, I wanted to make him pay for what he did."
"Fright's still gonna pay for what he's done," Rainbow Dash expressed, shaking her hooves, ready for a fight. "That goes for Chrysalis too!"
"Don't forget about those Diamond Dogs," Applejack added with a snarl. "Just thinkin' about what they're doing to our home is makin' me sick."
"I'm sure those ruffians will get what they deserve," Rarity apprized, turning back to Fluttershy with a comforting stare. "Anyhow, it really is nice to see you awake, darling."
"I'm sorry you had to wake up in the face of bad news." The Princess of Friendship apologised. "But luckily, no pony was hurt."
Trembling, Fluttershy managed to build up her voice, "If... If everypony is here, then... What about the animals? What about Angel? Please tell me they're here, please tell me they're alright."
"That's the thing, Flutters, we don't know," Rainbow Dash answered.
"What... What do you mean?" She asked worryingly.
"We're not gonna jump to conclusions." The cowgirl interjected. "While we were roundin' up everypony, it seemed like all the animals simply vanished."
"Including our pets!" Pinkie Pie fired. "Gummy would never wander off, I'm starting to suspect he was taken."
"And that might be the case, Pinkie," Twilight said, placing her attention on Fluttershy. "When Rainbow Dash searched your cottage, she found a note, but it appears to be..."
"Nonsense!" Rainbow Dash finished.
"Considering the note was left at your door, we were hoping you'd know what to make of it," Rarity assumed.
"I don't know," Fluttershy whispered, hiding behind her mane. "May I see it?"
Hit with realization, Twilight raised her head upwards a little and presented a sheepish smile, "Oh... I must have left it in the airship when we arrived here. I'll be back in a moment, girls."
Passing by her friends, before exiting, Rarity's voice reached her, "I'll come with you, darling. You might need some assistance."
Whirling her head back, Twilight smiled, "Fine by me, Rarity." She approved of the idea as the two of them left the room.
As the two ponies left in search of the cryptic note, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash remained in the room. Not long after their two friends had left Pinkie Pie's eyes detected Fluttershy's anxiety, she could see it in her eyes that she was worried about many things and she had every right to be, but with a small smile forming, the pink pony spoke with delight as she pushed herself closer to the shy mare.
"You know, Fluttershy." She began with a cheery voice. "I'm betting you must be as hungry as a manticore, no! Two manticores with how long you've been without food. Am I right?"
Before she could respond, as if on cue, her stomach growled, grumbling which caused her eyes to shy away from the pink pony.
"I suppose I could have something little to eat." She murmured.
"Oh! Oh!" Pinkie Pie bounced with delight. "I've got just the treat for you, come on, Applejack! I'm going to need your expertise with this particular recipe."
As the pink pony happily hopped her way to the room's exit, Applejack simply smiled and softly acknowledged her friend, "I'll be glad to lend ya some help, Pinkie, but let's not go overboard, am sure Fluttershy only wants somethin' little to eat." She turned to the mare, still uneasy and a little frightened. "Right, sugarcube?"
"Um, yes please," Fluttershy said, her voice remaining frail.
"You coming, Rainbow?" Pinkie Pie asked.
"I'll pass." She said, waving her hoof while forming a small smile.
"Alright then, you two just wait here, food is on the way." The pink pony smiled. "Come on, Applejack!" She screamed with glee, leaving the room with the cowgirl following her, simply producing a light chuckle and shaking her head, closing the door behind her.
Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy both watched as two more of their friends left the room.
Forming a smile, the cyan Pegasus snickered, "Heh, Pinkie Pie never changes, does she?"
Failing to match her friend's humour, Fluttershy simply shook her head and looked down at the bed she was safe on, "Never..."
Leaving the Royal Palace with Rarity by her side, Twilight continued her route to Canterlot's dock. It looked like there was a fire in the sky as the sun began to set, welcoming the night. With no surprise, the day went by fast due to the alicorn waking up late, but a lot was done today. The residents of Ponyville had a place to sleep, Zecora had been rescued and Fluttershy had finally woke up from her trance-like state.
Traversing through the city, there was surprisingly a lot of ponies out and about, some had even tried to halt Twilight, questioning her of the situation that happened last night. The alicorn was quick to answer, doing her best to gift composure to the frightened ponies that asked her about Tartarus and the changelings.
With ease, trotting through the tasteful, luxurious, secure city, Rarity's eyes were fed with beauty, but she didn't allow the sights to hinder her and Twilight's progress. She carefully stuck by her friend. While traversing through the Capital of Equestria, they were nearing their destination.
"I simply don't understand why Canterlot's docks have to be so far from the Royal Palace." She probed, a hint of exhaustion in her voice. "Although, I must admire the bay's structure against the mountain, it does look rather unique." Her eyes glimmered with fascination as she studied the mountain that rested with the city.
"We're almost there, Rarity," Twilight assured. "I sure hope that note's still in the airship. Hopefully, Holly wouldn't have moved it."
"And let's hope dear Fluttershy will know how to decipher its incoherence." The unicorn hoped with a smile, but quickly confusion wiped over her expression. "Rather peculiar that somepony would leave a note just for Fluttershy and not the rest of us, don't you think, Twilight?"
"It is strange." The alicorn agreed with perplexity plastered on her face and rattling her voice. "But what I can't seem to understand is why would somepony leave a note with ramblings on it." She arched a brow while facing the unicorn. "I'm with you on hoping Fluttershy will know what to make of this message and I can only hope that our pets are safe."
"If I may, Twilight." The unicorn continued. "I don't believe I thanked you and Rainbow Dash for helping Fluttershy. If you hadn't ventured to the Everfree Forest to help Zecora then we may have likely been stuck in the same predicament as before."
"Rainbow Dash was right," Twilight said. "Zecora's potions were the only thing that could have helped Fluttershy out of that state. I think we owe our thanks mostly to her."
With a quick look of shame washing over the alicorn, Twilight couldn't help but stammer a little as she spoke, "Hey Rarity. Just so you know, I didn't dismiss Rainbow's plan because I disapproved of the idea of helping Zecora and Fluttershy. I just... I didn't want anypony to get hurt after..."
"You don't have to explain yourself, darling," Rarity settled with a warm smile that put the princess at ease. "I know perfectly well what you meant and I think Applejack and Pinkie Pie understood as well. Even Rainbow, however, her trepidation made it hard for her to understand at first and I can see why. Needless to say, I'm pleased that our friend is safe from whatever nightmare she endured."
"I am too," Twilight happily agreed. "I'm glad we managed to wake her up, I don't want anypony spending another second in that reality ruled by fear. The faster we stop Chrysalis and Fright, the better."
"Agreed."
Finally, they had reached Canterlot's docks, there were quite a few airships stationed, all huge, hefty and armoured, but rather welcoming. As they glanced around the many airships, Rarity was caught off guard as her ears picked up the sound of Twilight lightly giggling to herself.
Trying to block her short laughter, the alicorn gazed upon the airships, feeling waves of memories pour into her mind.
Seeing her friend break out a bit of joy brought a smile to her as she spoke, "What's so amusing?"
"Oh, I'm sorry, Rarity," Twilight faded her laugh. "Just seeing all these airships here made me remember something when I was a filly."
"Oh." The unicorn smiled as she continued to calmly move along with the alicorn. "Care to share your thoughts?"
"You sure you want to listen?" Twilight asked. "I'm not sure you'd find it all that funny."
Rarity waved her hoof, dismissing the alicorn's reasoning, "Please, Twilight, hilarious or not, I'd be delighted to hear your little story."
"Well, alright."
The two did not falter or stop when walking, they continued through the docks as the Princess of Friendship recollected her memories, passing by the few airships stationed aside.
"When I was younger, when I was still in Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, I remember Shining Armour used to go crazy over airships, he found them spectacular. I mean, seriously, he'd always dream about joining the Royal Guard, but behind that dream, he always wanted to fly his own ship." The alicorn told with contentment sliding in her voice.
Twilight happily looked at the many flying crafts around her and continued, "I remember our parents got us tickets for a cruise on a zeppelin. His whole face lit up, he was ecstatic. Spike and I were elated, but it couldn't rival my brother's excitement." The alicorn tried her best to maintain her giggles, but they couldn't help but break through her sentences, closing her eyes and she tried to continue. "When the Zeppelin took off, he got airsick. I don't think I've ever seen somepony go from excited to nauseous so quickly like my brother did that day. Spike burst into tears and couldn't stop laughing, he found it hilarious and in the end, even Shining did."
Rarity lifted a hoof to her mouth as she lightly set free a small laugh much like her friend.
When the happy memory came to an end, Twilight's happy expression couldn't keep itself up any longer. With a frown, her whole face dropped upon finishing her story.
"We were all one big happy family and Spike was a part of that," Twilight said dolefully. "I don't know how I managed to let things drift apart between us. We were so close. He was the first friend I made that was technically outside my family, but my friendship with him is what made him a part of my family."
Taking notice of her sudden change in expression, Rarity softly spoke, "And he still is." She added. "There's no denying it, these past few days have been difficult, but we will find him."
"That's what I've been worried about though, Rarity." The alicorn's voice became a whisper. "What if he doesn't want to see me?" She stated, it felt agonizing to hear those words slip from her mouth.
"Whatever do you mean, darling?" Rarity asked, taken back a little by the alicorn's misery. "You're... You're not thinking about giving up, are you?" She dared to ask, looking a little horrified.
Sharing the same look of horror, Twilight winced, "What? Of course not." The alicorn's disturbed look eased a little, returning to normal. "I'm going to do everything in my power to save him from Fright and Chrysalis. With Fluttershy awake and the ponies of Ponyville safe here, we can put our attention to stopping them and rescuing Spike." She declared with valiance, however, it was quick to fade when the realisation struck her. "After that... How will I know if he even wants to come back?" She dropped her head down a little. "I'd do anything to make things right with him again, I'd do everything in my power to be the family he deserves, but look at where he is. I was his guardian, his friend and I want him to come back, but what if he doesn't want to."
With her lip quivering, she raised her head, looking directly at her friend, "What if he hates me?"
For a moment, aghast, Rarity gasped, "Twilight, Spike loves you, with all his heart, he even said you were like a family to him during..." The unicorn cringed a little upon almost bringing up the announcement, quickly halting her words. "Besides all that horror from last night, before we entered that dreaded prison, you said we'd find a way to set things right, to fix this and I believe you can."
Approaching the alicorn, Rarity rested her hoof under the princess' chin, lifting her head a little, "Together, all of us can fix this."
Pushing her frustration to the side, Twilight unlocked a sigh and released the weight of agitation pushing down on her back. Shaking her head, snapping out of her depressed state, the alicorn replied.
"You're right. We can make this right. No more doubts, no more fears. We will find him and we will fix this. Fright and Chrysalis aren't going to stop us any longer, neither is that demonic Hunter! This is for Spike!" She cheered.
"That sounds better and I'd be more than happy to help my little Spikey-Wikey in whatever way I can."
Coming to a halt, the two ponies stopped when they noticed the airship they arrived on right in front of them.
"Well, it appears that we've reached our destination," Rarity stated.
"I hope nopony's taken this note," Twilight said, entering the airship with Rarity following behind.
Vast, delicate and pearly, Applejack and Pinkie Pie trotted through the spacious hallway, taking notice to a few guards marching by, carrying on with their patrol. They even saw a few familiar faces causing the pink pony to cheerfully greet them.
Still moving along, Pinkie Pie bounced down the hallway, keeping up with Applejack. On her back, the cowgirl carefully and with ease, carried a whole pie, balancing it perfectly, showing no difficulty, almost like an acrobat in the circus.
Through the glamorous and charming corridors, the smell of apple pie had touched many of the ponies' noses, fixing up their stomachs with hunger. The scent was fresh, warm, delicious and appetizing.
"Uh, Pinkie," Applejack started. "Ah know ya being thoughtful as always, but am sure Fluttershy said she only wanted somethin' little to eat. This might be too much for her."
Unravelling a chortle from her gleeful smile, Pinkie Pie sang, "You never know, Applejack. I'm sure she can have at least two slices and the rest of our friends are probably hungry too."
In response, Applejack couldn't help but agree, "Yeah, it has been a rather long day."
"One that paid off!" Pinkie Pie cheered. "Oh, I'm just so, so, so glad that Fluttershy finally woke up, we owe a lot to Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Zecora and Princess Luna!"
"We sure do, Pinkie." The cowgirl smiled.
"When this is all over, I think I'll throw the biggest party ever! With all our friends, there will be food, games, smiles, it will rid the fear those meanies have been causing," Pinkie Pie rambled, almost losing herself in a forest of her own thoughts.
She had it pictured in her eyes, painting the scene with all of her friends, every single one and no one would be forgotten. No screams, no frightened faces, just laughs and smiles.
"Wouldn't that be fun, Applejack?" As the pink mare continued her path, she was brought to a sudden stop when she noticed the cowgirl failing to respond to her.
"Applejack?" She called out, confused, noticing that her friend was no longer by her side.
Whirling around, she looked behind her and saw the cowgirl not far behind. For a moment, Pinkie Pie studied her expression, she appeared lost in thought just like she was, but it was as if all of her emotions were missing, she looked baffled with her eyes widened a little and her mouth hung slightly open.
"You okay, Applejack?"
Snapping out of her thoughts, the cowgirl shook her head and carried on with her path towards Pinkie Pie, apologising, "Sorry about that, Pinkie. Just... Ah was just thinkin'..."
"Ooh! About what? Were you envisioning the party like me? Because I'd happily go on with my ideas," She babbled.
"Oh, not that," Applejack answered. "Not that ah don't wanna hear it, ah just want to know... How do ya do it?"
Despite not grasping what her friend meant, Pinkie's smile stayed intact as she responded, "How do I do what?"
"Well, how do you stay so positive?" The cowgirl questioned. "Whenever you're sad, ya shoot back up like a firework. Ya goin' around and spreading cheer at a time like this and it's admirable, ya showin' everypony that they can still be happy like there's nothin' to be afraid of. How do ya do it?"
"Oh..." Finally, Pinkie Pie's smile vanished as she absorbed her friend's words. "Well, really, Applejack, it may look easy, but sometimes it isn't."
"Oh, Pinkie." The cowgirl frowned, disappointed in herself. "Ah didn't mean to sound rude, if ya uncomfortable talkin' about it-"
"No, no," Pinkie Pie eased, lifting her hoof with assurance. "Applejack, it's fine. Last night was one of the worst nights I had to go through, it was horrible and I don't want anypony feeling like that, no pony should have to feel the way we did when we entered the fog and Tartarus. The way Chrysalis tormented Twilight about Spike was just cruel. No pony should have to feel the type of fear Fright's spreading. Being scared can be fun sometimes, but the way he scares people is so... Disgusting. What he did that night, I don't think I've ever been that upset before."
Continuing, Pinkie Pie lifted a smile, "I don't want to appear as ignorant or insensitive to what happened in the past, I just want to try and clear the fear and spread the cheer for a better future."
"And ah think ya doin' a great job, Pinkie," Applejack approved, swinging her foreleg into the air. "Ya very thoughtful."
The thrust of her foreleg caused the pie on her back to wobble, but promptly, she placed her leg back onto the crystal-like floor and held her position, the pie remaining still and secure. Her happy expression transformed into a nervous look when almost dropping the food, but once she had regained her balance, she relieved a sigh in comfort.
"But ya do realise ya can tell me anythin', right?" The cowgirl continued, fixing up her hat. "Ya doin' mighty fine liftin' smiles, but is there anythin' you'd like to talk about?"
Processing, Pinkie Pie pushed her lips out as her eyes hovered up to the ceiling, thinking as she began to hum, sounding like a bee flying by.
"Well, there is something on my mind." She stated while looking back down to Applejack. "Do you think there's an easy way to stop all of this?"
This time, it was Applejack's turn to process her answer, although, the question hit her with uncertainty, to be honest, it was hard to answer.
"Usually, we laugh and have fun, we show that everyone can change, to go from bad to good, all they need is a friend," Pinkie Pie's voice diminished in volume, growing quiet. "We did it with Princess Luna and Discord, even Starlight."
Struck with realisation, knowing where she was going, Applejack looked down and responded, her voice jumbled with gloom and confusion, "Oh, Pinkie... Darlin'..." She looked back, trying to smile, but it came across as unsure, letting the smirk disconnect from her face.
"Ah know what ya mean, really." She assured. "Ah know ya wanna put an end to this whole mess and ah think everypony could agree, but you askin' them to stop won't work, even if you try to befriend them."
"But if it means nopony has to get hurt, then it'd be worth it," Pinkie Pie reasoned.
"Do ya really want to be friends with Fright?" Applejack asked, tilting her head as she wore a wistful expression. "Or Chrysalis? Or the Diamond Dogs?" She quietly questioned. "That Hunter of theirs'?"
Sinking in her words, Pinkie Pie replied, "After the things Fright's done, I don't want to be his friend. Looking at it now, I don't think anypony wants to be his friend and that's his own fault. He's done so many sickening things, things that have made me mad. But if it means nopony has to get hurt..."
"Pinkie," Applejack cut off. "Ya really strong and gracious and ah do believe in redemption, but Fright's went too far and ah don't even think he wants to have friends, he just wants to scare everypony. He won't stop just because you asked him too. He needs to be put behind bars, same goes for Chrysalis."
"I know, I know." The pink pony responded. "I'm just hoping that there's an easy way to make this all better. Nopony needs to get hurt."
"And nopony will." The cowgirl assured, wrapping a foreleg around Pinkie Pie, bringing her close. "Ah understand what ya mean, ah really do. But Fright... We've seen the things he's done and he needs to pay for what he's done."
"I wouldn't want him to get away with all of this, Applejack," Pinkie Pie told as the cowgirl pulled away. "He's hurt Spike, Discord, Fluttershy, Twilight and all of us. I'm just hoping this nightmare ends soon."
"Well, with Fluttershy awake, am startin' to think it might be closer than expected. We'll stop them, everything will go back to the way things were. Back to laughing, cheering, havin' parties and hangin' out with friends."
"You really think it'll end soon?" Pinkie Pie asked. "So we can go back to laughs and cheers?"
"Of course ah do." She smiled. "We've been through worse, remember when Discord turned us into are opposite selves?"
"Ha!" The pink pony burst a giggle. "How could I forget? He turned me grey!"
"We've got through things before and we'll do it again!" Applejack told, a confident smile glowing on her face. "Now come on, let's hope the others are hungry just like Fluttershy." She said, carrying on with their path down the Royal Palace's halls.
No matter how hard she tried, Rainbow Dash would fail in trying to cheer up the shy Pegasus. Although Fluttershy was happy that she was free from the nightmare she was trapped in and she was glad that she was with her friends again, but worriment stuck to her mind. She couldn't shake away the fears, there was too much to worry about, it began to knock her sick a little.
Besides her bed, offering her friend with a warm smile and trying to comfort her, nothing seemed to lift Fluttershy's emotions and she couldn't blame her. She just kept quiet.
"Well..." Rainbow Dash began. "It's nice to see you awake again, I mean, you gave us quite the scare back there." Suddenly, her face brightened as released a giggle. "You're quite good at that, aren't you?" She had hoped that her friend would respond, but again, the silence was her only response. "Remember that Nightmare Night when you managed to scare the manes off us? That was so awesome!" She chuckled.
"Yeah..." Fluttershy finally replied but lacked any joy, failing to reach the same mood as her friend.
"Fright has nothing against you, I don't think he'd even stand a chance. I think you'd be the perfect secret weapon against him."
Rainbow Dash's words of comfort and encouragement only resulted in her friend to retract a little as she whimpered.
"I didn't mean it like that, sorry." She apologised with regret plastered over her face. "I was just kidding, you know? I would never put you up against him or anyone like him."
"It's okay," Fluttershy dolefully assured, failing to connect her gaze with the Pegasus.
"So... Are you okay? Do you need anything?"
"I'm fine, Rainbow." She answered blankly.
Agonizing and slightly growing awkward for her, Rainbow Dash refused to let the silence triumph over her. At first, she was ready to raise a question but quickly pulled back her voice, wondering if it was acceptable to even ask her.
"Hey, Fluttershy." She spoke differently. Rather than trying to put on a cheery voice, she sounded soft and welcoming and this was enough to finally get her to look at her.
With her attention received, she continued, "Why'd you do it?"
Growing anxious, Fluttershy immediately knew what she was talking about. As if her voice grew a mind of its own, it seemed to have left her, leaving the poor Pegasus speechless. Whirling her head away from her friend while she tried to relocate her voice, Rainbow Dash asked her again, but this time, being more specific.
"Why did you enter the fog?" She arched a brow and tilted her head a little.
Needing a moment to regain her composure, Fluttershy searched deep and found her voice with a trembling sigh, returning her gaze to the cyan pony.
"Oh, what does it matter?"
"Fluttershy, please," Rainbow Dash pleaded. "It sucks seeing you like this. I know you're scared, everypony is, but please, talk to me, let me help."
"I..." Chocking a little, she whispered, "I didn't want to disappoint you..."
"Heh, I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that."
"I didn't want to disappoint you." She flinched a little as she spoke clearly this time, but it was still a frail whisper. "That's why I entered the fog."
Taken back a little, Rainbow Dash could only feel confused and sad by her answer. Before she could even speak, Fluttershy's reticent voice began to crack with sorrow and heartache, gripping her eyes shut and with all her strength, she tried to fight back the tears she was producing.
"That night..." She shook her head in agitation. "That awful, awful night, in the gardens, you said you needed me. I wanted to help you and I thought I could have helped, but I couldn't!" She floated downwards to the mattress. "The fog was right, I'm just a pessimistic mare who fails to defeat her doubts, I just hold you and the rest of our friends back. I'm a coward." She hid her face in shame.
As Fluttershy started to cry, the tears floating down her face, Rainbow Dash could only watch as her heart sank. Whatever she saw in the fog, whatever frightening fears she envisioned hit her hard.
"Hey," Rainbow Dash cooed. "It's okay, you heard what Princess Luna said. What we saw in the fog, it was just like a nightmare. They weren't real, it was all in our heads and besides, would a coward charge into a fear-infested fog to try and help her friends?"
Still crying, with a sniffle, Fluttershy raised her head little, her soft eyes remained as puddles, looking back at her friend.
"Or make a fully grown dragon cry?" Another voice called out.
Sweeping their heads to the voice, the Pegasi located the voice and watched as Pinkie Pie bounced into the room, giddy and beaming. Not far behind, Applejack entered the room, providing a reassuring smile to Fluttershy as the smell of apple pie touched the air, filling the room with warmth and good taste.
As if time was on Rainbow Dash's side, she watched as Twilight and Rarity entered as well, all presenting small smiles that added encouragement. Tucked away, under the alicorn's wing, she could make out the mysterious note.
"Would a coward help try and prevent a breakout?" Applejack questioned.
"Or reform the Lord of Chaos?" Rarity brought up.
"Would a coward stand by her friends countless times to save Equestria?" Twilight joined.
Although she remained silent, Fluttershy's expression was hard to read, it had shifted away from sadness, but it wasn't quite near elation either.
"Who did all those things Fluttershy?" Rainbow Dash questioned, trying to inspire her friend.
For some reason, she just wanted to keep quiet, to keep her mouth sealed and let her words die. Talking felt painful, but the smile her friends offered were welcoming and warm, it invited her to speak and so she did.
"I did." She answered, raising her head. Her voice was kept at the same volume as she pushed aside her mane, allowing both eyes to target the cyan pony.
"Of course you did! And do you know why?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Because I was scared..." Fluttershy answered with uncertainty.
"Because you were brave!" Rarity corrected.
"Maybe you were scared, but you chose to venture through that fear to fight for what was right," Applejack commented.
"Also, we made you some pie!" The pink pony added.
Simply, the cowgirl rolled her eyes but kept a smile, placing the baked pie onto a nearby dresser.
"We can't let these illusions talk down to us, they're not even real!" The cyan pony exclaimed while her face wiped with perplexity.
"You didn't give up when showing the good Discord was capable of, even when he joined Tirek, you still didn't give up on him," Rarity happily commented.
"But the fog..." Before the shy mare could get her words out, Rainbow Dash quickly fired back, but her voice remained smooth.
"We all saw our greatest fears in that fog, Fluttershy," Twilight explained. "But they weren't real. Whatever you saw, whatever monsters put these doubts in your head, it's not true."
Fluttershy looked around the room, supporting smiles comforting her.
"We would never abandon you, sugarcube," Applejack assured.
"And after all that's happened, I don't think being a coward is possible for you," Pinkie Pie said. "Not after all you've done."
"You don't have to smile or laugh, darling," Rarity spoke.
"You don't have to pretend to feel better either, but we're here for you," Twilight comforted.
"Because that's what friends do for each other," Rainbow Dash put it with a short laugh.
"It's what we'll continue to do," Twilight announced. "We're all here, we're safe. The Royal Guard will take Ponyville back and from here, we'll find Spike and stop Chrysalis and Fright from causing any more havoc. We can fix this!" The alicorn stated, turning back to Rarity as they connected their smiles of determination. "Together."
She felt safe, Fluttershy felt safe when looking at her friends. All around her, kindness and comfort was in the air, no ghastly whispers shaming her or branding her as a coward nor a failure. Almost as if she was infected by the amenity here friends provided, the shy mare lifted a smile of her own and responded.
"There's a smile!" Pinkie Pie sang.
Overwhelmed with the support she had received, Fluttershy looked at her friends and her smile didn't falter nor did it fade. True, she was still scared, but her fears had been eased, it felt like she had stepped outside and let the sun look down upon her, bathing in warmth and light.
"Th- thank you, girls." She cooed, turning her head to each friend. "I... I really am lucky to have you all as friends. It was so easy to believe what I saw in the fog, it was like I was being read like a book."
"From what Princess Luna told us, Fright's fear spells send false information to the brain, projecting illusions based on our worst fears to induce despair and terror," Twilight informed. "Magic like that shouldn't exist."
"When I heard his voice, when I saw the world around me, it was easy to lose myself in that awful place. I'm sorry I let my fears get the better of me," Fluttershy apologised.
"There's no need for apologies, darling," Rarity interjected, dismissing the pegasus' apology by waving her hoof. "When we endured through that vile mist, we were scared as well."
"Just know, we'll always be here for you, Flutters!" Pinkie Pie clung onto the shy mare with a hug. "And I'm certain you'll always be here for us."
In response, Fluttershy gently embraced her friend which was soon to turn into a group hug.
Somehow, this embrace she felt, fortified by her friends was more comfortable than the bed she rested against. It is warm, she felt safe, there were no monsters stalking her in a broken world, instead, all around her were her friends. Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Applejack and Rarity, they were all there for her and she would be too.
"Thank you, girls." The kind mare appreciated. "I almost forgot who I was and who my friends were just because I was scared, but... Now... I remember. Thank you."
During this embrace, it almost felt like the world stood still, as if time stopped. Sadly, Twilight was the first to pull away and the rest followed, giving Fluttershy some space.
"We're glad to have ya back, Fluttershy," Applejack placed a hoof on her shoulder, proceeding to gently pat her.
With a spark of realisation washing over Twilight's face, she used her magic to levitate the note from under her wing that remained cemented to her side. One last time, she analysed the note's incomprehensible message, her eyes determined, but as expected, received no answer.
"Fluttershy," Twilight began. "On this note... It could be anything... I've tried to make sense of it, but I've failed to get anything out of it. I hope you can understand what it means."
Gently, the Princess of Friendship levitated the note towards the shy Pegasus who remained seated on the bed. She watched the paper sail towards her as did the rest of her friends. Everypony was anxious, ready to see if it was good news or bad.
As the note fell into Fluttershy's possession, her eyes followed the disorganised words along the lines. Everypony expected her reaction, to be confused and at first, it was. When she received the paper, her pupils wobbled to the side of the paper over and over, all while her mouth hung slightly open.
Twilight anxiously watched as Fluttershy's eyes battled over the mess of words while the rest waited patiently.
While trying to decipher the message, the entire time, the Pegasus had lifted her left foreleg up from the mattress a little. Her pupils stopped when finishing the note, she lowered her leg back down and silence took over.
She had finished the message.
"Well, did you get anything out of that?" Rainbow Dash asked with the tilt of her head and raising a brow.
No good came when everyone watched tears shine through Fluttershy's eyes.
"Fluttershy?" Pinkie Pie's voice gently touched her ears.
As the tears shined, they watched her smile outshine them. Gripping the note close to her like a filly with a teddy, Fluttershy spread her wings and shot up into the air like a rocket, twirling gracefully as she released a squee, expressing complete delight.
Now, it was everyone else's turn to be confused.
"It's Discord!" Fluttershy exclaimed, hugging the note with her eyes closed tight, smiling brightly. "It's Discord!"
"What?" Everyone gasped.
"Discord?!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed. "You mean he's still helping us?" The pink pony's face painted jubilation.
"Hold up, hold up," Rainbow Dash raised her hooves, trying to settle the Element of Kindness. "You mean, you can understand that...?" She pointed to the slightly crumpled piece of paper.
"Why, of course!" The Pegasus responded. "Whenever he would go on vacation, he would write to me like this. It was fun to unlock what he was talking about." Once again, she brought the note up close to her as if it was one of her own animals. "Oh, I hope he's doing well wherever he is."
"Well, what does it say?" Applejack questioned.
"Oh, right," Fluttershy responded with a sheepish smile but resumed to read the message out loud.
'Do not fret, your pets and critter friends are safe with me. I'm sorry this is the only form of communication I can give. I will do my best to help those in need, but if Fright knows of my involvement, I'm afraid great harm will come to those I align myself with.'
After finishing the note, everyone felt eased knowing their pets were at least safe.
"So he has our pets... Way to go Discord!" Rainbow Dash cheered, throwing a hoof into the air.
"Oh, how delightful," Rarity hopped into the air. "That solves one mystery."
"I don't know what's more amazing? That Discord's still helping us or the fact that you're able to read whatever he put on that note," Pinkie Pie shrugged, all while making Fluttershy laugh a little.
"Ah suppose we owe him big time," Applejack heartened.
Twilight relieved a sigh, happy to set some stress free, "I think Discord will be doing the best he can to help us while staying out of the changelings' sight. But this is good news, with him still on our side, we can easily turn the tide of this battle against Chrysalis."
"Good news?" Fluttershy repeated in a slight baffled tone, but somehow, her voice remained quiet and delicate. "Oh, this is great news!" Enlightened, she happily looked down at the note, it eased her mind to know that Discord was alright. It eased everyone. "I just knew he wouldn't leave us."
"Let's not forget, he did inform us on working discreetly," Rarity mentioned. "I think he's afraid of putting us in harm's way if he's caught assisting us."
"But as long as he's not seen, then surely he should be okay!" Pinkie Pie put it rather enthusiastically. "And maybe he's helping put the bad guys away."
"He might even know where Chrysalis and Fright are!" Rainbow Dash added with a ambitious smile. "There has to be a way to contact him."
"This is all great news," Twilight looked at all of her friends with a content face. "I'm relieved that Discord is alright and I'm glad that he's still helping us, but we still need to be careful. Chrysalis and Fright cannot know of his involvement."
"So, what happens now?" Applejack asked.
"I'll inform the Princesses." The alicorn stated. "They'll want to hear about this and I'm sure they'll know a way of communicating with him. Perhaps... Maybe this whole ordeal may end quicker than we thought." She smiled. "I'll be back soon."
Without any delay, Twilight whirled herself around and exited the room, leaving Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie blissful, Rarity and Applejack hopeful and Rainbow Dash determined.
Princess Twilight made her way through the lustrous halls of the Royal Palace, passing by a few guards who carried on with their patrol and seeing a few familiar faces along the way. After the breakout, the alicorn felt nothing but fear and truth be told, she was still scared, but after today, hope was slowly building back up into her heart.
Zecora had been rescued, Fluttershy had woken up from her personal nightmare and now, the note had been deciphered and their pets were safe. Discord was still helping out, he may even find a lead on Spike if he's careful. Knowing this, Twilight felt a slither of peace sink into her heart. She trotted down the spacious halls and forged her path to the throne room, passing by the many windows, the night now taking complete control over the sky, stars glimmering above.
Today had been a long day and so much had been accomplished and she, along with her friends would accomplish more. The young alicorn was ready to inform the two princesses of the good news.
Upon reaching the huge double doors, just as she was about to enter, the alicorn's heart skipped a beat when her ears were pierced by a booming voice, one that was all too familiar.
"You had no right!"
The voice came from the throne room. Worried, Twilight slowly opened the doors and peered her head through, her eyes detecting the Royal Sisters and Shining Armour in the centre of the commodious room. From what she gathered, the two sisters looked as if they were trying to calm him down.
"With all due respect, Princesses, you had no right to keep this from me!" Shining Armour exclaimed, aggravation and annoyance digging deep in his voice.
"Shining, we can understand your trepidation and you have every right to be upset-" Princess Celestia tried to calm, but her words did nothing for the captain.
"Upset?" The unicorn repeated in a baffled tone. "I'm livid!"
"Do not interrupt my sister when she is speaking, Shining Armour," Luna ordered with a disapproving glance. "As my sister said, you have every right to be upset, but we are not the ones to deal with your anger."
The unicorn's enraged voice slightly died down, but his anger was still burning, "How could you keep this from me, does Twily even know?"
"We have yet to inform her." The Princess of the Night apprized calmly.
"After all that happened last night, I thought you would both need time to heal, I didn't want to press more frightening matters onto you, especially after the breakout," Celestia reasoned, lowering herself a little.
"Princess," Shining Armour lowered his voice. "The Crystal Empire is my home, I must return there at once in case something like this happens again."
Twilight's ears flinched when hearing about the Crystal Empire, her face dropping all signs of content and leaving only a discomfort look. One by one, the hope that had been built throughout today was slowly being demolished. Without further delay, the Princes of Friendship entered the throne room slowly and quietly, regretting each step and fearing the worst.
"What happened?"
On cue, the two alicorns pivoted their heads, as did Shining Armour, their eyes widening upon seeing the young alicorn.
"Princess Twilight," Luna greeted, stepping forth. "What brings you here?" She asked nervously.
With her heart sinking, worriment infecting her once again, the Princess of Friendship did her best to answer, "Fluttershy deciphered the message we found last night, it was from Discord and he's still helping us."
"He is?" Princess Celestia said, exchanging a look of surprise with her sister who responded the same way. "Twilight, I must confess that this is wonderful news, but... There is something we must inform you about."
Both Celestia and Luna could only show a happy expression for a few seconds towards the other alicorn, then it vanished and only worriment hovered over their mournful eyes, breaking their smiles into anxiety.
"I didn't mean to eavesdrop on your conversation, Princesses," Twilight stated while bowing her head apologetically. "But... What happened at the Crystal Empire?" She asked worryingly.
In response, Shining Armour lowered his head in what could only be described as sadness, but also in disappointment.
At first, Luna was able to speak, "You must understand that nopony is at fault here, Twilight Sparkle."
Promptly, Celestia took over, approaching the Princess of Friendship and lifting a hoof to her chest, her eyes projecting sympathy that connected with her young disciple. She found the strength in her voice to carry on, fighting back all the anxiety clawing her throat.
"Last night, the Crystal Empire had been infiltrated." The elder alicorn told, her voice rattling with sorrow, regretting to speak any further. "I'm sorry that this terror has to go on... But they abducted her... She's been captured." The way Celestia forced out the rest of her sentence made it look as if she was in pain.
With widened eyes, her mouth hung open, her heart beating faster and faster by the second. Overcome with fear, shock and dread, a trembling Twilight hesitated to know the rest, but she needed to find out what happened at the Crystal Empire.
"Wh-Who..."
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Either Cadence, or Flurry heart. Now THAT will be hitting a new low for these fiends.
(thinking pose) Hmm, I've reduced down to two ponies of whoever is abducted from the empire and it could be either cadence or flurry heart but the probability is leaning more to flurry which is at 75% than to cadence is at 20% while the last 5% that could be somepony else.
Also i think this story could be an actual mlp movie because fright seems to be a better villain than to that storm king in my opinion.
Well, I guess is going to be open season for Fright.
This just continues to get worse for them and imagine it’ll only get worse before things look better
Well now everything's been going from good turns to more dark turns.
(As the Shredder) "With every word, you call upon an even more terrible fate!"
Correction, Twilight. This could've been prevented had YOU continued your search for Spike, long ago!
Of course he doesn’t want to come back! Even if you manage to save Spike, you can’t expect a hug and a kiss to make everything better in a heartbeat!
You want him back, you want things to go back to the way they were. Then I am to assume you want him back to the life of neglects and abuse he’s succeeded in escaping from?
You should’ve chosen to accept your failure. Fright was right. You’re no guardian, or a friend of Spike. You’re a disgrace. Then at least you could’ve lived!
Let's recollect here.
Of course he would hate you!
Like what? More chores and manual labors under false devotion for his 'lady fair?'
But it did. It does exist.
(As Queen Novo) "Well. I guess the pearl is out of the oyster now."
From Chapter 27:
And so.....the search for Spike has been delayed.....again.
Ember, now would be a good time as any for you to be of some help!
And just when things were looking up too.
9323986
Hey, thanks! That means a lot! As for who was snatched from the Crystal Empire, the next chapter will show the unfortunate soul who was taken. Thanks for the compliments as well, much appreciated! I'll do my best to get the chapter out as soon as.
Out of curiosity, is the writing on the Batman series this repetitive, brooding and drawn out?
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9323983
There was a coded message in an earlier chapter that spelled it all out. It's Flurry Heart. See Phantom-Dragon's comment for the full translation.
9327166
Pretty sure they've already found him. They just don't know it yet.
9323986
Boy, you've got that down to a science.
While you're at it, what are the statistics of this story having both a happy and/or approaching conclusion? :)
9340684
THAT’S IT!!!!!!
*grabs a nearby RPG*
9340867
Right behind you.
*grabs a phaser rifle and a lightsaber*
9340691
(Thinking Pose) Hmm if I'm right the chances of getting a happy ending are 15% which is very low, While the approaching conclusion is high at 55% and the remaining 30% goes to something else for whatever the Author is thinking to end the story.
It could be anyone's guess if it is ends happy or ends to a new book but that is just My thinking, no one has to agree or disagree to it these results are just my opinion.
9340938
So many possibilities with how the reuniting of Twilight Sparkle and Spike will play out. Unlikely a happy one, according to VirtualCipher.
(As Joker) “This is QUITE the dilemma, isn’t it? Do you save the incompetent friend who got himself kidnapped? Or do you save the incompetent friend who got herself kidnapped?”
“If you believe that, then why don’t you just stop this futile endeavor of yours?”
Twilight: “I can’t! Not until Spike is found, and I set things right with him!”
“That’s what you said BEFORE you gave up! And now look at where you are! It’s too late to set things right with him! And Fright has made it clear to him! So it’s obvious, Spike wants NOTHING to do with you anymore! You’re at the point of no return!”
Twilight: “You think I don’t care?! You think I didn’t realize what a mess I’ve made of things? I DO care about Spike! I DO love him! I DO value him as a friend!”
“You keep telling him yourself that. You keep telling your friends and the world that. But you only tell what everyone wants to hear, and vice versa. But the truth is clear now. You DON’T care about Spike enough to find him and make amends!”
Twilight: “And what about you? What do you want from me? What do you want me to do?! Why are you doing this?! All these torments? For what?!”
“This isn’t about me, Princess. It’s all about Spike and the heartbreak he is now experiencing, all because of someone he holds so close and dear to his heart saw him nothing more than a discarded memory. He was afraid of being forgotten and left out. And yet, you did all that to him. All of you. No wonder you get along quite well with your girls. You’re all alike. You wouldn’t take the time to hear his distress, you were never there for him on his birthday, and you never invited him on your outings. All because you FORGOT him. Always.”
Twilight: “Then, what should I do?”
“You tell me. I’m just a voice, speaking on behalf of Spike.”
Twilight: “On behalf of-“
“That doesn’t matter anyway. Your family from the Crystal Empire is in danger. So of course her safety and rescue is your top priority now. Families ALL come first.”
Twilight: “....You’re right. Families do come first. And I mean all families. And I intend to save all of my family! And that includes Spike, believe it or not!”
“Save Fright’s prisoner first. THEN, we’ll discuss about Spike again.”
9340938
On second thought...
i.pinimg.com/originals/57/24/54/572454f1bf5775862b8e02484ff680a0.jpg
9344078
By the way, I made a little discovery today.
I found out that VirtualCipher has a DeviantArt account, and he's put up some sketches of the Hunter.
Folks, if you want to get a better idea of who he is, take a look down below. If you don't want to be spoiled, then don't.
But when we do get the big reveal, just remember one thing...
I. Called. It.
images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/intermediary/f/0b4f8545-2590-4dd1-9462-ccbc5c11cb9a/dconi2i-43eba89b-b1bb-4ec1-ba17-3c9ad285f2fc.png/v1/fill/w_1024,h_820,q_80,strp/character_design__the_hunter__fear_within__by_virtualcipher_dconi2i-fullview.jpg
images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/intermediary/f/0b4f8545-2590-4dd1-9462-ccbc5c11cb9a/dcpitej-3676521e-ede5-4508-9f3b-a16d9c361135.png/v1/fill/w_1024,h_820,q_80,strp/the_hunter__smoke__by_virtualcipher_dcpitej-fullview.jpg
9348700
Well you asked for it and i gave what you asked for.
9349116
I guess I can't argue with that.
By the way, how do you figure that out? Is it just a guess, or do you actually do some kind of mathematical stuff to work it out?
9349547
Well it's a little bit of guessing and after reading a lot of stories that's in my library, then you can get some calculations for to work of finding the probability of whatever story you're currently reading.
Though i suggest read a lot of different Anon-a-Miss stories for it to work since that helped me for some stories to find out.
9364374
Funny how you mention how this story will end. Really, I'm torn between two conclusions and can't properly wrap my head around which one. But as time passes, I'm sure I'll settle on one. Happy Holidays, mate!
9365437
Happy holidays to you too. Hope to read more of this story from you in 2019.
(As the Joker) “You don’t really believe he’s going to forgive you after you save him, do you? He holds a grudge, my little ponies. I should know.”
“Of course, no pony knows him better than youdo. Right Twily? Oh wait, that’s right, you don’t actually. Such a pity.”
From Ch.29:
And neglecting, abusing, and misusing Spike again? Is that what you mean when you say “go back to the way things were,” Applejack?”
(As the Joker) “Now a front-row seat to the mane event. You would’ve thought Shining Armor has been through enough. First, his idiotic guards have let Fright and his rogues break into Tartarus and set hell lose. Now his daughter’s been taken!”
“You have a way of running a kingdom, Celestia. You really should’ve thought of these things ahead of time. Seriously, what did Starswirl the Bearded taught you and Lulu about being the rulers of Equestria? I mean, it’s not like he wanted you to go and get the baby killed......well, not yet anyway. You don’t know the other half of Fright’s plan yet.”
(Joker again) “Still, if you had cared about Spike, the same way you do for your Ponyville girls, then he probably wouldn’t have gotten himself kidnapped in the first place!”
(Joker) “So let’s recap here. Twilight got mad at Spike over a burnt photo album that doesn’t even contain any pictures of him. Then Spike’s been taken away by Fright. Next, Twilight’s got sweet little Dinky to replace Spike, crushing his little heart. Manehattan is overrun, and all of Equestria is plagued by Fright and his rogues doing the monster mash from Tartarus. And now, Flurry Heart’s been taken!”
“Not exactly your typical day in Equestria, now is it?”
“Come on! Forget about Spike! You’ve done it before, now you can do it again! You can’t force him to forgive you! You’ve got a niece to rescue now! Plus, if he’s already dead, then you won’t have to call off the search again! It’s win-win!”
Why is it so relieving to role play the Joker?
9286675
Oh wait....when Fright said his greatest fear....you actually meant his master plan from the start......
It's quite the conundrum now.
Now how will heroes accomplish all of these tasks at once? Reopen the Magic Mirror Pool and make duplicates of themselves? Is Twilight going to ditch the search for Spike again? Will Fright and his team of rogues succeed in their nefarious plan for world domination?
So many questions, but hopefully they will all be answered in 2019!
9376791
You know what's kinda funny, I estimated that there would be 20 chapters left for this story, but looking at it now, there might be less chapters than I thought. It really depends if I want to expand the remaining chapters, like put them into parts. But anyway, I am going to do everything I can to get this story finished in 2019, but not rushing it. I am a slow writer, but I hope that I'll work faster this year rather than just staring at my bright, blank, computer screen and waiting for my brain to function.
As for your analysis... Is Fright's master plan coming together? Or is there something beginning to scare him? Chapter 41 will be published soon and I hope you have a great New Year's Eve!
"What matters now is that you're awake Fluttershy. And you're with your friends now. But it doesn't take away the disappointment in that stunt you pulled."
Fluttershy: "I know. And I'm sorry. I was just trying to help."
"You can help, by using your head for a change. I don't know. Be assertive! Whatever happened to all those episodes, where you learned to stand your grounds? When you stared in the face of a dragon and talked it down? Or stand up to a minotaur? Or might I add, when you keep calm and befriended Discord? Were those all games to you? Did you win them all through sheer dumb luck, or did you cheat?"
Fluttershy: "No! I never...I just...just..."
"The things Fright said to you were only half-truth. You are holding your friends back. But not because of your cowardice, but how blind you can be in the face of danger. Such as the time how you would throw yourself at a hive of Zap Bees in the episode A Health of Information. And your friends say Rainbow Dash is reckless."
Fluttershy: *sobbing* "I just wanted to be brave like my friends!"
"They're only brave, because they must! They have to, for the sake of Spike, Equestria, and the world! Being brave doesn't mean you go looking for trouble."
Fluttershy: "Then....what should I do? I want to help my friends, but I don't want to make mistakes! Not anymore!"
"You tell me. You're the Element of Kindness, so you've got to do something that's beneficial for your friends' causes, including Discord."
*After reading Ch. 50*
*Slaps both Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie across their faces.*
Applejack: "What you do that for?"
"For teaching them a lesson, they'll never forget."
Pinkie Pie: "Look--we told you already, we're sorry! It was a mistake! We're trying to help Spike!"
"You weren't helping Spike. You played him for a fool."
Fluttershy. I can understand wanting to prove yourself to your friends, and to your loved ones that you're not a coward. And that you're trying to do what it takes to saving the world.
But sometimes, you're just not all up there in the head.
You never think of the consequences of what would happen if something goes wrong.
If Spike dies, that's on you and Twilight! Fright got away. That's on you. But if you died...your friends, especially Rainbow Dash, will think it's on them. And that's the last thing anyone wants on their conscience...
“Then you will die braver than most.” — Darth Vader, Star Wars Rebel
Spike is gone…
The Hunter is what remains…
He’s not your failure, Twilight. You didn’t kill Spike the dragon. The Hunter did…the same way he will destroy you.