Vanishing Act

by redandready45

Words From the Shy

Sparkle Residence

Sunday Night

Cadence came into her bedroom dressed a pink bathrobe. She came across a despondent Shining Armor sitting on the edge of the bed. He was wearing basic shorts and a T-shirt, and he kept listening to Spike's recording over and over again over his self-phone. Either he was trying to discern the meaning of Twilight's vague words, or he was obsessing over the other depressing things Spike recalled.

Shining seemed to be doing it for the same reason people picked at their rotten teeth: to see if it'll still hurt.

"Shining," Cadence said with concern, "let's go to bed already." Shining turned toward her with a furious look.

"You were the dean of the school," Shining said with a small growl. "Surely you should've known what was going on."

"Shining, I sit in my office most of the day," Cadence replied, her heckles slightly.

"What are you doing there all day?!" Shining Armor yelled. "Playing tic-tac-toe?!"

"I do work, Shiny!" Cadence protested. "What did you want me to do? Follow her around her classes 24/7?! Put cameras on her. Order the other kids to be friends to her because she was the Dean's sister?!" Cadence took a small breath. "Even if we wanted to-and we both agreed that Twilight should make friends on her own- I wasn't aloud to use my position to vouch for her." Shining let out a sigh.

"I was this close to...wringing those girls' necks," Shining said ruefully. "If all those things were just the tip of the iceberg, what else did Twilight had to go through when our backs were turned? I'm afraid I'll snap if I find out." Shining Armor said. "And why didn't Twilight...tell us?"

"She did tell us," Cadence said, her voice dripping with regret as she sat next to her husband. "She kept telling us how much she hated Crystal Prep. Kept telling us how everyone hated her." Cadence looked down at her lap. "We just...didn't listen."

"I kept telling her 'Twily, you're being silly'," Shining said, his brotherly phrase sounding almost like poison in his mouth. "She was unhappy, and I belittled her," Shining concluded, biting his lip to control his tears. His grabbed his photo album of Twilight. He looked at the picture of 8 year old Twilight and their dad building her treehouse. The little girl had a smile that was as bright as any star.

"Why didn't we let her transfer to that alternative school?" Shining asked Cadence in a tired voice.

"Because we wanted her to have the same experiences we had," Cadence said in an utterly drained. "To love Crystal Prep as much as we did."

He scrolled to the photos of Twilight at Crystal Prep. Her photos showed achievement, just as his own pictures of Crystal Prep did.

But Shining Armor noticed something he missed earlier: that bright smile from Twilight's early childhood was nowhere to be seen on any of her photos at Crystal Prep. And Twilight had no one else in the photo beside her.

---

Canterlot High

Monday Morning

The Rainbooms all sat at their usual spot at the cafeteria, brainstorming different interpretations as to human Twilight's vague last words.

"Why isn't our Twilight here?" Pinkie asked everyone as she sat down.

"Can't take any chances with anyone spotting her," Sunset said firmly. "So she stays at my apartment."

"Anyways, what do you think Twilight was trying to say?" Rainbow Dash.

"Maybe, she wishes she got to go to a party?" Pinkie Pie guessed.

"Maybe she wished she had more friends?" Rarity guessed.

"That wouldn't explain why she exploded," Rainbow Dash said with frustration.

"What about Princess Twilight?" Applejack asked Sunset. "She and the other Twilight are kind of similar. Wouldn't Princess Twilight have the same mind and be able to guess what Human Twilight was trying to say?"

"Not really," Sunset said uneasily. "Even though they have a lot in common, the two lived very different lives. Princess Twilight said she was bullied, but she always had family, Spike, and Princess Celestia to get through it. The Princess helped keep the bullies at bay." Sunset turned toward Fluttershy. "What about you Fluttershy." The yellow-girl seemed to be in a daze. "Fluttershy. Fluttershy." Rainbow Dash tapped Fluttershy on her shoulder.

"What?" Fluttershy asked.

"What do you think Human Twilight was thinking about?" Sunset asked the animal lover.

"I don't know," Fluttershy said looking down. The other Rainbooms continued to speculate, while Applejack looked at the yellow girl with concern.

---

Fluttershy's house, 5:30 PM

Fluttershy was mopping her floor when she heard a knock at the door.

Fluttershy opened the door and found a stoic Applejack standing outside the door.

"Hey Applejack," Fluttershy greeted, "how's it going?"

"Fine," Applejack said, stepping into Fluttershy's house. The yellow-skinned girl excused herself to get a glass of water for Applejack. "I just wanted to talk!"

"About what?"

"Well-," Applejack was about to respond before she something tugging at her hair and the sound of scissors.

"Yes!" A male voice said from behind her. Applejack whirled around and Fluttershy ran into the room. They found Zephyr Breeze, scissors raised like a sword, holding one of Applejack's hairs aloft like it was a trophy. "I finally get to add Applejack's hairs to my collection."

"Zephyr Breeze! "Fluttershy bellowed as Applejack's jaw dropped in disgust. "You give Applejack her hair right now!"

"No can do Flutters," Zephyr said, seemingly ignoring Applejack's bared fists and growing rage. "It is too valuable."

"Come here you freak!" Applejack said, lunging for the blue-skinned idiot. Zephyr sidestepped out of the way, and leaped out of the open window, running outside while cackling like a madman, as Applejack and Fluttershy watched with frustration.

"I can't believe that..thing is your brother," Applejack said with disgust.

"I can't believe it either," Fluttershy said in an unusually jaded voice. A rare sneer formed on her face. "Don't worry about it. When Zephyr goes to bed, he's gonna wake up feeling quite sneezy," Fluttershy continued, baring an evil grin that would stop Demon Sunset's heart cold. "He has a cat allergy, and he might find a cat was accidentally put there."

"Maybe it'll teach the freak a lesson," Applejack thought with some cold satisfaction. Then she remembered why she was here. "Fluttershy, we need to talk," Applejack continued, her green eyes becoming hard.

"About what?"

"Fluttershy, you weren't looking at us," Applejack said, her green eyes firmly on the pink-haired girl. "Is there something you wanted to share, but you were too afraid to tell us."

"What are you talking about?" Fluttershy said, looking away from the floor.

"Fluttershy, you're fooling no one," the farmer girl said sternly, "you're acting the way you did when Lightning Dust gave you bruises and you didn't want to tell us."

"Applejack," Fluttershy said, her lip quivering. "I don't know anything."

"Sugar cube, is this anything to do with what you think the other Twilight was thinking about," Applejack said. Fluttershy didn't say anything, but said more in her silence. "Sugar cube, if we don't want this happening again, we need to know."

Finally Fluttershy began crying. The sight of it could make even the most cold-hearted person weak. Applejack almost was brought low by it, but the recent tragedy pushed away any regrets she would have about pressing Fluttershy.

"Sugar cube, that isn't going to work anymore," Applejack said firmly, crossing her arms. "You can't help me with tears."

"I'm too scared to tell you."Fluttershy said, wiping her eyes.

"Why," Applejack said, some sympathy.

"Because I'm afraid of what you'll think of me," Fluttershy said sadly.

"Fluttershy," Applejack said. "I'm your friend. We've been through too much together for me to want to walk away from you. Trust me, I won't abandon you."

"OK," Fluttershy said, gearing up to say something very painful. "When I was kid, you know, people would always make fun me. Pull my hair, call me 'animal freak', push me around." Fluttershy whimpered as she remembered her painful memories of middle-school.

"I remember that sugar cube," Applejack, putting a comforting hand on the yellow-skinned girl.

"And Sunset, when she was evil, was always making fun of me, shoving me into my locker, calling me names," Fluttershy almost squealed. Applejack rubbed her back. While Fluttershy forgave Sunset, it seemed the pain from those dark days still lingered.

"It's just...whenever people bullied me," Fluttershy said miserably, "there were times when I..." Fluttershy muttered something.

"What was that sugarcube," Applejack said. Fluttershy muttered again. "I'm sorry, I didn't here that." Fluttershy mumbled something again. "Fluttershy, you need to tell me-,"

"KILL MYSELF!" Fluttershy bellowed, before breaking down in tears and letting herself fall onto the couch nearby. Applejack looked at her crying friend with shock and disbelief.

"There were times I just wanted throw myself off the roof and kill myself," Fluttershy said."Because I didn't think anyone cared about me, sometimes I just wanted to end it all! I know it sounds stupid but-,"

"Fluttershy, it isn't stupid," Applejack said, taking a seat next to the crying girl and putting a hand on shoulder. "It isn't stupid to feel that way. The stupid people are the people who made you feel this way." Applejack held Fluttershy for a few moments, letting the yellow girl let her anger out.

"Anyways," Fluttershy said in a morose tone. "The other Twilight said she thought no one liked her. And we heard how mean those other girls were to her. What if....deep down...the other Twilight....wanted to kill herself." Applejack's jaw dropped in horror, already guessing what Fluttershy's conclusion was. "And the magic...helped her do that."

"It couldn't possibly-it shouldn't," Applejack stammered in horror. "It is the Power of Harmony. It isn't supposed to do that."

"It's not supposed to create demons," Fluttershy said in a whimpering tone. "It's not supposed to make sirens mighty and powerful! But if your heart has anything but love in it, like Sunset said, than it can do terrible things." Applejack's face fell into her hand, her face becoming pale. "I can't think of any reason it wouldn't want to vaporize the other Twilight unless she wanted it to." A daze fell over Applejack as she took in Fluttershy's theory. She tried to think of something else that could've made the magic destroy the other Twilight. But she couldn't think of any other reason. Gritting her teeth, the farmer stood from the couch, her face full of resolve.

"C'mon Fluttershy," Applejack said to her melancholy friend, "we're going right to Sunset. We're not going let someone else kill themselves from magic if we can help it." Fluttershy just sat there. "Fluttershy, why aren't you getting up."

"I don't want to tell Sunset," Fluttershy said miserably.

"Why?"

"Why?" Fluttershy asked with angry incredulity. "Sunset still blames herself for what happened to the other Twilight. She still hates herself for how awful she used to be. What do think she's going to do if I tell her that she helped push a girl into a suicide? What do you think she'll do if I tell her that she was making me feel suicidal?" Applejack paused, imagining what all these horrible revelations would do to Sunset. "She would never forgive herself," Fluttershy said.

"I see what you mean," Applejack concluded miserably, her voice become low.

"And the Shadowbolts," Fluttershy concluded, biting her lip. "How do you think they'll react to finding out they helped the other Twilight end her own life?" Applejack's eyes narrowed in frustration.

"I couldn't care less about those jerks," Applejack said sternly.

"I know you don't like them Applejack," Fluttershy said. "They were really mean to the other Twilight. But they have hearts too. Otherwise, they wouldn't be upset and they wouldn't have helped Sunset and Juniper." Applejack gave a small smile to Fluttershy. She showed kindness even to people who didn't deserve it.

"I know telling them won't be easy," Applejack said sadly. "But...sometimes the medicine we need is the medicine we least want to take." Fluttershy looked at Applejack, finding wisdom in her words. "Yeah, Sunset and the Shadowbolts will be hurt by what we tell them. But...if magic keeps growing, we need to know how it works, so it doesn't happen again. The hurt won't be easy, but it will help them..be better."

"Alright," Fluttershy said sadly. "If that's what it takes."

Comments

[Lightoller]

Ugh, Zephyr needs a throat punch...badly.

[redandready45]

10024662

Well, Fluttershy is already going to purposefully give him an allergic reaction. So...

[Ri2]

10024713
Couldn't that kill him?

[redandready45]

10024782

Fluttershy wouldn't do that. He would just expose him to the cat long enough to give him the sniffles.

[xDHannibalxD]

"I know telling them won't be easy," Applejack said sadly. "But...sometimes the medicine we need is the medicine we least want to take." Fluttershy looked at Applejack, finding wisdom in her worms. "Yeah, Sunset and the Shadowbolts will be hurt by what we tell them. But...if magic keeps growing, we need to know how it works, so it doesn't happen again. The hurt won't be easy, but it will help them..be better."

This little mistake ruined the whole atmosphere, and it was hilarious. It was probably an accident, but it could be considered comedic relief. Part of me wants this mistake to stay, 'cause it made me laugh after such a very impactful scene, but I just as much don't want it to distract from the feelings of this chapter. Your decision.

[redandready45]

10024801

Thanks for the heads up.

[sonicfan05]

Dang... poor Fluttershy!

[The Dragon Warlock]

Hmmm I don't think the magic "helped" Twilight kill herself. In the beginning, she was reaching out and screaming for help. If she wanted to kill herself, she probably wouldn't turn to the others and just embraced death. What I believe happened is that the magic just took Twilight away from it all to a place she can be alone. No people to bother her, nobody to bully her, and nobody to judge her. My other theory is the magic took her to another place to make her more powerful and able to destroy everyone who ever wronged her in her life from the Shadow 5, to the Crystal Prep students, and to Sunset Shimmer herself.

[Tjxen Dlue]

10024928
😞 and Sci-Twi, she deserves way better. 😢what really happen to her anyway?

[CMR Rosa]

This is a comment for chapters Faith and Science on Sunday (Part 1), Hypothesis, Testimony, and Words From the Shy. It was interesting the Shadowbolts wondered if all the flaws they dislike about Twilight were things they cause. That is a very interesting question. My thoughts are that maybe it is a mix of that and that the Shadowbolts did not tolerate Twilight's faults. Of course, that does not justify their bullying of her; they have a right not to like someone and not want to be their friend, but not to bully her. Father Golden Cross even point that out to Sunny Flare in chapter Faith and Science on Sunday. In that chapter, it was revealed that Twilight had flaws that annoyed Sunny, but it was pointed out that no one ever told Twilight she was annoying people. They were just using her flaws as an excuse to bully her.

It was heartbreaking to see Juniper Montage and Pinkie Pie learning more details about the Shadowbolts bullying of Twilight. Juniper already knows what they did and is willing to stand by their side, but it is hard for her to hear details of their bullying of Twilight. For Pinkie Pie, this is hard for her to see people this cruel to others; as Pinkie Pie said in Testimony, while Sunset Shimmer was mean, she was also a supervillain trying to take over a world. In her mind, Sunset was supposed to be mean; Pinkie Pie is having trouble comprehending people can be cruel to others because there different.

In Words From the Shy, I like that Cadence and Shining wondering why they did not take Twilight out of Crystal Prep, and Cadence sadly points out that they wanted Twilight to have the same experiences they had. To love Crystal Prep as much as they did. It was interesting to see Applejack and Fluttershy. At first, I admit that maybe Rainbow Dash should have been the one to talk with her, but reading the scene, I understand why it was Applejack that talk with her. You handled that Fluttershy considers suicide well and that she feels the human Twilight wants to kill herself. Her kindness pulls thought with her, not wanting Sunset to feel guilty, and her showing compassion to the Shadowbolts.

My final thoughts are about Zephyr Breeze's appearance in Words From the Shy. I know we talk about this during messages, and I admit I'm a little bias because I dislike the hate Zephyr Breeze gets because, despite his flaws, he does care for his sister and learn to be better in his first appearance. But I, ll say it, Zephyr Breeze's appearance was horrible and meanless, and it should be taken out or rewritten. I acknowledge that the character is annoying, and while I accept that there are people that like to write him as either a one-note annoyance or worse, then he is. But I hate this portray for two reasons. First, there was no point in his appearance. I'm ok with him appearing and Fluttershy being annoyed with him; however, him appearing and then Fluttershy revealing that she considered suicide in the past leave a bad taste in my mouth. The second reason, Fluttershy was not annoyed with Zephyr Breeze, she had outright contempt and hatred for him. I consider it disgusting that Fluttershy is willing to show compassion to the Shadowbolts but has nothing but hate for her younger brother. It's your story, and this part is not a deal-breaker, but if you can,t take out or rewrite his appearance, can this be his only appearance because there is no point for Zephyr Breeze to appear if he is the one person Fluttershy hates when she is willing to forgive worse people.

[ScisetShimmerEvan]

Cadence came into her bedroom dressed a pink bathrobe. She came across a despondent Shining Armor sitting on the edge of the bed. He was wearing basic shorts and a T-shirt, and he kept listening to Spike's recording over and over again over his self-phone. Either he was trying to discern the meaning of Twilight's vague words, or he was obsessing over the other depressing things Spike recalled.

dressed in a pink bathrobe.*

"Well-," Applejack was about to respond before she something tugging at her hair and the sound of scissors.

before she felt something*

"Yes!" A male voice said from behind her. Applejack whirled around and Fluttershy ran into the room. They found Zephyr Breeze, scissors raised like a sword, holding one of Applejack's hairs aloft like it was a trophy. "I finally get to add Applejack's hairs to my collection."

God damn it Zephyr.

"I'm too scared to tell you."Fluttershy said, wiping her eyes.

you." Fluttershy*

"OK," Fluttershy said, gearing up to say something very painful. "When I was kid, you know, people would always make fun me. Pull my hair, call me 'animal freak', push me around." Fluttershy whimpered as she remembered her painful memories of middle-school.

fun of me.*

"KILL MYSELF!" Fluttershy bellowed, before breaking down in tears and letting herself fall onto the couch nearby. Applejack looked at her crying friend with shock and disbelief.

https://m.

"There were times I just wanted throw myself off the roof and kill myself," Fluttershy said."Because I didn't think anyone cared about me, sometimes I just wanted to end it all! I know it sounds stupid but-,"

said. "Because*

"I know telling them won't be easy," Applejack said sadly. "But...sometimes the medicine we need is the medicine we least want to take." Fluttershy looked at Applejack, finding wisdom in her words. "Yeah, Sunset and the Shadowbolts will be hurt by what we tell them. But...if magic keeps growing, we need to know how it works, so it doesn't happen again. The hurt won't be easy, but it will help them..be better."

It might just work.