Quills and Sofas Warehouse Sale

by Zontan

Falling For You

Author's Note:

Tags: Fluttershy, Mane 6, Tragedy, Sad, Death

The wind rushed past Fluttershy’s body as she fell. Her eyes were closed, and there was a smile on her face. All she had was the rush of air and the sound it made streaming through her feathers. She wanted to just lose herself in it, but she couldn’t. A part of her was counting seconds, like it always did.

Eleven, twelve, thirteen.

She opened her eyes.

The ground was rapidly approaching. Nineteen seconds. That was how long it took to fall from the top of Overlook Point to the rocky ground below. She’d timed it so many times. Every time, she wondered if it would be the last. She could leave her wings folded, and let oblivion take her.

Sixteen, seventeen, eighteen.

She opened her wings.

---

Fluttershy smiled at the baby foxes. “Yes, Prudence, your babies are lovely. They look so healthy! Of course you can stay at the sanctuary for as long as you need to.”

The fox chirped at her, and ushered her kits into one of the unoccupied dens. Fluttershy watched them go, and then turned to the next task on the checklist.

“Fluttershy!”

She looked up to find a pink pony bouncing towards her. “Hello, Pinkie.”

“Hiya! Wow, there really are a lot of animals here, aren’t there?”

“Yes, Pinkie.”

Pinkie stopped in front of her, or at least, she stopped moving forward with each bounce. “We’re having a party this weekend! You should come!”

“We?” Fluttershy queried, one eyebrow raised.

“Well, yeah! You know, the girls, Spike, Starlight… wait, is she one of the girls now? You know! Everypony!”

Fluttershy shook her head. “What’s the occasion?”

Pinkie blinked. “Nothing! We want to have a party, so I’m throwing a party! Isn’t it great? So, are you coming?”

Fluttershy hesitated, then looked away. “I’ll think about it.”

---

Fluttershy stood at the top of the peak, looking out across the valley. In the distance, she could see Ponyville, nestled in the crook of Canterlot mountain, surrounded by forest. She could see Twilight’s castle, and she could see the flickering lights that indicated ponies were there, having plenty of fun without her.

She looked down, over the edge. There was a time when such a drop would have terrified her. That was a long time ago, but she still remembered the fear, the way her wings locked to her sides at the thought, even when those same wings would have kept her safe. She could do that again, couldn’t she? Just imagine that feeling, lock her wings, and jump.

She thought back to those years ago, when the thought of facing a dragon had terrified her. But that pony seemed so far away. The events were muted, faded, as if they belonged to somepony else. The dragon didn’t scare her anymore. She’d faced it and prevailed, and besides, she knew so many dragons these days.

The fall, perhaps? No, that didn’t scare her either. She could just open her wings, and the fall was powerless against her.

Instead, she looked back at Ponyville. Stared at the castle, and the laughing, happy ponies inside. And then she stepped off the edge.

The wind caught her, and she sighed as she settled into its embrace.

Three, four, five.

As she fell, the castle slipped out of view. She could still imagine it, though. Twilight would be trying to be a good host, even though Pinkie would have thought of everything. Rarity would be chatting about the latest gossip. Applejack would be drinking something, there for the food and the company, happy just being present.

And Rainbow would be happy. She would be talking about her team, her latest stunt, her latest triumph. Maybe the latest swooning fan she’d gotten into her bed. Would Rainbow even notice that she wasn’t there? Would she care?

Ten, eleven, twelve.

She wouldn’t care, Fluttershy decided. After all, she hadn’t cared when they’d broken up. She hadn’t cared enough not to sleep with other ponies. She hadn’t even cared about what their friendship meant, the first time they’d kissed. She just took what she wanted, and then discarded it when it wasn’t what she wanted anymore.

Fourteen, fifteen, sixteen.

The wind was still trying to hold her up. It tried to support her, to push her away from the ground. It tried to slow her down, but it wasn’t enough. It was the only thing trying to save her, and it wasn’t strong enough.

She turned her gaze to the ground below. She could do it, right? She didn’t have to open her wings. She didn’t have to save herself, like she had all those other times. She didn’t have to be strong enough.

Seventeen.

Her vision blurred, tears being swept from her eyes by the wind as fast as they came out.

Eighteen.

She didn’t have to open her wings.

She didn’t have to feel this way anymore.

She didn’t have to think about it.

She didn’t have to do anything.

Nineteen.

All she had to do was fall.