The Reception's Back On

by sister_mike

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Fluttershy

Fluttershy was falling fast. She screamed, her eyes shut tight, tears streaming down her face. Her left wing was immobile, the right one was flapping frantically. It was useless. She couldn't fly.

The rock that had trapped her was gone, falling at a faster pace. What if she landed on it and broke her back? How was she supposed to get to Canterlot? The others needed her—without her, the Elements couldn't be complete. They wouldn't be able to beat Chrysalis. Equestria would stay in its captured state, forever being harvested for the changelings.

"Fluttershy!"

Fluttershy opened her eyes. Big Mac was falling towards her at a fast rate—he did weight more. She hadn't realized that he had gone over as well when the end of the bridge collapsed, but it made sense since he had been right there beside him.

Big Mac seemed to be diving towards her. He stretched out his body straight, his hooves reaching out towards hers. Fluttershy reached out towards him.

Big Mac grabbed Fluttershy and wrapped his legs around her. Next thing she knew, there was a splash and water all around. Fluttershy felt them hit the bottom of the river—thankfully they didn't land on the boulder that had crushed her wing.

Big Mac pulled Fluttershy up to the surface. They both gasped for air.

"Are you ok Flut—"

The current was fast. They were quickly pulled apart and Fluttershy was under the water again. She struggled to get to the surface. She wasn't a strong swimmer, especially when she didn't have the extra help from her wings.

She flailed in the water. The current pushed her along, slamming her into rocks and stones. Any glimpses she had above the surface, she couldn't see Big Mac. What if he was trapped somewhere and was drowning? He had come over to help her, to save her, and now he could die because of her.

Applejack would never forgive me... Oh Big McIntosh... Please be ok.

The current seemed to move faster and faster. Fluttershy managed to poke her head above the surface for longer than a few seconds. Her eyes grew wide. The current was picking up because there was a waterfall head—a huge waterfall.

Frantic, she tried her hardest to swim towards the edge to her left, where she saw a patch of grass. But the force of the water was too strong.

Fluttershy screamed and cried as the fall came closer and closer. She flailed her hooves around hysterically, and managed to grab onto a rock. The water tried to push her over the edge.

"Fluttershy! Grab on!"

Fluttershy looked over to see Big Mac on the patch of grass, a branch in his mouth, holding it out towards her.

Fluttershy was terrified. What if she let go of the rock and the current washed her away before she could take hold of the branch? What if the branch broke? What if the current was so strong, that it pulled Big Mac back in and they both went over?

Be brave.

Summoning all her courage, Fluttershy let one shaky hoof off of the rock and reached out towards the branch. Holding her breath, she let go of the rock and jumped towards the branch, wrapping her forelegs around it.

Fluttershy held on tightly, but felt herself slipping. The current was strong and fast—but Big Mac was stronger and quicker. He pulled the branch and Fluttershy towards the stable ground and out of the water.

Fluttershy cried, panting, and hugging the ground.

"Are you alright?" Big Mac asked softly, wrapping his foreleg around her shoulders. Fluttershy looked up at him. She could feel her cheeks going red. She wiped her tears away and nodded. She didn't know how to thank him.

He's so brave.

Big Mac helped Fluttershy up. He then examined her wing.

"Can you move it at all?" he asked. Fluttershy shook her head.

"It's broken," she said quietly.

Big Mac put his bag on the ground and rummaged around inside it. He pulled out a blanket and ripped a strip from it. He then tied it around Fluttershy's wing, binding it tightly.

"Not the best, but it should help with the pain," he said. Fluttershy nodded shyly.

Big Mac put his bag back on and looked up the gorge they had just fallen down.

"Can you see any of them up there?" he asked.

Fluttershy looked up. She shook her head. She couldn't even see the train tracks or the rest of the bridge.

"The current must have moved us along quite a bit," Big Mac said. Fluttershy nodded.

"Is your Element safe?" he asked. Fluttershy nodded again. Big Mac smiled and chuckled slightly.

"I know times are rough and scary right now; but you don't need to be so shy, Fluttershy," Big Mac said softly. "I'm a shy pony too. I know how you feel."

Not as shy as me.

"Ok," she said quietly.

"I guess our only option right now is to continue on hoof and try to find our way towards Canterlot," Big Mac said. He looked to the left. A few trees lined the back of the small patch of grass, separating it from the edge of the mountain. "I bet there's a cave over there. There might be a tunnel inside; it's worth a shot."

Fluttershy looked over to the trees. She thought she could make out the top of a cave peeking through the trees. Caves were scary. And dark. What if there were changelings inside?

He's right though; it's our only option right now.

"Ok... let's go," Fluttershy said quietly.

Just as they took a few steps towards the trees, the Shadowbolt came out of nowhere and landed in front of them.

"Did the others send you?" Big Mac asked. The Shadowbolt nodded.

"Can you go and tell them we're ok?" Fluttershy asked. The Shadowbolt shook his head.

"Oh?" Fluttershy said.

"They're probably on their way to Canterlot; the changelings were coming back, so they probably couldn't risk sticking around," Big Mac said. The Shadowbolt nodded.

"Are they all ok?" Fluttershy asked. The Shadowbolt sort of shrugged and nodded. He wasn't sure.

"Well, the extra set of hooves will be useful. Thank you for coming to check on us," Big Mac said. "We're going to try to find our own way to Canterlot. We think there's a cave on the other side of this small patch of trees. We figure there might be a way through the mountain, as opposed to trying to climb over it."

The Shadowbolt nodded.

"Let's go."

Comments

[sister_mike]

Just a small update

[DreadedCandiru2]

Ah. Well, Luna did 'sort of' encounter them. In any event, the story isn't going to be over just because the Changelings get defeated. They've left a lot of damage in their wake and the clean-up will take a bit.

[Sunset_Shimmer83]

i'm so happy to see they are both okay. i was worried you were going to kill off another character.

[sister_mike]

1493734

I'll try to refrain from doing so.

[Sunset_Shimmer83]

just not trixie

[sister_mike]

1493762

Trixie and her pinecones are too magical to destroy.

Plus, I plan to do a series of short-stories that happen post-reception (aka, set in the same world after the changelings are defeated) and I have a little storyline planned for Trixie.

[mbpony 512]

Yay, great update!!!

I hope one of the Post-receptions stories are at least Scootaloo's funeral with Rainbow, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle if they were all to survive this.

Also I do wonder how will Aj and her family move on from the lost of Granny Apple.

Do keep up the good work upon such a great tale like this one.

[ctzmsc3]

"Big Mac on the path of grass" - you mean patch.

Uh, thanks for un-cliffhanging somewhat.

Do Shadowbolts need to eat, like real ponies need to?

[sister_mike]

1497825

I don't care if it's cliche, I like it. But while they're waging war, there's no time to forge the beginnings of a relationship, so, there's just hints of relationships throughout the story.

Some of my post-stories might develop these.

[sister_mike]

1499131

Glad to hear :)

[SpookyScarySkellingtons]

"I guess our only option right now is

to continue on foot"

Shouldnt that be hooves ? Anyway, great chapter.

[sister_mike]

1499556

Haha, I remember thinking "on hoof, continue on hoof", but I guess my fingers had other ideas.

Thanks!

[sister_mike]

1502774

Sorry Bookworm, once again your references escape me.