Act I - 03 - The Nightmare's Just Begun
Act One
"Places I Remember"
Chapter Three:
"The Nightmare's Just Begun"
The early morning sunlight poured into Fluttershy’s room through her closed curtains. Her eyes slowly opened and she looked around the room.
In the small cage across the room was Angel Bunny, quietly sleeping. She smiled faintly, the events of the day before still in her mind. She was almost completely alone in the world now, except for the small white bunny in the cage.
She let out a yawning sigh and slowly got out of bed.
After cleaning Angel Bunny’s cage she quietly opened the door and walked down the hall towards the dining room.
She could hear her parents talking about something but she couldn’t quite make it out. The talking steadily grew louder and more clear as she neared the dining room.
“I don’t know why you can't just turn down the job. She’s not going to be able to cope with all this…” her mother’s voice said, laced with worry.
Who are they talking about? Fluttershy wondered, as she stood quietly in the doorway, making sure not to make a sound unless she was discovered.
“Honey, believe me, if there were a way to do this without having to move the entire family I would do it in a heartbeat. You know that.” Her father’s voice replied.
Move the entire family? We’re moving? Fluttershy asked herself. But why?
Her mother let out a sigh. “Are you absolutely one hundred percent sure about this? Because I don’t want to have to force poor Fluttershy to leave the only place she’s known and move to a place that she’s never been all because you want this job.”
“Yes. I’m one hundred percent sure of this. I wish there was another way…but we have to do it.” Her father said, his voice heavy.
Fluttershy finally decided now was as good a time as any to enter the dining room. “Um Daddy, what are you and mom talking about?”
Her father and mother both looked at her. Her mother shot her father an ‘I told you so’ glance as her father let out a heavy sigh.
“Well, Fluttershy…” her father started, leaning down so he could be at eye level with her. “I just got a job in Canterlot…”
Fluttershy instantly knew what that meant. Suddenly the entire conversation she had heard made perfect sense. She shook her head. “No, please Daddy, I don’t want to move to Canterlot…” she said, giving him a tight hug.
“I know, I know darling. I wish there was another way, but this is a very important job. I wish I could stay here and do it but I can’t.” he gently rocked her back and forth. “And don’t worry, we’ll still be together as a family.”
“What about Angel Bunny?” Fluttershy asked.
“You can even take Angel Bunny. We’ll get him a nice, comfortable cage he can sleep in and everything.”
Fluttershy was quiet for a moment. She thought about the fact that, now that Firefly was gone, she didn’t have a single friend in the entire school. All she had was her nice, warm home, and her loving family and her beloved Angel Bunny.
And now, she would lose her home to go live in a place she’d never been before. It scared her.
“Oh Daddy I’m scared…what if the other fillies bully me like here.” Fluttershy said, hugging her father even tighter.
“Don’t worry, dear…I’ll make sure they never do that.” He gently ran his hooves through her mane.
“And Fluttershy,” her mother suddenly said, walking up and hugging the two of them. “Always remember that we’re here to help you with any trouble you might face. We’re a family, that’s what we do.”
The three of them sat there quietly, all hugging.
And Fluttershy, for the first time in a long time, felt that there was some light at the end of the tunnel.
////////////////////////////
THREE MONTHS LATER:
Down the hallway, head held high, walked a large dark grey teenage unicorn wearing a black leather jacket. He was Dark Sky, the undisputed ruler of Canterlot Middle School’s hallways.
On his face he wore a smug grin. He eyed the various younger fillies, which all would instantly cower in fear.
And by Celestia did he love that.
“Hey, you.” He called out towards a random yellow pegasus filly with a long pink mane that was walking down the hall.
The filly froze in her tracks and turned around slowly. “Y-yes D-Dark S-Sky?” she stuttered, completely terrified.
Dark Sky walked up to her, using his considerable size advantage to tower over the smaller filly. “You got any lunch money on ya Flutters?”
The younger filly shook her head. “N-no, Dark Sky, I just s-spent it...” she was shaking all over. Dark Sky was silent of a moment, reveling at the look of fear on the much younger pegasus’ face.
Dark Sky clicked his tongue. “Shame Flutters. I kinda needed the funds. Real shame. You know what this means?”
Fluttershy’s pupils shrunk, her eyes darted around, eying the swiftly growing group of fillies and colts that had come to watch.
She looked back at Dark Sky, falling to her knees in pleading. “No! Not a swirly! Please!”
Dark Sky shrugged, jerking Fluttershy into the air with his magic. “Sorry Flutters, put I just can’t abide with the fact that you never pay up. Can’t have that can I?”
Fluttershy struggled against Dark Sky’s magic in vain. “Please not the Swirly! Please not a Swirly!” she started to sob.
“Oh stop whining Flutters. You’re no fun. Swirly’s are so much more fun.” Dark Sky laughed, dragging the weeping filly into the colts room. “For me that is.”
The door closed behind them and the small crowd that had formed awaited the results with baited breath.
The sound of a toilet flushing greeted their ears. There was another awkward silence before the door suddenly burst open and Fluttershy came stumbling out, her head and mane completely soaked and she ran off sobbing.
Directly behind her came Dark Sky, who, after pausing in the doorway and looking over the small crowd of fillies, stomped his hoof, sending them scattering like a flock of scared birds.
He let out a contented sigh and started to make his way down the hallway again, looking for his next victim.
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Fluttershy sat in the corner of the classroom, quietly crying as the teacher droned on endlessly about the wonders of fractions.
These past six months had been the worst of her life. She had hoped that what her father said was true, that he would protect her or do something to make them stop bullying her, but alas, his new job seemingly attracted every ounce of his attention.
He wouldn’t even eat dinner without some aspect of his new job infiltrating their eating. He would often sit at the head of the table, with a pile of papers and notes which he would constantly nitpick and mutter over.
And, to top it all off, she was being bullied even worse than before. Every time she went out into the halls, Dark Sky would come looking for her, always equipped with some new way to torture her.
No matter what she did, or how she tried to avoid him, he would find her and torment her.
She let out a quiet sob and wiped her running nose. She looked around the classroom. All her fellow students wore the same bored expression, except for Long Division, the teacher’s pet, who would watch the teacher intently, apparently drinking in every word.
“Pisst”
Fluttershy looked around for the source of the voice.
“Pisst, behind you.” The voice whispered.
Fluttershy slowly turned around to see a small, orange colt with glasses.
“Um….hello….” Fluttershy whispered, making sure the teacher couldn’t hear them. “What do you want?”
“Well,” the colt said in a somewhat nasally whisper. “I kinda just want to say I feel sorry for ya, here” he leaned down and dug through his backpack for a moment, which was packed with dozens of comic books and doodles.
“Where is it…” he muttered, quickly glancing at the teacher to make sure she hadn’t seen him. “Ah, here we go.” His whispered as a small smile spread across his face and he pulled out a small card.
“What is that?” Fluttershy whispered back, casting a fearful glance over her shoulder.
“I think you’re problem is that you’re not assertive enough,” the colt whispered. “Here, take this card.” He held the card out.
Fluttershy once again looked around the classroom. The teacher, Miss Calculus, apparently hadn’t noticed their clandestine meeting and was still droning on as the rest of the class was nearly asleep with boredom.
Fluttershy quietly reached out and grabbed the card. “W-what’s the card for?” she asked, her voice barely audible.
“It’s for a special thing their holding in the gym after school…assertiveness.” The colt whispered.
“Assertiveness?” Fluttershy asked, once more looking over her shoulder at the teacher.
“Because, I think that nopony should be bullied like that. I think you should try and stand up to Dark Sky. Just try it.”
“Excuse me but what is so interesting as to distract you from my class?” the thin reedy voice of Miss Calculus suddenly spoke, causing both Fluttershy and the colt to freeze.
“Um, well, I, uh…” the colt stammered, as Miss Calculus stared intently at him, her face drawn so tight that it looked like it might suddenly rip off.
“Excelsior, I will not have any of your daydreaming fantasy’s in my class. And Fluttershy…” she turned her withering gaze to Fluttershy. “You know better than to fraternize with such….” She cast a derisive glance towards the colt. “….plebeians.”
Fluttershy simply nodded her head and turned back to look at her desk.
“And Fluttershy….” Miss Calculus said, “what is that in your hooves?”
Fluttershy didn’t say anything, but simply shot out her hoof, Excelsior’s card on the end. Miss Calculus levitated the card in front of her face and squinted through her thick glasses.
She read the card aloud. “Strong Will’s Assertiveness Class. Go from pushover to awesome in one week, guaranteed.” She looked down at Fluttershy, who was now quivering in fear.
“My dear Fluttershy, for once I agree with Excelsior. You need this desperately. You’re rather pathetic you know…” she dropped the card down on Fluttershy’s desk and returned to the blackboard, and continued her lecture.
Fluttershy looked at the card. Miss Calculus was right. She was pathetic. Here she was, sitting in class, quivering and shaking like a leaf in the wind. And right there, in front of her, was a way out of it.
////////////////////////////
“Good afternoon, I’m Strong Will and I’ll be your assertiveness teacher today.” The titanic mare said. Her red hair was pulled back into a tight bum and her tail was clipped short.
Fluttershy sat in a row of ponies, all of whom looked rather meek. Just like her.
“Now,” Strong Will announced as she scanned the group. “I will be choosing one random participant to demonstrate my methods. Starting with….” She lifted a hoof to point and moved it around, as if running through a list of potential candidates.
“You. The filly with the pink mane.” Strong Will pointed a large hoof at Fluttershy. Fluttershy shied away, hoping that maybe there was another filly with a pink mane.
“Filly with the pink mane, I’m talking to you.” Strong Will once more spoke, this time emphasizing her words with a sharp slap of her hoof against the floor.
Fluttershy hid behind her mane and hesitantly walked up to Strong Will, trembling.
“State your name please to the rest of the class.”
“I’m Fluttershy” Fluttershy whispered, her voice nearly completely inaudible.
Strong Will simply stared down at Fluttershy. “What was that? I can’t hear you.” She then looked at the rest of the class. “First lesson in assertiveness. Always say your name clearly, and loudly enough so that ponies can understand you.” She nudged Fluttershy.
“Now come filly, state your name so we can hear you.”
Fluttershy looked up at Strong Will and then at the other members of the class.
“Come on. We’re waiting.” Strong Will insisted, once more nudging Fluttershy.
Fluttershy gulped, took a deep breath and opened her mouth to speak.
“Um….h-hello e-everypony…” her knees started to shake. “I-I’m F-Fluttershy….”
The rest of the ponies all nodded and various quiet and meek greetings came from the group.
“And why are you participating in this class today Fluttershy?” Strong Will asked, once more looking down at Fluttershy.
Fluttershy hid behind her mane. “Because I’m bullied at school…”
“Excuse me? I couldn’t quite make that out. Remember, speak so that ponies can hear you.” Strong Will said.
“Because I’m bullied at school.” Fluttershy whispered again, utterly terrified.
Strong Will raised an eyebrow. “Bullied at school eh?” she turned to the audience. “See this poor filly?” she pointed a seemingly gargantuan hoof at Fluttershy. “This filly is the perfect example of why assertiveness is important.” She gave Fluttershy a sympathetic smile and then turned back to the audience.
“You see, if this poor filly had some assertiveness, she would be able to stand up to those horrible creatures that bully and torment her.” She suddenly grabbed Fluttershy and pulled her close. “And I, Strong Will, will now show this filly how to be assertive and stand up to them.”
Fluttershy’s eyes widened. “P-please….I’m s-scared….” She whimpered to Strong Will. Strong Will looked down and a small smile made itself evident on her face. She leaned down.
“Its okay sport, I won’t be hard on ya. Everypony is a little scared the first time. But don’t worry. We’ll deal with that in a moment.” She whispered in Fluttershy’s ear before standing back up.
“Now, Fluttershy,” she raised her voice so that everypony could hear her. “I’m going to pretend to be a bully and I want you be assertive. Understand?”
Fluttershy weakly nodded her head.
“Good.” Strong Will cleared her throat. “Hey. You!” she suddenly shouted at Fluttershy in accusatory tone.
Fluttershy instantly cowered in fear, covering her eyes. She could hear Strong Will’s hoofsteps.
“Fluttershy that is not how you stand up to a bully.” She said, her voice loosing it’s accusatory tone but still stern. “Now, we’re going to try this again and I want you to stand up to me. Don’t let me push you around understand?”
Fluttershy nodded, standing up, her knees shaking. Strong Will smiled and then walked to the opposite side of the stage.
“HEY YOU!” she shouted in the same tone as before.
This time, Fluttershy didn’t instantly cower in fear, but rather started to shake violently and looked over at Strong Will.
“Y-yes?” she peeped, her voice shallow.
Strong Will suddenly started to walk forward. “I want your lunch money pony. Give it over.”
Fluttershy continued to shiver. She faintly shook her head, remembering what Strong Will told her.
Strong Will raised an eyebrow, still in pretending to be the bully. “Did you just tell me no?”
Fluttershy shakily looked up and nodded.
She caught a glimpse of a small, barely visible smile tugged at the end of Strong Will’s mouth.
Fluttershy took this as a good thing and straightened out and did her best to stop her knees from shaking.
“Fluttershy, in order to be assertive you must verbalize.” Strong Will ordered. “Now, instead of just nodding, I want you to tell me that you said no. Let me hear you say it.”
Fluttershy hid behind her mane again and spoke softly. “Y-yes…I d-don’t w-want y-you t-to h-have m-my lunch m-money…”
“Can’t hear you!” Strong Will cupped a hoof to her ear.
Fluttershy gulped and spoke again, this time louder. “I d-don’t want t-to g-give y-you m-my lunch m-money.” As soon as the sentence left her mouth she shied away.
Instead of a verbal threat or a smack of a hoof, as Fluttershy expected, instead she felt as if she was getting hoisted into the air.
She opened her eyes, and saw that Strong Will had lifted her onto her shoulder and was smiling.
“You see! If this little filly,” she pointed at Fluttershy. “Can stand up to me like that, after a mere one try, you can too!”
There was a rush of applause and exclamations.
Fluttershy smiled, a feeling of confidence washing over her. She had been assertive for the first time in her life and, honestly, it felt amazing.
////////////////////////////
Fluttershy and Tree Flower sat at the small round dinner table. The sound of cooking emanated from the kitchen.
“Honey, what’s taking the food so long? Are you sure you don’t need my help?” Tree Flower called out.
“No thank you honey, I’m almost done!” Banner Wing called out from the kitchen. He leaned over the boiling pot of soup.
“There we go…nice and ready.” He whispered as he dipped in the ladle and took a sip. It was a good tasting soup, full of flavor. It had been awhile since he had cooking anything really, but he had always had a fondness for his mother’s soup.
Thank Celestia I kept Mom’s cookbook. He thought as he stirred the soup, making sure not to let it boil over.
“Honey, please we’re all a rather bit hungry, is the soup ready yet or not?” Tree Flower called out again, sounding slightly impatient.
Banner Wing shouted towards the dining room. “Yes, it’s almost ready, I’m going to just add some spices to spruce it up okay?” as he said this, he poured three bowls, and, in the smallest bowl, he poured a small vial full of green liquid.
The green liquid was his masterpiece. A special growth hormone he had developed for the government program he had been called to work on. The government hadn’t exactly been clear as to the exact purpose of the work they needed done, but they had provided him with the means to create a way to better Fluttershy’s existence.
He quickly stirred in the serum until it was mixed in.
“Dear…” Tree Flower once more called from the dining room.
Banner Wing gently placed the soup bowls on a platter and picked it up with his mouth and walked into the dining room. He set the platter on the table and took his place.
“Sorry it took so long; it’s just that I haven’t cooked in a while. Hopefully you like it.” He said, taking a sip of his soup.
His wife smiled. “Oh that’s okay honey. I’m quite sure it’s lovely.” She took a sip. “Oh wow it is good. What kind of soup is this?”
“Carrot Soup. My mom’s recipe.” Banner Wing replied, as he watched Fluttershy take a sip herself.
“Wow Daddy this good.”
There was an awkward pause as they all quietly ate their soup. Suddenly Fluttershy raised her hoof.
“Um…if it’s okay with you…I’d like to tell you what happened at school today…” She said.
Both Banner Wing and Tree Flower looked at Fluttershy with interest.
“Really? What?” Banner Wing asked, hoping that for once, she had had an actual good day at school.
“Well…um, today this nice colt in class gave me this…” she quietly pulled a small card out from under her wing.
“Really? What is that?” Banner Wing reached out and took the card, reading it. “Assertiveness class? Why would you need an assertiveness class?” he looked at Fluttershy, eyebrow raised.
“Because I don’t want to get bullied anymore daddy…” Fluttershy said, looking down at her soup.
Tree Flower smiled. “Well I think that that is an excellent idea. How did it go?”
Fluttershy smiled. “It actually went really great. Everypony clapped and cheered for me and everything.”
Banner Wing said nothing, a small smile crossing his face. The sight of his beloved daughter finally happy and not bemoaning over another horrible day was the single most beautiful sight in the universe.
“Well then dear,” he said, gently pulling her in for a hug. “That’s all we need to know.”
////////////////////////////
A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER:
“There you go Angel, eat it up.” Fluttershy whispered, a small smile forming on her face.
Fluttershy quietly stood in front of her locker, feeding Angel Bunny. She had had a growth spurt in the last few weeks and her wings and legs had evened out a little.
However, none of that was on her mind, as the universe had decided to crank its torture of her up to an eleven.
////////////////////////////
Dark Sky loomed over Fluttershy.
“What did you just say?” he growled.
“I-I s-said t-that y-you s-should l-leave m-me alone.” Fluttershy said, her voice frail and trembling, doing her best to hold her ground.
“Oh really? And who’s going to make me?” Dark Sky sneered.
Fluttershy tried her best to stand up straight. “M-Me. I've b-been t-taking a-assert-tiveness c-classes, a-and I w-want y-you t-to l-leave me alone.” She stomped her hoof on the ground, but her own shaking prevented it from making much impact.
Dark Sky was quiet for a moment. His face was cold. Suddenly, without warning, he grabbed her tail in his magic and started to drag her along the floor towards the school’s gymnasium.
Fluttershy desperately clawed at the floor in a vain attempt to gain some traction and escape. But her hooves only managed to slip and slide along the floor.
The door separating the gymnasium from the rest of the school burst opened as Dark Sky stormed through.
Suddenly, Fluttershy felt herself flying through the air. She tried to flap her wings, but it was a futile attempt. Her body impacted the water and she felt water begin to pour into her nose and throat. She burst to the surface, gasping and panting for air.
“Listen here Flutters!” Dark Sky’s voice echoed through the gymnasium. “You will never attempt to defy me ever again. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!”
Fluttershy clawed her way out of the pool. She gasped and choked. “Y-yes D-Dark Sky…”
Dark Sky smiled. “Good.” As he turned away, he gave her soaking wet form a sharp kick and she tumbled back into the pool.
////////////////////////////
So now here she was, trying her best not to totally break down into a quivering pile of tears.
Her wet mane clung her head like a slug. Her own tears were lost in the wetness of her fur.
“At least you’re still here Angel.” She whispered, gently petting the bunny through the bars of the cage and sniffing slightly.
“HEY! YOU!”
Fluttershy let out a squeak before freezing solid. She knew that voice. Everypony in school knew that voice. She hoped against hope that maybe she wasn’t the one being addressed.
“Didn’t you hear me?! I said, ‘HEY YOU!’” the voice shouted again. Fluttershy slowly turned around to look in the direction of the voice.
And there he was the bane of her existence, Dark Sky. And he was looking right at her.
“I’m talking to you Flutters!” he shouted, walking slowly towards her, the crowd of fillies scattering away in fear.
“Hey Flutters. Whatcha doing?” He sneered, towering over her.
Fluttershy began to shiver. “Um….n-nothing D-Dark Sky, nothing at all. P-please…what do you want now?”
Dark Sky looked into Fluttershy’s locker. “Oh, nothing much…” he eyed the various pictures and doodles and the bunny cage. His eyes widened slightly at the sight of the bunny cage.
“Well would you look at that.” He said, faking surprise at the sight of Angel Bunny. “How long have you had this little friend Flutters?” he said, looking down at the quivering pegasus.
“P-please Dark Sky, w-what do you want?” Fluttershy whimpered. “Y-you a-already d-dumbed m-me into the pool…a-aren’t y-you s-satisfied?”
“Well….” Dark Sky put a hoof on his chin. “I guess…maybe…” his eyes drifted between Fluttershy and Angel. “But, hay, I just think you’re too much fun to pass up, Flutters.”
And with that, he suddenly bobbed Fluttershy on the nose. Fluttershy clutched her nose, letting out a whimper.
“Wow Flutters. You’re like a toy. You make funny noises.” Dark Sky chuckled, once more bopping Fluttershy’s nose.
Fluttershy stumbled forward and hit the floor. “P-please…” she begged, looking at the much large unicorn. “L-leave me alone…” tears streamed down her cheeks. “I’ll do anything, just please leave me alone.”
Dark Sky looked down at Fluttershy, a wicked grin slowly spreading across his face. “Anything?” he asked. His dark blue eyes drifted over the small cage that held Angel Bunny. His horn glowed and a small tendril of magic drifted over and started to tinker with the lock.
“Mind if I play with your little friend here?” he looked back down at Fluttershy.
Fluttershy’s eyes widened. “No…no…not Angel Bunny, he’s all I’ve got…” she cried, grabbing onto Dark Sky’s leg. Dark Sky simply kicked his leg outward and Fluttershy lost her grip.
“Oh Celestia I enjoy myself way too much.” He laughed as the lock popped open and he sent the tendril of magic after Angel Bunny, who had run to the other side of the small cage.
“Come on you stupid bunny, I just want to have a little bit of fun with Flutters.” Dark Sky growled his magic wrapping around Angel Bunny’s leg like a snake. Angel Bunny kicked and struggled as the magic pulled him out of the cage and hung him in the air. Dark Sky’s magic aura quickly enveloped the struggling rabbit.
“Well, well, looky here.” Dark Sky laughed, looking down at Fluttershy, who was now weeping uncontrollably. “Powr wittle Fwutters wanna pway wit her bunny?” He mockingly said in a baby voice, lowering Angel directly in front of Fluttershy’s face.
Fluttershy desperately reached out towards Angel Bunny, only to have Dark Sky suddenly yank the bunny out of her grasp.
“Please!” Fluttershy sobbed. “Leave him alone.”
Dark Sky shot Fluttershy a death glare.
“Now listen here Flutters.” His voice taking on an almost demonic tone. “I want to play with your rabbit here and what Dark Sky wants,” he paused, levitating a small cigarette and a lighter out of his leather jacket. “Dark Sky gets.”
Fluttershy could only watch as Dark Sky light the cigarette and slowly edged it towards Angel Bunny’s tail.
“No! Please no!” Fluttershy sobbed, unable to hold back her tears.
Dark Sky simply cast a dismissive glance at her before focusing his attention back to the bunny he was torturing.
“And here we go.” He chuckled as the cigarette made contact with Angel Bunny’s tail. Angel Bunny let out a tortured squeal and writhed in pain in a vain attempt to escape.
The sight of her bunny being tormented in such a deviant way was simply too much for Fluttershy. Somewhere, deep inside Fluttershy’s soul snapped. Her fear and panic suddenly transformed into a seething ball of anger and rage and everything went red.
“I said LEAVE HIM ALONE!” Fluttershy shrieked and lunged towards Dark Sky, her hooves ready to beat him to a pulp.
Dark Sky turned around at the sound of Fluttershy’s shriek and was greeted by her fists impacting his nose. He was sent stumbling and his magic faltered long enough for Angel Bunny to drop the floor and scamper away to hide.
Fluttershy meanwhile, didn’t stop and continued to punch Dark Sky violently in the face.
“DON’T YOU EVER HURT MY ANGEL YOU MONSTER!” she shrieked, grabbing Dark Sky’s head and slamming it into a nearby locker. She then proceeded to violent kick and buck at Dark Sky as if he was a rag doll.
“LEAVE HIM ALONE!” Fluttershy roared, landing a kick on Dark Sky’s skull once again. “LEAVE ME ALONE!”
A small crowd had formed at the disturbing sight of the notoriously meek and shy Pegasus violently beating the much larger and stronger unicorn, whose body was now covered in bruises and completely limp.
Fluttershy suddenly stopped kicking Dark Sky and took a step back. His body was no longer dark grey but now a hideous mix of dark green, black and blue.
What have I done? She thought as her mind slowly cleared and everything came back into focus. She shook her head to clear away the last of the anger and looked down at her hooves.
They were coated in a thin layer of red liquid. Was that blood? Fluttershy thought as she brought her hoof up to her face, her anger and rage fading to be replaced by that of panic.
She suddenly started to hyperventilate as the full gravity of her actions suddenly dawned on her. She looked around at the small crowd that had formed. Their faces were all the same. They were afraid of her. Fluttershy suddenly felt very light headed and collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
As soon as her body hit the ground the crowd all moved back in unison. Suddenly a door opened down the hallway and an older unicorn with a pair of glasses perched on his nose walked up. It was the school principal, Notebook.
“What is going on out here?” he said in a deep, rumbling voice. The school fillies all pointed at Fluttershy and Dark Sky’s unconscious bodies.
“Dear Celestia…” Principle Notebook whispered. “Somepony get the nurse.” He ordered and a filly darted off towards the nurses’ office.
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Tree Flower quietly worked in her kitchen, washing dishes when the phone rang. She let out a sigh, pulled off her gloves and picked up the phone.
“Hello, this Tree Flower, to whom am I speaking?” there was a pause as the voice on the other end spoke. “Ah, Principal Notebook, what’s wrong? Has Fluttershy done something wrong?”
There was another pause as Principal Notebook continued to speak. The smile on Tree Flower’s face faded as she heard the principal's words.
“I’ll be there immediately.”
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“Dr. Banner Wing Wing, I believe your daughter has some serious anger issues.” Principal Notebook said, taking off his reading glasses. In front of him sat Dr. Banner Wing and Tree Flower, having come to the school as soon as they heard the news.
“What makes you say that?” Banner Wing said, holding Tree Flower’s hoof tightly.
Principle Notebook sighed. “Well, I believe you know that your daughter has been the subject of bullying, am I correct?”
Banner Wing nodded. “Yes, sadly, but I’ve never been able to find out who’s responsible.”
Principle Notebook nodded his head. “Well, I’m sorry to say, but today she managed to put a pony in the hospital.”
Tree Flower gasped. “That’s impossible! She’s so gentle and kind.”
“Are you sure it’s was Fluttershy who did this?” Banner Wing said, doing his best to calm Tree Flower down. “I mean she’s just 90 pounds.”
“Well,” Notebook started shifting though the papers on his desk. “According to some eyewitness, this pony was bullying her and then, something just snapped and it seems she attacked them.”
Banner Wing shook his head. “Impossible. As we said before, she’s just too kind and gentle to be capable of this.”
Notebook pulled out another piece of paper. “Dr. Wing, I’m pretty sure as to her gentleness, but right here I have the medical report. Dark Sky, a unicorn, he got his head slammed into a locker, broke his horn, kicked violently and is now in a coma with six broken ribs and a broken jaw.”
He put the papers down. “Dr. Wing, these injuries were all caused by your daughter. Now I don’t believe one bit that she is a monster. In fact, she apparently fainted immediately after she beat up Dark Sky, but that being said, it’s no excuse for her to snap like that and put him in a coma. Are you absolutely sure she’s alright? Any fights at home or a pet’s death or something to make her prone to such outbursts?”
Banner Wing shook his head. “No, sir, as I said before, she’s the most gentle and kind filly you’ll ever meet, and I assure you that she has never in her entire life shown signs of being violent like this.”
Notebook let out a sigh. “Then I don’t know what to tell you Banner. This behavior isn’t normal. Now, since the circumstances are rather unique in this case, I’m not going to expel Fluttershy or anything. But I am going to recommend she see the school psychologist. Are you okay with this?”
Banner Wing nodded. “Of course.” And with that, him and Tree Flower quietly got up and walked out of the principal’s office.
////////////////////////////
It was late that night when Banner Wing awoke to the faint sound of running water.
Why is there water running at 2 AM? He thought as he climbed out of bed, making sure not to wake Tree Flower.
He slipped on a robe and quietly walked towards where the sound of running water was coming from.
He found the bathroom door slightly ajar, with the light on inside. He could tell that the shower was the source of the noise. Just as he was about to open the door to turn the water off, his ears caught the faint whispering of somepony.
"Oh please go away, go away, please..." the voice pleaded.
Banner Wing instantly recognized the voice.
It was Fluttershy.
"Fluttershy? Fluttershy are you okay?" he said. The whispering suddenly stopped cold, leaving only the sound of the shower running.
"D-daddy is that you?" Fluttershy's soft voice replied, it sounded like she had been crying.
"Yes Fluttershy, it's Daddy. What's wrong honey?" he asked, concern in his voice.
"It's the blood Daddy...it won't go away."
Banner Wing panicked, and instantly opened the bathroom door, fearing the worst.
The door swung open to reveal the small yellow figure of Fluttershy curled into a ball in the corner of the shower, water washing over her body as she constantly rubbed and wrung her hooves together, crying.
The first thing Banner Wing noticed about Fluttershy however, was the complete and total absence of injury or blood of any sort.
"Fluttershy what blood?" Banner Wing gently stepped forward, looking her over. "I can't see any blood."
"No Daddy, don't you see? It's all over my hooves." she reached her perfectly clean hooves towards Banner Wing, who inspected them.
"And..." Fluttershy was sobbing now. "No matter how much I clean them it won't go away." she let out another heaving sob, obviously immensely distressed.
Banner Wing gently took hold of Fluttershy's hoof and sat next to her, ignoring the fact that the shower was still running. He reached an arm and a wing around her shaking body and pulled her close.
"Oh Daddy...that pony's probably dead because of me..." Fluttershy sobbed, burying her face in Banner Wing's chest.
"What pony, Fluttershy?" Banner Wing asked, beginning to gently rock Fluttershy back and forth.
"Dark Sky..." Fluttershy whimpered.
Banner Wing was silent for a moment. To be honest, a part of him felt glad that that monster was in the hospital. However, the sight and sound of his daughter's distress at the thought of her harming somepony was impossible to ignore.
"Oh Fluttershy..." he gently ran a hoof through her hair to comfort her. "It's okay, look," he gently began to rub Fluttershy's hooves as if he were washing them with soap. "Daddy's going to make all the blood go away, okay?"
He gently ran his hooves over hers, and began to sing quietly to her.
"Hush now, quiet now, time to go to bed. Hush now quiet now, now lay your sleepy head..."
"Oh Daddy," Fluttershy whispered. "I don't want to hurt another pony ever again..."
"That's okay Fluttershy, you never will." he consoled her, returning to rocking her back and forth gently.
"I'm so scared Daddy..."
Banner Wing looked down at Fluttershy, who still had her head buried in his chest. "Scared of what?"
"Scared of being angry...I never want to be angry again..." she whispered.
"Oh don't be like that. You'll never hurt another pony again, I promise." he whispered in her ear.
"Never again."
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Soup!!!!! You turned Fluttershy into the hulk!!
2117165 Well, techincally, it's only a qusi-hulk out (no green skin or transformation).
But don't worry, you'll get some Flutterhulk action next chapter (I hope.)
Just noticed something:
Shouldn't it have been "Dear Faust", seeing as that's what it's been in the other stories.
2117221 Actually, I've been meaning to address that.
In Equestria (which is Earth), Celestia has become a mythical figure, since it's been so long since she's had anything to do with them.
In Equingard, Faust is Celestia's great, great, great, great (add a few more greats) grandmother and founder of Equinsgard. Thereby her name has also become almost mythological in nature.
I'll address that in Soar though.
Sorry for the confusion.
2117273
I also recall a moment in Iron Mare, Rarity uses "Faust" at one point when she's falling after the ice build up.
2117314 O.o oh you're right.....better go fix that.
Of course that was before I had figured out the whole system yet, so I guess you could say it was a mistake.
aw Fluttershy
oh, is this supposed to be dumped
and that bopped?
2117456 I ran out of words....
2117465 Alright, I was just wondering
DELICIOUS!
I have to say that despite what happen, you can't say that Dark Sky deserved what's coming to him for bullying Fluttershy like that.
I mean what's wrong with a school where the teachers will not come to the student's aid in the hallways ?
Still interesting origin for he anger of Fluttershy. Yet, even Fluttershy must realize that you cannot avoid getting angry forever, right ?
2118354 You would not believe some of the stuff bullies get away with.
I sensed some Skillet lyric quoting to appear sometime.
2118617 Would you believe that wasn't my first choice?
My first choice was this:
But then I remembered Monster by Skillet and then the gates of heaven opened up and an angelic choir came down to say "BRONYMAN1995! USE THE SKILLET SONG!" before they ascended back up...
I'll probably use some more lyrics from Monster and I'll end up using that Pink Floyd song somewhere....
2123758 Well thank you very much.
The next chapter only has more....
HA! The bastard 100% deserved it
Though now Flutter's has demons staining her fur...shit, Wing Wing, what the buck did you do? Not even the Gods could help her now
2117273 Who the buck is Fraust? All I know are the Gods of Equestria
2124093 Lauren Faust.
Get it?
2125718 Ah.........hmmmm.........huh. Eh, to each their own. Personally I would find it odd to treat the creator of the show as a Goddess for even the other Gods to worship, how strange, but no judgement here
Just realized the pony that told Flutters about the assertiveness training might actually be Stan Lee... maybe
2143585 Maybe....
BTW did you get that google doc I shared with you? It's the next chapter.
2143836 I did get it; just haven't had the chance to look at it
2143874 Oh that's a realif, since NONE of my other proofreaders have had a chance either.
Is there some big brony meet up thing I'm missing?
AND OH NO!
How's Twilight Alicorn going to fit into Mare of Steel?!
2143897 I'll PM you if you'd like, but it contains a lot of spoilers to the final fight between Supermare and Brainiac
2144109 Sure if you want.
Epic Macbeth reference. It's good to see people using Shakespearean plays as a reference point.
Awesome! This is just cheese on toast awesome. I only found out about you now Bronyman1995 and only started reading this because I love these crossovers where you re-imagine the cast in another story. It could do with a lot of word cutting, but in other words this is awesome. if does feel like if Stan Lee got hold of Fluttershy and re-imagined her as the Hulk.
I've only read Act 1, but overall I am well enjoying the dark gritty story, the build-up is immense and I like the path that Fluttershy's falling into, just too awesome
2117181 Traditionally, it's believed that the Hulk "persona" was caused by Bruce's childhood trauma, and so this corresponding incident could be considered the birth of the Hulk, even if Flutters is still, physically, a relatively normal pony.
Man, that really is the high school from Hades, huh? Even the teacher was a ridiculous! Still, nice to see what looked to be proxies for Stan Lee and Betty Ross. And am I correct in understanding that Angel survived her ordeal?
Strong Will becomes General Iron Will doesn't he.
Nice choice for a chapter title.
At least that bully got beat. I know it was wrong how it was handled, buuuuuuuut...can't say I don't like a good beat down in fics every now and then.
I hate bullies. I really HATE THEM. I hope Dark Sky doesn't piss off Fluttershy anymore. Otherwise he would be in a body bag.