My Girl Fluttershy

by White_Cloud

Chapter 8: A Cold Homecoming

It was beginning to snow as Golden Mane and I finally reached Canterlot, and I was very glad to see the welcoming gates of the city. Winter was fast approaching and the sooner we got to the house, the better. It wasn’t long before I saw my childhood home. It really didn’t look any different on the outside, but I knew that the inside was a different matter. I stopped in front of the door, wanting so desperately to not be here.

“What is it White Cloud?” asked my sister. For some reason, I found myself beginning to shake as the thought of once again entering the house where I had felt no love, except the love of my siblings, that had led me to leave.

“I-I don’t know if I can face mother again. After everything I have put her through, how can I face that kind of anger? M-maybe this was a bad idea.” I started to back away slowly, but then I felt a hoof on my back.

“White Cloud, I know it is going to be hard, but the family needs you. We can’t continue down the road we are on. It will tear us apart, and we need to be strong for mother. She needs us.” In my heart I knew that she was right. I looked at her, and saw her beautiful brown eyes. They looked so tired, but they also had a glimmer of hope. Hope that maybe I could find some way to fix everything that had gone wrong. With my sister right behind me, I opened the door and stepped inside.

……

When I stepped through the doorway, I immediately started shivering as I walked into the main hallway. It was very dark since all of the shades were covering the windows, and it was very cold. I could sense the despair that snaked its way throughout the entire house. The home was no longer bright and cheery. It felt like a tomb. As I continued to walk in and Golden Mane shut the door behind us, the sound of the door shutting echoed throughout the house like a lid slamming on a coffin. I knew that this was my home, but it felt nothing like it had when I left it. Golden Mane removed her bags and set them in a chair. I didn’t know what to say. How long had they been living like this, in the dark and depressing building that was no longer a home?

“Welcome home White Cloud.” said my sister as we continued into the house. “Everyone will be in school right now. But they should be home soon.” My heart was lightened a little at the thought of getting to see my other siblings. It had been so long since I had seen them.

“Where is mother?” I asked. “I would like to see her.”

“She is where she is every day. She never leaves her room. All day, she just sits in her rocking chair and stares out the window. She doesn’t seem to recognize us anymore.” At this, Golden began to cry again, and I wrapped a hoof around her shoulders.

“It’s ok now.” I said, trying to sound as confident as possible. “Let me go see her. Maybe I can talk to her.” Golden looked up at me as the tears continued to leak from her eyes.

“She never says a word. I try to talk to her, try to get her to leave her room, but nothing ever happens. She just continues to stare out the window, never uttering a sound.” I patted her on the shoulder as I gently pushed her away.

“I have to see her.” I turned and began to make my way up the main staircase that led to the bedrooms. I remembered the path well, seeing as I had taken these same steps many times as a young pony. I remembered which room was mine and which were my siblings as I made my way past all of the rooms. But then I stopped, for there at the end of the hall was the door that made me shiver. It was the tallest in the hallway, and the most foreboding. I always feared going near that door because for some reason it always scared me to think of what was on the other side.

“I have to do this.” I whispered to myself. “Not just for Golden, but for everyone else too.” I lifted my head high as I trotted up to the door, took a deep breath, and pushed. The door elicited a soft squeak as I slowly entered into a room that made my skin crawl. I didn’t think it was possible, but this room felt even more dark and depressing as I began to enter. I had never been in my parents’ bedroom since the children were always forbidden to enter their sanctuary. It was much bigger than I had always thought it to be. There was a large fireplace on one wall and a large collection of artwork on the opposite wall. At the end was a giant four-poster bed that was surrounded by red curtains. There were four large windows, two on each wall, that were all covered with giant curtains, save one. The last window on the right side was not fully covered. I could see light entering the room through a slit in the curtain. Then I heard a slow creaking sound coming from near the light. I saw a rocking chair moving back and forth ever so slightly, and what appeared to be a mare seated in it. I slowly began to make my way towards the figure in the chair, trying to make as little noise as possible. As I got closer, the pony in the chair started to become clearer. She looked old…worn out. As I got closer I saw that her mane had become a silvery grey and her skin was very worn. As I reached the edge of the chair, I began to tear up as saw her eyes. The eyes that at one time had been so bright and full of life, were now just empty shells of their former selves. They stared out through the window, out across the gardens and into the hills outside of Canterlot, but not really seeing any of it. I laid a hoof on her leg and said,

“Hello mother. It’s me, your son. White Cloud. I’ve come back.” She just continued to stare out the window. There was no response at all when I said those words. “I heard about father.” I continued. “If only I had stayed then maybe none of this would have happened.” I could feel tears begin to roll down my cheeks. “Maybe if I had been a little stronger, or tougher, then father would still be alive. I-I am so sorry. I never meant for any of this to happen.” I couldn’t hold it in any longer. I began to weep as I looked at my mother and remembered how beautiful she looked before I had left our home. How she was always smiling, always dressed in her finest clothes. She was so beautiful. And now, she had become an empty shell of herself. There was no emotion, no sadness, nothing. She had given up on life. Between sobs, I softly whispered, “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.” After a few minutes, I felt a hoof on my shoulder. It was Golden Mane. I never heard her enter. I turned and looked at her as the tears continued to flow. I whispered, “I didn’t know what leaving would do to this family.”

“It’s ok White Cloud. You’re here now. You see how much we need you. How much I need you. I became the strong one in this family when you left, but I can’t do it anymore. The burden of trying to take care of our brothers and sisters has worn me down to nothing. I have nothing left to give.” I could hear her words, and they sounded so tired and hopeless. I wiped away my tears as I smiled at her.

“I will set things right. I can’t promise that everything will become as it was before, but I can at least try.”

“Thank you, brother. Thank you.” I heard the front door of the house open and then shut a moment later. “Oh, that would be your brothers and sisters coming home from school. I think that you should go greet them.” Golden Mane turned and trotted out of the room. Before I followed her, I turned back around and slowly moved closer to my mother.

“I promise to do what I can to make things right.” With those final words, I placed a kiss on her cheek and then slowly made my way out of the room. When the door was shut, a single tear rolled down my mother’s face and a small smile was born on her face.

Comments

[ThatBronyWithTheClipOns]

So now I wonder what makes White Cloud move back to Ponyville again. Another good chapter.

[White_Cloud]

2291421
I know. And that is the question on every ponies mind right now. But you are just going to have to keep reading to find out :D

[ThatBronyWithTheClipOns]

2296326 Of course

[PandemoniumKnight]

She is where she is every day. She never leaves her room. All day, she just sits in her rocking chair and stares out the window.

That's so sad. That reminds me of when my grandfather passed away; my grandmother did the same thing.

[Orudios]

2333789 IM VERY SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS