Links in a Chain

by Touch the Sky

Beneath the Cherry Tree

Fluttershy's body lay among the roots of a cherry tree, the soft petals of the cherry blossoms partially obscuring the buttery yellow pegasus. Her animal friends surrounded her, and had woven wildflowers in her hair or laid them around her. Fluttershy's blue eyes were closed, and her feathered wings were folded against her sides, her legs positioned like she could be sleeping. Angel, her pet rabbit,was curled up in her long, floaty tail, keeping vigil.

It was Rainbow Dash who found her first. The colourful pegasus had shared the concerns of all of Fluttershy's friends after Fluttershy had not been seen for two days, and had zoomed ahead of the other four who were travelling to Fluttershy's cottage.
Rainbow had searched the house and garden, before spotting Fluttershy lying beneath the tree. At first, Rainbow tried to wake her friend, before realising that Fluttershy was unnaturally cold, and was not breathing. Rainbow Dash crouched before the body of her friend and cried true tears for the first time in her life.

Shortly, the other four had arrived and began to call for Rainbow and Fluttershy. Applejack spotted Rainbow crouched in the garden and ran over, only to sink to her knees in disbelief.

Pinkie's hair turned straight, she and Rarity burst into tears, but Twilight turned pale and murmured, "Oh, no..." before screaming, "No, NO!" and collapsing beside Fluttershy's body.
The five crouched next to the body of the sixth until the moon rose.
Finally Twilight got to her feet. "What... what happened?" she whispered.
"She was just...lying here..." croaked Rainbow, hoarse from hours of crying.

"Shhh, sugarcube, it's alright." said Applejack, trying to comfort Pinkie, who despite having cried enough tears to fill a few swimming pools was still sobbing her heart out. Rarity dabbed at her eyes with an embroidered handkerchief, make-up streaked down her face from her tears.

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The autopsy showed that Fluttershy had perished of a terminal, underlying medical condition which affected one in 70,000 pegasi. The rare condition would slowly creep up on a pony, not showing or being felt until the last day or so of life. Fluttershy had obviously felt the hooves of death reaching for her, and so had made her preparations then gone outside to breathe her last surrounded by her animal friends and the sweet smell of the cherry blossoms.

Rainbow Dash, taking one last look around Fluttershy's home, which had been left to her animals, found a letter addressed to herself, the other four and Spike propped up on Fluttershy's pillow. Rainbow snatched up the letter and zoomed back to town rounding up the girls before opening the envelope. In Fluttershy's neat, hoofwritten scrawl, it read:

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Dear friends,

I feel my time is short. I am writing this letter to tell you how happy I am to have called you my friends. A pony never had six such brilliant friends as you. Please don't be too sad for me, I'm in a better place now. I owe so much to you all, and I want you to know that I have achieved all I ever wanted. Though I won't be there to see it, I hope you all achieve what you want in life.

Rainbow, I wish I could have lived to see you join the Wonderbolts. But if when you do get there, make sure you stay in touch with our friends. For now, pay a little more attention to Scootaloo, maybe even teach her to fly- she really looks up to you. Do you remember when we all created Mare-Do-Well to teach you a lesson about humility? Be a hero like her, for Scootaloo to believe in.

Rarity, I hope you'll get to Canterlot one day, and be the best designer Equestria has ever seen. In my opinion, you've already reached that level. If it's okay, I'd like to be buried in the dress you made me for the Grand Galloping Gala.

Applejack, I know I can rely on you to keep an eye on my animal friends, especially Angel. I fear he will feel my loss most dreadfully, and I'd appreciate it if you could make sure he isn't starving himself. I've always admired the way you were always there when I needed you, and I wish I could have been more like you.

Twilight, I've grown to enjoy your company and your constant assertions that I can be better, rise higher, that I could make a difference. I hope that I have made a difference to you, and to Equestria, by wielding my Element. I don't know what will happen to the Elements now, but I'll there with you whenever you need to use them.

Spike, you're the most extraordinary dragon I've ever met. I know you'll keep shining as Twilight's best ever assistant.

And Pinkie Pie, please don't let my passing stop you smiling.

I must fervently thank you all for being my friends, and helping me be a better pony. I know I'll see you again, but hopefully not for many years.

Until we meet again,
Fluttershy.

Fluttershy was buried, wearing her Gala dress, in the Ponyville cemetery. Applejack volunteered to be a pallbearer, and Rainbow and Twilight read eulogies.

Rainbow spoke about how she'd known Fluttershy since they were both fillies, and gave tribute to her uncanny acts of bravery; driving out the snoring dragon, joining in the tornado with the other pegasi, and ridding Equestria of scourges such as Nightmare Moon and Queen Chrysalis with her Element, Kindness.
"I've never known any pony anything like her." finished Rainbow, "and I don't think I ever will. Equestria has lost a truly remarkable mare."

There was a wail from the graveside as Pinkie turned the waterworks on, and Rainbow trotted to join her friends as Twilight took the podium.

Twilight praised Fluttershy for her personality instead of her actions, and then spoke about how they should not be harsh to judge her for not telling anypony of her illness; to face Death alone, to stare into its eyes and go fearlessly into its embrace, took more courage than any of Fluttershy's other conquests. Twilight finished with words of moving on, and stated, "Though it may seem dark now, the morning always comes."

Author's Note:

I have made myself feel sad.

Strangely, I wrote this story back to front. So this was the last chapter I wrote.

I wanted to see how I could handle tragedy. I think this went okay, but please give your opinions!

Comments

[Still Wearing Black]

And on that day, Spike realized that, despite opening up to him so easily when they met, Fluttershy didn't give a shit about him.

EDIT: Just in case that thumbs-up on my comment came from someone thinking I was promoting Spike hate, I want to be clear that my intention was to point out what an ugly and disgusting omission it was. Fluttershy does not have five friends, she has six. And no eulogy? No thank-you.

[Crystal Moon]

I just wanted to ask something. Because I am new here I do not know how to start writing a story so if some pony could reply to let me know, that would be great. By the way, great story. I like how you made it so that the letter was in a different font. Good job.