> Sorrow > by Cyanjames2819 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Sorrow > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sorrow The skies of Ponyville were clear and beautiful. Ponies went on doing their business happily and greeted each other with bright smiles. In the little park, in the middle of Ponyville, Flutterhy and Angel were having a little picnic to spend the afternoon. Angel was munching on a carrot happily and Fluttershy, a blueberry muffin. Fluttershy looked at the little bunny beside her, “Not too fast, Angel, you might get tummy ach.” she said to him in her soft voice. He was about to take a bite, but then looked at her with his eyes, and slowly took a bite of his carrot. Fluttershy smiled in approval and nodded. Angel finished eating his carrot with a full belly. She giggled and patted his head. He then looked down in sadness, his ears flopping down forward. Fluttershy noticed this, “What’s wrong, Angel?” she asked, a little concerned. He looked up at her and expected her to know what was wrong. He then opened his mouth but froze. “Angel? Are you okay?” she asked. She looked around her and everything else froze. The birds in mid-air, ponies on the streets, and even the little stream froze. “W-what’s happening?” she started to get scared. “He’s gone, Fluttershy.” she heard a voice that sounded like it had terrible sour throat. She then swung her head around to see who or what it is. There stood, a black bony pony, its eyes completely red, mane and tail were grey and messy and black inky shadows were flowing around him. It had no welcoming expression, but it had a menacing smile. Fluttershy then started backing away in terror. The world around her started to deform and twist. The trees leaves got rotten and fell from the trees, the sky turned purple, the land around her disappears and the clouds started to melt and oozing down from the sky. She looked around frantically and started to hyperventilate, “Wha… what’s happening!?” she got to the edge and one of her hind hooves went over, she lost her footing and almost fell off the edge. She got herself back up and looked down over the edge. She then looked at the new being, “What do you mean he’s gone? Are you talking about, Angel? He’s right there.” she pointed to the little white bunny. “Look again...” it said to her. She did so and Angel started fading away in the air, “Angel… Angel! Wait! Don’t leave me!” she galloped to where her little white bunny was and looked around for him frantically. The thing got closer to her, “Why do you fight it?” it asked her. She looked at him, “What’s happening!?” she asked, small tears starting to form in her teal eyes. “Tick tock, Fluttershy… Tick… Tock!” he said to her and a mysterious door opened behind him, nothing but black beyond it. “Where’s, Angel!?” she stepped closer but he slowly started to back away. “Tick tock, tick tock! Oh but it seems your time… is already up.” it said to her with the creepy smile. “Who are you? What have you done with, Angel?” she asked, stepping closer to him. It stopped, “What have I done with him?” he started circling her, “I’ve taken everything he was and left a bitter taste in your mouth. You can’t fight me, you can’t plead with me. I take what I will and leave only that which you pray to Faust will leave you every time the sun sets. The pain… the longing… that stinging feeling in your heart that perhaps there was something you could have done.” it said to her. “No…” Fluttershy started to curl up, and shook her head. It got to her side and said to her ear, “Once I’ve taken my fill and drained you dry, once the sound of the last chime has died to nothing, all you’ll have is the endless reminder that time… goes… on. Without him… tick tock, Fluttershy…” he started backing away to the door, “Tick tock...” he said and went in, disappearing instantly. “Wait… come back!” Fluttershy stood up, “I need Angel.” she started following him in and the door closed behind her. She had no idea where she was going; the hall was nothing but black and empty. She couldn’t see anything, but then an outline of a door appeared ahead of her and she started galloping towards it. She slowly opened it and found herself on top of a building. She got through; it was raining hard, dark and thunder strikes going off around her. She looked back and saw the door closing on her and disappeared. She looked around, her mane and coat getting drenched from the rain. She found three Diamond Dog statues around her, another door and a large wooden box beside her. She quickly went over to the door, but was locked. “It is here.” the statue closer to the edge of the building said, its eyes glowing orange. “He said it would come.” another spoke up, hiding in the shows beside the door, its eyes glowing blue. “But it comes so swiftly.” the one with orange eyes said again. “It chases that which never stops for breath.” the blue eyes said. “For solace.” the orange said. “The fleet of foot are those who chase.” blue. “Or are chased.” orange. “Or chastened by loss.” blue. Fluttershy looked at each of them speak. “Why is it here?” the green eyed one said next, its back turned on them, but it was looking over its shoulders. “He said it would want the truth.” blue. Fluttershy started walking around, watching them speak and circling them and wondering how they spoke. “But it mustn’t have the truth.” orange. “Truth? What truth?” Fluttershy spoke up, looking at each one in wonder. “It is weak.” blue. “And needs comfort.” green. “And kindness.” orange. “Kindness by way of thinking.” blue. “Kindness by way of wanting.” green. “What truth!?” Fluttershy started to get a little annoyed and frowned at them. “Bitterness holds sway with one whom suffering touches.” blue. “What sweet sadness.” orange. “Bittersweet.” green. “Answer me!” Fluttershy anger started to rise and her wings sprawled out to her sides. “It has anger.” blue. “It is weak.” orange. “Anger makes it weaker.” green. “Anger makes its companion cry.” blue. “M-my companion? Where’s Angel!?” she yelled at them, standing in the middle of the three. “How sad that it cannot see.” green. “It must not see the truth.” orange. “He said it must not see.” blue. “Pray sweet sadness.” orange. “Pray only for one’s prey.” blue. “Bittersweet.” orange. “Ugh! What Truth!” Fluttershy’s anger kept on rising, glaring at all three statues. “Why can it not see?” green. “It is angry.” blue. “And needs comfort.” green. “And kindness.” orange. “Kindness by way of wishful thinking.” blue. “Kindness by way of hoping.” green. “It is weak.” blue. “And needs time…” green. “I Am Not Weak!” she looked around and found the wooden box, then looked back at them; “I’ll show you how weak I am!” she went over to the box angrily. She reared up and stumps down on the box with her fore hooves. She didn’t leave a dent, “Grr, it’s stuck, I can’t get it open!” she angrily continued stumping and bucking on it. “Try as it might…” orange. “Perhaps might is the answer.” green. “Anger has its place.” blue. “Its uses…” green. Fluttershy panted, looking down at the wet roof top. She looked around and found a crowbar, just lying in the middle of the roof. She went over to it and looked back at the three, “Weak Am I!?” she grabbed the metal bar with her mouth and charged towards the box. She swings the bar and hit the box hard, leaving a dent and a splattered wood. She continues hitting it on all sides, letting her anger out. “It feels better.” orange. “Liberated.” green. “But it has nothing.” blue. “Only tears…” green. “Sorrow…” orange. “And something broken upon the ground.” blue. “I… Am… Not… Weak!” Fluttershy practically started demolishing the wooden box with all her might. She threw the metal bar and started stumping on the remains. “Should it be meek?” blue. “Should it utter?” orange. “Should it weep?” green. Fluttershy finished and sat down, panting. She looked at the remains of the pile and saw a small sparkle of light. She dug and brushed aside the splinters of wood and found a gold key. “The anger subsides…” green. “Anger is fleeting…” orange. “Followed only by the desire to change.” blue. “For the better.” orange. “Or for the worse.” green. Fluttershy took out the key with her hooves and looked at the door. “It must fit that door?” she got up and went up to the door. She put the key in through the keyhole and twisted it with her mouth. It unlocks, “There, I’ve unlocked the door.” she said to herself. She opens it up, nothing but black, “I’m coming Angel.” she said and walked in, the door closing itself behind her. She looked around and found another door ahead of her. She galloped up to it and opened it up. The air stank and a hazy green fog was in the air. She looked around and found herself in a swamp. She stepped on the short dock and the door closed behind her and disappeared. She slowly trotted on the wooden, mossy dock, oil lamps giving her light and guiding her way. She looked around; there was a large wall of rock to her left and a thick forest to her right. She looked ahead and found another door on another dock. She smiled and galloped up to the edge of the dock. She looked around and found a sunken wooden boat in the water with a large hole. She looked at the water itself and it didn’t look all that deep, “Well… I guess I have no choice… there’s nowhere else to go.” she said to herself and looked around once more, hoping there was another way around. She gently hopped down, making a splash, covering most of her body; “Ergh!” she wiped her face and flapped her wings to get rid of the swamp water. She slowly walked through the water, trying to get to the other side. But then she started having some difficulty, and pulled out one of her fore hooves covered in mud, “The mud is so thick…” she said and continued on. As she got half way, her hooves were stuck in the mud, and she struggled pulling them out. “I can’t… move!” she said and took her breath. She looked around her, “Somepony! Please help! I’m stuck in the mud!” she pleated but nothing answered back. She sighed and looked down at her reflection in defeat. Then a root rose up from the muddy water and swayed from side to side slowly. She leaned in and bit down on it, “Maybe I can pull myself out.” she said to herself and pulled on the root. The root slips out of her mouth, “Ugh…” she then heard a small crack. She looked at the wall of rock and saw a glowing yellow thin slit on the rock. “Does… that rock have eyes?” she said to herself. She looked closer and the whole rock wall itself was covered in vines and roots. Then the slit closed again. She looked at the roots and pulled on it again. It then opened again and she pulled the root harder. When she was about to pull one of her hooves out of the mud, the root slipped out of her mouth and she almost lost balance. She looked and saw it blink. The whole wall then started moving and shaking. A head and a neck grew out of the wall and now there were pair of yellow eyes. The thing was made of rock and vines and it looked a lot like a dragon’s head. She immediately regretted waking the beast. It made a long sigh and looked around, “Who awakens me...?” he said. “Err me… F-Fluttershy.” she said, lowering down on the water, still stuck in the mud. “I have no time for you… no… time.” it sounded old and tired. She looked to her side and found a branch, surfacing. She pulled on it hard and managed to pull out one of her hooves, but she also found a pair of green eyes in a tree. The tree morphed and twisted and managed to shape itself into a dragon as well, “What tugs at me so?” he yawned and looked around. “She is Fluttershy…” the one to her left said. “What a twist of fate that Fluttershy be stuck upon my branch…” he said in amusement and chuckled. “A-actually… I’m stuck in the mud…” she corrected. “Can you help me?” she asked. “Help?...” it said to her. “Us?...” the other said to her. “I-if you can just pull me out and put me on the other dock there…” she pointed with her free hoof. “That is not what you need…” it said to her. “Perhaps you prefer some… time?” the rock creature said next. “I need to find my friend. I don’t have time for this.” she said and flapped her wings to try and get herself out. She tire herself out and rested, “But we just offered you some time.” the tree said to her. “She refuses our help.” the other said. “No! I’m not refusing, that’s just not what I’m asking for!” she said to them both. “Perhaps you ask for the wrong things…” the tree said. She looked at it, “What should I ask for?” she asked it. “Just enough to be reasonable.” the rock creature said to her. “And just enough to be completely… impossible.” the tree creature said to her right. She continued to struggle, “Ugh, please just help me out! I can’t move my hooves!” she pleated to them. “Moving won’t help.” the one to her right lightly shook its head. “Where would you go?” the other asked. “I need to find Angel!” she answered and tried to pull out her other fore hoof. “Your Hooves won’t help you find him.” the tree leaned in closer to her. “He is somewhere that hooves cannot go.” the other leaned in on her as well. “I’ll find him just help me!” she then slowly started to sink. “Such certainty…” the tree creature said. “Such hope for someone who is gone…” the rock creature said next. “Stop saying that! I’ll get him back, I just need help! I’ll give anything!” she flapped her wings. “But with whom shall you bargain?” the rock creature questioned. “No one has what you want.” the other said to her. “What was taken has been ground into dust… and blown away…” the rock creature said. “Ashes to ashes…” the other said again and began to turn back into a tree. Her hooves and limbs were now submerged in the mud and water, “Hey, I’m Sinking!!! Help me!” she struggled even more and continued to slowly sick down. “Dust… to dust…” the rock creature then started to go back in the rock wall. “Please Help me!” her head and hoof were now the only thing sticking out. She then sank down and into the mud, her hoof the last thing to be submerged. Fluttershy then fell onto the snowy ground, snowflakes falling on and around her. “Fluttershy… You have travelled so far, and yet learnt so little. Why do you persist?” the bony creature said to her, looking down at her. “I need to find him…” she answered and wiped the snow off her face slowly. “Ahh, nothing ventured nothing gained, nothing sown nothing… reaped?” it said to her and started circling her slowly. “I can find him…” she said, looking down at the snow. “Fluttershy, why do you cling to this agony? Why, when faced with the truth, do you close your heart and bear false witness to those who only wish to cleanse you of your pain? You are bound by nothing more than your own clenched teeth. By your fury at the realities that plague every one of us. I have taken him and you will never see him again.” it said to her and stood in front of her. “Why are you doing this?” she looked up at him with teary eyes. “Because I must, Fluttershy… Because I must.” it answered and started trotting away. She saw him go beyond the iron gates and closed just behind him. She got up slowly and went up to the gates. She looked up and they looked like they reach on forever in the cloudy sky. She pushed on the gates, but they weren’t opening, “No use, I can’t get it open or fly over them.” she said to herself. She looked around her surroundings; there was an old tree on a small hill, a pony statue with a lamp on its mouth and an empty hoof, a small jewellery box and two oil lamps on the columns of the gate. She went up to the statue and found a little description on the plaque, “Your hooves on your heart chills your soul. Your heart in my hooves expels the cold.” she read and looked at the statue again in wonder. She then looked at the little box and went up to it. She sat down and tried to open it, “its locked.” she said to herself and brushed off the snow from it and found a small key hole. She looked at the gate again, but then found three small yellow glowing lights in the snow. She went up to them and grabbed one with her hoof, “Oh, its a little glow warm.” she smiled, “It makes feel better somehow.” she said to herself. She looked at the remaining two glows and picked up the small warms with her hooves. She looked at them for a moment, and then looked at the oil lamps. She went to the lamps and gently put the warms on each one. They all glowed brightly and she smiled. She then noticed small glimmer in the snow and went up to it. She dug it up and found it was a key. She looked at the little jewellery box and thought of something. She went up to it and put the key in, then twisted it. The box flipped open and she was startled a little. She looked inside and the inner layer of the box was red and a stone heart was inside. She picked it up, “its so cold.” she said and tried to warm it up a little with her hooves. She then looked at the statue and remembered what she read. She flew over and gently put the heart on the empty hoof. “There.” she said but then heard the gates squeak open. She looked and smiled. She then galloped through. The world around her then started to change, ground was littered with red and orange leaves, snowflakes replaced with falling leaves and tall trees appeared around her. She stopped and looked around, taking in the beauty of the forest. After a moment she found a squirrel on a tree branch. She smiled, “Hello there.” she greeted and the little animal looked at her She looked around a little more and found a small headstone with a flower on top, just under the tree. She looked closer but there was nothing engraved in it. She looked around and found a dangling bucket, hanging on a tree branch. She went over and looked in, nothing. She looked around a little more and found a well. She then pulled on the bucket, trying to get the bucket down, but it was stuck to the branch. She gave up and looked around for a solution. She looked around the trees and eventually found some rocks. She put a couple in the bucket, making the branch band. She then pulled on it again and managed to break the branch and get the bucket off. She untied it from the branch and spilled out the rocks from inside the wooden bucket. She went over to the well and lowered the bucket down, using its rope and dipped the bucket in the water. She struggled a little pulling it back up, but she did. She went over to the head stone and washed it up with the water. She looked closely, still nothing. She sat down, thinking. She looked around a little and found a grape bush. She trotted over to it and picked a hoof full, she turned and the little squirrel noticed the grapes on her hooves. She went closer to the headstone, the tree and the little animal went across to get a better look, causing an acorn to dangle. She heard the little squirrel and looked up to see his little face looking down at the berries. She smiled and went up against the tree and held up the berries for him, “You can have them.” she said to him. The squirrel perked up and went across the branching again; causing the acorn to fall off and land on the wet ground, bounced and went against the stone. Fluttershy fed the little squirrel with a smile and patted his little head. She looked at the head stone and saw green roots and vines going up against the stone and started making shapes on the cover. The vines then got to the top and kept on going, bringing the little flower along. It then stopped growing, hanging the flower high up in the air, the vines and roots making beautiful swirls on the head stone. She went up to it with the squirrel on her back, eating away the grapes. She got a closer, look at the shapes it made and her eyes widened. “Here lies Angel Bunny, a loved friend and assistant of Miss Fluttershy. Hush now, quiet now. It’s time to lay your sleepy head. Hush now, quiet now, it’s time to go to bed…” she collapsed on the ground and tears started flowing freely from her eyes. The little squirrel then slowly went beside her, wondering why she was crying. She looked at him and he started wiping her tears away with his cheeks. She smiled and sniffled, “Thank you.” she thanked him and nuzzled him on the nose. She then noticed a faint glow and looked at her left to see Angel, standing there with a smile. She smiled back at him and went up to him, “I’m going to miss you, Angel.” she said to him. She leaned down and both hugged, “Goodnight, Angel.” she said, a little tear going down her cheek and everything around her went dark. She opened her eyes, blinking a couple of times. She yawned and sat up on her bed. She looked around her room, and imagined Angel on his little bed beside hers. She got up and went down stairs to have a little breakfast. She got down and looked at the couch, remembering seeing Angel sitting on his spot, eating a carrot. She looked back at her memories and smiled at every moment they had together. She got out with a flower on her mouth and went to the back of her cottage. She then found a little head stone there. She went over and gently put the flower down, propped against the stone. She sat down and closed her eyes; “Have a nice rest my little Angel.” she said gently and felt birds landing on her and other animals going beside her. She looked around and saw her little friends were there for her and hugged her lovingly. She smiled and looked back at the little grave, “I’ll always remember you.” she said, smiled and tears freely flowed from her eyes. "Sweet dreams."