One Last Kindness
She shivered to herself as a bird fluttered next to her nervously. She nuzzled the bird who was twittering anxiously by her side. Her touch calmed the poor animal, who had himself all worked up after the doctor left. The little bird darted into hiding under her bed when he came in. Fluttershy was nervous at first, but the doctor’s smooth voice soothed her worries and she was able to relax. Twittering softly at her, the bird looked at her with wet eyes. She saw mist forming across her vision as she looked back at him. “It’ll be okay… Just you wait and see.” She could hear the lie plain on her own voice. “I’ll be fine.” She lapsed into a coughing fit after she said it, reaffirming the lie.
The bird hopped over to the window, looking back at her with a sad look. If birds could cry, this one would be in tears. Seeing her friend like this, Fluttershy wanted nothing more than to walk over to him and give him a reassuring hug. As soon as she started moving though, she started coughing again and she felt wetness on her hooves. Her butter-yellow hoof was coated with red spatters. With a sad cry, the bird leapt out of the window and took off into the sky.
Tears began to drip onto the floor as Fluttershy watched the bird’s outline get smaller and smaller. Her heart began to break as she heard the bird’s lamenting cries get softer and softer. Eyes still wet, Fluttershy turned around and tripped on her mane. There she sobbed. She had a tear for every animal she ever took care of. She cried a tear for every animal that died in her care. Her eyes had many more tears for the animals she never got to meet, staying in her cottage of solitude.
She felt the soft touch of a paw, and looked up to see Angel’s eyes searching hers. After a moment’s search, Angel let the paw fall to his side and tears started to soak his furry face. With an anguished wail, Angel ran out the door of the cottage, kicking aside things as he left. The rest of the menagerie followed him in twos and threes, all having downcast eyes and touching Fluttershy one last time before they left. The show of affection would have brought Fluttershy to tears again if she hadn’t run out of them already. Soon she was left with nothing else but an empty cottage and faded recollections.
Standing up, she took one last look around the cottage before she left it for good. Making sure she had her letter tucked away where it could be found, she turned to the door. It’s time to say goodbye to everypony! I can’t leave them knowing that I never said goodbye! Come on Fluttershy! Be brave like Rainbow Dash is! Even with her mental pep-talk, she was still terrified at how the ponies would react. She opened the door of the cottage into the late-afternoon sunlight.
She was smacked in the face by a wall of chattering, growling, and yowling. It seemed that every animal she had ever met was there, eyes wet and cheering for her in their own ways. Though she was scared at first, she walked up to each animal and planted a kiss on their heads, her tears dripping onto them. “Thank you. All of you. Thank you for being my friend.” Fluttershy felt her throat locking up. “I… I don’t kno-“Her words were cut off by a fluffy white ball tackle-hugging her with a cry. Looking down, Fluttershy saw her oldest friend Angel hugging her tightly with tears pouring from his eyes. She stroked his soft white head. He sobbed into her coat uncontrollably, unleashing all his sadness in one torrent of tears. “Quiet now Angel. It’s allright.”
Sitting down, Fluttershy prepared to sing.
Hush now quiet now
It’s time to lay my sleepy head
Hush now quiet now
Don’t fear for me when I’m dead
Hush now quiet down
It’s time for me to go now
Hush now quiet down
It’s time to say goodbye
Hush now quiet now
It’s time for me to go away
Hush now quiet now
It’s time for me to say
Goodbye
Fluttershy turned away from all her animal friends, wiping away her tears. I have work to do!
When she trotted into town, she was already tired. Shaking away her fatigue, she walked up to the closest pony and wrapped her hooves around him in a tight hug. “Say lady, what’s the idea here?” Saying nothing, Fluttershy moved on to the next pony she saw, repeating the process and giving the same response. After going to the first 4 ponies, she was ready to quit. No Fluttershy! Be brave like Rainbow Dash! Don’t stop going! The assertive side of herself spoke loudly in her mind, driving her to keep going.
She moved through the town like a plague, striking everypony there. Everypony’s reactions were the same, wondering what she was doing. Her response to them was always the same, silence. Finally, after she had made her way through the entire town, she stood in front of the library. She could hear her friends inside, laughing loudly at some joke that Pinkie had probably said. She took a deep, steadying breath and pushed the door open.
The laughter cut off as she walked into the room, decorated with pink streamers and yellow paper. Pinkie must have been planning to throw her a party after she told them all to be here. Said mare bounced in front of Fluttershy, eagerly looking into her face for the joyful reaction that she expected. After seeing no happiness, Pinkie Pie backed away slowly, hair losing a bit of puffiness. Her friends moved to surround her, concern lighting on their faces. Rainbow put a hoof on her shoulder and asked with a concerned tone, “Hey Fluttershy, what’s u-“She didn’t get to finish her sentence with the fierce hug Fluttershy drew all five of them into. Their closeness brought on the feeling that she was being crushed, but she didn’t care. She was with her friends. The closeness began pressing down on her. They will always be there for me. Her vision began to fade. They….will….always….be….there….for....me….
Blackness.