Fluttershy has a secret. A secret that nopony can know about. But it's a hard secret to keep.
Keeping a secret from your friends is extremely difficult, especially if that secret could destroy your friendship with every single one of them.
Fluttershy needs to keep this quiet. But with it affecting her moods and behaviour, some ponies are already suspicious. Rainbow Dash demands she goes to the hospital. But Fluttershy refuses. She can't go to the hospital, she won't go to the hospital. Because then they will know. Everypony will know. And Fluttershy will be ashamed, hated. Why do things have to be this way?
Fluttershy lay awake in her bed, the blankets thrown onto the floor and the pillows at the end of the bed. Tears soaked the sheets and Angel was nowhere to be seen.
Nightmares. Every night. I can't escape them. They scare me and I hate it. I'm always scared. I want to be brave, tough and fierce. Like Rainbow Dash. She's the coolest pony I know. Daring tricks, amazing feats and sonic rainbooms. That Pegasus is awesome. Everypony knows her and loves her. And who am I? The nice pony who can't even say no to a rabbit. When I tried to be assertive I just scared ponies and hurt my friends.
My friends. They'd hate me if they ever find out what I'm hiding. I know. There's no way I cannot. I can feel it, churning inside of me, angry butterflies raging inside my chest. I didn't ask for it to happen, it just did and I was proud at first but now I'm ashamed, just like all my friends will be of me. It'll be all my fault if they get laughed at and ridiculed. I don't want anything bad to happen to them. I wouldn't be able to live with myself. So they cannot know about it. No one can.
She rose from the bed and quietly walked into the bathroom. Filling up a glass of water, the Pegasus gently lifted a sleeping mouse from in front of a cupboard and onto a warm towel.
The cupboard was opened and a small tub of tablets was taken from behind the toothpaste. Pills were dropped into the water and they quickly dissolved. Fluttershy lifted the glass and downed the water, wrinkling her nose in disgust at the taste of the pills. She filled the glass up once more and downed the cool water quickly, hiding the pills even further back in the cupboard, before covering them with a towel and a few toothbrushes.
"You can never be too sure. The animals can't even find out" she whispered. A squeak from behind startled Fluttershy and she dropped the glass. It shattered, the pieces flying across the room, a piece narrowly missing the Pegasus' leg.
"Ace! Oh my goodness are you alright?" she said as she flew towards the mouse and gently picked him up. An annoyed squeak escaped the mouse's mouth and he wriggled out of her grasp, leapt onto the sink and dove into the cupboard. Fluttershy yelped in surprise and desperately tried to grab the little creature but she was too late. Rattling could be heard inside the cupboard and she yanked the door open so hard, the handle came free in her grasp.
"No! Don't touch those!" she screamed. Animals were now running into the bathroom, having been awoken by the noise. Ace had the tub of pills in his front paws and was hobbling towards the front of the cupboard. Fluttershy flew forward and grabbed the mouse's tail, dangling him upside down. Alarmed squeaking filled the bathroom as every animal watched in horror as Fluttershy dangled the mouse in front of her face. She used the Stare to silence him and screamed
"How dare you touch my stuff?! Don't you think that if something is hidden at the back of a cupboard, underneath multiple items, that you should just leave it ALONE?!" The mouse nodded furiously.
"Why can't you learn to STOP TOUCHING MY STUFF?!" Ace whimpered but couldn't shy away or close his eyes as the power of the Stare was too strong. All he could do was drop the tub of pills. They scattered across the floor, the tub rolling underneath the sink. He swung to and fro as the Pegasus trembled with anger.
"DON'T. TOUCH. MY. STUFF!" She let go of the mouse and he fell to the ground, slamming his back against the wooden floor. Multiple animals rushed to his side and lifted him onto a small piece of material that the other mice had found. Two toucans lifted him into the air and carried him into a purple birdhouse, just outside the bathroom.
The other mice scrambled up the back of Harry the bear and ran into the birdhouse. Fluttershy stood silently, staring at the other animals. Some were huddled up in the corner, while others stood glaring daggers at Fluttershy. Tears dripped down her face as she realised what she just did.
"No...I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean t-to get that angry I just lost...lost control for a second! Please, d-don't hate me! I'm really, truly sorry!" None of the animals moved.
"Is he ok? I d-didn't mean to drop h-him!" She whimpered, slowly trotting in the direction of the birdhouse. The crowd of animals all ran towards the door and blocked her path, many of them growling at her.
She took an uneasy step back and heard a small yelp. Looking down, she saw that her back hoof was on top of a small, white paw. The paw belonged to Angel, who had suddenly appeared in the bathroom. He pulled his foot out from underneath her hoof and she saw a circular object in his front paws. He started to sniff it before drawing his nose back at the smell. Hopping towards the sink, he vanished underneath it for a few seconds. Fluttershy was confused.
What is he looking for? How did he even get in here without anypony noticing him?
Two ears appeared, followed by Angel's head. But next wasn't his body. No, his body was obscured by an empty tub with the words 'Anti-Vomit Pills' plastered across the front. Angel studied the tub, reading every word. He fell over backwards when the tub was pulled from him. He looked up and saw Fluttershy standing over him.
"Oh, now you appear?" she snarled. Angel was taken aback for a few moments before pointing at Fluttershy and squeaking. Her vision became obscured by tears.
"You know, don't you?" The rabbit lowered his ears and nodded. Fluttershy fell to the floor and began to cry. Angel ushered all the animals out of the room and shut the door. He hopped towards the subdued Pegasus and cuddled into her wet fur, stroking her mane and whispering into her ear. She relaxed momentarily before he uttered one last sentence into her ear that made her jerk backwards in shock.
"NO! Nopony will accept me if they find out! I can't tell anypony, not even my friends. They'd...they'd all hate me" Angel tried to argue but Fluttershy silenced him by placing her hoof over his mouth.
"Please don't tell anyone! Please. And tell the animals that I'm really sorry. Personally apologise to Ace. Can you do that for me?" Angel was silent but he nodded his head and quickly bounced out of the room. As soon as the door shut, her knees buckled underneath he and she fell. Lying on the ground, she stared out the window at the moon. It was dark and half of it was covered by black clouds.
What did I do to deserve this? Angel is wrong, they won't accept me. Nopony will,
Go away. Go away. Go away. BANG. BANG. BANG. Go away. Go away. GO AWAY. BANG. BANG. BANG. BANG.
"Fluttershy! I know you're in there! OPEN THE DOOR!" a voice yelled from the front door. Even though Fluttershy was in her bedroom, she could hear the voice as clear as day. Angel slept soundly beside her. She tried to block out the noise but every incessant bang on the door felt like it was pounding into her skull.
"FLUTTERSHY! OPEN THE DOOR!" With a groan, Fluttershy rose from her bed and managed to drag herself down the stairs. Animals ran in different directions when they saw her approaching and birds squawked angrily overhead.
"Yeah I get it. You hate me" she grumbled. As she neared the door, a faint whistling sound could be heard. She couldn't quite place it at first, but as it got louder, she realised what was happening. She's gonna rainboom the door in.
With a surge of newfound energy, the Pegasus ran towards the door and flung it open just before a cyan blur shot past her and out the window on the far wall. An explosion sounded and Fluttershy was thrown to the floor. The cottage shook violently and the animals held onto each other for dear life. Rainbow energy surged through the air, nearly blowing the door off it's hinges. Seconds later, a battered Pegasus flew back through the window.
"Hey, Dash"
"Hey? HEY?! What is your deal? I've been banging on that bucking door for ten minutes! You agreed to go to brunch and the reserved table at the café will go to somepony else if we don't get there pronto!"
"Sorry. I had a bad night. Let me go wake up Angel and then we can go" She turned and started to trot towards the stairs before she felt herself being lifted into the air by her tail.
Now I know how Ace felt.
"Oh no you don't! We're leaving now!" With that, Rainbow Dash flew out of the door with Fluttershy's tail in her hooves. Before the door shut, Fluttershy saw Ace appear from a small hole in the wall. He glanced sadly in her direction and lifted a white tub up in the air. It was her tablets.
My tablets! I didn't take them! No, this can't be happening! If I throw up, Dash is going to know something's wrong! What do I do?
***
"I'll have the daisy petal soup with lettuce and a daisy sandwich, Berry Punch"
"Good HIC choice. I love daisy sandwiches, especially with cider. So Flutters, what you havin'? HIC" Fluttershy scanned the menu, finding it hard to choose an option. With a deep breath, she put down the menu and recited her order.
"I'll have an extra large daisy and daffodil sandwich, with extra daisies, a large pumpkin pie with whipped cream and vanilla, three strawberry cupcakes with extra sprinkles, daisy petal soup, salad, a bowl of mixed berries, with extra berries, grilled cheese with sweetcorn and lettuce and a bowl of vanilla ice cream. If that's ok"
Rainbow Dash stared at her friend, her jaw nearly touching the ground. Berry Punch was still trying to process all the information and she too was shocked. Fluttershy blushed and looked down in embarrassment. Nopony said a word for what seemed like ages and the yellow mare's cheeks burned.
After a while, Dash closed her mouth, folded her wings and nudged Berry Punch
"Our food?" she said, gesturing towards the kitchen. Berry Punch snapped out of her trance and nodded to Dash, quickly scurrying towards the kitchen doors. Fluttershy stole a glance at the Pegasus sitting opposite her. She quickly turned her head downwards again when she saw Dash looking at her.
"Wow Fluttershy! I think you made Berry sober! You've never ordered more than a small portion of hay fries and a burger. You gonna be able to eat all that?"
"I-I'm pretty sure. I'm really hungry"
"I can tell! So, you want me to hoof the bill? I got a lot of bits in my saddlebag" She shook the bag and many coins could be heard jangling inside the material.
"No, no. I'll pay. I ordered the most, I don't want you to spend all your bits on my meal" Her stomach grumbled but not with hunger.
Please not now.
Rainbow Dash smiled and said something but Fluttershy didn't hear it. She nodded at Dash but concentrated on her stomach. She could feel it rising up into her throat and she desperately tried to force it downwards. It didn't work. Clamping her mouth shut, she leapt from her seat and ran towards the bathroom. Throwing open the door, she ran into a cubicle and threw up, not bothering to close the door behind her. It all came out at the same time. She coughed and gagged and when she finished, sat down heavily on the cold linoleum floor, panting.
Great. Just great. Why can nothing go right for me?
A voice from behind made her jump and she turned to see Rainbow Dash standing behind her with a confused look on her face.
"Fluttershy? I thought you said you were hungry?"
"I am! I just...had a funny moment...nothing serious" she lied, rubbing her arm. Rainbow Dash looked down at her friend, not believing a word.
"Right. So, a funny turn made you throw up your guts in a matter of seconds? I know when you're lying. What's the matter with you?"
"Nothing! I'm fine! Everything's fine" The mare got to her feet and tried to step around the cyan Pegasus but she moved and blocked her path.
"You're definitely not fine. Now that I think about it, you've been acting really strange lately. First, you mysteriously go into the pharmacist" Fluttershy gasped and sat back down.
"You saw me go in there? I thought you were practising"
"I was. I just decided to get a drink from the juice stand and saw you go in there. So there's that. And then you snuck home, dodging out the way of any ponies you saw. This morning the animals seemed to avoid you and you looked really tired, you've ordered a load of food and now you're throwing up before we've even gotten a chance to have a conversation!"
The bathroom was silent. The sound of the breeze blowing through the open window could be heard. Sitting in silence, Fluttershy tried to think of something to say but her train of thought had derailed itself and blown up. Her mouth opened and closed like a fish. Everything was still. She looked around and tried to find an exit or a diversion but nothing could free her from this confrontation. Dash stood still, expecting an answer.
"I s-swear nothing's w-wrong!" Dash sighed. She wanted to believe Fluttershy, she really did, but she knew that she was hiding something.
"Fluttershy...I think you need to go to the hospital. Just for a check-up, to make sure you're alright"
Fluttershy took a step back. Rainbow Dash gave her a sympathetic smile, hoping to lighten the mood.
No. Not now. I'm such an idiot. She's going to find out. No! She can't, no one can. I'm not going to the hospital. I WON'T GO. I need to get out of here. NOW.
Fluttershy flared her wings and her eyes flickered between her best friend and the bathroom door. She needed to run. Rainbow Dash took step closer and reached out with her hoof to bring Fluttershy into a hug, moving away from the door slightly. Noticing the gap widening, Fluttershy jerked away from the hoof and flew into the air, knocking Dash off her feet. The Pegasus' head ricocheted off the wall and she flew into one of he cubicles, slamming her head against the toilet. She let out a gasp of pain before turning to see her friend fleeing the bathroom.
"Ow! Fluttershy! Wait!"
But Fluttershy didn't wait. She ran from the restaurant, pushing ponies out of her way and bolting through the streets. Stallions and mares leapt out of the way when they saw the yellow mare barrelling towards them at top speed. For once in her life, she felt strength coursing through her wings and with a leap that would shame a frog, she glided through the air and shot off in the direction of her cottage, knocking over a vegetable stand in the process and sending Granny Smith rolling into Apple Bloom, who was walking beside her.
"Soup's up!" the old mare yelled.
***
The door to the cottage flew open, narrowly missing a squirrel. Fleeing animals tripped over each other trying to get out of the way. Fluttershy didn't care. The only animal she wanted to see was Angel. Galloping up the stairs, she ran into her bedroom and slammed the door. Angel sat on the bed, almost as if he knew she'd return at this very moment in time. Beside him was Ace.
"She's gonna find out, Angel. She's gonna know" she choked, tears streaming down her face. The rabbit ran toward her and began to stroke her mane, whispering into her ear. He guided her onto the bed and she collapsed, kicking the pillows off and pulling the blankets over her. Ace tiptoed towards her, a tub in his hands. Fluttershy took one look at the thing and flung them across the room, pills flying everywhere.
"I'm sorry! I'm so, so sorry" Ace snuggled down beside her and nuzzled her wet nose. She was silent and soon her body relaxed, her shaky breathing just audible to the two animals.
There would be no nightmares as she slept, just darkness.
"That'll be two bits, ma'am" said the red stallion, depositing five large strawberries into Fluttershy's saddlebag. She hoofed over the money and, with a curt thanks, quietly shuffled away. The stallion squinted at the departing mare, confused. She didn't normally act like this.
Ok. I've got the strawberries, the corn, the oranges and the milk. All I need now is lettuce and some apples. She glanced in the direction of her friend's farm. Maybe I can miss out on apples.
Ponies trotted through the market place, saddlebags resting atop their backs. Bits jangled inside the bags as the mares, stallions and fillies chatted amongst themselves, grabbing food and checking lists. Lyra and BonBon were sat outside the café, drinking smoothies. Listening in on conversations was thought lowly of by everypony, including Fluttershy, but she couldn't help herself when she heard her name being mentioned.
"Hey, Lyra, have you seen Fluttershy lately? She's been acting really strange. I hope everything's ok" said BonBon. Lyra gulped down the rest of her smoothie and replied, "Yeah I have seen her. When you were in Canterlot yesterday, she came flying down the street like a rocket, as if she was fleeing from some kind of monster. I got knocked straight off my hooves and flew into the tomato stand. Lemme tell you, Polished Tomato was not happy with all his precious vegetables being crushed underneath my flank. Or are they fruits? I can never tell"
With this statement, BonBon burst out laughing, spitting the contents of her mouth all over the Unicorn opposite. Lyra yelped in surprise and fell backwards and off her chair, falling into Berry Punch, who was carrying three pints of apple cider.
"Sweet Celestia!" cried Berry as her drinks flew up into the air and threatened to drench anypony underneath. Lyra's horn lit up and she caught the drinks in mid-air. Only a few drops of cider fell from the now upright cups and Berry Punch quickly ran underneath to try and catch them on her tongue. BonBon finished laughing and quickly descended into a violent coughing spasm, slamming her hooves down on the table and making her drink wobble precariously on the edge.
Fluttershy managed to release a small smile and trotted over to one of the empty tables in a small alcove that was close to Lyra's table. Deciding to not draw any attention to herself, she beckoned a waiter over quietly and ordered only a single blueberry smoothie. Her stomach grumbled but she didn't notice. The small writing at the bottom of her shopping list distracted her. Squinting, she read the fine print and the smile on her face vanished in an instant.
Corn Oranges Milk Strawberries Apples Lettuce Anti Vomit Pills
She had forgotten about that. Stuffing the list underneath a napkin, she waited for her drink and leaned in closer to hear the rest of what the two mares were saying.
"Lyra! Oh, Luna, I can't breath!" coughed BonBon. Lyra chuckled and engulfed a napkin in her magic, bringing it over and wiping her face clean of any of BonBon's drink.
"Just for that, you're paying for my drink" she laughed. BonBon nodded and rummaged inside her bag for a few bits. As she searched, Lyra continued to talk. "I was going to visit her but I saw Rainbow Dash walking out of the restaurant looking so hurt. I'm surprised she didn't have any tears in her eyes. I know that pony doesn't cry but you should've seen the look on her face. It was enough to make Celestia sob!" Shocked, BonBon pulled her hoof out of her saddlebag and stared at Lyra.
"Really? I didn't think she really got upset about anything except maybe her tortoise hibernating and still, that was only for one winter! Who could've done that to her? She's such a strong character!"
"I know! I don't want to spread rumours," Lyra started, looking around nervously, not noticing the yellow Pegasus listening in a few tables away, tucked behind a wall "but I think that it was Fluttershy"
"FLUTTERSHY?!" BonBon yelled, drawing confused looks from everypony around her. Lyra facehoofed.
"Oh. Sorry everypony" she said meekly.
"Way to be subtle!" BonBon scraped her hoof across her chair, a sheepish grin on her face.
"As I was saying, yes, I think it was Fluttershy. She ran out of the same restaurant that Dash came out of and even though she was mostly a blur as she flew past, I could tell she was upset about something. Also, I've never seen her fly that fast except in a crisis so that adds on another piece of evidence. AND Daisy was waiting outside the bathroom when she heard the confrontation. She heard Dash say something about how 'maybe Fluttershy should go to the hospital' and then there was a huge bang, like someone throwing a rock at the toilet and Fluttershy bolted out the door while Rainbow Dash shouted after her. Surprisingly, she didn't need to go to the bathroom after that"
BonBon pulled a hoof through her mane, trying to make sense of the situation. She sipped her smoothie, deep in thought. Coins were pulled from her saddlebag by Lyra and given to the waiter, who had been standing by the table while the Unicorn had spoken. After a few minutes, the mare looked up to see her friend standing beside her chair with her bags being held aloft telekinetically.
"So?"
"So what you're saying is...Fluttershy, the quiet, scared Pegasus, made Rainbow Dash, the direct, loud Pegasus, almost cry?" BonBon enquired incredulously.
"Yeah, pretty much" replied Lyra, placing BonBon's bags on her back. They turned and began to walk in the other direction, the sound of their voices fading into the background.
Fluttershy sat silently, her drink still. Her whole body shook. She stared after the departing ponies in shock. I made...I made Rainbow almost cry? No...I didn't want this to happen. Any of it! I'm a terrible pony. She probably hates me...maybe I should just take up her offer of going to the hospital, to make her feel better...no, no, no! What am I thinking? I can't go to the hospital! No matter what. I don't blame her if she hates me. I hate myself. I'm so clever, going around with him and doing what I did. I'm an embarrassment. To all of my friends. To everypony. She should hate me! I hurt her, not just mentally but physically. I threw her across the room! What kind of friend am I?
With that, the dejected mare left the establishment, her smoothie sitting untouched next to a few bits.
***
Rainbow Dash sat down on the cafe's stool heavily, flinging her saddlebag under the table. She wasn't in a good mood. Her head hurt and was bruised, she didn't feel like flying and she had been late for work. Nothing was going her way.
Picking up the menu silently, she pored over the options, not noticing the smoothie sitting opposite her. Not a single waiter was around. The mare sighed.
None of the food seemed appetising to her. In her frustration, she brought her hoof heavily down on the table, knocking over the smoothie. Liquefied blueberry flowed from the glass and stained Dash's fur, causing the mare to throw the glass at the wall opposite her.
"Are you KIDDING ME?" She yelled, exasperated. The napkin beside her was lifted up and she noticed a crumpled piece of paper tucked underneath. Observing the handwriting and reading the list, she instantly knew who it belonged to.
Fluttershy.
The menu was discarded and fell to the floor as the rainbow-haired Pegasus got to her feet, stuffing the list inside her bag and walking off, grumbling to herself as she made her way towards a certain mare's library.
***
Today seemed to be the day that everypony wanted to buy lettuce. At least, it seemed like that to Fluttershy. As she had approached the vegetable stand, about fourteen ponies had rushed forward and formed a line. Not much lettuce was there and some ponies took more than one.
Time seemed to slow down as the line slowly moved forwards. Each time a pony left, the pony behind seemed to take more lettuce than before. The vegetable was disappearing and fast. Luckily, when Fluttershy finally arrived at the stand, there was one remaining lettuce. Handing over the money, she watched as the mare took the bits and pulled down the closed sign.
"At least it got one" said the Pegasus, relieved. But, before she could put the vegetable in her bag, a red Earth pony mare with broom for a cutie mark appeared behind her and pulled it from her grasp.
"I'll be taking that, thank you!" she declared. Fluttershy stood in shock and tried to control the fury that was boiling up inside of her. Clearing her throat, she stepped forward and tried to take the lettuce. It didn't work. The mare recoiled and shot Fluttershy a glare.
"I paid for that. Give it back. Now" she whispered, a hint of anger in her voice.
The mare cackled and smirked at her.
"Or what? You're gonna set your bunny on me? Oh, please! Unless you have an extra piece of lettuce, you ain't getting this back. I need it for my tea tonight" she laughed, shoving the lettuce inside her saddlebag.
A crowd had surrounded the pair, ponies wondering what was going on after hearing the conversation. The all stood in anticipated silence, waiting for what was going to come next.
Just stay calm. You don't possess anger. Calm. An outburst will draw attention to you. An outburst from you is a dead giveaway that something is wrong. Breathe, Flutters, breathe. Just get the lettuce back in a calm manner. In an adult manner.
Everypony was silent. Nopony made a sound. They all stood with bated breath, not wanting to miss what was about to happen. The cool spring breeze and the birds overhead were the only things that were audible.
With gritted teeth, Fluttershy spoke.
"Please give me back what is mine. I paid for that lettuce with my own money and I would appreciate it if you gave it back to me. I waited in line for that lettuce and I'm sorry that you didn't get any but that doesn't give you an excuse to steal mine. So please, return it to me and we can both go our separate ways"
"Well, since you asked so nicely, of course...NOT" she said, her cackling shattering the quiet atmosphere.
A collective gasp echoed through the gathering of ponies, shock registering across their faces. Many were angry. Stealing! How awful!
Fluttershy dug her hooves into the ground, trying to control her fury. But all she could see was that stupid, rude smirk, all she could hear was that infuriating, ugly laugh. Those cold blue eyes stared into hers and she couldn't help herself. Screw staying calm. Screw being nice. This mare deserved everything that was coming to her.
Buck it.
The mare's laughing continued to spew from her mouth but was cut short when a yellow hoof connected with her muzzle. She let out a yelp of pain and fell onto the floor, her saddlebag spilling its contents and the lettuce rolling towards the furious, yellow Pegasus' front hoof.
Blood trickled from the fallen mare's nose and she tried to back away from Fluttershy, who had kicked all her stuff inside the discarded saddlebag.
"When I say give me back what's mine, I expect to you to give it back? Are we clear?" Fluttershy sneered. Grabbing her bag, the mare nodded and galloped off in the opposite direction.
They're all looking at me. Buck.
Her hoof drifted back and forth through the mud and she couldn't take her eyes off the ground. She heard whispering and could feel the eyes on her.
"Please go away now" she murmured. The crowd slowly began to disperse and the market place started up it's usual noise. It still felt like somepony was watching her though.
Something wet touched her hoof and she looked down, seeing blood attach itself to her fur. Trying to rub it off only made it worse and soon, she looked like she'd been hoofpainting with tomato juice.
Deciding to head to the pond and wash the blood off, she looked up and saw who was watching her. Her face displayed guilt, anger, sadness and embarrassment, all at the same time. Fluttershy couldn't pull her gaze away from those cold, magenta eyes. The blood began to harden and would be a nightmare to wash off but she didn't notice. Nothing was more important than those huge eyes, full of resentment and sorrow. And that huge bruise on her forehead.
"Oh, Fluttershy" Rainbow Dash muttered, "What is wrong with you?"
***
Rainbow Dash had been walking towards Twilight's library before she saw the crowd of ponies gathered in the square. She heard the voices. And the mumbling of the crowd.
As she arrived, she heard the voice of Sweeping, a rude pony that lived at the far end of town. She had little to no patience and would resort to deceiving others or stealing what she couldn't get.
But to Dash's surprise, a soft voice echoed through the square. Fluttershy's. She ignored the annoyed outbursts from the ponies around her as she pushed through the crowd, accidentally trampling on the ponies around her and shoving through. The Pegasus stayed low, avoiding flying as Fluttershy would see her for sure and stop whatever she was doing. Craning her neck, she looked over Carrot Top and watched the confrontation. She heard what had happened. She heard the cackling laughter. She saw the lettuce. And she saw the hoof flying towards Sweeping's face.
***
A book floated in the air, covered in a purple aura. A bookshelf lay on the floor with a visible dent in it. Books were strewn across the floor and others began to circle the one that was already airborne. Spike struggled to lift bookshelf up as Twilight rushed around the room, lifting multiple books in front of her face and groaning in frustration when she didn't find what she wanted. Sweat trickled down her face as she added more books to the cloud of paper and pushed the bookcase back up into standing position. Spike ran into the kitchen and turned off the heat on the oven as a dozen brownies burned.
"Spike! I need your help in here!" Twilight's voice shouted from the front room.
"Coming Twilight!" he replied, dropping the baking tray on the floor and running smack into the wall in his haste. A gasp escaped his lips as he entered the room, books obscuring his view and Twilight shouting as she dodged flying hardbacks.
Suddenly, the door flew open and Rainbow Dash flew in, instantly smashing into a pile of books and flying back out the door.
"WOAH!" she yelled in surprise as she flew back out the entrance.
At that same moment, every book fell to the floor and Spike leapt behind one of the bookcases, cowering in fear of another book attack.
"Rainbow Dash!" she exclaimed, running towards the door and dragging her friend inside.
"W-What happened in here?" Dash said, rubbing her head. Her chest was stained purple. Twilight looked sheepish and pushed a few books away to clear a path. Spike was pulled from his corner and placed on the stairs, which were free of books. Rainbow Dash gasped when she saw that the dragon had a cutie mark! It was a closed, black book, decorated with Twilight's cutie mark.
"Oh, Celestia! You see the cutie mark too, right?"
"Yeah! It's pretty cool, huh? But, turns out, I can't find a book that can help me get rid of it"
Rainbow Dash just looked confused.
"So I was trying a spell that could turn Spike into a pony like us but even for an Alicorn, transformation spells are SUPER difficult and it knocked over the bookshelf and left a dent. I have searched the entire library and displaced loads of books but I'm only concerned about changing him back to normal as I read that partial transformation spells can damage the, shall we say, victims growth and development and since he's a baby dragon, that could mess him up really bad"
Dash nodded, figuring out the situation quickly.
"I've looked all over for a book but I still cannot find one. Half of these," She gestured towards the hundreds of books on the floor "are from Celestia or the basement. Yet, still no cure. I was just about to send a letter the princess and then you arrived. What do you need?"
Rainbow Dash processed all the information and closed the door, glad to be moving onto her subject. Twilight's happy demeanour vanished when she saw the solemn look on her friend's face. She tried to speak but Dash held up a hoof for silence.
"There's something wrong with Fluttershy"
Twilight frowned and brought a table and two chairs through the mess and indicated for Rainbow Dash to sit down, which she did.
"Spike, fetch us some tea" she said, her voice monotone.
***
"Fluttershy, darling! I haven't seen you in ages!" said Rarity, trotting towards the silent mare.
"Hi, Rarity"
Rarity frowned, realising that Fluttershy was not herself today.
"Well, I was expecting more of a greeting but I can tell you're not happy. A bit for your thoughts?"
Fluttershy continued walking, trying to avoid talking. Rarity's frown deepened and her brow creased in confusion and she quickened her pace so she could catch up with her friend. Studying her body language, the white mare's eyes reached her front hoof. She saw the red marks and stopped. Fluttershy felt a somepony pat her back.
"Fluttershy is that...blood?" she whispered in horror. Dejectedly, Fluttershy nodded and turned to look at Rarity.
"How did yo-"
"I punched somepony in the face, ok?" she interrupted.
"Oh...wait, why? That doesn't seem like you at all!"
"Well, maybe there's something different about me! You don't know everything!" she said, almost yelling before drawing a hoof up towards her face.
I've said too much.
"Fluttershy, I'm sorry for being so direct. Come with me and we can get some tea at the boutique" she offered, drawing Fluttershy into a hug. She nodded, not wanting to be rude and reject her offer.
***
Silence reigned as Rarity used her magic to pour the Pegasus sitting opposite her some tea. It poured perfectly into her cup, not a single drop out of place. After placing a small array of cakes on the table and removing a hissing Opalescence from her chair, Rarity sat down.
"There's something different about you, dear. You missed our spa day! You've never missed one. You can tell me if something's wrong"
"There's nothing...nothing at all! I'm fine!"
Rarity stirred her tea, taking in the Pegasus' stance and attitude. She hadn't touched anything on the table but seemed like she wanted to eat a lot from the way her eyes had lit up at the sight of them, similar to the behaviour of Pinkie Pie when somepony brought out a cake. She also didn't speak the entire journey or at all up until this point and seemed anxious to leave. She had punched somepony in the face! How unlike her! Mood swings were obvious but Fluttershy never had them before. There were certain situations that made mares have mood swings, become angry a lot and become very, very hungry. None of these seemed to fit the situation...except one.
That can't possibly be what's going on, can it?
"Are you sure?"
Fluttershy nodded.
"Ok. Oh! I cannot believe I forgot! Since you missed our spa day and have seemed down lately, I made you a dress! It's simply divine and I'm sure it'll fit you perfectly! I'll fetch it for you" Rarity galloped out the room. Fluttershy felt sick.
It won't fit me. Not now.
A few seconds later, the mare trotted happily into the room, a marvellous dress held aloft in her delicate, magical grip. It was green silk, the colour of grass, decorated with blue gems. It was simple yet complex with the gems forming multiple butterflies. They were positioned as if they were flying across the material and Fluttershy instantly fell in love with it. Too bad it wouldn't fit her.
Placing the dress over her friend's back, Rarity brought a privacy screen into the room and placed Fluttershy behind it. She smiled at Rarity but as soon as she couldn't see her, Fluttershy's mouth drooped and she stared at the dress.
Guess I should at least try.
Attempting to pull on the dress, she shoved her head through the hole and desperately tried to pull it over her body. Her slight figure had been destroyed by what was happening to her and she felt tears leak from her eyes as she pulled on the material. In her struggle, Fluttershy pulled hard on the hem of the dress and an audible tear came from the dress. Staring at the rip in horror, Fluttershy dropped the dress and tried to step back, hitting her head on the wall.
The privacy screen was suddenly pulled away and there stood Rarity with fear in her eyes. Fluttershy watched as the mare's eyes drifted from the dress to herself and froze when she noticed Rarity staring at her. Not at her eyes, at her body. She tried to shield herself from Rarity's vision but she couldn't stop her from picking up a roll of measuring tape and placing it around her stomach. She squirmed but Rarity held her still with her magic.
"I honestly thought it would fit...Fluttershy, you seemed to have...put on a few, erm, pounds" she said awkwardly. Fluttershy nodded and sat down, not meeting her eyes.
"You know about those?!" she said, nervous. "How?"
"I couldn't help seeing a prescription for 'Anti Vomit Pills' sticking out of your saddlebag" Rarity answered, shooting her a sympathetic look. "Fluttershy, I've seen it all before. I take pride in knowing these kinds of things. Mares come into the boutique, wanting a dress that would not usually fit them. Many answered honestly, some didn't. Like you"
Fluttershy cringed.
"They'd put down their saddlebags and the honest ones would tell me all about what was happening, many showed me prescriptions similar to yours. I'd reassure them that I would make them an outfit that would fit their new figure. They all possessed the same attitude that you have. Fluttershy, please tell me the truth"
Fluttershy unfurled her wings and promptly closed them. She tapped the floor and batted her hair.
"I swear, Rarity. I-I'm fine. I don't need to explain anything to you"
Rarity sighed and hugged the Pegasus, before putting a hoof on her chest and looking into her scared eyes.
"No, you don't need to explain anything, dear. I already know"
"What do you mean there's nothing you can do?! There's something wrong with her and I want to find out!" yelled an exasperated Rainbow Dash.
Twilight sipped her tea and sighed. How long had this been going on for? About an hour, maybe. She had lost track of time.
"Rainbow, listen to me. What in Equestria do you think I can do about Fluttershy? I don't have any kind of 'tell the truth' spell so why do you keep asking?!"
Rainbow slammed her hoof down and nearly sent her tea flying. Spike flinched when the liquid fell to the floor and onto a discarded book. More cleaning for him.
"There has to be a spell! C'mon, you're the smart one! She's my best friend and I want to know what she's hiding!"
Sipping her tea once more, Twilight stood up and began to place books back onto their shelves. Rainbow Dash stayed seated, dumbstruck that she was going about her routine so casually. Spike picked up a broom and began to sweep the floor, shuffling over to Rainbow and trying to brush under her chair where most of her now-cold tea had splashed.
In her frustration, she slammed her back hoof onto the broom and watched as it snapped like a twig. Spike groaned and ran into the kitchen, trying to get away from the angry mare.
"Rainbow! What was that for?"
"Because you're not listening to me! Fluttershy has a problem and you don't even care! You're meant to be the Princess of Friendship so why aren't you helping your friend?!"
"I'm not helping because you're being irrational! What am I supposed to do, cast a spell on her that will make her blab all her deepest secrets? Force it out of her? That's not something I'd do to a friend. But I'm sure you probably would"
Silence descended over the library as Twilight spoke. Rainbow Dash's mouth flew open, her wings springing up in anger. She took a step towards Twilight, who took an uneasy step back. Rainbow glared at her, a glare that seemed to be able to see her soul. Twilight let out a small squeak of terror. She didn't mean for Rainbow to hear that.
"What did you just say?"
The purple mare gulped and desperately tried to fix the situation. She took another step back, slipping on an old book and falling onto her behind. Dash stood over her, eyes sparkling with fury.
"N-no I didn't mean that! I'm sorry, I-I was just angry and you were trying to force me to do something an-"
"Force you?" she snarled "Force you?! How was I forcing you to do anything? I just wanted to help my friend but obviously you don't give a flying feather about Fluttershy or her feelings! At least I had the common decency to actually take my friend's feelings into account!"
A fire sparked in Twilight, a feeling that she never thought she'd be directing at a friend. Getting to her hooves, Twilight stomped towards Rainbow and gave her a quick shove with her hoof.
"How can you talk about decency? You're the one trying to force a secret out if somepony! If she doesn't want to tell you, she doesn't have to! Stop trying to be all high and mighty when really, you're just trying to nose about in everypony's business! Why can't you just leave her alone?"
"Because whatever this bucking secret is, it's affecting her! She's acting strange, being aggressive. Fluttershy doesn't act like this!"
"Being aggressive? Where in the story you told me did it say anything about her being aggressive, apart from when she made you hit your head, which seemed more self defence or flight or fight reaction than anything"
"Yeah, well, if she's apparently not being aggressive, tell me why she decided to PUNCH SOMEPONY IN THE FACE?!"
Twilight was shocked into silence. All her anger melted away in an instance and she instantly sat back down. What Rainbow was saying couldn't possibly be true. Anti vomit pills could just be for some sickness, there are many reasons for strange behaviour, but Fluttershy-sweet, kind, adorable Fluttershy-punching somepony in the face?
"That...that can't be true!"
"You callin' me a liar, smart ass? Everything I've said is true. This isn't some sick prank, if that's what you're thinking! She punched somepony in the face, it's not impossible!"
"Well, you kind of left that out when you explained everything else...but why? Why would she do that?"
Rainbow Dash flapped her wings, one powerful movement sending her into the air, towering over Twilight. She cast a shadow over the Alicorn and looked at her with a steely glare.
"Because there is something wrong! I thought you were supposed to be smart! I thought I'd come to you for help and MAYBE you'd be smart enough to come up with an idea! But, guess I was wrong. I could get better advice from Derpy!"
"Rainbow Dash, stop this. I know you're mad and want answers but you don't need to be throwing insults at me left and right while you float above me, trying to look menacing. We can't do anything except wait until Fluttershy decides to confide in us! Why don't you understand?"
Rainbow Dash snorted dismissively, swooping downwards and out the door. As she hung in mid-air, she turned to Twilight, who had gotten up off the floor and was about to try and stop her friend from doing anything drastic.
"Why don't I understand?! Why don't you understand, you pathetic mule! You obviously don't give one about Fluttershy so I'll sort her out myself. And, no, I'm not going to go beat her up, if that's what you were implying with your snide little remark earlier. I'm going to go and help her out. At least she'll know that one of her friends actually cares about her!"
Twilight started towards the door, firing up her horn, wanting to keep Dash inside so they could talk it out. But, before she could do anything, Rainbow Dash's hoof came into contact with the door, slamming it shut with so much force that it splintered down the middle. Twilight couldn't stop fast enough and ran smack into the door, injuring her horn.
"Rainbow, wait!" she cried. But it was too late. She was gone.
***
Rarity shut the door of her bedroom quietly, making sure that Fluttershy was sleeping soundly. After about an hour of pouring her heart out, crying and eating four pints of vanilla ice cream, Fluttershy had collapsed from exhaustion. Which, to be brutally honest, Rarity was ok with. She had kind of gotten sick of constantly mopping tears from her carpet.
Inside the room, Fluttershy slept, tucked underneath Rarity's silky blankets, with Opal purring contently at the hoof of the bed. But, not everything was as peaceful as it seemed. Within Fluttershy's head, a tidal wave of darkness was washing over her dream realm, tainting it with nightmares.
***
Fluttershy stood up. Her legs felt weak and she was exhausted. She could hear hooves shuffling around near her and whispers. They floated through the air, wafting past the Pegasus' ears.
"How can she show her face here?"
"What a waste of space!"
"Disgusting! Don't let her touch you!"
Fluttershy knew instantly they were talking about her. And she was afraid. So very afraid to open her eyes and see them watching her, judging her, hating her.
She managed to crack open her eyes and check her surroundings. She instantly fell to the ground in horror. The whispers stopped.
The sky was a disgusting brown, the clouds black and squirming. The sun was black and lighting danced in the sky. The houses surrounding her were dilapidated and rank. The streets were a mess, potholes, molehills and cracks littering the ground. Every lantern had been blown out, excluding a single one in front of Fluttershy.
But the most disturbing thing in this nightmare Ponyville were the ponies. They were grotesque abominations, with melted faces and scarred bodies, limping towards her, toothy grins or angry scowls stretched across their muzzles.
And they were all looking at her.
Some of them looked similar. Yes, there were ponies here she knew. Lyra, Carrot Top, Derpy, Raindrops, Flitter and Cloud Chaser, Vinyl, Octavia, Cranky, Pipsqueak and even Granny Smith. Nearly everypony she knew was here, staring at her intently. She began to shake as she felt every eye on her.
Then they began to speak.
Mumbling at first. Burbles and groans, not anything she could make out. Then they began to speak louder, Fluttershy picking out a few words.
Embarrassing Disgrace Loser Slag
Fluttershy felt tears prick her eyes. The creatures didn't notice, only becoming louder and louder, until some were screeching at the top of their lungs.
"DON'T LET HER TOUCH YOU, SHE'LL INFECT YOU"
"WHY DOESN'T SHE JUST GET LOST"
"SHE DOESN'T DESERVE TO LIVE"
"SHE'S A DSIGUSTING CREATURE"
"EW, GET AWAY FROM US"
Fluttershy twisted round and round, surveying the group with growing terror, each insult feeling like a blow to the stomach.
They wouldn't stop. The misshapen beasts taunting, her mocking her, hating her.
Taunting, mocking, hating.
Taunting, mocking, hating,
Taunting, mocking hating.
Taunting, mocking, hating.
Fluttershy stopped moving, beaten emotionally, legs shaking and head bent . Tears flowed freely and she couldn't even speak. She could only listen to the voices. The contorted voices that seemed to creep into her very soul, ripping it apart and destroying it.
"I can't say I'm surprised"
"Me neither. I just can't believe she had the nerve to come into town and humiliate us!"
"Yeah! She's the biggest meanie meanie pants I've ever met!"
"Y'all are taking the words right outta mah mouth"
Fluttershy froze. It felt as if a knife had been thrust straight into her heart. She didn't want to turn around. She didn't want it to be true, all her fears recognized. But something pulled her head, thrusting it in the direction the voices came from. When she saw the ponies standing there, she gasped. The knife twisted.
Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Applejack. Her closest friends in all of Equestria had just said those things. About her.
But, one more voice, a raspy, dominant voice swept over the others. Everypony else fell silent. All of Fluttershy's so-called friends turned to look at the pony that had just appeared and smiled as she spoke.
"What can I say? You shouldn't expect something from nothing"
Fluttershy fell to the ground, the knife embedding itself in her heart. It didn't stop turning as she processed the words spoken.
Rainbow Dash blew her hair out of her face, proud to have everypony hear her opinion.
Fluttershy began to bawl, her tears soaking the ground as the ponies around her started laughing as if what Dash had just told a brilliant joke. The laughter was cold and swirled around her like a tornado of hatred. They began to close in, kicking and hitting her wherever they could. She ignored the pain, desperate to find out that Rainbow and all her friends were just playing some sick joke, that they would rally around her and stop the deformed citizens of Ponyville from hurting her. But they didn't. They joined in on the attack, ripping out her hair and kicking her limp body as the laughter ate away her inside.
She heard Applejack say something to Pinkie Pie and before she could react, a hoof connected with her stomach. She knew it was coming but she couldn't avoid the blow, desperately trying to shield the sensitive area with her legs. As the hoof connected, the wind was pushed from he lungs and a small, foal-like wail flew from her mouth. Fluttershy sobbed harder.
"BE STILL!" a deep and powerful voice commanded, pushing the abominations backwards and freeing Fluttershy's mind from their hideous laughter. Fluttershy heard a pony walk towards her and she shakily got to her feet, ready to burst into tears and collapse at any moment. She spun around and came face to face with another monster.
Yet, this one didn't seem so scary. It was a gorgeous midnight blue, it's mane flowing freely in the air, mesmerising. It was larger than the others and had two limp wings at it's side and a long, regal horn to match.
"Are you in need of assistance?" the pony said, it's serene voice wrapping around Fluttershy like a hug. The horn began to glow, and a mystical blue beam shot high into the sky, before falling back down and enveloping the pony in a mystical blue glow.
A few seconds past as Fluttershy and all the other beast stared in awe as the kinder being stretched and spun until standing in front of Fluttershy was...
Princess Luna.
Fluttershy stood in amazement at the arrival of the regent of the moon, who smiled down at her warmly. She wrapped her wings around Fluttershy, who began to sob again, clutching onto Luna like a filly would hold her mother.
"Oh, Luna! Please let me escape this nightmare! I can't stand it!" she choked, finding her voice. Luna took a step back, folding her wings and standing tall. A vexed frown crept onto her face. Fluttershy shrank under her glare before she realised that Luna wasn't looking at her, but the group of ponies behind her.
"How dare you torture this innocent pony? Do you not realise the turmoil her mind is in? Do you not understand her terror?"
Murmurs swept through the crowd like wildfire.
"You will be silent!" Luna's Royal Canterlot Voice descended over the crowd and they fell to their knees. Fluttershy was astonished at the power the princess could show with just her voice.
Luna bent down, her glower vanishing as she looked at Fluttershy with her wise eyes.
"I cannot hold them forever. You need to conquer these beasts on your own"
"What? But I can't! They're my friends! And...they'll hurt me again" she said meekly, shuddering at the thought of facing the warped ponies.
Luna put a hoof on Fluttershy's chin and lifted her head to look at her. The moon goddess smiled, which spoke a thousand words to Fluttershy.
"Do you really believe these are your friends?"
Fluttershy looked at the sea of monsters, all grimacing and growling. At first, all she saw were the twisted versions of her friends staring back at her. But, after a moment, Fluttershy saw through their disguise. These were not the ponies she knew! None of her friends would ever speak about her like that! They were best friends and would always be that, no matter what.
Fluttershy took a confident step forward, standing tall. Her second step faltered slightly when the monsters began to snarl at her. But the third step she took, she broke into a gallop running straight into the crowd of monsters, who turned on her in a second.
But this time Fluttershy was ready.
She flew up into the air and looked down at the beasts. Clamouring to get her, some began to balance on the other's back, desperately trying to pluck the Pegasus from the skies. A misshapen hoof brushed against hers and she kicked it with all her might, sending the pony tower crashing to the ground. As they came in contact with the dirt, their bodies dissolved into ashes. This slowed the other monster ponies as they saw their friends defeated by Fluttershy.
"Who else wants some?!" she yelled. The ponies growled.
"I mean, if that's ok"
Pony after pony tried to grab Fluttershy but they were all sent crashing to the ground by Fluttershy's iron hoof. She circled them like a hawk before swooping down for the kill,
Soon, the nightmare world began to peel away. The brown from the sky seemed to melt, leaving the happy blue that usually adorned the afternoon sky. The sun blazed brightly with yellow and the soft, green grass danced softly in the cool breeze. The creatures fell to the ground, writhing in agony before they melted away, leaving behind nothing but dust. Fluttershy personally stamped on the dust from her fake friends.
"Good riddance!" she declared proudly. This was it. She was being brave!
Regular ponies began to exit their newly refurbished houses, chattering and smiling at Fluttershy as they passed. She saw Twilight sharing a book with Rarity, Applejack and Pinkie Pie munching on an apple fritter and Rainbow Dash practising her moves while Spike, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo cheered her on. This was Ponyville. That other place, that was just a film set for a horror movie, all smoke and mirrors and no actual danger. Fluttershy knew that now.
She turned to Luna, who was looking around and giving ponies warm smiles. She noticed Fluttershy looking and winked. With a powerful burst of energy and one swift wing movement, Princess Luna flew up into the air, rising majestically like an angel from Paradise.
"Don't let your worries control you, Fluttershy!" her voice boomed over the town.
"Face your fears!"
Luna vanished in a flash of light.
***
"Stupid Twilight. Thinks she's so smart. Oh I know everything about friendship because I'm a princess! Everypony must listen to me! I'm right even if my opinion is wrong and ridiculous!" Rainbow grumbled as she flew through the sky. Pegasi waved at her as she passed but she paid no attention to them, only focusing on where she was headed.
Fluttershy's cottage soon came into view and before she knew it, she was already standing in front of the door.
This time, Rainbow was going to find out what Fluttershy was hiding, she was going to comfort her and she was going to take her to the hospital. She had to. As a friend, it was her duty.
She tapped on the door a few times and waited. She tapped again, slightly louder. Nothing.
"Fluttershy? It's me, Dash! Are you in there?"
Silence.
"Fluttershy?"
Rainbow started to walk around the side of the house until she came to the kitchen window. It was always open and Rainbow peered in.
Everything was in place, as it always was. Animals lay about, some sleeping and others seemingly chatting. But, the atmosphere was not happy. It was...sad, almost.
"Fluttershy? Is Fluttershy here?" she asked the animals, who hadn't realised she was at the window. None of them moved when they heard her voice, though.
Rude, thought Rainbow Dash.
Before she could ask again for Fluttershy's whereabouts, a small, white head popped up. Rainbow shouted and fell backwards at the sudden face in front of hers.
"Jumping Celestia on a bicycle!"
Angel sniggered and hopped onto the windowsill as Rainbow picked herself up. She marched forward and glared at him before speaking.
"Ha ha, very funny. Where's Fluttershy?" she demanded, brushing grass from her wings. The rabbit shook his head and leapt back off the windowsill, closing the window and the curtains.
"Hey! Listen here you little rodent, where's Fluttershy?!" she yelled, banging on the window. No reply. She continued to slam her hoof against the glass but to no avail. Angel had gone. And Fluttershy didn't seem to be home either. Dash sighed and trudged back to the front of the house, stretching her wings and lifting high into the air.
