Alone

Everything was silent. It was not a good kind of silence.

I opened my eyes, slowly seeing everything slip into focus. I was lying under fallen luggage peppered with shattered glass, and the train car was leaning on one side allowing sand to pour in through the windows. I groaned and moved my limbs, wincing at the response they gave. I took a breath and forced myself upright; being careful to not make it hurt more than it already did.

What had happened here? I tapped my head, trying to clear my foggy memories. I was asleep, but then a letter from Twilight woke me up, and then there... There was a bright light and a shockwave. Everypony fell silent, or I was deafened, or...

Oh no, please no. The other passengers!

I lurched forward to start searching, my hooves barely cooperating through the sharp pains travelling through me. Treatment would have to wait. I had to find the other ponies and make sure they were safe. Fallen luggage was pushed aside in case there was anypony trapped underneath, my dry throat called out for anypony who could hear me, but nopony replied. I hurried along with a churning feeling of dread growing in my stomach. Where were the others? What had happened to them? I negotiated with the lopsided train and checked all of the cars and the caboose. Each one turned up empty, save for luggage, refreshments, and other belongings lying around.

My chest went tight, my breaths becoming unsteady. What if I had been unconscious for so long that nopony saw me? Had they all left together to get help? How long had I been out for? I clambered outside into the desert sun, and broke out into an awkward, pained run. I ran up to the top of the nearest dune and looked over the other side. There was no sign of anypony. I scanned the horizon, hoping to catch a silhouette or any tracks leading away from the derailed train, but sand and sky were all I could see. Desperately, I called for help, and no response came.

The feeling in my chest started to choke me. I called for help, again and again, until my throat was sore and I was coughing on sand.

Everypony was gone, but I was still here.

I ambled back to the train, watching the tears fall into the sand and vanish in the rising heat. How could they have left me behind? Could they have not noticed me? How long had it been since they left? Where did they go?

My head was starting to throb and ache. I collapsed in the shade of a tipped carriage. My eyes closed out the sunlight, and I wished that the eerie quiet of the desert was the comforting sound of a peaceful forest. I groaned at the dull pain in my skull, and winced as my other injuries soon made themselves known again, each one stinging and throbbing to gain my attention.

Groggily, I lifted my head up to check where it hurt the most. I had been cut and bruised in the accident, but I was lucky to not be worse off. The cuts had closed up a long time ago and were starting to heal on their own, though the dull throbbing warned that they could open again if I wasn’t careful. Patches of purple were visible through my coat, each one aching if I moved a muscle that disturbed them Hopefully the other passengers hadn't been badly hurt either, but if they had left in such a hurry, could that mean that there was somepony who was? Wouldn't there have been a medical kit on board to at least help treat them until help arrived?

I carefully rose onto my hooves, and threw my foreleg out to lean against the train when a head rush took over. I should go find the medical kit. I took a few breaths and willed myself to clamber into the train cars again, this time seeking the kitchenette in one of the cars. I found the emergency first-aid kit still attached to the wall, and I raised an eyebrow at how it hadn’t been touched. Not a single bandage or painkiller had been taken. I lifted a hoof up and rubbed my forehead, maybe now wasn’t the time for thinking too hard.

I pulled the kit off the wall, unpacking it and swallowing a couple of pain pills. I sat myself down among the scattered refreshments and forgotten luggage, trying to not think about how things didn’t make sense.

Should I stay here? It would be safer. There was food, water, and shelter. And the train was an easy sight for a search party to spot. I could wait for them here for a few days before the food and drinks would run low, but what of the other passengers? What about the ponies that had left? I stared at the things that been left behind. There were blankets, canteens, and other things that would've been taken by a group hoping to brave the journey back, but had been left behind. Why had they done that?

Whatever the reason, the ponies probably didn't have enough water with them for the whole group. This far out of reach from civilisation, the other passengers would be in danger. A ball dropped into the pit of my stomach.

I nodded to myself as I made up my mind. I was going to have to leave too. I had to make sure everypony was safe.

My gaze wandered down the carriage, and soon spotted my saddlebags.

The scorching heat of the desert had reached its peak. I flew swiftly through the air, keeping myself a few hooves above the ground so I wouldn’t have far to fall if I crashed. My wings ached and protested against being used, but not enough for me to stop flying. The pill had done what it could to take the edge off the pain, but a dull sensation continued to race through my nerves. I pushed myself on, hoping to catch up with the other passengers before sunset. I had to find them and make sure they were okay, and I hoped and hoped that they were following the tracks to either Appleloosa or Dodge Junction. But with no hoofprints in the sand pointing in any direction, I couldn't be sure where the others had gone. All I knew was that I was unconscious for a long time, and by the time I had woken up and discovered myself alone, any prints in the sand would've vanished under the breeze drifting over the ground.

I could've gone back to Appleloosa – the train had probably derailed closer to there than to Dodge Junction, after all – but I was afraid that if there were any ponies wandering in the opposite direction, by the time I reached Sheriff Silverstar and got a search party to come out, those ponies would be in terrible danger. And if the forgotten supplies in the train wreck were any indication, they were unlikely to have enough water to last more than a day. If everypony had started walking back to Appleloosa, then I'd end up flying all the way to Dodge Junction on my own over a couple of days. If that happened, then at least I would be sure there were no lost ponies in the middle of the desert.

Back in the train I had collected up my belongings in a rush. My saddlebags were completely emptied of their contents, and were stuffed with first aid supplies and some food that I had found aboard the train. I had picked up two canteens filled to the brim with water, one canteen being mine - a gift from Appaloosa - while the other was among the left-behind possessions that had been thrown all over the place when the train tipped over and left the rails.

The ties of the railway track raced beneath me, and I kept my eyes open and my ears alert. Sometimes I would catch a tiny movement nearby, and for a moment I'd think I'd found somepony lying in the sand. In a split second of dread, I'd turn my head to look, and would catch a lizard scurrying away or a vulture taking flight and later soaring high above me.

While I'd feel slightly relieved that I hadn't found any ponies, it would soon make me worry more. They may not even be following this path; the passengers could’ve tried taking a shortcut for all I knew. I didn’t have time to waste searching a wider area, though. Hopefully it wouldn’t turn out to be a mistake.

I decided to stop and take a break in the shade. My wings were refusing to carry me much further, and my throat was sore and collecting dust. I needed a drink and a rest. I found a shaded spot near the bottom of a small mesa, and brought myself to a gentle landing. My hooves barely caught me as I touched down, my bruises flaring up in pain again under the weight.

I dropped my gear and twisted the cap off of my canteen, and poured water over the burning sensation in my throat. I closed my eyes for a few seconds and tried to relax, hoping to recover some energy before I took wing again.

Something dropped down nearby. No, two things. I opened my eyes and glanced over, spotting two vultures on a rock, making no secret that they were watching me. I kept drinking my water, but kept my eyes on them. The two birds kept watching me patiently, almost motionless. I put the cap back onto my canteen and stood up, and walked over to them.

"Excuse me, but have you seen any ponies come this way?" I asked them.

The two large birds looked at each other in mild confusion, and then looked back at me. They shook their heads to say no.

"Are you sure? No ponies on hoof, wandering in the desert recently?"

They shook their heads again.

"Oh. Thanks anyway." I turned away from them and started picking my things back up. If none of the animals had seen them, then they were either much further ahead, or hadn't come this way at all. Whichever the case, it was best I kept going. Either I’d find them along the way to town, or I would reach Dodge Junction. The sooner I did one of those, the better.

I took a final gulp of water from my canteen, and strapped my saddlebags back on. With a few aching flaps, I took the air and headed out into the afternoon Sun, following the train tracks through the desert. This time, the vultures didn't follow me.

A terrible, endless howl groaned in my ears, echoing off the walls of the cave I was hiding in. I glanced toward the mouth of the cave, seeing nothing but a reddish blanket of flying sand just outside.

The sound isn’t so bad… I looked at one of my cuts, wincing at the sand grains that had opened it and got inside. But being in that storm was awful…

It came out of nowhere. The desert used to be still, silent, and safe for flying. But before I fully realised what was going on, the wind picked up and threw sand in my eyes. I crashed into the dunes, breaking a strap for one of my canteens, and reopening some cuts. I scrambled onto my hooves, stashing the loose canteen before it was lost to the sand, and ran through the storm, searching for shelter. The roar of the wind was deafening. Thousands of grains of sand scratched and gnawed at my skin and clawed at my eyes, turning everything beyond my nose into a haze.

I had never been in a sandstorm before, and I hadn’t expected one to be this sudden. Not being able to see or fly, and choking on sand was worse than learning to swim for the first time. No, it was worse than trying to fly for the first time.

Finding this cave at the base of one of the mesas was a blessing. If I wasn’t already coughing up sand when I stumbled in, I probably would’ve hugged the sandy floor in gratitude. I had been hiding here for a day now, or at least my best guess was that.

I had spent at least three days in the desert now, and wasn’t even sure if I was closer to reaching Dodge Junction or the train’s occupants I had originally set off after. If I had stayed put at the train wreck, I wouldn’t have been hit so hard by this sandstorm. I would have had shelter. But how would I have been able to stay there knowing dozens of passengers were wandering the desert? What if they were caught in the storm right now and without any shelter?

My wings ached for me to go, but I couldn’t let myself do that. It frustrated me that the moment my wings wanted to spring to action – rather than freeze solid at my sides – I could not do anything but wait. The storm was too strong, and the few minutes I had struggled out there didn’t paint a positive image in my mind of what would happen if I tried to weather it for much longer.

I had to sit and wait. I had to be calm, patient, and positive. The sandstorm would pass soon, and I would find the missing passengers safe and sound. No pressure. No worries.

But after three days of flying and walking, wouldn’t I have seen somepony yet? I couldn’t imagine a large group of ponies on hoof outpacing a pegasus. Not even if they were stampeding. No, the gap between us should’ve closed by now. Could I have over-shot them? Taken a route they didn’t take? I had followed the train tracks the whole time. I may have ventured further from them than I should have. I kept the tracks in my sight though; they were the only landmark I could use to navigate. Even at night I kept close to the rails. I didn’t trust myself to remember navigation by the stars like I had to learn in Flight Camp. If there were passengers who could, though, and knew the desert, the missing ponies could’ve taken a shorter route than I. They could still be ahead.

My head fell into my forelegs. The fact remained that I had not seen a single pony in three days. I had emptied one of my canteens and was running out of water in my other. If it weren’t for an uncomfortable feeling swirling around in my stomach, I might’ve finished that canteen, too.

If I was low on water, and I had two canteens, then that would mean that the other passengers would be either out of water or close to it. There were a handful of canteens left behind in the train – along with untouched medical boxes and refreshments. Why they had left so much behind still troubled me; they had to have been low on everything when they left, but why would they leave so quickly without taking enough water with them at least?

A dull throb slammed against my skull, forcing my head into my hooves and closing my eyes tight. It didn’t matter now; those ponies would need help much more than before, and I may be the only pony close enough to help them.

I lifted my head up and gazed at the ceiling. What if I’m too late? What if I don’t find them at all?

My chest gripped itself in a suffocating hold. A cannon ball bowled down into the pit of my stomach, knocking the swirling sickness everywhere. Deep breaths, my mind whispered to me. Try to stay calm; the sandstorm will be over soon. The others will be okay – you’ll see. My breaths tried to fall into a rhythm, but it felt like I was starving for air. My eyes glistened, and I squeezed them tight and fought to calm down. Count your breaths. One... Two... Three...

Slowly, my chest was allowed to breathe again. The past two sleepless nights caught up to me and I did nothing to stop them from whisking me off someplace else. Anywhere was better than here - even a dreamless sleep.

A serene stillness greeted my ears when I woke up. Compared against the mourning wail of the storm I had listened to before, the difference seemed threatening.

My head bolted upright and I glanced around. I was still alone. I looked over to the entrance, and saw bright sunshine beating against the rocky wall. The storm had passed. It was time to get going.

A yawn escaped me, and I rose onto my hooves. I took a short moment to make sure my belongings were still secure, and to have a much needed drink. Nerves or no nerves, I couldn’t risk dehydration, though if I didn’t find a place to refill my canteens, I would be running that risk soon.

I peeked outside, worried of what could be lying in wait if I was careless – it never hurt to be careful. I shielded my eyes when I finally stepped into the midday sunlight, and I squinted as I scanned the landscape around me. The railroad was still visible, but just barely, and I could see the remnants of the sandstorm disappearing in the horizon. I took wing and flew high into the sky, twirling around to get my bearings.

My wings slipped a beat when my gaze fell upon the sight of a town. The rails led straight to it, and gave away the size of the settlement and the orchard of trees adjacent to it. I could see Dodge Junction. I was close to my own rescue.

I darted towards the city. At last! I was back in civilisation! But my duty wasn’t over yet. First, I’d have to find the sheriff’s office and report the train accident. Hopefully, the passengers would’ve got here before me, and a search party wouldn’t have to come out. Dodge Junction was a big place, though, and I hadn’t been there long enough to know my way around. Where would the sheriff’s office even be? Maybe I should go to the train station instead, there would be plenty of ponies there, especially ponies who would be wondering what happened to Appleloosa’s train. They would know what to do.

The buildings grew closer and larger. Nothing appeared to be the sheriff’s office, but I could definitely see the train station. There was a train waiting by the platform, too. Good. That meant a message could be sent to Canterlot as soon as possible. I didn’t have another enchanted scroll to send to Twilight, so using the mail was the next best thing. She would be worried about me, about all of us. If that explosion had rocked all of Equestria, then the rest of the girls would be desperate to know that everypony was safe, too.

I was close enough to see luggage on the platforms, but there was nopony loading them. My eyes wandered over to the streets of Dodge Junction. They too were empty. In fact, the locomotive in the station wasn’t blowing smoke from its stack, or hissing out steam. I banked right and flew over the streets and rooftops, keeping my gaze on the ground for any ponies. Shouldn’t I be able to hear something at least?

The town beneath me felt empty. Abandoned. The buildings were dark and stoic, and not a sound could be heard from them. If it were night time, maybe this would’ve been normal, but surely not during the middle of the day, right?

An emergency curfew? A mid-afternoon siesta? Was there another sandstorm coming? My head flicked left and right and frowned when I saw that the sky and horizon was clear. My wings tilted and brought me down into the main road, gently kicking up loose sand and dust as I touched down. I stood in the middle of the silent street, and stared at all the darkened buildings around me. Only a breeze breathed in my ears, split up by the creaks of open doors and window shutters twisting on their hinges. This was not at all how I remembered my last visit to Dodge Junction.

Could they… could they really be…?

"No...” I murmured. I could feel my eyes widening. This couldn’t be.

There’s nopony here.

“No!” I wailed as I broke out into a full gallop. I shouted for help, refusing to believe what I was seeing. I banged on doors, peeked through the shattered windows - but nopony was around. My cries turned into unintelligible sobs, and my legs gave away underneath me. I fell into the dirt and cried into my hooves. There was nopony here. Dodge Junction, the busiest town on this edge of Equestria, was a ghost town. The buildings stood among themselves, dark and empty, and not a single pony other than me was left.

Everypony is gone.

There were no passengers lost in the desert the whole time. There were no ponies waiting in Dodge Junction. There were probably no ponies in Appleloosa, either. When the magical shock wave washed over the land, it did more than derail the train and damage these buildings, it stole everypony away. All it left behind were their belongings and clothes, the only evidence that a pony used to be there.

But why am I still here?

I lifted my head up, and barely noticed my hooves starting to dig at the ground. How could I still be here? How did I make it through?

A gasp escaped my lungs. There was a scroll! I was sleeping, and Twilight sent a reply to me through Spike. I woke up in time to see it explode inches above my head. It was turned into something magical and it focused its energy on me. Then there was... There was...

I clamped my eyelids shut, but the image in my mind projected itself as bright as the horrible shock wave itself. If it had been a few seconds later…

What about Twilight? What about Spike?

I rubbed my eyes with my hoof. If Twilight had sent a protection spell to me, she could’ve also sent it to the others, cast it on herself, and perhaps even protected Canterlot. A glimmer of hope shone in my heart. She might have had enough time to save as many ponies as she could, my friends could all be making their way back to Canterlot right now. I need to get there, too. If I can find the others, then everything will be okay. Twilight will know what we need to do. She must know what caused this.

I rose up onto my hooves and looked ahead. Beyond the edge of the town was one of many train tracks leaving Dodge Junction. I was looking at the one leading to Ponyville – home. I looked down at my hooves, my tatty and dirty mane falling away from me in clumps, and sighed. My canteens were empty, my mane and tail were becoming too difficult to manage, and I had another long journey ahead of me. I needed to prepare.

I walked back into the center of town, forcing myself to hum an uplifting tune while I combed through the streets for a building that wasn’t too dark and eerie. I came across a barber shop with its door wide open. Inside I could see a couple of worn seats facing two large mirrors. Tentatively, I poked my head inside and looked around. The place looked like it hadn’t been disturbed in days. If it weren’t for a thin layer of sand on everything, the shop would’ve look like it had just opened for its first customer of the day.

A creak in the shadows tickled my ear.

"H-hello?" I whispered, holding onto the hope that I wasn't completely alone. I stared off into the darkness, waiting for a reply. My heart sank after a minute, but still I kept talking as I cautiously walked inside "I don't mean to trespass, but I, uh, need water, and I was hoping I could refill my canteens here."

Silence loomed around me like a pack of hungry wolves. "I-I'll also need to borrow some scissors, if that's okay. My mane and tail are too long and messy to keep like this. I-I'll cut it myself!" I glanced around, hoping somepony would step out of the shadows, but nopony came. The silent room was frightening me, and I was starting to back away through the doorway when my eyes fell upon a record player to my right. I looked around the shop again while I trotted over to the machine. A record was still sat on the turntable, though covered in sand. I gently blew the grains off and wound the turning key. "I think I'll put some music on, I won't bother you for very long, I promise!" I called out to the darkened parts of the room.

I adjusted the needle to the beginning of the record, and soon the room was filled with the sound of trumpets introducing an up-tempo, jazzy rhythm. I stepped over to the mirror and looked at my reflection. My eyes were puffy and red from crying, and even now tears were still betraying my façade. I looked at the tangles and dirt in my mane, at the headband and its damaged feathers. I hadn’t taken good care of the Buffalo tribe’s gift. A sigh escaped me, and I looked down onto the counter. The trumpets gave way to a stallion singing on the record, while I rummaged in the cupboards and drawers for a hairbrush. I sat myself in the barber's chair, strapped the brush onto my hoof, and started to pull the tangles out of my mane.

I stared blankly at my reflection and it stared back at me. I softened my gaze and tried to smile. "Don't worry, Fluttershy, once you get to Canterlot and find the others, everything will be okay, you'll see."

My reflection's expression fell, and I could see fresh tears forming in her eyes. My gaze sank downward and fell to the teardrops staining the dusty floor.

"Everything will be okay."

Going Home

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It had been almost a week since I left the crashed train in desert. After finding Dodge Junction completely abandoned and coming to the awful conclusion that things were much worse than I wanted to think, I began making my way back to Ponyville. For the past couple of days I continued to follow train tracks, switching between flying and galloping when the weather changed or I got too tired for one or the other. Each mile – each day felt far too long, and the whole time I couldn't soothe the churning dread in my stomach. Where were all the ponies? What had happened to my friends? And why was everything so quiet?

There were only two towns I tried to find help in, but it was the same as in Dodge Junction. Every street was the same as the last, every building dark and empty, and hollow silence so endless that my racing heart seemed to echo off the walls. My only hope now was in Canterlot. Everypony had to be there, all of my friends and the Princesses – all of them waiting for me and worrying about me. They would be there, wouldn't they? I just had to find my way back. I just had to.

What about the scrolls? Couldn't Twilight or one of the Princesses have sent me a message by now? I couldn't send them a message myself without a specially-made scroll. But Twilight had Spike, and he could send any letter to Princess Celestia, I knew he could send one to me, too. How else did I get the reply? How else could that spell reach me? Spike had to have sent it, but why hadn't anypony contacted me since?

My head lolled to the side, shaking me from my thoughts. I looked down to the rail road rolling beneath me, and brought my gaze up to the next bend around some trees. I willed my wings to move faster, and with a shot of pain they pushed harder.

Gone were the deserts and rusty mesas I had seen for several days, and instead forests and grassy hills surrounded me at every bend. They felt much more welcoming than the barren lands and sand dunes, but even in the heart of nature and wildlife, the world was too quiet. Distant birds circled in the sky, and rare glimpses of badgers, bunnies, and squirrels assured me that they hadn't vanished too, but they were all afraid. I could hear it in their whimpers, I could see it in their glances before they would scamper off into the bushes. A part of me wanted to stop and try to talk to them, but I couldn't find my voice either.

Low rumbles of thunder rolled over the hills, making my wings stutter in flight; the weather wasn’t on my side again. Stern warnings from Flight Camp teachers echoed in my mind about flying in storms. Some of the lectures had been aimed only at me, while the rest of the group of fillies and colts looked at me, snickering and whispering...

I shuddered at the memory, and lowered myself to the ground. Walking was safer now, and it wouldn't be long until I would have to find shelter.

Maybe I could ask a little critter for somewhere to stay. I thought, staring up at the dark clouds edging overhead. Just for tonight, that'll be all I ask.

I led my eyes down to the tracks again and focused on the next bend on the winding road. I can't be far from Ponyville now. Maybe I could get home in time... See Angel. Oh, I hope he's doing okay.

Angel was the kindest bunny I knew. He was always trying to do the best he could for others – even me. There was a time when he needed all the care I could offer, but that was a long time ago. Angel was a carer like me nowadays, so I would leave him in charge whenever I was away. My little friends trusted him almost as much as I did.

A grumble echoed in my barrel, its sound making my stomach cramp on cue. I stopped and rubbed my belly. I knew what sound that was, but I also knew I had run out of food yesterday. I looked around, eyeing pine trees and stinging nettles off the sides of the tracks. My head shook, dropping down to my canteen in disappointment. My gut groaned in protest, demanding food, but all I could do was fill up with water. My hind legs dropped me down onto my haunches, and I sat in the middle of the tracks while I tipped my head back and drank a few gulps of cold water.

My skin prickled on my neck and chest and I leant forward again to replace the canteen's lid. The prickles shifted to my back and grew persistent. My wings flittered in place – too sore to do more than twitch. I looked up at the sky, blinking at stray droplets falling from above. The storm front had moved overhead, transforming daylight into gloomy twilight. I needed to find shelter, and find it fast. On the count of three I pushed my body onto all fours, and hopped down from the train tracks and into the forest. I scanned the floor for a warren or a den, and glanced up at the trees for one with a thick enough canopy. Only tiny little rabbit holes with noone home turned up, and slim pine trees with prickly needles prodded me deeper into the forest – and much farther from the fading light.

"Hello? Anyone?" my voice crackled to life, barely overcoming the rain. "I-I need somewhere to stay for the night."

My ears swiveled and searched, flicking to each rustle and snap. I turned around several times, hopeful that a friendly animal had come out to help me. But each time I looked there was only wind blowing sticks down, or small bushes welcoming the pitter-patter of rain. I hurried along, my hooves creating a path underneath the trees.

Once more, I called out. "Hello? Is there anyone out there?"

Nothing called back. I knew there were animals in this forest – I had seen them from the rails – but they were gone. Hiding or moving far, far away from me.

Are they afraid... of me?

A streak of white-hot light burst from the sky and landed on a tree to my right. My ears rang, and in a blink the ground had left my stiff legs suspended in the air. I hung there for a heartbeat and dropped down to the ground, flopping onto my side. Without a second thought I dug into the ground and pulled myself up and ran from the burning tree.

The storm announced itself again with a kick in my flanks. Claps and crackles filled my ears, coursing down my spine and to the tip of my dock. My legs thundered, tearing me between trees and launching me over creeks. Everywhere I looked there was no shelter. No caves or thick trees, no signs of animals living nearby. I couldn't outrun the storm, I didn't even know why I was still running – or where!

My hooves bounded forwards but found nothing beneath them. I jerked forwards and tumbled before I could even take a breath to scream. I slid and flailed down a steep, muddy slope. Rolling and bumping into rocks and trees. I was dumped off a short ledge at the bottom and straight into a big puddle of mud. I screamed as my left foreleg erupted in searing pain, and with grit teeth I sat up and pulled the wounded limb in and held it tight, biting my lip and closing my eyes tight. The tell-tale warmth trickled down my hoof, seeping into the fur on my unhurt leg. I kept my eyes closed for a moment, focusing on keeping my breaths even and calm. Panicking wouldn’t help me.

Hesitantly, I peeked at my cut with one eye, and squeaked when a flash of lightning showed all the blood. My ears rang out as the thunder boomed above me, making me cringe and freeze up for a moment. I counted to ten and opened my eyes, and carefully brought my hurt leg up for a closer look. Crimson was flowing from a deep cut, mixing with mud and rainwater to make an unbearable throb. It needed treating right away. I needed help, but I was alone and didn't even know where I was.

"Come on, Fluttershy," my voice whimpered. I cleared my throat, speaking over the rain. "It's not that bad. You can take care of it, everything will be okay."

On three legs, I picked myself up out of the mud, and limped underneath a nearby tree. My saddlebags dropped onto the ground with a muted thud, and I quickly pulled out the first aid kit I had taken from the train.

I looked over my wound again, feeling woozy at the sight of the injury. It must have been a sharp rock that caused it, and the dirt I had been sliding in had to have got in too to cause so much pain.

With shaky hooves, I opened a pack of sanitizing wipes and placed one onto my right hoof. I paused and took a deep breath, and nodded before I quickly pressed the wipe into the cut. I held it there and grit my teeth, trapping a high-pitched squeak behind them.. This step always hurt, I couldn’t lie about that, not even to my animal friends, but this hurt like a bunch of needles being jabbed into my foreleg at once. I held it there, though, waiting for the pain to ease. Slowly, the stinging wore off and the heat soothed slightly, leaving me relaxed enough to keep working.

Another flash of lightning and explosion filled the forest, causing me to flinch and yell out when I poked my wound. I grit my teeth and finished cleaning with a pink towel, and dropped it with the others. I unpacked a bandage roll, tearing it with my teeth so it would unravel, and carefully wrapped my leg up in bandages. With one great tug I ripped the rest of the roll off and put it back in the kit, and the tied off the loose end around my leg. The treatment complete, I packed the kit back into my saddlebags and let out a deep sigh, staring through my tear-glazed eyes at the grass and trees around me, giving myself a moment to breathe.

The rain was falling around me in torrents, and the sky was rumbling with thunder and flickering with distant forks of lightning. The forest had become dark and unwelcoming, and I could hear nothing but raindrops pounding on the leaves and ground. I closed my eyes and curled up against the tree trunk, shivering at every howl of wind. I wasn't going to get any sleep tonight, not with the storm and cold air, but at least I was in the dry, and had somewhere to rest my leg for a few hours.

A long groan bubbled in my stomach, and I pulled up a big clump of grass with my teeth and started chewing in response.

It was a misty and cold morning, and I woke up underneath the tree shivering and damp. I still felt exhausted and numb from the travelling I had done in the past week – not to mention the night I had spent. The other nights I had gone through I had spent underneath the stars, but that had to change, and I should've been more prepared. But where had the cold weather and rain come from? It didn't fit the season, fall was still a few weeks away but now the air was colder and mist shrouded the surrounding trees. Dread began to linger over me, bearing its claws on my back.

What if there was nopony managing the weather?

I closed my eyes and tried to block the thought off. "No." I croaked. "My friends are waiting for me. I need to find them in Canterlot." I opened my eyes and stared off into the misty woods, finishing my thought in my head. Once I do, everything will be okay.

I turned my attention to my bandaged foreleg, and started to unravel the cloth to check the wound underneath. Fortunately, the cut had closed itself and was starting to heal. There wasn't any sign of infection, which I was very thankful for, but the cut was tender and delicate. I had to be careful walking, otherwise it would open again. I couldn't risk falling ill out here, not without any safe place to rest and recover, or without enough food and water. I muttered to myself to take care, and to check my leg every few hours.

My wings unfurled and I gave them a test flap. With a slow beat I lifted myself up, and slowly ascended above the treetops for a better view. The sun struggled to pass through the clouds and warm the right side of my face, but its light reached everything I could just about see. The mist was still too thick to really see anything in the distance except for looming shapes, which meant that flying would be too risky. Rainbow Dash wouldn't agree, but she was used to flying in almost all kinds of weather. The thought of me flying with no visibility, or controlling a storm front – just one of the tasks a weatherpony often had – made my wings fall out of sync.

I carefully descended to the the forest floor and landed on three hooves. I turned toward my belongings and gathered them up. I was going to find and follow the tracks again. I knew I was getting close, but I still didn't know exactly where I was, and I didn't want to get lost in the woods. I hovered above the ground to give my leg more time to rest, and started retracing my steps back to the train tracks. I passed through the silent woods, not bothering to look for any animals anymore. A burnt-out tree emerged from the fog, pointing me in the right direction, and a few minutes later I found the train tracks once more.

A few hours passed while I flew in silence and kept my eyes fixed into the distance. There had to be a landmark somewhere in the clearing mist, and the sooner I spotted it the sooner I could find out where I was. Finally, just as I came over the crest of another hill, my eyes caught sight of a ghostly silhouette in the distance. I veered away from the train tracks and glided to a clearing on the edge of the woods. I carefully eased myself onto three legs, stumbling a little as I shifted my weight, and peered off into the horizon. In a few minutes of squinting and rubbing my eyes, the Sun rose high enough in the grey skies to warm the world underneath. The veil became thinner and thinner until I could see the unmistakable outline of Ponyville's City Hall.

Before I could squeak in happiness, more of the low-lying clouds cleared away, revealing the skeletal remains of burned-down homes and damaged thatched roofs. Faint wisps of smoke from the dying fires rose above the town, underlining how lifeless Ponyville seemed was like any other town I had seen. Something worse had happened in Ponyville though, and I hoped that if anypony was still down there, none of them were hurt and they escaped the chaos that broke out in Ponyville.

Nopony escaped. Don't lie to yourself: you’re alone.

"No!" I snapped at the air, voice uneven. "I am not alone! Everypony is safe! They must have evacuated, they must have got away!" I grit my teeth and stared at the grass beneath me, the anger in me blowing out as quickly as it ignited. I closed my eyes, feeling two little streams roll down my cheeks. "They got away," I murmured, "there is no other explanation."

I needed to get to Canterlot soon, my friends could fix this. I knew they could.

I lifted myself back into the air, and started to fly towards Ponyville. Canterlot was a grey outline in the distance, and probably another day away. But before I could go on, I wanted to check Ponyville for anypony in need of help, and then go to my cottage and check on Angel. He would be worried about me, and it would make him feel much better to see me safe and sound again.

My eyes drifted up to the distant outline of Canterlot and lingered there, trying to see it better through the mist. "I'll be there soon, everypony," I whispered. "I'm sorry I'm taking so long."

I glided over Ponyville, scanning the town for anypony down there among the damaged homes and deserted streets. Some of the cottages had burnt down or lost their thatched roofs, most likely from unattended fireplaces and stoves than something more threatening - or at least I hoped so. I shook my head gently. No, don't get distracted, I need to focus. I should check some of the houses, there could be ponies inside. I thought about my own cottage, and what Angel was probably doing along with the rest of my friends. Staying hidden. Staying safe.

I banked left and started to descend toward the market, carefully easing into my landing to not disturb my wound. I craned my neck around to the left, and then to the right, trying to catch a glimpse of anypony hiding in the shadows or among the ditched wagons and market stalls dotted around. Instead, I saw nopony, and heard nothing but a breath of wind whistling into my ears. It felt unnatural to be stood in what was usually a busy and lively place; there were no booming voices from vendors trying to catch a customer's attention, no chatter from friends bumping into each other while they went about their day, and no fillies and colts running between the grown-up ponies to Sugarcube Corner or to the Joke Shop down the road.

The wind picked up again, and carried with it a chill that didn't belong to the season. Signs creaked on their hinges, and crumpled paper and other bits and pieces blew over the ground around me. I was having second thoughts about searching Ponyville. I didn't feel ready to face what may lie behind the doors of the intact homes, not after feeling the shock of seeing a place usually so alive feel as silent and still as a graveyard. I wanted to go home: be somewhere familiar and safe, and pretend that nothing was wrong for a few hours – at least until I felt brave enough to go to Canterlot. I turned away from the market, and started walking through town to the road that led the way home. The streets were silent, except for the rhythm of my hooves echoing against the walls of the houses. I concentrated on the rhythm of my steps, giving my mind something to distract itself with while I walked back to my cottage.

What I would find at my cottage? Angel was a smart and brave little bunny, but I had been away for longer than I said I would be. No doubt all of the critters saw and heard the shock wave explode over Equestria, so they would be worried sick about me.

A rare smile peeked around the edges of my mouth. "That would make two of us," I whispered to myself.

The echoes of my hoof-steps changed their rhythm. I frowned, listening to difference between my hoof-falls and their echoes. I stopped dead in my tracks, but a constant scuffle continued to bounce off the houses. I glanced left and right and ducked down, eyes wide and knees shaking. There were extra steps – steps that were not mine. Something was nearby and they were very close. Out of reflex, I dove over a broken wall and hid inside the ruins of somepony's house. I cowered behind the wall, silently telling my heart to slow down and be quiet. The sound grew of steps and scraping grew louder, and with dozens of frightening beasts appearing in my head, I risked a glance out into the street – just as a massive beast ambled into view, dragging his claws in the road behind him. The creature looked a lot like a Diamond Dog, but only with humongous claws on both forelegs and larger, more intimidating teeth. He seemed to be looking for something, and I wished that it wasn't me, but where I was hiding wasn slowly coming into his view. I had to move. Cautiously, I sneaked to another wall for a better hiding place, trying my best to not alert the Hound. He had his back to me, and was staring towards the rest of Ponyville. If I could make just a few more careful steps, just a little further...

"Hey, Spoon! Have you found anything over there?" A deep voice yelled in the distance, making me squeak in surprise and accidentally kick some rubble. The hound's ears shot up straight, and the bulky dog began to turn around. Quickly, I flapped my wings and silently whisked myself back into hiding, pressing myself up against a wall and holding my breath. I could hear him growling threateningly, and gradually creep his way up to my hiding spot. My heart leapt up into my throat, but I didn't dare swallow it down in fear of making a sound. His muffled steps neared, until I was sure he was on the other side of the wall I was hiding behind. I could hear his low, throaty breath, and the sound petrified me as his shadow loomed on the floor to my right. I was going to be found, but I was frozen in place. My mind screamed for me to run away, to break for it before I became a statue, but it was already too late to flee.

The gruff voice called out again: "Spoon! Where are you? I think there might be something in this tall building in the center of town! But I need you to open it up!"

The hound grumbled to himself, and then shouted back to his friend, making me shrink into a quivering bundle of nerves "Oh, all right! I'm coming!"

I bit my tongue to keep my silence, and slowly Spoon's shadow shrank away. I listened carefully, picking up his fading steps and distant scrapes of claws on stone. I took a deep breath and swallowed my heartbeat back down; that was too close.

There was no time to lose: I had to get out of Ponyville and warn Angel. If there were more of those Dogs around Ponyville, then my animal friends could be in danger.

I peeked out around the corner of the wall I was hiding behind, making sure the coast was clear, and then took off running – wincing as my injured leg started to burn from its sore wound. I unfurled my wings in a hurry as I galloped down the road, and leapt into the air, quickly flying away from Ponyville. I raced to my cottage on the edge of the Everfree Forest, hoping to reach it before anything saw me.

After my close call with the diamond dog, and experiencing the stillness in the town I called home, I felt better to be away from Ponyville and closer to my cottage. I couldn't stay for too long, but I needed to check on the animals, and warn them of the Diamond Dogs. My stomach growled. I’ll need to get some food, too.

This whole situation was just awful, I hadn't seen a single pony since the train crash, the weather was starting to take on a mind of its own, and by the sounds of it, a small group of Diamond Dogs were wandering through Ponyville to steal whatever they wanted. I was afraid of things getting worse before I could find Twilight and the others.

What could be worse than this? Dragons?

I shook my head quickly, dispelling the thoughts. I have to stay focused and organised. First, I should check on the animals and make sure they are safe, then I need to gather any supplies I may need, and finally head to Canterlot and find the girls. That's all I need to do – I can do this.

The cottage came into view, and I flew up to the front door with bated breath. Were my animal friends safe? Was Angel okay? I couldn't find out soon enough. The front door was unlocked, and with my bandaged leg I opened the door and looked inside. A lead ball dropped in my stomach.

My home had not a animal inside. Instead, I opened my front door to a cold and empty home. Angel didn't scamper up to me, no mice scurried out to greet me, and there was no sign of any other animal here. All there was left was the dark and silent interior that was staring back at me.

My head couldn’t stay upright anymore, and it tipped forward and cast my gaze to the floor.

My legs sluggishly carried me inside. I quietly closed the door behind me, tears streaming down my face. The room became dark, save for a few gaps in the curtains allowing light to come through, and I began to search the rest of the house for my animal friends. I searched the bird houses and mouse holes, and even checked under my bed upstairs, in a fleeting hope that my friends were simply hiding. I found nothing.

I felt crushed. Angel was gone, the animals were gone, and they took the life of my cottage with them. I was on my own. The silence in the house was horrible. It was cold, bleak, and hollow. I was beginning to feel the same way. I didn't know what to think any more: ponies were missing, my animal friends had disappeared, and the place I used to call home was falling apart everywhere I looked. It was too much to swallow; too much to take in. I dragged myself upstairs and into my room. And once I saw my bed, I fell onto it and quietly sobbed, burying my face into an ice-cold pillow until I fell asleep.

It was approaching sunset when I woke up. My stomach growled, pushing me out of my bed and towards the kitchen. I felt sick as I walked across my room, which I chalked up to more than just hunger. Along the way I picked up and lit a lantern to make up for the dimming light outside.

When I came into the kitchen, I noticed a messy stack of paper on the table. I had seen them when I was frantically searching, but didn’t think about what they could be. I walked over to it and looked them over, sprawling them out across the table. On every page was an inky print from each animal that was living with me before I left. Birds, cats, mice - dozens of prints of all shapes and sizes occupied the pages. There were even prints from my friends’ own pets. And right at the end of the last page, in the bottom of the stack, was a bunny's paw print next to a barely-legible initial.

‘A’ for Angel.

I sat down and buried my face in my hooves, but this time it was through relief. Angel had taken charge. He had done what I would've done and took everyone to safety. He had made sure that I would know they were okay and left behind these 'signed' papers, too. Bless him – he was always a true angel to me. A smile tugged at my face reflecting the pride I felt for him. He was a clever little bunny. I really hoped that he was safe, and had managed to get the critters to safety, wherever that may be.

I dried my eyes with the bandage on my leg. At least I know that they’re out there, and that they have each other.

I was interrupted by the sound of familiar voices, gruff and with an accent. I blew my lantern out and took a peek outside a window. Coming up the road was the massive hound with long claws, followed by a couple of other diamond dogs. They were carrying full sacks with them, but had many more to fill. One of them pointed at my cottage, and they all started coming up the path.

Oh no. I-I've got to get out of here!

I hopped out of my chair and hopped on the spot. Where are my saddlebags? What do I need? How long do I have!? I looked at my flanks and saw that I had still had my saddlebags, and ran over to my cabinets as quickly as I could. I dropped cans of fruit, apples, and anything else edible into my saddlebags, and swiped my lantern on my way out of the kitchen. I barrelled up the stairs and into my bathroom, and hastily took some medicine bottles from my bathroom cabinet.

With barely any time to get out, I ran for my bedroom, randomly grabbing my scarf and a simple sewing kit. What else do I need? What else do I need?!

I froze the moment I heard my front door being tried. It wasn't opening, and a few seconds later I heard a loud crash as the door was kicked down. I tried to slide under my bed, but my saddlebags were too big. I heard the scampering of paws underneath me as the rooms downstairs were searched, and the loud thuds and scraping sounds of something big coming up the stairs.

No, no, turn around! My heart pounded in my ears, and I felt like I couldn't breathe out of fear of being heard. Terrified, I pulled myself from under my bed and started fumbling around by the nearest window. These latches used to be so simple to open!. My hooves were shuddering uncontrollably, and my ears were stiff with fright as they heard the steps getting closer to the top of the stairs.

The window flew open, squeaking loudly on their hinges. My eyes were frozen open, and I turned to my bedroom door just as the hound from earlier came in. We locked eyes, and in less than a second I had leapt out the window with the giant dog following close behind.

I was not expecting my bags to be so heavy, so I fell before my wings could catch me. I tumbled onto the ground but instantly recovered, breaking into a full, crazed gallop. I had lost some cans and medicine bottles in the fall, but by now I was too frightened to care. I tried to take off, but my wings were too jittery from adrenaline for them to work properly. Instead, I flapped them erratically to push me along, trying to move faster than the diamond dog chasing me. I sprinted for the Everfree Forest – I could escape him there.

My ears swivelled around; the hound was catching up to me, his breath felt like it was on my neck. He was readying his massive claws to strike. I pushed myself harder, running for my life. I had to reach the forest. I could lose him in the bushes and low branches – it was my only chance. As I passed the fringe of Everfree, the hound slashed after me, cutting a tree branch in one slice. The branch dropped down, narrowly missing me but clearly landing on the Diamond Dog with a loud thump. I kept running, jumping over bushes and fallen trees, my hooves thundering on the ground as I galloped further and further away from the angry howls of the diamond dog. I ran deeper into the forest until I couldn't run any more.

I stopped beside a large tree and hid behind it, gasping for air. My heart raced in my chest and my veins throbbed and arced in electrified terror. My lungs gulped down fresh air and pushed it out almost as soon as it took it. I counted to ten, again and again, until I could think again. I glanced around the tree, hoping that I had lost the massive beast. Nothing.

I hope Diamond Dogs don’t have a good sense of smell. I glanced around, fully registering where I was. I hope there’s nothing at all that has a good sense of smell.

I focused my hearing, listening intently for a few minutes before my heartbeat slowed down and allowed me to relax. My body melted into the grass and I took a deep sigh of relief. I was safe. For now.

That feeling didn't last long: it was already getting dark, I didn’t have a home to go to, and I was deep in the Everfree Forest. I didn't want to risk spending a night in the open here. The amount of dangerous creatures that lived her guaranteed that I wouldn’t get a break from running if I did.

I started wandering through the forest, not knowing where I was or where I was going. I was lost, and I knew all too well that being lost in the Everfree Forest was a very, very bad thing. Not even my worst nightmares could do the real inhabitants justice.

While I tried to imagine a cross between a Manticore, Cockatrice, Hydra, and a Dragon, I came across a familiar-looking river, and soon knew where I was. It had been a couple of years since I had been on this path, but I was sure I knew the rest of the way. With the light in the forest quickly fading, I decided to hurry along and follow the route. Though it led deeper into the forest, it ended at a place that I knew would be a safe place to hide – at least for the night.

I flew over the water and started making my way down the track, heading to the Old Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters.

The Old Castle

View Online

Night had fallen in the Everfree Forest, and all around I could feel the dozens of pairs of eyes watching me from behind bushes and shrubs. I quickened up my pace and slinked between twisted trees and shadows. I didn’t remember the path being this thickly overgrown, but I didn’t dare turn back. Safety was wherever my lantern shone, and it was always just a few steps out of reach. A part of me wondered if I could keep doing this all night if I couldn’t find the castle ruin, another already knew the answer – and that there was something following not far behind. I bit down on the handle of my lantern and stared at the path ahead.

At last, the bushes parted and opened up to a familiar gorge with a wrecked rope bridge draped down one side of the cliff. I peered over the edge and looked into the bottomless sea of fog. On the other side of the sheer drop I could see the eerie remains of the Old Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters. My heartbeat wavered at the sight of the place. The ancient structure sighed with a breeze of chilly wind and cast an empty gaze on its most recent visitor – too long left abandoned to really care whether I stayed or had second thoughts. My eyes drifted down to my hooves, catching them digging up pebbles and knocking them down the chasm.

I tightened my grip on my lantern, checked the strap holding my saddlebags on, and carefully unfurled my wings. It’s just a gap in the earth, I assured myself, nothing scary at all. My hooves shuffled backwards a few paces and broke my knees from their stiff mold. I can do this. A ghostly rendition of Pinkie's sing-song advice echoed in my mind, "You can make it if you try with a hop, skip, and a jump!"

My focus shattered against my skull, and I slumped onto my haunches. My vision started to warp around the edges and I blinked to push the tears back. A distant shout from Rainbow Dash echoed between my ears, "Suck it up, Fluttershy!"

That was the last straw.

I dropped my lantern onto the grass in front of me, and buried my face in my hooves. I couldn't do this, not without my friends. I needed them with me. I needed to know it would be okay. I had come hundreds of miles to finally reach them, only to discover that Ponyville was empty, my cottage lifeless and cold, and not another pony to be seen since I left Appaloosa. I was trying – I really was – to find it in me to keep it together, but now I was in the middle of the Everfree Forest and looking for a place to hide instead of searching for my friends. I couldn’t do this alone. What chance did I have? It was stupid of me to have gone this far into the Everfree Forest. I should have tried going to a different town or Zecora's hut, but I was running away instead of thinking. That was all I ever did – and that was all I ever would do.

Growls came from behind and sent alarm bells ringing in my ears. In a split second I was on my hooves, whirling around to face the source of the sound. Another growl, this time closer, lurched out of the shadows, followed by the heavy beats of something running towards me. Pairs of green eyes lit up in the darkness, and I didn't waste another second to grab my lantern and leap into the air, pumping my wings as hard as I could.

Two Timberwolves came charging out of the bushes, snarling and leaping after me but just barely falling short of catching me in their jaws. I flew over to the other side of the gorge and hit the ground running, galloping up to the castle. The wolves howled loudly, spurring me to run even faster. I was sure that they couldn't jump across, but I wasn't going to wait and find out for sure.

I bounded up the mossy steps, reaching two large, ancient doors. With a panicked shove, one of the doors stubbornly moved ajar, allowing just enough space for me to squeeze through. Seconds later, the door groaned again as I pushed it shut and dropped a rotten bar to lock the entrance. I took a step back, glancing at the rusty hinges and cracks letting moonlight through and hoping that the doors would stay closed after centuries of being left alone. Maybe in better times they could keep a Hydra outside, but tonight I only hoped they could keep the wolves out. I spun around on the spot, darting my gaze up and down and side to side for other weak spots. There were windows with missing glass, and the ceiling had collapsed long ago, but the ledges were too high for the Timberwolves to reach and I had never seen a wolf that could fly. I allowed myself to breathe; I was safe for the time being. My legs buckled and shakily dropped me onto the floor, and there I put my lantern down and closed my eyes.

Deep breaths, Fluttershy, just take nice, deep breaths. You’re safe now, it’ll be okay.

My head nodded forwards and I stirred out of sleep’s grasp. With a yawn I stood back up onto my hooves and looked up at the stars and clouds. An open ceiling wasn’t exactly shelter, and even though the dark hallways of the castle made my legs quiver, another night being rained on wasn’t something I wanted to go through again. I picked my lantern up, picked the least menacing corridor, and quietly wandered through the castle.

I hadn’t been here in a long time. Not since my friends and I defeated Nightmare Moon. How long had it been since then? Two years? Being within the walls again made it feel like it had only happened a few days ago. But with a thousand years resting on the remains of the architecture, two dozen months probably meant little to this place. I shone my lantern down long corridors I never remembered going down, and hesitantly chose what I hoped was the route I took when the girls and I were trying to reach Twilight. I chose to go up whenever I could, because even if I didn’t remember where I had gone the last time I was here, being closer to moonlight would be much better if my lantern went out. Besides, the room I was searching for was probably the highest room left standing: the Throne Room.

I walked up on the final staircase and walked into a long, moonlit hall. At the far end of the space was a raised pedestal – only without a throne or terrifying pony stood there. I swallowed a lump in my throat and walked down the center of the room, eyeing the windows for anything even slightly threatening, and sat on my haunches near the first step when nothing leapt out at me. I stared at the vast space once more, this time remembering the last time I had been here.

It must have been terrifying to have been alone with Nightmare Moon. She was big, powerful, and could scare almost everypony. Twilight didn't run away despite the odds. She did all she could to protect the Elements of Harmony while we were rushing to help her. It was the only chance we had to defeat Nightmare Moon after all, and we were lucky to have found Twilight when we did, otherwise it could have been a losing battle. It could have been for nothing.

I blinked as a thought crossed my mind. I was fighting a losing battle alone, too. And no more than ten minutes ago did I consider giving up. I couldn't do that to Twilight, I couldn't just give up because things were looking bleak. I owed that to Twilight, to all of my friends. I had to hang in there. It would be okay, then. Everything would be okay.

My head tipped forward but not in agreement. On cue a yawn escaped my lungs and took the last ounces of stress keeping me awake. Not wanting to sleep in the middle of the hall, I stood up on my hooves and picked a side of the room to settle down in. My saddlebags slumped onto the floor with my canteen quickly joining them, and I carefully lay down on the old, stone floor. Shivers rippled through me, but there was nothing I could do about it. A roof over my head and a safe place to sleep was all I had.

My weight shifted and pressed my bandaged wound. My voice squeaked and I tipped to the other side and brought my left foreleg in front of the lantern’s glow. I had forgotten to check on the bandage all day, but it wasn’t stained or falling off, so I decided to leave it until morning when I wasn’t tired.

I’ll have to be careful, I thought. There’s only one bandage roll, and I don’t know how long it’ll be until I can get some more. Other… Other ponies are going to need all the help they can get.

I sniffed and rubbed my eyes. How many homes had been abandoned? How many towns had been evacuated? What if… what if the Diamond Dogs had attacked? Could they have hurt anypony – could they have hurt ponies I know? At least Angel wasn’t there when that hound broke into the cottage, he would have been terrified – all of the critters would have.

These thoughts were not helping me settle down. I rattled the questions out of my mind and extinguished my lantern, and gently put my head down onto my front legs to sleep. “Everything will be okay, my friends. I promise.”

I was being chased in a land of shadows and purple night-light. Everywhere I ran my pursuer was close behind, waiting for me to make a mistake. Desperately I swung around corners, leaping and weaving blindly in the dim light and never seeming to put any extra distance between me and the hunter. I looked up to the ‘sky’, only to see it shrouded in purple haze and further blocked off by solid tree branches in the smothering mist. I could hear it gaining on me, its own steps growing louder and louder until I could swear I could hear it cackling in triumph to itself. I galloped faster than I ever thought my legs could manage, and darted down paths I barely registered.

I made a mistake.

A wall rushed up to me and cut me off. Frantically I looked around for a way around or over, but I was in a cul-de-sac: a dead end. Again I glanced up at the 'sky', but there was no escape – dozens of jagged limbs had laced among themselves, keeping me on the ground. The only way out was back the way I came, right into the path of the monster. On cue, its deranged laughter crept up my spine and froze me where I stood. It had won, and now it was savoring the moment.

Slowly, I turned around, and stared into a mass of swirling smoke and shadows, and watched in terror as the sickly black and purple mist gave way to the silhouette of a tall mare. It was chortling at me, enjoying the sight of me cowering against the wall behind me. The laughter took on a warped tone that sounded like a mare and stallion laughing at once, and the silhouette turned into an alicorn – but looked nothing like any alicorn I knew. Her empty eye sockets narrowed into a look of satisfaction, staring straight into my bones as she approached – smoke and swirling appendages emanating from her ethereal body.

In an otherworldly voice, she spoke to me. "You may have got away the first time, little Fluttershy. But I will have you yet!"

A tendril slowly reached forward, carrying a large, purple orb. I stared at it, and watched the stone sphere crystallise into a clear ball. Inside I could see the tiny bodies of ponies hopelessly floating around. As the shadow pony inched the orb closer to me, I could feel the orb trying to pull me in, but it didn’t have the strength to do so. The pony silhouette waved a second tendril over the orb, and the scene inside changed to show an apparition of a pegasus who had my Cutie Mark.

"One day, Fluttershy, I will get you," She hissed. "One way or another you will give in to hopelessness, and I will trap you forever."

The shadowy Alicorn motioned the orb away from me, and leant in towards me. I turned my head away and clamped my eyes shut. I didn’t want to look into the void space where her eyes should have been. I didn’t want feel that emptiness slowly consume me.

“Until that day comes,” she purred. “Feel free to run away - I very much enjoy this chase. But no matter how far you go, I'll always be right here." She tapped me on the side of my head, causing me to flinch, and emphasized every syllable with a firm prod against my skull: "Inside your head."

My eyelids shot open. I bolted upright and froze solid for a few moments, trying to push the dream out of my head. The image of the alicorn stayed in my vision much longer than it should have. Gradually, the scenes smudged and blurred before vanishing entirely, and my breaths fell into a calmer rhythm. I blinked out of my blank stare, and rose up onto my hooves, stretching my legs and taking deep, generous breaths. My wings were tense, so I forced them open and waved them around to loosen them up. My voice quivered and crackled to life and I began to hum a simple, happy melody to keep a steady pace whilst I walked around the hall.

My post-nightmare ritual was second nature to me, and had been since my parents taught me it when I was a tiny filly. Back in those days, I was really afraid of nightmares, and sometimes I would try to stay awake for as long as possible so I wouldn’t have one. Eventually, my mother convinced me that nightmares couldn’t hurt me, and that getting up and taking a walk around my room or having a glass of water would help me get over it quickly. Dad once moved his chair into my room for a couple of weeks, and would read me a story and sleep in his chair, just in case I woke up in the middle of the night. I stopped being afraid of going to sleep after that, and some nightmares eventually ceased to frighten me anymore. I guess that was the first fear I ever got over.

After a few minutes I stopped by my saddlebags to take a long drink from my canteen, and then hung the canteen strap from my neck. My head lifted up and glanced out the window in front of me and into the dark and lively forest. It was still night, but I was sure it was not long until sunrise. The moon was setting, but daylight didn’t look like I was coming for another few hours. In fact, nothing seemed right in the sky. Even the stars seemed to be changing formation each time I looked up at them. Could the Princesses be doing this? Why would they need to delay sunrise? Could Princess Luna control the stars like that?

It must be a signal, or a message, but I don’t know what it means. I traced the constellations, looking for words if I connected lines between the stars, but no secret message appeared for me. But even if there was, I didn’t need a message to know where I had to go next.

A chilled breeze came through the room, and I sat beside my saddlebags and considered trying to go back to sleep. I stared out the window again, slightly expecting to see that the stars had rearranged themselves again. They hadn’t, but that didn’t stop me from gazing upon the vast space sprinkled with twinkling, peaceful glimmers.

I had to get to Canterlot, and I had to prepare myself for the trip. I knew that the spare canteen in my saddlebags was empty, and the water sloshing around in the one hanging off me warned that I was running out of water in that one, too.

Without missing a beat, my stomach grumbled. It had been a couple of nights since I really ate, and as I took an apple out of my saddlebags, I made a note of what I had managed to take from my home. My hasty gathering of supplies had given me enough food for a few days, some painkillers and cold medicine, and a roll of bandage that I hadn't used yet.

Maybe I should find Zecora's hut, she would be willing to help me. I bit into my apple and chewed thoughtfully, thinking about where the zebra’s home would be from here. But I’ve spent far too long getting this far. I have to reach Canterlot as soon as possible. I don’t have any time to spend looking for Zecora. My friends need me – everypony does.

My stomach growled for attention, and I took another bite out of my apple. Flying straight up the mountain to Canterlot is out of the question. While the weather in Canterlot is usually pleasant, with only strong gusts around the city being a minor concern for airship pilots and Pegasi alike, it tended to be very windy further beneath the city. With the seasons becoming as unpredictable now, the wind could be much, much stronger.

My hooves tapped on the floor idly, and I took another bite from my apple. That leaves two other options; the road that carriages and wagons use to reach Canterlot, or the train line from Ponyville to the city. On the one hoof, the rail road would be quicker – even when walking – but it also takes a route up the side of the mountain that would be worst hit by strong winds. On the other hoof, the road had to take the sheltered path, making it the safest route available – but was also the longest one to take.

It wasn't a hard decision to make; safety first – I was taking the road.

My mind made up, I finished off the last few bites of my apple, and tossed the core out the window. I put my saddlebags on, and lit my lantern to guide me back to the front door of the Castle. I wasn't going to sleep, and I wasn't going to wait for dawn, either. A head start would give me time to find water, and I would reach the foot of the mountain sooner, too.

The barely-intact bar locking the doors lifted up with ease, and I carefully opened one of the giant doors and peered outside. After narrowly avoiding the Timberwolves earlier, I was wary of them still being nearby, lying in wait. I shone my lantern outside, and to my relief, no pairs of eyes reflected the light back to me. I blew the lantern out and sat it just inside from the doors. If I had to come back, it would help to have the lantern here. It would only weigh me down on the way, anyway.

I slipped outside between the two ancient doors, closing them behind me with a rumbling clunk. Wasting no time, I unfurled my wings and fluttered into the air until I was safely above the trees. Now that I knew I wasn't being followed by the Diamond Dogs, and wasn't trapped under the thick brush of the forest, I felt it was safe to fly out of Everfree. I planned to head for Canterlot and make a stop for water near a river along the way.

Regardless of the nightmare I had, I wasn't going to let myself fall into hopelessness. I didn’t want to let my friends down; I owed it to them to be brave and to not give up. The nightmares could be as terrible as my mind could conjure up for all I cared, because, like I had learnt from my parents when I was a filly: nightmares couldn't hurt me.

As I flew over Everfree Forest, the first hints of dawn began to peek over the horizon. There were no birds singing yet, it was still too early. Instead, the gentle whoosh of air passing by and the soft beats of my wings were all I could hear above my heart. This level of silence reminded me of the times I would get up this early to hear the morning song – long before the noise of busy ponies in town could fill the day. Feeling it now brought a little assurance that maybe things could go back to normal soon.

The sooner I got to Canterlot, the sooner we could find a way to fix this. There just had to be a way to fix this.

Guidance

View Online

The morning sky cracked open above my head and an endless void split the seam wide open, engulfing the dawn-tinted atmosphere with an endless collage of grey. My head refused to turn to look; my eyes ignored the destruction raining down from the heavens. I commanded my wings to dive. I didn’t change direction. I was no longer in control of my own body.

The world swiftly collapsed and fell into a void, and I watched it through eyes that I couldn’t move anymore. It’s surrounding me! I screamed inside my head, watching the expanse of grey fill my view. I need to get out of here! Again I tried to take control of my wings, and tried to force my body into a dive – or even stop flapping entirely. Nothing worked. I was trapped inside my own body! I tried to open my mouth to scream, but it never went further than being a thought.

The void swallowed my unwary body whole, and moments later I felt my restraints break free. Gravity abruptly set in and unceremoniously dumped me on the floor in a heap. My muscles shook themselves awake, and in an instant I scrambled upright and whirled around, darting my horrified gaze from side to side. I was trapped inside the grey! Inside the void!

"Fluttershy!" a voiced bellowed.

I shrieked at the sound, springing upward in a flurry of frightened wing-beats and loose feathers. I twirled around in the air, searching for the owner of the voice.

"Fluttershy," she said, this time much softer, and with a very familiar warmth following it. "I saw what happened, it's okay - you're back in the trance." The gentle heat embraced me, pushing the recent horror from my mind. I lowered myself down onto my hooves again.

"Do... Do you remember, Fluttershy?” the voice asked, “That we're in your mind, trying to recover your memories?"

The thoughts clicked in succession, reminding me that what I had seen up until the void opened had happened a long time ago. But why did the void appear at the end? What happened to the sky and the rest of Equestria? Why couldn’t I do anything to save myself? If it was only a memory, why did it feel like I was living through it the first time? My legs were unscathed and clean, and my mane was back to its original length. I didn’t just cut my mane – I believed I had only cut it a few days ago. And up until now my leg was sore underneath a bundle of bandages. I ran a hoof up and down where the cut had been, but it met only soft fur and skin. It didn’t make sense. I really did those things! Nopony can imagine pain that realistic, can they? Could a spell really be that surreal?

“It must be quite an experience, to not only remember, but experience your memories as if they were being made for the first time." The mare's voice remarked.

I snapped out of my thoughts and glanced around in surprise, "H-how did you know...?" I stopped mid-sentence, forming an ‘o’ with my mouth. "I forgot you could read my thoughts."

The voice gave short burst of sweet laughter. "Oh no, Fluttershy! I didn't need to hear your thoughts to know that! All memory spells leave subjects a little puzzled at first."

I frowned into the nothingness but changed the subject. "What happened? Why did it seem like the world was falling apart after I flew over the Everfree Forest?"

The mare took a moment to form her answer. "Simply put, you reached a point in your memory that is still shrouded and unknown. With nothing to support the visions you were having, you either became aware of the projection or it fractured until you could not go on any longer.”

My mouth opened to speak, but the mare continued with assurances.

“It’s nothing to be concerned about. In your condition it is going to happen often, but do not be afraid, you are always safe inside your memories, dreams, and here.”

“Is it… Is it always that scary?” I squeaked.

The mare lowered her voice and I looked up to where I thought she was. “It can be, but you are always safe. All you need to do is to remember to stay calm – it will make the transition easier. If you panic, you will clash with how you really acted in the memory, and will put you through a lot of distress.”

My gaze drifted down onto the featureless, grey floor I was stood on. My mane drooped in front of my eyes, framing my clean and unharmed forelegs. A memory collapsing should really be the least of my concerns, the memories themselves were troubling. "So if that ever happens again, I should stay calm?" I asked.

"Preferably," the voice said. "Although, you may not have a choice sometimes; you can't control where your memories end and pick up again, after all."

"Okay..." I murmured. The comforting feeling had dispersed, and my legs quivered at the absence and uneasiness swirling around my stomach. It wasn’t a pleasant feeling, but it was real. It was natural. Feeling calm in a blurry world that felt cramped yet open at the same time wasn’t normal for me, and maybe not for anypony I knew. Hearing a mare’s voice but not seeing anypony also reminded me of ghost stories I never wanted to hear – but only now did I feel fear. As uncomfortable as it was to be afraid or feel nervous, not feeling like the same pony I had always been creeped me out even more.

It must be the mare doing it, my thoughts suggested. Her voice can calm me down too easily. Doesn’t she trust me to listen without it? Would she be offended if I asked her to stop? I hope she won’t be upset.

My left hoof twitched when I remembered that the mare could read my thoughts. I could’ve upset her already. I gulped down a lump in throat and took a deep breath. I should ask her anyway to be polite.

With a gentle flick I waved my mane from my face and lifted my head up. "Excuse me," I spoke out loud. "Are you using some sort of magic to keep me calm? If you are, I would be very grateful if you could stop.”

There was no reply from the mare. “I-I don’t like feeling relaxed when I’m not,” I stammered. “I know you mean well, but I… it’s confusing.”

The grey abyss was unfazed and stirred at its slow pace – the only thing telling me that time was not standing still. I found a string of courage to keep talking. “Be honest with me, how do I know you?”

Colour bubbled lazily through the grey, but there was no sign of the mare. I spoke up, trying to get an answer. "I'm telling you everything I can remember, and whether I want to or not, I'm sharing my deepest, most personal thoughts with you, too.”

My eyes searched for a sign that the mare was still out there, and my voice shrank down the more alone I felt. “Are you really somepony I know? C-could you tell me your name, please?"

I scanned the space around me and slowly sat down. The colours faded into a thick fog a few shades darker than the usual backdrop. My head drooped forward, and I felt the space around me become occupied by the dark clouds.

She’s been silent for too long. I shrank down and curled myself into a ball. I’ve offended her.

I looked down to my hooves and the little holes I had made with nervous scuffs and prods. As I spent a fleeting moment wondering what the floor could possibly be made of, the dents filled themselves in under a wave of light grey that lazily retreated away. I pressed my hoof into the floor and dug up another little hole and uncovered a swatch of beige underneath. The wave filled the hole in once more, but did not stop the beige from spreading out. I dug one more hole, but this time I splashed the gray wake when it returned and gasped when it turned into water.

My hoof fell onto sodden, clumped sand. And I took in the sensation of sand underneath my hooves and calm water rhythmically rising and ebbing around my ankles. I closed my eyes and wished I was stood on the sandy shore of one the lakes near Ponyville. I wished my friends were there, and that nothing bad was happening. No, everything was fine. Everything was how I wanted it to be.

The lake water seeped out of the depths of my imagination, feeding the trees and bushes around the water. The trees waved gently in the breeze, while the sunlight from above draped its warmth over my back.

Rainbow Dash floated by on an inner-tube, lifting her sunglasses up and waving to me. Pinkie Pie quietly rose to the surface behind her, wearing a shark fin on her head and a mischievious grin on her face. She also waved, but also pursed her lips together and silently asked to keep the prank a secret. I smiled and nodded, looking down to my ankles bashfully when Rainbow yelped and a big splash disturbed the calm waves.

My ear twitched and swiveled, picking up the laughter and conversation of Rarity, Twilight, and Applejack somewhere behind me. I had no desire to move, no need to break away from the cool water and the day dream I was having. Everything was how I wanted it to be.

A deep, sad sigh echoed through the trees. I lifted my head and peered over the shimmering water. The trees began to fade into fog, and slowly, the voices and playful cries of my friends vanished too. Finally, the water around my ankles dried up, and I sat down in the middle of abyss again.

“Do you remember when that memory took place?” The mare asked.

I nodded stiffly with my gaze fixed far ahead. The trees had become a floating blob of green and were floating away. “Y-yes, I do. About… About five days before we were all called to Canterlot.”

My head jerked to where the mare’s voice had come from and I staggered onto my hooves. “You didn’t make me remember that, did you?” I asked.

“No, Fluttershy,” the mare quickly replied. “It was by your design and yearning. Anything you remember can be projected onto the landscape – not just memories you recover.”

I looked out over the vast and endless grey, only moments ago was it something so real I couldn’t have guessed it was just a dream, or a memory for that matter. The thought of escaping into happier times crossed my mind, and it pushed me to make a short list of potential escapes. But when I realised that every memory involved my friends being with me, the allure of running off into a hallucination quickly evaporated.

Hiding away in old memories would only substitute how I felt now with how I felt then, which was no different to having my emotions manipulated by the mare and her voice.

“You’re right,” the mare sighed, “and I'm sorry, Fluttershy, I really am. I shall stop manipulating your emotions from now on.”

My ears perked up. “Why were you doing that?” I said aloud “Don’t you trust me?”

“It is very complex, Fluttershy. I was afraid that you would become too frightened for me to keep the spell under control. I needed to help you stay calm long enough to understand that you are safe here, and that this space is as welcoming as you want it to be. I shouldn’t have influenced you like that, though, for the same reason that I cannot tell you who I am. Outside information and interference in the spell runs the risk of clouding your memory and changing your ability to remember the truth correctly."

My head gently nodded at what the mare said. Her position seemed difficult, and I openly wondered if there were times she wanted to break her silence and tell me what she knew. The mare didn’t say anything, and I nodded again in understanding. Thank you for doing this for me, I’m sorry for upsetting you.

“There’s nothing to be sorry for, Fluttershy,” she said. “It’s a challenge trying to help you without damaging the integrity of the spell.”

There was one thing left to ask while we were still talking in this place. The answer was obvious, but I didn’t know the reasons. “What would happen if I woke up? Could I be woken up right now and then be placed under the spell again? Maybe if I saw you, or somepony I knew, or maybe where I am in the present, um, maybe if I was awake for a few moments I could remember more here.”

"No. No, that cannot be done." she stated, her voice revealing the firmness of her answer. “It is dangerous to interrupt the spell before everything has taken its course, and I will not let you come out of the trance until we have uncovered your lost memories and cured your amnesia.”

"But why not? I mean… Why can't you?"

“Fluttershy…” The mare sighed, losing the strength behind her words. “I was the last thing you saw before I put you under this spell, and you forgot who I was minutes later. This spell... It hides your recent memories in order to allow you to uncover your lost ones faster – without any risk of memories being interpreted wrong through what you did remember. In order to help you cure your amnesia this quickly, the spell had to make it worse, first."

"So you're saying that–"

"...If we end this session and start another one," the voice followed, "your mind will deteriorate, and the amnesia will get worse – perhaps irreparable. If you don't even come close to curing your memory loss before awakening, it may not just be the last three months you’ll struggle to remember if you’re put under another trance, you could forget much older memories, such as when you were a filly, who your friends are – even who your parents are."

My throat dried up, and the dull landscape seemed to shrink into a box barely big enough for three ponies. I slowly sat down and curled up into a ball – pulling my tail up to my chest. “Wh-what if I cannot remember enough? What if I take too long?”

“Don’t worry your head about it, little one,” the mysterious mare assured. “Just keep doing what you have been doing already, and the rest of your memories shall follow you into the light - and I'll know what I need to know."

I was quiet for a minute, letting myself think things over. It made sense, but there was still a prodding feeling in the back of my head. What my memories held was valuable to the mare. But I couldn’t know why without it carrying the risk of affecting how I remember the truth. Chills ran up my spine; the spell was holding my mind to ransom. Did I even agree to this? Or was I forced into the trance, like I was being forced to continue now?

It doesn’t matter, my inner-voice chimed. There are ponies counting on you to remember what happened. You’ll wake up when you’re done, it’ll be okay in the end.

A sigh of my own drifted into the tasteless air. I knew I had a choice, but there was only one option that I felt brave enough to go through with. It was also the only option I had if I didn't want to risk forgetting more of my life. "I still need to uncover more of my memories, how long can you maintain the spell?"

The mare’s voice shifted tone, fitting a warm smile if there was one to see – but this time there was no unnatural warmth dripping from her words. "Thank you for doing this, Fluttershy, I can maintain the spell for as long as necessary. When you’re ready, let your mind free and latch onto the first thing it finds. It doesn’t matter if the memory doesn’t pick up where you last left off, everything will come to you eventually. If sitting still doesn't help you relax, walking might help."

My ears perked up at the words 'free' and 'walking'. My hooves pushed me upright as my gaze landed on a distant speck of green. I concentrated on the word 'free'. What was its significance? Where had I heard it from that made it matter?

The speck of green grew and grew, painting grassy hills that slowly dipped and rose up towards where I trotted. Soon the endless expanse of malleable ideas and possibilities twisted into a sparse and grassy plain. In the distance lay hills and cliffs with off-white faces and scattered splashes of oranges, pinks, and green from distant forests that seemed to not know if they were in autumn or spring.

This isn’t Equestria. The air smells different. What is that smell? Charcoal?

It was a smell like charcoal, barely noticeable among the sweet scent of rainwater and plant life. I gazed at the unkempt and wild beauty of the landscape, and suddenly, the name came to me.

The Free Lands.

A gentle breeze pushed my mane aside, and when my mane fell back in place it was inexplicably shorter. I ran my hoof through my hair, and recoiled slightly when it bumped into my headband. I took a deep breath and counted to ten – I needed to stay calm to make this work.

My saddlebags floated down over my flanks and settled in place, their contents filling them in not long after. My canteen sloshed around in one of the bags, the strap hanging out from being packed away in a hurry; and short shimmers of glowing strips twirled around my foreleg and formed into bandages, covering a nearly-healed cut. Finally, a weight wrapped itself around my neck with a click and gently rested on my chest. I glanced down to see my Element of Harmony around my neck, the Element of Kindness.

When did I get this? If I have my Element, then that meant my friends had theirs too, right? But where is everypony? Why am I not in Equestria?

I lifted the butterfly-shaped stone up to make sure I wasn’t imagining it, and flinched when it flickered brightly and sent thin beams of light in an impossibly specific direction. The necklace was guiding me somewhere, but to where? And where were my friends?

My hooves came to a stop, and gingerly I turned to look at what I was walking away from. The vision quickly filled itself in – allowing the memory to complete itself. Dark and bare mountains jutted into the stormy skies overhead, their crooked and reddish-brown teeth biting into a grey, matted fleece of rainclouds. The clouds directly above the range bled orange and red, staining darkening sky with its glow. There were creatures living up there in those mountains – frightening creatures with lots and lots of teeth and roars that could freeze every muscle in my body. Those mountains were a frightening match for them, and it was good thing I was moving away from that place and not going to it.

But where are my friends? The fleeting phrase echoed in my head, vanishing as the last strand of awareness slipped away. Falling, chilly rain caught up to me, taking the last feelings of comfort and optimism I felt with it, and moulded me into the tired husk that I was.

I wanted to sleep and escape this waking nightmare. After almost two weeks of endless travelling and coming across abandoned towns, split up with meetings from not-so friendly creatures and narrow escapes from them, I was beyond exhausted. The whole time I tried and tried to find hope, convincing myself that rescue was just over the next hill, or that my friends were waiting for me, I knew better. I knew I had nothing.

They were gone – everypony was gone.

Now I wandered hundreds of miles outside of Equestria, barely stopping long enough to fade between dream and reality and back again. But with how the world had become, with how every day has presented an awful sight or dangerous creature, I couldn’t stop moving, even after losing… Even after the Event, I couldn’t find it in my heart to give up – I was too afraid to.

I had only one real goal now, and that was to reunite the Elements of Harmony. Maybe if did that there would be a way for me to accept what has happened. Maybe if I did this for my friends it would bring me some peace.

A Dragon roared across the mountains behind me. Normally, I would be startled by the sound, sometimes scared. But now the sound was only worrying enough to bring me out of my sleepless dreams. My eyes slid back into focus and stared off ahead, following the occasional beam of light flickering from my Element. The beam always shone in one direction, toward a place I somehow knew I needed to go. I didn't feel ready to move just yet. Instead, I brought my focus closer to where I was, and slowly examined the rolling hills and tall wild grass around me.

The Free Lands: a place that Dragons now claimed as part of their own territory. I had heard of this place a few times before in my life. Old stories about the Three Pony Tribes often mentioned how their old home became this place – after the Windigos moved on. It was also a setting Rainbow Dash chose for an adventure story she wanted to write. Nopony really knew the truth about The Free Lands, however, because of whom had owned it for over a dozen centuries.

I gazed at the natural, unmarked landscape. Maybe they only use the airspace above it. I pondered, because I can’t see any burnt trees or claw marks here.

Even the disaster that had swept through Equestria, and possibly beyond, had taken no effect here. But without any ponies here in the first place, not since the three Pony Tribes evacuated the land and founded Equestria thousands of years ago, there was nothing for that horrible spell to change. The Free Lands had been abandoned, leaving whatever cities and history to crumble away and meld with the ground, and be overrun by the forests or seized by the Dragons. Equestria surely faced the same fate, now. I didn't want to believe it, but it lingered in my mind all the time, and plagued my nightmares when I’d allow myself to sleep.

Still, this place was remarkably beautiful and peaceful. The rain carried a gentle and steady rhythm, helping to hide the sounds of nocturnal wildlife that I was lucky to notice. The Free Lands had grown to live up to its namesake. Damp, rich soil dirtied my hooves. Shades of green rose and dipped with the gentle hills. The cloud cover, while bleak and grey, had cracks all over it, allowing the dawn to peek through and turn some of the thinner clouds into beacons of golden light. The Free Lands had grown and built itself from the remains of a dead era, it was how nature worked – I of all ponies understood that. But... This couldn't be the future for Equestria. This couldn’t be the end of ponies. There had to still be hope.

I had been spared from that massive spell for a reason, either through fate, or some fatal mistake, I didn’t disappear like my friends did. No matter how little I thought of myself now, a part of me felt obliged to try and not waste the chance I had been given.

Flickering beams snapped me from my walking dreams, directing my vision through the rainfall to a distant forest. My Element wanted to show me something, but even so, I had never seen any of the Elements of Harmony act like this. From strange glows to distorted whispers and visions, I wondered if the Elements were the even same ones from before the Event, or if the megaspell had found a way to tarnish them as it swept over Equestria. I couldn’t be sure. And honestly, I didn’t want to think about it.

A loud grumble lumbered over my head, bringing my attention to the thunderclouds rolling in from the east. Cold water peppered my face, and I shut my eyes for a moment to let the rain rinse off my matted mane and fur. The wind moaned and blew through the grass whipping around my legs, and the thunder drowned out the growing voices inside my head.

Finally, my eardrums quietly popped as the outside world broke through. All my thoughts fled and sealed themselves away, and were quickly replaced by cool air and every sound and sight to be had. I was awake, frightened, and in pain. It was still better than being trapped inside my head.

Another Dragon roared far behind me, jabbing something sharp into my flanks to get me moving again. I staggered forwards through the waving grass. My shoulders creaked and popped in the first awkward steps, and I made longer strides to stretch and warm up the rest of my stiff joints. My wings unfurled and flexed, and I flapped them gently to loosen them. This was no weather for being outside, but the open expanse of the plains left me no choice but to press on, along with the fear of dragons chasing my ankles.

“You have to focus,” I said aloud. “No more thinking about… bad things. Y-you can do this.”

Narrowing my gaze through the wall of rain, I could just about see the edge of a forest. My wings kicked up and lifted my heavy hooves off the ground. I tucked my legs in and leant towards the headwind, pushing my way through the storm on the promise that I could be hidden and dry in just a few more minutes.

“All that matters…” my voice panted, “is finding shelter. Don’t think about anything else, Fluttershy. You can do it.”

My wings sluggishly beat down with as much strength as that had left, but I was getting closer to trees. I could do it. I could find shelter, I could find food, I could… I could keep trying. Every day was a different day; every day saw things edge closer and closer. As long as I kept moving forward, nothing could catch up to me.

The edge of the forest opened up its arms up to me, and through the bitter cold rain I could see the trees waving and beckoning me to huddle among them. For once, in spite of the thunderstorm, I felt safe where I was. I drifted a few dozen feet into the forest until there no room for my outstretched wings, and I clumsily hopped onto the forest floor and slumped down against a tree. I closed my eyes, awkwardly yawning between grunts and throbbing aches.

The Element of Kindness glowed gently, but did not send out another beam of light. There was no doubt that I hadn’t reached what the necklace wanted me to see, but it didn’t want to push me any further. I slid off the treetrunk and curled up on the grass.

“I did it.” I murmured, ignoring the warm droplets falling down my face.

The deafening roar of a beast bellowed above, shaking me from much-needed sleep. I leapt onto my hooves and looked up through the branches of a tree I was under, expecting to see the shape of a furious Dragon in the clear sky. It was much worse than that, there were dozens of Dragons! Flying and circling around, their roars making the trees shake in fear and the ground shudder. I couldn't move. I was frozen in place no matter how much my legs wobbled to set them loose.

They were searching for me, weren't they? They were soon going to find me! I had to find somewhere else to hide, before they started to tear the forest apart to catch me. But the sight of so many Dragons at once was paralyzing, and their chorus of throaty cries pushed me further and further down until I was lying flat on the grass, cowering beside a tree trunk.

Suddenly, the circling creatures banked and swung around, changing their direction and aligning themselves toward the jagged mountains that were now far away in the horizon. Moments later, many more Dragons appeared and raced across the sky after them, their bodies casting numerous shadows on the ground as they each passed. What was going on? What were they doing?

If my subconscious was screaming in terror, I couldn’t hear it over the roars and my own heart thudding in my eardrums, because I dared myself to take a peek from the top of a tree. Dragons were meant to be sleeping in caves with their treasures, or terrorising ponies and burning towns down to get more loot. What was happening in the sky didn’t match up to either of those. I had to know what it was.

I opened my stiff wings and forced them to lift me into a tree. I clambered up among the leaves and branches until my head cautiously rose out from the canopy. High in the sky were dozens of Dragons of all shapes and sizes. They were flying together, all heading towards where I had come from. Some were spitting flames randomly into the blue sky, while others rolled and dived carelessly among their own kind. Together, they formed a long and twisting chain of countless Dragons that stretched for miles across.

So this was what a Dragon migration looked like.

An amber-tinted Dragon passed over in a low fly by, narrowly missing the treetops and somehow not catching sight of me. Seconds later, a strong gust of wind chased after it, blowing the trees side-to-side and almost knocking me from my perch. I clung onto the branch I sat on until the swaying stopped.

Okay, that was enough of that.

Moments later, my hooves landed on the soft grass down under the cover of the forest. The line of Dragons would take a while to pass over, so I decided to keep in the shade of the trees, out of sight. Even with shaky legs trying to dive into the nearest bush, and restless ears constantly searching to place every sound’s location, I had to keep going and follow where the Element of Kindness was leading me.

Dragon migrations are supposed to be quite a number of years apart, which was part of the reason why Rainbow Dash and Twilight wanted me to watch the last one. And though I knew what event had motivated the Dragons to congregate so soon, I didn't want to give it even a flicker of attention. Instead I pushed it away, cramming it into a mounting pile of other dangerous thoughts. This was not the time to face any of it, nor would there ever be. I had one thing to do – one thing that I knew I could do right now: follow the path my Element laid out for me. After that, maybe I could find the missing Elements or at least try. Maybe… But Equestria was a long way away now, what if I didn’t feel ready to turn back? What if I didn’t want to go back? I didn't have a home to go back to anymore, and those I used to care for had either disappeared or left me. If I somehow found the Elements and did this one last favour for my friends, all I would have left is Equestria — and that too was fading away.

Shivers ran up and down my spine. Dangerous thoughts: got to avoid dangerous thoughts.

I looked down at my Element, and followed where its thin beams of light were pointing. It was leading me towards the base of a cliff with a waterfall raining down from it. As I drew nearer to it, the light shifted upward, pointing to the top. I unfurled my wings once more, but before I lifted off the ground, a Dragon soared out over the cliff, raining rocks and dirt down onto my head. My wings snapped shut, and I didn’t argue with them: maybe now would be a good time to take a break in the shade.

I found a large tree to sit underneath and rummaged through my saddlebags. I pulled out my canteen and hung it over my necklace, and gave myself the last of the water it had left. Thankfully, I was near water and could refill both of my canteens, but I would have to wait for the Dragons to pass before I could work up the nerve. I searched one bag for food, but all I found was a book, a rolled-up map, and few loose sticky bandages from a first aid kit. Searching through the other satchel revealed even less, with the only scraps of food being a few berries amongst some shards of coloured glass and an empty matchbox. A large hole had opened in the seams of the satchel, making me frown and run my hoof over the gap. The small amount of fruit I had gathered was long gone now, and I didn’t have any medical supplies either. My chin raised and I followed the waterfall up the cliff face, settling on the blue sky framed between the cliff edge and lip of the tree’s canopy. Two dragons flicked in and out of view, flying with the rest of the migration.

It doesn't matter, I assured. There's grass, there's water, maybe berries; it does not matter at all.

"Everything will be okay." I murmured automatically.

My eyes drifted from cloud to cloud, hopping from each formless and fluffy vessel. The sun peeked out from a straggling raincloud, shining down on the land with a slight amount of warmth in the crisp air. I mumbled to myself that it was likely mid-afternoon already, and let my mind wander up in the sky and down toward the horizon. Something made me do a double-take, and I rubbed my eyes to be sure it really was there. My head tipped to the side in a moment of confusion.

The moon? How is it still up there? D-did it rise early? It's only midday—

I was forgetting something and I lowered my gaze to the ground in shame. Like everypony else, the Princesses were gone, too. And without them the sun and moon were left to move themselves alone. And while the night sky usually saw the moon leave early nowadays, it was strange to see it in the daytime. It made sense, I just… I just never expected to have to understand it, much less see it for myself.

I dried my eyes with my foreleg, and slid my eyelids closed. I needed to stay calm and not let myself give up; I needed to keep my promise. No matter what I was going to bring my friends together again – whether this journey to the Free Lands worked out or not. I had to hang in there, for their sake and my own.

The clouds and dragons in the sky drifted by at their leisure, and I quietly unpacked my sewing kit in the shade to repair the hole in my saddlebag while I waited for travel to become safe again.

It was a long time until the last few stragglers flew over, and by the time I felt it was okay to carry on again I could see the orange glow of dusk and streaks of lilac clouds in the atmosphere. A gentle breeze swept through the woods, beckoning me to the river. I pushed myself onto my hooves and walked to the water's edge, craning my neck down to submerge the canteen around my neck in the fresh water. The corners of my mouth turned upwards when bubbles rose to the surface, popping loudly as the canteen thirstily drank in the cold water. The sound somehow brought me comfort, reminding me of some of my animal friends at the end of a summer's day. Maybe I would find them when I got back to Equestria, after I had done everything else I could do for the rest of my friends. Maybe I wouldn't be alone. Maybe...

Raindrops started to fall into the river, but only when I looked up into the sky did I feel the tears glide down my face. A gentle sigh escaped me, and I brushed my cheeks with my left hoof and twisted the cap for my canteen back on. The grass quietly parted ways as I returned to my saddlebags and packed everything away. When I was ready to go, I took another look up to the top of the cliff and the sky above. It was getting dark, but the moon was already at its apex and promising a gentle glow until it would dip beneath the horizon too soon.

I glanced back at my repaired saddlebag and checked my hoofwork. For something I grabbed in blind panic, the sewing kit was worth having around. Being able to use at least one of my talents every now and then was soothing, too.

With a quick breath and a couple of quick steps I took wing up alongside the cliff. MY wings faltered a few times, prompting me to flap them harder and force them to work together, but after moment of hovering, I was steady enough to lift myself up. I took things slowly so my muscles and joints wouldn’t flare up, and focused on the sound of the waterfall or the birds singing bedtime songs in the trees. Little things, subtle things, made nature so wonderful to me: the rustle of leaves in the breeze, little creatures scurrying in the bushes, meadows and flowers and picnics in the afternoon — I could go on and on. Though I ached to have somepony with me right now, I doubted they could hear what I could hear, or see what I could see.

I will never have the chance to find somepony who could.

My wings fell out of sync, and I tumbled into a bush at the top of the cliff. That was not true! It couldn’t be true! How could I even think of something like that? I will do everything I can to make things better. I won’t let myself live out my life alone.

I crawled out of the bush, and pulled a few twigs out of my mane. “This isn’t the end. There’s still hope. I wouldn’t lie to myself like that!”
My head swung down low, and I tightly closed my eyes.” I wouldn’t lie to myself, would I?”

I slowly opened my eyes, and had my view filled by a bright and solid beam of light radiating from the necklace I was wearing. I had to be close, now. I just had to focus: I could that.

I was taken through some bushes and underneath some cherry trees, and soon I stepped out into a clearing. I ground to a halt once my eyes fell upon it; the sight of worn away stone and mossy walls no higher than my shoulders.

The walls marked an ancient structure, half of it long since overtaken by shrubbery and trees. If I looked carefully through the overgrown areas, I could see the remains of a turret and exterior wall, and the border of a grand hall that had been open to the stars for countless centuries. The air was still, and even the sound of the nearby waterfall was no longer audible. Like the ruins for thousands of years, the world around me seemed to stand still.

The Element of Kindness flashed more erratically and its beam grew stronger, urging me to keep walking. I hopped over the outer wall of the ruins with the aid of my wings. The wall must have been taller in the past, but now it rose only a few feet out of the ground, covered in moss. I followed the guiding beam cautiously, pushing bushes aside to reach the fallen tower. The tower itself had completely collapsed on one side, leaving the rest of the wall looking like a sharpened tooth pointing twenty feet into the sky. The beam angled downwards, pointing down a narrow crevice in the rubble. I poked my head through the gap, using the Element’s light to see a spiral staircase that quickly disappeared into the darkness below. I gulped at the thought of what could be lurking down there – and regretted not having a lantern with me anymore. I couldn’t expect the Element to remain a source of light, but I didn’t have anything else to use or the skills to make a torch – the empty matchbox was proof of that.

With a deep breath and a short countdown, I squeezed through the gap without a second thought and the staircase down. The calm of the night soon faded away with the world above, replaced by the rhythm of my steps and the scuffing of my hooves walking down the worn stairs. The necklace adjusted to the dark and emitted a soft, pink light as I descended. Faint dripping sounds pinged off my ears, and a waft of damp and stagnant water filled my nostrils. At last, my hooves came into contact with a sunken floor submerged in an inch of water, and I entered a long, cold hallway filled with weeping cracks. Though the corridor’s floor soon rose to where it used to be, the marks on the wall revealed that the corridor had been flooded in the past.

My heart started to beat faster, and my imagination was soon getting the better of me. Before I could turn back, I picked up my pace and fell into a quick trot, bravely making my way down the corridor. When the end faded into the reach of my Element’s light, it revealed a large stone wall with strange markings on it. I slowed down, unsure of what I was seeing.

The wall had a spiral carved into the center, with two stars just off-center but within the spiral. Around this engraving there were six circular depressions arranged together in a hexagonal shape, and rising out of these engravings were symbols I didn't recognise. I took a curious step closer, and narrowed my gaze at each particular marking on the wall. There had to be a reason why this was important for me to see, but what did the symbols mean? Where the glyphs from another language? Was the mural a message? A riddle? Oh, if only I could understand it!

A thunderous crash and light burst between the mural and I. My Element shot out an intense beam of light into one of the outer glyphs. I backpedalled and yelped, but the Element stayed focused and arced its energy over to the mural. Soon, all of the symbols and markings were glowing, and a bright white light blotted out my vision. I wanted to look away or blink, but I was completely entranced. The deafening crackles of magic leaping through thin air quickly died away, replaced by sounds of the wind whistling in my ears and whipping through my mane. The damp smell of the corridor was whisked away and filled in by a crisp, refreshing scent of fresh air. I felt a strange awareness descend on me, as I felt the walls in the corridor phase out and vanish, and the ceiling open up for miles and miles.

And then I heard it – just as my body was released back to me and my vision returned – the cry of a Phoenix from another memory.

A Night in Canterlot

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A phoenix! I was sure of it! But where was the sound coming from?

My vision slowly faded from blinding white to a dull grey. My eyes strained, trying to find the exotic bird. I twisted my head left and right, taking in my surroundings. A rocky wall to my right towered into the mist, and a grassy ledge to my left opened up to a vast expanse of fog and sheer drop below. This was the road to Canterlot, along the sheltered side of the mountain.

If I’m here, then that means… My gaze drifted to my hooves and caught sight of my chest. I don’t have my Element yet.

Wait. I’m remembering my journey to Canterlot!

The dense fog gave way to a piercing gold light, and like a shooting star it flew overhead at great speed. The phoenix let out another cry, this time in triumph, as its blazing form curved around to land. My jaw fell open at the sight, and not a muscle twitched as the large bird extinguished its flames, and landed on my back with a hunter’s precision.

Warmth radiated from the phoenix, chasing away the mist surrounding us, and bathing me in her gentle glow. She looked relieved, and gave a quiet coo to me.

“Philomena?” I whispered.

She nodded to me.

My heart leapt up in my chest. “It really is you! What are you doing out here? Did Princess Celestia send you? Are my friends okay? Is everypony safe? Does anypony know what happen-”

Philomena screeched for me to hush, and raised a talon toward me, showing a capsule attached to her leg, emblazoned with Princess Celestia’s Cutie Mark.

“A message?” I frowned as the phoenix hopped off my back. She looked at me and nodded, and I carefully opened the capsule and pulled out the rolled up parchment inside. Before I unraveled it and started reading, I pulled an apple from my saddlebags and gave it to Philomena to thank her. She sliced into the fruit with her beak and started munching ferociously. When was the last time she ate?

I pulled my stare from Philomena, and carefully unrolled the message. Before I had even revealed the whole message, I was already processing it.

My Dearest Cadance,

Please have your subjects search the library again. I know that we’re close to solving this mystery,

but I fear that time is not on our side. Send Philomena back with any information you discover.

Kindest regards,

Celestia.

This didn’t make any sense. Why had Philomena delivered this to me? Princess Cadence was in the Crystal Empire as far as I knew. And I wouldn’t be able to reach the Crystal Empire any faster than a phoenix, or a dedicated Pegasus messenger – even with a tail wind.

I raised my head up to look at Philomena, who had rapidly reduced the apple to a core. She turned her head to me, her eyes warning of bad news. I almost abandoned my question before I started it.

“Philomena, when did you leave Canterlot with this message?”

The phoenix let out a saddened cry. Eight days ago.

That was the day before the spell struck. I could feel my stomach wringing itself as I spoke again. “Did you reach the Crystal Empire?” I asked, to which Philomena nodded in response. “When was that?”

Her fiery eyes lost some of its heat. Seven days ago.

“Did you see a shock wave sweep over Equestria while travelling there?”

Philomena nodded, and let out a series of short cries. She didn’t turn back when she saw it. She came back after finding the Crystal Empire without any ponies, after waiting in case somepony showed up. Philomena returned a day ago, her message undelivered until now.

I nuzzled Philomena’s beak, trying to hide the suffocating feeling in my chest. “It’s going to be okay, Philomena. I-I’ll get to the bottom of this.” I lifted my head up and looked upon the road leading up the mountain. “Or maybe the top.” I tried to chuckle, but it came out as short gasps. My eyes welled up.

Deep breaths, Fluttershy, stay calm.

“We’re going to Canterlot.” I said evenly, brushing my bandaged leg over my eyes.

Philomena leapt up and screeched in alarm. Canterlot wasn’t silent like the rest of Equestria; it was overrun with strange creatures. When I asked what the creatures were, Philomena struggled to describe them, eventually settling on “Big dogs that walk on two legs”.

I thought of the hound I fled from in Ponyville. I thought of how his massive claws came inches from slicing me in twain. I shuddered.

“We can get past them if we’re careful.” I assured - more to myself than to Philomena.

Philomena shook her head. There was more. There were Dragons, too.

A familiar lead ball dropped into the pit of my twisted insides. I swallowed down what was pushed up.

I looked directly at the phoenix, and shakily said “I have to go to Canterlot. My friends are stuck in there and need my help. I can’t let them down.”

Philomena unfurled her wings, her body of striking reds and oranges shimmering and glowing brightly. She tried to reason with me; if she went, they would see her. Both Dragons and Diamond Dogs had chased her out of Canterlot already.

“I understand, Philomena. Could you wait for me somewhere?”

She shook her head at me, pointing an extended wing into the mist with a screech. Snow front moving in. Too harsh for a phoenix to weather.

I stared off into the grey sky. I pointed my ears to the breeze and felt it nip at the tips. The temperature was colder than it had been, but I couldn’t believe that winter weather would be coming before Fall had even started. I didn’t want to argue, though, I was running out of time to reach my friends before something happened to them.

I wish it didn’t have to be this way.

“Are you sure you can take care of yourself, Philomena?”

The Royal Bird closed its wings and nodded deliberately. She was confident, or good at keeping things secret at least, because I thought I saw her shiver. I looked down at my hooves, noticing the unraveled message waving in the breeze, and began rolling it back up.

A thought popped into my head.

“If you ever change your mind,” I said as I placed the message back inside the capsule. “And the weather allows it, you can head for the old castle ruins in the Everfree Forest. I spent a night there, and it isn’t too far away from Ponyville – just be very careful of the Timberwolves, okay?”

I ran my hoof under the rare creature’s jaw, thankful for the few moments of company since the disaster over a week ago. I felt my mouth curve into a reassuring smile, and thoughts of being brave and hopeful followed.

Philomena saluted with a wing and took off into the mist, her body’s warmth quickly trailing after her. A shiver ran up my spine. Had the wind always been this cold?

I watched Philomena circle above, her body quickly igniting into a molten orange that shone through even the thickest patches of the mist. I followed her with my eyes until she disappeared entirely from view.

Alone again.

My gaze fell to my hooves, and my head tipped to the side. On the ground was one of Philomena’s feathers. It was nowhere near as long as the one she had given to me when she was reborn (which was in my cottage, or at least I hoped it still was), but it was still a beautiful, blazing red. Without any thought, I stashed the feather away in my bags.

I turned to face the path to Canterlot, if I kept a quick pace, I could reach the city by nightfall. If the city was that overrun by Diamond Dogs and Dragons, then the darkness and buildings would help me slip past them all. I would find my friends soon, and together, we would find a way to solve this.

What about Princess Celestia? Would she be there?

I couldn’t imagine her letting Canterlot be invaded by Diamond Dogs or Dragons, but if it was just her, Princess Luna, and my friends in Canterlot, perhaps she wouldn’t have had a choice. And because of the Dragons, Philomena wouldn’t have been able to find the Princesses when she returned, and couldn’t say if there was anypony in Canterlot other than the Diamond Dogs in the streets.

What did those Diamond Dogs want? What did the Dragons want? Who or what had caused that powerful spell in the first place? I wanted to know. For the first time in my life, I felt the pull of curiosity lead me. Ushering me on to Canterlot, to a definitely dangerous place, and I was okay with that.

I need the truth. I thought, though a pang in the back of my mind warned that it was different truth I was searching for. It warned of a truth that was driven much more by morbid curiosity, rather than fearless desire. I blinked away the thoughts, and my attention fell to the present.

I took a deep breath, and started to trot up the misty path.

I had to get to Canterlot.

I should not have come to Canterlot.

The whole city was burning. Dragons roared and flew all around, raining fire down on anything they saw as a threat. Hundreds, if not thousands, of Diamond Dogs were pouring into the town and scurrying across the streets.

They must have come through the abandoned mines Twilight told me about, I concluded, keeping my eyes and ears trained to spot the slightest hint of danger. There were no Diamond Dogs taking the road up the mountain, and it would explain the bottomless pits scattered throughout the city.

I huddled myself under a pile of rubble, the remains suggested there used to be a café here. Now, however, it was nothing more than bricks and bent rebar, with twisted iron suggesting there used to be some fancy chairs and tables outside.

This couldn’t be Canterlot. Not with the chaos and fighting going on all around me.

A dozen armed hounds bounded past my hiding place, heading down the street. I saw one of them look up and skid to a stop, and one by one the rest did the same. I peeked out from my cover, and felt every muscle in my body freeze.

A green Dragon dropped down from the moonlit sky, crushing a building under its enormous form. The group of dogs split off from each other; some dug themselves to safety, while others fled into buildings or back up the street towards me. The Dragon opened his colossal maw and breathed fire up the road. Somehow, I found a way to break my horrified stare and duck back into cover, narrowly escaping the heat of the Dragon’s flames with just a light scorch on my coat. I heard the dogs howl in pain. Before I could think I was peeking out again to see if they weren’t badly hurt. I saw them flee around a corner, the fur now burnt off their backs. I hoped they wouldn’t be too far from help.

I twisted my head around to catch sight of the Dragon. The massive beast had crushed a jewelry shop, and was now picking through its contents, stealing anything valuable.

I’ve got to get out of here, before I get caught up in this.

I shimmied out from my temporary shelter, and stood up in the open. This was crazy. If I froze up now, I’d be in terrible danger. Calm breaths, one step at a time. My quivering legs steadied themselves and shut out images of the Dragon breathing fire at me. Just be quiet and careful.

The Dragon continued looting, and seemed oblivious that I was creeping across the road behind him. Silent prayers escaped my lips, begging for me to not be spotted while I crossed into an alley.

Now comfortably within the shadows, I let out a tense sigh. I wasn’t too far now, I could see Canterlot Castle. Some of the beautiful towers had been destroyed, and I could see some parts of the Castle had been partially sacked – likely abandoned by the looters when the two factions met one another.

I hurried myself along, constantly twisting my ears around for any sounds to hide from. The clattering of spears and armoured Diamond Dogs filled my head, along with the rumble of Dragons flying overhead, and the sound of dust being pushed in their wake. Everything I heard was a threat, but I had to decide which threats were worth hiding from if I wanted to make any progress. How I wished I was in the comfort of a meadow or in my own home! This pressure wanted me to snap, but I couldn’t let that happen. I couldn’t let my friends down.

I finally met the perimeter wall of the Castle, and quickly dove into a bush to plan my next move. I didn't want to fly. Not with the Dragons circling around the city. Being spotted by them, seeing their sharp claws and jagged teeth come for me was a nightmare I didn’t want to live through.

My eyes scanned around, my ears still twitching and twisting at every roar, crash, and cry. There was no other way in that was safer. Flying over the wall was the only option I had.

Just a few seconds, that’s all I need. My wings pressed themselves closer against me. I’m doing this. I can do this.

The opportunity came - a lull in the battle. The Dragons disappeared into the night, flying over a different part of the city, and not a single lumbering shadow of a Diamond Dog could be seen. I held my breath and leapt out from the bush. I struggled to unfurl my wings, my heart racing at the precious few seconds dwindling away.

Come on, come on! A roar rang through my eardrums, and I flinched, whipping my head up. The distant silhouette of a Dragon was approaching. I was running out of time.

Instead of hiding again, I forced my wings to unfurl, and stiffly made them work. The Dragon was getting closer; he was going to see me!

Hurry!

I leapt into the air, pumping my wings in a panic. I sailed over the wall and dove back down the other side, crashing into the ground. There was nowhere to hide on this side of the wall.

I rolled onto my back in a daze, just as the massive body of the Dragon flew over, blocking out my view of the moon and stars. I froze up. My gaze followed him in terror, expecting him to turn around at any moment and chase me. Instead, the Dragon carried on. Maybe I was lucky and he didn’t see me.

Why did I do that? I didn’t need to take that risk!

I picked myself up and made sure I hadn’t dropped anything from my saddlebags, and then broke out into a full gallop across the Castle’s lawn. I was almost there; I just had to find where my friends were hiding. Hopefully they had a plan. Hopefully Twilight knew what to do. Everything was going to be okay.

I rounded a blind corner straight into the sight of a brown Dragon with crimson scales running along his spine. He held in his arms a hoard of priceless treasures, all of which seemed worthless to him as he dumped it on the ground, narrowing his icy eyes at me.

Oh no.

There wasn’t enough air to fill my lungs, I was being strangled by my own fear. The Dragon craned his neck down, leveling his eyes to my petrified stare.

“Do you dare trespass on Dragon territory?” He growled at me, smoke puffing out of his nostrils.

I squeaked and started to back away, which only angered the Dragon more.

The Dragon kept his eyes fixed on me, and took in a breath.

Run! Oh goodness, run!

I spun around and galloped away. The Dragon roaring and breathing fire after me, I swung round a random path, escaping with just a lick of flames on the back of my hind legs. I heard the Dragon roar again and take to the air.

Moments later, I saw the Dragon fly straight over me. “Trespassers will not be spared!” The massive creature vowed.

I kept on galloping, trying to find a place to hide. But how could I hide when he was watching my every move? I shut my eyes tight, squeezing out the only tears I was going to let myself shed. No, those thoughts were poisonous. I couldn’t believe them. There had to be a way.

The Dragon suddenly dropped down from the sky, and landed in front of me with a massive crash. I struggled to keep my balance as the ground shook violently. The beast had cut off my path! With no time to stop and change direction, I barreled towards him. He breathed fire again, and I threw myself airborne. My wings barely caught me and hoisted me clear, the heat singeing my hooves. I pumped my wings as hard as I could, making twists and turns I had never trained to do. I had to dodge the Dragon’s attacks if I were to get past him. I narrowly missed his claws as he swatted at me, and flew over his shoulder.

Out of my peripherals, I caught a glimpse of the Dragon's tail, but far too late to react. I was smacked out of the air, launched off over a few buildings before crashing through a massive window. My body flared up with sharp pangs as the shards cut into me. I hit the floor, screaming at the shock and burning sensation of glass cutting me up. Finally, I came to a rest among the remains of the shattered window. Keeping my eyes shut so I wouldn’t see the end coming.

Moments later, I heard the roars of the Dragon and the great beats of his wings as he flew over the building I had been thrown into. The windows rattled and chattered as the giant beast flew overhead, as terrified of the creature as I was. I opened my eyes a crack to see. The Dragon had lost me - for now.

Knowing I didn't have much time, I tried to clamber onto my hooves. Intense pain washed over me, and I cried out in pain. This was worse than the cut on my foreleg, this was worse than the bruises from the train crash. I could see my blood.

I forced myself upright, biting my tongue and shuddering at every throb. I limped over to my saddlebags, the crash had knocked them off of me and scattered my supplies onto the large floor.

I concentrated, clearing my head of the agony and trying to not panic at the sight of my blood. I gathered my belongings together, and set to work on dealing with the worst of my cuts. I grit my teeth together as I pulled shards of glass out of my wounds, and poured water over my cuts from my canteen. The blood mixed and faded, washing onto the floor, leaving a reddish pattern of swirls in the resulting puddle.

A roar shook the building, and I spun around where I stood. I haven’t got any time for bandages or painkillers. I thought as examined the worst of my cuts. I just hope these will heal by themselves soon.

I heard the Dragon fly over again. He wasn’t going to give up. I watched his shadow loom over the windows, hoping he wouldn’t see the broken one. My gaze fell upon the surviving windows. They were stained glass windows, and in the moonlight I could see my friends, I could see Spike, Discord too.

This is Canterlot Tower! The Elements of Harmony are stored here!

I started to run again, this time making my way for the end of the long hall. The most secure room in Canterlot was the same room the Elements of Harmony were kept in. If everypony needed a place to hide, the vault-like protection of the Elements’ room was a great choice.

I skidded to a stop. The door that protected the Elements was open, and a chest and a dozen items lay in front of me.

All six of the Elements lay strewn across the floor, and among them were the crown, shoes, and chest-plate that belonged to Princess Celestia.

No…

I was looking at the very last place the Princess was before she disappeared.

Oh no, please no.

The Elements were not with my friends.

I was the first pony to find the Elements, a week after the disaster took everypony away. Twilight wasn’t in Canterlot, nopony was - nopony except for me.

I’m the only pony left in Equestria.

I ambled up to the Elements on the floor. Tears fell down my cheeks, but I didn’t care to stop them. The burning pain a few moments ago was replaced by an empty numbness that made my legs feel heavy and cumbersome.

Everything I had hoped for was not going to happen. The whole time I had the truth in front of me; the desolate towns, the thousands of ponies mysteriously gone – how could I have fooled myself into believing that my friends and the Princesses had pulled through like I had?

There was nothing I could do to help them. I had the Elements of Harmony right here, but only one bearer was here to wield hers.

Slowly, I leant down to collect everything I could carry. I was stopped by a series of crashes and splintering glass filling the room. I whirled around, and saw the large hall I was in being filled with dozens of Diamond Dogs climbing through the windows. Some were small and armed with spears, others carrying empty sacks, and a small number of them towered above the rest, brandishing their freakishly long claws.

I took a few steps back, feeling hundreds of eyes all focused on me. I was exposed.

Before the dogs charged forward, their eyes turned upwards just as an enormous cacophony or smashed stone filled the room. I felt the heat on my back first – the breath of the beast.

Hesitantly, my own gaze followed the Diamond Dogs. The brown Dragon I had fled from towered above me, sitting where the most secure room in Canterlot used to be. He narrowed has glare at the scores of Diamond Dogs in the room, many of whom where readying their weapons and howling.

I looked down at my hooves, at all the golden items and shiny gemstones they all lusted after. This was the worst place for me to be stood.

I wasn’t sure who made the first move. The Dragon leant forward and sent a fireball hurtling over me, scattering a group of dogs before the molten orb crashed on top of them, scorching the floor. The Diamond Dogs all charged, barking and howling and gnashing their teeth. Some were intent on fighting the Dragon, others had their eyes locked on me and the treasure I was stood in. With only a few seconds before they reached me, I grabbed the closest thing to me; Princess Celestia’s crown.

A massive hound leapt at me, his razor sharp claws extended and ready. I dropped to the floor, and stared up in sheer terror as he sailed over, barely taking a few strands from my mane with a last-ditch swipe. I rolled to side just as another hound slid past, knocking the Elements and the Princess’s jewelry away from me. A gasp escaped my lungs as they each slid underneath the scrambling paws of the dogs, disappearing from view.

“Get that pony!” a gruff voice shouted, “I want that crown!”

Oh no!

“Forget you – it’s mine!” hissed another dog.

I started to dart through the gaps in the battle, tears flowing free from my eyes.

“Bah a crown is nothing! I’ll take the pony!”

“Please, no! Leave me alone! Leave me alone!” I wailed, galloping out of the hall and into the rest of Canterlot Castle. I didn’t need to look behind – I didn’t dare to – I knew that the hunt was on, and that I was the prize.

It was like that nightmare I had in the Everfree Forest – running blindly around corners, praying that I wouldn’t make a mistake. Oh please, don’t make a mistake! I didn’t want to imagine what they wanted with me, and the horror of what it could be spurred me on harder. I leapt over piles of rubble, stealing a glance out the destroyed walls. Canterlot was burning. Dragons and Dogs were fighting. It was horrible.

Where was I even going? Why wasn’t I losing them? I couldn’t run fast enough to escape. I couldn’t fly away – my wings were stuck to my sides. The dogs were going to catch me if I couldn’t find a way to shake them.

I skidded as more dogs appeared ahead, cutting me off. I didn’t stop though, only changed direction, finding myself rocketing up a flight of stairs, the breaths of hunting hounds following close behind.

I bounded down another long corridor, my eyes focused on nothing but the stairs going up at the end. A door slammed shut as I sprinted past, and I sprung up into the air with a shriek. My wings! They were carrying me! But who shut the…?

My eyes fell on the gang of Diamond Dogs chasing, their beady eyes hungrily trained on me. No time for questions. I had to get out of here!

With my wings working overtime, I tore down the corridor, and reached the end in a matter of seconds. My gaze followed the stairs before me, watching them spiral high up above me. So many stairs… So high up. I gulped. Had I always been afraid of stairs? When did acrophobia become a problem again?

With a determined flap, I began to propel myself upward, flying up inside the spiral, reaching the top of the stair in the fraction of the time it would take the dogs to. A single door waited for me, and I didn’t hesitate to throw it shove it open and slam it behind me. I scanned the room frantically, and saw the way to an open balcony. I was going to make it out.

I flew towards to the railing, but dropped down to my hooves when my eyes landed on a pile of accessories on the floor, shining in the doorway. They were a deep, dark blue, and caught the moonlight in a gentle glow. I had seen these before, but not with their owner, not without Princess Luna wearing them.

My body froze in place, my mouth falling open in a pained gasp. Slowly, I looked around the room, processing what I saw. A large table stood to one side. On it, a large map of Equestria was spread out in the center, with stacks of books and dozens of scrolls taking up what space remained. More books rested on the floor, some seemingly open on specific pages, while others lay open and face-down –tossed aside in frustration.

I approached the table, and noticed five tiny little flags placed on certain locations of the map. Together, they marked Tall Tale, Baltimare, Manehatten, Little Shoehorn, and Appleloosa.

A sharp cry rang out in the room, and I shuddered and tried to take deep breaths. I stared at the map on the table, hearing the name of those five places echo in my head, until I turned away to weep. My tears fell to the floor, but dripped onto an unrolled and fresh scroll. I pressed it flat with my hoof, and recognised the writing – my writing.

I closed my eyes, only hearing my stifled sobs in the room. All this way, all this time, and every bit of it meant nothing. Everypony had vanished, leaving me behind, and I could do nothing. Without even her friends, what could one pony hope to do? They were all gone, and so was the biggest joy in my life.

My eyelids slowly opened, and I turned back to face the map. With a single swipe, I cleared the books, scrolls, and flags off of the map – leaving little tears over the five places that had been marked. Quickly, I folded the thick parchment up, stashing it in my saddlebags. I didn’t know what I was going to do, but one way or another, I was going to need that map.

The door broke apart as a pair of claws slashed through it, followed by a Diamond Dog tearing through it with brute force. In seconds, the room was being overtaken by the hounds, and I hurried over to the balcony, grabbing Luna’s crown with my teeth as I made for the rail.

I felt a tug at my tail, but it narrowly evaded a Diamond Dog’s grasp. For a few seconds, I felt the open air embrace me, and the awareness of there being no floor close beneath ripple through my mind. The arc of my leap started to descend, and my wings shot out to carry me away, quickly catching a strong gust of wind. My body twisted around to follow the wind, and I glided high over Canterlot. Below were dozens of fires lighting up the city, and hundreds of shadows dancing in them. I counted four Dragons flying around, all with their eyes fixed on the ground. Canterlot Tower was ablaze, parts of it had already collapsed, and I could see a small party of Diamond Dogs fleeing from the site.

Suddenly, the darkened silhouette of a Dragon emerged from the castle, and with thundering steps he quickly closed in on the fleeing dogs. The smaller creatures leapt into a different part of the palace, but not without their hunter seeing them. He roared in an intense fury that sounded full of pain, and began tearing the walls down.

I glided out of Canterlot, and was quickly seized and whisked away by a strong air current, taking me far away from the mountain, down to the valley below.

I should not have gone to Canterlot.

Sweet Dreams

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The winds pushed me far away from the sight of the burning city of Canterlot. The cold chill in the air ran through me, gradually taking the edge off of my adrenaline and seeping in through my cuts and weeping eyes. I clamped my eyes shut and grit my teeth, not out of the returning pain, but because of the shudders and sobs I couldn’t hold back anymore.

I glided in the cold night sky, being carried by the strong current, and cried. I did not care for my course, altitude, or attitude. I could be unwittingly diving straight into the hard ground for all I knew, but it didn’t matter. What mattered were my friends. Every single one of them were special to me, and in a flash they had been taken away in a terrible boom. All the ponies in Equestria had disappeared, too, and now I was starting to register that they were gone, not simply missing or hiding. Gone.

A sharp breath rushed into my lungs and I held it there. All those fillies and colts were gone, their parents, teachers, friends - entire families completely gone from Equestria. Why? Why did this happen? What could have caused this? Why was I the only one still be here?

What was I supposed to do now?

My eyelids slowly lifted, and my gaze hovered over the sleepy landscape. I had dropped down pretty far, long since leaving the icy current behind and gradually falling to less than a hundred feet above the ground. Grassy hills and plentiful trees touched by the moonlight looked up at me, with full rivers snaking among them and feeding several lakes and ponds. With the exception of the distant roars of Dragons and echoes of battle coming from the massive mountain behind me, Equestria was still and silent. I caught glimpses of wild Owls and other nocturnal critters hiding in the shadows where other ponies and creatures wouldn’t think to look. Some of them would stop for a moment, and their eyes would follow me with wonder and surprise. I didn’t need to guess why they seemed to feel that way.

Tears pinched at my cheeks, their warmth and moisture being stolen by the cold, dry air. My wounds were closing up now, but I could still feel the fire raging inside them with every tiny movement I made. My thoughts seized the opportunity to escape what I had learnt in Canterlot, and instead focused on my own health. Did I get all the glass out? Were they infected? Did I just need a painkiller? Could I be coming down with something?

Twisted trees and dozens of threatening cries rushed underneath me. My body jerked at the sudden change. I was gliding over the Everfree Forest, which meant that I was close to Ponyville too. I turned my head to the right, catching tiny flames bobbing around the dark outline of Ponyville. Images of burly hounds and dogs chasing me flashed through my mind. I nearly fell out of the sky. It was too dangerous to go near the towns, now. I had to hide where the Diamond Dogs wouldn’t want to go, and the only place I knew about like that was the dangerous forest beneath my hooves. I adjusted my course with a few gentle flaps and a slight twist, and winced as my scabs tugged and pulled. The heat in me built up, blazing up to my ears.

That’s not a good sign. I frowned. My hooves reached up and adjusted the headband I was wearing, letting the sweat building up underneath it feel the breeze. Both of my forelegs had been hurt, so I pressed the better leg above my brow, wiping the clammy residue off. Less than a minute later I could feel more sweat building up. The wind began to feel colder.

I have cough medicine, maybe it can bring the fever down too? I glanced back at my saddlebags, noticing a hole had formed in one of them, letting the golden shine of Celestia’s crown catch the light from her sister’s moon.

My wings stopped moving, they couldn’t take the weight that fell on my back.

The Everfree Forest had a thick canopy, but was too eager to let me slip through and meet the branches just beneath the sea of leaves. It was a blur, and it wasn’t until a few moments later that I realised that I had been snagged on vines. Dazed and spinning around wildly above the ground,I tried to shake myself free, bringing rampaging waves of pain searing up my nerves.

The vines cruelly let me drop onto the forest floor with a thud, and I whimpered and cried on the dirt. I rolled over, groaning and gasping, and carefully stood up. I extended my wings, feeling bruises but no breaks, and then chanced looking at the rest of me. I wished I hadn’t.

I snapped my eyes shut, trying to ignore the state I was in, and counted down from ten. I needed to calm down. Panicking was getting me hurt. Continuing to panic in the Everfree Forest was going to do much worse. I took a deep breath, and wiped my brow of sweat and sap. My eyelids flicked open and my gaze whirled around me, making sure it was safe to stay for a while longer. I slid off my saddlebags and quickly searched them, finding the small bottle of pain pills I had and the cough medicine. I took two pills, and measured two full caps of cough medicine to follow it. Taking care of a wide range of animals meant learning the labels off by-heart. Whether the medicine was strong enough against the fever didn’t make me feel very confident.

Maybe the amount I took would be enough. I assured myself. An uneven sigh escaped me as I packed my bags up and carefully hoisted them back on – trying to avoid the cuts. Treatment, again, would have to wait until I had a safer place to work.

I couldn’t fly between the bushes and branches, and I couldn’t fly back up through the canopy. The forest didn’t like letting ponies out so easily. With a quiet grunt, I chose a direction to head in and began to amble through the dense foliage.

Was it always this warm in the Everfree Forest? I stopped and leant against a tree, fanning my face and scanning the tree line. I didn’t want to stop. Not here. I needed to find the Old Castle, or a place to fly out of, or…

Is that? I lurched forward, squinting into the dark woods. There was a glimmer, a silvery reflection of moonlight catching my eye. Tentatively, I crept up towards it, keeping quiet and moving slowly. The reflection became circular, and soon I could see that it was embedded in a large tree’s trunk. A cross made of sticks covered it, apparently holding the reflector in place. My eyes drifted over the rest of the tree, and my heart began to race, drowning out the sounds of wildlife.

Zecora’s home! She knows more about medicine than I do! She can help me! I stumbled over tree roots and broke out into the beaten path to the zebra’s hut, moving as quickly as I could. My hoof reached up to knock on the door, but instead planted itself on it with a bang. I steadied myself, managing a few tiny knocks before dropping my hoof to the ground. I stood there for a moment for a response, hoping and hoping that there would be one. None came.

I limped over to one of the windows and peeked inside. “Zecora?” I whispered harshly, starting to cough. “Zecora, wake up! Please!” I couldn’t see anything inside. It was pitch darkness. I went back to the door, kicking my hoof against the bottom. “I need your help!”

Nothing.

“Zecora?” I tried the door, and the latch opened, revealing the dark and cold interior of the hollowed-out tree. I thought of my own home. My head drooped.

I slowly walked inside, looking around, trying to see in the darkness. “Are you home? It’s Fluttershy. Um, I need… I need…”

I need my friends back. I need Equestria back. I need this nightmare to end.

“…You’re gone, too.” I whispered, defeated.

The deadness of the room said ‘yes’.

I closed the door behind me, sliding the large deadbolt into place. Blindly, I fumbled over to a lantern and began rummaging through my saddlebags for my matches. I dropped a few, but finally managed to strike one and quickly light the oily wick, bathing the room in a gentle, orange glow.

Gripping the handle in my mouth, I carried the lantern over to the center of the room, where Zecora’s iron cauldron sat atop a pile of ash. I brushed a hoof against the large pot; feeling how cold the cauldron was. With my ‘better’ foreleg, I dug around in the ash around the base, hoping to find some smoldering coals to rekindle the flames, but it had completely burnt out. My heart ached at the thought of how long this meant the home had been abandoned, and extinguished any hope I had of Zecora coming back home.

I shakily stood up and quickly dried my eyes. With a tiny sniffle, I glanced around the little home with the lantern. Zecora had to have had some wood stored indoors. I spotted a few logs stood near the door, and dragged them over to the fire pit. The firewood was too big to start a fire with, and I gulped at the thought of going back outside. I glanced out the window, listening to the wildlife, straining my ears for the sound of anything dangerous nearby. Maybe I could go without a fire – just for tonight.

My body shuddered uncontrollably, chills quickly following. Was the room always this small and cold? I blinked. The room warped sickeningly, and I closed my eyes with a groan, covering my eyelids with my better foreleg. I needed that fire. I needed warmth.

Sweat covered me like a thin skin, my legs becoming heavier the longer I stood still. Just grab some twigs and a clump of grass, I won’t be long. It’ll be safe. I ambled over to my saddlebags and sluggishly tipped them over, scattering their contents on the floor. One last time, I strapped the bags back on, and turned for the door. A moment later, the bolt slid away with a clack, and the latch hopped up and released the door. I paused to hold my head steady, and then slowly pulled the door open. I peeked out through the gap, shining the lantern outside into the forest. A lump lodged itself in my throat. It was scarier outside now.

For a minute I leant in the doorway, staring into the dark. My ears twitched and swiveled at every sound, and my gaze hopped from bush to bush. There were no foreboding growls and hisses, no hungry eyes staring at me, just the gloomy forest and the sounds of crickets and toads - and my heartbeat.

It was as safe as it was going to be, and it was getting harder to stay focused through the dull throbs in my head.

One, two… My eyes darted from side to side one last time. Three! My legs groggily stumbled forwards, and I trotted to the edges of the path, quickly picking up twigs and stashing them in my saddlebags. Soon I had loosely filled one of my bags with twigs and dry leaves.

The crickets and toads fell silent. With a jolt I stood up straight, quickly looking around and listening intently. A putrid smell surrounded me, and every muscle in my body froze.

A twig snapped. My legs took that as a cue to run, and was I thankful that they did! Snarls and growls chased after me, powerful legs pounding the ground in a precise and determined rhythm. I didn’t dare to look back. I didn’t take my eyes off the doorway to Zecora’s.

Desperately, I tried to unfurl my wings. They wouldn’t budge. My tail was yanked, and my heart leapt in my chest. I dug my hooves in the ground and pulled, biting down on the lantern’s handle so hard that it bent in my grip. I broke free from the beast’s grip and bumbled forwards, scrambling for the door. I leapt into Zecora’s home and slammed the door shut behind me. I jammed the deadbolt in place. In a split second, the door lurched inwards with a crunch, and I screamed at the thought of the door giving in – the lantern in my mouth dropping onto the floor and spilling oil on the floor. The monster clawed and barked at the door, trying to close the last few inches between us. The oil caught alight.

“No! No! No!” The puddle of oil quickly bathed the room in a fiery orange light. I popped the cap off of my canteen and poured the last of my water on the flames. The fire grew enraged and flared up, the flash almost dazzling me. I heard the beast sniff under the door and yelp, retreating in the forest with a whine. I leaped over the flames and grabbed a blanket from Zecora’s bed, backpedaling and throwing the cover over the fire, stamping them out before they could spread any further in the hollow tree. As the last ember was snuffed, I slumped onto my haunches, exhausted and shivering.

Hesitantly, I felt my way across the room for my matches. Holding them in my mouth, I dug a pile of white ash out from under the cauldron, and slotted some logs in its place. I took a bundle of twigs and leaves and stuffed them among the logs, ready to be lit.

I sat motionless for a few moments, considering lighting another match. I brushed my hoof through my mane, trying to clear my thoughts. I wiped the sweat from my forehead.

The match hissed as it flared up, and carefully I fed the flame the tinder I had prepared. In a few minutes a small, controlled fire was heating the room. I stared into the orange flames, and settled down close to them. I was safe now, locked inside a little house far, far away from any Dragons or Diamond Dogs. I breathed deeply, shedding tension I didn’t even know I had. A detached numbness washed over me, letting my wings and legs grow limp and relaxed as the medicine took hold.

Groggily, I focused my eyes on my cuts and bruises, and reached for the medical kit I had dropped on floor among the rest of my saddlebags’ contents. My hoof bumped into Princess Luna’s crown, and my eyes locked on the two pieces of royal headwear.

Equestria was in a terrible state. Horrible fighting raged throughout Canterlot, Diamond Dogs were looting from the dead villages and cities, and the weather and seasons were rapidly changing. Winter weather was already moving in, prompting Philomena to migrate and leave me behind not long after meeting her. If that phoenix was that concerned about the weather, then what did it mean to all the other animals? What about the animals that I took care of? Would the birds migrate safely? Would there be enough food for hibernation? Angel could be in danger, and I had no way of protecting him!

A hot wetness stung my eyes, and this time I did nothing to hold it back. I bowed my head down to the floor, hiding my face from the lifeless crowns staring at me. I shouldn’t be here. I shouldn’t have been spared. If there was ever a chance of saving Equestria, then it was wasted on me. I had tried to keep my head up and tried to do what was right, but in the end it was useless. I wasn’t strong enough, not brave enough; I couldn’t even protect the Elements of Harmony when they were right at my hooves. The only things left that symbolized who my friends were and our friendship together had been split up in the chaos that riddled Canterlot.

I rolled onto my back and stared up at the ceiling, my chest being racked by quiet sobs. My heart ached, and my breaths were shallow. I’d lost all of my friends; the girls, Spike, Discord, and Angel. They had been stolen away from me one way or another. A part of me felt that I was never going to see them again. This was my life now. Living in the remains of the land I called home, hiding from anything that wanted to catch me, and somehow finding a purpose and a reason to keep going on. Twilight would want me to go on. Rainbow Dash wouldn’t accept anything less, and would push me if she could. Pinkie Pie would sing a song to me to cheer me up while Rarity implored me to never lose hope. Applejack would come to me last; tipping her hat and keeping her voice low as she whispered her own words of encouragement. Applejack knew what loss was, and she honestly didn’t wish it upon anypony.

I rolled to my side, looking at the two crowns, but seeing something else entirely. Two stars streaking in the sky, and the thoughtful look on Applejack’s face the night after we all helped her with Applebuck season. The harvest had been finished, and there was no more work to be done. Pinkie had thrown a party in the barn to celebrate, and when everypony was busy having fun, Applejack slipped outside. I had followed her out, finding her staring up at the stars and talking to herself. My ears twitched at how sad her words were, and I couldn’t turn away without making sure my friend was okay.

She was embarrassed to see me, pulling her hat over her eyes and forcing a smile. “Gettin’ some fresh air too, huh? It gets a mite bit stuffy in that barn sometimes.”

I nodded, sitting beside the farmer and looking up at the sky. I could hear her shifting uncomfortably, but I didn’t know what to say first, or how to say it. I knew in my heart that something was on her mind, and I could feel her nervous glances watching me. She was having a private moment, and I had walked in on it and hadn’t left her alone.

“I’m sorry.” I whispered.

“What for, Fluttershy?” Applejack tried to catch a stray tear, but it fell down her cheek in plain sight.

I tipped my head away from her, pretending I didn’t see anything, wishing I hadn’t invaded her space like this. My mane fell forwards, hiding my friend from view. “I’m sorry for bothering you…”

A short sigh of relief escaped Applejack’s mouth. “No harm done, partner. Just needed a moment on my own is all.”

Even now, I don’t know how I had the nerve to ask, how I even had the courage to press a little further. Applejack was hiding something, and I could see it eating her inside out. The sight tugged at my strings, begging for to me to say something.

“I heard you talking to the stars, Applejack, are you…” I murmured and turned to face her, and my heart leapt in my throat – she was as pale as a sheet. “Are you okay?”

The dam broke, and I felt so awful for doing it. I didn’t mean to make her cry. She needed it, but by Celestia I wish it wasn’t me who had to make it happen. Applejack dipped her head down and wept openly. In seconds I pulled her into a hug, stammering and crying too. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to! Please don’t be sad!”

I was the last one to stop crying. I felt ashamed of myself; never had I made anypony cry in my life, and it was horrible. Applejack gave an assuring smile – a real smile – and convinced me that it was okay. She started to tell me everything on her mind; she told me about her parents.

It was something she didn’t like to talk about, but Applejack needed somepony to listen, and I happened to be that pony. “I didn’t have to push myself,” she explained, “Nopony expected me to after what happened – that’s why Granny let me go to Manehatten when I was just a lil’ filly. But leavin’ the farm for good wouldn’t have been fair. It wouldn’t have been fair to Granny Smith and Big Macintosh; it wouldn’t have been fair to Applebloom, and it sure as sugar wouldn’t have been fair to my parents. When I got my Cutie Mark, I knew that I wanted to make my Ma and Pa proud, and to make Sweet Apple Acres a farm that will last for generations.”

“Do you think they’re proud of you?” I hesitantly asked, worried that I’d open another wound.

Applejack looked at me, her face blank. She quickly cast a glance into the sky, and my eyes followed just in time to see two shooting stars race in the night sky. “I hope so.” Applejack sighed. “I don’t work so hard just for Big Macintosh, Granny, and lil’ Applebloom. I do it for them, too.”

She turned back to me, her green eyes shimmering. “They wanted this farm to prosper through not only their own labor, but through the whole family’s efforts. As long as we all did our best, we did our part.” Applejack turned around to look over the vast grove of harvested apple trees. “When it was just Mac and I working out here, we picked up the slack – doing the work of four ponies every day. It was the only way the farm was going to thrive, and it was the only way to make our parent’s wishes come true. Now that we’re so close to that dream, I’m hoping Ma and Pa are looking down on us, full of pride.”

Applejack fell silent, but this time she had a smile on her face. Fresh tears began forming in her eyes, threatening to burst and shatter her expression. Carefully, I leant over and wrapped my wing around her. “Go on,” I whispered, “I’m listening.”

Her eyes drifted downwards, but her smile remained. She was silent for few minutes, and I stayed beside her patiently, letting her think in peace. The Earth pony’s eyes gradually shut, and she took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. “The best thing we all can do is keep the memories of others alive. It’s been years now, but it’s like they never left, because my folks have been in here, always.” She tapped the side of her head, and adjusted her hat. She sniffed and rubbed her nose. “Once we’ve done what our folks set out to do, it won’t be them who can rest. Nah, they’re already at ease. It’ll be the rest of us. We can put our minds to rest knowin’ that we all did good an’ did our best. That’ll take a load off my mind.”

In a blink I was back in Zecora’s hut, still staring at the crowns on the floor. The gears in my head spun and whirred, working through the headache and fever. I had a reason to go on, I had a purpose. The Elements of Harmony had to be reunited. It could take my whole life to do, but I could bring my friends back together – by finding each of our Elements. Recovering the entire set would keep my friends together, not scattered apart like we were before everything changed. My eyes fell to the floor. I knew I couldn’t bring them back, but doing this would help me. I hoped it would.

My head bobbed, agreeing with the task I was setting myself. With a long and draining yawn, I closed my heavy eyelids, and settled down to sleep. The muffled sounds of the forest buzzed outdoors, and inside the comforting crackle of the fire filled my ears. At last there was peace, comfort, and safety.

One day, I thought, my friends and I will be together again.

“What a touching sentiment,” said a voice.

My eyes nearly popped out of my skull. I leapt onto my hooves and spun around in shock, searching for the owner. I was surrounded by a dark, purple smoke, with barely enough light to see my hoof in front of my face.

“Too bad it won’t change anything; you’ll still be alone.” The voice was near, and constantly changing from male to female and back again. My ears twitched and jerked at every sound, while prickles ran up my spine. I started to back away, keeping my eyes wide open and alert for the anything lurking in the purple fog. I knew this place from somewhere, and it meant terrifying things, but everywhere I looked was an endless mass of purple fog. I had nowhere to run.

“Imagine you found all of your precious Elements, hmm? Better yet, let’s act out a little play!” The voice laughed as six puffs of smoke separated from the endless mass and rapidly transformed into an exact copy of the Elements of Harmony. Before I could react, the Element of Kindness flew over to me and attached itself around my neck, while the others began to float around me. The voice continued, becoming deeper and deeper with each breath. “So you’ve got your Elements of Harmony, now what do you do? Put them aside somewhere and carry out the rest of your life alone? Hope they somehow vanquish the evil in the world? Don’t tell me you think you can bring everypony back from their eternal prison!”

“W-who are you?!” I stuttered, cowering where I stood.

There was a pause, and suddenly a shadowy mass rose up in front of me, taking on the silhouette of a floating Dragon head. It looked down at me with a wide grin. “I am your nightmare, Fluttershy.”

I shrieked and turned flee, galloping away from the hysterical laughter of the ghastly figure. The Elements circling around followed me, and began to glow – including my own.

A serpent-like shadow flew up from the ground, levelling its hollow gaze with mine. I backpedaled with a scream, much to the joy of the shadow. It looked just like Discord.

“What’s the matter?” A distant voice chided. “Can’t take a little prank? Well you will never have to deal with this creature again!” The Discord shadow burst into nothingness and reappeared behind me, this time with a forlorn expression on his face.

The voice didn’t stop its taunts, and summoned the silhouettes of Princess Celestia and Luna to join Discord. “These huffy and puffy sisters are also out of the picture! Now you’ll never be told what to do ever again!” The smoke started to shape up a small form, and a ghostly image of Angel Bunny looking mortified appeared.

“No!” I whimpered.

“Yes! Yes, yes, yes!” the shadow voice sang in joy. “This little scamp won’t be throwing tantrums near you for a long time. Sooner or later, he’ll probably become some creature’s dinner too!”

“Angel…” I sniffled. My hoof passed through the form like it weren’t there. Tears were streaming down my cheeks, but the nightmare was far from over. Seconds later, an outline of Spike reaching out for something materialized and filled itself in.

“There isn’t any room for wimpy ‘Dragons’ like this one, it’s either grow up or get crushed – and let me say that this softie’s chances are not looking good.”

I stared down at the floor, trying to stop myself from shaking. “And last of all,” the voice cackled, "Your super special friends are never, ever coming back!” The Elements began to crack, and in a rapid chain, they all shattered and broke, quickly disintegrating into smoke, taking the ghostly silhouettes with them.

Laughter ran in my ears, cementing my hooves where they were. Fearfully, I lifted my head up, coming face to face with a pair of empty eye sockets and a bloodthirsty grin. “So, by all means chase after those useless pieces of jewellery. I give you about a month before you become a Dragon’s breakfast. In the meantime…” the shadow floated over to my ear, and could barely contain itself as it whispered. “Sweet dreams, Fluttershy.”

The Hunt

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I was burning. The heat was unbearable and soaring higher and higher. In moments I had been pulled out of my nightmare and back into reality, straight into fever and nausea. Panting and sore, I dragged myself over to Zecora’s bed, moving away from the firepit’s warmth. I buried my face in the blankets, hiding my eyes away from the room that wouldn’t stop spinning around me. I tried to hold on - clinging onto the bed and holding onto every breath I took. It was no use; I could feel the inevitable coming in my gut.

My head shot upright as I gagged, my lungs burning. I fumbled off to the side, pulling an empty pot in front of me, just as my sickness reared itself. A few moments later, I pushed the pot aside and leant against Zecora’s bed. Every breath scratched at my throat and lungs, the horrible, bitter taste lingering on my tongue. I collected up my canteens, only to find a few drops in each. My throat was being rubbed by sandpaper, I needed water. I needed it more than anything.

A spigot caught my eye; it was connected to a large barrel that was fed by a pipe leading outside through a hole in the ceiling. Before I really considered it, I was already leaning against the barrel, twisting the valve open. Clear, cool water poured out, splashing down onto the floor. I leant down and started drinking as much water as I could, eventually just dropping into the puddle and lying underneath the steady stream of water. The water soaked into my coat, whisking away the sticky sweat and dirt, chilling the burning sting of my scabs. The feeling couldn’t last though; I was wasting drinking water – and it didn’t even belong to me. Ashamed, I closed the valve, but continued to lie in the puddle of water on the floor, wishing it would stay cool until I felt better.

The pain started to flare up in no time at all. I gurgled in the puddle and rolled onto my back, and raised my hooves in the air to see the cuts on them. Some had scabbed over without any problems, but the larger wounds were still open, slowly oozing out blood and gunk I didn’t want to think hard about. Carefully, I pored over the rest of my body. Why I was sick was no mystery. My head rolled to the side, casting my gaze to my saddlebags. It was a bit late for it, but I needed to treat the wounds to stop them from getting any worse.

It was an automatic process; unpack the sanitizing wipes, brace for the sting, clean the wounds, apply a bandage. Repeat. While I worked, my thoughts carried me over to the nightmare I had. This was the second dream of its kind. The world was shrouded in smoke and darkness, and somepony or something was there, stalking me, chiding me, and saying the things I didn’t want to hear. It was horrible for talking about everyone that way. Why was it saying those things? How I could I stop it? It was a bad dream; I couldn’t do anything to stop them from happening. The best I could do was not let them get to me. After all, my thoughts echoed. Nightmares can’t hurt me.

The worst of my cuts now on the road to recovery, I started to unravel the dirty bandage on my foreleg. It had been days since I had checked how my foreleg was healing, and I was expecting the worst because of it. A wave of relief flowed over me when I saw that the cut was fine. It hadn’t been disturbed or harmed over the past few days, and didn’t appear to have reopened at all while I went to and from Canterlot. Curiously, I prodded it with my hoof, and bit my tongue when searing flames shot up my leg. Okay, so it hadn’t quite miraculously healed. Taking a fresh roll of bandages, I wrapped up my leg once more, and packed my kit away.

I wiped the sweat off of my brow and shivered. Sleepily, I stood up onto my hooves and wandered across the room, feeding the firepit another log. I stared outside through a window, trying to see the sky. The canopy however, completely blocked away the sky, and I couldn’t tell if the dim light outside was due to night or a cloudy day. Drearily, I rested my head on the cold glass, closing my eyes and listening to the sounds of the forest all around me.

Birds and little critters scurried around, enjoying the fresh air and nice weather. Squirrels scampered in the tall grass, gathering acorns before the cold weather was scheduled to arrive. And bunnies hopped along the banks of a full and flowing stream of fresh water. Summer was gone in Equestria, and autumn was overseeing the preparations for winter. The season, while it meant I would have to say goodbye to most of my little friends until next spring, was a beautiful time of year. There was no other time that the landscape could be painted in lovely shades of gold, orange and brilliant red, and the skies full with flocks of birds flying south.

I was hovering above a wide clearing in Whitetail Wood, helping a family of chipmunks gather up food. The Running of the Leaves was coming soon, but the forest was happily raining down shimmers of jeweled leaves ahead of the stampede.

Gathering up a dozen nuts, I floated down to the ground, leaving them in a small pile for the busy chipmunks to claim and take with them. I heard a few small cheers from the trees, the little critters thanking me, and began walking home.

A rumble of thunder echoed overhead, and I frowned at the greying skies. I didn’t know it was supposed to rain today, did I miss a memo?

The tone of the forest changed; concerned squeaks and calls rang out, and in moments the critters were rushing out of the trees and seeking shelter on the forest floor. A massive crash exploded nearby, and a tree to my right exploded from a bolt of lightning. I squealed in shock hid behind a fallen tree trunk, and peered over the edge at the charred tree. A terrible chill of horror ran up my spine, and I darted into the air and over to the burnt birch. Frantically, I searched for anyone who had been hurt, pushing fallen limbs aside and scouring the ground around me. Alarmed cries called for me, and my ears pointed me to them. The chipmunks were telling me to get out of the open and that the lightning was going to strike me. I looked up at the sky, and froze in place as a thunderhead unleashed a pure bolt of electricity straight into me.

My body jolted backwards, and I stumbled on my hind legs and fell onto the floor. My heart was racing, and my chest felt like it was locked up tight. I stared up at the ceiling, wondering why it was spinning, and what had just happened. I couldn’t take it anymore. I clambered onto my hooves, and rushed over to the pot I had used earlier.

There were more bad dreams after that. And more often than not, I woke up dizzy and nauseated. A storm raged outside, but I couldn’t remember when it had started or how long it had been going for. Somehow I had drunk down all of the cough medicine I had, hoping it would give some sort of relief to the fever burning across my forehead. My pain pills were still left over, but I avoided taking them just in case it wasn’t safe for another dose. How much time had passed while I slept? How long had it been since I left Canterlot? The leafy ceiling of the Everfree Forest made it difficult to know, and the dark shadow that the storm cast from above made it seem like day didn’t exist anymore.

After another frightening but forgettable dream, I didn’t want to go back to sleep. Trying to rest only left me kicking and screaming myself awake, and it only made my sickness grow worse and tire me more. I needed to relax and pass the time until I felt safe enough to go back to sleep. For a little while, I tried to focus on going back to Canterlot; what I would have to do to not be chased and hunted, and how I would get out of the city when it was time to go. If Philomena’s warning was correct, it would be too risky to catch a strong wind current out of the city again, because the wind could be much more powerful – too much for me to handle. Following the road down the mountain would be safer, but if I have to escape Diamond Dogs or Dragons, it would be too easy for them to find me. Why couldn’t I be a strong flier like Rainbow Dash? She would’ve been up and down that mountain in no time, and would’ve been more than ready to face the worst headwinds the mountain could throw at her. Me? I would be thrown everywhere. Attitude, altitude – all blended and confused. I’d be thrown into a corkscrew! Spinning and swirling and…

The familiar bitter taste in my mouth made itself known and I bolted upright, the head rush leaving me feeling incredibly dizzy. Without a second thought I leant over the side of the bed and held myself over the pot I had left on the floor.

This is unbearable, I thought as I hurried back indoors with an empty - and rinsed - pot. A quick glance through the gaps in the canopy revealed that it was daylight, but darkened by the stormy skies. While it was worth knowing, going outside like this was dangerous. Even though I was careful and quick, I was barely able to trot in a straight line. It was easy for anything out there to catch me, but for some reason I had been left alone. Maybe the scary monsters of the Everfree Forest don’t eat sick ponies? I sputtered out a raspy giggle; it was a silly thought, but funny anyway.

Placing the bedside pot back where it belonged, my dry throat started to itch. My canteens were right next to the pillow, but empty, so I took one over to Zecora’ s rainwater tank and filled it up. I fought the urge to let it spill onto the floor for me to roll in, and reluctantly closed the valve when the canteen was full. I sat down on my haunches, taking tiny and considerate sips. I hadn’t eaten in a long time, and my gut wasn’t too keen on water either, but it was important to drink water, even if it did nothing to sooth my headache and fever, or cure the horrible burning itch underneath my scabs.

I replaced the cap to my canteen, and set it down on the floor. The firepit was burning away on a log I had added a few hours ago, and the cauldron’s brew was filling the room with a floral aroma. What was it that she was making? Did she have a book open somewhere; a recipe for it, perhaps?

Slowly I stood back up onto my hooves, and started looking over the zebra’s small collection of books and her stored potions and ingredients. Curiously, I took a closer look at some of the labels. Enaroot Bone Repair; D.D.T. – Draught for Damaged Teeth; Teal Fern Wound Treatment – there seemed to be a potion or remedy for every condition! I looked down onto the table, reading the names of several books. A few seemed very old, and were written with words I didn’t recognise, but one of them was very familiar. It was Zecora’s copy of Supernaturals, the book that had the cure for Poison Joke.

With nothing else to do except wait out my sickness and the storm, I took the book and settled down to read it on Zecora’s bed. Inside were more than just recipes for herbal remedies and useful brews, but a small guide on every ingredient the book found a use for. A strange stinging plant called a “Nettle” apparently made a good tea or stew, while also being a good anaesthetic; there were also pages for Phoenix feathers and Timberwolf bark, describing each item’s unique properties and uses.

I turned a few more pages, stopping on a recipe for a fever- relieving medicine. The corner of the page had been folded over, and a few drops had stained the pages in the past. Maybe Zecora brewed these often? My eyes widened at the potential, and I quickly read through the list of ingredients. I glanced across the room, looking over the selection of ingredients Zecora had stored. I looked back and forth between the book and what I could see in her shelves and hanging from her ceiling. Clambering out of bed, I trotted over to a table and reopened the book on the relevant page. Scanning over the many herbs, I flicked through the book, looking up the ingredients and comparing their descriptions and illustrations. I could feel a small joy cheer in my chest; every ingredient was in the hut, right down to the yarrow growing in a window sill. Pain pills were not meant to soothe fevers, and my cough medicine was long gone, trying my hoof at brewing wouldn’t hurt, would it?

But none of the ingredients belong to me. It would be stealing to use them. I stopped what I was doing. It was true; even though the ingredients would perish in another week, I should still ask permission before taking them, but…

I slumped onto the floor, burying my face in my hooves. This wasn’t just stealing; this was grave robbing. How could I do that? Even with how horrible things are, how does that give me the right to steal? What happened to Equestria doesn’t give the Diamond Dogs or Dragons the right to take what they want, so how is my situation different?

“I have a need for it…” I murmured, wiping my eyes and brow. “I don’t want to steal, but I need to get well. I need to have a place to sleep and water to drink.” I tipped my head back, barely speaking louder than a whisper. “You… You would understand that, right?”

The silence in the room said ‘yes’.

I looked down at the floor, and closed my eyes. In the end, it doesn’t really matter. I have to survive. I can’t let my namesake get in the way of that. I rose back onto all four hooves, and started reading the recipe off, hoping it would be worth the crime in the long run. “Thank you…” I whispered, staining the recipe page with a couple of tears.

My hoof poked at the smoldering pile of ash in the center of the room. The fire had long since burnt out, and there were no more logs indoors to feed it. A growl escaped my stomach on cue. It was time to move on, not just to find food, but to get back to Canterlot.

I stretched out my wings and legs, feeling a gentle tug on each scab on my dirty, yellow coat. Maybe another night wouldn’t hurt? I wondered. The sickness I had recovered from had really thrown me through a loop, but the blur of melded days reminded me that I couldn’t spend another day resting. I needed to beat the winter front to Canterlot. If a freezing storm moved in while I scoured the city, then I would be up against more than just the vicious invaders there. Would there be a city left to visit now, though? What about the mean Dragons and cruel Diamond Dogs? My wings shivered at the thought.

Glancing around Zecora’s home, I quickly made sure I had everything I needed, and had left a note for Zecora – just in case I was wrong about her... being gone. There was an accusing pang in my head, but I knew that I was taking what I needed, not what I wanted. I held onto that thought, long enough until the guilt eased. It didn’t completely go away though.

I opened up my saddlebags one more time, checking on the glass bottles inside. Each bottle was filled with a variety of medicines, all providing treatment to fevers and wounds and even broken bones. I noted Zecora’s copy of Supernaturals nestled among the potions – with Philomena’s feather wedged inside a bookmark. I muttered that I needed to take good care of the book, as it would be my guide for finding replacement herbs for the ones I took, and for the potions I was absconding with. The remedies inside the pages could also become a life saver in the future, if not a way to take my mind off of bad things, like theft. I shook my head, it’s not stealing. I closed the bags up and made sure they were secure. The small hole in one of the bags caught my eye once more, but I decided to leave it for now; I didn’t have much daylight left today to gather food and leave the forest.

Quietly, I approached the door. Instinctively, my mind focused on the muffled sounds of the outdoors, and my ears twitched in anticipation. Some birds were chirping, insects buzzing, but nothing unusual for the Everfree Forest; home of the most unusual – and dangerous – creatures. Maybe the stormy weather had driven the much more frightening creatures deeper into the forest, or at least away from here.

A sharp, nervous breath escaped me. My hoof reached for the door, quivering in frayed excitement. Even outside of the Everfree Forest, the land was going to be dangerous place. Equestria had become a shadow of the home I once knew. The thoughts had lurked in my fevered head for days now, tainting my dreams. My friends… No. I couldn’t think about that. Not the bad things, only good things. There was only one good thing to think about though, one thing to stay focused on; the peace I would feel for bringing the Elements of Harmony back together. My friends would appreciate that.

The deadbolt slid aside with a scrape and clunk, and slowly I lifted the latch and eased the door open. The busy sounds of the wildlife poured into my ears, either unafraid or unaware of what could be hiding nearby. I swung the door open, and cautiously inched outside, scanning the trees and bushes. The damp soil and rejuvenated plants clouded my head; the rain had refreshed life in the Everfree, and coaxed me out from the stale and dry air indoors. I took a deep breath.

That was when I smelled it; Timberwolves. I whirled around in place, feeling every muscle in my body lock up at the sight of the lumbering beast dropping down from above. The Timberwolf landed between the doorway and me, and slowly approached. I turned again, this time to run, only to see more wolves had joined. My eyes darted around in a panic. There had to be an escape, a gap I could run though – anything! The wolves had formed a circle around me, where could I run? I stared up at the thick canopy, spying a tiny gap allowing sunlight to pass through. Without another second, I threw myself upward, forcing my wings to lift me up as high as they could. At the same time, two wolves pounced after me. They narrowly missed me, and instead crashed into each other and fell into dozens of pieces. Desperately, I pumped my stiff wings to lift me further from their reach, but I could not squeeze through the branches and leaves keeping me from the sky. I dived down and through the tree line, escaping the circle the wolves had created. Not wanting to give up so quickly, their barks and growls soon followed me, announcing the chase.

Bushes and branches whizzed past me, my gaze barely even registering them unless they were in my path. Where was I even going? Away from the Timberwolves, that’s all that mattered. I swerved around tree trunks, slipping between branches and bushes. The howls began to slowly fade in the distance, if I could just move a little faster…

My wings snarled up in some hanging vines, yanking my body into a backwards somersault. With a yelp I careened upwards, the whole forest being flipped upside down in an instant. The vines snapped and fell away, sending me flailing in the air and crashing through thin branches and twigs. I came down with a heavy thud, winding myself on a branch not far from the forest floor. I blindly clung onto it, my eyes seeing only greens and browns, my sore lungs begging for air.

The hunt was still on, and the hunters were closing in fast. Painfully I pulled myself further onto the tree limb, trying to get out of view. Two Timberwolves came charging out of the bushes below, skidding to a stop beneath me, their eyes focused ahead. I softened my breath, even though my lungs burned for more air, and watched the wolves sniff at the ground. They swiveled their gaze left and right for any sign of where I went, grumbling loudly in frustration. I held onto the branch for dear life, not making a peep. Please don’t look up, please don’t look up.

The Timberwolves circled around, trying to track their prey. They were growing impatient, and were losing their will to keep searching. Distant howls snaked through the trees, and the wolves responded with their own. They’re giving up!

My body started to slip off the branch under the weight of my saddlebags. Gritting my teeth, I quietly shifted and leant forward. Moments later, I saw a small bottle fall to the floor, shattering on a rock and scattering shards and pills all over. The wolves shot a glance over to the sound, and looked up into the branches, narrowing a furious glare at me. I glanced at my saddlebags, spotting the hole in them again, and offered the wolves a nervous giggle and shrug. This only made them snarl and leap up to attack. I hoisted myself up onto the branch, almost falling into the beast’s grasp, and shakily hugged the tree for balance. My eyes cast themselves downwards, straight into the maw of the vicious animals trying to catch me. I buried my face into the tree, whimpering and starting to cry.

The tree shook, and reluctantly I looked back down. A wolf was climbing up the tree. He reached a paw up, his claws physically fusing with the tree’s bark, and rapidly came up after me. I pushed away from the tree, fumbling along the branch as the climbing Timberwolf joined me. With barely enough balance, I launched off the branch, gliding down in a quick dive, landing not far in front of the waiting wolf below. He leapt at me, grazing my neck with his sharp claws, and chased me through the forest. My heart was working overtime, the only sounds reaching my head being the hard beats from my chest and the terrifying rattle of the wooden monster behind me.

In moments we broke out into the open, the stone ruins of the Old Castle revealing itself in the distance, and the massive gorge rushing up to me. With every ounce of strength I had, I jumped into the air, throwing my wings open to glide across. The Timberwolf leapt after me, grabbing me by the tail. I screamed and struggled to stay aloft, but the weight of the creature was pulling me down too fast. I slammed into the edge of the cliff, shaking off and shattering the predator against the wall. My forelegs flailed in front, digging in the ground for a stable hold, while my wings buzzed in frenzy. Soon I was on solid ground, but still far from safety. More wolves had shown up on the other side of the gorge, and one of them was hastily building itself up with fallen branches and sticks. I stumbled forwards, heading for the steps of the Old Castle. Behind me, a massive Timberwolf finished the construction of bigger version of itself, and stretched over the gorge with ease. The moment its front paws touched the other side, the giant creature deliberately collapsed with a crash, with the original wolf leaping from the carnage. The remaining logs and branches settled in place, forming a sturdy wooden bridge across the gap.

I gasped at the sight, have Timberwolves always been that powerful? Have they always been that clever too? The distraction took my eyes off the path, and I tripped over a rock sticking out of the soil. I fell head first into the dirt, and slumped onto the ground in a daze. The wolves closed in, their furious cries filling the air. Groggily, I focused on the wolves, and then spun my head around to the Old Castle. It was so close, but the wolves were almost on me. I pushed myself upright and made a final sprint for the ruins, my hooves barely tracing a straight line to them. I felt the ground change from dirt to stone, and I began to make my way up the first few steps of the ruins. The snarls and howling stopped.

Without stopping, I chanced a glimpse behind me. Half a dozen wolves stared back, all at the bottom of the stone steps, refusing to take a step further. The barked at me in defiance and turned away, retreating back into the forest. Distracted again, I ran into the wooden doors at the top of the stone stairs.

Groaning, I picked myself up again, and pushed opened one of the doors, slipping inside the old stone walls of the Old Castle. Seconds later the door was closed, and it’s wooden bar was slid into place in case the Timberwolves, or something else entirely, tried to follow.

Rubbing a growing lump on the side of my head, I placed my saddlebags on the floor of the main hall. It didn’t matter if was only a bump or a little scratch. I had learnt my lesson; putting off treatment was inviting a few days of illness. I didn’t want to go through that again. So out came the medical box. I made sure that I cleaned the bumps I had in case there were tiny cuts there, as well as took care of the scratches and splinters scattered all over. The bandage on my left foreleg was overdue for changing, and so I unraveled it. Underneath was a tender and sore spot that stung at the touch of fresh air. Gritting my teeth, I cleaned it with the last of the sanitizing wipes, and wrapped it up with the last clean bandage I had. Other than a box of adhesive bandages, the kit was empty, and with the last of my pain pills being lost in the forest, I only had Zecora’s potions to rely on for now.

With a great deal of care, I pulled each bottle out of my saddlebags, being careful to not get cut if there was any broken glass. Lucky for me, the selection of potions were unscathed, and nothing else had gone missing – the book, my scarf, my sewing kit, and the Princesses’ crowns.

My brow furrowed as I gazed at the crowns. I couldn’t take them everywhere I went. I was going to need to the space to store supplies and the each Element of Harmony. I needed to leave them somewhere where nothing else would think of looking. I looked around, my sight landing on the old display the Elements used to sit on, back when they were stone orbs. They had been there for hundreds of years before Twilight led us all to them, even though countless creatures lived in the forest. If there was a safe to keep the crowns, it would be here.

Maybe there was a reason the Elements had been left alone? After all, the Timberwolves that had chased me refused to follow me up the stairs. They seemed afraid to touch the stone, and quickly turned around and gave up. If there wasn’t something about the Castle keeping all the creatures at bay, then there was at least something in here that was keeping me safe from the wolves.

Quietly, I packed my saddlebags up, and picked up the lantern still stood by the door. I made my way to the throne room, pondering over what history this place could have, or what would make the Timberwolves behave so strangely. The truth was that I didn’t really know anything about either. I didn’t know this castle existed until I met Twilight, and my knowledge of animals didn’t have anything about the strange wooden creatures.

I trotted into the throne room. The whole space was bathed in orange light from the setting sun, bringing welcoming warmth through the windows. As I approached the steps to where the throne would have stood, I placed my unlit lantern on the floor and started to open my saddlebags. As I stopped at the steps, I pulled out Princess Luna’s crown, and gently lowered it to the steps. I did the same with Princess Celestia’s crown, resting it close the crown of her sister’s. It felt right to leave them here, sitting where the thrones would be. If the ruins proved to be a safe place to leave things here, then this would also be the best place to bring the Elements of Harmony. Leaving them in the same place we found them, the same place where my life changed into something truly wonderful.

I bowed my head and closed my eyes. I missed all of my friends. I missed the girls; I missed Spike, Angel, and Discord. What could I do for them? What could I do for the baby dragon and the old, reformed draconequus? Would I see Angel sometime in the future? The pets my friends kept? How about my little animal friends? I had a lot of friends; I should’ve spent more time with them.

Slowly, I turned around, and ambled over to the lantern, taking a moment to strike a match and light it. Dusk was giving way to the night, and it would be too risky to start heading for Canterlot tonight. I stretched my wings and legs out, feeling a gentle tug on the last few scabs I had. Another night wouldn’t hurt, huh Fluttershy?

I sat myself down by a window, and decided to repair the hole in my saddlebags as I waited for night to come, and for sleep to beckon shortly after.

Fragments

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In mere moments, I was no longer in the castle. I kept my eyes closed, listening carefully to the gentle hum that had replaced the buzzing of bugs and rustle of leaves. The old and damp smell of the castle’s floors and wall, along with the refreshing scent of healthy leaves and flowers in the breeze, all vanished and were replaced by dense, odourless air. I took a gentle breath. It was still alien, like the rest of the world that had been manufactured around me in the span of a few seconds. I could feel my mane falling to my sides and spilling across the gelled floor pushing against me. I could feel the very mood of the space change from that of the wild and ultimately dangerous Everfree Forest to something that had been given physical form inside my own mind by magic.

“Fluttershy?” whispered a gentle voice. A saddened sigh escaped me in response. I didn’t want to talk to her right now.

The humming echoed inside my chest, shaking the weight I had pushed into my gut. I tightened my eyelids shut. Nopony needed to see what was buried, nopony could be hurt if I kept it in control and found a better use for it. But there was nopony to hurt. The pressure rose. Tears started to build.

“I’m sorry, Fluttershy. I know you’re angry,” the mare’s voice apologised. “But it was not without the best intentions.”

You lied to me. I couldn’t speak. If I opened my mouth there would be no stopping it, and I shuddered at the thought, and the temptation, to just let it out – to just scream and scream at the voice until the world around me shattered and swallowed me whole. You told me everypony was okay, but they’re not. They’re all gone.

“I cannot say anything more about it, little one. The risk of worsening your condition by speaking too freely is all but a guarantee now.”

But you led me on. You made me want to remember because of what you assured me. The last two meetings came to mind. The soft words about how the mare was my friend, about how everypony wanted to know what had happened to me in the last few months – even the deliberate use of magic to soothe and calm me – had all been used to make me willing to go through whatever it was that I obviously didn’t want to remember. I don’t want to go through the heartache again. I don’t want to remember any more.

“I know how it feels, Fluttershy-“

With a grunt I clenched my teeth, and tears started to slide down my cheeks. How can I believe you? I’m sorry, but I just can’t do it anymore. My friends, the little fillies and colts, even little Spike… Oh Celestia, why did I have to remember any of that? Why do you want me to relive another second of it?

There was a pause in the space. The dense air somehow felt even heavier; the floor seeming like it was sagging under the stress.

“I can’t answer that.” the voice said.

My breaths became ragged and desperate; the floodgates were threatening to burst. I had never been this angry before. I had never felt this betrayed or used. Each breath I took I held onto for as long as possible. I had to keep my emotions under control.

Please. Leave me alone. I need to be alone.

I thought I heard the voice stumble on her words. “I wish I could, Fluttershy, but the spell allows me to see and hear everything, you know that already.”

Then end the spell, I immediately thought.

“Fluttershy!” she gasped, “Doing that will wipe away not just the memories you’ve recovered, but even things from much further back! The damage it could cause-“

I couldn’t control myself anymore. It was too much. In a split second I was off the floor and airborne – staring through glassy eyes into the vast collage of greys and splotches of colour. “Let me go!” I heard myself beg. “Just let me go!” My wings didn’t wait for an answer. As fast as they could, they whisked me up through the shimmering planes and increasingly cluttered collections of shapes. Through misty eyes I saw blurs of colour and distortion whooshing past, but I tore through without paying any attention; I had to get out. There was nothing that I wanted more than being free.

The voice’s screams pierced through, trying to slow me down, “No, Fluttershy! You mustn’t leave!” A blue strip formed out of the formless sky and lunged out for me. I dived down steeply, narrowly missing its touch. The mare yelled again, but this time she was angry, and more tendrils flew out of the abyss after me. “Do you not realise what you’re doing? Stop this instant! Fluttershy!”

There was no turning back. I couldn’t control myself, I couldn’t do this anymore. I had to get out – I had to get out now. Forgetting everything would set me free; I wouldn’t be a prisoner inside my own memories.

There was a spark off to my right, and from it came an inky darkness spreading through the air and fusing with everything it touched. I turned my head towards it, not slowing down for a heartbeat, and watched it mix into somepony’s face. Wait, it was not a pony, it was a Diamond Dog. He was staring straight at me, his yellow teeth showing through a smug and menacing grin.

“Seize the pony!” he cried. “Take her away to the mines!”

The blood drained away from my face, and the pain spurring me on turned into pure terror. With a yelp I turned my head away, flapping my wings as fast they could move to escape. The world around me was no longer grey, it was dark and suffocating. Flame torches dotted the path I flew along, though the light fell on nothing but the forelegs in front of my face. With nowhere else to go, I followed them – they had to lead somewhere, right?

Behind me I could hear the bloodthirsty howls and barks of countless dogs in pursuit, almost drowning out the furious chants of the hunters, “Capture the pony! Tie her down!”

“Why are you doing this?” I screamed over the vicious howls. There were no explanations, only more dogs joining the chase. The chanting grew louder and louder:

“Capture the pony! Tie her down! Send her to work deep underground!”

An iron cage rushed out of the shadows, trapping me inside. The door slammed behind me, announcing what the Diamond Dogs wanted to hear. In seconds the cage was surrounded by dozens of pairs of eyes and sets of grinning teeth. The barks and cries of the hounds rang in my ears, their chant a victory song.

“Capture the pony! Tie her down! Send her to work deep underground!”

My eyes darted from side to side, my hooves hopelessly pushed against the bars. I was trapped. “No, No! Please let me go!” the words barely reached my ears, drowned out by my sobs and the roar of countless dogs peering inside the cage with satisfaction. I hid behind my mane and hooves. This was a nightmare, a horrible nightmare!

I slammed against the walls, again and again, each impact causing the vision to flicker and arc around me. I kicked harder and harder, knocking the breath out of my own lungs. The dogs’ song tried to cut through me, but I wasn’t going to give up. With one final buck, my hind legs broke through, shattering the vision into pieces. I glanced around, catching sight of the dogs fizzling out into nothingness. The sounds died with them, and in moments I was drifting in an endless expanse of bright light and silence, staring at the hole I had opened and been sucked through. Had I escaped? Had I broken free from the spell?

What spell?

My ears twitched, and I spun around to face the source. There were voices, panicked and frightened. I threw my wings down, twisting my body around in the space and propelling me forwards. Gradually the voices became clear enough to understand them.

“What’s going on? Why is this happening?” said a young mare’s voice – or maybe it was not a pony? I couldn’t tell. “She’s in pain. You’ve got to stop!”

Me? Is she talking about me? What was I listening to?

A cold, wet cloth strip was wiped across my forehead, and the shock stirred my senses. I may have been flying in… I don’t know where, but I was aware of another place entirely. I could hear skittish steps scraping on a wooden floor, a number of metallic, shimmering rings in distinct tones, and someone to my far right grunting as if they were lifting something heavy.

“Fluttershy!” another voice rang out, much closer than the last and with a raspy tone fitting for a colt.

He knows my name. How do I know him?

Something gripped my left foreleg, holding on tight and refusing to let go. Four points dug into my leg, and though it hurt, it felt… Welcomed. Everything in my mind went blank, and I brought my gaze to my leg. There was nothing visibly there, but I could feel it. It was as if it were a ghost holding onto me. My wings fell out of sync and left me floating in the light, but I barely noticed. All I could concentrate on was the feeling of another being’s warmth travel up my leg, and the chaos assaulting my ears growing into a crescendo.

“Who let the twerp in here?” A gruff voice called out.

“Let go of her!” another voice joined, falling in with a scuffle of hurried steps. “Waking her would hurt her even more! The spell must not be broken!”

“But she’s struggling!” The boy’s voice snapped back. “She’s already being hurt! Something’s wro-Hey! Let go of me!” There were sounds of struggling, and the grip around my leg tightened. “Just. Let. Me. Sit with her!” he growled. “No!” My leg felt like it burst into flames, the four points digging into my fur before vanishing entirely. I winced and shot a glance at my leg, revealing not a single scratch, but the pain was real. I heard a gasp, and in minutes I felt the wet cloth move from my head to my leg. The coolness of the water mixed with the heat, quickly putting it out.

“Take him outside and calm him down. Everyone else, give us some space.” a mature voice ordered. Sounds of shuffling echoed in the room, all heading to a certain point in the room and fading away. There was a light thud as a door latch fell into place, muffling the voices outside. A steady beat on the floorboards came up to the left side of the bed I was resting on, adding a rhythm to the ringing still playing on the right. My ear twitched and swung around, being tickled by someone’s breath. “Relax, Fluttershy,” the mature, suddenly soft voice cooed. I felt a tiny shock pulse through my veins, occurring in time with a new harmonic tone joining the first. The symphony was not for me to hear though, and was quickly lost entirely under the sudden weight and drowsiness tugging on my muscles. “It’ll be all over soon,” she promised. “Stay where you are.”

Where was I, anyway? Wait… How did I get here?

I turned around in the vast space, and saw a thin blue strip snaking over to me. It was emerging from a hole that had been made in the seemingly endless field of light. Did… Did I come through there? Did I make that hole? The strip reached for me and took a hold of my foreleg – in the exact same place as it was held before. It hooked itself around and tugged gently, pulling me back to the hole it had come from. I didn’t know where I was going, but I didn’t want to go yet, I wanted to know who the voices were.

“No, wait!” I called out, I tried to move my wings and resist, but they didn’t move at all. I peered out into the distance - the awareness I once had already missing – and reached out for something to grab hold of. It was no use. I was going where the strange strip of colour wanted me.

I passed through the broken wall, straight into an unusual, but really familiar, collage of grey and splotches of colour. The hole closed up after me, and quickly disappeared among the clutter of shapes and glimmering strips and flat planes. I remembered this place, I had been here before; but when?

A sharp breath shot into my lungs and stayed there. I felt my head fill with a rush of memories. I nearly forgot everything! The memory spell, what had happened to Equestria, Canterlot, the dragons and dogs, Zecora – everything!

“And you are very, very lucky I managed to bring you back before it was lost for good, Fluttershy,” the unseen mare’s voice said breathlessly. “I hope you have changed your mind after all of that.”

I nodded at the vast nothingness. I had.

“Did you find something enlightening?”

I gazed at my foreleg, at the blue strip that was still guiding me down to the platform below. Minutes ago I had felt someone hold onto me tighter than a newborn critter, but why couldn’t I remember who it was? I swallowed a lump in my throat. What would’ve happened if I awoke as clueless as I am now –or much worse? I didn’t want to begin to imagine.

“Hmph, I should’ve guessed,” the voice said flatly as I touched down on the conforming, transparent floor. “After all, it’s unlike you to be selfish.”

Those words stung more than they should’ve, and in a second my heart felt heavy chains wrapping around it. The blue strip released me and drifted back in the mishmash of desaturated colours, vanishing from sight.

“Now,” the unseen mare said. “Shall we go on? There is so much I want to ask you about.”

I lay myself on the floor, sighing. I felt horrible for losing my temper, but at the same time, I was thankful I had. I had found a new reason to keep remembering what I had gone through, and this time it was something I knew that was real and true. What do you want to talk about? I asked silently.

There was no hesitation in the listener’s voice. “What you discovered in the Freelands – hundreds of miles away from Equestria. Before you remembered everything from your first visit to Canterlot, you remembered being led into the Freelands region by your own Element; the Element of Kindness. You do remember that, correct?”

I did. I remembered the depression I felt, but only now did I understand why I felt that way; I remembered watching countless dragons fly over me, heading in the direction I came from; and I remembered being guided underneath an ancient ruin, deep underground into a dark and dank corridor. What about it in particular? I thought, knowing that the listener would hear me.

“What was behind that stone door? What did you find inside? What were you looking for?” The questions were coming too quickly for me to answer.

“I… I don’t think I knew what I was looking for. I was just following where my Element wanted me to go.”

The listening mare was not convinced. “Hmph, so you followed phenomena that nopony had ever seen before, crossed the border into The Fang, and travelled to The Free Lands region without ever knowing what it was you were being led to?”

I nodded. As far as I knew, that was the truth.

“Did you at least leave the ruin feeling like it was worth your time?” the listener quizzed.

I don’t know. I shook my head, trying to find anything that would jog my memory. I can’t remember right now.

“Well then…” the listener trailed off. I looked up into the grey sky above me, searching for an answer that she was looking for. Hues of pinks and deep blues gently bubbled to the surface, before mixing away and being lost in the grey fog.

“Perhaps there was something to read; a mural or a book,” the mare’s voice piped up. “Or maybe there was somepony there?”

My mouth opened to say ‘no’, but the words never made it to my throat. My hooves felt clammy in their soles, and my ears drooped down under the weight of the icy chill that shot up the back of my neck. My wings jittered, unsure of the swirling feeling in the pit of my stomach. Was I supposed to flee or rush forward? The vast space around me wasted no time in constructing itself into a dark, damp tunnel while I trembled in place.

“Ah, it seems I triggered something,” the listening mare’s voice echoed somewhere distant. I stared ahead, straining my eyes to see inside the dark space the memory had constructed around me. A stone door appeared at the end of the tunnel, and cautiously I walked up to it, certain that I had seen this door before. There were six depressions worn into the pale rock, each with a different symbol emerging from it. Together, they orbited around a carved spiral shape with two stars slightly off from its center. One of the orbiting markings glowed with an arc of magic jittering and jumping between it and me. I looked down, and as I did I felt the soft, long locks of my mane fall away and leave behind a shortened, dirty mop. Around my neck was the source of energy; the Element of Kindness.

The listener’s voice tickled my ears, and I tried to listen out for her, foolishly hoping I could escape this fragment I didn’t feel ready to re-live. My saddlebags swung down over my sides, tucking my wings underneath them, and the coarse, dirty bandage I had around my leg rubbed into my skin. In moments I was completely absorbed in the vision, and planted firmly inside my memories.

Almost too quickly, the magic flowing between my Element and the stone door in front of me ceased. And once again I was plunged into darkness. A whimper escaped into the corridor, and I shuffled to the side and leant against the cold wall. Seconds later, a low, guttural rumble shook the room, and the stone door dropped down an inch, letting through a brilliant golden light. Ancient gears groaned, and the door lowered into the floor, falling flush with the slabs. Before me was a golden barrier, dancing and shimmering like sunlight over a pond, that quickly dispelled and revealed a large room inside.

Swallowing down the lump in my throat, I cautiously ambled through the doorway. As soon as my hoof graced the first slab in the room, dozens of torches flared up on the walls and bathed the entire space in light. I shrank back into the shadows of the corridor, whimpering. Hesitantly, I peeked back inside the secret hall. The room didn’t look like a burial chamber filled with mummies and traps like in those nerve-wracking Daring Do books, if anything, it looked like a library. A dozen bookshelves flanked a torn blue carpet going straight down the center of room. Cylindrical columns wider than the average pony towered up to the ceiling, interconnected at the top by strong stone arches criss-crossing among the supports. In however long they had been there, they had kept the ceiling up, but were losing to cracks dripping with water and very stubborn moss. At the far end of the hall, beyond the other end of the blue rug, stood what looked like a stone table - to which a thin beam of light from my necklace shone.

Trusting the amulet more than my gut feeling, I carefully trotted down the middle of the room, glancing down the rows of stocked bookshelves. The room was thick with dust motes and the smell of old parchment, something that I knew would make Twilight excited to explore the countless tomes and scrolls bursting from the shelves. If only she was here to see this…

I quickly dried my eye and blew the dust away from my face. Bowing my head, I hurried along and avoided looking at the books any more.

The tattered rug fanned out in ripped tails, and I stopped a few feet away from the stone table, I glanced over to the left, spotting a pristine wooden table resting close to the floor, with a few dusty cushions placed around it. On the opposite side of the room was a clearer space; a woven rug covered most of the hard floor, and a long work bench up against the wall stood dutifully, carrying kinds of writing and restoration supplies on its dusty surface.

My gaze fell to the stone table, framed by two banners on each side; one depicting a majestic styling of a Unicorn’s head on a faded purple background, and the other showing a green banner with a combination of crests united under a crescent moon and full sun. Finally, my gaze fell to the table in front of me, and nervous shudder coursed through me.

In an instant the room was again a burial chamber and not a library. Maybe this place was just a teeny bit like Rainbow’s books – but there weren’t traps. I hoped. What I was looking at was a grave; a pale sarcophagus sealed by chiselled lid. I closed my eyes, and took a moment to soothe the skittish butterflies panicking in my stomach. Exhaling gently, I took a few steps closer, looking over the symbol engraved on the cold stone. I blew away some of the dust in crevices, revealing the same insignia of a spiral with two stars off from its centre – minus the six orbiting symbols.

The size of the resting place meant that a pony was buried here, and the markings and magical lock meant that they had something to do with the Elements of Harmony in the past. But what did my Element want to show me? It would take decades to read just the books that haven’t been destroyed by water. There had to be something specific to search for, either that or the Element of Kindness brought me here for sanctuary from the dragons, dogs, and the pain of watching my home crumble under vicious claws.

My head drooped down, and a pair of tears fell and disturbed the dust on the floor. The Element of Kindness was still twinkling, and my sight followed the thin strand of light as it bounced around the room. I blinked, and blinked again, making sure it was really landing on where to go next. A silver strand sparked over the room, tracing the crack between the sarcophagus and the stone lid sealing it.

I tripped backwards as if I saw a ghost, stumbling over my hooves and falling onto my back. My eyes stayed glued to the grave, and the thin strand of light from my Element continued to flicker and seek a tiny gap to get inside.

It can’t be, begged my mind. There had to be some mistake, there had to be something else it wanted! The beam momentarily grew brighter, bathing the grave in its glow. I closed my eyes and shook my head. Images of skeletons coming to life and haunting ghosts appeared under my eyelids, making my heart race and my legs quiver and itch to get up and flee. I couldn’t disturb a body. I couldn’t steal from a grave – I could barely convince myself that looting needed supplies was okay.

Slowly I stood back up, and looked away from the pale stone. There had to be some explanation; a reason for all of this. The ruins up top, the banners and architecture in this chamber, and the location of the secret room told of the countless years that had passed since anypony set hoof in this place, yet they offered nothing to explain why I had to come here. It also didn’t explain what it was in the sarcophagus that I had to get to. Why had I been led here? How could I be expected to open somepony’s grave and rifle through it – by the Element of Kindness?

My head drooped down to the tatty rug, tears staining it into a darker shade. I dried my eyes with the bandage on my leg, and looked at how filthy it had become since I had last changed it. With a light grasp and flick of my head, I pulled the wrappings loose, revealing a faint scar peeking through my fur. I sat down on my haunches, and traced the mark with my hoof. I looked at my fringe, frowning at how dirty it had become, too. Quickly I checked myself over, looking at my tail and scuffed saddlebags. How long had I been living like this already? Had it been a few weeks perhaps, maybe a month? Time had marched on without me, the world had changed from what I held onto.

A dirty clump of my fringe fell in front of my eye, and I blew it aside and adjusted my headband to keep it back. I knew I had changed too - but I had to! I couldn’t survive if I hadn’t. I couldn’t keep my promise to my friends and myself if I wasn’t willing to do what it took to stay safe. But was it a good thing? My mind questioned. Would I still be who my friends loved when I eventually saw them again – this life or the next? Or would they only see a far cry of the friend they once had? A thief… I looked up at the sarcophagus. …A grave robber?

My wings twitched uncomfortably. The Element was asking this of me, it wouldn’t lead me astray in a time like this would it? But if I turned back I wouldn’t be a bad pony. Would it be worth the risk of ignoring my own amulet? Could it cost me my own wish to reunite my friends – cost me bringing peace to them and myself?

I stashed the old bandage back into my saddlebags and stood back up. My hooves pattered back to the stone bed, and I swallowed down the same sickly taste I had before. I shot a glance at my Element and saw that it was dull and lifeless – not taking any joy or pleasure from what I was about to do. I hoped it was right about this, and I hoped that all of the ghost stories and assurances of being sent to Tartarus were not going to turn out to be true. I had to trust my Element; I had to trust that it was in the best interest of Kindness – as wrong as it seemed to be.

My sweaty hooves pressed against the side of the slab. With a hurried whisper I begged for understanding, and that my friends wouldn’t hate me for trying to do the right thing for them.

A grunt escaped me as I pushed against the heavy stone. My rear hooves skidded along the floor, but I kept on pushing, quickly wedging my rear hooves in front of an uneven slab for support. The stone seal growled and slid aside, and suddenly leapt to the other side of the enclosure – slamming into the floor and wall with a grating crunch. I slipped and half-fell into the cold container, bringing my gaze to the ancient bones of a Unicorn stallion curled up inside.

Before I could think, I made the mistake of looking up the pony’s skull, and locking my bewildered stare with one of the eye sockets. The ceiling felt like it had fallen on my back, the air had snapped into a harsh chill in an instant. It was me who had done this; I had invaded and violated a dead creature’s right to peace. The skull didn’t move, silently burning its scorn into my soul, staining it with something that would never ever be cleansed.

Screwing my eyes shut, I tore myself away from the grave, retching and dry-heaving to the side, trying desperately to think of something else. I thought of my friends, but all I could see were their skulls staring through me with the same lifeless view. I thought of the Princesses, but all I could see were their skeletal forms towering over me. My lungs were closed off, and I choked and suffocated among the feeling of hateful stares coming from thousands of disturbed souls. Why couldn’t you have just left us in peace? They asked.

I pulled my ears down and covered my head, but their accusing voices still pierced through. How could you disrespect our wishes? The voices demanded.

The chamber was plunged into darkness, and the chilling sight of white skulls and empty eye sockets surrounded me. The skeletal forms of everypony I knew joined the countless judging gazes. I gasped for air, still being smothered by the guilt of the crime I had committed. The voices all spoke harshly and in unison. Why couldn’t you respect the permanent nature of death?

“Because none of you are dead!” I screamed, slamming my hooves into the floor. The grip around my neck vanished, leaving my breaths ragged and curt. The phantoms dissolved and fell to the floor, seeping into the cracks in the burial chamber’s floor. Blindly I stared ahead, ignoring the streams of tears pouring down my cheeks, and listened. The dead silence of the room strained under each breath I took, but thankfully no more angry voices could be heard . The weight of the moment pushed me down, squeezing the anger out of my shaking body and letting it evaporate into the cold, stale air.

I wiped the tears away from my face, and gradually counted to ten. Carefully, I pulled myself onto my hooves once more and turned back to the grave. Avoiding the empty gaze of the skull, I scanned over the body, my eyes falling upon a leather-bound book tucked inside the skeleton’s grasp. A tiny shimmer confirmed that it was what I was looking for, and slowly I leant down to pick it up – whispering a painful apology to the once-at-peace pony. I held my breath, feeling the cold claws of death brush down my cheeks. Delicately I bit the edge of the cover and tugged, and surprisingly the book came away with ease. Without a moment’s hesitation I pulled away from the sarcophagus, and balanced the book on my wing. Without a second glance at the skeleton, I walked over to the large table, and slid the old tome onto the surface. A moment later I pushed a stiff cushion over and carefully sat down, paying no attention to the dust and bugs that had been disturbed.

The book, aside from looking old, appeared to be nothing particularly special. The leather had faded to grey, and the edges of the pages had turned into the colour of rust. I opened the book carefully, revealing pages and pages of hoof-written notes and carefully-drawn diagrams. I looked to my amulet for a clue for which page to read, but it didn’t even shine. Its job was done, and it had become dormant once more.

I began to skim through the book, searching for words or topics that would seemed important. A lot of the notes were regarding weather-changing magic and agriculture and how the author’s findings either supported or invalidated their theories. Other notes talked about a “growing problem with Windigos” and an “importance of pulling together” that the author particularly scoffed at – citing that it took more than just standing together to deal with such dangerous creatures.

I turned a few more pages, and suddenly the tone changed. “No more is my apprentice a mere apprentice,” it said. “Today she and five others are more than that – perhaps blessed by divinity.

“Normally this is not the place for my personal musings, but it is hard to work in spite of the news that the so-called ‘First Friends of Equestria’ wielded power beyond even my own. Normally I would assume that everypony was fabricating a lie to tease the old wizard of House Platinum, but the chestplates they’re wearing now are far too intricate to be a useless prop – and the gemstone embedded in each piece is enchanted with an energy I have never before encountered.

“Details are dubious, however, as to how those six mares came to be wielders of such power. Some self-described witnesses claim a variety of things from rainbows exploding from the ground and bestowing these pieces to their owners, to the mere declaration between the six ponies that their ‘friendship is what will preserve this new republic’. Bah! It’s all flowery nonsense! Comradeship keeps Unicorns (and I suppose other ponies) together, yes, but it is magical prowess – or in the case of those Pegasi, military might – that ensures the defence of a state.

“Even so, I must learn more about those artefacts. Perhaps I could acquire permission to study them from Lady Platinum, or call a favour from curious little Clover. “

Wait. I flicked through a few more pages, and turned towards the open coffin, recalling the symbol on the lid and on the door sealing this place away. This is… Oh my. Oh goodness! I stared back down at the page I had landed on, and carried on reading.

Elements

View Online

The words on the page danced across the yellow parchment, swirling and twirling into an unintelligible mass of letters. In the corners of my vision, I could see the crypt’s many bookshelves fall into the floor, and the walls and ceiling start to flitter away into a grey void. Mentally I took a deep breath, because I was no longer in my own body anymore – and no longer in this memory.

This would be so much easier if I could close my eyes until it was over, I thought to myself. In seconds I was drifting under an endless sea of colours all streaming down and mixing together. Lilacs and dark blues painted the scenery, transforming the canvas into the ruins of a city. Up above, pinks and deep purples blended together, crafting a sky after dusk. Swirls of red streaked in the sky and solidified into a dragon flying overhead. Finally, beyond the massive creature, specks of white collected together and created the early stars and the moon.

I felt my head physically drop down, and the sensation of having legs, wings, and a heartbeat quickly settled in. I was lying underneath a fallen wall, quietly hidden from the angry eyes of both Dragons and Diamond Dogs roaming the city. Sounds of battles and raging fires clamoured all around me, but the rubble I had crawled under felt safe; even if it would easily become my tomb if more of the building collapsed.

My body was racked with shudders, and I closed off my wandering thoughts entirely.

My saddlebags and canteen poked and prodded into me, but brought a little security of their own. I had brought along some potions, my spare canteen, some sticky bandages, a sewing kit, Zecora’s book, and my scarf. I had run out of food a few days ago, but snacking on grass and daisies on the way to Canterlot was better than nothing. After this trip though, I would have to find a better source of food – and I didn’t look forward to it.

“Focus, Fluttershy, keep your eyes on the prize,” Rainbow’s voice echoed from the past. “You can’t do something if you’re worried about what other ponies think.”

I swallowed hard, and gazed out to the solitary towers making up the remains of Canterlot Castle. Smoke and ash billowed from war-torn parts of the great city, eerily hiding the base of the towers – and the wreckage of the castle – from view. I couldn’t see Canterlot Tower, and I didn’t expect to after what had happened there last time. Still, I hoped the Elements were still there, or that there was at least a clue showing me where they had been taken.

The moon continued to rise higher and higher into the sky, trying to catch a fleeting glimpse of the sun it barely knew. It had been subtle at first, but with each passing day and night the sky changed from how it used to be. Without the Princesses to guide them, the sun and moon simply rose and fell to their own rhythm. The moon would rise sooner at night and chase after the sun, occasionally leaving a blanket of stars just before dawn, but not her gentle and loving glow for the early risers to say ‘Good morning’ to before she dipped beneath the horizon.

Maybe the moon was grieving; maybe she craved the sun’s comforting embrace. They couldn’t stop moving though, not for a single day. If they stopped they would never move again, and the sun seemed to know this. Like me on the ground, she pushed herself onwards, never knowing where exactly she’s going or how long she can go on without guidance.

At least in the end, if the sun decides to stop, the moon would be there for her.

A chilly breeze swept through the street, whistling through wrought-iron fences on balconies and lifting paper and dust from the street. I peered out from my hiding place once more, this time looking in the direction of the wind. Looming over the summit of the mountain were the first storm clouds of the winter front Philomena had warned me of. A stronger gust of wind groaned through the city, seeming to blow out the last of the setting sun’s light. Night had finally come. That was all that I was waiting for.

Checking left, right, and up in the sky for danger, I wiggled out from my shelter. My belly scraped on stones and debris, but I paid little attention to them; being distracted for a few seconds in the open could put me in danger. Quickly I crossed the cracked road. A quick down stroke of my wings lifted me into a silent leap, sailing me over smashed seats and tables lining up the front of a ransacked coffee shop.

I landed gently on a clear space of tile flooring and folded my wings back to my sides. The cold air slinked around my ankles and prickled the skin underneath my coat. I took a breath; the smells of stale food and rancid milk rushing up to greet me. On the few tables that hadn’t been turned over or broken, small cups of stagnant liquid still stood. A near-empty cup on the counter, joined by a newspaper and a flat cap spoke of a pony enjoying the late night catching up on news. In a dark alcove in the far side of the room were two cups seemingly full to the brim. They sat closely together on the same side of the table, well within each other’s comfort - as intimate as the ponies who had bought them.

Carefully I walked across the room, being cautious of where I treaded. When the… Event happened it was a late night, and so there weren’t many ponies in the coffee shop when they all disappeared. In a gut-wrenching way I was glad it was like that; I didn’t want to see dozens of dried stains on the floor.

There was something amiss about the scene, and that was how little had been disturbed even after being sacked by Diamond Dogs. The shock wave I saw threw my train off the tracks, but here in Canterlot, the spell only took the ponies away – leaving everything else untouched. If the spell struck somewhere in the Appaloosa Desert, then maybe – just maybe – somepony had enough time to protect themselves.

No. I can’t fool myself like that, my thoughts warned. Not again.

I pressed up against the wall in the backroom, beside an open doorway looking out over an alley. Outside the war continued to ravage the capital. It hurt to see Canterlot like this, especially now in an even worse state than it was no more than under a week ago. What damage the Event hadn’t caused had been made up for by the invaders picking at the bones of this mass gravesite. It didn’t matter to them that thousands of ponies had vanished in a flash no more than a couple of weeks ago. All that mattered were the valuable possessions that had been left behind. In the weeks following a horrible disaster, the Diamond Dogs and Dragons had simply flocked here like scavengers, and began picking away at the body of the city until there was nothing left but bones made of brick and mortar. Shivers ran up and down my spine at the image.

Before I could take a few steps outside, an enormous dragon flew directly over with a deafening roar. When I opened my eyes I found myself shaking inside the coffee shop’s pantry, cowering behind unopened crates. The roars rattled through the walls and ceiling, followed by a crash that shook the floor violently. Seconds later howls rang out, and the clamour of battle soon followed. I crept out of the pantry and made my way back to the back door. Taking a quick glance in the direction of the fighting, I saw the massive dragon loom above the rooftops of the city, standing upright in a distant street. Spears sailed up to his waist and tried to stab through the creature’s scales, but only a few lodged themselves in place, and even then the dragon only brushed them off like pine needles. He took in a quick breath, and without hesitation I looked away and covered my ears. Orange light flickered against the walls, and faint screams wriggled inside my mind, making me try harder and harder to block out what I knew was happening. A few moments after the light faded, I dared myself to look back. I peeked around the doorway to where the dragon was, and saw that it was under attack again. Not wasting another chance, I broke it into a shaky gallop and ran down the road. Rounding the corner of a junction, my eyes fell upon the remaining towers of the castle again. Relieved I wasn’t taking a long detour, my eyes lowered to the street, which stopped me dead in my tracks.

No more than twenty feet away from me was a dark grey hound in a blue jacket and black collar. He was sitting down against a wall. One of the hound’s strong arms rested on the stone slabs of the pavement, idly digging its long claws into the rock. The other arm was carefully lying over his chest, pressing against his ribcage. The noise of my panicked stop alerted him, and his eyes darted over and locked with mine. In an instant, he began to spring up to attack. My eyes snapped shut in a flinch and I tensed. Instead of a ferocious bark and a tackle, I heard the powerful hound gasp painfully for air, and stumble onto all fours with a grating scrape from his claws.

Peeking with one eye, I saw the hound picking himself off of the ground. His breaths were ragged and pained, and gingerly he covered his chest again with one of his enormous arms. He stood on his hind legs and looked back at me, growled indignantly, and started hobbling in the opposite direction.

My mind screamed for me to turn around and pretend nothing happened, but my legs decided to follow him down the road. I couldn’t turn away if I wanted to, not with the way the sight of someone in pain.

“Are you... Are you hurt?” I quietly asked. I could barely hear myself over my own heartbeat. “Do you need help?” I wasn't sure what to expect, I wasn't even sure if this kind of Diamond Dog could speak or if he would attack me again. It was dangerous, but I knew deep down that I couldn’t walk away without trying to help him. The weather front alone would be dangerous for anyone outside, but with dragons also combing the streets, could an injured Diamond Dog stay safe? My head shook before my imagination could create an answer.

The hound stopped where he was and stared ahead for a moment, then he turned around and scowled at me. “I don't need help from puny pony who runs into forest like scaredy cat!”

The gears in my head clicked; I had seen this Diamond Dog before in Ponyville, and he was the hound that chased me out of my own home. Now I was stood just out of his reach, ant not even thinking of fleeing. Yet.

The hound stretched upward and flexed his arms. “I’m strong! My hurt will go away! Stupid Gryphon can't keep me down!”

Griffins in Canterlot? My face twisted in confusion. If they had been in Equestria the whole time, then that would mean that they were spared by the spell. If not, why would they come here to fight this poor hound? Before I could ask, the Diamond Dog had started going down the street again. There you have it; he won’t let anyone keep him down! Can we leave now? My mind rattled. I shook my head and caught up with him, keeping my distance. I watched him closely, and listened to every muted grunt he made. I tried talking to him again, “Um, excuse me, Mister Diamond Dog, I don't mean to be a bother, but what do you mean by a Griffin keeping you down?”

He tried to sigh, but it came out as a curt huff. He cringed and clutched his chest for a few seconds and then started to speak. ”Stupid Gryphon came down from sky. Hit me really hard here.' He waved his left paw over his chest, taking care not to catch himself with his claws. "Then it took shiny necklace away and flew away before I could get claws on them. You happy? Now go away or I will hurt pony like I want hurt Gryphon!"

The hound stormed off but didn't get very far. Just as he started passing a burning building he cried out in agony and fell to the side, catching himself with a free paw. Deadly sharp claws or not, he needed my help! I hurried over to his side, abandoning my protesting thoughts, and wedged myself against the much larger creature. For a split second he leant against me, but then bolted upright like he had leant on something disgusting. The hound stumbled sideways for a moment, staring at me in surprise for a second before hardening into a scowl and I looked over myself for something in my coat. I looked back up towards him, and shrank under his furious glare. His arm cocked back to strike, and I scrambled backwards, falling onto my back and covering my eyes with a yelp. No pain came, but for a moment I stayed in the darkness of my eyelids, wondering if the sound of fire was the burning building behind me or the massive beacons marking the gate to Tartarus. Ready or not, my hoof dropped down, and quickly I took a peek – finding myself staring at the sharp points of the hound’s elongated claws. My gaze followed up his arm and froze on his expression – his eyes ablaze with frustration and pain.

"What you want... Now?!” He demanded, pausing to take uneven breaths. ”Can't you... Just go... Away?! I must find... Fellow Dogs. They will... Help. Not Pony! “

I started to squeak, “I, um, I just wanted to-“

“Huh?” he growled. “What?”

I kicked my hooves into the ground, scurrying backwards and away from the hound’s claws. He stayed where he was, breathing shallowly and never taking his eyes off of me. Slowly I turned to my saddlebags and pulled out a green bottle with a thick mixture inside. On the bottle were two labels, one with writing, and the other with a picture of a bone. The label read: “Enaroot Bone Repair: For big breaks and fractures the size of a hair.”

Tentatively, I reached my hooves out with the bottle in their grip. I forced the calmest voice I could manage with those angered eyes burning into me. “I-I have some medicine. That mean Griffin has hurt your ribs. This will help you if you drink it – it will make it stop hurting.”

"Blech! I hate medicine! I don't need it!' He bellowed, pulling his arm away and storming off again. Seconds later his outburst caught up with him in the form of agony tearing up his chest, and I winced at the sound of it. I rolled onto all fours and stood up. I grabbed the bottle up by the cork and rushed over to the injured Diamond Dog. Hopping about on my hind legs, I held the bottle with my forehooves and yanked the cork out. I dropped the cork to the floor, and switched over to hovering with my wings as I held the potion out to him. Without a word, he took his left arm off his chest and held his paw out, barely missing me with his claws. “Hrk! Fine!” He grumbled as I dropped the bottle onto his paw. He straightened up to look at the bottle, and I politely hovered away.

A small smile crept onto my face. And for a few moments I felt a warmth sweep over my heart while I watched the hound start drinking it the potion. He kept drinking it, and drinking it, and drinking it. Um… I covered my mouth in surprise. The Diamond Dog guzzled the liquid down, and threw the empty bottle aside, shattering it into hundreds of tiny shards glimmering in the light of the fire. The Diamond Dog cringed a little bit at what I imagined to be a bitter aftertaste. Oh my… I hope there isn't a maximum dosage.

The hound’s mood hadn’t improved yet. “There. Now I get better, and you happy, yes?” he said bitterly.

I nodded and smiled, “Make sure you get plenty of rest too, and you'll get better in no time.”

He looked away and grumbled, I took that as his way of forcing himself to say 'Thank you' and said ‘You’re welcome’.

“If you don't mind me asking, what is your name? I'm Fluttershy.”

“Names are for friends. And family,” grumbled the Diamond Dog. “Pony and I not friends. Now go!” He threw his free arm outward, pointing it down the road. My smile collapsed on itself, but the hound didn’t seem to care. I hesitated, and the dog pulled his lips back in a snarl, showing a full set of jagged and sharp teeth.

I unfurled my wings and lifted off, quickly backing away from the Diamond Dog. In silence and still clutching his side, the Diamond Dog watched me start to fly away. I paused for a moment, and started to twist around to say goodbye. Before I could say anything, the dog painlessly leapt up after me and barked, sending me rocketing into the sky with a yelp. Now in plain sight of any nearby dragon, I quickly spun around and dived back down, swooping over the rooftops of several buildings and landing in a street very close to the castle’s wall.

I hid myself inside a burnt building, panting and struggling to keep my heart from leaping from my chest. I looked through a cracked and sooty window, my eyes fixed on the sky. No hulking monsters came into view, but the clouds made up for it: Giant stubby fingers grasped over the mountaintop, gripping the rock in a stranglehold that seemed to choke even the sounds of battle in other parts of the city.

My head ducked away from the glass and I shivered. A blizzard was coming, and if I wasn’t out of Canterlot by then…

No time to lose, Fluttershy! Hastily I left the building and ran out into the street. A glance in the sky showed it was safe to fly, and so I took off from the street and made my way for where Canterlot Tower once stood. Freezing air stung at my cheeks and nipped at my primaries, but I ignored it and kept flapping my wings. Below me were dozens of homes and business bathed in either the orange glow of fire or the bluish aura of the fading moonlight. Ahead loomed the last three towers of the castle, one of which being the same tower I narrowly escaped the Diamond Dogs from last time. At the base of the towers were the crumbling remains of the rest of the beautiful jewel that hung from the neck of the mountain.

I swung down, searching for last place I saw the Elements, and softly touched down at the top of a familiar flight of stairs. The strengthening winds greeted me, blowing dust and snowflakes into my eyes. I raised a hoof at the breeze and closed my eyes. The grey and shattered ruins were momentarily replaced by the magnificent buildings, exotic plants, and purple and gold banners I remembered this place for. My eyes opened, but the vision didn’t end. From the freezing wind came a swarm of snowflakes with pairs of icy eyes. I blinked, and my friends were there beside me, but the Changelings had surrounded us. I blinked hard, squeezing the images until they folded and left me alone – alone in front of the lifeless stone skeleton of Canterlot Tower. No banners of purple and gold. No vibrant flowers overflowing from hanging baskets – gardens in their own right - and not one of my friends by my side.

My bones creaked and popped as I shivered, and moved stiffly as I moved up to the double doors to Canterlot Tower. The doors wouldn’t move, but with the missing windows and roof, there was nothing preventing me from getting inside. I quickly took wing and glided over the wall. My heart pulled me down onto the rubble, weighed down by the complete destruction of the tower, and the slim chance that I would find anything under the rubble that had been left behind. All of the Elements of Harmony were in here with Princess Celestia's crown. In the chaos of the fight between a Dragon and an army of Diamond Dogs however, I could not have taken them all and escaped. I… I was selfish; as the last thing left of my friends, I shouldn’t have left the Elements behind.

“It’s okay…” Twilight assured. “It could’ve happened to any one of us.”

Hot tears stung at my cheeks, quickly falling and freezing on the stones at my hooves.

“Aw, Fluttershy, don’t cry! It’s not ya fault. We’re here for ya!” Applejack soothed. I could almost feel her hoof resting on my shoulder. Almost wasn’t enough.

“You’re not though,” I sputtered. “Th-that’s why I’m…” I fell to my haunches, staring out over the toppled columns, ruined flower baskets, and indistinguishable piles of rubble. “That’s why I’m to blame.”

“Don’t be silly!” bounced Pinkie’s voice. “We’re always with you!” Something warm brushed my cheek – too tender to have been imagined. I lifted my hoof to my cheek, crushing a tear that was still there. “Always.”

A shimmer caught my eye, and my teary gaze darted over to it. Something was shining erratically through the cracks of a stack of boulders and wreckage about two dozen feet away from me. I hoisted myself onto my hooves, and scrambled up to the rubble, slipping and scraping my ankles on loose and sharp rocks. As I drew nearer it became stronger and brighter. I hurried up and flew over, feeling gentle warmth wavering in the wintery breeze. I grabbed a large chunk of stone and pulled with all the strength of my wings, lifting the dead weight aside and dropping it carelessly. I touched down and started digging away at the smaller stones and wreckage. Finally, I pushed one last rock aside, and was bathed in a pure white glow. I gasped at the sight; there in the debris was the Element of Magic, undamaged, glowing brightly, and providing the comforting blanket of heat.

I had never seen any of the Elements of Harmony do this before, at least not when activated by each of my friends and I. I held my hoof over the tiara tentatively, worried that the heat might burn, but the Element was cool to the touch, and its glow settled into a calming purple hue.

There was a foreign, relaxing heat that seeped into my veins, tingling and numbing my leg in seconds. I wanted to pull my hoof back, but the Element had quickly put my muscles to sleep. I began to tip over and fall, making me snap my eyes shut in fear of landing in something painful. Instead I felt the sensation of flight. The warmth in the air had wrapped itself around me, and the aura was cradling me with the Element of Magic nestled in my forehooves and up against my chest. In the back of my mind, a part of me was squealing in utter terror, but the rest accepted it – welcomed it. Even though I was in the middle of war-torn city, I felt safer than I ever had been since the train crash.

My eyelids drooped down, slowly closing completely to sleep. In moments I found myself drifting through a tunnel of clouds. I could hear a steady beat of a pony walking and distant voices that I couldn’t place. My view bobbed from side to side, falling in time with the rhythm of hoof falls. Gradually, foggy and dark silhouettes of five ponies in a group emerged in the tunnel, and the bobbing and hoofsteps stopped once I was close enough to see that two were Pegasi, two were Earth ponies, and one was a Unicorn.

The whispers became louder, and the silhouettes shuffled like one of them were speaking though I could not tell who. The voices were distorted and broken in speech, but still remained distinct as they quietly murmured to one another. A voice directly above me began talking. “Are we prepared? Time is leading us to battle whether we are ready or not.”

A Pegasus leapt into the air, pumping a hoof in the air while the other flinched at the sudden movement. “Our best warriors have joined up,” the flying Pegasus said. “As soon as they learnt of the threat they immediately offered their wings to face it.”

“Excellent, send them to my enchanters straight away; a ward imbued in their armour shall help all of us in the long run.” The unicorn decreed.

“Does that also mean we have the Celestial mages at our disposal?” The voice above me asked.
The Unicorn turned her gaze towards the pony above me. “They were a challenge – even for me – but they are willing to lend their abilities providing more capable fighters protect them.”

“My own squadron will keep them safe.” The other Pegasus quietly assured.

“And the same applies for my ponies,” an Earth pony chimed in. “We don’t have super magic powers or fancy wings – a lot of them are builders and bakers really – but that doesn’t matter! We are all in this together!”

The other Earth pony silhouette nodded in agreement. “We have to watch each other’s flanks out there and stick together. Windigos draw strength from dividing and conquering.”

“Hey! If anyone knows conquering: It’s us!” The flying Pegasus jumped in, placing her hooves on her companion’s shoulders and giving them a little shake. The more reserved Pegasus shrugged out of her friend’s grasp, backing a little bit away from the group.

“Please… That was a long time ago.”

“Oh don’t be like that. I was only making a point.” The flying Pegasus dismissed with her hoof before pointing towards me – or the pony above me. “How about you, huh? You seem awfully quiet, Lucky Swirl.”

The group all shared a small amount of laughter. Even the voice above me betrayed itself with a chuckle. “I would scold you on calling me that, but I reckon we needed that. I’m a little preoccupied, to tell the truth. This battle… I… I don’t know. It almost feels like something’s very queer about it.”

“First battle’s got you skittish, hmm? You aren’t the first or last one. Sometimes I wonder if this gentle, pudgy pony next to me will ever grow out of it.” The flying Pegasus chided, jabbing her hoof into her comrade.

“It’s not that,” the voice above replied. “It’s like… It’s like something is going to happen. It worries me.” Suddenly, the vision of the pony silhouettes in the cloud tunnel disappeared from view, like somepony had covered my eyes. “I feel it right here; a little pressure like something is there.”

There was a pause, and I felt the five silhouette’s gazes pass through the darkness and stare towards me. The warped but distinguishable voice of the flying mare spoke first, her voice quickly fading with distance. “Hmm, better put some armour over that, then.”

Millions of specks of white filled my sight, raining down and settling all around me. I lay still, feeling the thick flakes land on my coat and melt with an icy nip. The rubble around me already had a thin layer of powder settling on it, and soon would be disguised under the innocence of pure snow. The wind picked up and raced over the rubble, nibbling through my coat.

I sat up and rubbed my temples with my hooves. The full brunt of the cold clawed into my face, and snowflakes clung to my hair and eyelashes, forcing me shiver for warmth. I quickly grasped the Element of Magic with my teeth and packed it away. I tilted my head back, gazing up at the sky. The moon was nowhere to be seen, but neither were the stars. Instead were thick, dark grey clouds rolling and bowling overhead, dragging wind that grew bitterer with each passing minute. I didn’t know how long I had been asleep, but I should’ve left Canterlot a long time ago. It may be too late to leave now.

I turned my gaze towards where the rest of Canterlot lie, and took off into the dense snowfall. The heavy snow created a thick wall that made everything vanish in less than a dozen feet. I flew low to the ground, carefully rising and dipping when obstacles emerged into view. I passed a few burning buildings, and adjusted my course to follow a road. The sounds of battle had died away, leaving only the crackle of blazes and the occasional distant roar of dragons. The blizzard had put a stop to the violence, finally wrapping the city in cold silence. I didn’t belong here, not among the vacant ruins, but where else did I belong? There was no warm fireplace beckoning for me at home, and no animals huddling up near it and sleeping soundly in the orange glow. After the looting the Diamond Dogs had done throughout Canterlot, I was afraid to go home and see what they had done in search of anything of value in my cottage...

Shivers wracked through my body, dropping me down a few feet. My wings stiffly pushed onward, numbed by the cold but far from giving up. The snow lifted slightly, revealing the looming mass of rock pointing up to the sky. The summit of Canterlot’s mountain was breaking up the storm for a part of the city. If I was going to have to wait out the blizzard, my best bet was in the shadow of the defiant wall of rock.

The city’s buildings stopped a long distance from the mountain wall, leaving a rare open space on the ledge the Canterlot hung onto. I landed on the second floor of a smashed building overlooking the field, and stared into the thinning veil of snow. Ovals waved and bobbed in the wind, tied down by cables and silhouettes of boats and yachts. To the right side of the field stood a tower with an orange flag barely staying attached to its pole. Straight ahead – just as the snow all but stopped for a moment – were two huge figures towering over the vast collection of airships. The dragons stood by each other, the one on the right seemingly counting up the wealth he had stolen, while the other leant against the mountain beside his friend. The right dragon seemed to be reddish, while his friend was clearly as pale as the snow falling from the sky. I wasn’t the only one who seeking shelter here it seemed.

Before a flurry of snow waned and showed them to me again, I ducked down behind a portion of wall, and peered over what was left of the window frame still sitting on it. The dragons were talking idly, their deep voices muffled by the weather. I stared at the red dragon and the loot he cradled in one arm. Tons of gold, gems, and shiny objects made up the hoard - whose homes had he destroyed for just a fraction of it?

There was a sparkle. I blinked and focused on the red dragon’s armful of loot. I saw it again, this time was brighter and flashed in a burst. I squinted, trying to make out the source of the light. Could it be? Could it another Element of Harmony trying to catch my attention?

White flurries of powder obscured the dragons from view, and I wasted no time in hopping out from my hiding place and swooping down into the airfield below. Up close, I could see a variety of airship styles and designs: Simple vessels powered with props and steam engines, exotic and large yachts owned by the richest ponies in Canterlot, and even a couple of hot-air balloons had found a place to sit in the shelter of the mountain. Sadly, the hot-air balloons had long since collapsed, covering small airships with a massive tangle of fabric and wires. Some airships had fallen victim to vandalism; balloons slashed open or cut free, or even the entire vessel being burnt into nothing but a blackened skeleton. Other ships had drifted or broken free accidentally, crashing into each other in a mess of splinters. The chaos and damage on the ground tugged at the strings of my mind, twisting sounds of creaking wood into painful groans, and warping debris into the forms of trapped and forgotten ponies. I blinked a few times, shivering and taking stuttered breaths.

The snow started to let up again, and I gently drifted down behind a tipped boat, hiding away from the dragons. While I looked around for the best route to move among the wreckage, I listened in on the talking creatures – now close enough to hear them clearly.

“I thought you said we could wait out the storm here, Grundle,” the pale dragon complained. “I’m already feeling ice settling on my spines. We should go back with the others.”

“Puh!” the red dragon, Grundle, spat. “And let some little reptile come along and get the rest of the loot? It’s bad enough those yappy little runts came crawling out of the woodwork, and now you’d rather let the rest of the treasures in this city be snapped up just because you’re cold?”

Tracing a route among the wreckage, I started making my way towards the dragons. I had to know if the red one had what I thought he had. How I would get it from him if he did was a train of thought I didn’t want to board. The conversation carried on, assuring me that I was still out of sight.

“You do know that Lulenkha owns this mountain, do you? I hear she’s coming to reclaim her territory - she will smash us into the face of the cliffs if she catches us.”

“Sheesh, that old bat? I hear she’s been loopy ever since she lost her eye all those centuries ago. Do you think that ancient relic can even keep up with us? Now shut it – I’m trying to work out the value of this hoard.”

“Hmph! Well if you want to tangle with a dragoness, be my guest. But I don’t want to be anywhere near you if you anger the Elders.” I felt a low rumble as one of the dragons shifted footing. The lopsided remains of the yacht I was inside of creaked and groaned at the disturbance. I hurried through, skittering onto the deck and hopping over to another wreck that didn’t seem likely to collapse. The dragons emerged from the snowy shroud as I darted behind some barrels. The pale dragon was ready to leave, while Grundle had stopped e8xamining his treasures to look at his companion.

“And that’s another thing! Those Elders are toothless snakes, why should we take orders from them? Kagnarak didn’t think he should – and now he’s out there living the high life!”

“Kagnarak is older than our ages combined,” the pale grey dragon grumbled impatiently. “Of what life he’s managed to carve, he’s quite capable of protecting.” The snowy dragon quickly swung around, his tail flattening and flinging ships caught in its path. A hot-air balloon’s basket arched over towards me, and I threw myself clear before it could crush me. The basket bounced off and landed somewhere in the carnage behind me with a crash and a crunch. Roars and growls filled the air, flames sprayed out into the dull sky, and the ground rumbled and shook in time with the struggle. I chanced a peek over the splintered remains of the yacht, and saw that the pale dragon had stolen some of Grundle’s treasure. Now the two were locking claws and butting heads with each other.

“Give me that gold back!” snarled the red dragon. Puffs of smoke billowed from his flared nostrils, but the pale dragon only smiled wryly, barely struggling against his opponent.

“If you were anything like Kagnarak, you’d have already got it back yourself!” The pale dragon teased, shoving his opponent against the mountain. The impact exploded in the air, the deafening crash freezing my muscles faster than the snow. I kept my eyes glued on the pale dragon, and watched as he threw the stolen gold in his grip at the dazed form of Grundle, peppering him with jingling pieces of jewellery and coins – and the source of the sparkling light. The riches fell to the ground, disappearing from view. Now was my chance!

Hastily racing through the maze of wreckage, I made my way for where the dragons were stood. If the source of light was another Element of Harmony, then the risk with getting close to a gigantic fire-breathing dragon was worth it. If I can get to it before he finds it… I thought as I slipped through a hole in the bow of a ship, quickly clambering over toppled crates and barrels. The low grumbles of the two dragons talking permeated through the wood.

“I’m going back to Kinsmeer. There’s better company and a bunch of lava pools waiting for me there. Unless you still think you’re as tough as the likes of Kagnarak or Lulenkha, I expect to see you soon.” With that the ground shook once more, eliciting a series of creaks and crackles from the stressed frames of the trashed vessels.

My hooves drummed on the stairs leading onto the deck – abruptly ending once my wings took over. I glided over to an intact ship with its balloon still attached – making the deck of the ship easier to hide on. I scampered over towards the stern and settled in the doorway to the captain’s quarters. Peeking around the corner, I saw that the pale dragon was long gone, leaving Grundle alone to pick up his stolen loot. He was already recovering the valuables that had been dropped in the scuffle, and my heart sank at the loss of my chance. Grundle stood up, and just as his armful of Canterlot’s wealth pass my eyes a sparkle shone into my eyes. The red dragon noticed it too, picking the item out and placing it under his scrutiny.

My hoof flew over my mouth before I could yell or make any sound. It was an Element of Harmony! It was my Element! The red dragon had it between the points of his index and thumb claws.

“Well, well… This is unique.” The dragon grinned, his eyes glazing over with a frightening gaze. I couldn’t help but gulp. He chuckled to himself, spitting out flames and smoke. “Maybe Stickle has a point; I shouldn’t tangle with Lulenkha – not with a strange treasure like this at stake.”

Grundle’s wings rapidly unfurled, and launched himself into the grey sky with a single beat of his massive wings. I had just barely braced myself in the doorway of the ship, which saved me from being blown away in the wake of the red dragon’s take off. The airship I was aboard lurched and jerked upwards suddenly. The bow dipped downward, knocking me from the doorway. I slid down the deck, desperately digging into the floorboards. I kicked off the floor, pumping my wings to fly away from the ship. Moments later, there was a loud snap, and before I could react the deck of the ship rocketed up, plunging everything into darkness.

Drearily, I came to lying on my back. I was sprawled out on the deck of the airship – now level and ascending rapidly into the full force of the blizzard.

Ascending?! It’s too dangerous to be in the air!

I rolled over and pushed myself onto my hooves. The ship was going up! It had broken free from its anchor, and now it was at the mercy of the storm. The wind howled in my ears, pellets of ice spiked and prickled my skin, and the bitter cold was quickly freezing into my bones. Even if I knew how to do it I couldn’t bring the airship down; it was too dangerous to stay out in the open.

Dizzy from a headache and the wind trying to push me over the nearest railing, I wobbled and stumbled over to the captain’s quarters. I tested the door, and to my relief it burst open with wind. Taking a final look out over the ship and the brunt of the winter storm hammering it, I slipped indoors and forced the door shut behind me.

Fumbling in the dim light, I dropped my saddlebags and dug out my lantern, scarf, and my box of matches. A few matches broke from shivering too much, but soon the room was filled with the fiery glow from my lantern. Now able to see, I wrapped my scarf around me and huddled into a corner, rubbing my hooves together and holding my chest to keep the warmth in. I couldn’t help but think how lucky I was to have not been knocked out for too long, another minute or more…

No, my thoughts interrupted. Don’t go there.

I closed my eyes, nodding. There were more important things to think about right now. What was I going to do with this ship? How far away from Canterlot was the storm going to take me? What in Equestria was that dream I had? The Element of Magic did something I had never seen before, it had started shining when I was nearby, and it put me to sleep when I touched it. My own Element was shining too, would it put me to sleep as well? Would it make me have another dream?

My hooves rubbed the sides of my skull, trying to ease the throbbing pain setting in. What does a dream of six ponies preparing for battle have to do with me? I thought. I can’t fight. I hate fighting. Is there something I'm missing? Wait, what was that name again? Was it… Lucky Swirl? A long groan bubbled out from my lungs. Something was hammering on the inside of my skull until I couldn’t concentrate anymore.

My body slumped over to the side. The room was spinning wildly while my heavy heartbeat pounded in my eardrums. The storm raged outside. Relentlessly hurling hail and rocking the ship back and forth. The airship kept rising though, refusing to be weighed down by ice. How does a pony even control one of these? I pondered. Is the wheel outside or inside?

Flashes of the ship spiralling in an impossible nosedive filled my head – all because I touched the steering wheel. Where do they keep the parachutes?

Groggily, I stood up and started searching the room for anything on safety or operating an airship. All I could find was a pamphlet on proper lighting, manoeuvres, and required equipment – none of which I had ensured, trained for, or packed. I opened up my canteen and took two gulps of cold water, drowning my nerves. At least I could still remember how to navigate with the stars from back in Flight School.

But there’s a blizzard hiding the night sky.

I took another gulp of water, and pressed the canteen against my forehead. I just had to stay calm, and stay focused on something. My head lifted up, bringing a glance onto my open saddlebags. I walked over and pulled out a folded and crumpled parchment from the bottom. Carefully I unravelled it and spread it out on the captain’s desk, holding the corners down with the Element of Magic, my canteen, and an empty inkwell that had fallen off the desk a long time ago.

Before me was a large map of Equestria, including a fraction of neighbouring lands around the edges. I looked down at the label locating Canterlot, and slowly swept my eyes over the little tears I had made in the page when I first picked it up. Las Pegasus, Manehatten, Crinkleshade, Little Shoe, and Appaloosa had marks and rips beside their names where little flags had been placed. Each flag represented the girls and I - we had split up to check those towns. Twilight and Spike had stayed in Canterlot to help coordinate the investigation and search the library for leads, and it was up to the rest of us to look for clues all over Equestria.

My head bowed down until my head rested on the desk. Nopony expected this to happen. I never thought that the day I left Canterlot for Appaloosa would be the last time I would see my friends again. I… I should’ve hugged them one last time. I should’ve made sure that they knew they were all so special to me.

Muted sobs shook my body, and I lifted my head up and away from the desk so that I wouldn’t smear the ink on the map. Through glassy eyes I stared over to the door, staring through it like it was a portal. On the other side I could see a beautiful meadow during summer, and each of my friends were there, together, looking back through the doorway with smiles on their faces.

“Wh-why did I survive?” I sputtered. “Why did you leave me behind?”

The ponies on the other side said nothing, but their expressions fell until they couldn’t bear to look at me anymore. The world around them started to drain of all colour and life, turning into a bleak and dull scene. I walked around the table, slowly approaching the doorway.

“Please…” I begged. “Come back. I can’t do this without you! Please!”

The scene started to disintegrate; flaking away like specks of snow caught in the wind. I rushed up to the portal, slamming into it but not passing through. I blinked, and the stoic wooden door with a tiny little window stood between me and the raging winter storm outside.

My legs buckled and gave out, dropping me down onto the floor with a thud. I stared at the door, repeating the same thing over and over again: “Why did I survive?”

Snowflakes of Shimmering Hues

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A gut-wrenching screech pierced through the howling storm winds. A crash of thunder boomed nearby, rattling my bones and forcing me under the captain’s desk. Gingerly I peeked out from the safety of the cedar furniture, and chanced a glance toward one of the port holes. Outside I could see the suffocating clouds enveloping the ship, and the specks of hail and snow streaking past the glass. But now there was something else joining the view outside; there was a distinct glow of orange.

Curious, I stood back up to find out what the cause of the glow was, only to quickly lunge to catch my lantern as a stray gale swung the airship wildly to and fro. The lantern hopped and bounced on my flailing hooves, crashing to the floor and plunging the room in darkness.

Only… There was still light – from outside. Every nerve in my body twitched as a ripple of fear tore through them. In seconds I had rushed through the dimly-lit room and thrown open the door – revealing a massive orange blaze engulfing the entire ship.

Beating the urge to stare and cower in place, I rushed back into the captain’s quarters and hastily gathered my belongings – throwing them all into my saddlebags with little concern over damaging them. Moments later I came out onto the deck in full gallop, heading directly for the nearest railing to soon abandon the flying inferno. My right hoof planted itself on the railing, just as a gigantic serpent darted out from the clouds and flew directly upward – filling my vision with its gleaming, ebony abdomen. In the same moment, even falling overboard became far more frightening than going down with the ship, and my panic-stricken legs shared the same feeling. I scrambled backwards and stopped in the center of the deck, searching through stinging eyes and blazing ash for the serpent. I could hear its grating screech echo among the clouds, drowning out even the explosions of thunder. I tried to fight the urge to freeze a second, but crippling fear tethered me in place – locking my eyes into a wide-eyed stare. All four of my hooves planted themselves on the floorboards, refusing to budge even while my knees shook and ached to flee. Every muscle in my body was in turmoil, and couldn’t decide what to do. My lungs couldn’t decide to breathe in or out, my wings were clamped shut against my flanks, and my heart screamed to get off the ship quickly.

The ship was burning down into its charred skeleton, leaving a tiny circle of untouched wood for me to stand on. I looked up into the fiery red sky – now visible through the framework of the long-gone balloon – and saw ash and molten liquid rain down from above. The ship carried on sailing deeper and deeper into the storm, and with each passing second the screeches grew louder, frequent, and from different directions at once. The sea of clouds raged like flood water, their dull, dark grey now an endless, inky black that caused light to simply cease to be the moment it touched its gloomy mass.

I brought my head down, shutting my eyes and trying to block out the awful sounds scraping away inside my skull: Wood creaking and groaning, serpents taunting with cacophonic cries, and the cackling laughter of reckless fire. It was too much to bear, too much to process and react.

The planks could hold me no longer, and with only an absent gasp I plummeted deep into the abyss of the storm. I blinked once, twice, finally realising that I was falling. Desperately I tried to fly, but the murderous winds tossed and shoved me about at dizzying speeds. I didn’t know which was up anymore, and in the dark depths of the cloud cover, I didn’t know how much longer I had until the ground would reach me. Sore from the endless fury of the storm, my wings gave up completely, leaving me falling faster and faster to the floor.

Blindly I stared in front of me, watching the world beneath emerge through the dark clouds and smoke. The earth was cracked and dry, burnt, jagged corpses of forests clawed up into the sky – reaching for salvation from the firestorms sweeping and consuming the land. Tears were ripped from my face, screams never made it over the roar of wind, and my heart was torn apart. Slowly, I turned my head upwards, twisting my body around so I couldn’t see the ground rushing up to me. My wings waved uselessly in the wind, just like the rest of me; just like the hope spilling from my chest.

Two emerald eyes gleamed through the blanket of smoke, revealing the ebony serpent who owned them just before he ripped through the shroud – diving down after me with the golden glow of flames in his mouth.

In moments the beast had closed the distance between us, coming almost close enough to breathe his flames over me. Pulling my glassy eyes away from the creature’s cold stare, I stole a glance at the ground behind me. Only a few hundred feet left until the end. The serpent’s maw opened wide, searing heat already beating away at my tiny form, and he exhaled.

There was a crash, an explosion like thunder, and I bolted upright in my seat without an ounce of air in my lungs. In a split-second the afterimage of flames had been replaced by the far wall and door of the captain’s cabin. I darted my eyes to window, seeing nothing but dull grey and water droplets on the other side. There was no hail, only silent, sleepy snowfall drifting in and out of view.

My head flopped forwards, banging onto the cedar desk. I winced but didn’t move, giving myself a moment to feel. The pain was real - thank goodness it was real.

“Nightmares can’t hurt me,” I sputtered. The truth in those words came over me in waves, the echo of my mother’s voice in my own brought comfort, but also an albatross circling over my head: Nightmares couldn’t hurt me, but reality could. And reality had taken my parents away along with everypony else.

I sat myself up and tilted my head back, drying my eyes with my bandaged leg. I sniffed at the air and scanned over the yellowed map spread over the desk. It was the same map that Twilight had been using to coordinate the search before she and the rest of the ponies had vanished. It was the map I had taken from Canterlot moments before Diamond Dogs stormed the room to catch me. Memories of the chase throughout the castle drove chills up my spine, perking my ears and gripping my lungs. My hoof smoothed out the creases in the parchment, ink smudged where tears or drool had collected. I frowned and wiped my mouth and cheek dry - as if it would make a difference now. My eyes drifted over to the tiny pinholes in the parchment, relieving me only slightly from responsibility. I had no desire to go to those towns. Not with the knowledge that each of my friends were apart from each other when the Event happened, not with the ghastly thought that an unassuming road could be the same place where one of my friends disappeared.

There was once place however, that I did have some desire, maybe more a duty, to go to. Circled with a piece of black charcoal I had found in the captain’s drawer was a place far outside of Equestria, nestled comfortably within a land only known to me as The Fang: Kinsmeer. The two Dragons I had heard talking in Canterlot were going there while the winter storm raged through most of Equestria. One of them had my Element of Harmony, and I had to somehow get it back. I didn’t know how long the Element of Kindness would be there for, but it was the only one I knew the location of for sure – besides the Element of Magic sitting on the desk and holding down one corner of the map.

I stretched and yawned, climbing out of my seat to stretch. Shakily standing on all fours, I sluggishly walked over to a porthole on the right side of the ship. It was still night outside, but the sky was clearer now that the air yacht had risen above most of the storm clouds. Perhaps some fresh air would help right now? I pondered as I peeled away from the glass, making for the door to the deck outside. The stars are out too; maybe I can work out which way I’m heading.

No sooner had the latch to the door been lifted did the cold night air rush indoors to greet me. I stood in the doorway, forgetting all the pain in my chest for a moment as I imagined opening the front door of my cottage on the first day of winter. The first breaths of cold air always chased away any drowsiness from the previous night, and this was no exception. Scarce flakes of falling snow melted on my nose and settled in the tangles of my mane, the chilly breeze ruffled my feathers and ran its fingers through my fur, and the air, though thinner this high up, was crisp and pure. With the warmth of the room behind me, the sensation was a lovely way to wake up.

Dreamily, I opened my eyes, staring beyond the bow of the ship, into the depths of the night. I held my gaze there, clinging onto the illusion that everything was fine and beautiful, and that nothing could possibly go wrong. It was no use; a few matted strands of my mane fell over my eyes, and my bandaged foreleg rose up to push them aside, shattering the lie I wanted to believe in.

I sighed and pulled the door shut after me. I looked up at the balloon keeping the ship aloft, quickly blinking back the vision of fire consuming it and the entire ship. Nightmares weren’t real. I hurried along, walked along the front of the captain’s quarters and walking up one of the sets of stairs leading to the poop deck. I swivelled around at the top of the stairs, feeling relieved to see a large wheel and a small collection of instruments right beside it. There was a wheel after all - I wasn’t completely at the mercy of the breeze.

I trotted over and stood beside the controls, and looked over the collection of instruments and levers on a wooden panel on either side of the steering wheel. The compass’ rose glowed softly in the dark, indicating that the ship was facing North-West. Similarly, the needles on the dials all carried a teal glow in the dark. The yacht was drifting along at about five knots, had “normal” pressure in the balloon, and had drifted up to nearly twelve-thousand feet in the air and levelled off – much higher than what most ponies would be used to, but not too difficult for a Pegasus to manage. I smiled for a moment; Flight Camp may have been years ago, but I still remembered a little bit of it.

“Fluttershy, Fluttershy, Fluttershy can hardly fly!” acidic jeers crept from the back of my mind, making me flinch and clamp my eyes shut. I hadn’t forgotten all of it, either. Bullies never leaving me alone, impatient coaches pushing me off clouds, lunches eaten in the restroom away from judging eyes… Gilda being… the way she was. Some things were not in a hurry to be forgotten.

There were good things though, truly wonderful, happy moments in my life that happened while away at camp. I found my special talent; I found my Cutie Mark. I became friends with Rainbow Dash. I even got better at flying – and first aid – thanks to her.

A tiny grin started to shine through – the first of its kind in a long time. Rainbow Dash was never much into the academics and theories, she was, and is, more into the emotional side of flying - or as she put it, the "heart-racing, impulsive, and totally awesome" side. Rainbow flew very often, and very riskily. What she didn't learn about safety in class she learnt through getting back up from each accident she wound up in. She didn’t think there was any better to learn. Maybe it was true. Even years later and I was still afraid of what could go wrong, so much so that I didn’t want to take a risk unless I had no choice.

Eventually, when the teasing became too much for me, I begged for Rainbow to help me become a better flier. Rainbow Dash made time to help me. She didn’t give up on me – even when I wanted her to, even when I wanted to just be left on the ground to never bother anypony again.

“You gotta let it go, Fluttershy,” Rainbow’s voice cracked, worsened by countless lectures and commands throughout the afternoon. “We set up down here so that nopony could pick on you, and you even got all these animals here for support.”

I peeked out through the leaves of the bush I had fallen into the fourth time that afternoon. She was right, a small gathering of badgers, rabbits, birds, and squirrels were watching. Some of them were waving tiny flags with my Cutie Mark on them. How they had those flags was a mystery to me, but it warmed my heart to see the animals there for me.

A pair on magenta eyes moved inches from mine, staring into me. “Fluttershy! Are you listening?”

“Eeek!” I leapt up into the air, my wings flailing around in a panic. Rainbow followed me up, gripping me firmly by the shoulders and steadied me.

“Whoa, take it easy!” Rainbow forced her raspy voice to be gentle, but I could hear her impatience. Slowly, my friend took her hooves away from my shoulders and hovered backwards. “There,” she muttered, her voice quickly matching the grin spreading on her face. “You see? You’re hovering like a pro!”

I looked to my wings. They were buzzing almost as fast as a hummingbird’s, but they were in sync. I looked up and down, checking for any ropes or supports holding me up. When no such thing appeared, my gaze levelled with Rainbow Dash and a giddy laugh escaped me. I was doing okay! I was in control and doing fine! And nopony was laughing at me yet.

My ears shot downwards and I stared up at where Flight Camp was. No pony was laughing at me yet. They would laugh at me anyway. They’d find a reason to tease me. I… I was bound to fail again! And all the fillies and colts would be waiting right there to point and laugh, and the grown-ups would shake their heads and mutter to themselves. I’d be kicked out of camp forever! Locked away so nopony would risk seeing a Pegasus who couldn’t fly!

“Fluttershy! Keep your wings going! Fluttershy?” I heard Rainbow call out to me. I didn’t hear her until I realised I was tilting very sharply to the right. With a yelp I scrambled to keep myself level, steering into a tree branch. I kicked and bucked my legs in the breeze, trying to push myself clear while my wings failed to work with me. Sneers and cruel laughter snaked through my ears, growing louder as dozens of imaginary ponies joined in at laughing at the circus act.

Rainbow Dash darted in front of me, blocking the crash course I was making to the branch. She held out her forelegs towards me, her eyes wide and worried. “Hold on to my hooves, let’s take it easy and – hey! Slow down!”

I couldn’t help it, it was like I was drowning and Rainbow had thrown out a life-preserver. I banked sharply towards her, flailing my legs and crashing into her in a bundle. The smaller pony wasn’t able to stay aloft, and we both swung and weaved through the trees as we both tried to regain control. A familiar prickly rosebush rushed up to greet us, and in the last second Rainbow’s wings whipped and tore into the air, pulling the pair of us away from the bush – and right into an oak tree.

I blinked a few times, not quite seeing anything more than blurs and bright lights. Little cries and whimpers surrounded me, and tiny claws and feet poked and pushed against me until I sat up. The animals were looking at me, the faces relieved to see me upright. I pushed a few strands of my mane from my face, my cheeks burning up in an instant, and ran my hoof over a lump on my head.

Something struggled and groaned underneath me, and before I could look down to see what it was, Rainbow Dash pushed herself up and shook me off of her. She spun around, narrowing a furious glare and fresh nosebleed at me.

“S-sorry, Rainbow Dash,” I squeaked. “I… I didn’t mean… I couldn’t…”

Rainbow said nothing. Instead she huffed and turned away, grumbling to herself and checking her wings and the blood on her face.

That was it, she hates me now. I thought to myself. I ruined everything. Everypony knew that I would. She doesn’t want to even look at me right now, I embarrass her so much. I rose onto my hooves, making a small note of the numb throbs spreading along the right side of my body. Maybe it would be a good idea to leave her alone, let her be friends with ponies and griffins that can fly. I bowed my head and turned away silently, mouthing a ‘thank you’ to the little critters just before they started to disperse. A sniffle betrayed me in the last second.

Rainbow Dash let out an exasperated sigh. “Hold it. Get back over here.”

I didn’t dare ignore her, and quietly I walked over to Rainbow Dash and sat down on my haunches, eyes cast downward to the nearest daisy. For a moment nothing else happened. Rainbow Dash kept her back to me while she rubbed her nose and growled at herself, and I started watching a few ants scurry around and climb along the blades of grass.

“We need to talk.” Rainbow finally said with an even tone. She turned around to say more, but I didn’t look up. “We’ve been doing this for nearly three weeks now. I’ve blown off Gilda several times for you, and I’ve skipped a couple of classes too. I want results, Fluttershy! Not a bruise or two – or a few thorns sticking into us from that malevolent weed you won’t let me cut down!”

I lifted my head and opened my mouth to defend the rosebush, but the words died before they could become more than just a few mumbles. Rainbow looked down and shook her head. “I know you can do this, Fluttershy, and it drives me nuts when you get so close but lose it. I thought you had it this time! You were fine for at least ten seconds!”

“Twig would’ve bet that…” I whimpered, rubbing my eyes dry.

Rainbow rolled her eyes up at the sky and muttered to herself. She brought her eyes back to mine and thumped the ground with her hoof. “Forget that lump of sweat-batter! Flying isn’t about impressing other ponies!”

I raised an eyebrow at Rainbow. Her eyes softened for a moment, and she leant back - rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly.

“Okay, maybe it is a little bit. But the most important thing about flying is to trust your wings to catch you.” Rainbow paused, her mind searching for a way to make her point. I looked at her patiently, and watched as her eyes twinkled. “It’s like this, Fluttershy: Wherever we are, I've got your back, you know that, right?”

I nodded, and Rainbow twisted around so that I could see her wings. “I’ve got your back, but your wings are... like, on your back." Dash’s wings wiggled and shook for emphasis, and Dash tried to bend her foreleg around to point at the base of her wings. It looked a little silly, and Dash must’ve noticed the corners of my mouth twitch, because she put on a grin of her own and began twirling around in mid-air – acting like a dog chasing their tail.

I covered my mouth to stifle a tiny little giggle, and Rainbow stopped spinning and shot me a grin. I smiled back – a real smile – and felt like nothing bad had just happened between us.

Rainbow gently landed beside me, hooking a leg around me and pulling me into a sideways hug. “Like I said, I got your back. Now all you gotta do is trust your wings do too, and learn to not care what could happen – or what a cloud-sinker like Twig says. Just focus on what you gotta do right now. Act on a whim like a breeze in a storm, and roll with the crosswinds, you know?”

I nodded slowly, carefully remembering what Rainbow was saying. Rainbow patted my back and leapt into the air with a whoosh, instantly puffing her chest up and shooting a grin my way. “All right, that’s a long enough break! You feel up for another round in phase one?”

“Yes,” I whispered. Rainbow Dash leant towards me and pretended to clear wax out of her ear.

“What’s that? I didn’t quite catch that,” She chuckled.

I frowned, Rainbow knew I didn’t like shouting, but she wasn’t going to let it slide this time. I cleared my throat, and raised my voice a little more. “Yes, I’m ready.”

Rainbow laughed. “Great, come on! This way!” In a flash she was gone, leading a colourful vapour trail through the trees. I unfurled my wings and looked back at them. I stretched and waved them, and dutifully they did what I asked them to do.

“I just have to trust you, that’s what Rainbow said. Well, here goes.” I shut my eyes and hopped up, my wings buzzing and struggling to stay in sync. I concentrated on flapping my wings, and brought them into rhythm. My hooves didn’t touch the ground for three seconds, five, and then ten. My eyelids sneaked open, revealing the forest floor a few feet beneath my hooves. The animals still watching me hopped and cheered with sweet little squeaks, and I smiled back to them in gratitude. With a shaky path, I weaved the trees after Rainbow Dash. My wings took over, guiding me over and under each branch with care. Eventually I broke into the field, just in time to see Rainbow start another move of hers, the “Filly Flash”.

Lightning flashed in my eyes, but it was not from Rainbow. I blinked a few times, finally focusing on the rolling greys and blacks of storm clouds. My head tilted to the side and I sniffed at the air. There was something vague lingering, but I wasn’t sure what it was. I moved away from the railing on the side of the air ship, and wandered over to the piloting controls. That was when white flicker lit me up, quickly followed by deep grumbles of thunder.

I turned my head towards the bow of the ship, and looked out into the vast sky beyond the end of the yacht. I rubbed my eyes, checking that I wasn’t still dreaming. Straight ahead, a handful of forks and flashes of lightning revealed a massive collection of thunderclouds looming in the distance. Wind started to howl in my ears, and I felt the yacht kick up in speed and drift closer to the storm. Without a second of thought, I grabbed hold of the wheel and spun it clockwise, banking the yacht sharply to the right. The clouds ran along the port side of the yacht, the bright white beams of lightning dazzling me and the thunder resonating in my lungs. The yacht continued to turn and swung around until the storm was to the stern. The ship stalled as the wind caught it once more, and pushed it backwards into the thunderheads, letting the storm swallow the ship whole with me aboard.

Instantly tiny spears stabbed and pinched at my face; horrible howls filled my ears, topped only by crashes and booms of thunder; and ozone and humid air hung heavily in my lungs. The ship lurched and swung helplessly, throwing barrels and debris from the decks. I clung onto the wheel for dear life, swinging and slamming into the floor as the wheel spun and tried to wrestle free from my grasp. There was a deafening clamour that was quickly silenced by ringing. Just as a bright, white fork arced and struck one of the cables tying the yacht to the balloon, a deep red device among the dials flared up and shattered. I shot a look at the object, learning that it was a gemstone embedded among the instruments – but not just any gemstone. With another flash of lightning, I could read what the purpose of the stone was; it was an enchanted stone for lightning absorption – and in one strike it had been destroyed.

I swallowed down my heart and drew in a sharp breath. Oh no… Oh no no no! This isn’t good. What do I do? What do I do?!

I started to flick levers and switches. Something had to make this airship go down! There had to be! I had to get out of the storm, and if I couldn’t steer the ship out, I had to bring it down until I could! Images of the ship crashing as a towering inferno clouded my mind. I yanked and pulled at every lever my hooves fumbled over, terrified of the worst coming true. Somewhere I managed to get the yacht to start its descent.

Another ear-cracking boom chased up my spine, but instead of being plunged back into darkness, I was bathed in jittery and erratic flickers of orange. I spun around to look, and instantly backed away from the flames spreading from the corner on the left side of the yacht. Fire had broken out the balloon and ship, tracing the path the undeterred lightning took. Quickly the flames rose, wasting no time to burn wildly out of control in spite of the hail and rain. My worst nightmare was coming true, and soon the ship was going to come crashing down in flames.

I leapt off the front railing and landed on the deck below. I wobbled and slid as the yacht rocked and lurched back and forth with the wind, and quickly burst into the captain’s cabin – where the fire was already spreading into.

Dragging my saddlebags over to the desk, I scrambled to pack everything into them. The map was carelessly crumpled and squashed into storage, along with my lantern. In the other satchel I stashed the Element of Magic before throwing the bags over myself. The crackles and growls or burning wood grew louder and the smoke thicker, and in a hurry I threw my canteen on and stumbled outside sputtering on ash.

I craned my neck around to secure my saddlebags, just as the ship’s support cables snapped. The ship fell away from me, sending me sliding downwards and almost completely over the rail on the port side. I curled my forelegs over the railing, struggling to unfurl my wings and get them to work properly through the nightmarish sounds and terrible shakes wrecking my nerves. I kicked and kicked at the air with my hind legs, trying to climb back up, and slowly my saddlebags began to slide off.

Alarmed, I tried to stop moving, but that was not enough. The wind and rocking of the now-sideways airship yanked the saddlebags from me, sending them tumbling down until I couldn’t see them anymore.

I looked down after them. My grip tightened on the ship, and I closed my eyes and whimpered. I can’t go after them! My wings are stuck! I… I’ll crash! Something horrible will happen!

“You gotta let it go, Fluttershy!” Rainbow Dash reminded me.

I shook my head. This is different! It’s too dangerous!

“I know you can do this, Fluttershy,” echoed her voice. “All you gotta do is trust your wings.”

I peered down into the storm clouds. The Element of Magic was falling further and further away from me. After everything I went through to get it, I couldn’t risk losing it now. I slid off the railing until I was dangling by my ankles, and looked up at the rest of the failing airship. I closed my eyes, imagining Rainbow in front of me. “…Like a breeze in a storm, y-you know?” I whispered. Rainbow’s face lit up with a smile and she nodded, not saying another word before the harshness the wind whisked her away.

My forelegs unhooked from the ship, and I arched backwards to fall into a dive. For a moment, all I could hear were my ragged breaths and my heart pounding in my chest, but all too quickly were they lost in the roar of wind rushing over my ears. Without a thought, my wings threw themselves open, catching me and swooping back to reduce drag and pointing me straight into a nosedive. If I was going to get my saddlebags back, I had to catch up to them first.

I pumped my wings to go faster. The strong winds pushed back harder, and the pain liquefied into molten agony instantly. I grunted through clenched teeth and folded my wings up, pulling them to my sides. Stretching my legs out as far as I could, I sliced through the atmosphere, blindly zooming through the dark clouds. Ozone, lightning, and ferocious thunder overwhelmed my senses. Crashes and snarls chased after me, and for a few seconds I thought I had fallen into a nightmare before lightning struck again, recreating the paralysing sounds. I fell further into the worst of the storm, the weight of the air growing and pushing me down, the darkness swallowing me up where starlight couldn’t reach.

Through the dark haze of clouds and thickening snowfall, my saddlebags drifted into view. By luck they hadn’t been torn open, and I hoped and hoped that nothing had fallen out of them. Straining every muscle in my body, I reached forward, slowly inching myself closer and closer. My hoof was almost in reach, but a bump sent it infuriatingly further away. My heartbeat was in my throat, and my stomach swirled as if it knew the countdown to the ground. I flailed uselessly in the air, trying to push myself the last few inches to my bags.

Through a space between the flaps and the rest of the saddlebag, the magenta crystal of the Element of Magic flickered in sight, almost urgently. With only one last chance, I reached forwards once more, narrowing my eyes on just the Element peeking through the saddlebags. A haze settled around the edges of my vision, and the saddlebags began to drift into my reach. I held on a moment, waiting until the saddlebags had reached my knees and wrapped my forelegs around them.

Laughter juddered in my chest. Fits of foalish giggles bubbled in my throat, and a relieved smile broke through the dirt on my face. I did it, Rainbow! Look! I did it!

Rainbow Dash floated down from behind me, arms crossed behind her head as she shot me a smug grin, “I knew you had it in ya!” Rainbow twisted around and peeled away, shouting behind her, “Now for phase two!”

“Phase two?” I blinked. The tiny speck Dash had become had vanished from view. No, she… she was never there to begin with. I tilted my head back, still clinging onto my saddlebags tightly. Nothing but powder and frozen wind faced me, but gravity was on my tail – not my back. I tried to gasp, but my lungs were wrapped in panic.

Pull up! Pull up!

There couldn’t have been much time left. Dutifully, my wings swung open and extended outwards. The wind roared and pulled at the tips of my primaries, but I forced them to stay steady and spread with. The drag spun me wildly in a corkscrew, and my eyes closed as my legs pulled my saddlebags in tightly. I twisted my wings slightly, ending the dizzying tumble, and leant back. Slowly, I felt the attitude of my descent change, and the weight of gravity moved to my back. The vicious screech of air whistling around me spoke of my speed, but it quickly lowered once I let my hind legs droop and carve into the airstream.

I opened my eyes, immediately looking down. Nothing but blankets of falling snow for a few dozen yards passed beneath me. I looked ahead, squinting through the icy powder, and saw nothing more than snow and fog.

I dipped downwards, still gliding much faster than I was used to, and began searching for the ground. There was no going back now. The airship wasn’t going to stay in the air much longer, and with the raging storm high up in the atmosphere, flying back up to search for it – or even to seek refuge on top of the clouds – was not a choice I could make. I looked up at the sky. I could see the faint arcs or lightning peeking through the cloud cover, and the occasional rumble still managed to find the ground, but closer to the ground, there was mainly an eerie stillness maintained by the thick, falling snow.

My hind legs drummed against the tops of some trees, and I quickly flapped my wings to rise up over them. A powerful stream of air caught my wings and blew me aside, guiding me into a much taller tree. I dove down under the branches, and veered clumsily in the dark – narrowly missing the faint shapes of branches of trees against a thin veil of snowfall. I brought myself down to land, but misjudged the distance and my speed completely. I tripped and tumbled forwards, the numbness from adrenaline numbing some of the pain. Eventually I came to rest with my face buried in a snow flurry. Brain freeze encased my skull, and I pulled away from the mound of snow, taking a moment to nurse the lump on my head and shake the snow-beard off my face.

I sat up onto my haunches, still holding my saddlebags against my chest, and glanced around, straining my ears to hear anything through the silencing weight of the snow. I let out a sigh of relief, and put my saddlebags onto the snowy ground. Carefully, I unpacked my belongings and put my lantern and matches to use. Now with a bright, fiery light beside me, I felt a little safer. I eased the Element of Magic out and held it in front of me, letting out a sigh as the binds around my ribs eased. Everything had survived the fall. I quickly tidied my belongings away – leaving the lantern out to guide me through the night.

I stood up, picked up my saddlebags and buckled them on securely. The wind picked up and whistled in my ears and blew frozen powder in my face. I ducked my head down and squinted into the veil of snow, searching for anything to head towards. In the warm glow of my lantern and the dim, ambient light of the night, there was nothing but snow and trees for as far as I could see. I had no clue where I was.

Lost.

My head shook quickly. No, not lost, last time I checked the map, I… The ship was… Oh No. My hooves quivered in place, the cold starting to gnaw at my ankles. I whirled around, scanning for anything that could tell me where I was, which way I was going – anything! Snow, trees, ground, and leaves everywhere. Which way? Which way?!

Thunder rumbled overhead, and the winds picked up again, the whistling turning into a howl. I grit my teeth, biting down on the handle on my lantern, and pushed into the denser part of the woods – out of the brunt of the chilling wind.

My hooves hurried along, not wanting to linger in the snow and ice any longer than they had to. My lantern led the way, revealing patches of grass where the snow hadn’t buried it, as well as bushes and shrubs rustling and shrivelling in the icy breeze. Winter had come far too early. What about the animals? What about Angel?

“Just focus on what you gotta do right now.” a faint, raspy voice said to me.

“Rainbow Dash? Rainbow!” my eyes darted from tree to tree, but there was only snowflakes and waving branches. “Where are you?”

“I’ve got your back, you know that, right?” Rainbow assured me. I spun around, shining the lantern over bushes and up to tree branches. I couldn’t see her.

Is she even here? I wondered. My eyes kept searching, but everything blurred. I blinked, ignoring the wetness pinching my cheeks as it fell. I faced toward the wind, and my eyes blurred again, revealing dozens of little sparkles and shines. I wiped my eyes dry, and stared into the blizzard. “R-Rainbow Dash?” my voice wobbled out. There was no reply. Instead, lots and lots of snowflakes drifted by, each of them seeming to carry a glint with them. I focused on one of them, and gasped. My eyes widened, flicking from snowflake to snowflake. Each and every flake that caught the lantern’s light shone and glimmered with dozens of different colours. Reds, greens, and blues all shifting endlessly through the spectrum. Rainbow is here. She’s here!

“I’ve got your back,” my old friend repeated. “You know that, right?”

“I-I know you do.” I whispered, looking at every snowflake that drifted by. “I know you do.”

There was a pause, but during that pause the blizzard seemed to lose its strength, making it easier to see straight ahead. Rainbow’s voice carried itself with the breeze, sailing in my mind. “Come on, this way.”

There was nothing to say I was going the right way, or where we were going, anyway. I followed what felt right, and it felt more than right, it felt like… somewhere familiar. A few minutes later, and the woods disappeared in the snowfall behind me, but I kept on walking in what felt like the right way to go, right into what first looked like very thick fog. That made no sense; fog in a blizzard? That wasn’t how it worked.

I raised a hoof up to the fog, and pressed the sole into the mass. My hoof didn’t pass through, and the fog pushed back. This wasn’t fog at all, it was a dense cloud – the sort that either carried a lot of water, or was used in building cities like Cloudsdale.

Building. My brain noted, and I frowned at myself. Another prismatic snowflake drifted into view, and somehow an idea burst in my head.

Setting my lantern down, I quickly got to work, pushing my hooves into a part of the cloud and pulling a tear open. Quickly I packed and patted the inside down, compressing it to create a space. I made the gap big enough the fit through, and sculpted a space inside the cloud with ‘walls’ thick enough with moisture that they began to harden and freeze in the cold temperatures. With a big enough room to be comfortable, I picked up my lantern and squeezed inside. A few moments later, and the entry was almost completely closed, leaving a little space at the top for daylight to come through when morning came.

My saddlebags found a spot on the grass in the shelter, and my lantern took a spot next to them. Gently, I lowered myself down and sighed when I felt pressure leave my legs. Outside, the blizzard had picked up again, and the howls of wind raced over the tiny hole I had left to the outside world, letting the occasional snowflake find its way inside.

I gave myself a few minutes, letting a tiny spark of pride ignite. I had turned the space into a cozy little hideaway, and made a safe place from the cold. My lantern bathed the small cloud igloo with light and gradually the chill in the air lost its edge; the packed walls and ceiling worked wonders in keeping the cold outside. Lying on the damp grass, I pulled out Zecora’s copy of Supernaturals and tried to pick up where I had left off. The page I settled on was about how to protect from fire and treat burns, which didn’t seem to be useful in a blizzard. Soon enough, though, the words started to blur and swirl around the page, and I decided to just quietly watch the snowflakes lazily drifting in until I could fall asleep. My mind started to wander.

Did I really hear her? Or was I imagining it? I thought to myself. A shimmer caught my eye, and my nose wrinkled as it settled on it with a chilly tingle. Are those snowflakes really that… colourful?

I watched them for a moment, following a flake until it caught the lantern’s glow just right, and shone with a different colour each time. Dozens of snowflakes of shimmering hues, all drifting inside and melting on the first thing they touched. I stuck my tongue out and caught one of the sparkling shreds of ice. It gave a dull tingle when it melted, similar to a normal snowflake, but also with a flavour. My face twisted into a confused look, and I caught a few more. They were all the same; cold for a moment, but then a little twang would fizzle out. It was almost… spicy?

I shrugged and lowered my head onto my hooves, and dimmed the lantern’s flame. Hopefully the blizzard would end in a few hours, and I could begin to work out where I had landed in Equestria. I couldn’t have gone too far away, could I?

I closed my eyes, and mumbled to worry about it later. Sleep was tugging at me impatiently, and I didn’t want to put it off any longer.

My eyelids flew open, just as every muscle in my body jerked and tore me away from another nightmare. I gasped, trying to catch my breath, but it seemed like there wasn’t enough air in the room. I muttered between breaths, repeating my mantra until I finally started to believe it, and my heart stopped trying to burst out.

I gulped at the dry air, and fumbled about in the dark as I tried to stand up and reach the tiny hole letting the only light inside. My hoof carved out an opening in the top of the cloud igloo, and I pulled it open so that the crisp air of morning could flow inside.

I poked my head outside, and glanced around. The land was covered in a fresh blanket of snow. The forest I had stumbled through had snow and ice clinging to the sides of tree trunks where the wind had packed it. I tried to look behind me, but the fallen cloud was much, much bigger than I expected, and had created a tall mound in the landscape. Straight above a vast and blue sky opened up to me, almost tricking me into thinking that an ice storm hadn’t ravaged the land overnight.

My attention turned to my belongings, Zecora’s book still lay open with Philomena’s feather acting as a bookmark, my lantern had ran out of oil whilst I slept, and my saddlebags stood lazily on the floor, loaded with supplies and important belongings. I adjusted my canteen’s strap, and pulled the container up for the last gulp of water it had. I left the cap off, and gently flew out from my shelter to fill the canteen with a little snow.

The breeze greeted me with an icy embrace, bringing a couple of shivers out of my legs. I set myself down by the treeline, and scooped some snow up into the metal container. My ears swivelled about, keeping alert for anything wandering nearby. The light wind made little noise, and every snapped twig or branch came from a tree that couldn’t hold the ice weighing it down. No birds were singing, no insects buzzing. The storm had forced them away, along with any hint that it was supposed to still be summer.

With some snow melting in my canteen, I flitted back to my saddlebags and gathered up my belongings. The wind kicked up a gust, sending shivers up and down my neck. I flipped open one of my saddlebags, and dug around inside until I found my scarf buried underneath a couple of potions. I wrapped up warm, wishing I had enough time to grab a hat from my home. It was panic that made me grab my scarf in the middle of summer, but I was thankful I had it now. It didn’t change how wrong everything was, though.

Slipping my bags on and securing them, I peered over to the top of the cloud. Maybe I can work out where I am from there. I thought. Or maybe I’ll work out why this cloud is on the ground instead of in the sky.

I unfurled my wings and hovered a few feet off of the ground, checking that my saddlebags were not going to slide off, and started to ascend to the top of the cloud. The edges glowed brightly in the sunlight, lining the shadow I was in with a golden border. I could hear running water and hissing steam on the other side. I picked up speed, wanting to get into the sunlight as quickly as possible. At last, I settled on the top of the cloud, staring into the distance where a bundle of clouds were climbing over the horizon. I blinked a few times, trying to adjust to the bright light reflecting off the snow, and gazed at what lay beneath me. My heart locked up.

For miles all around lay clumps and clusters of clouds. Each of them loosely resembled a building or a wall, some even still retaining their details after falling apart. Columns prickled the landscape, hulking pieces of cloud lay scattered on the ground and slowly losing their form, and tiny streams of water with oily stains flowed between the larger pieces of debris, and washed away belongings and personal treasures. Off to the left lay giant boilers from a factory, billowing steam that formed into clouds. Beyond that rested the Cloudiseum, Cloudsdale’s sports arena.

I stared at the twisted ruins of Cloudsdale. I stared and blinked and rubbed my eyes, refusing to believe it was real. The decaying clouds still lay contorted among the streams of leaking rainbow and scattered debris. Steam continued to billow into the sky from the last few functioning boilers. And the surviving architecture and crumbling remains of the Cloudiseum proved that this was what was left of Cloudsdale. It was all still there. It was all real.

Somewhere in my mind, I made the connection: Without Cloudsdale’s factory or the ponies working on the weather teams, the weather went out of control and the city couldn’t stay in the sky. It had collapsed without anypony there to save it. The extreme weather was the result of dozens of weather stations failing all over Equestria. The rainbow snowflakes were created when Cloudsdale fell, and the rainbow vats tainted the stored winter weather. The entire weather system that Equestria depended on was gone.

My gaze cast downwards, tracing a path to the cloud I was stood upon - the cloud I had dug a tiny shelter inside of. In front of me, peeking out of the fresh snow on the ground were dressers and other furniture. Among them was a mirror, still with dozens of little photographs wedged in the frame. They were of a small family of four. A little colt was in almost all of them, pictures of him playing sports, bringing home trophies, and sitting with his parents and baby sister on a beach.

My eyes drifted to the tattered mare in the middle of the mirror. I had survived, and I had burrowed into the side of the decaying city like a parasite.

Screams tore out of me. I screamed at the reflection, at the city, and at the thought of countless families being torn apart. I set my lungs and throat on fire, hoping it would spread and burn everything away. It wasn’t fair! It shouldn’t have been me to get away! It should have been the families!

“You gotta let it go, Fluttershy!” Rainbow said. It was the worst time for that phrase to be spoken.

I cringed at her voice. “They were too young for this, Rainbow Dash!”

Her advice was automatic. “Just focus on what you gotta do right now.”

My legs bent and dropped into the snow. It felt like my heart was pouring out. I stared up at the family photos of the Pegasus family, bowing my head towards the pictures. “It-It’s wrong! They couldn’t have… they had to have got away! They had to!”

Rainbow Dash said nothing. Only a solitary breeze nipped at my ears. I took a deep breath, and tried to stand. My knees wobbled and shivered in the wind, and a warm tingle trickled from my chest and down my legs. I glanced down, seeing my legs and belly discoloured and soaked in red warmth. I screamed and flailed backwards, falling into the side of a cloud. I stared at my hoofprints and where I had stumbled, and watched an oily mixture of several colours flow inside them from underneath the snow. I held my hooves up, seeing blues and greens dribble along the backs of my forelegs, mixing with the bold red on the front.

“R-rainbow…” My gut churned with different shades of dread. I lowered my hooves down, and took a breath. The warm substance dripped from me, splashing and staining the snow with colours that flickered in the sunlight. I gently set myself down, and wiped as much of the rainbow liquid off as possible. My coat was left damp and glistened in strange colours; I couldn’t wash the stains off.

Shuddering from unsteady breaths, I reached behind me and pulled my map out, and slowly unrolled it. I had to get away – hundreds of miles away. I had to get to Kinsmeer. Cloudsdale was known to be moved around when the factory needed water. But the last I had heard, the weather factory had more than enough water to produce a needed storm, and so the floating city was in its usual place to the West of Canterlot. Ponyville had to have been about two dozen miles to the South-East, and that put me on the best path for Kinsmeer.

A bright orange smudge circled the dragon landmark, along with a blue snail trail tracing a rough route I wanted to take. One side of my face curled up at the mess, but the guilt was swallowed up by a larger monster. Without another word I packed the map away and took wing, heading towards home, or where it used to be. I tucked my legs in to pick up speed, and the congealed mix stuck to my coat, twisting my imagination to make it something much, much worse.

The ground was littered with all kinds of furniture and belongings, and I forced myself to look straight into the horizon. The pictures attached to the mirror lingered in my mind, but I imagined a blizzard in front of them. I didn’t want to think about it anymore. There was only one thing I wanted to do, only one thing I wanted to focus on: Finding the Elements of Harmony and reuniting them, before something happened to me.

Journey to The Fang

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Snow had transformed Equestria into a pale and purified land. On the surface for miles around, the blanket was undisturbed save for animal tracks. Ponyville was wrapped in flurries and covered in icicles, and through the weather I managed to fool myself that the ponies were still fast asleep in their warm beds. The gutted buildings and scattered belongings in the street shattered the lie, though; beneath the snow’s pure cover were countless wounds and scars staring blindly into the sky, up towards me.

I willed my wings to move faster and hurried on towards the Everfree Forest. Cloudsdale was fresh in my mind, and I was afraid of what I would find in Ponyville. But the sky couldn’t hold me, and before I could resist I had glided down and landed in front of my cottage.

I stared down at my door, sweeping the snow off to reveal the faded red paint underneath. I took a step forward, my face twisting whenever the wood creaked and groaned under my hooves. With as few steps as possible I walked into my living room, and quietly scanned the floor until I was used to the darkness inside. I took a deep breath, and lifted my gaze to the damage that had been done.

Cushions and sofas had been torn up, bird houses had been carelessly knocked onto the floor and flattened, and claws had been gouged in walls and frames. Anything that used to be on a table or a shelf had been thrown onto the floor – or was missing entirely. My hooves scraped forward and I lowered my eyes to the floor where cracked picture frames lay like steel traps. A part of me wanted to see the faces and remember them, but my body trembled any time my eyes caught a glimpse of a wing or a mane. It was too much.

I stopped and shut out the room. Safer behind closed eyelids I counted to ten, then to ten again, and once more. Just try to keep calm. It’s okay; everything is going to be okay, my mind assured. Let’s just be careful and not think about... Things.

With a deep breath I opened my eyes and gazed over the mess. I was drawn to a tiny, broken figure by my hooves, nestled amongst a shattered teapot and some chipped cups. My heart flinched in my chest, drumming against my ribs. Lying on the floorboards was a little Discord. He still wore a cheery expression on his face. And somehow the bulb the statue held was still intact, while the rest of him was in pieces from the waist down, crushed and ground into dust.

A terrible churning swelled inside my stomach. I gasped for fresh air, panting and panicking when the nausea started to move. I hurried upstairs to the bathroom, stumbling on the shredded carpet, and bounded through the door. I heaved on an empty stomach. It was… It was horrible.

A few minutes later I leant against the side of the tub, sleepily staring across the room. I breathlessly swallowed in the frozen air, shivered and burned all over, and tried my best to ignore the knots in my wrought-out stomach. It was too much to bear. Shaking I reached behind me and took out one of Zecora’s potions. My eyes slid into focus on the tag: “Silverbloom and Weeping Moss Brew: for good nights and fevers few!”

I pulled the cork out with my teeth and gently set it on the floor. Smells of fruit and lantern oil assaulted my nostrils, making me cough a few times. I narrowed my eyes on the back of the tag and read the dosage instructions: “One tablespoon stirred in a drink before bed, do not rise with the bird for the sake of your head.”

Sounds like it should work, my mind noted. I shuffled onto my hind legs and held the bottle in my hooves. Slowly, I tipped the bottle toward me, touched it on my lips, and took a measured sip. I nearly spat the medicine back out the moment it sloshed over my tongue. It was a bitter, acrid taste, and I couldn’t swallow it alone. Groaning at the horrible taste, I quickly put the potion aside and opened my canteen. I took one big gulp of water, which instantly weakened the flavour and whisked the medicine away. My head lolled back and rested on the rim of the bathtub, and I let my eyes close. The dizziness eased and was replaced by numbing waves gently washing over my mind and trickling down to my tummy. My heavy breaths faded, revealing how eerily quiet the house really was.

There was no chirping, no squeaks or squawks, not even the gentle snores of sleeping critters. The house was dead and still as the wintry world outside remained mournful and silent, looking on while I lay on the floor. This wasn’t the home I remembered. This wasn’t the little cottage outside of town I loved. Ponyville was down the road, but it wasn’t my Ponyville and this wasn’t my home either.

My hooves dragged on the floor, kicking smashed pots away. I pushed myself upright and packed the potion away. My eyes hazily drifted over the tattered and filthy bandage wrapped around my left foreleg. How long had it been since I’d changed it? I tugged at the binding. What did the wound underneath even look like?

The wrappings fell away, showing off a lighter band of fur compared to the rest of my coat, and the crusted-over and oozing scab clinging onto it. My mind flinched, but my muscles stayed loose and relaxed. A sigh let itself out, which was brought back in by a yawn. I turned for the cupboard and shelf next to the sink, looking for something to clean up with. Had the bathroom always been this long? The thought was lost under clanging and scrapes from my toes knocking shattered jars from my path. My left hoof reached out and eased the cupboard door open. Thankfully, there were some clean towels and washcloths that had been left alone and were still folded and soft under my curious soles.

The faucets creaked and gurgled when I turned them, but cold, fresh water quickly poured into the sink. I hummed a little lullaby while I stirred a washcloth in the basin and carried the tune on while I washed the dirt off my leg. The cold air and icy water stung at my skin, and the old wound protested faintly to being disturbed. The pain was fleeting though, soon hushed inside my head by the gentle sea, song, and dreamy sensation flowing through me. I yawned again and blinked, catching a glimpse of blurs and swirls that whispered and waved without a worry to be heard. I stared at my hooves in the basin and drew a blank, but didn’t mind at all. The sea rocked me to my own lullaby, and with one last yawn the lights dimmed and said goodnight, leaving just the song to come to a delicate end.

***

I woke up wrapped in my bed covers, warm and snug, and opened my eyes. White light ignited an awful pain in my skull and I rolled over to escape the brightness. I tried to pull the covers over my head, but my forelegs had been tangled together by a strap. Fidgeting a little I sat up in bed, blowing my mane aside and lifting my hooves into view. A canteen and its strap were wrapped around my legs in a bundle. I blinked a few times and tried to nurse a sharp pain in my skull. Whose is this? Where did it come from?

“Angel?” I croaked, looking up towards the door. Long gashes had been torn through the door and walls by huge claws, and the floorboards had deep scars and cracks from a large and powerful creature. The entire bedroom had been turned upside-down and ransacked, leaving clothes and boxes of treasures tossed and trampled on the floor. I gasped and clutched my head in my hooves, trying to catch my thoughts – hoping I hadn’t woken up yet.

A patch of cotton rubbed against my cheek, and I took a glance at my left foreleg. A torn cloth had been lazily wrapped around a stubborn wound, and a tiny flicker inside my head told me that I had put it there last night. I looked over the room again and blinked. Between my bed and the door were my saddlebags, which had been clumsily dropped on the floor before I had gone to bed, and a red headband and blue scarf lying next to them.

My eyelids fell down like floodgates, and I held onto my canteen like it was going to save my life. Slowly I counted to ten, wishing to myself that I could just stop feeling like I was burning up inside. I took another look at my belongings on the floor and quietly slid out of bed, letting my canteen untangle itself and fall into place above my knee. I shivered in the deep freeze lingering in the house, and quickly my memories rushed in and solidified once more. The pressure in my head built up, and I drew a sharp breath and groaned.

I ambled over to my saddlebags and carefully unpacked them to check what I still had. The cause of my headache was still in supply, but I was relieved my stomach wasn’t upset anymore. My small sewing kit hadn’t gone missing and was going to stay with me. I didn’t quite know why I grabbed it when I did, but as my hoof traced the stitches along the base of the bag holding the Element of Magic, there was no reason to leave it behind now.

An empty canteen rattled against Zecora’s potions and her copy of Supernaturals, which had Philomena’s feather nested inside the pages. Smaller items lay buried under the bigger stuff: matches, my map, twigs, and grit. There was still a lot of empty space, and my brow furrowed when no food or first aid turned up – not even when I turned the bags upside down and shook.

I sat down, pressed a hoof to my forehead, and rubbed my shoulders for warmth. Dry air tickled my throat as it passed to chill my lungs. I shivered again and brought my eyes over a pile of clothes in front of my closet. Crumpled among a small collection of dresses was a blue winter jacket. I crawled over and lifted it up for a closer look.

This was a gift, the voice in my head muttered. I nodded gently, looking over the sporty design and running my hooves under the sleeves. Faint, oversized paw prints had been left on the waterproof material but thankfully no claws had pierced it, and the fleece collar and cuffs spoke of the lining inside - but mostly of the warmth it promised. My canteen sloshed and clanged on the floor, and it stayed there while I pulled the jacket on and wrapped myself up in my scarf.

I hugged the soft fleece around me, closing my eyes and pretending I was relaxing next to an open fireplace, and finally felt comfortable out of bed. I picked up my headband and carefully looked it over. The feathers had been lost after leaving Dodge Junction, and the headdress was now covered in dirt, grit, and soot. I blew my mane aside and gently brushed the band with my hoof, knocking loose some dust that had settled on it. I flipped my mane to the side, fed it through the loop, and pulled the red band back into place.

Water, food, and bandages, my mind rattled off. I nodded slowly, hoisted my tired body upright, and collected my saddlebags. The bitter cold in the house hung heavily around me, but it was barely in my mind while I surveyed the damage that had been done. I choked, wheezing on dust and squeezing out only a few tears. The tears had ran out for now, which only made my heart feel heavier with grief I couldn’t let out.

The stairs creaked under my hooves and the frostbitten floorboards downstairs crackled and crunched all the way to the kitchen – or what had been left of it. Like the rest of my home, the kitchen had been sacked. Cabinet doors had been torn off their hinges and left to rot on the floor; drawers had been meticulously scratched through or ripped out entirely. But a part of me wondered if all of this was truly what the Diamond Dogs did, or if it were animals desperate for food for the sudden winter. My mouth opened to whimper, but a suffocated gasp was all that came out. There were animals struggling to stay safe, and even if I wanted to I couldn’t help them. I couldn’t feed them or offer them shelter, not with how my home had been left behind. I stared down at an empty at can and kicked it across the room. If it was the wildlife that had raided my cottage, I couldn’t find it in myself to be mad at them. Frightened, hungry, and alone; it was easier to understand than I felt comfortable with.

My hooves dragged me along and reluctantly nudged and dug through what was left of my belongings. Not too long after, I sat down at the kitchen table with my saddlebags on the floor. They had been packed lightly for the journey, but not deliberately. The pantry had been picked clean by either Diamond Dogs or by poor little animals desperate to gather food for the sudden winter. There were a few lucky finds, thankfully: a couple of bandages for my foreleg (one of which was already bound tightly over my healing wound), lantern oil, and a single can of peaches that had evaded much sharper eyes.

My stomach growled in anticipation and impatience, and when my hoof placed the can on the table, the other quickly joined and hastily cracked it open. The sweet aroma of fruit wafted up, promising to make me feel much better. Too hungry to care, I grasped the can in both hooves and tipped it back, slurping and munching on its contents. A few moments later I leant forward and put the empty can onto the table. A fulfilled sigh vibrated in my throat, paired with the happy grumble in my tummy. I slid the can aside and took out my map.

Kinsmeer was easily three days away if I could fly there at a good speed, a lot more if I just walked – but I needed to find more food on the way. The direct route passed over a lot of the Everfree Forest, which meant camping in a dangerous place while avoiding all towns and villages that could have supplies. Whether I liked it or not, I had to search other ponies’ homes for food. Grazing would take too long each day to make enough distance travelling. I didn’t want to take any longer than I had to.

I looked out my window, and for a moment I considered looking for food in Ponyville. Maybe the Diamond Dogs didn’t take everything. Maybe because I knew the ponies that used to live there, they would understand why I stole from them. I shook my head gently, recalling what I saw when I flew over. My heart ached just seeing the gaps in the snow, and it tore itself apart when I saw what had happened to my cottage. The familiar buildings and homes I had seen for years – and the memories of the ponies who lived in them – would be too much. How would I feel if I saw Carousel Boutique or Sugarcube Corner? Or saw how a few weeks had ruined generations of hard work at Sweet Apple Acres? I couldn’t stomach it. I knew I couldn’t.

My head drooped down to the table and I covered my face with my forelegs. It will get better, I assured myself. Everything will be okay. You can do this.

I opened my eyes, but didn’t move. Instead, I took some peace in the tiny pocket of darkness created between me and the table. I blinked a few times, starting to see a few lines and words on the map I was resting on. I sat up, rubbing my eyes and focusing on the markings for Ponyville and Kinsmeer. A large mass of the Everfree Forest drove a wedge between the two places, up until it met with a mountain range lining the physical border of Equestria and The Fang, the Whinny-Rose Mountains. My glances flittered about, looking at several landmarks to draw a safe route with. There were two ways around the Everfree Forest, but only one route was the shortest. I could cross a portion of Everfree and go east over the countryside until I reached Fogbrook, which was the last pony settlement on the route. From there I would have to cross the Whinny-Rose Mountains, and then follow the Coldstone River south. In time, I would come close to the hills Kinsmeer nestled itself in, and would only have to pass through a forest to reach it.

Wait. Isn’t that where Spike went during the Dragon Migration? My ears perked up, my eyes went wide and my hooves twitched on the table. Rainbow Dash said there were hundreds of dragons there! Wha–How was I going to find my Element of Harmony among dozens of big, scary, fire-breathing dragons?

Everything in the room started to spin wildly. Dragons crawled out of the woodwork and circled me. They roared and laughed at the sight of a weak little pony and flashed their teeth and claws with every bit of malice I wish they didn’t have. My head lolled forwards and banged face-down onto the table with a clunk, stopping everything in a heartbeat. Something rolled off and clanged on the floor, wringing my brain out through a new headache. Cautiously I raised my head off the table, wincing and squeaking out an ‘ouch’ as I nursed the lump that had appeared. I glanced to where the empty can had fallen and then looked back at the map in front of me. I took one more look at where Kinsmeer was and traced the route back to Ponyville with my hoof.

Fire-breathing dragons, the thought terrified me. I laughed uneasily, only to be frightened more by how stretched-thin I sounded. It was crazy. I wouldn’t even watch a dragon migration with my friends, and now I was thinking of going straight to where they roamed by the hundreds – alone! It was a bad idea, it was a crazy idea, and in my heart I knew I was still going to go through with it. I laughed again, shrill and cracked. Pull yourself together, Fluttershy! I shook my head. Calm down. Calm is good. I vote for calm.

I took in a big, big breath and held it until my hooves stopped twitching and kicking on their own. I looked back to the map, but this time I looked at the tears in the parchment – five in total: Appleloosa, Manehatten, Tall Tale, Baltimare, and Little Shoehorn. Each place saw one of us go there, with Twilight staying in Canterlot with Spike. Rarity was really happy to see Manehatten, and Pinkie was ready to go northwest and check out Tall Tale – she must’ve taken enough balloons to fill the train there and back and still have enough for the ponies in Tall Tale. Rainbow flew to Baltimare, and was determined to beat her long-distance flying record along the way. Applejack went to Little Shoehorn, which was a couple of nights from Canterlot by train, and the last stop before the Crystal Empire. Appleloosa was closer.

I placed my hoof on the tear marking Little Shoehorn and closed my eyes. That wasn’t supposed to be Applejack’s destination. It was mine. I was afraid to go to Little Shoehorn alone. I almost never went anywhere without somepony I knew. Applejack saw it in my eyes and in my hoof pawing at the floor. She volunteered to go there in my place. She told the others that I knew the ponies and the buffalo tribe in Appleloosa, so I wouldn’t have any trouble there. I wouldn’t be alone.

“You… you said I wouldn’t be alone,” I stuttered. My voice carried through the hollow house, coming back to me like a ghostly whisper. My eyes and ears drooped at the accusation in my voice. There was no way I could be angry at her or anypony else. I couldn’t pin the blame on somepony just to make myself feel better.

“It’s not your fault, Applejack,” I said to the map, carefully packing it away once more. “I’m to blame, and I’m going to get the Elements back for you and our friends whether I’m afraid or not. I promise.”

My gaze landed on a scattered pile of crumpled paper that was underneath the map. All of the pages had been scrawled, scratched, and printed on with markings from the animal friends I used to look after. I rubbed my eyes and gently sorted through the list, stopping on a page with a wobbly letter ‘A’ written at the bottom. I wondered if Angel knew I had come back home – or if I was even still… here. Could he have got in trouble? What if he was in danger?

My spine stiffened, and each wing tingled and twitched to move at a moment’s notice. I didn’t know where Angel was. I didn’t even know if he was in danger. I flicked through the pages in case there was a scribble or clue as to where he and the animals had gone, but there were only dozens of ‘signatures’ from animals that were once in my care, and animals Angel knew – my friends’ pets.

I hooked onto that detail to stop drowning in fear. If my friend’s pets were with him, then he would be safe. They cared for each other like I cared for them and my friends – I was sure of it, I had to be. There were no ‘maybes’, Angel had to be safe. He would be okay without me for just a little longer. When I came back from The Fang, I could see if he came home. I could look for him when I knew that each day wouldn’t make it harder to find my friends’ Elements. Until then, I had to find my Element of Harmony, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t let him know I was still out there.

I nodded a few times and inhaled the cold air. For once the temperature felt refreshing, like a weight had been lifted off my back. A few minutes later, I finally went outside underneath a bleak sky and falling snow, packed and ready for the journey I had set myself. I trotted to the little bridge near my home, letting my eyes adjust to the bright white ground and the thinning clouds overhead. I pulled my scarf tight around my neck and paused to look one last time at my cottage. I imagined Angel in the doorway, waving and closing it wordlessly after me so he could take care of things around the house. He was still doing that, only what mattered wasn’t in the house any more but still in his and his friends’ care. One day, or so I hoped, he would come back and see my message to him.

“Mama’s proud of you,” I repeated with a soft voice. “If I don’t see you again, always remember that, Angel.”

So I’m really doing this, aren’t I? I asked myself, barely paying attention to the vast and mysterious depths of the Everfree Forest beneath. No more than a mile from my cottage, the weather had been turned from light snow into thick drizzle. The trees and shrubs of the forest were mostly green and lacking in a layer of snow, and various sounds and noises filtered through the trees unlike the winter-stricken land of in Equestria. It was not warm at all though, and a film of chilly rainwater clung to my coat. I shivered slightly, struggling to resist the urge for the sake of staying airborne.

I scanned around the forest, searching for a clash of stone and structure among the leaves and nature. A few moments later, I caught sight of the ruins through the treetops and swooped down. I glided around the buildings, taking in the sight of the abandoned castle from angles I had never seen it from before. I knew the place was big, but the scale wasn’t clear to me until now. If it weren’t for the fact that most of the place had collapsed in the hundreds of years of being alone, ponies could easily get lost in the darkest, scariest places inside – I was suddenly very happy to still have my lantern with me.

My hooves grazed the cracked stone steps before landing down in front of the double doors to the castle. I glanced around quietly, idly kicking little stones aside. It seemed safe for the moment, so I quickly reached back and pulled out my lantern and matches, lighting the wick ready for when I go inside. Again I glanced around, swivelling my ears in case of a single growl or misplaced step, but only busy birds and a few insects revealed themselves.

“I don’t want to be here too long…” I whispered, approaching one of the doors. I pushed against it and the door lurched open much easier than last time. I picked up my lantern with my teeth and slipped inside, closing the rumbling door with a low ‘thunk’. I slid the wooden log into place to keep the doors shut and made for a dark-but-still-intact corridor.

I hurried through the ruins, finally climbing up and into the throne room. Dull, white daylight poured through the empty windows on both sides of the room, and at the far end I could see a pair of faint metal glimmers. I held my breath and anxiously flew across to the raised platform where I had left the Princesses’ crowns. I sighed and landed a few paces from the first step, respectfully bowing my head to the two pieces of headwear, and wordlessly put my lantern down.

I craned my neck back again to my saddlebags, and carefully tugged out Twilight’s Element. I placed it on my hoof with care, and slowly walked up to the two crowns stood in place of two thrones. I leant down, and let the Element of Magic slide off my hoof, settling on a spot just before the other pieces of jewellery.

The air shifted, as if gravity had been thrown at an angle for a split second. I whirled around and stared down across the hall. “Discord?” The name echoed in the ceiling and in my chest, but no response came. My eyes fell to the floor, threatening to glaze over. With a quick dab from my bandaged leg I turned to face the little shrine before me, taking my mind from one upsetting thing to another.

“Well, this is it,” I whispered. “I’m going to find the others – but don’t worry! I’ll come back when I can, I promise.” The corners of my vision blurred, leaving only a clear view of the tiara that belonged to my dear friend. I closed my eyes, and imagined that they were all there with their crowns upon their heads. Princess Luna looked over me, silently nodding her approval and well-wishes with a calm, reserved glance. Twilight stood in front, fighting back tears while her hooves fidgeted in place. Princess Celestia leant down to her student, whispered something I hoped was comforting, and gave me a reassuring look that travelled to the doors behind me. It’s time.

Reality crept back in, taking away the ponies in front of me and leaving their headdresses on the cold, worn stone. I took a few steps back, flicking my eyes over each crown on the steps. I swallowed down my heart and spun around, forcing my pace into a determined canter.

I can do this. I must be brave.

The forest was alive and bustling with insects and unseen creatures. The sounds of nature, unafraid and carefree, brought a little comfort and covered the grinding hinges and grumble of the old castle’s doors being closed. I turned around to face the steps and the forest beyond and listened. The Everfree Forest was alive and well, completely unfazed by the dreary weather looming overhead.

I adjusted my scarf and took wing, hoisting myself up above the trees. I banked right, setting my course for east, and worked my wings up to a steady pace. The sun was already tracing a path high above the horizon, meaning I likely wouldn’t reach Fogbrook before nightfall if I didn’t hurry. I lowered my head and stretched forwards, paying no attention to anything but the rolling hills and the cloudy sky ahead of me. If I could fly just a little faster, then maybe I could make up for lost time.

***

The whistle of air in my ears kept my head clear and alert. The path I had chosen to take included flying over a part of the Everfree Forest to save time, and there was no telling what could have happened if I didn’t at least fool myself into thinking I was prepared. But even though the edge of the forest had been crossed nearly one hundred miles ago – and the gentle hills and lush forests of Equestria were zipping by beneath me – I still didn’t feel safe. But where could I feel safe? Was it even possible anymore? My own home had been broken into, and the towns and cities I grew up around had fallen silent; I would rather fly over them than stand in the middle of the streets.

Villages and larger towns crept slowly underneath, occasionally masked by gloomy rainclouds still drizzling icy haze. My wings flapped to a rhythm, powered by a tense ball of heat in my core that refused to be discouraged. Sometimes I heard its energy in my thoughts, carrying with it memories of Rainbow’s own grit and Applejack’s brave heart. The feeling was double edged, and no sooner would I feel happy for having so many friends to look up to would I have to settle on the empty hum of wind in my ears again – saving myself from the thought of what I had lost and the purpose of this journey.

I drew in another breath and focused on the patchy horizon before me. In the distance loomed the vast length of the Whinny-Rose Mountains. Somewhere before them stood a tiny little village called Fogbrook, and it was the place I needed to find before I tried to cross the mountains. If I didn’t, I could find myself miles off course and more lost in The Fang than I would want to be. Dragons probably wouldn’t give directions even if I asked very nicely. No, they would sooner roar and breathe fire and– And–

My wings fell out of time, dropping me underneath the clouds like a sack of carrots. My muscles froze, trapping me in the fall. I closed my eyes and swallowed down my fear. One, two, three… I counted, focusing on each number until they were all I could see. When I reached ten my wings unfurled, flexing until I levelled into a glide. I opened my eyes again and glanced down, seeing patches of fields still a long way away from my hooves. I sighed, wiped the sweat off my head, and looked towards to horizon. My wings flapped faster until they reached a pace I could manage. This time they ached, kindly warning me that I wasn’t going to go on much further like this.

I stayed beneath the patchy clouds in spite of the cold rain. Whether I wanted to see the ground or not, I had to look for a landmark and work out where I was. The clouds grew thicker overhead as I flew, turning into a complete ceiling that sunlight struggled to cast through. The cold rain picked up, soaking through my winter clothes to nibble my skin. I clenched my teeth and pushed my wings harder to make up for the weight, feeling heat burn in my joints and travel up my spine, making the cold feel much sharper.

My eyes scanned the ground below, picking out little houses and thin roads swerving around the hills without a concern for anything. I sniffled, rubbing my nose as I kept on looking. I followed a wider road to the north, and my eyes travelled up until they met a clump of houses and big buildings looming in a miles-wide column of fog.

I blinked, then blinked again. A column of fog over a city? I watched the fog, and noticed that it was rising into the sky and spreading out in every direction once it reached the cloud cover. At the base of the column, more plumes of visible vapour emerged from the distant clumps of the cityscape and rose up into the sky.

My eyes drifted up and followed the ceiling of clouds until I was staring straight at the sky. The whole time I could see the clouds were moving towards me, sending a lump up my throat. I gulped down some air and tore my gaze away. There was only one thing that could do that, and only one city in this province that had it: Fillydelphia.

My thoughts stumbled over memories and calculations. To drown out the pain I started calculating out loud, raising my voice until it was the only thing I could think of. I had drifted off course like I had expected, but I only had to face a little more south-east to find Fogbrook. Without looking back, I turned slightly and flew for the border, occupying my thoughts with any kind of arithmetic I could think of.

It was no use. There were only so many things I could try to work out without running the risk of drifting off-course again. I squinted through the rain and pumped my wings harder to carry me over the clouds. The ground and cities vanished from view, replaced by a fluffy sea of grey and the sun shining its warm rays on my back. I looked to the east and spotted the moon already rising into the still blue sky, which cast a tint over the soft orb.

I pressed on until the sun set beneath the horizon and brought myself down onto a reasonably thick cloud. Testing its strength with a few treads and making sure my belongings were properly secured, I slumped down into the plush cloud with a sigh. My wings fell limp to my sides, sinking themselves into the wispy platform and swishing slightly back and forth. Similarly, I sank into bliss, ignoring the dampness of my clothes and the strands of my mane stuck to my face. I lowered my head onto my forelegs and closed my eyes, escaping to a better place: Maybe a spa, or a soft pile of towels after taking a new year’s swim with Rainbow Dash, or a little cloud I bumped into after funnelling water to Cloudsdale. Yes, any of those places, anywhere my friends were was fine. Better.

I yawned and sleepily lifted my eyelids. The skyline was quickly fading into night, and in the distance I could see the outlines of the Whinny-Rose Mountains against the deep purple backdrop. They were much closer than before, and one of my wings lazily rose and patted the cloud in success. Around the peaks were rolling bundles of lilac clouds – some of which were snaking through gaps and slinking down the side of the rocky border.

“Tomorrow…” I murmured, not even finishing the sentence in my head. I took a deep, relieving breath and settled down to sleep.

***

“Next time you want a shake from Dizzy’s,” Rainbow said with an ice-cold drink balanced on each wing, “you should speak up before it’s about to close.”

“Sorry,” I whispered, flicking my wings to catch up. “I didn’t know they closed this early.”

Rainbow snorted, “Early? Yeah, let’s go with that. Come on.” Without spilling a drop, my friend cantered to the edge of the path – where nothing but the night sky and open air waited for late-night fliers. “Let’s chill out over here.”

We sat down near the edge of the cloud, but I was a little further back than Rainbow. She glanced at me, shot a sly smile, and slid my treat off her wing. I caught it in my hooves and took a taste of the strawberry mango shake. Rainbow lobbed hers in the air and effortlessly caught it with one hoof. She looked to me for applause, but my cheers were muffled by a mouthful of soft-serve. Rainbow Dash stifled a laugh, but her face cracked up until she couldn’t hold it anymore. I covered my mouth and looked away, though I couldn’t help but feel the corners of my mouth turn upward, too.

We settled down with our fruity snacks, switching between eating and drinking the thickest milkshakes sold in town. I looked out into the sky, taking in the peaceful night surrounding the hum of the restless city. I had grown used to Cloudsdale’s busy atmosphere, but I always loved the quiet sounds of sleep and minute peeps of nocturnal critters. We were too high to hear the wildlife, but what I had now was enough of what I needed. Even though the things Rainbow Dash and I would do on nights like these were always different and noisy, every night ended with my favourite part: sitting on the edge of town and enjoying the quiet. Sometimes when neither of us could sleep – or when Rainbow couldn’t sleep – this was all we would do.

A deep, content sigh escaped me, prompting Dash to look up from her cup and take a look at the night before us. Twinkling stars covered the night in clusters and patterns that changed every time I blinked, and the moon hung high in the sky with the image of a pony’s head watching over us on its surface.

Rainbow spoke up, her voice calmer than usual. “Y’know what? Tomorrow, since Cloudsdale is gonna be passing real close to it, we should go check out Ponyville.”

I stared at her, mouth open in surprise. She glanced back at me and seemed hurt when she saw my expression. I looked down at my melting shake and apologised.

“It’s cool, Fluttershy. I know it’s strange coming from me, but we’re in our final year of school now, and I still haven’t seen much of the ground except for when the Junior Speedsters went to away games,” Rainbow’s voice cracked a tiny bit as she continued. “And since Ponyville is like wildlife galore down there, I thought you might wanna come with, y’know?”

My eyes drifted back to Rainbow. She wore her pride almost all the time, but right then she seemed anxious – like she was expecting me to tease her for being ‘soft’ and not wanting to practice stunts instead. I smiled. “Sounds like a great idea, Rainbow.”

My friend’s eyes brightened with excitement and joy. She grinned at me and looked out into the night again. “Great! Maybe we’ll find something awesome there, huh?”

I joined her gaze, making a fleeting note that the stars had changed again. “Maybe we will–“

Light. Blinding light filled the sky and silenced everything underneath it. The brightness burned away, pulling the white curtain from a gigantic wave of energy barrelling over the land – and straight for us.

“Ra-Rainbow?!” I squeaked, completely frozen in place.

Dark blue covered my eyes, and a pair of hooves held onto my cheeks and pulled. I blinked twice, finally hearing her voice screaming at me, “Snap out of it! Let’s go! Get behind something!”

The wave was seconds away. I couldn’t move. My ribs shot out in pain, and I fell backwards and into the cloud floor with Rainbow. She pulled herself out of her tackle and screamed at me, her wide magenta eyes locking with mine for a split second, before vanishing entirely.

The stars returned in the sky, but this time I didn’t check if they had moved. My eyes stayed open and unblinking, staring up into the endless depths of the atmosphere and beyond until the command to blink finally came.

I sat up stiffly and blinked out tears. My gaze slowly searched for Rainbow Dash, soon joined by weak, raspy whispers of her name. She didn’t answer. I called for her again and again, letting go of the floodgates to find her. I searched through glassy eyes over the clouds and inside them, but nothing showed up – not even her drink.

My wings thrashed at the air, throwing me a few dozen feet towards Cloudsdale. My ears swivelled and spun in place, capturing emptiness that Cloudsdale never had. That was until the city’s alarms sounded.

Piece by piece clouds began to break apart and evaporate at the base. In seconds entire buildings stretched and decayed, with the densest chunks quickly plummeting to the ground.

“No!” My voice failed. Mom! Dad! No, please, no! Before my eyes Cloudsdale fell, parts of which chasing the sound the falling alarms all the way to the bottom until the screaming bells stopped. My cloud dissolved around my hooves, dropping me straight through before vanishing completely.

My wings opened but flailed and whipped senselessly in the air. Everything Rainbow and flight camp had taught me burrowed itself under blind terror. The sky screamed and wailed with alarms falling beneath me, which were silenced moments before the ground met me too.

My entire body jerked and shuddered, and my eyes flew open and stared up into a starlit sky. I sat up and gasped for air, screaming until I had wrung my lungs out. I collapsed back into the cloud I lay on, and stared blindly into the night while I struggled to catch my breath. Slowly, my chest eased its grip on my lungs, and precious air pooled in.

The moon was still high in the sky. I blinked a few times and waved my hoof between my face and the silver disc above. Rolling over, I peered over the side to find that there was no edge anymore. I sat up and looked around. The clouds had bunched up into large clusters and were rolling and merging together quickly. My heart started to beat a little faster, and I checked that my saddlebags were still sealed and I hadn’t lost anything while asleep.

There was a boom. A massive arc leapt from one bulbous cloud to another, sending me rocketing upwards in fright. Another bolt shot beneath me, and then another raced past me. The clouds were bursting upwards and closing in around me. If I didn’t get out soon, I would be in the center of one big thunderhead.

I closed my wings and dropped down, hoping I could concentrate enough to fall straight through the cloud floor. An arc crackled nearby and shattered any focus I had, and I landed in the saturated mass with a plop. Ozone filled my nostrils, and the hairs on my back prickled and stood on end. My hooves dug away at the cloud floor, scooping and pushing the thick moisture aside as quickly as possible. Tingles peppered up and down my wings. The tips of my ears burned. A hole finally appeared in the cloud, and I didn’t hesitate to dive in and wiggle until I was free. I slipped out of the thunderhead just as it bellowed and crackled, chasing me off with excited sparks.

My ears heard nothing but an incessant ring, but the vibration in my lungs counted the rumbles of thunder. Air rushed past me as I dived straight down toward the ground, and soon I could feel a warm, electrifying sensation of my own course through my veins. I breathed in through my nostrils and spread out my wings, pulling out of the dive and racing over treetops at speeds I rarely reached. Hundreds of raindrops pelted down on me, and bright blue lights flickered and burst in the sky above.

The trees gave way to open fields full of spoiled crops, and beyond that stood the silhouettes of a town about half the size of Ponyville. Another flash of blue light tore through the air, lighting up the brick buildings and bouncing off the windows like cat’s eyes. I shivered, brining myself down to land on the clearest street I could see. As soon as my hooves slid on the muddy road, I skittered aside and took shelter on a front porch, giving myself some time to catch my breath and wring the rainwater out of my scarf. With a moment to spare I checked my bags to make sure I hadn’t lost anything in the drop, and looked out over the few houses making up the neighbourhood.

All of the homes were built similar to each other. All used brick walls and slate roofs, and each had a porch of its own. Some houses were one-storey while others were two, and a couple had sheds and lean-tos built as additions.

This was Fogbrook, I was sure of it. I poked my head into the rain and scanned the horizon, and as if on cue a few bolts of lightning uncloaked the mountains from the gloomy rainfall. The base of the Whinny-Rose Mountains were a few hours away still, but from the little wooden porch I stood on, they already looked like they gave the Canterlot Mountains competition – and I had to cross them.

Not in this weather, my thoughts quickly added. It’s going to be a little bit too cold. And icy. And a teensy bit snowy. I turned away and looked at the front door to the house I stood in front of. The lights were off inside and the curtains drawn, but I didn’t dare get my hopes up. Instead, I raised my bandaged foreleg to test the handle, and recoiled when the door suddenly swung open with a loud slam. I shot a glance left and right and hurried inside, quickly closing the door behind me.

The storm was immediately muffled, leaving the heavy sounds of my heartbeat and the ringing in my ears to pick up the slack. Finally in a dry place that was sealed away from the weather, I felt a little safer. The feeling was lost when I realised that it was really, really dark inside.

I whirled around at the scampering of tiny claws. Squinting and struggling to make out anything in the pitch-black hallway. A crash of thunder broke through the walls, sending electrified spikes up my spine while flashing a pair of haunting eyes from down the hall. I gasped and ran through the closest doorway, running into furniture and making a racket as I fell. I skittered to the closest corner, darting my eyes all over the room for any ghosts hiding in the shadows. I yelped at the thunder, holding my hooves up to shield me from the beady eyes I had just seen in the hall. Nothing leapt out at me, nothing hissed or even fidgeted. It was like I was alone again, or had been alone all this time.

I lowered my hooves slowly but didn’t wait a second to search for my lantern. It flew out of my bag in record time, but the matches hid themselves away somewhere in the bottom. I fumbled about in the darkness and froze every time lightning struck. My wide eyes flicked from my opened saddlebags to every corner of the room in the split-second light. Nothing revealed itself from the edges of the room, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t something scary and menacing watching from the shadows. I shivered and urged my hooves to search faster. A tense minute later I had accidentally scattered some matches on the floor, but soon had a sacred orange glow in my lantern. I shone the light around the room, seeing nothing unusual except for an overturned chair and a settee I had ran into and knocked aside. I gathered up my matches and cautiously replaced the furniture – never moving too far away from the glowing life-line. My ears swivelled and listened carefully, flicking whenever the sky let out a piercing crack and seizing up whenever something clicked or scratched inside the house.

My left hind leg tensed, freezing at the touch of something brushing around the ankle – prickly claws grasping and scratching up my leg as it climbed. I gasped, turning into a statue while my thoughts reeled at what dangerous monster it could be. A Cockatrice? No they’re much bigger. A Fruit bat? They’re too cute! My eyes clamped shut and I whimpered, the creature was crawling on my back. It paused and sat in the crevice between my wing and flank, leaning outwards. My lip trembled, betraying the stillness I had, and the creature prodded my flank repeatedly.

I flinched, and stiffly turned my head to look. I blinked a couple of times, finally settling on the form of brown hamster instead of something from the darkest corners of my nightmares. I sighed and out on a sheepish smile. The hamster cocked its head to the side, squeaking to me.

I took a moment to process the critter’s speech. “Yes, you did,” I replied. “But it’s okay, you didn’t mean any harm.”

The hamster hugged the edge of my wing. I smiled faintly and slowly extended my wing for it to walk on. The little critter carefully followed the bones and stopped on the wrist. It squeaked again, introducing himself.

“Nice to meet you, Bubble. My name’s Fluttershy.” I raised a hoof up to the him and gently brushed his face. He clambered on and I held him up to my face. Bubble squeaked some more, waving his paws over the room. I shook my head and told him I didn’t know anypony here, or where they were. Bubble then asked if I had seen any ponies in the last couple of weeks. I looked away from him, and barely managed to bury the heat in my throat before it caught alight.

Bubble whimpered, saddened by my reaction. I turned my head to face him again and tried to put on a brave face. “It’ll be okay, little one. They… They should come home soon.”

The room fell silent, save for the storm outside rapping on the windows, and the hiss in my head calling out my lie.

Are you hungry? Bubble asked. I looked at him, and didn’t hesitate to nod and have the subject changed. Come on, there’s plenty of food in the kitchen, I haven’t even gone through the cupboards yet!

Bubble hopped down to the floor with a quiet bump and scampered to the edge of the lantern’s glow. I decided that now was a good time to peel the saturated scarf from my neck and stash it in my saddlebags, and then picked up my lantern to follow the hamster. Bubble stood by a wooden door and pointed at it before shimmying underneath. I waited a few seconds for him to move away and carefully pushed the door open. I peered into the room, seeing Bubble’s little eyes flicker back to me and the rest of the room slowly fill with light.

The room was definitely a kitchen. I could see cabinets and countertops, a sink and faucets, and also a modest table in the middle of the room. Bubble clambered on a chair, eventually leaping up on the table. He squeaked, pointing to the cabinets he couldn’t reach and then scurried among some things lying on the table.

My hoofsteps quietly tapped on the floorboards, my gaze narrowed at the table, soon widening into a horrified stare as the lantern revealed what was on it. I dropped my lantern on the table, flicking my eyes over party hats and paper plates, before settling on something Bubble seemed the most interest in. My body froze in place.

It was a cake; decorated with dry and cracked white icing with large portions nibbled away by the lone hamster. I looked over the table again, gazing at the small stack plates, hoof-full of of party hats and a few unused poppers – all standing on the table for when they were going to be used. On the counter furthest from me was a small pile of boxes wrapped in colourful paper with dull foil ribbons neatly tied on top. I tipped my head back, trying to get the tears to leak back inside and then turned completely away from the table and Bubble’s concerned stare. I closed my eyes and bowed my head, trying to wipe away what I had seen.

What’s wrong? Bubble asked. I could hear him walking on the table toward me. His worry weighed down on my back, and I knew I couldn’t ignore him. I quickly collected my tears with my bandage and took a breath. My eyelids opened again, and I raised my head up to think and explain, but my eyes fell on a banner over the doorway.

Happy 7th Birthday

“No…” My head shook. Ghostly giggles of delight accented by pops and cheers filled the room. A cold chill darted from the door and swept through me. My back prickled at the touch of dozens of non-existent streamers; ‘Wow! This is so cool! Thanks Mom–‘

“No!” I begged, tapping my skull for the thoughts to go away. But they weren’t in my head, they were around me, being fed to me with each and every waiting plate, spoiled snack, and unopened gift. My ears froze solid at a birthday song that was never sung. I tried to breathe, but all I could smell were melted candles that were never lit and a fresh cake that was never sliced. I felt sick. I had to leave.

Bubble squeaked after me as I quickly grabbed my lantern and left the room. I stumbled through the house with tear-stained eyes until I found the front door. My hoof desperately scraped over the wood until it met the latch, all while tears streamed down my face. In a few seconds the door swung open for the storm to greet me again with a gutsy roar.

There was a tug at my tail, and reluctantly I turned my head and looked down – avoiding the family photos on the walls. Bubble stared at me, sad and afraid at what I was doing. He didn’t understand – but how could he? Bubble hadn’t seen the cities, my home, or the chilling reminders of places where ponies used to be before everything went wrong. I couldn’t expect the little guy to know any of that – I didn’t want him to know any of that. But in the little creature’s pleading eyes I became more and more aware that I at least owed him an explanation – and an apology to him for what I was about to do.

I closed my eyes, finding it hard to look at the hamster without the last strings in my mind snapping, and put my lantern down. “I… I can’t stay here,” my voice quivered. “It hurts too much to think about the missing ponies. I’m really sorry for leaving like this.”

I heard Bubble in spite of the howling wind. You don’t have to go! What did I do wrong? Y-You could stay in one of the ponies’ beds for the night – I don’t think they would mind!

My face twisted painfully for a second, but I looked away from Bubble so he couldn’t see and pretended I was thinking instead. My head shook in gentle disagreement and I glanced out the door – while the rest of me screamed and cried to run as far away from the house as possible. I took in a deep breath and spoke softly. “I’ll be fine, Bubble. I promise. Thank you.”

Could you… Could you take me with you? He whimpered.

I blinked and held my eyes closed, trying to keep the surge of shame from showing up on my face. I slowly opened my eyes and looked at him. “I wish I could, I really do.” I turned around so I could pet the tiny animal’s head. “But where I’m going is very, very cold, and very, very dangerous. I couldn’t possibly take you there. You’re safer here. I’m so sorry.”

Bubble let go of my tail and whimpered. My ribs ached, and I brushed the tip of my hoof along the hamster’s whiskers. “Thank you for being so sweet,” I said. “Take care of yourself, okay? Don’t put yourself in harm’s way.”

The little brown hamster nodded, less in acknowledgement than acceptance, and hugged my hoof. I carefully wrapped my left leg around him for a moment and then let go. I picked up my lantern and backed outside, dragging the door against the wind until I heard it latch itself, and turned to face the Whinny-Rose Mountains – the border of Equestria.

I took a deep breath and focused on just the mountains that lay ahead. I gripped my lantern in my mouth, and without another thought I threw myself into the storm. The wind hoisted me up and juggled me effortlessly, pushing me away from the mountains peeking through the murky storm clouds. Finally my wings found themselves, and I started to force my way through and gain speed. In minutes Fogbrook was shrouded in night rain behind me and similarly buried in the back of my mind.

***

Flying up the mountain was the easy part – I had expected that – but I was not ready for more of the storm spilling over the jagged peaks of the Whinny-Rose Mountains. Just as dawn started to seep through the cloud cover the sky turned from light grey to black, and minutes later it was lost in a flurry of snow and ice, forcing me to climb the rest of the way on the ground.

My hooves drove themselves into the icy floor, digging in so I couldn’t be pushed back by the wind. My winter jacket ruffled with each high-pitched scream from the blizzard, and I kept my wings clamped to my flanks in fear of losing what precious heat I still had in me. My teeth chattered relentlessly, gnawing on the iron handle of my lantern. I shone the light around, revealing nothing but thick snowfall everywhere I looked. If there was shelter anywhere, I couldn’t see it through the snow, so I had no choice but to keep walking until the storm let up or I led myself out of it.

Somewhere among the deafening roar of the storm I found the space to think. With nothing to draw my mind away but thick snowfall hiding everything further than a few yards away, vivid visions painted themselves on the frozen canvas before me. I blinked and waved a hoof in front of my eyes, brushing the thoughts away like snowflakes.

It was not letting me get away. Trapped in the endless white, my thoughts wandered again, settling on Cloudsdale. I started humming to myself, hoping to block the thought with a song, but the blizzard drowned it out.

My eyes snapped shut, hoping to close off the vision of snow and clouds on the ground, and what I saw strewn among it. Instead, in the darkness of my eyelids, I saw birthday cake with lit candles on top and my friends all around me. I took a short breath, already mortified of what was going to happen, and watched helplessly as the ponies I cared so much about and were pulled back into the darkness – with the howling winds giving a voice to their screams.

“No! No!” I gasped, dropping my lantern in the snow and staring out into the relentless blizzard. “Come back! Please! Don’t leave me!”

The wind carried on its endless shriek, smothering my pleas. I braced myself against the gale, shaking and weeping in the freezing cold. I need you! I need all of you! Please, come back!

My heart lurched and faltered in its pace, and my shivers grew stronger and harder to control. It was too much. It had always been too much. I couldn’t take it anymore. I opened my mouth and screamed. I screamed until the wind couldn’t be heard, I screamed until my lungs burned from emptiness, and I screamed until my throat tore itself apart and crackled into nothingness. Thoughts of my friends and family flickered on the insides of my eyelids – of everything I had lost in one single night. What had they done to deserve this? Why did I have to live through it? What caused the shock wave? Yes, who was responsible?

“Who did this to my friends?” I shouted coarsely. “What cruel thing caused this?”

The blizzard blew furiously and pushed me harder than ever before. I dragged my hooves, snarling and growling at the cold seeping through my wings. I grabbed my lantern and began treading forwards against the storm. The freezing weather pushed again and I pushed back. I’m never giving up, they wouldn’t want me to.

I clawed forward, skidding and sliding with each step. The blizzard tore around me with weakening gusts and scratched at my skin. My legs grew numb and sluggish, but I had a promise to keep – one last thing to do for my friends and for Equestria if nothing else. I couldn’t give up.

I narrowed my gaze to the floor, concentrating on moving one hoof in front of the other. The snow around my ankles brightened, and the top of my head and ears tingled from faint warmth setting in from above. I shot a glance upwards, spotting the golden sun before the clouds and snow shrouded it from view again. I ducked my head down and stopped just as the wind ripped around me, and picked my pace up again once it passed. I felt hollow, and with every step my legs found less and less energy to move any further. The wind blew again, dragging its frozen touch down my spine while revealing more sunlight through the clouds. I shakily gazed up, seeing ghostly outlines of jagged rock a short distance away. I have to be close now, my thoughts pleaded, just a little further!

I yanked my hooves out of the setting ice and climbed up the incline. The wind tried to protest, but fell as a constant whistle in my ears. I unfurled my wings in the breeze, and with the strongest flaps I could manage, I carried myself the rest of the way there. I climbed up higher and higher, watching the mist fall further and further beneath me until I was clearly dozens of feet above it. My gaze turned upward, revealing the morning sky and ridgeline ahead..

I blinked slowly, feeling the corners of my mouth lift. I made the last few yards with my eyes on the endless blue, and lowered my gaze once I reached the crest. Before me lay a few straggling clouds, and beneath them, at the summit of the Whinny-Rose Mountains, was an endless ripple of rolling hills and cliff faces. I looked to the South, spotting a string of sparkles snaking into a forest, leading towards some short, muddy-red mountains peeking out in the horizon. In spite of the weather I had gone through, the sky was clear from now on, and I could see the scattered patches of snow over the thousands of hectares of lush green and bold, rocky cliffs.

“I-I made it,” I croaked, swaying with the breeze. From the top of the Whinny-Rose Mountains, The Fang looked beautiful, but as I stared over the land I caught sight of a pair of flying creatures in the horizon. At first I thought they were birds, but when I remembered that few birds had a long, spindly tail and webbed wings, a lead ball dropped in the pit of my stomach. It didn’t matter that they were miles and miles away, they were still dragons – and dragons were really big and dangerous.

The view of The Fang started to warp dizzyingly and my foreleg rose to steady my head. The rocks I stood on jerked apart and shot down the mountain in chunks. I slipped and fell with them, sliding down the slippery slope as I picked up speed. A cliff edge rushed up to me, and I scrambled to grab hold of something, kicking and screaming when my hooves found nothing. I dropped straight off the edge, spinning and tumbling in open air. My wings locked up in terror, and the sky and ground twirled and swirled around as I fell.

There was a ‘crunch’ and my left wing exploded in pain. I bounced onto my hooves in a daze, stumbling and slipping on them. The slick surface mocked my flailing limbs, tossing me off of the edge of another cliff. I gasped, barely managing to yelp before I slammed into another platform of snow and rock. I screamed out as I felt my left wing bend too far back, and kicked my forehooves at the ground again for something to hold on to. The open air filled my ears again, joining my cries before they were cut short with a ‘crack’.

I slid in a few inches of snow and stopped. My head lolled to the side, putting to the red rocks in the horizon in view. My vision bled and flickered with contrasting colours, mixing to the throb in my skull. The freezing cold snow on the left side of my body kneaded into my skin and spread out. I tried to move my legs, wings, ears – anything – but nothing would move. My eyelids started to droop, and while I tried and tried to stay awake, the red mountains of Kinsmeer continued to fade. A shadow cast itself over me, blocking out the sun before my eyes closed completely.

Crossing Over

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Have you ever felt like you slept for an eternity? When you finally wake up and take your first conscious drag of air? It feels like your muscles are still fast asleep and your blanket is much heavier than it really is. You go to sit up or slide out of bed, and nothing wants to listen. Sometimes I get like that. It passes though, with time. I have always had a reason to get up in the morning even when I didn’t really want to. There is always something that cannot wait, and that’s okay, because if there wasn’t then I would never get out of bed. I would never wake up.

Cold air filled my lungs and spread throughout my core. The chill rippled across a dozen aches and stirred me from my slumber. I was stiff, almost as solid as the stone I lay on. My whole right side felt rooted to the rock, while my left was gradually shooting up in warmth and throbbing pain. I stretched my legs out, putting off opening my eyes for just a few more seconds of dreamy peace. My left wing took its turn to stretch, and like a rubber band it snapped back against my side with sharp jolt. My eyes flew open, revealing a cave I didn’t remember ever setting hoof in. I was covered up in a woolly blanket I did not recognise, and it slowly came to me that I didn’t remember falling asleep in a cave either. No, I never fell asleep. I passed out.

As if on cue, the pain throughout my body rose up to the surface. I felt beaten and broken, but the reasons why were still hazy. At first all I could think about was a veil of snow of shrieking winds. I winced and tried to focus. I had ascended up the Whinny-Rose Mountains. I… I had reached the peaks just as horrible snowstorm passed, and in dawn’s light I could see the vast stretch of a forest at the foot of the mountains, still fast asleep in the shadow of the valley it belonged to. That… That was the first time I ever laid eyes on The Fang.

That was when I remembered the fall. The terrifying tumble I took down the side of the mountains. I landed on my wing – and no doubt twisted it – and I slammed my head on the ice on the way down. That’s… That was all I could remember. So how did I get to this cave? Who found me and brought me here?

Not waiting for an answer I shakily rose onto my hooves, only to slump against the wall as the floor and ceiling switched places a few times. I screwed my eyelids shut, and nursed a splitting pain on the forefront of my mind.

“Oh gosh! Y-you’re awake!” a sweet voice stammered. “Don’t move, I’ll get Gra-an!”

No, wait. My eyes shot over to the owner of the voice, but I couldn’t see through the white glare surrounding them as they ran off. Was that the way outside? Who was that? Who… ugh...

I couldn’t think over all the throbbing coming from the back of my head. I wasn’t even sure if I’d imagined the voice. I knew I didn’t recognise it, or the form I saw bouncing off into the light. I closed my eyes and tried to sort through my thoughts.

At some point while I was struggling to put the pieces together, a second, older voice spoke.

“You shouldn’t be on your hooves just ye-et, duck,” she spoke with a distinct stutter. “You look quite poorly.”

“Huh?” That was the only thing I could force out of my mouth. I opened my eyes, squinting blindly at someone slightly shorter than me. Even when she walked closer, the glare of the light robbed me of any clues of who they were. I blinked and stared, but all I managed to do was make myself dizzy.

“Here.” I felt a small hoof take my own, and quietly the second creature led me back to the blanket I had been asleep under. I sat down on it, and struggled to make out who it was that was helping me. None of my senses were cooperating. The little hoof released me and went away, but I could just about hear the owner walk around me and murmur to herself. She spoke up to someone else in the cave, where the blinding light was coming in. “Molly, could you bring me the me-edicine bag?”

Little hooves skipped across the floor, and a few seconds later stopped nearby. I heard a loud pop like a cork leaving a bottle, and a pungent smell quickly wafted under my snout. There was a little shuffle, and finally I was told to open wide and don’t try to taste it. I didn’t think to ask why; the headache pounding away in my skull was enough reason to listen. I swallowed something as thick as cold syrup and tasted worse than any medicine I’d ever taken. I don’t think anyone was offended by whatever face I pulled, in fact, I was pretty sure I heard someone giggle.

“Now, just sit the-ere and don’t push yourself to do anything. It’ll take a little while to work.”

“Wow!” exclaimed the sweet voice beside me, who I assumed belonged to Molly. “Gra-an, how come you didn’t say she has wings? I’ve never seen a pony with wings!”

A sharp pain stabbed into my left side and I tore myself away from it.

“Molly!” the second voice snapped. “What have I sa-aid about touching others? She’s really hurt herself, too, you can’t touch her at all! Espe-ecially now!”

“S-sorry…” Molly apologised, sheepishly.

“Go outside and wait the-ere with the others. Te-ell them I’ll be out in a little bit.”

Little hooves scampered away, and the older voice spoke to me, apologising again. She sounded much older than Molly, maybe she was Molly’s grandmother? That’s what ‘gra-an’ could mean. But why did they both stutter? Was it a family thing?

“It’s… okay,” I finally managed to say. Once more I tried to look at who I was talking to, but things were still glassy and vague. But… She was definitely shorter than me – no more than my shoulder height if I stood up I guessed. Her silhouette also had what I assumed to be thick, tightly-curled fur, but at that moment none of it really added up without a bull charging through my thoughts. Maybe the medicine needed more time to get him to calm down.

The elderly voice apologised once more. “Molly’s a little rude, but she doesn’t mean a-any harm. She’s been a hoof-full e-ever since she was born.”

I nodded slowly, vaguely aware that the silhouette had moved to look at my hurt wing. I tensed in fear of it being touched again. The older voice murmured to herself, her words masked by the banging inside my skull, and then she spoke up.

“Your wing looks be-etter now, duck. I don’t think it is broken, but it looks pretty swollen. Oh. Here I am calling you ‘duck’ when I could be asking you your name.”

“I’m Fluttershy.” The response was automatic. At least through the haze of pain I could still remember my name.

“My name’s Cot. I’m Molly’s Gran.”

A smile crept onto my face in spite of my splitting headache. “I’m so glad you’re taking care of me, Cot. I-I wish I wasn’t such a burden on you.”

“It’s all right, Fluttershy, we all have accide-ents. Now, let’s make sure your cuts are healing up fine.”

Cot circled around me slowly, occasionally muttering to herself or asking to part a patch of my fur to check a something underneath. Meanwhile I blinked and looked all around the room, noticing more and more about the cave as my headache subsided. Cot came to a stop in front of me once more, but this time I could see her quite clearly, and everything made a lot more sense. Cot was an elderly sheep with a pale, grey fleece. Her face was wrinkled, making her look of concern more apparent as her golden eyes checked me over with keen precision. The ewe asked me to raise my left foreleg, and tentatively I did.

“Hmm… Now this one looks old, but it’s not healing very well… How did you ge-et this cut above your ankle?”

The one that was… Oh… She must have meant the one I had under a bandage.

“I… Fell.” There was pause until I realised that what I said wasn’t helping. “I fell… In the rain. It was on a rock. Must’ve been… Two weeks? More than that?”

“I’d better take care of it right now,” Cot muttered to herself. “It’s only going to get infected.”

Not again… Thoughts of Timberwolves in Zecora’s hut flashed across my mind.

“No need to tense up like that, duck, I haven’t even got it out of the bag yet.”

Got what out of the bag? Oh. Oh no…

“Okay…” Cot soothed. “This will de-efinitely not hurt at all. Are you ready?”

This is going to hurt so much.

I shook my head, but lifted my left foreleg anyway. I held it out and looked away, expecting the worst. The last thing I expected were freezing chills coursing from my wing. A gasp escaped me, dragging in cold air to match the chill at the shoulder of my wing. I spun my head around to look, seeing Cot putting the last knot into an icepack she tied against my sprained wing.

“There-re, I told you it wouldn’t hurt,” said Cot, giving me a crafty smile. “Better?”

I could already feel a bound up knot of nerves and muscles loosening at the root of my wing. I managed to nod under a few shivers.

“Good– ” Cot barely finished the word before she poured a bottle of liquid onto the old wound on my ankle. Searing pain tore through my flesh, and with a scream I ripped my leg away from the bottle and pulled it in toward my ribs. I grit my teeth, fighting back any urge to shriek again. I swore I could hear the mixture sizzling, it certainly felt like I had been scalded, and when I finally found the courage to look, I saw nothing but a raw, red wound on my leg, and a sickly ooze that was quickly being cleansed by whatever it was that had been poured there. I looked over to Cot, and met the frown of the elderly ewe.

“Y-you said it wouldn’t hurt!” I sputtered, blinking away tears.

Cot stepped forwards, carefully taking my foreleg away from my chest and carefully examined the wound. “Only the ice pack, duck; the disinfe-ectant was de-efinitely going to hurt. It’s better to not e-expect it. Sorry about that, but the worst is over, now. Please forgive me.”

I didn’t like how long I hesitated before I forgave her.

About ten minutes later my headache was just faint a tingle underneath the lump on my head. I reached a hoof behind my head to check it, and felt a wave of relief when it seemed to have gone down a little bit already. Cot had packed up her medicine bag and gone outside to tell the flock how I was doing, and I was waiting for her to come back. I took the alone time to check myself over, just to be sure I was okay.

My left wing had been tied down to keep it still. Cot said that I’d probably sprained it while falling, but it would still take up to a week to fully heal. I didn’t like the idea of being grounded in a new, unknown land, but I didn’t have time to rest. My last chance to get my Element of Harmony back could be a matter of days away, and I could not risk losing that chance – healthy wings or not.

My right wing didn’t look much better, and guiltily I admitted to myself that it wasn’t the fall alone that had left my wings in such a mess. Preening, washing, all the little things every Pegasus was supposed to do with their wings had fallen out of mind shortly after… the event. I didn’t want to imagine how bad I smelled, or what my mane looked like. But two… Three weeks of not bathing? Rarity would be horrified!

“Yes… Rarity would be horrified.” I muttered, dropping my gaze down from the vision of Rarity’s shock. I had done so many things – so many stupid things – to myself since I lost everypony, and only now was I really thinking about it. Crossing the mountains the other night was the worst of it. It nearly cost me the one thing I had taken for granted, and had also started to hate the most about myself. What was wrong with me? How selfish had I become?

I had to be better. I had to take care of myself, if not for me, then for them. There was a promise I made, and it was to gather the Elements of Harmony. I made it with my heart, but I was going to need much more than my heart to see it through. Finally, I understood that, right after nearly… nearly...

No, let’s not go there. There are other things to think about, like Kinsmeer. How was I going to get there?

I had to walk all the way there. I had no other choice. But could I walk for hours and hours after what I’d done to myself? Cot was confident that walking down the mountain would be easy, even after seeing the old wound on my foreleg. Cot probably knew best. With the way she worked on my foreleg, I had to wonder how often other sheep in her flock got hurt, and if Cot was the only one that knew these skills or if it was something the whole flock learned. Mountain Sheep may live on the steepest hills, but accidents do happen, and sometimes nopony will be there to help.

You’re really lucky to be here. A little pony said in my head. I had to nod in agreement. Lucky did not really cover it, though. The mountains were huge and reached for miles and miles. What were the chances of being rescued like I was? How did I not hurt myself even more when I fell? A poorly wing, a few cuts and bruises, and a headache that pounded like a thunderhead splitting in two. I should’ve broken something, I should have frostbite. I should be—

No, no. The little pony cooed. You don’t have to think about that.

Cot trotted back into the cave, stirring me out of my thoughts. She walked up to me with my saddlebags on her back, and carefully slid them down to my hooves.

“This is all we found of your belongings.” Cot said in apology as she opened the flaps. “I stashed your jacket and scarf in here after I first treated you, and in the other satchel there were some bottles, but they were all broken. The labels said they had strong medicine in them, are you an herbalist?”

I shook my head gently, trying to not aggravate the now-dull throb in my head. “I knew somepony, well a Zebra actually. She was named Zecora.” I tapped a hoof on the thick tome still safe in my saddlebags. I was a little relieved to see that even Philomena’s feather was still there peeking out of the pages. “That’s her book.”

Cot looked impressed. “Ooh you better keep that from Molly. She’s got enough questions to ask about Ponies, but she’ll have dozens more about Zebras if you let her know that.”

I did my best to smile. “You won’t hear a peep from me.”

“You’re saving yourself from a lot of questions, young lady,” Cot chuckled. “You have no idea.”

The copy of Supernaturals sat inside one of my saddlebags alongside a few other possessions the sheep had found, making one of the satchels stand tall while the other slumped with emptiness. I hadn’t just lost a few glass bottles, somewhere on the mountainside the remains of my food and first-aid kit had been scattered about, too. In spite of losing those things, the thought of losing Zecora’s book was far scarier. Food and medicine could be replaced, but somepony’s book? It wouldn’t be her book if I replaced it.

I closed my eyes and tipped my head back with a sigh. “Thank you for finding this, I would never forgive myself if I lost the book.” I glanced over to Cot, giving her a smile that I really meant this time. “Thank you for all you did to help me.”

Cot simply curtseyed, and slowly turned for the exit. “I’ll give you a few minutes to get re-eady, and then I’ll be back. The flock is getting impatient, and I’d be happier if you followed us down.”

“Oh, sure! Right, um. I won’t keep you waiting.”

***

Okay, just to make sure I remember this: Headband, check. Canteen, a little dented but check. Book, spare canteen, map, matches, sewing kit… All in my saddlebags so check. No lantern...No food… No medicine or bandages… I hope I’m not forgetting anything.

The empty cave yawned, aloof and uninterested. It was just me in here now; Cot had left after gathering up her belongings and told me to not be too far behind her. I wanted to be quick, but I couldn’t help but think I hadn’t accounted for something. I went over the checklist several times, but each time I felt more pins get stuck in my brain. I couldn’t be sure of myself, and I was taking too long anyway. Wrapping up my scarf and taking a final deep breath of cold air, I decided to forget about what was lost and get going.

Cold air whisked and swirled around my ankles. The icy wind wasted no time in greeting me with its embrace, and took less than a second to find the tears in my sports jacket. I pulled the jacket’s zipper up and pushed the collar around my neck, trying to huddle into the thin, padded garment wrapped around my body.

It took a few moments for my eyes to adjust, but when they did, I saw the rocky formations of the mountainside open up before me. I followed spires of rock up to the sky, and blinked in awe at the vivid blue atmosphere and sparkling orb of sunlight directly overhead. I realised with a glance down to the horizon just how high I was still on the mountains. Miles below lay the warm greens and browns of a gigantic forest, partially hidden by patches of clouds far, far away. It was almost a different world. Down there, no doubt, was a forest teeming with all kinds of creatures – perhaps wondrous and amazing animals never seen in Equestria! Up here though, where the air was thinner and so cold that ice prickled your tongue, snow-capped peaks stretched so high that they looked like they could touch the sky. Yet the sky, in its daunting beauty, simply continued to rise higher and higher out of reach the longer I stared after it.

Okay, I sighed, dropping my gaze to my hooves. That’s enough excitement for now.

The flock wasn’t hard to spot. Apart from a few interested looks from a few mountain sheep, most of the flock – numbering no more than a dozen by my first guess – appeared to be huddled together and focused on something else. A cute, little lamb hopped and skipped around the adults. I glanced around for other lambs like her, but there didn’t seem to be any more around. Was this the only lamb? Was this Molly? She wore a long red scarf that was almost too long for her, but with her fleece blending in with the snow, the scarf made her easy to spot. It was a smart way of keeping track of the little one – good one, Cot. The lamb slid to a halt when she noticed me, and then quickly bounded over to me with a smile on her face.

“Hey! You’re on your hooves!” There was no mistaking her voice, it was Molly, and I didn’t miss the chance to give her the warmest smile I could make. Molly’s fleece was clean and bright – cream in colour against the snow. Like her grandmother, Molly had golden eyes, but hers to carried a potent spark of life inside them; a spark that flashed whenever she blinked, and practically glowed when she looked up to me.

Molly closed the distance between us, hopping up and down around me in excitement. “Ca-an I a-ask you a question? Please, please! I’ve never ever met a Pegasus before! Your wings are awesome! Could you take me for a flight when they get better? Please! Please!”

My mouth opened to speak, but the words stretched and oozed out. I shook my head and looked down at Molly, only to see two of her in front of me in an instant. The ground seemed to sway underneath my hooves, and for a few bemused seconds I did not react until a little voice in my head piped up: Wait! You’re falling over!

My hooves spread out and dug into the stone and ice, slipping about until they found a happy place to be. I froze every muscle and shut my eyes up tight. What was this? I’d never been so dizzy in my life! Was it because of the fall?

Molly brushed up beside me, planting two hooves on me to help keep me steady. “Are you… are you okay? Gra-an!”

Cot appeared beside me, but it wasn’t until she waved a hoof in front of my face that I snapped out of the dizzy spell. Cot looked into my eyes, concern deepening her wrinkles. “Are you feeling all right, duck?”

I stood up straight, took a deep breath, and told her what had happened. Cot raised an eyebrow, but didn’t ask anything more. Instead, she beckoned me to follow her. Molly vanished back among the flock – a rippling red scarf in the wind being the only giveaway of where she was.

Cot and I approached a ram. His fleece was brown with patches of silver throughout. His face was dark and stoney, and as we drew nearer I could see wrinkles on his forehead and fatigue circling around his eyes. His gaze was nowhere near relaxed, and he never took it away from me. Like how Molly’s eyes glowed with life, Alk’s burned with disdain and impatience, and I almost stopped in my tracks and turned back. If his stare wasn’t threatening enough for anypony else, his polished and pointy horns probably were.

Even though I stood a head taller than him, I was really, really scared of meeting him.

The ram looked me up and down as Cot and I came to stop before him. He scowled, narrowing his eyes into a squint of mild annoyance. Was there something he didn’t like about me? Maybe the jacket or the headband, or was my mane and tail too scruffy? I didn’t need a mirror to know I was a mess. I wished I could have made a better impression.

“So, this is the pony in dire need of help?” he grumbled, raising a hoof and pointing at me. I shrunk back and he rolled his eyes. “This is the sa-ame pony that ya said was teetering on the edge, Cot. And now she’s alive and upright the very next day. Cot, if ya were a-anyone else I’d have ignored you when we found her and lead this flock to sa-afety already.”

He’d have left…Me? Before I could open my mouth the ram glared at me, shutting down anything I might have said.

“I’m glad you listened, Alk,” Cot said, stepping between the ram and I. “She did need our help whe-en we found her – don’t forget that. She won’t be a burden on us now. All she needs is to get down to the mountain just like us, and she’ll be on her way. I don’t see the harm in her following us down, do you?”

Alk did not soften his expression at all. He scanned over me once more and pointed a hoof at me angrily. “She’s covered in bandages, she still looks like a burden to me – and I a-ain’t carrying her to another bleedin’ cave, Cot.”

Oh… I um… I could feel my cheeks glowing, so I looked away and tried to cover my face with my straggly mane. I squeaked a tiny ‘sorry’ to Alk, but he groaned in disbelief.

“Oh for… How much of yer concoction did you give to her?” Alk demanded. “She’s beet red!”

Concoction? Red? Oh no.

“Just a smidgen more than usual,” Cot said. “Maybe more than she needed.”

Alk rolled his eyes and cursed. Throwing what must be his pointing hoof out in frustration. “See? Now she’s a burden, Cot. Not only do I have to worry about the rest of the flock tripping over the edge, I now have to worry about this pony because yer’ve ma-ade her a little tipsy!”

What? Wait, what?! What was in that medicine?

“She had a serious headache – maybe even a concussion, Alk!” Cot was now raising her voice, speaking firmly. “She shouldn’t be marching down a mountain in her condition, but you won’t wait any longer. I can’t expect her to walk down the mountain in agony! Besides…” Cot stepped back and fell in beside me, and Molly popped up on my right. “…We’ll be keeping a close eye on her. Don’t you worry.”

Alk was quiet and still. He looked over the three of us, cursed under his breath and turned away. “Ya better keep an eye on her,” he said, “because I a-ain’t babysittin’ her. So ma-ake sure she can walk in a stra-aight line before she embarrasses the pair of you.”

And with that, Alk plodded to the rest of the flock, grumbling to himself before looking up to the rest of the flock. “Okay everyone!” he announced. “We’re finally on the move. You know how we do things: two per row only! The track is narra, and I a-ain’t stopping anymore until nightfall.”

The rest of flock crowded around Alk, and I watched as he barked orders until they all fell into place – with Cot, Molly, and I bringing up the rear. After a quick inspection of everyone in the flock, Alk marched up to the front of the line. For a brief second he flashed a proud smile, until his eyes landed on me. I had tried to hide at the back, but I was a head taller than everyone else, and even hunched down, my mane and coat were still a dead giveaway.

Alk’s expression hardened, and slowly he turned around and took a quick glance at the sun. I did too, and by my guess we had reached midday already. We had a long walk ahead.

“Let me remind ya one last time.” Alk shouted over the breeze. “If ya happen to fall off the edge, get yer hoof stuck in the rocks, or otherwise fall behind. I am not stopping to come get ya – so don’t fall behind.”

Alk marched off, and soon the whole flock followed. I kept my eyes on Alk, wondering if his last comment was aimed more at me than anyone else. I couldn’t say I blamed him after all the bother I had caused him…

Cot stretched up to my ear and whispered, “I know he sounds upset at you, duck, but I think he accepts your apology. Don’t bother him for now, though, he’s still sore from carrying such a big girl.”

By now my cheeks were on fire. Ice was melting off the rocks around me.

Molly piped up, falling in step on my right. “Oh! Gra-an’s not trying to say you’re fa-at. Ponies are just bigger tha-an we are, y’know?”

Try as I might, I couldn’t disappear before I turned any redder. Molly was the first to notice, and she stepped away like I was contagious.

“Gra-an,” Molly said, flicking her eyes from me to her grandmother. “Fluttershy doesn’t look so good. Does she ha-ave a fever? Maybe she needs more medicine–“

“O-oh no, that won’t be necessary!” I stammered. “I’m fine, really! I’m just fine!”

“Gra-an?”

Cot looked like she was holding back laughter. “Fluttershy’s fine, Molly, it’s just the me-edicine.”

Molly cocked her head to the side, but didn’t press any further. Before she could leap into another topic, Cot reminded her granddaughter about Alk’s rules, and told the lamb to move up and walk in front of us where she could be seen – and had no choice but to keep her eyes away from me if she didn’t want to get into trouble.

The end of the line fell into a quiet rhythm of hoof-falls and light skids on the ice. It was the kind of silence among company that I hadn’t realised I missed so much. Spending so long on my own with just my own hooves echoing around me, or my own wings gently beating the breeze, had become normal. When had it become normal?

My head throbbed and warned me to stop thinking. I wanted to think! I had so much to get my head around. I had a route to plan, a plan to make, and so many questions that needed answering. Who knew when I would next get a chance to speak to someone? Who knew if I would get a chance?

The throbbing became more frequent, but almost as quickly as it flared up it was softened by Cot’s medicine, taking out the edge out of the sharp cracks across my forehead by laying a sponge there. Not long after, all of my worries and questions were sucked up, and in my empty bliss I gave up finding a way to wring the sponge out.

There was one thing left that I wanted answered. I leant over to Cot, steadying myself when I tripped over my hooves, and whispered so that Molly wouldn’t hear. “Um… What was in that bottle?”

“A family recipe made with the finest ingredients found on this side of the mountains!” Cot said at first, but after checking that nobody was listening, she leant in and added, “And maybe some rum to give the mix a little boost.”

Somewhere under the haze and dull throbs, I could hear a voice giggling at the thought of a tipsy pony climbing down a mountain. Reality was, thankfully, a sobering thing to think about. I didn’t want to try falling down a mountain again.

“Where did you get that from?” I asked as I checked if my cheeks were really on fire or not.

“Sometimes ponies come over on a hike, I asked them to bring some the next time they came over, makes a good me-edicine ingredient, doesn’t it?” Cot grinned.

My mind felt like it sloshed to the opposite side of my head when I straightened up. At least I didn’t take a bigger dose – walking would have been a harder task it I had.

***

The clear weather was a far cry from the weather I faced climbing up the Whinny-Rose Mountains While I followed close behind the flock of sheep as they made their trek down, I allowed myself to gaze out across the grand landscape of forests and hills and distant mountain peaks. Even though Equestria was only hours behind me, separated by an ice-capped wall of stone, The Fang was truly a different sight from the place I called home.

Just like the map said, the Whinny-Rose Mountains stood alongside the edge of a thick forest, and far into the East were red, volcanic mountains known to be a favourite spot among dragons. A long, hard look into the distance revealed several stacks of white smoke, and bobbing and weaving between them were at least two dozen shimmering specks. The distance took away any gut reaction I would have had, but even then I chewed on my lip when I thought that I would soon be too close to them for comfort.

It was no good worrying about it now. The dragons were still miles and miles away, and the view that they were a part of was enthralling – maybe even exciting. Nopony lived in The Fang (I tried to ignore that the reason why was shimmering in the horizon), and so very little was known about all the creatures that did live there. Spike had visited during the last dragon migration – with Rarity, Twilight, and Rainbow not far behind. The only dangerous creatures they said they saw were… Dragons.

Let’s think about Phoenixes! A little pony in my head chimed in. Beautiful, wild Phoenixes! Spike even came home with an egg!

That was true. The egg also hatched and little Peewee was born. Spike couldn’t keep the baby Phoenix though, the bird deserved to be with his parents in the wild. I remembered talking to Spike about this. He surprised everypony when he packed up and set off to return Peewee. Spike is always full of surprises. I think we all forget sometimes that he is still technically a baby in dragon years.

A genuine smile crept up on me and I welcomed it with all my heart. All the way up here, and all the way outside of Equestria, I found a happy place. No empty streets, no sad reminders, just happy thoughts and a wonderful view. My spirit climbed out from its hiding place, and with it came some quiet assurance that things were going to be okay, and that I didn’t have to feel so bad all the time. I held onto this moment and cherished it. As soon as I plant my hooves on soil instead of stone, I may never again have a moment like this.

With a long sigh, I continued to gaze out into the panorama. To the north, the Whinny-Rose Mountains arced around the forest slightly before shrinking down enough to see the ocean miles and miles away, glimmering through the gaps in the cloud cover. The South also looked open and vast, with the Whinny-Rose Mountains reaching further than I could see with the forest running alongside it. Meanwhile, in the East, barely in front of the horizon, dull red mountains marked the home of the dragons – and my goal. The two mountain ranges never seemed to meet, leaving a large strip of green to grow between them. With two very imposing walls sandwiching it, and ocean to the North and the unknown further South, I had to wonder what creatures live in the forests that nopony knew about. What laid in wait in the forest completely cut off from ponykind?

With the map in my saddlebags no good outside of Equestria, I took the time to imagine a map in my mind, and tried to memorise as many landmarks as I could. Thinking about it, the two mountain ranges did in fact resemble a pair of fangs, but the territory was only named after one. I took one last look into the East, and felt that I found the reason why.

I looked ahead of the flock. Our two-by-two caravan had been walking for a couple of hours now, but other than a little idle chatter with Cot or a few minutes of prodding from Molly (which always ended in Cot sending her away because I was still unwell), I hadn’t really said much to anyone. The first few pairs of sheep ahead of me spoke quietly, occasionally slipping into their dialect of bleats and baas if not always talking that way. If that was the native language of the sheep, how could Alk, Cot and even Molly talk to me so easily?

My eyes drifted up to the sky, getting lost in the endless blue. Cot had told me that she knew some ponies, and she knew them enough for them to bring her things she asked for. Alk was the leader of the flock, it was likely that he’d met more than a few ponies, but I doubted that he was ever friendly towards them. That just left Molly. She was young, probably about the age that a pony would be looking for their Cutie Mark. Maybe Cot taught her? Maybe they spoke to ponies together? That would explain the red scarf the lamb is never seen without. Both grandmother and granddaughter probably spend a lot of time together. Did Molly’s parents live in this flock? Nobody said anything like that. Maybe flocks travelled all around, and the two hadn’t bumped into eachother yet.

Cot had told me at the start of our journey that the flock normally stays up at higher elevations during the summer, but the bitter cold and snowstorms had finally forced Alk to admit that the flock needed to go down the mountains to escape the cold. She asked me if the weather in Equestria had gone crazy all over, but I could really only speak for Ponyville and Canterlot. I told her that Cloudsdale’s weather factory had dumped the upcoming winter weather out accidentally, and that Fillydelphia’s factory probably did the same for the wintry storms to be spilling out of Equestria’s borders. When asked why something like that would happen in two different cities, I bit my tongue and shook my head. Cot didn’t believe me at all, but she didn’t say anything more.

Meanwhile, the flock marched close behind Alk as he led the way down the mountains, sometimes two-by-two when the path was wide enough. Though some of the mountain sheep stole glances at me with a mix of smiles and bemusement, no one else spoke to me. Well, one other sheep did.

“Hey, Fluttershy! Watch this!” Molly caught my attention. The lamb had climbed to the top of an icy slope and was waving to me. Before I could do or say anything, she hopped off the edge and skated down the side. She came to an expert stop beside me and her scarf dramatically swung around her neck tidily as if part of the act. She looked up at me expectantly, her smile confident and full of energy.

“That was amazing!” I said, stopping to clap my hooves. “How often do you practice?”

“Whenever I ca-an!” Molly beamed. “Every year some ponies come over from the other side with these weird pla-anks that they slide around on. I learnt to do what they did – but on ice instead. Alk won’t let me ha-ave any pla-anks of my own for the snow. Can you believe how mean he is?”

I looked to the front of the line, where Alk was busy leading the flock down the path. “Well, he’s just trying to be careful.”

“So you shouldn’t call him ‘mean’, Molly.” Cot added, walking up to us. Cot looked at us once and smiled, and then turned back towards the flock. “Come along, now, we’re falling behind.”

I was the last to fall back into step. Molly skipped off to walk beside Cot, leaving me to will my hooves to move a little faster against their own sluggish weight. The ‘medicine’ Cot had given hadn’t quite worn off yet.

I hope I won’t be asked to take some more later.

***

By late afternoon, the ice had started to wane and be replaced with moss and brave weeds. We had only stopped once for a rest, and Alk’s explanation for that was to make up for lost time, and my legs were started to feel like they had bricks tied onto them. Cot also looked tired, but she pressed on without complaint so I didn’t say anything either.

The only one in the flock that had only lost a fraction of her sparkle was Molly. The young lamb had stopped running around hours ago, and had settled into playing ‘I spy’ with Cot and I, or singing songs I had never heard before. I glanced down at her, and was met with that curious gaze of hers that I’d been getting to know for little while now. I could almost feel the weight of her stare on my face, but I didn’t speak in fear of unleashing the swarm of questions I could hear buzzing inside her head. The thought of talking about where I lived, or who I knew, stung in ways it never should have. I was so happy with the life I had, but now, it hurt to think about. I did not want to share that with someone as wise as Cot, let alone someone as carefree as Molly.

Molly took a breath. This was it. I could hear the questions coming, and my body responded by bracing like it was expecting a hard landing in a dense forest. What if she asked about Equestria, or about my friends and family? How I got here? Where I’m going and why? What if she asked flying questions like the airspeed velocity of an unladen Pegasus?! Oh, the formulas were always the hardest in Flight Camp!

“So what’s it like having wings?”

“Twenty-three and a half miles per hour!” I blurted out. My bandaged leg clamped my jaw shut, and I trotted ahead of the confused sheep flanking me. They quickened their pace and caught up, and Cot cleared her throat.

“Now, Molly, it’s been a long day for e-everyone, and Fluttershy wasn’t very we-ell at the start of it. Maybe tomorrow she’ll be okay with your questions.” Cot looked over to me. “How are you feeling right now, duck?”

I could tell by the shape of Cot’s eyes that she wasn’t asking for an honest answer. I hesitated, looking down at my forelegs marching mindlessly forward, and then over to Molly, who looked like her happiness depended on what I said next. Oh, how could I let her down like that?

“I’m just a little tired,” I said, turning back to face Cot. “It’s been a long day and I really need to put my hooves up. Maybe after we stop, Molly can ask about things she wants to know.

Cot’s eyebrow rose up. “Are you sure? You might want to get some sleep. Does your head hurt? A couple of doses of my me-edicine will have you sleeping soun–“

“Oh, n-no! My head’s fine! Never felt clearer, actually!” I lied as I shut out the throbbing coming from the back of my head. “Besides, I don’t think Molly will sleep very well if she doesn’t get to talk to me first.”

“Uh-huh! Yeah!” Molly skipped and hopped beside me, bubbling over with excitement.

Cot let out a long sigh and rolled her eyes. “All right then, Fluttershy, if you’re sure. We won’t be thinking of stopping until before dusk – that means you still have to wait, Molly!”

“Aww…” Molly fell down mid-hop and fell back into step. A few minutes later, she started up another game of ‘I spy’.

Molly could barely wait until the flock had settled into a nook away from the wind. She was bouncing and hurrying me along to a spot she reserved up against the stone wall, and no sooner had I dropped my saddlebags and slumped on the floor did she start with her first question – and in a way that I found funny, she didn’t stop for an answer.

“So what’s it like having wings? I bet it’s a-amazing. You ca-an go wherever you want a-and fly in the clouds – are clouds really as soft as my fleece? No wait, I’ve walked through clouds, but why does everyone else call it fog? Why call a cloud fog when you can just call it a cloud? I don’t get it, do you get it?”

Cot tried to break up the stream of questions. “Moll–“

“How fast can you fly? I’ve seen really small, quick birds that zip around in trees and really big, slow birds that glide over the mountains. Are you a quick bird or a slow bird?”

“Molly, Fluttershy’s not a bir–“

“Ooh! Do you live in a big cloud city full of Pegasuses like you? Some of the ponies I’ve talked to said the Pegasuses make buildings out of clouds and live in them.

“Cloudsdale…” The name escaped my lips before I could react. In a split second I wasn’t sitting among the flock of mountain sheep, away from the cold wind and light snow. The rocks masked in darkness twisted into broken wreckage. Stones and weeds that poked out of the snow became the possessions of missing ponies blowing in the breeze, and the huddling sheep I peered over created the fallen cloud I took shelter in, the small space I had made for myself to survive the elements and see the night through. It was a sight I didn’t want to see ever again, but that only made it more permanent in my mind: Cloudsdale in complete ruin after it fell out of the sky. The homes of thousands destroyed, and an entire winter released in a howling blizzard that carried Cloudsdale’s last scream.

“Fluttershy? A-are you okay?” Molly’s uncertainty pierced my mind, making me frighteningly aware that I was falling apart in front of the lamb. My mouth drooped open, but I couldn’t find any words to speak.

“Molly, you’ve swamped the poor girl with questions,” Cot scolded. “Give her a chance to answer a question before you ask more.”

“Oh… Sorry, Fluttershy.”

“I-It’s fine! “ I croaked.

Take a deep breath, a little pony whispered. Keep calm – you don’t want to worry anyone, do you?

I did what the voice in my head said. I took two slow breaths and counted to ten, and turned my attention back to Molly. I nodded to her. “I’m sorry, my head got, um, dizzy.”

Cot turned to her medicine satchel. “I have just the thing for that!”

I lifted a hoof in protest. “Oh, no, I’ll be okay! I’m sure it won’t happen again.”

Cot narrowed her eyes, waggling a hoof at me. “Duck, I wasn’t born last spring. If you don’t ta-ake something you’ll be up all night in pain.”

She was right. Unconsciously my hoof drifted behind my head and felt the throbbing lump on the back of my skull. It was like a button had been pressed, because every single bruise, cut, sprain, and ache shot up to the front of my thoughts. I winced, and when I opened my eyes I was looking at Molly, who was growing more and more afraid that her questions were not going to be answered.

“Okay. I’ll take the medicine,” I said. “But I don’t want to take it before Molly can ask me her questions again.”

Cot shrugged and brought out her medicine bottle, setting it aside in wait. “Fa-air enough, Fluttershy. Molly, you have five minutes; Fluttershy really needs to rest.”

Molly didn’t waste a second acknowledging this. Her face lit up and her first question practically came out in a single word. “What’s it like ha-aving wings?!”

The gears in my brain started turning, hoping to keep up with the pace of this conversation. “Well… Having wings is like having an extra pair of legs, I guess, except they’re, um, on my back.”

Molly cocked her head sideways, her mouth making a perfect ‘o’ shape.

“W-what I mean is that they’re normal to me, I move them around sometimes without thinking. Flying is almost as easy as walking. Almost.”

“Oh, I get it,” Molly nodded. She sat there for a moment to think about it, but then snapped out of it and moved to her next question. “Ooh-ooh! Is it true that Pegasuses can control the weather? Ca-an you stop storms and make it nice every day?”

I smiled and nodded slowly. “Yes, Pegasi can control the weather, but most don’t because they’re not as good at it as others. The best weatherponies change the weather every day so that all the other ponies get the weather they need. Not every pony needs sunny days though, some ponies want rainy days, windy days, even snowy days.”

Molly stuck her tongue out and shivered. “Ew! Who could like getting wet and cold that much?”

“We live on a mountain, duck,” Cot said in a matter-of-fact tone. “Let Fluttershy speak. It’s rude to interrupt.”

Molly looked over to me and kept quiet, so I carried on. “Oh nopony really goes out in wet weather unless they have to. The rain is to make sure all the trees and flowers stay happy and the rivers and lakes don’t dry out. Some ponies also need rain to water their crops.”

The lamb looked even more confused. “Crops? What are those?”

I blinked. “Crops are what farmers grow. They all grow in the ground and ponies can eat them. There are a lot of things ponies eat: Carrots, celery, apples…”

“Farmers? That’s a funny word. Are they a special kind of pony?”

I paused, taking a moment to examine Molly’s attempt at understanding what I was saying. How does she not know what farming is? How do mountain sheep get their food? I was sure I already knew why but I just couldn’t put my hoof on it. I tapped my chin a few times, and then tapped my forehead to try to knock the answer out of the mist. Oh wait. This flock wouldn’t farm their food; they would look for plants in the wild and eat them! How could I not realise this?

“Farmers are like weather ponies,” I started, taking a moment to organise my thoughts. “They are very good at their job. Farmers grow food so that nopony goes hungry. There are so many ponies in Equestria that there isn’t enough food to be found to feed them all. So farmers raise crops so that there is enough food to go around. It is a very important job.”

Or at least it was, deadpanned a voice in my head. There’s not really anypony in Equestria to feed, now.

I shook my head, losing the voice in the fog of my thoughts. This wasn’t a good time. It was never a good time.

“A job? Oh, like how it is Alk’s job to lead the flock? What is your job?”

A lump in my throat appeared, and in a panic I mentally fumbled around for an answer that didn’t make me think of my home or the memories I had there. I knew I would far apart if I let myself think about it, but then everyone would want to know why, and I… I couldn’t tell them that! I couldn’t make them feel the same that I felt! What kind of monster would do that?

“W-well, I’m not a weatherpony or a farmer,“ I stammered. “I… I um…”

Think! Look around! Make something up!

My eyes fell on my saddlebags, and I instantly thought about Zecora’s copy of Supernaturals.

“I’m an… assistant. Yes, that’s it. I help my friend Zecora with her potions. She sent me on this trip to look for herbs and flowers that are hard to find in Equestria. She lent me her book so that I could identify what I find in The Fang.”

“Ooh! What’s Zecora like? I bet she’s really smart!”

Cot shot a warning glare at me.

“She’s a good friend, though I don’t think I really deserve her friendship.”

Molly tilted her to the side. “Why not?”

I sighed, hiding the fact that my thoughts were in uproar over the half-truths I was saying. “We… We don’t really spend much time together. I should have visited her more before this, but I never thought about it until now I guess.”

Molly looked down, thinking carefully about what I had said. When the silence grew longer, I started running through what I said for anything she could’ve noticed – anything that could prove that I was lying to the young lamb. Molly spoke up, giving me a warm smile. “I’m sure she forgives you, you know?”

“Wh-what? Why?”

“Not everyone sees their friends every day, sometimes not for months a-at a time. It doesn’t mean they’re not friends anymore, it just means tha-at they’re doing their own thing. I’m sure Zecora knows tha-at. It’s like the ponies who climb the mountains: they’re our friends, even though we don’t see them very often.”

I felt profound warmth reach into my chest and fill my heart. I smiled, blinking whenever my vision streaked. Molly was right. Friendship wasn’t measured by how often ponies saw each other, it was by how much they cared about one another. I loved all my friends, ponies or not, and I was thankful that the friendships I had didn’t end because of distance or time. But could a friendship really count if they were…? If my friends were not…?

Please, a little pony breathed, you don’t have to go there. Stay where you are instead. Think about what makes you happy.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I looked back at Molly. “Thank you for telling me that. You’re very clever, Molly.”

“Pssh.” The lamb blushed. “I only know wha-at I know.”

“Is there anything else you’d like ask about?”

Molly tapped her chin and glanced at Cot, who had been quietly listening the whole time. I looked over to her as well, and could almost hear her counting down until Molly’s bedtime. The lamb must’ve have heard it too.

“Tell me about Equestria, Fluttershy.” Molly said. “What’s it really like on the other side?”

For a few moments I only stared at Molly. I couldn’t talk to her about Equestria, could I? What could I tell her? The truth? A lie? I glanced over to Cot, who looked back at me with the same expression of curiosity as her grandchild. A little further away, I noticed, was Alk. He too looked at me expectantly, not reacting to being caught eavesdropping over the chatter of all the other sheep in the flock.

I was trapped.

I looked back to Molly, and took a shallow breath.

“I’ve never been all over Equestria,” I sighed. “But wherever I go, it is always different from the last place I visited. There are cities high in the sky – either on mountains or floating with the clouds. There are cities down by the sea, and countless little villages in between. Equestria has a beautiful landscape. Forests, hills, rivers, and lakes; there are truly magical places all over, and some of them you will not believe unless you saw it for yourself. I grew up in Cloudsdale – a floating city built by Pegasus ponies. It’s open and bright, and always on the move. It’s not surprising that the ponies that live there are the same, too. It had one of dozens of weather factories throughout Equestria, and so it was very, very busy. When I was old enough, I moved to an Earth pony town called Ponyville, and made a home in a lovely little cottage outside of the town.

“Ever since I got my Cutie Mark, I have always wanted to be close to nature and wildlife. My cottage is near a scary forest nopony goes into, but it’s also close to nicer woods and meadows, where the animals there are friendly and sweet.”

Molly raised her hoof, pulling me from my thoughts. “Did you adopt one? Like a pet?”

I smiled, recalling my cottage bustling with all the animals and creatures I welcomed into my home. And then the smile was gone, torn away by the sight of the empty, cold shell my home became.

Not now. Happy thoughts.

“I have a little bunny. His name is Angel.”

“Angel? That’s a funny name.”

“I named him Angel because he was there for me from the first day I set hoof on the ground. He’s really loyal, and clever.” I looked up, staring at the rocky overhang the whole flock was taking shelter underneath. “If I ever was alone, or sad, or scared, and I couldn’t bring myself to talk to somepony about it. Angel was there.”

“Like a guardian angel.” Cot said with a warm smile on her face.

“Right... That’s right.” My head drooped down to my forelegs, watching my hoof idly brush over the bandages on my leg. “I miss him so much.”

“Aw don’t be sad. You’ll see him when you go home, won’t you?” Molly’s voice was fraught with concern. She got up and moved to my side. “I bet he misses you, too. I bet all your friends miss you.”

She was doing her best to cheer me up. In practice, though, she was pouring salt into a wound I just couldn’t get to close. It wasn’t her fault – how could she have possibly known? I hadn’t told anyone the truth of what was on the other side. I’d only said what they had wanted to hear.

No, you only said what you wanted to hear. A little pony corrected. I shook my head until the pony slipped into the darkness, and looked to Molly for any more questions, but it seemed that the lamb had ran out of things to ask. Our corner of the crevice fell silent, letting the ambience of other conversations nibble into our space alongside the whistle of the icy wind blowing outside our shelter. Molly’s questions had stopped, but I could feel her curious stare burning into my cheek. I glanced over to her and forced a smile, trying to convince her that I would be okay. In the corner of my eye, I saw Alk turn away and disappear among his flock.

Cot stirred and stretched, cracking almost every joint she had. “Okay, Molly,” she yawned, “time for be-ed.”

The lamb tried to protest, but her grandmother stood firm. Molly’s begging didn’t last long, and reluctantly, she turned to me and said goodnight, and then picked a spot nearby to curl up and sleep. Some members of the flock, seemingly acting on instinct, moved and settled down around the lamb to keep her warm.

It also made it easier for Cot to whisper to me without being heard.

“Te-ell you the truth, duck, I thought you were done for when she asked about Zecora.”

“S-sorry about that. I know you warned me and—“

“It’s all right, Fluttershy.” Cot chuckled. “I was just making sure Molly would ge-et some sleep tonight.”

I smiled with Cot and looked over to Molly, who already looked like she was asleep.

“She can be a nuisance at the be-est of times, that one.” Cot said.

“Oh, it’s not like that.”

Cot snorted and grinned, the wrinkles on her face hinting that she know something I didn’t. “Young’uns are always the cutest whe-en they’re not yours.”

I tilted my head to the side, trying to find what she meant in her expression. A tiny shadow of sadness crept over Cot, but in a blink it was gone, replaced by a warm smile directed to the sleeping lamb.

Cot cleared her throat, speaking in a quiet murmur. “Thank you for keeping your word with her, Fluttershy.”

I nodded slowly, not breaking eye-contact. “You’re welcome, Cot.”

The elderly ewe looked back over to Molly once more and took a deep breath. She spoke again, but this time in a clearer, authoritative voice. “Well, I think it’s time you took your me-edicine and got some sleep, too.”

The throbbing in my skull doubled its strength in preparation. For the first time since I last took it, I actually wanted to take more. At least I’d sleep off the side effects before the morning, right? I hoped so.

A few minutes later, I settled down to sleep, laying my head down on my saddlebags. It was stiffer than I would’ve liked, but the only alternative was using a rock as a pillow. I shifted and fidgeted, wincing whenever I poked a bruise or carelessly rolled onto my left wing, and eventually found a position that hurt the least.

Sleep didn’t come immediately. Instead, thoughts about the last twenty-four hours flicked through my mind. I took a stupid risk crossing the mountains during a blizzard, I was lucky to still… to still be here, wasn’t I? Why didn’t I think about what could happen? Or did I…? Maybe, without really thinking about it, I went up the Whinny-Rose Mountains hoping that the worst would happen.

I pulled my legs in tight and did my best to hug myself. Through a thin haze of dizziness, I could just about separate myself from what I did. I could almost pretend it wasn’t me that did something like that.

But this wasn’t another pony. It wasn’t like ‘New Fluttershy’ had taken over, or I had let something like The Stare get the better of me. No, a part of me that I trusted had pushed me to that edge. It pushed me into a horrible, freezing blizzard and gave me two choices. Either I disappear in a mask of white like everypony else, or I come out on the other side and see The Fang.

For the first time since everypony vanished, I was afraid of myself. I was so scared of what I could do if I didn’t control my feelings. Could something like that happen again? Would I be able to see it before it happened? Could I stop myself next time? I shivered just thinking about it.

Something fuzzy and warm draped over me and covered me up to my neck. I flinched and sat up, quickly realising that I was under the same woolly blanket that I woke up in. I looked up, and saw Cot.

“I saw you shivering, duck, this should help.”

I gave her a blank stare. A side of me wondered what Cot would’ve done if she found me and I never woke up – or if Molly found me…

I felt sick.

Cot leant forward and pressed a foreleg against my head. Her brow furrowed, and she lowered her hoof to my shoulder and held me steady. “How are you feeling, duck?”

My head was spinning, I wasn’t even here anymore. I was on top of the highest peak of the mountains. I was looking down – straight down to a flat, stone floor. The wind was pushing me, gravity was inching me closer to the edge – even my thoughts were against me.

You won’t feel a thing.

Cot shook me and I was back by her side. I was safe. I was alive.

I was alive.

Alive.

Alive.

Most of the night was spent sobbing into Cot’s fleece, hoping and praying that I didn’t wake anyone else up. I was so ashamed of myself. I… I was so close to losing my life, and I didn’t even know that was all that a part of me wanted.

***

“Wa-ake up.”

Nudge. Nudge. I groggily opened my eyes and looked up, expecting to see Molly or Cot prodding me. Instead it was Alk, still looking as irritated as the first time we met.

His face didn’t soften when he saw that I was awake, he seemed to scowl more in fact. “Good,” he said, and then slowly turned away. I sat up a little, watching him walk out from the alcove the whole flock was huddled in, still fast asleep. The ram stopped a short distance away from the group, standing still near the rocky edge of the path we had been following.

The little pony in my head yawned and bucked, kicking my brain into gear. Alk had woken me before anyone else, said nothing more than ‘good’, and was now stood motionless outside. He wanted to talk to me, but he wanted me to go to him. Why?

Probably shouldn’t lay there and ask why, just follow along. A little pony mumbled, herself sounding like she had just woken up.

With a yawn and stretch, I slipped out from underneath Molly’s sleeping hug and stood up. She hadn’t fallen asleep beside me last night when I was awake, but after I broke down last night… Maybe she heard that. Oh, I wish she hadn’t seen that. I wish nopony saw that.

With teensy, tiny steps I weaved among the sleeping sheep and walked up to Alk. He didn’t turn to see me, just continued to stare down the mountain range. I stopped beside him, choosing to say nothing and look over the Fang at the break of dawn.

It was… very beautiful.

“What happened on the other side of this ra-ange?” Alk said, without breaking his miles-long stare.

I glanced over to the ram. “Uhm… There was a horrible storm. I-I was stupid and tried to cross over in the middle of it and… um… I didn’t mean to be a burden on you.”

“No, not that,” Alk shook his head sluggishly. “Not the night before.”

I did not like the way my stomach was twisting in knots. “Then what do you mean?”

“About… hmm… twenty-seven nights ago, there was a gigantic flash in the sky unlike anything I had ever seen. Blinding and loud, and it came down to earth and washed all over the land. I thought it was the…” Alk paused, taking a moment to dismiss himself with a sour laugh. “No matter, do you… know what I am talking about?”

I dropped my gaze to the floor. I bit my lip and blinked back the tears, seeing flashes of that horrible night behind my eyelids.

Alk took a long drag of the morning air. “Three nights ago, I led the flock to the peaks.” He confessed, though I did not understand what was so bad about that. “It was already getting colder, too cold for the flock to be so high up, and we as a flock have sta-ayed away from the peaks since… years ago, but something was bugging me.”

He stopped. I waited a few moments before I spoke up and asked him what was bugging him. He turned and glared at me with the same stony expression he gave me when he woke me up. “I just had to look and see what it looked like over there. And just as I thought, I saw nothing.”

That wasn’t what I was expecting him to say. “You saw nothing?”

Alk nodded, “Nothing that looked like a sign that your kind was there anymore. The village at the bottom of the mountains was still, no smoke from the chimneys, no candles at night, nothing.”

I fell away from Alk’s gaze again. I knew which village he was talking about, and I knew what I saw down there.

“You a-ain’t a researcher,” Alk hissed. He shot a look over to the flock to make sure none of them were awake. “I don’t know what you are, but you didn’t fall out of the worst blizzard I’d ever seen for a few flowers.”

“W-when did you hear that?” I stammered. I hadn’t spoken to him since the first time we met, how did he know what I said to Cot and Molly at the back of the flock?

Alk rolled his eyes slowly. “The flock does talk amongst themselves, you know. Messages move back and forth.”

I brought my head down low, but kept an eye on Alk so he wouldn’t think I was ignoring him. I guess most of the flock did understand me: they just didn’t want to talk…

“There a-ain’t much I understand; least of all how we found you.” Alk pointed a cloven hoof at me accusingly. “We don’t go up the peaks, not even to see what it looks like on the other side. But the first time I decide to go up there a-anyway in years, you fall not far from where we stopped for the night.”

“I’m sorr–“

“No!” Alk growled. “You just don’t get it, do you? How far do you think these mountains stretch? How much time do you think you would’ve survived, unconscious, up at the peaks? Why, after years of avoiding them, did I decide to go up there? Do you know? Because I sure as ‘cicles don’t.”

I shrank away from Alk’s cold, unnerving gaze. He lowered his hoof and took another drag of air, speaking in a much more subdued tone.

“When the others wa-ake up, we’re going to go down the last leg of the journey, but we are not leading you beyond the tree line of the forest – you will go on your own wa-ay by then. You will not ta-ake anyone with you, and you will not put this flock in da-anger. Understand?”

Alk must’ve seen my weak nod, because he straightened up and made his way back to the flock. But there was one thing I wanted to ask, and I didn’t think I would have a chance after this.

“Alk,” I whispered. Amazingly, the ram stopped and turned to face me, scowling. “Why haven’t you been to the peaks in so long?”

Before Alk could reply, we both heard a terrifying roar. I tore my eyes up to the sky, and high up in the air, crossing the rocky border between Equestria and The Fang, was a large, green dragon. We both stood still, not daring to make a peep until the beast glided far, far away – bound for Kinsmeer, my secret, true destination.

I looked back to Alk, and saw that the dragon’s roar had woken the rest of the flock. Alk looked behind him, and then back to me.

“Those things…” Alk said, nodding once toward the distant dragon before pointing a hoof behind him. “…And Molly.”

***

“Fluttershy? Hellooo?”

“Huh, what?” Someone had nudged my shoulder, and I looked over and then down, meeting Molly’s quizzical stare.

“We’re almost near the bottom of the mountains,” the lamb said gently, nodding her head towards the front of the flock. “So tha-at means you’ll… you’ll be on your way. Without us.”

“Oh…” Was all I managed, and for a moment I was lost again, captivated by the tall evergreen trees and the lively sounds of nature not far below. I had no idea what I was expecting to see when I came down from the peaks, but I had not imagined something as beautiful as this.

Molly followed my gaze, and eventually brought me out from the spell I was under. “We don’t normally come this far down,” she said. “It makes me a little sad sometimes.”

“Why is that?” I asked.

“I like seeing the trees up close,” Molly sighed. “From the mountains they look tiny, but they are really, really tall when you see them up close. Alk won’t let me go into the forest though; he says it’s too dangerous.”

Cot was looking at me when I glanced up to her, practically expecting the uncertain look I had on my face. On cue, she elaborated. “I’m not sure what you face in Equestria, but we have wolves.”

The blood drained from my face. Wolves: packs of wild wolves in a forest untouched by ponykind for thousands of years - if touched at all. I had doubts they’d be like the friendly, cuddly wolf-dogs ponies looked after.

Cot closed her eyes, letting out a sigh. “They usually stay deeper in the forest. But if they’re hungry, or if we’re in wrong place, they will hunt near the edge of the forest for an easy meal.”

My left wing resisted against its bindings, throbbing slightly under the strain. I had to go through that forest – through the heart of potential hunting grounds, and I had no other option but to run if I saw something and hope it wouldn’t give chase.

“I-is there anything else in the forest?”

Cot pursed her lips and rolled her eyes up. “Well, the-ere must be something else the wolves hunt – because we sheep stay up the mountains most of the year – boars, deer, and forest critters maybe?”

How did Spike make it to Kinsmeer himself? How did Twilight, Rarity, and Rainbow follow him if it was so dangerous? I didn’t stand a chance. I was nowhere near as brave as my friends.

My friends’ journey reminded me of something they told when they came back: the forest had Phoenixes, too. I knew that, and maybe Cot knew that? I had to change the subject. I asked her and both Cot and Molly’s faces lit up – though Cot was more surprised at the mention than Molly’s look of glee.

“Ooh! They’re so pretty! And so rare – I’ve only seen two in my life!” Molly hopped up and down between Cot and I. A smile crept up on my face, happy to have gone to a much lighter topic. Cot still looked a little surprised, but she too, was smiling.

“They are quite a rare sight this side of the forest,” Cot said, pointing in the direction of the reddish mountains. “But at night you can sometimes see little flying fireballs dancing among the trees over there. It’s rare for them to fly around here, probably because it’s too cold for them.”

I thought of Philomena, and how she braved flying North to the Crystal Empire before the… that night. When I last saw her, we were not far from Canterlot. She warned me about a storm and took off to find her own shelter. I hoped she was safe.

“They’re so majestic,” I said dreamily, thinking of Philomena’s bright red plumage and the way she shone in the sky. “Watching them fly is wonderful.”

Cot nodded in agreement, looking over the forest. “This place is very magical and mysterious, and it isn’t just because of the Phoenixes. There is so much in there that I can’t explain.”

“And that’s why when I grow up, I’m gonna be a-an explorer! Just like you, Fluttershy!” Molly announced.

My heart leapt up in my throat, but nobody noticed. Cot shook her head at the lamb and quietly reminded her that she was forbidden from going into the forest. Molly didn’t bother to argue and instead lowered her head in disappointment and fell silent. I thought about dropping the topic as well so Molly wouldn’t get any ideas, but I was curious about what Cot had said.

“What else lives in the forest? Is there another rare or magical creature there, too?”

Cot hesitated, glancing down at the sulking lamb between us. “I don’t really know, Fluttershy. Sometimes at night, when the moon is hidden, the flock hears things. It sounds like thunder, but it comes out of the forest.”

Molly’s ears were trained on her grandmother, even though she was pretending to be sulking and not listening.

Cot carried on, unaware of the eavesdropping, perhaps unaware of the present too as she stared off into the distance. “When I was a lamb, we heard it close to whe-ere the flock was sleeping, and when we came out of hiding the next morning, there was a long path of tall trees with the-eir tops broken off, and giant hoofsteps carved into the forest floor. Like a giant had passed through, but we have never seen what it actually is.”

I gulped. “Could it be a dr-dragon?”

Cot thought about it, frowning as she went over what she knew. She shook her head. “No, I don’t think so. The shapes of the ste-eps were clearly hooves like ours, or something like ours.”

“Yeah,” Molly agreed before running off to a row of boulders. She clambered onto one, and start hopping from one to another. “Besides, have you seen a dra-agon? I bet they’d tear the forest apart if they went through it.”

My hooves slowed to a stop, and Cot and Molly both stopped ahead of me as the rest of flock carried on down the path. This was unreal. This was crazy. Here I was walking straight into a dangerous forest so I can go to an even more dangerous mountain range. There were going to be all kinds of predators, there were going to be lots of dragons, and there was a chance I was going to run into a mysterious giant with cloven hooves – and I didn’t believe for second it would be a big, friendly sheep. This was all too much. I felt I was going crack and shatter right where I stood, and I hadn’t even got off the Whinny-Rose Mountains yet.

There was no other choice. I had to remind myself of that. I was going on this journey to help reunite the Elements of Harmony. I could not turn back and stop now. I made a promise.

Dragging in the morning air, I gazed out over vast hectares of the forest, kidding to myself for a moment that I would see the mystery giant in broad daylight. We were so close to the trees now, which made the scale of the woodland all the more frightening. I couldn’t fly over it. I couldn’t go around it. If I was going to have a chance of catching up with my Element of Harmony, I was going to have to go through the forest.

With my perspective lower, I could see that the forest sat atop small hills that rippled between the Whinny-Rose Mountains and the Dragons’ own volcanic range. Evergreen trees were not the only things that made up the forest, as I could clearly see different deciduous trees growing among the evergreens in the treeline, and thick bushes and bramble cluttering the forest floor. The deep, dark green canopy was also interrupted by brown and amber patches, meaning that some deciduous trees were losing their leaves for winter. But why were only a few losing their leaves and others still lush and green? Why were some trees still flowering? It made less sense than the sudden onset of winter in Equestria. Well, that thing did if I thought about Cloudsdale…

Cot walked up to me, gently laying a hoof on my shoulder. “You okay, duck?”

I shook my head, but I didn’t tell Cot what was really on my mind. I didn’t want her or anyone in the flock to know. I didn’t want them to worry, or panic. Instead I asked her about the trees, and why some were still flowering so late in the year.

Cot cocked her head to the side, not grasping what I meant. “The trees have always flowered whe-en they’ve wanted to, duck. Is it different in Equestria?”

I nodded, and tried to explain the seasons as Cot got me walking. While seasons were something Cot knew well, since the Whinny-Rose Mountains had an annual cycle of rising and falling temperatures at higher elevations – a cycle that kept all sheep moving up and down the mountain range – Cot had never seen trees follow a similar cycle together.

“Things are different in The Fang, I suppose,” Cot sighed. “It ne-ever really gets all that cold in the forest. We’d stay in the forest if we could, but it’s always safer to be as high up the mountains as it is comfortable, there are just too many strange things in the forest for a flock to adjust to.”

We were drawing closer to the forest now. Even the steep incline of the mountain had lessened and gained a layer of soil. Lone bushes and weeds cropped among rocks, and small patches of wildflowers waved in the breeze as we passed. Alk had told me at dawn that I would be entering the forest alone, and it wasn’t long now until I had to go on alone.

There was a loud growl next to me, and I leapt aside in fright and bumped into the elderly ewe. Cot, with a lifetime of living on loose rocks and steep hills, didn’t even slip as I bounced off of her and fell on the dirt. The sheep ahead slowed their walk, taking a moment to see what the commotion was about.

Cot leant down to me, concern deepening her wrinkles. “What’s wrong, Fluttershy? You practically took off just then.”

“I-I thought I heard something!” I said, looking around. “Like a–“

There was another growl, but this time I felt it, too. I looked down to my belly, and as if on cue, it growled again. I hid my face behind my forelegs, hiding the blush flaring up on my cheeks. “S-sorry, I’m getting jumpy. I’m sorry!”

“Fluttershy,” Cot said as she pulled me upright with ease. “When was the last time you ate?”

She didn’t wait for me to answer, especially when she saw that I had to think about it. Instead she tutted and led me back to the flock and Molly.

“Before you leave us, we’re going to find you something to eat.” Cot ordered – not suggested. “There should be some be-erries near the treeline that you’ll like.”

“B-but, Alk said–“

“I’m not letting you go without a full be-elly and final check on your health.”

It was definitely not a suggestion. Alk was not going to be happy

***

“I a-ain’t happy, Cot!” Alk bellowed, stomping his hoof. “You know what’s in that forest and you know you can hardly move like you used to. I a-ain’t letting anyone from the flock go to the treeline.”

Even though he was shouting at Cot, Alk was stood in front of me, making me shrink backwards into Cot’s fleece as she checked and treated the lump on my head. At his eye level, Alk looked incredibly fearsome to me. I’d never seen him so angry, and I felt horrible that I was the cause of it. I deserved to be so close to him as he argued with Cot, but I wasn’t going to tell anyone I felt that way.

Cot sighed, letting my mane fall back over the lump on my head. “Fluttershy hasn’t eaten since we found her, and she won’t say when she last ate before then. Poor girl is trying to not be a bother, Alk, but I can’t let her go without knowing that she’s had something to eat.”

Alk slapped his forehead with his hoof. “This pony is a full grown mare, Cot, she can look after herself! I’m sure she knows what blackberries look like!”

“I’m sure she does, but I want to see her eat.”

Alk was at a loss for words for a few seconds. “What? W-Why is that so important?!”

Cot sighed again, raising her voice as she unravelled the bindings on my left wing. “Because she’s gone two days with us and has never asked for food or water! She’s eaten ice and drank from streams, but she hasn’t had a single flower or berry or clump of grass to chew on. Now she’s going to be exploring that forest and scouring it for herbs and flowers not found in her homeland, but she’s going to need the energy to stay safe on her own.”

Alk snorted and looked away, cursing to himself. Silence fell between the two, and Cot slowly opened up my wing and examined it. I held my breath, swallowing down any yelps or gasps that came whenever I felt pain. Alk turned back around, deep in thought, and leant to the side to watch Cot fold my wing back and bandage it back up.

Cot stood up and trotted to the aging ram. She spoke to him, her voice calm and motherly. “You’ve been so protective of everyone ever since you were young, Alk, and I know it is for a good reason. So I’m sure you can understand why I’m protective of Fluttershy, right? Life doesn’t cease to matter outside of the flock, Alk. There are other flocks, other herds, sometimes we have to take care of more than our own.”

Alk scowled and glared at me, as if I had no right to be hearing what was being said. He looked Cot square in the eyes, and walked around her, heading back to the flock. He passed me in silence, and stopped a few feet away. He looked over to a small boulder, and I followed his gaze to a tuft of a red lying on the ground behind it.

“Molly,” Alk grumbled. “I know you’re there.”

The lamb came from her hiding place, fidgeting in her step.

“Molly.” Alk began. “If you want to say goodbye to Fluttershy, now is the time to do it.”

“Okay…” Molly whispered.

“And Cot,” Alk said, turning around. My heart strained at the sight of the old ram’s eyes. He was frightened, sad, and… somewhere really, really bad. “You get your wish, but…” he sniffed, hardening his face, “Molly is staying with us while you’re gone.”

With that, Alk went back to re-join with the flock he lead, half of whom had been watching from a distance instead of grazing. Suddenly, a pair of forelegs wrapped around my neck and squeezed. I looked down to Molly, hugging as tightly as she could.

“Be careful.” She said, burying her face into me. She was practically a different lamb to the one I first met. It was amazing how quickly we had become friends. The same could be said about Cot and I.

“I’ll be super careful.” I promised.

Molly eventually let go and stepped back. She smiled and made her way back to the flock, stopping by Alk’s side.

“Are you ready to go, duck?” Cot asked.

I nodded and rose onto all fours, pulling my saddlebags tight and pretending to adjust my headband while I dried my eyes. “Let’s go.”

***

The trees were no more than few dozen feet away. And bushes and tall grass swarmed all around them. Just inside the threshold of the forest though, the tree canopy became dense, and as the light on the forest floor became thinner so did the amount of bushes. Cot led the way, pointing to a wall of sunlit green just beyond the shadows. There was a quiet river there, with water as cold as ice, and bushes lined up along both banks. Immediately Cot spotted a something and made her way towards it, and I spotted the prickly vines arcing among the bushes, full of ripe blackberries.

Cot nibbled a blackberry off the bramble and glanced over to me. “We-ell? Dig in then, Fluttershy, they’re just right!”

I followed Cot’s technique and just ate straight from the vines, but even as I savoured the sweet taste of the fruits, I never let my guard down. My ears swivelled and scanned, twitching at any sound I heard over birdsongs and cricket chirps. We moved along the bushes, spotting more berries and munching away. Cot stopped eating and popped open her own satchel, collecting blackberries in some small jars she laid on the grass.

Even as Cot seemed to zone out while picking fruit, I couldn’t help but feel like we were being watched. Occasionally I glanced over the river, but all I saw were birds in the trees and beside the river, singing and refreshing themselves. The feeling never went away, though, and I kept listening even while eating.

“Fluttershy,” Cot piped up, not breaking her pace. “What did Alk say to you this morning?”

I froze with a berry in my teeth.

“I noticed that you and Alk were up before any of us,” Cot continued. “He usually ge-ets up first, but I didn’t think he would want to stand anywhe-ere near you unless he felt he had to. So what was the reason?”

Cot had not stopped what she was doing, which only made me feel like I was acting guilty when I had no reason to be. But something about how Alk had pulled me away and spoken to me meant that he had wanted to keep it private and probably completely secret. If it was not for the dragon roaring above us, noone else might’ve known we spoke. Was it right to tell Cot about what we talked about? Why did she need to know, anyway?

Some gears spun in my head, and I choked down the berry in my mouth. “You didn’t, um, you didn’t come with me to just ask me this, did you?”

Cot laughed, not taking her full attention away from gathering fruit. “A good gue-ess, duck, but no, I already planned to see you this far into the forest, but when I woke up this morning and saw the pair of you had been talking, it made me curious to know what he said.”

“Oh…” I pawed at the dirt under my hooves.

Cot paused, taking a moment to look me in the eyes. “Listen, duck, you’re not in trouble. It’s just… Alk doesn’t like strangers, he doesn’t like sharing anything about himself, and he…”

“And he, what?” I pressed, but Cot said nothing. She pursed her lips together, looking to me like I knew what she was thinking. I shrugged and lifted a hoof. “Well, he was worried about the herd…”

Cot nodded, but with a roll of her ankle she pushed me to go on.

“He’s very worried about Molly, and I… I think he’s really worried about you, too.”

“Oh, that bundle of fluff…” Cot grinned, turning back to gathering berries.

“He also said something about never going to the peaks, but he did anyway before you found me.”

It was Cot’s turn to freeze.

“What did he say?” the ewe asked.

“Well… he, um…” I squeaked.

“Oh, sorry. Take a deep breath, duck. It’s okay. You’re not in trouble here. Just get it off your chest.”

Then why do we feel like we’re snitching on him? A little pony whined.

I spilled over and let the truth come out. “Alk said to me that he lead the flock up the mountains because he felt that he needed to look over the other side. He said that didn’t understand why he did that, and he said that the chances of finding me the way I was when they did was impossible. He… I… I’m not a researcher, Cot. I lied to you all about that, including Molly.”

My head hung itself low and I closed my eyes. “I-I’m sorry, Cot. Please don’t hate me.”

There were a few seconds of silence. Horrible, painful silence that bore down on me with the weight of every lie I told. Every half-truth I made up to hide the painful facts from someone as young as Molly. But even under that weight, I still could not tell Cot why I had come this far, or where I was truly going. Not after what Alk had told me were his reasons for staying away from the peaks.

A gentle hoof rested itself on my shoulder, and slowly I looked up to Cot. She looked sorry, too, but I couldn’t imagine why. She’d had been nothing but generous to me. She was a real friend, one of the first friends I had found after this nightmare began.

“Listen, duck.” Cot began, pausing to wipe tears from my face. “Alk did something more than break a personal rule going up there. He brought up a lot of pain that most of the flock hasn’t recovered from.”

“Most of the flock?”

Cot nodded. “Yes, it was a long time ago, too long for Molly to remember, but everyone e-else remembers it. It wasn’t Alk’s decision to stay from the peaks – it was the entire flock’s decision. Alk broke his promise because he fe-elt that something very important was on the horizon. And when it didn’t come… Or rather…”

“When you… F-found me.” I whispered, hearing my own voice falter at what I was thinking.

“Alk felt like he had put e-everyone in danger for no good reason. He felt that he had opened up old wounds in the whole flock to just stumble upon a pony freezing to death. He didn’t know what he wanted to find up there, but—“

“It wasn’t me.” I croaked.

Cot placed both hooves on my shoulders and stared me in the eyes. “We rescued you. Alk carried you whe-en no one else would. He risked the flock for you by waiting until you could follow us down – because it would have been wrong to have left you up there alone.”

“Why didn’t he tell me? Why didn’t you?”

“Because…” Cot paused, looking around in case anyone was listening in. “Because Molly must never know.”

Oh. A little pony said. I pulled out of Cot’s grip and took a few steps back, reeling from what was finally dawning on me.

“No… You mean… She…” I couldn’t imagine it. I didn’t want to imagine. But there it was: ice, fire, and chilling screams – all inside my imagination. ”H-her parents? T-the dragons?”

Cot nodded slowly, holding herself back from bursting into tears herself. “If we had told you anything up there, you might’ve accidentally told Molly. Or given her a clue. We have to protect her, Fluttershy. She doesn’t deserve to know what happened.”

“No, no, no!” I clenched my teeth, stomping over to the riverbank. “She has every right to know! But you won’t tell her! And I… I…”

“Fluttershy?”

“I can’t tell her either.” I couldn’t bear the thought of telling her the truth. I didn’t want to be the one to snuff out the sparkle in her eyes. Molly deserved to be happy.

Molly also deserves the truth. Said the reflection in the water.

“It is not easy, duck.” Cot admitted. “But I’m glad you understand how difficult it is, and that you want what is best for Molly. Thank you so much for understanding.”

I didn’t look up from the reflection in the river. Was I really going to let this go? Was it kind to keep the truth from someone that had every right to know? Was it kind to take the happiness out of their life?

I collapsed down by the riverbank, and buried my head between my hooves.

***

Half an hour passed, and Cot had sat down facing the river bank while I picked away at a few blackberries in front of me. When did berries stop tasting so good?

I had tried to fill the pit in my stomach with berries, but all I managed to do was find another, larger pit that no amount of food could fill. I wasn’t even hungry anymore.

“Well, Fluttershy, I gue-ess this is goodbye.” Cot said, rising onto her hooves unsteadily,

I straightened up and faced Cot, bowing my head to her. “Thank you so much for everything, I’m… so sorry for being in the way and for the trouble I caused.”

Cot chuckled, trying to pull the gloom away from the pair of us. “Don’t worry about that, duck, just worry about staying safe out there. It was good meeting you and helping you on your way.”

“Please tell Molly I said goodbye, again.” I whispered. “Oh and tell Alk I’m sorry.”

“I will, Fluttershy.”

“Do you… Do you think Molly will be okay?” I asked, digging a forehoof into the soil. “She didn’t get to ask me all the questions she had.”

“Oh, Fluttershy, you answered more than she expe-ected!” laughed Cot, reaching into her satchel and showing me the blackberries she had collected. “Molly’ll be fine, espe-ecially whe-en I give her one of these jars. We don’t get to eat these very often.”

We both smiled at eachother for a few moments when Cot had a thought. “Open your saddlebags will you, duck?”

Raising my eyebrow I did what I was told. “D-Did I lose something?” I asked as I looked into the saddlebags, catching Cot lowering a jar of blackberries into one of them. I looked back at her, not sure how to really respond.

“For the journey.” Cot simply stated as she closed off her satchel. “Take care of yourself, Fluttershy. No flying for a few days, find somewhe-ere to sleep before dark, and make sure your keep an eye on that wound on your foreleg.”

I stared at her, barely absorbing what she just said. “Th-thank you,” I sputtered, breaking down.

Cot hugged me and I returned it. It was amazing what a hug could do. I felt happy. I was happy to be alive, and happy to have met someone so generous and kind since everything went wrong.

Cot pulled away and started to make her way back. “You don’t need to follow me, it’s not far. Just remember what I told you, and be careful, duck.”

“Do you think I’ll see all of you again?” I asked.

Cot stopped and looked back to me, and then looked into the forest behind me. Her eyes softened, saddening under a lifetime of memories I could not possibly know. Eventually, she looked me in the eyes. “We won’t be around for long, duck. The flock must always move along. If you need help crossing over again, I’ll tell other flocks I see to look out for you.”

“I-I’d be really thankful for that.” I said, a little embarrassed that Cot was still doing another favour for me.

“Now,” Cot sighed. “I be-etter be on my way back. Alk will be ge-etting antsy. Please be careful in there, duck. Whatever you’re looking for here, it isn’t worth getting hurt over.”

“I will. Thank you.”

“Goodbye, Fluttershy.” Cot said, turning away and passing under the shade of the trees.

“Bye.” I whispered, waving even though she had her back to me. I watched the ewe pass through the shaded section of forest and walk back into the open on the other side. I stayed where I was until she climbed up the hill and out of sight, back into the safety of her flock.

Taking a deep breath I turned to face the river. Almost a horizon away was Kinsmeer, and between here and there was a mysterious forest that I knew little about. My friends had come through here once before, but they didn’t stay long enough to learn much about The Fang. I couldn’t help but feel like I was wandering into the unknown.

I found some rocks poking above the surface of the water, and carefully made my way across to the other side.

It really is the unknown, Fluttershy, a little pony reminded. But so has everything else been since this journey began.

I stopped just short of the shade that blanketed the forest floor, mentally picking out a path to take and pulling up all the courage to take that first step. I was alone again, yes, but I was also alive. I could do this.

You can do this.

“I can do this.” I assured myself, and marched into the unknown.

Survivor Shy

by Mattatatta

Prologue

Alone

Going Home

The Old Castle

Guidance

A Night in Canterlot

Sweet Dreams

The Hunt

Fragments

Elements

Snowflakes of Shimmering Hues

Journey to The Fang

Crossing Over