Chapter 1

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‘Warning. Everfree Forest is not safe! There is a dangerous creature in the deep recesses of the forest called the Slendermane. Do not enter the forest for risk of him catching you. Some ponies have died already, don’t be the next one. Do not enter the forest!’ Fluttershy read on the note Twilight had given her before her reluctant, teary departure from the Everfree forest. It seemed like the emotional terror of the scene was getting the better of everypony. The 15 fillies and colts walking in front of her as they exited the Everfree forest; or 9 that were walking while supporting their injured peers, were approaching the brink of insanity. Everything that could scar the mind and skin of a little pony forever had just been inflicted upon them in the few days that they had been trapped and deprived of all they held dear.

Fluttershy herself was limping on her now further infected scarred leg, while struggling to carry a very sick, messy, sleeping Scootaloo. Nearly tripping over at one point on one of the last roots at the tree line, leading to the road to her home, she found support from Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, both desperate to escape.

Finally out of the forest, Fluttershy noticed that it was still dark in Ponyville, but the time was fast approaching morning, and the sun wasn’t far from its peak over the horizon. Fluttershy ushered each of the fillies to move away from the trees, before putting Twilight’s note down. Although the note was wet with tears and saliva on the top where she had been holding it, she intended to put it exactly where Twilight told her to, regardless of its condition.

“Come on everypony... we, we need to get to, to the hospital. We’ll make a stop, at my cottage.” She told them picking the note back up. Fluttershy turned around, and looked at the ground outside of the forest, marking a small X in the ground with her hoof, where she would later place the note on a wooden sign.

Fluttershy led the fillies up the road, feeling some content among her fear that she had finally reach home, but it gave her no peace of mind. With worries for Twilight, the fillies and colts that were slowly dying while making their struggle to even reach her home, and the Slendermane still being out in the forest with no way of knowing what it will do next, troubled her to the core, creating a fear inside her that she’d never experienced among any of her phobias and concerns.

Upon reaching her door, Fluttershy opened it and let the fillies and colts in first. She looked back at the forest and felt the scar on her leg sting slightly, giving a wince and twitch to shake off the pain. She knelt down and passed Scootaloo to Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle who carried their friend inside. Fluttershy limped lightly over to her chicken coop to the wooden sign sitting on the left of the door with chicken coop etched into it, dropped the note in her mouth, grabbed the loose plank in her mouth, and with a light strain, pulled it off.

It was a small sign but it was large enough to hold the warning note on demonstration. Fluttershy flipped the sign over so the side with the nails pointing out was revealed, and stabbed the top of the note into the nail, and the bottom into the lower nail, as carefully as she could. She turned around to move back to her house, leaving the note until she was ready to put it up, but about halfway to reaching her door she heard somepony calling her name.

“Fluttershy!” She heard from behind her. Fluttershy flicked her head back, but nopony was behind her, even out further.

“That’s strange, I could have sworn that I’d heard Rainbow,” Fluttershy started before she heard her name again.

“Fluttershy! Where’ve you been?” Rainbow’s voice called again. Fluttershy looked up to see her cyan friend flying in the sky towards her.

“Oh that makes sense,” Fluttershy said watching her friend descend towards her. Rainbow came to a stop next to her.

“Where’ve you been Fluttershy? I came over yesterday, and you weren’t here, but I kept checking every now and again to see if you’d gotten back, and you never did. Then it started to get dark, and I couldn’t find you anywhere. You had me and the others worried senseless! I’ve been up all night trying to find you and Twilight!” Rainbow exclaimed.

“Its, well, a long story...” Fluttershy started. “Why’d you worry so much?”

“That should be obvious! Because we all know you’re the last pony who’d be out as late as you were, and with all the disappearances lately, we didn’t know what to think. Then we noticed Twilight was also gone tonight. We just got worried is all.” Rainbow said. Rainbow gave her friend a quick hug, but only momentarily to ensure her friend wouldn’t assume she was a big softy.

Rainbow Dash wasn’t convinced everything was ok considering the damp patches of tears and still dribbling water in her eyes, but her suspicions didn’t get extreme until she noticed the ugly infected scar on the back of Fluttershy’s right leg.

“Sweet Celestia! What the hay happened to your leg Fluttershy?!” Rainbow asked fearfully. The scar had gone from a long blood glazed cut, to a dry blood covered wound with pus and dead skin covering the crusty surface. It turned Rainbows stomach to just look at it.

“Fluttershy, you have to get that looked at.” She said trying to make sure she wouldn’t vomit on sight of the horrendous injury. “How did that even happen?” Rainbow asked shielding her eyes.

Fluttershy knew she didn’t have time to fuss about her own injuries, nor did she want to; it only made it feel worse.

“Well Rainbow, it’s... a long story. It’s good you’re here though, I need your help. Me and Twilight, were in the forest, and... there’s a creature in there. It’s what’s been taking everypony away from their homes. Twilight’s still out there, but I have some of the fillies and colts in my house. They’re sick and some are dying. If you can get some help, we can get them all to the hospital.” Fluttershy explained realising Rainbow’s presence could be a fate decider of some of the little ponies.

“Wait, hold on Flutters! What’s going on? You found them?”

“Yes, but they need help.”

“How many are we talking about here?” Rainbow asked concerned.

“Fifteen.” Fluttershy answered.

“And who’s in there?” Rainbow Dash asked getting more concerned.

“Rainbow! I’ll explain later, they need help now. Please.” Fluttershy begged.

Rainbow felt she was lacking some necessary knowledge of the situation and its back-story, but she’d never turn down a friend’s request.

“I’ll be back with the others.” Rainbow said. With that she took to the skies as fast as she could, leaving a bright rainbow trail leading all the way into Ponyville.

Fluttershy made her way into her home, finding a lot of the fillies and colts were starting to suffer more with the passing time. Scootaloo being the worst of the lot, with her small breathes being reduced to shallow gasps. All she could do was wait for Rainbow to return and hope that it would be soon. She knew that only 4 of her friends wouldn’t be enough to get all the fillies and colts to the hospital before a lot of them would succumb to their injuries and deprivations, and only hope Rainbow would have recruited enough help.

The sight of so much suffering was bringing more and more tears to her eyes each minute. She hadn’t stopped crying since she’d left the forest, and her eyes were growing weary of the constant outpouring fluid. She wanted to give them something to resolve at least a couple of their programs.

’I could at least try to feed them.’ Fluttershy thought seeing a lot of them were clutching their stomachs.

Walking through her home, even with a few quick glances in rooms, Fluttershy couldn’t find her animals. Almost as if they had scattered the day before and not come back, probably scared that the Slendermane might return. They weren’t all gone though; Fluttershy’s arrogant but loyal pet Angel Bunny was sleeping in a round bed in the kitchen, but had no food scraps or anything sitting around him.

“Oh poor Angel, you must be starving too.” She said moving over to the little bunny. She wasn’t wrong; he had a very thin stomach, which made Fluttershy wonder if putting her cupboards out of animal reach really was a good decision. She flapped her wings enough to hover over to the cupboards, and after a quick search through the cupboard she left her food in, trying to sort through her animal food and find something that would suffice for at least a snack for everypony, found a small bunch of Apples.

She grabbed a few carrots as well and turned around, finding that Angel’s ears had perked up. He must have heard the ruffling in the cupboards. She seemed surprised that he hadn’t heard bring everypony into her cottage. Fluttershy flew over to Angel who had sat up, and begun to stretch and yawn, but hadn’t yet realised Fluttershy was there. It wasn’t till she was right next to the small bed that he had opened his eyes and become aware of her presence. But even before Fluttershy could utter a word, Angel flung himself at her, to hug her around the neck. Fluttershy felt at least one tear of happiness escape through those of sadness, lifting her left fore-leg around him.

“Hello Angel Bunny.” she greeted him.

“I’ve got to help some ponies for a while Angel. Then I have to help Twilight. Think you can wait one more day for me to get back?”Fluttershy asked with as little emotion as she could manage, estimating a guess time frame she’d need to get some help to save Twilight. Angel plopped down a little disheartened that she wasn’t staying, but he was willing to wait for as long as need be. He gave her a quick nod.

“Here, these should be enough to keep you fed for the time being.” Fluttershy said dropping the three carrots she’d grabbed in front of him. “I know it’s plain, but,” Fluttershy was about to ask that Angel not be picky, but she didn’t get to finish her question before he gobbled up a whole carrot very quickly. Fluttershy was a little surprised, but she knew Angel could fair well on his own, and wouldn’t eat them all that fast.

“Don’t give yourself a tummy ache. I’ll be back soon.” Fluttershy told him, lightly kissing him on the forehead before turning to walk out the door. Angel was glad she was ok, a little confused that she had been a little teary eyed, and happy that his belly was full again, but ultimately nearly threw up the carrot he just downed upon seeing Fluttershy’s infected scar as she departed. Holding it back, instead he fainted as she limped out the door holding the apples in a small basket.

Fluttershy moved over to those who were groaning and clutching their stomachs first, she had at least 13 apples, so she had to make sure a few of the ponies were ok with sharing one. She limped over to the CMC first, knowing that Scootaloo above anypony else would be needing food. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle watched on as their friend lay breathing very slowly, with nothing but devastation and negative thoughts inside of them regarding Scootaloo’s chances of survival. Fluttershy pulled an apple out of the basket and placed it in front of Scootaloo, nudging her lightly on the side, to try and get her to wake up and eat something; at least a nibble to get food into her body.

“Scootaloo? Scootaloo, I know you’re tired, but you have to wake up for just a few minutes and try and eat something.” Fluttershy mumbled next to the ill-fated filly’s ears. But she got no response, and the shallow breathing only continued.

“Scootaloo? Come on Scoot please wake up.” Fluttershy begged nudging her some more, but still getting no different reactions. This wasn’t good; Scootaloo was almost gone.

“Oh hurry Rainbow hurry.” She said to herself, as if trying to communicate with Rainbow Dash.

Fluttershy moved around to the injured ponies individually, dropping them the best of a snack she could offer, some of them willing to share with another, as long as it meant they would get something in their stomachs. Shortly before the last few apples had run out, there was a knock at the door. Fluttershy dropped the last few apples at the hooves of anypony who didn’t have one, and limped over to the door, opening it to find Rainbow had returned, but alone.

“Rainbow, where’s everypony else?” Fluttershy asked, nervous that she might not have been able to find any help.

“I got others on the way. I can take one of them while you’re waiting for the others.’ Rainbow said looking inside the cottage at all the sick ponies nibbling lightly on the apples Fluttershy had offered.

“Sweet Celestia, this isn’t good. Fluttershy how did they get this bad? Where’ve they been for the last few days?” Rainbow asked, craving more knowledge.

“I’ll tell you once I know they’re going to be ok.” Fluttershy said wanting nothing more than for Rainbow to start flying them over to the hospital.

Rainbow looked at the large group, and couldn’t tell who was in the worst condition; they all looked to be in a pretty bad shape.

“Well, who should I take first?” Rainbow asked wondering if one of them was worse than the others, but making up her own mind in seconds of seeing a little orange pegasus filly lying motionless next to her two best friends, with only the rise and fall of her chest being the only sign of life on her.

“Scootaloo!” Rainbow cried zipping over to her favourite filly. She didn’t know what looked worse about her; her sickly appearance, or the strange waste dried through her fur and cut legs. Rainbow felt painfully depressing emotion rising up inside herself on sight of Scootaloo. Her wheezing puffs of breath were enough of a sign to Rainbow that she was on the brink of death.

“Fluttershy, what’s wrong with her?” Rainbow asked determined to receive an answer.

“I... I don’t know Rainbow. Me and Twilight found her in bad shape, and she’s only gotten worse.” Fluttershy explained, regretting that she couldn’t provide any information on her condition whether or not she wanted to. Even in the short few seconds of seeing her, Rainbow was struggling to feel anything but regret; regret that she couldn’t be there to protect the one filly that looked up to her more than anypony, and was almost as close to her as a sister.

“Scoot... I’m sorry, I wasn’t there for you.” Rainbow sobbed. She wished Scootaloo could respond, but wanted nothing more to know she could at least hear her. She could do nothing but blame herself, letting her emotion out in tears.

“Rainbow, she still has a chance. She’s been so strong. Get her to the hospital, and stay with her.” Fluttershy instructed making sure Rainbow would have the opportunity to see Scootaloo to safety and be there for her.

Rainbow made no sign of appreciative gestures; being in no mood to do so, and gently slung Scootaloo onto her back, with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle’s help, though the pair didn’t say anything, nor had they since exiting the forest since struggling to bear witness to their friends suffering and not being able to help her.

“Rainbow, I know what that look means,” Fluttershy said, commenting on Rainbow’s grim, tear struck expression. “Don’t blame yourself for this. You weren’t there. You couldn’t have done anything if you wanted to.” Fluttershy started trying to ease her friend out of the zone she was forcing herself into.

“I’m the element of loyalty Fluttershy. I’m meant to be loyal to my friends and the ones who look up to me, and protect them. If I can’t do that for two of my best friends, and the one filly that looks up to me like a sister, how can I not blame myself?” Rainbow asked, but Fluttershy couldn’t let her doubt her faith in her element.

“Would Scootaloo blame you? I don’t blame you, and I know Twilight’s alive, and she wouldn’t blame you.” Fluttershy began trying to reason with her.

“What do you mean you know she’s alive? What happened in the forest?! Who did this to you three?” Rainbow asked, dreading why Fluttershy would be talking about the situation so grimly, getting another look at the dreadful scar on her leg.

“I’m taking Scootaloo to the hospital, and when you get there, I want you to tell me who the hay did this to Scoot, and that to you, and whatever they might have done to Twilight, so I can tear them apart.” Rainbow finished, before flying out the door, holding Scootaloo on her back as securely as she could.

Fluttershy felt terrible for Rainbow Dash, knowing that even though she wasn’t there she still held all the responsibility for everypony’s injuries on her own shoulders. She couldn’t figure out how she would explain the situation though, knowing that without any proof, convincing her of the Slendermane’s existence would be a very hard task. And knowing Rainbow, she would throw herself in dangers way to protect her friends whether she could handle the situation or not, and the last thing she wanted was for her to get involved with the Slendermane. She didn’t have much time to ponder the problem though before Rarity and Applejack arrived at her doorstep, with Pinkie Pie standing behind them, along with few other residents from Ponyville.

Fluttershy started to weakly limp towards the door, before the others had a chance to even say anything to her

“Oh thank goodness you’re all here, we have to get all the!” Fluttershy stopped and screamed, feeling an impossibly enormous ripple of pain course through her infected leg, before collapsing on it. She felt like the wound was hissing and screaming at her, while she screamed right back, sucking in air through gritted teeth, trying to block it out, but having no results. The sudden shock relieved her of all feeling in her leg but a burning sting, as if somepony was jabbing a hot needle into her leg and slashing at it. In seconds she felt the dark, numbing pain spread to her head before, forcing her tear soaked eyes shut, leaving the last vision in her head for the time being, a blur of her friends running to her aid.

Chapter 2

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*Beep*

The faint noise repeated itself in Fluttershy’s head, as she lay floating in darkness. While she had no idea what was happening, she seemed to have lost all memory of what had happened before hand. She spread her wings, and looked at her body. All was well with her, but where was the rest of the world. Fluttershy lightly flapped her wings and glided through the darkness, looking for somepony; anypony who could tell her what was happening.

*Beep*

Fluttershy kept searching, growing more and more insecure with each passing beep, as they became louder. As it increased in volume a faint murmur also appeared, in a much more flat tone than the high pitched beeping. Fluttershy peered ahead into the endless darkness, but saw nothing. She turned around, and noticed something different. There seemed to be small white blocks in the middle of the darkness. Curious, Fluttershy flew over to approach them.

*Beep*

Fluttershy watched as the shapes grew very slightly in size, and a much taller shape was revealed. What Fluttershy could see appeared to be the hind-side of a pale white pony with no tail, two fore-hooves, and a head without a mane. The rest of the figure was cut off as if its choice in attire blended into the darkness. Fluttershy felt uneasy about the figure, and knew there was something about it she couldn’t put her hoof on.

*Beep* *Beep*

*Beep**Beep*

The beeps started to get a little faster, not doubling their speed, but definitely getting noticeably faster. Fluttershy started to back away from the figure, as droplets of sweat started to form lightly on her brow. Before Fluttershy could get a fair distance to observe the figure from, it disappeared, as if it had never been there to begin with.

*Beep**Beep**Beep*

Fluttershy could feel her heart beating faster, as her anxiety increased. She didn’t know what the creature in front of her was, or where it had gone, and that lack of knowledge scared her.

‘What if it isn’t a nice pony? What if it was never there?’ She asked herself in her mind. Fluttershy tried to relax herself and walked back over to where the pony figure had been standing.

*Beep**Beep*

The beeping was starting to slow down. It wasn’t until a few seconds later that Fluttershy realised the noise was practically beeping in unison with her heartbeat. Upon this thought though, murmuring started to grow with it. The voices were unintelligible, and sounded like somepony was trying to talk with their head under water. Suddenly Fluttershy felt something sting on the right side of her flank. She winced, turning her head to look, seeing that a red line was mysteriously coursing a cut right into her skin. As it travelled through it stung more, but no explanation for the occurrence presented itself.

*Beep**Beep*

*Beep**Beep**Beep*

The beeping started to increase in speed again. Fluttershy watched the line as it stopped, spanning right from her lower right flank, to the skin on the side of her stomach covered by her wing. A tiny few droplets of red liquid started to dribble from the cut. It didn’t take long for her to figure out that the substance was blood, but it wasn’t dribbling down her fur, and dripping to the ground, instead it was falling slightly before sinking into her fur and drying in place. The blood was drying around the cut impossibly fast, but it wasn’t creating a crusty layer, instead it seemed to continue drying deeper into her light coat, and onto her skin.

*Beep**Beep**Beep*

Fluttershy watched unable to shift her eyes from the confounding injury forming on her side, but unable to try and suppress the sting it was causing her either. The bloody dried on her skin started to deepen in colour, darkening to a thick purple. The whole wound was surrounded by the purple before long, which faded back into the yellow of her coat, as if it were a bruise. The most disturbing part of the injury started to happen next. Fluttershy watched as patches of the purple skin started to fade in colour, becoming pale white and dead, leaving patches of skin and fur directly around the scar with an unnatural, crusty, disturbed look.

*Beep**Beep**Beep*

*Beep**Beep**Beep**Beep*

Fluttershy started to panic on the inside, but still found herself locked in position staring at the injury as if frozen. The final addition to the injury started to appear, making Fluttershy want to grimace in pain but still found she was unable to move. A light yellowy substance seemed to be dribbling out and bubbling, creating a thin layer over some of the poorly conditioned skin and fur around the wound. Some parts of it even seemed to bubble like blisters, while other just dried in place. Either way, the pain was not something Fluttershy was enjoying.

*Beep**Beep**Beep**Beep*

The beeping had gotten much faster, as had Fluttershy’s heartbeat. Her sweat levels were beginning to increase and an irrational feeling of fear was clawing at the inside of her belly. Fluttershy, finally able to move again, took her eyes directly off the wound, and turned around. In that instant she found herself face to face with a featureless white stallion head.

*Beep**Beep**Beep**Beep**Beep*

Fluttershy’s heartbeat increased very rapidly, and her stress levels soared. Before she could even scream, all the knowledge of the most recent events, leading her to where she was now returned. The creature didn’t shift its gaze or move its body, but Fluttershy leapt away out of instinct to run. Fluttershy ran a large distance and looked behind herself, finding the Slendermane still hadn’t moved. Fluttershy tried to relax her breathing, but it proved to be a fruitless effort. She turned around intent on running further, only to find herself face to face with the Slendermane again.

*Beep**Beep**Beep**Beep**Beep*

Fluttershy screamed at the top of her lungs, which unfortunately for her, wasn’t quite as loud as she had thought it would be, but it wouldn’t have mattered. Fluttershy felt herself frozen to the spot again, unable to do nothing but watch on, as the Slendermane proceeded to make a move. Fluttershy whimpered out of fear as bumps started to form on its back under its suit, before stretching to a large tentacle like appendages. Fluttershy closed her eyes and shoved her head under her fore-hooves, not wanting to see anymore.

*Beep**Beep**Beep**Beep**Beep*

The beeping reached its peak of noise, and the murmuring became a louder mumble, but the words were still impossible to make out. Fluttershy didn’t dare look up though. She didn’t want to see what the creature would do, but it didn’t seem to want to give her an easy way out. Her hooves forced themselves off her face, and her eyes slung open, to see one of the tentacles rise into the air, and bring itself down at top speed, right onto Fluttershy’s head!

The beeping went silent, for at least half a second longer than it should have, before Fluttershy, flung her body forwards, only to be forced back by a bright light shining right into her face. She found it difficult to move her arms to shield her face, before she realised that there was a sheet over her. She kicked at the sheet dazed and confused, but stopped instantly finding that kicking was causing her scar to sting more and more. It was a different pain than usual, almost just as bad; feeling as though flames were licking the wound and searing it lightly, but more like an acidic burning than fire. As her hearing started to return to her while she flailed at the sheet confused, she heard voices trying to talk to her.

“Fluttershy! Calm down sugarcube, yer ok!” She Applejack’s voice yell.

“Doc! She’s awake!” She heard Rainbow’s voice yell.

“Fluttershy, stop kicking, you’re gunna be fine.” Pinkie’s voice added in.

Knowing her friends were there Fluttershy felt safer than before, and as she stopped struggling, the light switched off, drastically lowering the light level enough to make everything look silhouetted to Fluttershy. She managed to bring her fore legs up to cover her eyes, feeling a light pain in the retinas which had yet to adjust to the new light level.

Fluttershy slightly lowered her leg and her sight quickly brought the dark smudged figures into light and character. Still a little bit dazed and confused she looked around to get her bearings.

“Where… Where am I?” She asked, before she realised she was surrounded by medical equipment. Just to her left was a heartbeat monitor, beeping away at a steady pace, which was obviously what she could hear in her subconscious state.

“Yer in the hospital sugarcube. Ye dun passed out when we got to ye, so we snatched you and the other little ponies up and rushed you over here; good thing too, that there cut on yer leg certainly wasn’t doin ye any favours.” Applejack told her appearing to be the least bothered by the wound; regardless it still mildly sickened her to look at it, but what was most upsetting to her and the others was that Fluttershy was the victim to it. Rarity on the other hand was absolutely repulsed by the injury.

“A cut? Applejack a cut would be a mere split line, like the many of which are covering my sister. That revolting injury is far worse than a simple cut,” Rarity stated before turning to Fluttershy. “The Doctor said it was lucky we got you over here when we did.”

“Indeed it was.” A stallion’s voice came from across the room. The others looked across to the door to see one of the doctors. The same doctor who had treated Rainbow Dash’s broken wing for that matter. “Might I speak to Fluttershy alone please?” the doctor asked using his magic to levitate a clipboard in front of him.

“Sure doc, but Fluttershy, we got some talkin te do when we come back. I need te know what happened te mah sister.” Applejack said before walking out the door.

“I don’t want to put any pressure on you Fluttershy, but we haven’t even seen Twilight yet, so if you can spare some information about her and anything about Sweetie Belle’s condition when we come back, I would appreciate it very much.” Rarity said before also leaving the room.

“I’m glad your gunna be ok Fluttershy. I sure would like to know how you managed that... that’s a doozey of a cut.” Pinkie said. While she used the normal words that expressed her personality, she was anything but happy. Seeing any of her friends injured was a very upsetting event for Pinkie. “You know, whatever happened to you must have been the reason my Pinkie sense was going crazy all of last night. Maybe I have to pay more attention to what the signs could mean.” Pinkie speculated before walking out the door, leaving only Rainbow Dash, who remained silent, and bore the same self-loathing look as she had departing Fluttershy’s.

“Rainbow Dash, what did I tell you? I know what that look means.” Fluttershy winced in pain a little trying to readjust her leg, which was the only part of her not under a blanket.

“I just feel like I could have done something more.” Rainbow said with a grim tone in her voice.

“You got her here, that’s what matters.” Fluttershy said. “You... you did get her here, didn’t you?” Fluttershy asked, her voice becoming grim also wondering if Scootaloo hadn’t reached the hospital fast enough.

“I got her here in seconds... They took her in, cleaned her up, and put a little bit of stuff on the cuts on her legs, but she hasn’t woken up. They don’t know what’s wrong with her!” Rainbow’s voice was quickly becoming noticeably distressed and angered. “She’s hasn’t inched a muscle since either! They have to feed her small meals through a tube! She keeps breathing; well actually she’s hardly doing that! She’s hooked up to a machine to do that for her too!” Rainbow said frustrated. She knew what she was angrier with though. Not herself, nor the doctors, but the one responsible for the fillies suffering. She’d never felt a deeper hatred for another, and she still didn’t even know who it was.

“Rainbow, I know you care about Scootaloo; we all do. But the equipment we’ve got her hooked up to is all that’s going to keep her alive until we can find what’s affecting her. Please understand we are trying our best.” The doctor explained moving towards Fluttershy’s bed. Rainbow knew this already, and was at the point of tears again, but had no intentions of taking her frustrations out on any innocent pony, especially those trying to help Scootaloo.

“Fluttershy, I need to know who hurt her, please promise you’ll tell me who did it when I come back.” Rainbow begged of her friend.

“I... I promise.” Fluttershy said.

With that, unable to say anything else to the pair Rainbow started to leave, mumbling under her own breath barely audible to the pair in the room, “because I swear by Celestia’s name that if Scootaloo doesn’t make it through this, they’re dead.”

With everypony out of the room, the doctor used his magic to close the door.

“Now Fluttershy, the wound on your leg is a severe matter. You have a very serious skin infection called cellulitis. You really should have come to us much sooner; it’s incredible that it’s become as bad as it has over the course of one night. It’s quite disturbing to see that someone like you would suffer such an injury.” The doctor said.

“Well, it actually happened sometime yesterday morning.” Fluttershy said becoming rather worried, while recounting in her head the terrifying incident of her abduction yesterday.

“Regardless, it needs to be treated now. Something as serious as cellulitis needs to be treated straight away otherwise you’re opening a doorway for much worse infections. Luckily, as bad as your leg may look, it is still treatable, but it’s going to take a long time, and due to the nature of the wound it will probably be rather difficult as w...” The doctor was stopped in his explanation by Fluttershy.

“How Long?”

Fluttershy knew she didn’t have time to stay in hospital no matter how bad her leg was. For Twilight’s sake she’d have to at least get out by tomorrow morning, but she knew something as bad as her leg couldn’t be fixed overnight, and was already dreading the answer.

“Infections aren’t always this serious. We’ve been abiding by normal procedure in cleaning them by washing it with a medical dressing, and trying to clean out any bodily or foreign substances like dirt and pus, but yours could take anywhere from a month to several. They can be unpredictable and worsen without warning if not treated and monitored.” The doctor explained.

“A month! No that’s too long! That’s far too long! I have to help Twilight today! I have to go today! There has to be something else I can do! Is there any way the treatment be delayed for another day?” Fluttershy asked desperately.

“No Fluttershy, there isn’t. I’m unaware of your personal matters with your friends, but for your own safety you should disregard them and try not to worry. If you wait any longer you could risk the infection evolving and spreading. If it does you could be exposed to anything ranging from bone and joint infections, to sepsis; and trust me when I say that a whole body infection is a very terrible thing to suffer. If you do prolong treatment, and the wound does fester more, you’ll be risking your own life.” The doctor explained further, trying to enforce that there was no way of knowing which way things could go if she avoided treatment.

“But there has to be another way!” Fluttershy cried, tears beginning to fill her eyes.

“I’m sorry Fluttershy, but I mean it when I say this is serious. If you were to hinder treatment and become vulnerable to sepsis; we would have to amputate your leg and operate on several spots on your flank and hip in order to slow down and attempt to stop the infection.” The doctor finished, hoping he’d made his point quite clear now.

Fluttershy’s pupils contracted to miniscule size at the thought of losing her leg; it was a terrible thing to even think about. She cringed at every aspect that would fall into it; the pain, the awkward stub it would leave on the scarred limb, the humiliation, and having to live with it for the rest of her life. But then she thought the negative impact of what would happen if she went through with the treatment. Nopony would be able to find Twilight, and she’d be as good as dead after a single day; and Twilight was far too important for that. She was the bearer of the element of magic, and the only one that could unleash the magical power of the elements of harmony. Without her, Equestria’s best defensive magic was useless. Letting her die wasn’t an option, but Fluttershy knew she couldn’t die either, because even if she wasn’t the element of magic she was still necessary for the elements of harmony to work. It wasn’t clear until now to her that the Slendermane’s actions could have taken away Equestria’s one great magical defence.

Thinking for a few moments Fluttershy came to a decision that Twilight had to be saved, regardless of what happened to her. Trying to discourage the thought of death, she considered a life without a leg might not be so bad, if it meant the survival of one of her best friends, and the continuing existence of the elements of harmony, then it was a price she would reluctantly pay. It made it a little easier to picture when she considered flying where she needed to go, but nothing about the idea was appealing. But then other things troubled her; things she hated to consider but had to so she wouldn’t make any plans that could go haywire if she was wrong. Things like what if she went back and didn’t return for any reason from being captured again to dropping unconscious in the forest from leg pain, or if the Slendermane had taken Twilight further away from the track she remembered in her head. The thought that troubled her most was if she would return and Twilight was already dead. She absolutely dreaded the concept more than anything, but it was by no means going to discourage her from attempting to find her.

Other thoughts came into head involving her friends. Would they help her? Would they even let her leave the hospital? Would they go in without her? She was the only one who knew the last location of Twilight and the Slendermane, and knew that no matter what she had to be one of the ponies searching for her. All her thoughts were quickly interrupted by a sharp prick in her side, just off where her scar was.

“Ouch! What was that?” Fluttershy asked looking down at her leg, at a small spot the doctor was rubbing with a cotton bud held by his magic. On a small bench to his side was a small unidentified syringe filled with a translucent yellowish liquid.

“Something to reduce the pain in your leg. Were you not listening to what I just told you?” The doctor asked Fluttershy looking at her apprehensively.

“Oh, um, yes, I just trailed off a little I guess.” Fluttershy said, wiggling her leg a little. The drug hadn’t kicked in quite yet as she still felt little surges of pain coarse through different areas of her hip and leg upon moving it.

“Give it a few seconds. I’m going to let your friends back in now. Take everything easy and slowly, and give one of the nurses a shout if you need anything.” The doctor said before making his departure from the room.

“Oh, ok, thankyou doctor.” Fluttershy said looking at her leg. She started to feel a numb sensation running through it, and the wound seemed to not bother her. The stinging faded along with the burning sensation the medical dressing was causing it, and she was able to move her leg to a better extent with only light stinging.

“Ok Fluttershy, we need to talk.” Rainbow’s voice said as the cyan pegasus made her way into the room, with the others trailing behind her. Fluttershy sunk down almost instantly; how was she going to explain everything without sounding like she was trying to insult their intelligence?

“I... I’m not sure what to tell you... I’m afraid you won’t believe me.” Fluttershy told them considering how farfetched the story would seem to anypony who hadn’t seen the Slendermane for themselves.

“Just tell us the truth Fluttershy. Ah’ve already heard some crazy stories from them fillies and colts over in the other rooms, and Apple Bloom’s story is the same; somethin bout a tall thin pony with no face...” Applejack started, but was cut off by Fluttershy before she could finish.

“They aren’t crazy; whatever they’ve told you is completely true.” Fluttershy began, but stopped as soon as the others exchanged concerned look.

“I knew none of you would believe it. And I haven’t even told you what happened yet.” Fluttershy said sadly.

Rainbow let out a sigh, before speaking up.

“I don’t care what the story is Fluttershy, I want to know what happened. As long as you promise me you’re telling the truth, then whatever you say is good enough for me.”

Fluttershy sighed ready to recount the most horrifying night in her life, to find the details her friends needed to know.

“Yesterday morning, Twilight was outside of the Everfree forest with Scootaloo, and Twilight was trying to convince her not to go into the forest, or, something like that I’d assume, I wasn’t there,” Fluttershy started taking quite a lot of gaps to try and recall the highlights as best as possible. “I was fixing a fence on my chicken coop, and I saw Twilight carrying Scootaloo on her back walking up the road to my place, and we talked for a bit. Twilight said she had to get a book from her library, so she teleported there, and I walked back up to my house, but when I walked in and closed the door to talk to Scootaloo, something started bashing on it from the outside, and... Well everything kind of happened really fast.” Fluttershy said trailing off. Rainbow was stewing with rage at this point; Fluttershy was just feeding her more reasons to hate this mystery pony.

“Fluttershy it’s ok. That pony can’t hurt you no more, especially now that we’re here.” Applejack told her attempting to comfort her. Fluttershy let out another sigh.

“It wasn’t a pony... It’s worse than any of the monsters I’ve ever seen in Equestria.” Fluttershy explained.

“How can it not be a pony? Ah thought them tracks the foal-napper was leavin behind were hoof-prints. I mean sure they were out of shape, but they were still hoof prints.” Applejack said confused.

“Well, it looked like a pony; if a pony could have no face, tentacles on its back, and stretch their legs 50 feet.” Fluttershy remembered the fear filled moments when the Slendermane would tower above the heights of the forest for the sole purpose of instilling fear in somepony’s heart.

“What are ye trying te say? That there’s a giant, stretchy, blank faced alien pony out in the Everfree forest?” Applejack asked confused.

“It’s not just some big, stretchy, blank faced alien pony Applejack. This thing is far worse than that! And it has Twilight! It’s called the Slendermane. It’s like; oh it’s so hard to explain... Oh Rarity, it’s like one of your mannequins, but it wears a suit, and is a lot taller!” Fluttershy quickly described thinking of the only object that could resemble the creature. The others were beyond simple confusion now though; they were completely lost trying to picture the creature.

“Fluttershy, you know how ridiculous this sounds right?” Rainbow asked.

“Yes I know, but it’s the truth! I wouldn’t lie about something so serious, you know I wouldn’t. It’s been abducting all those fillies and colts and everypony else who went missing. It,” Fluttershy went to continue but Rarity cut her off.

“Wait, the others? Like the search teams and store owners?” She asked just to make sure she’d heard that right. “Where are they? They weren’t in your home.”

Fluttershy was hesitant to answer, because she knew that the only reason none of them would have left would have been their deaths.

“They’re... They’re dead Rarity. It killed all of them.” Fluttershy heavy heartedly admitted.

The others were stunned just listening, and didn’t quite know how to respond, and weren’t sure they even wanted to believe what was being put forward, but Applejack was the one who knew better than to doubt her; the emotion in her expression was enough of a sign.

“She’s tellin the truth y’all. Ah can spot honesty when it’s there.” Applejack said becoming more concerned about the graphic nature of the truth.

“How... how did you escape it?” Pinkie asked with a visibly scared look on her face. Anypony could tell that Fluttershy’s story was putting her completely out of her comfort zone, all the signs were there; her expression was far from a smile, her hair was lightly slumped from its vibrant curls, straightening in some parts, and she was the least talkative of the group.

“Well, the first time I slipped away, and tried to fly to Zecora’s for help, but it kind of popped up ahead of me and I panicked. I flew left without looking and hit a tree as I went passed... that’s how this happened.” She said wiggling her scarred leg a little.

“The second time, I think had something to do with Twilight, me and the other fillies and colts escaped, but it caught them all again. Eventually we saved them, and it didn’t catch me again, but it got close at some points. It would have probably killed me if Twilight didn’t make me run...” Fluttershy said realising how much she owed her life to Twilight. “I have to go back and find her.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! What?!” Rainbow asked stunned that Fluttershy would even suggest something like that after what she’d just told them.

“You’d never come out again!” Pinkie exclaimed.

“Are you crazy?”Rarity asked shocked.

“You ain’t goin after Twilight in the Everfree forest on that leg.” Applejack told her. “Especially if there’s some big scary monster runnin around in there. We should get Celestia.”

All the girls seemed to object in unison, just as Fluttershy had feared they would.

“You can’t get Celestia; it would take too long to reach Canterlot. Twilight would be dead by the time you got back.” Fluttershy told them.

“Then we’ll send her a letter. We need to get to Spike,” Rainbow said. “I’ll go get him.”

Rainbow started to make her way towards the door at top speed, before Fluttershy’s voice rang out.

“Rainbow, wait!” Fluttershy cried out. Everypony looked at her waiting for her to say something, but she couldn’t object to them doing anything, especially in her position. “Twilight gave me a note to put outside the Everfree forest; it’s outside the chicken coop at my cottage. Once you’ve found Spike, can you put the sign outside the forest? I put an X on the spot for it to be planted and everything.” Fluttershy asked, failing to protest against their idea.

“Sure thing Fluttershy,” Rainbow said before zipping out the door at top speed.

Applejack turned back to Fluttershy.

“What in the hay made you think goin back for Twilight after that thing did that te your leg would be a good idea?”

“Because I’d have much worse than this if Twilight hadn’t done what she had. I owe her my life, and I’m the only one who knows where she is. I owe it to her to find her.” Fluttershy sobbed as the tears started rolling.

“Fluttershy, I know ye wanna help Twilight, but do you think she’d really want you te risk yer life for her? Especially after she tried to save you? I’ll bet she made you promise not te go after her, didn’t she?” Applejack asked, guessing correctly exactly what lengths Twilight would have gone to if it would keep her friends safe.

“Well, she...” Fluttershy stuttered, trying to finish her sentence confidently, but she was a terrible liar. “She...”

“Yeah?” Applejack interjected, and continued to do so every time Fluttershy stuttered.

“She,”

“Hmm?”

“I... I,” Fluttershy began to feel more emotion building up inside and just shunned her head to the side; it was a hopeless argument that she would never win, especially against Applejack.

Fluttershy just let the tears keep rolling, trying to bring herself to say something more, but just choking on her words. She finally managed to get something out through her tears.

“Do you understand... how bad it feels knowing she’s still out there... because I didn’t help her?” Fluttershy cried still not looking back at her friends. Rarity and Pinkie remained silent, both grim and concerned, especially Pinkie. Her bubbly party mood had completely deteriorated to a depressing point. What upset her most was that she knew that unless Twilight was to turn up out of the blue, she wouldn’t be able to even attempt to make Fluttershy happy.

“Gosh sugarcube ah never meant te upset you. But ye gotta think about this from Twilight’s perspective. Do ya think she would regret her actions? Ah think Twilight did what she did for a reason, and ahm sure she’s still fine. Trust me Fluttershy, leave it to Celestia. Ain’t no monster that could stand up te her and win.” Applejack said confident in their ruler’s magical ability.

“Well what about Chrysalis?” Fluttershy objected.

“She was consumin all the love from Twilight’s brother and using it te boost her power. Ahm pretty sure that slender-pony doesn’t feed off love.” Applejack argued her point, forgetting the name of the creature Fluttershy had told her before.

Fluttershy let out a stuttered sigh trying to hold back more tears, and lay her head down waiting for Rainbow to return.

***

Rainbow Dash was soaring across the rooftops of the many buildings in Ponyville looking for the tree that housed Twilight’s library. As soon as she flew past Sugarcube Corner Twilight made a 90° right turn and saw it in the distance. Rainbow slowed down to halt herself at Twilight door, but didn’t slow down fast enough before she crashed through Twilight’s door. Rainbow didn’t take the time to brush herself off and recover properly though. She lightly shook off some of the broken chipped wood from the door and jumped into the air using her wings to suspend her above the ground.

“Spike? Spike you here? Spike?” Rainbow called throughout the library, but her voice echoed off the walls of the empty room. Rainbow flew upstairs to peek into the bedroom. Maybe he was still sleeping.

“Spike?” She called into the bedroom, before looking around it to notice it was empty. “Where is he?” she asked herself. ‘Maybe he went looking for her when she didn’t come back last night...’ Rainbow thought as she flew back down to the downstairs door.

“Spike?” She called out one last time opening the door. No response again. She peered into the dark descending staircase, and called again, “Spike?” only for it to echo downstairs, into the darkness. Rainbow flicked the light-switch to the downstairs room, but the light only flickered a few times before it stopped and remained burnt out, keeping the room shrouded in black. Rainbow shivered and closed the door, reluctant to check the spare bedroom down in the basement. As fearless as she usually was, everything she’d seen and heard in the past few hours was causing her to worry about unusual small phobias that hadn’t bothered her since her childhood, like the dark.

Rainbow trotted outside the library, and sighed; they didn’t have any way of contacting Celestia. About to fly back to the hospital she realised she still had to plant the sign in front of the forest for Fluttershy. Rainbow took to the sky again and flew towards the outside of town, near the Everfree forest. She spotted Fluttershy’s cottage just ahead, and dropped by the chicken coop where Fluttershy said the sign was sitting. She dropped down next to the small structure and very quickly found the small wooden makeshift sign lying in the dirt with the note poorly stabbed onto it. Rainbow adjusted it herself so that she knew it would stay on the wooden post.

She grabbed the post in her mouth and flew down the road just outside of the forest. She scanned momentarily on the ground outside the forest, and next to a tree saw the small X dug into the ground. She dropped down next to it, standing the sign upright and placing it over the ground, before bashing it with her hoof to anchor it into the ground. She made sure it was far enough that it wasn’t going to just roll out of with a gust of wind and when she was satisfied she left it in place. She was about to turn around before she realised she still hadn’t even read it yet. Curiously Rainbow turned around to read the note.

“Warning. Everfree Forest is not safe! There is a dangerous creature in the deep recesses of the forest called the Slendermane. Do not enter the forest for risk of it catching you. Some ponies have died already, don’t be the next one. Do not enter the forest!” She read aloud. “Twilight wrote this?” She asked herself trying to remember what Fluttershy had told her. Averting her sight from the note Rainbow flew back up to Fluttershy’s house, where she could see the door flailing lightly in the wind. She went to close it, but before she lay a hoof on the door, Rainbow felt an incredibly eerie chill travel up her spine, making her feel uncomfortably cold; the type of feeling that she only got when she was being watched.

Rainbow swung her head around, and gasped in shock as a sudden sense of deep sickening fear started to wrench at her gut. The impossible Slendermane creature was standing right down just outside the tree line of the forest, its pale featureless face locked in her direction. Rainbow dash gulped beginning to back away carefully, but noticed that the creature wasn’t moving. She wondered for a second if maybe her mind was just playing tricks on her, focussing carefully on the faceless, suited abnormal being. Out of nowhere a large gust of wind passed by and tickled at Rainbow’s coat, making her almost keel over with unnatural shivering and tingles under her skin, but also slamming Fluttershy’s door closed, giving Rainbow quite a fright. Rainbow swung her head around to see that the door had made the loud noise, and calmed down a bit before looking back down the path, only to find that the Slendermane was gone. Rainbow scanned the whole tree line quickly, but nothing was there, as if it had just vanished. Rainbow gulped again, feeling herself start to break into a sweat.

Rainbow turned around again ready to fly back to the hospital, but only to come face to face with the creature that had just been down at the end of the pathway. It was like a scene from a horror movie for Rainbow, and all she could do was scream in fear. True fear; something she hadn’t felt in a long time. Rainbow out of shock and a surge of adrenaline made one quick attempt to fly away, but found herself caught by the leg only to be pulled back. She flapped her wings harder and harder, desperate to get away from the monster, but it was no use. All she could see upon turning around was what looked like a tentacle spanning from its back to wrap around her leg. Rainbow felt her brain start to tingle, and she began to feel numb, as if the creature was magically draining her body of all feeling. It didn’t take long before everything around Rainbow became a blackening blur of messy pictures, and her wings stopped moving, letting her drop to the ground. With a thud and cracking noise, Rainbow hit the ground, and everything she could still see vanished to blackness entirely.

Chapter 3

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The day slowly started to approach an end, and Fluttershy was approaching the point of desperation. She had only just noticed the sun was reaching its point of descent leaving the sky with an orange tinge. She was plotting in her head ways she could escape the hospital unnoticed, and thinking of a way she may be able to grab something to support her leg along the way. She knew that without the others her chances of lasting for a long time in the forest were low, but all she wanted to think about was getting Twilight out. Fluttershy didn’t skip any ideas, because she knew that by nightfall, if she hadn’t already left the hospital, it would be far too late for Twilight.

“Where in the hay is Rainbow Dash?” Applejack asked the others. “She left almost an hour ago.”

“What if Spike wasn’t there? You don’t think maybe she went to Canterlot herself do you?” Rarity asked.

“Nah, even at her own speed she’d know she wouldn’t reach the Princess in time.” Applejack assumed. Fluttershy started to sweat with worry; she couldn’t help but wonder if she had run into the Slendermane somewhere. It didn’t seem like a very plausible scenario at first, but then she realised Rainbow was going to put the sign up outside of the Everfree forest for her, and her pupils shrunk in terror. She looked over at Pinkie who had gone to sit down and try and rest, after a little scene involving her Pinkie sense. Pinkie looked back noticing Fluttershy gazing over in her direction, and was the first to notice Fluttershy’s breathing increase in speed which progressed to her beginning to shake as if she was sick.

“Fluttershy, what’s wrong? Does your leg hurt? I can get the doctor for you?” Pinkie asked wanting to make sure her friend was ok and help her keep calm.

“I’m fine Pinkie, but I think Rainbow Dash might be in trouble.” Fluttershy told her, starting to feel a sickly feeling in her stomach. Pinkie Pie sulked a bit in concern before piping up in realisation.

“Do you think that was what set off my Pinkie Sense?” Pinkie asked, angering Fluttershy a little.

“Pinkie Pie, this is serious! A few tingles aren’t going to make a difference!” Fluttershy scolded Pinkie who flinched at her tone. She curled up as the depressing feeling tearing away her colour and exuberance started to increase to twice the speed; her hair was practically straight and tangled, and tears were forming in the corners of her eyes. Fluttershy looked at her friend and realised that she’d been far too harsh; especially after knowing how Pinkie reacted to her friends yelling at her, and even more so in the state she was in.

“Pinkie? Pinkie I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped at you, I just... I’m a little stressed out is all. It was wrong to take it out on you.” Fluttershy apologised. Pinkie looked up at her and sniffed, wiping her eyes with her forearm, and nodding to Fluttershy; she wasn’t in the mood to talk anymore, but Fluttershy felt terrible for making her feel worse. “Pinkie, can you come over her?” Fluttershy asked. She thought she could at least offer a hug to prove she was sincere about her apology. Pinkie lightly popped onto the floor and walked over to Fluttershy, who opened her forelegs when she was close enough, and wrapped them around her.

“I’m sorry Pinkie.” She said again tightly hugging her, hoping to raise her withering spirit. Pinkie sniffed again holding back her tears.

“It’s, ok Fluttershy… I understand.” Pinkie replied. Rarity and Applejack had momentarily paused and smiled at the display of care and sincerity in the affection Fluttershy was showing to apologise; then again, that was normal for the Element of kindness when she accidently upset somepony she cared about. Shortly after though the door to the room opened up and the doctor trotted inside a fair way before stopping.

“Great news, Scootaloo is awake.” He announced to the four ponies in the room.

“Oh that’s wonderful!” Fluttershy gasped excitedly. She thought about the last time she’d seen Scootaloo at her house before she’d passed out; covered in filth, cuts, bruises, her own sick, and she was hardly breathing.

“Now she’s still quite sick, but the medication we have been treating her with appears to be working, but unfortunately I can’t say what the substance she was covered in was, as we still haven’t determined a result with our tests.”

“Can we see her?” Fluttershy asked.

“Yes we brought her down to see you all for a moment. Is your friend Rainbow Dash here at all? Scootaloo quite specifically would like to see her.” The doctor asked.

“Well she should be soon, she ran off about an hour ago.” Applejack told him.

“Well if she misses Scootaloo now; tell her when she returns that she is free to visit Scootaloo at any time.” The doctor said before leaving the room, and returning with two more doctors wheeling a single bed, which appeared to have a quite extensive set of medical equipment under it on the wheelie carriage.

Fluttershy focussed very closely on the bed as it was wheeled in, and as the little orange filly on it came into view, she began to cry in the first shred of joy she’d felt since leaving the forest. She looked so much better than before; not perfect, but it was better than anything she’d expected of her injuries. She had her sleek, shiny orange coat back and a straightened silky, clean purple mane. Her eyes were hardly red any more, only lightly bloodshot from sleep deprivation and light pain, and the rest of the skin on her face was no longer pale from blood loss. She had a large quantity of her fore hooves bandaged hanging over the blanket, the lower half of her body remained under it though. The doctors had clearly cleaned her up very well.

“Hey...” Scootaloo started before coughing, “Hey Fluttershy...” she continued coughing some more. She’d obviously still been suffering some injuries in her throat, but her breathing didn’t appear to be so shallow. Fluttershy looked at the machines she was hooked up to, and noticed one had an appendage that was expanding and deflating in unison with her breathing pattern, and she realised it was supporting her breathing.

“Scootaloo, thank goodness you’re ok.” Fluttershy said, watching them roll the small filly to the side of her bed.

“It’s good te see ya like this sugarcube. I was really scared fer you when I carried Apple Bloom and you over here.” Applejack said.

“yes you definitely were in quite a bad shape; you look absolutely wonderful now though darling.” Rarity said.

“Ah yes, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle have also been patched up much more. They are on a straight road to recovery now, would you like to see them?” the doctor asked Applejack and Rarity.

“Well of course we would,” Applejack replied. The doctor nodded, before walking towards the door and ushering the pair to come with him.

“We’ll be back soon Fluttershy,” Applejack said walking towards the door.

“What about Twilight?” Fluttershy asked again, still intent on helping her. Applejack hesitated to answer for a second, knowing she didn’t want to upset Fluttershy, but she wasn’t going to let her leave with her leg in its state.

“I’m sorry Fluttershy, we’ll figure something out later, but for now just stay here and let us worry about it.” Applejack replied before leaving, with Rarity following. As they departed one of the other two doctors still in the room pulled a large leg shaped cast out of under Scootaloo’s bed amidst the equipment and machines, and then a tray of the syringes filled with the translucent yellow liquid that Fluttershy had seen before when the doctor had injected the substance into her leg to stop her pain. He rested the two objects on a bench near Fluttershy’s own bed.

“Fluttershy this is your leg brace you’ll be wearing in a few weeks when we get you back on the leg and walking.” The doctor explained. Fluttershy observed the object, realising it was just one big leg shaped fibreglass cast like the ones that were normally used to help ponies with broken limbs, but it also had a small hole drilled into a spot on the flank of the cast, coated with a thin layer of plastic, that Fluttershy assumed was the spot on her flank she’d received the injection before.

“If your leg starts to sting again, press your buzzer and we’ll have a doctor come up to fix you up.” The doctor said before him and his associate departed.

“Wait a minute, Fluttershy where’s Twilight?” Scootaloo asked, confused by what she’d said.

“I’m sorry Scootaloo; she’s still in the forest...” Fluttershy said, hoping that Scootaloo wouldn’t get too upset by what she had to say.

“With the Slendermane?! Well we have to go save her then!” Scootaloo announced raising her head and arms to attempt to get out of bed, but retracting her body back to the bed after causing her body to sting and ache with the sudden movement.

“You don’t have to do anything Scootaloo. You need to stay here and rest; I don’t want to risk your life again. I on the other hoof am going to go search for Twilight, and even if it gets dark, I won’t leave the forest without her; I owe her that much and more.” Fluttershy said, before Pinkie spoke up.

“Fluttershy, what if Twilight’s in the forest, but that thing catches you? What happens then? You aren’t going to have a good chance of getting away from anything when you can’t walk on your leg.” Pinkie said.

“I have to try Pinkie, and I hate to do this to you, but I’m leaving now!” Fluttershy told her, before throwing her blanket off.

“Fluttershy what do you mean you’re leaving? You’re going to the Everfree forest alone, where there’s a dangerous creature lurking around, it’s getting late, and you’re injured?” Pinkie asked, listing all the flaws in Fluttershy’s plan.

“I know Pinkie, but I have to try, and I have to go now! There’s no way I’ll get out of her when the others get back. They wouldn’t let me leave under any circumstances.” Fluttershy said, spinning her body slowly to try and slide herself out of the bed.

“Well neither will I.” Pinkie said trying to make Fluttershy reconsider.

“Pinkie, don’t you want to see Twilight again?” Fluttershy asked defensively.

“Of Course I do, but you-” Pinkie tried again but was cut off.

“Please Pinkie, I know you’re trying to look out for me, but for Twilight’s sake, don’t try and stop me.” Fluttershy said, successfully sliding herself out of the bed.

“It’s dangerous Fluttershy, how do you know if you’ll even find Twilight?” Scootaloo asked.

“I don’t, but you know what the Slendermane can do.” Fluttershy said.

“I do know what it can do, that’s why I think this is a very bad idea. Don’t forget that the Slendermane put us both in here.” Scootaloo reminded her, before Pinkie spoke up again, after having a few seconds to think to herself.

“Fluttershy, if I can’t stop you... Then I’m coming with you!” Pinkie announced.

“You’re what?!” Scootaloo asked.

“You... You will?” Fluttershy asked stunned that Pinkie had suddenly made such a drastic change in plans.

“Of course I will Fluttershy, who knows; maybe we’ll find Rainbow Dash on our way through Ponyville.” Pinkie considered unknowingly attracting Scootaloo’s attention.

“Wait! Where is Rainbow Dash?” Scootaloo asked, “I really wanted to see her.” Scootaloo said, receiving an unsure frown from the pair. “She... she’s ok right?” Scootaloo asked, becoming concerned by the girls’ reactions.

“I don’t know where she is Scoot, but I’m certain she’s fine...” Fluttershy said, before trying to walk around a little on her leg.

“How does your leg feel?” Pinkie asked.

“It stings... I won’t be able to walk on it for long, not without some support.” Fluttershy said, before realising the doctor had left the fibreglass cast with her. She spun around and picked it up off the bench the Doctor had left it on.

“Pinkie, help me put this on please?” Fluttershy asked rolling over to try and slip her leg into it. She wasn’t having much luck as every time she attempted to move her leg back, the bend would cause her more unwanted pain. Pinkie quickly ran over and gently slipped the cast over her leg like a sleeve, before tapping it into a secure spot, so that it wouldn’t slide off. She slung Fluttershy’s forearm around her neck, and helped her get back up.

“Thanks Pinkie, can you check and see if there’s a saddlebag in the supply closet in the hallway? If there is one outside that is.” Fluttershy asked.

“Why?” Pinkie asked confused.

“I’ll need some of the medicine in these for my leg.” Fluttershy said, pointing her hoof at the syringes of yellow liquid.

“Okay.” Pinkie said, quickly popping outside into the hallway.

“Fluttershy, are you really sure you want to do this? I know it’s for Twilight, but what if neither of you come back? Things will be even worse off than now.” Scootaloo asked looking over to the yellow mare, who was nervously trotting on the spot, trying to warm up her leg a little bit, without causing herself to much pain.

“Honestly Scootaloo, I’m not sure... but what would you do if you were in my spot and Apple Bloom or Sweetie Bell was out there?” Fluttershy asked, determined to get her message across.

“I’d... do whatever it takes to find them.” Scootaloo replied, hardly taking any time to think about her response, but she still couldn’t help but be troubled by some things. “Where’s Rainbow Dash?” Scootaloo asked becoming more and more concerned. Fluttershy didn’t return any gazes straight away, sighing, knowing that she couldn’t tell Scootaloo truthfully anything that she wanted to hear.

Thankfully Pinkie burst in again just before Scootaloo could ask any more upsetting questions that couldn’t be answered. Fluttershy felt bad for not having an answer, but felt better knowing that without sharing her own concerns Scootaloo wouldn’t worry too much.

“I found a saddlebag, but if you’re really going to do this, you have to hurry. I saw the others just coming up the stairs at the end of the hallway, they’ll be here any minute!” Pinkie told her, before moving over to the syringes. “How many do I take?” Pinkie asked.

“All of them, we don’t have time to count through them.” Fluttershy said, watching Pinkie Pie quickly scoop the tray of 6 or so syringes into the saddlebag.

“How do we get out without them seeing us?” Fluttershy asked.

“The window, we’re on the first floor!” Pinkie said, grabbing the saddlebag in her mouth, knowing there wasn’t enough time to strap it on.

Fluttershy moved over to the window and as quickly and carefully as she could do without causing herself pain, opened the window. Pinkie quickly popped her body under her back hooves and pushed her up to get her through the window. Fluttershy winced in pain a little as Pinkie’s support pressured her leg lightly, but was quick to suppress it and pull herself out of the window, before doing so however, shooting back a look at Scootaloo.

“I’m sorry to leave you like this Scootaloo, I’ll see you soon, I promise.” She said as she jumped out the window. She had to try and use her wings to avoid landing hard on the ground outside, but could do no more than spread them to glide, as just doing that alone stretched her wound and caused her some pain. She landed just as softly as she would have hoped, limping slightly into the grass, before looking back at the window.

“Make sure she keeps her promise Pinkie, please.” Scootaloo told Pinkie as she was getting out the window herself.

“I will.” Pinkie promised as well, before jumping out of the window and landing next to Fluttershy, but on her way out, she inadvertently knocked Fluttershy’s bed, causing the buzzer that Fluttershy was given to summon a doctor, to fall to the ground landing on the switch that activated it. Pinkie didn’t realise she’d done so and just ignored it.

“My cottage is on the other side of town; we’ll need to go around Ponyville so no one gets suspicious.” Fluttershy said, realising that her limping around with a cast on may attract unwanted concern.

“Let’s go then, quickly, before everypony realises your gone.” Pinkie said, before the pair made their way as quickly as Fluttershy could go, with Pinkie’s occasional support, towards Fluttershy’s cottage.

Back inside the hospital, Apple Jack and Rarity were approaching Fluttershy’s room, taking their time while they talked about their sisters who they had just seen before coming back. Just as they reached her room, across the hallway from them they saw Fluttershy’s Doctor hurriedly making his way towards their direction as well, and it wasn’t long before he called out to them.

“Do you girls know what’s wrong with Fluttershy?” he asked as he met them right outside her door.

“What do ye mean?” Applejack asked confused.

“Well she’s been holding her buzzer for at least a straight minute, and I had to make my way down here quite quickly to make sure everything’s ok.” The doctor said before opening the door to the room. The girls followed him in, already becoming concerned.

Scootaloo heard the door opening at the other end of the room and quickly tried to think of a way that she could appear clueless as to why the other two were no longer here, but nothing came to mind. She thought as quickly as her mind would let her in her second of a window, before it hit her; sleep. Scootaloo shut her eyes hard and kept them closed, and started to snore, hoping the act would fool the others. Suddenly she heard their panicked voices.

“Fluttershy! Pinkie! Where in the hay are they?” Applejack cried out, looking around the room.

“Oh my! The window!” Rarity also cried out pointing at the open window. The Doctor ran in and picked up the small metal buzzer of the floor next to Fluttershy’s bed.

“Do you think they ran off?” the doctor asked the pair.

“No, Pinkie wouldn’t have let her do that.” Rarity replied.

“What if.... that creature she was talkin bout before came here and took her, and Pinkie?” Applejack asked trying to consider everything she could that would help her figure out where her friend might be. Scootaloo couldn’t help but feel sorry for them while she faked her sleep; she knew they would probably be very worried right now.

“I doubt it Applejack, if something wanted to take them why did it leave Scootaloo?” Rarity asked.

“I don’t know; we should wake her up and ask her though, we have to find them.” Applejack said, before moving over to the sleeping filly.

Scootaloo started to panic; she continued the sleep act, but she had to quickly think about what she was going to say.

‘I fell asleep after they left, and don’t know where they are.’ She thought to herself. She felt a hoof touch her shoulder, nudging her slightly.

“Scootaloo? Scootaloo, we need ya te wake up.” Applejack whispered into the fillies ears. Scootaloo faked what she considered waking up from deep sleep, slowly opening her eyes, and stuttering as she talked.

“Wha-huh? Wh-who’s that? Who’s there?” Scootaloo asked, trying to sound as disorientated as possible.

“Take it easy sugarcube, we just need te ask if ye know where Fluttershy and Pinkie have gone?” Applejack asked hoping the filly might know something.

“They’re- they’re gone?” Scootaloo asked, continuing to play dumb. “I fell asleep for five minutes and they ran off?” Scootaloo asked.

“Great, we don’t know where they could be.” Applejack sighed frowning.

“Maybe they went to try and find Rainbow Dash,” Rarity said.

“Then why would Fluttershy go too in her condition. Rainbow Dash is Pinkie’s best friend, if she wanted to find her, she would have gone alone.” Applejack said. “We should go look for them, if Fluttershy did go out lookin fer Twilight, she’ll be in a lot of danger.” Applejack said, thinking about what she’d heard from Fluttershy, and seen of her condition.

“Agreed, I think our best bet would be to check Fluttershy’s house first, it’s close to the forest, and if they were on their way down there, they probably would stop there.” Rarity suggested.

“Ok then, we’ll do that.” Applejack agreed. “Doc, keep watching Scootaloo, we’ll be back soon.” Applejack said to the doctor, before running out the door with Rarity, not giving him a chance to even reply.

“Oh the dramas we’ve had with some patients here. Let’s get you back to your own room Scootaloo.” The Doctor said, moving behind Scootaloo’s wheelie bed, and beginning to push it towards the door.

‘You better hurry up and get to the forest Fluttershy.’ Scootaloo thought to herself, more concern growing inside of her, knowing that if Fluttershy didn’t make it to the forest to save Twilight, it would probably be too late to save her.

Chapter 4

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Travelling around Ponyville’s outskirts was a longer way to Fluttershy’s cottage than she would have liked. Pinkie Pie had often spotted several ponies out for picnics and scenic walks, and had always had to go create a distraction as Fluttershy snuck around the lot of them. Other times they had to stop so that Pinkie could readjust Fluttershy’s cast, which tended to slide off her after several minutes and cause her wound irritation. She hadn’t realised until it was long too late that they left the buckle that attached it to a pony’s torso had been left in her room at the hospital.

Fluttershy paused again under a small tree as the pair neared what appeared to be the last hill separating them from Fluttershy’s property. The sun was descending lower and the pair had become desperate to reach the forest before it had lowered to a point that its light would no longer provide them with much needed sight in the forest.

“Pinkie, this cast is more trouble than it’s worth...” Fluttershy said as she tugged it back up on her leg, wincing in pain as it rubbed on her scar.

“Yeah, but you need it Fluttershy, otherwise you won’t be able to walk properly,” Pinkie reminded her.

“I know, I know... I just wish it would stay on... The doctor must have given me a wrong size or something...” Fluttershy contemplated as she struggled slightly to get up again.

Pinkie Pie realised she hadn’t mentioned forgetting the body buckle, but she knew also that the pair weren’t far from their destination, and she figured Fluttershy might have a rope that she could use as an improvised belt when they arrived there. She walked over to Fluttershy and helped lift her to her hooves, and received a thankyou before the pair began to trek up the small hill. As they neared the top, and Pinkie realised that the cottage was just over it, she jittered to a halt causing Fluttershy to nervously stop too.

Pinkie let one of her ears drop and raised the other, craning her head to the side and listening carefully to the top of the hill in the direction of Fluttershy’s home. She maintained this position for several moments as Fluttershy became increasingly confused.

“What are you doing?” She asked, observing the odd pink pony’s actions, curious of what she was trying to achieve.

“There’s somepony in your cottage!” Pinkie said, shifting slightly as she started to drag herself ever so stealthily up to the summit of the hill.

Fluttershy’s eyes started to go wide as she wondered anxiously what Pinkie was hearing.

“Is your Pinkie sense telling you that?” She asked, trying to block out the thought that the Slendermane was there waiting for them, shaking her head and hoping Pinkie Pie might have just been hearing things.

“No, I heard them go in.” Pinkie said, as she peeked over the top of the hill.

‘Them?’ Fluttershy thought as she tip toed up next to Pinkie, dropping slowly and carefully to her stomach next to her.

“Who do you see Pinkie?” Fluttershy asked, keeping her head down out of sight. Pinkie didn’t reply as she hadn’t seen anyone go in, and continued to observe the cottage. It baffled Fluttershy that Pinkie could have heard anyone from their distance away, but she knew better than most to trust Pinkie’s heightened senses and abilities. Suddenly both of Pinkie’s perked up ears dropped down and she ducked her head down out of sight next to Fluttershy’s.

“Uh oh...” She started as she did so, “We may have a slight problem...” She said as she looked at Fluttershy, whose expression began to descend into worry.

***

“Ah simply can’t believe they’d just run off like that!” Applejack said annoyed to Rarity as the pair exited the hospital. “Fluttershy should know better than te leave the hospital in her condition!”

“Yes, while I admit the poor dear was clearly quite disheartened, it was no excuse to leave. She’d be putting herself in great danger if she entered the forest without surgery on her leg.” Rarity agreed, sharing her disappointment in Fluttershy’s choice.

“And the nerve of Pinkie te let her go! With her or not she has a lot te answer for! She ain’t no surgeon or survivalist, and if they get lost in there, neither of them are going to know what to do!” Applejack said, more sternly as she became clearly aggravated.

Rarity noticed Applejack’s tone change, and stopped her putting a hoof on her shoulder.

“Calm down dear, we are talking about Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy here, they’re insecure without their friends, and we weren’t very supportive of Fluttershy’s aspirations. Granted we had reason not to be, but if you were in her spot and you wanted to find Twilight, would you let the rest of us stop you? I know I wouldn’t...” Rarity admitted.

“Neither would Ah...” Applejack admitted as well, sighing.

“We all care about each other, and we know the lengths we’d go to if it meant saving our friends. If some hooligan is holding Twilight as a... well, a prisoner in the Everfree forest, it only makes sense that we’d all want to help.”

Ah’m just disappointed that she didn’t think about what Twilight would have wanted, and don’t try and tell me she wouldn’t have wanted her to stay at the hospital...” Applejack said as the pair began walking again.

“I know... let’s just get to Fluttershy’s home... if they stopped there, we will most certainly catch them there.” Rarity pointed out. “And Applejack?” Rarity asked receiving a widened eyed stare from the orange mare, “Don’t scold the poor girl. She’s probably in a very traumatic state right now...” Rarity added, as the pair passed by Town Hall.

The sunlight was growing dimmer, and the pair could see Fluttershy’s cottage in the distance.

“You don’t suppose Rainbow Dash is with them do you?” Rarity asked, still concerned that they hadn’t seen a single hint of the pegasus in the town or the sky above them.

“Ah wouldn’t rule out the possibility, but Ah’m sure Rainbow would have turned them around if she is with them. She was just supposed to be going to and back from the forest anyways.” Applejack pointed out.

Still no sign of their three missing friends, the pair neared Fluttershy’s cottage and were growing increasingly concerned.

“We’ll be there any moment now, and we still haven’t seen any sign of them. You don’t think they’ve gone straight into the forest do you?” Rarity asked.

“Ah very much doubt it. Ah’d be surprised if they got that far te be honest, especially at the pace they’d be going in Fluttershy’s condition.” Applejack said thinking about where they could be. “Ah think they more than likely just went te her cottage first. In fact, I think they’d still be there if they went there.” Applejack said encouragingly as the pair walked to the bridge over the small pond in front of Fluttershy’s cottage.

Rarity had her doubts that their friends would be at the cottage, but she tried to remain optimistic; a little hope could go a long way in her opinion.

“I certainly hope that if we find them they don’t try and sneak away from us again... Fluttershy’s in no condition to be in the forest... especially at this time of day. It’ll be dark in less than a few hours.” Rarity estimated surveying the light tint of orange in the distant sky. “We need to get her back to the hospital, and then get a message to princess Celestia about Twilight’s whereabouts. If Twilight is in the forest, the princess will surely find her.” Rarity said, receiving a nod of agreement from Applejack.

As the pair approached the door Rarity stopped Applejack once more.

“Remember Applejack, don’t snap at the poor dear alright?” Rarity reminded her, making sure her previous aggravated temper would not show.

“Ah won’t... that’s assuming she’s even in there though...” Applejack said, before turning and walking into the doorway. “Fluttershy?” She called out, as she entered the cottage.

“Pinkie?” Rarity called out, following her in.

The pair were about to call for their friends again, until they caught the sight of Fluttershy’s cottage. As they took in everything around them, from the destroyed possessions to the bloodstains of the little fillies and colts that had taken a short refuge in the house before hospitalization, a disheartening feeling washed over them and they looked at each other, both able to see the depression in the other’s eyes.

“Ah never got a good look at the place before... Ah was so fast te get my sister outta here that Ah didn’t get a good look at the place... It... it...” Applejack lost her sentence there, struggling to take in everything around them.

“She went through all this for those little ponies... I can’t imagine what extents she’d push herself to for Twilight...” Rarity said, realising the true strength that Fluttershy possessed when she was determined to help her friends. She walked over to Applejack, who was looking over at a broken cupboard with bloodstains around it, and tapped her on the back. “Let’s go look upstairs?” Rarity suggested, receiving a nod of agreement from Applejack.

As they walked towards the stairs, Applejack turned around and surveyed the room one more time, and shook her head with a sigh. She still didn’t believe that the mysterious creature existed, but that didn’t negate the fact that the damage done was truly supernatural. Everything to her was so peaceful in Ponyville. To see all the violent sights she was viewing in just the one room was a very upsetting occurrence.

“Fluttershy?” She called again as she walked up the stairs with Rarity.

***

“What is it Pinkie?” Fluttershy asked, becoming highly concerned.

“It was Applejack... she called your name from the inside... and I think she’s with someone else... either Rarity or Rainbow Dash...” Pinkie Pie answered.

“Oh no... If they catch me here they’ll take me to the hospital and I’ll never be able to save Twilight.” Fluttershy concluded quickly, stammering slightly as she became increasingly worried. “How’d they beat us here?” Fluttershy asked, burying her head in her hooves.

“They would have gone straight through town... we need to turn around and find another way...” Pinkie suggested.

“No! No we can’t! I only know the path from the forest entrance past my house, and I need to follow it exactly if we’re going to find Twilight! We have to go this way Pinkie!” Fluttershy said, making sure Pinkie Pie understood how important it was they stuck to the path Fluttershy was familiar with.

Pinkie Pie scratched the back of her neck anxiously.

“I... I don’t think we’re going to be able to pass your cottage without getting caught Fluttershy, not to mention we won’t make it very far if we don’t stop at your cottage...” Pinkie Pie said.

“Why Pinkie?” Fluttershy asked confused.

“I... I left the cast buckle at the hospital... I didn’t realise at first until it kept falling off you and I noticed the part you attach it to and...and... I’m so sorry Fluttershy... I didn’t mean it.” Pinkie Pie said trying not to get upset and break down, worrying that she might have messed up and upset her friend.

“Pinkie it’s okay,” Fluttershy comforted her with a small cuddle, “What does that have to do with my cottage though?”

“I was going to see if you had a rope, I was going to make a buckle...” Pinkie explained.

“That was thoughtful of you Pinkie, but you don’t need to worry about that.” Fluttershy said.

“But... but what if you get slowed down by the cast?” Pinkie asked, wanting to make sure there was no chance of the pair wasting more time. Fluttershy thought for a second, when suddenly an idea struck in her mind.

“I think I have some spare rope hanging on the edge of the chicken coop. If we can get to it without being spotted, we can hurry down to the forest and tie the cast to me.” Fluttershy suggested.

“That could work! Quickly then, start making your way to the forest! They won’t see you if you hurry, they’re upstairs and the windows are closed.” Pinkie said in a hurry.

“How do you know that?” Fluttershy asked confused.

“I just do, now hurry, I’ll meet you down by the tree line!” Pinkie said, as she zipped over the hill, and quick as a flash, began to run over to the side of the cottage. Fluttershy shook her head and started to step to the top of the hill, but realised that even the smallest bits of pressure on her leg would sting and slow her down.

Looking down at Pinkie, Fluttershy saw that she was hiding on the corner of the house, and watched carefully as she began to slink out of view around the side.

‘Why is she going behind the cottage? The chicken coop is out the front...’ Fluttershy thought to herself. Trying to get back to the task at hand, Fluttershy looked at where she needed to be in front of the trees, and the distance it was away. She gulped and took a step forward, looking carefully at her upstairs bedroom window. Fluttershy’s nerves started to get the better of her as she began to focus on the window, understanding that if she wasn’t fast enough, and that window opened, she’d be spotted.

She froze on the spot fearful and worried she wouldn’t be able to make it in time. She wondered if it might be safer to wait for Rarity and Applejack to leave, but then she realised that they might travel down to the forest next to look for them, and they’d never be able to look for Twilight at a fast pace if they got stuck behind the pair searching for them.

She darted her eyes around quickly, hoping that she’d find a solution, but she couldn’t find anything. Fluttershy knew that she wouldn’t have enough time to run there now, and she was starting to breathe fast as her heart rate increased.

‘I have to be brave! For Twilight!’ She thought to herself, running that through her head and allowing herself a short moment to calm down. She thought as hard as she could as fast as she could, tip-trotting on the spot very quickly on her 3 good legs, before she suddenly realised the answer. She turned around and looked at her wings, and then at the area she had to reach.

‘I can glide down to the forest! I only have to flap my wings twice or so to make a distance like that!’ Fluttershy realised.

Wasting not a second more, Fluttershy took a step back on her good leg, and with as much strength as she could muster without causing herself too much pain, Fluttershy kicked off with the leg and spread her wings, flapping them once to gain some air. The spreading of her wings stretched the skin from her scar slightly, but the pain had become bearable, and Fluttershy was able to maintain her composure, as she soared through the air, directly towards the Everfree forest.

She turned her head to the side, noticing Pinkie Pie on the other side of her house, who watched her travelling down towards the forest, impressed with Fluttershy for her quick thinking on a way to get where she needed to be.

Fluttershy finally felt some degree of hope returning; the others hadn’t spotted her and Pinkie, they weren’t likely going to, and there was still enough time for them to get to the middle of the forest, find Twilight, and get back before sun down, on the one condition that there was nothing to stop them along the way. That didn’t shroud any of Fluttershy’s fears though; the one in particular being the likely obstacle that would stop them if it found them.

Fluttershy’s trail of thought was cut short though, as her attention was distracted by a stinging sensation in her leg that was different to that of having her wings spread. She looked around at her leg, and her eyes went wide with worry as she found her cast was beginning to slide from its position on her leg. She kicked her leg up slightly, trying to ensure that it wouldn’t fall further, but the pain she caused herself as she did so started to alter her glide path, and she began to descend far too early. Fluttershy stiffened her leg and let it remain as still as possible, flapping her wings softly a few times again, trying to dampen the pain that was now increasing due to her cast sliding over her scar while it stretched with her wings.

Pinkie Pie’s eyes started to go wide with concern as she noticed Fluttershy visibly struggling reach her destination. She ran forwards towards her, but stopped as she reached the front of Fluttershy’s house, realising she couldn’t help her even if she did reach her. Fluttershy had to reach the forest on her own through gliding; they didn’t have enough seconds left to run the rest of the way. Pinkie flicked her ears up towards the upstairs outer window, but couldn’t hear anything other than faint hoof-steps on wood, growing louder and louder.

‘Oh no! They’re coming! Oh hurry Fluttershy hurry!’ Pinkie cried in her head, before taking a deep breath, and charging from the side of the house over to the chicken coop.

Fluttershy was on track again, but the stinging pain in her leg was growing to a painful level as the cast became loose again. Fluttershy felt a few small tears welling up in her eyes, but she clenched her teeth and held her form, hoping it’d make a difference. Unfortunately for Fluttershy though, her cast having loosened too much began to slip quickly from her leg, before falling off completely. Fluttershy let out a gasp of pain, and Pinkie Pie’s eyes went wide with worry as the both watched the cast fall to the ground. Fluttershy had no choice but to continue flying, believing she’d have less than a few seconds to reach a point she’d be out of view. Within a few moments, she touched the ground next to a few small trees, and raised her wings to slow herself up, but still found landing difficult without moving her leg drastically. She let her forelegs land first, and then her back left leg, using all three to quickly trot to a stop, before letting her back right leg touch ground as gently as possible.

She looked back at the window and let out a sigh of relief; she’d made it without being spotted. She looked over at Pinkie Pie, who nodded to her as if trying to tell her good job, but after Fluttershy looked at her line of sight after she took her eyes off her, she noticed that Pinkie was looking at her cast. Fluttershy had no intention whatsoever to try and reach it now, but pinkie however was about to make a dash to grab the cast and get back to the wall, but stopped dead frozen in her tracks as she heard the window creak open at the top of the cottage.

***

As Applejack and Rarity approached Fluttershy’s room, the pair let out a sigh as they found that not Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, or even Rainbow Dash was in the house.

“What now?” Applejack asked Rarity, hoping she had a backup plan.

“I don’t know... Maybe we should have a quick look around the front of the forest?” Rarity said, happy to search a small bit around for them, but not wanting to travel too deep into the forest.

“That might be a good idea... Ah just don’t see how they could get that far though... they wouldn’t have left long before we got back te the room... unless!” Applejack stopped, turning and looking at Rarity. “What if they haven’t gotten here yet?” she asked.

Rarity realised Applejack could be right, and her eyes went wide as an idea struck her.

“How about one of us checks the forest a little ways in, and the other wait here? That way, we can either stop her and bring her back, or stop her before she has a chance to leave.” Rarity suggested.

“Sounds like a plan te me! Ah’ll check the forest though, Ah can cover a bit more than just the front of the forest very quickly.” Applejack offered.

“Alright, but when we find them, I think we should go together and find Twilight... Fluttershy is going to be dreadfully upset if we stop her, and I think the least we could do is attempt a search. Besides, Twilight is our best friend, and no matter what Fluttershy said she might have seen, Twilight has been taken by somepony, and if she’s still there, she isn’t safe...” Rarity said.

Applejack too was concerned for Twilight, but she had been leaning more towards the option of getting Princess Celestia involved in the search, solely due to the fact that she believed Fluttershy. The others couldn’t read ponies like she could, and Fluttershy had displayed every sign that she was being completely honest.

“Rarity Ah know we both care about Twilight and want her te be safe... but it’s not a pony... whatever Fluttershy told us about it, she wasn’t lying. There’s something out there, and it’s got Twilight. She’s a strong pony with some of the best magic Ah’ve ever seen, but unless she’s hiding or escaped te somewhere safe, it’s got her, and maybe it knows how important she is, or it’s expecting somepony te come for her. We need help, because if Twilight can go down fighting it, we can too.” Applejack reasoned, knowing it’d mean doom for the lot of them if it found them before they found Twilight.

Rarity frowned a little and thought momentarily, wanting to figure out a way in which they could possibly avoid the creature and find Twilight, but nothing came to mind; Applejack was right.

“Yes I agree, we need to get Princess Celestia... Where would Spike be though?” Rarity asked realising that they still hadn’t found him either. “You don’t think he’s out there too?” Rarity asked becoming even more panicked and afraid.

“Ah don’t think so Rarity, Twilight probably sent him te Canterlot before all this trouble started.” Applejack guessed, unsure but against giving themselves more friends to worry about losing. She was certain Spike would be fine. Applejack sighed and walked over to the window, pressing it open lightly, causing it to creak as she did so.

“Ah wish there was a way to know what to expect out there Rarity, Ah’m so confused by it all. Fluttershy has shown some of the most admirable dedication to helping Twilight, but she’s so afraid of everything... How can she still have the courage to even step within a hundred yards of the forest if that thing out there is so dangerous?” She asked, before opening the window all the way and leaning on the windowsill. Applejack was about to say something to Rarity again, but something caught her eye outside that made her jump in shock.

“What is it darling?” Rarity asked, concerned by Applejack’s sudden jumpiness and change in composure.

“Look out there! On the grass!” Applejack said pointing out the window. Rarity came over and followed Applejack’s direction and her eyes went wide with shock after noticing a little leg shaped object lying outside.

“That’s Fluttershy’s cast!” Rarity shouted.

“C’mon! We gotta go now! If that’s here then she must’ve already been here!” Applejack concluded in a hurry.

“But why would she have gone into the forest without her cast?” Rarity asked panicked as the pair backed away from the door.

“I don’t know, but whatever happened can’t be good! We need to hurry, if they’re in the forest they’re in danger, let’s go!” Applejack said as they both turned around, galloping for the door.

***

Fluttershy had noticed the pair standing in the window of her cottage, and heard them panic as they noticed her cast. She began to hyperventilate, having realised that the pair were now alert and knew they were nearby.

‘They’re going to find me! They’re going to take me back to the hospital!’ She thought as she put her face into her hooves, beginning to cry. Fluttershy didn’t want to give up, but she had no chance of outrunning Applejack and Rarity. Her hope was fading away, before she felt something tapping on her shoulder distracted her. Fluttershy raised her head to find Pinkie was standing in front of her with her cast and the rope from her chicken coop tied to it on both sides. Even for Pinkie the speed at which she must have completed it at was quite impressive.

“Hurry Fluttershy! We have to go now!” Pinkie exclaimed, before helping her to her hooves and gently lifting her back right leg backwards, slipping the cast on as carefully, but quickly as possible.

“But they’ll be here any second! They’ll catch us!” Fluttershy cried, clenching her teeth in pain a little as Pinkie slipped her cast over her scar.

“We have to try Fluttershy! For Twilight!” Pinkie said before pulling the rope under her left hind leg and pulling it tight to her torso. Fluttershy took in a deep breath as she summoned her courage again, but before she could move another step, a voice called out that drowned it all away in seconds.

Chapter 5

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Mere centimetres from the forest, a fit and comfortably placed cast, a friend at her side to help her stay strong, and enough time to complete the goal she had set for herself. Everything Fluttershy could have hoped for to make her dangerous mission easier, had been rendered useless, as well as her task.

"Applejack, Rarity... I can explain," Pinkie Pie started looking at the orange and white mare, a fearful and nervous look on her face.

"Don't start Pinkie Pie... We'll talk about this later..." Applejack replied, attempting to keep as calm as possible. She started to walk over to Fluttershy who instantly wanted to curl up and hide herself from the scolding she was sure to receive, but was restricted from doing so as her cast couldn't bend. She started to shun her head from as her legs shook in fear, clenching her teeth and hoping she wouldn't collapse or cry.

"I... I'm sorry Applejack..." She tried to say as loudly as possible, with it sounding only like a faint whisper through the fear.

"Don't worry Fluttershy... Ah'm not angry... Just... Don't make this hard for me please... We're taking you back te the hospital now..." Applejack finished, trying to stick to point and remain calm.

"Applejack... I... I can't..." Fluttershy said very quietly and fearfully. She wasn't afraid of Applejack hurting her in any way, she knew Applejack was only thinking about her safety, but she needed to stand up for herself if she still had a fighting chance at helping Twilight.

"Fluttershy, we will get Princess Celestia's help. You need treatment and recovery time! Do you want your leg to get worse?" Applejack asked, having overheard the consequences of her leg worsening.

Fluttershy was already feeling the weight of her insecurity bearing down on her, but she needed to stay strong.

"Applejack, Twilight's life is far more important than my leg!" Fluttershy said this time audible, and sounding almost slightly agitated.

"But neither of your lives are worth more than the others! Ye'r both important, and you both matter more than anything te all of us!" Applejack replied sternly.

"Then why won't you let me help Twilight?" Fluttershy asked with tears beginning to build up behind her eyelids.

Applejack sighed and tilted her head towards the ground with her eyes closed.

"Because we don't want te risk losing you again. One day scared us te death when we couldn't find you, what happens if you go in and don't come back at all?" Applejack asked, with a grim tone, trying not to become upset herself by the thought of losing a friend. Fluttershy wanted to reply, but her welling tears had started to travel down her cheeks and she couldn't form any words in her head. Pinkie Pie and Rarity had been watching the pair with the same miserable expression, knowing that this wasn't going to work out for Fluttershy to the point where they felt like they knew exactly what she was going through.

"What... What about Twilight? If I don't help her she won't come back... and I'm the only one who knows how to get to the place I last saw her..." Fluttershy reminded her in a broken voice.

"We need help te save her Fluttershy, that creature you told us about is clearly dangerous, and the princesses need to be informed... We're going to take a train to Canterlot tonight..." Applejack explained, hoping that Fluttershy would understand. Fluttershy sighted as she realised that no matter what, she wasn't going to win the argument. She wanted to turn around and gallop into the forest as fast as she could and try and reach Twilight, but she couldn't even walk at a jogging pace without causing herself pain.

Taking a few steps forward, Fluttershy let her tears roll freely as she let the last slithers of hope dither. Pinkie Pie's low spirit was being crushed with Fluttershy's and her already lowered mood had dropped to a low she didn't hit often; her hair had fallen straight and her vibrant pink seemed dark and lifeless. They both could do nothing more now, but pray that Twilight would be alright. Rarity had remained silent the whole time, feeling that she didn't have much to contribute, nor that she needed to considering Applejack had done a large amount of the work already.

"Applejack, Twilight's going to be alright isn't she?" Pinkie Pie asked, hoping to get an answer that would assure both herself and Fluttershy that their friend would return.

"Ah promise sugarcube, in fact, if it makes you feel any better, Ah'll launch a search party te try and find her while me and Rarity are on the train to Canterlot." Applejack replied. As the group walked a small ways away as she said that though, something rustled in the trees behind them. Applejack and Pinkie having been distracted, didn't notice it, but Fluttershy picked up on the noise almost instantly, and turned her head to the shrubbery behind them to find the cause, before feeling her jaw drop in immense shock and awe.

"That won't be necessary, Applejack." spoke a familiar voice, causing the rest of them to turn around, and like Fluttershy, become shocked and speechless. As if she just appeared out of thin air, Twilight stood before the lot of them.

***

"Twi-Tw-Twi-Twi..." Fluttershy stuttered, trying to get out Twilight's name, but being in too much shock to do so. Her tears had stopped, but her heart was having trouble rising, because she didn't know if she could believe her eyes. The others were even more shocked than Fluttershy. They had been worried sick for Twilight to the core, and even though they hadn't been through what Fluttershy had, they still bore a mountain of confusion and shock in their eyes.

Fluttershy stopped attempting to talk and instead took a moment to study Twilight. She looked worse than when she'd been forced to leave her, yet miraculously, she appeared to not be worried or even afraid. She had the same grazes and cuts on her body that she'd originally had, along with a few fresh ones, and her skin had even been sliced deep in some parts. Her body looked in some places like it'd had a sharp blade cut thin slits through her already bleeding wounds. She looked awful.

Twilight however didn't show any sign of the bodily injuries bothering her; she actually seemed somewhat cheerful, in a way that made Fluttershy edgy. Twilight had four specific wounds that stood out amongst the rest though. Apart from the many splotches of her blood caking her fur, and smaller cuts and grazes, Twilight had a very deep wound on both her shoulders, and either side of her flank. They were open and swollen, but not in a natural way compared to most wounds. The odd resemblance however was that the wounds were symmetrical in every way, including position, size and resemblance.

“What’s wrong Fluttershy?” Twilight asked walking over towards the group, as she got close to them though Fluttershy backed up slightly out of anxiety; something was off about Twilight. She wanted to run up and cuddle her and jump for joy, but the unnatural appearance of Twilight’s wounds and her impossibly calm and unbothered expression just didn’t match up. The others had failed to notice these features though, and rather than take any form of caution to observe Twilight’s odd appearance, they let the joy they felt upon seeing their friend rise instantly. Feeling no need to take caution, the rest of them ran forwards and hugged Twilight, leaving Fluttershy on the spot suspiciously eyeing Twilight and trying to work out in her mind if something was wrong.

“Twilight! We we’re all so worried about you!” Applejack said as she hugged Twilight’s neck.

“Oh dear Twilight you look dreadful! Whatever happened to you?” Rarity asked, dreading what the creature in the forest had done to hurt her.

“I didn’t think I’d ever see you again Twilight!” Pinkie Pie said hugging Twilight under Applejack’s arms.

“I’m fine girls, really.” Twilight replied, grinning at their signs of compassion.

“How did you escape?” Applejack asked.

“Yes, Fluttershy said there was an incredibly dangerous creature out there, we were worried it might have captured you.” Rarity said. Fluttershy flicked her ears up attentively as soon as the question was asked; she wanted to hear the answer. She needed to hear it to believe her friend had truly escaped.

“What creature?” Twilight asked, her expression becoming confused.

Fluttershy’s eyes went wide and her jaw dropped in an instant upon hearing Twilight’s answer. She wanted to say something but was too shocked and speechless to even try.

“But... what do you mean no creature? Fluttershy said there was something,” Rarity started, before Twilight interrupted.

“I don’t think Fluttershy would remember a great deal about what happened in the forest, considering she was knocked out by a falling branch... before she abandoned me...” Twilight replied, lying blatantly to the lot of them. Fluttershy had seen enough though, she’d become suspicious from Twilight’s appearance, but now she knew something was wrong.

“I... I didn’t abandon you Twilight! You told me to run! To save all the kids!” Fluttershy replied sternly, trying to enforce the truth.

“What are you talkin about? Fluttershy wouldn’t abandon you Twi, why she said you fought that thing te let them escape.” Applejack said, trying to make sense of the situation.

“What creature are you talking about? Fluttershy, why did you lie to them?” Twilight asked frowning and staring at her, receiving confused looks from the others. Fluttershy was beginning to breathe fast and slightly uncontrollably. Twilight was accusing her of leaving her for dead, and she was beginning to become stressed that the others would believe her if she couldn’t make them see the truth. She had no idea why Twilight would turn against her like she was, but she had to fight back.

“I didn’t lie Twilight! You were fighting the Slendermane, and-and you told me to run!" Fluttershy cried with tears filling her eyes.

As she spoke Twilight’s wounds unbeknownst to the others but seen only by Fluttershy, began to split open, revealing her muscles which had become a deep shade of black, rather than the usual pink and red muscle would normally be coloured. As it did so blood began to seep from the wounds, but it was an unnatural black as well, with not a hint of red to be seen. It didn’t bleed down her legs as it should have, but rather bled from the whole round edge of the wound, surrounding the outer skin in a somewhat thick layer of the black blood-like liquid, before it seeped back out of her fur as if it hadn’t been there, and her revealed muscle returned to its natural colour.

"What was that?" Fluttershy asked her jumping back in fright, but taking care not to hurt her leg.

"What was what?" Twilight asked, turning around and looking behind her, followed by the others who did the same, believing Fluttershy had seen something.

"Y-y-your... your leg..." Fluttershy stammered. As everyone turned their attention from Fluttershy towards Twilight she frowned.

"Ugh! You're that afraid to admit you fucked up that you're just trying to change the topic? Just pathetic!" Twilight scowled.

The rest of the group stared at Twilight in shock with wide eyes. They knew Twilight could get annoyed, but they'd never heard her swear, let alone at Fluttershy. The shy mare had been reduced to a mere cowering, bawling, immobile wreck, other than having collapsed on the spot and cried into her fore-leg. Applejack's eyes left Twilight and stopped over Fluttershy,

"Twi... that... don't ya think... maybe that was too harsh?" Applejack asked concerned, not having seen such an angry side of Twilight reveal itself before.

"I really don't care... She left me alone trapped with a bunch of deadly creatures... As far as I'm concerned she can drop dead." Twilight said glaring at Fluttershy with a disgusted look in her eyes. The others had become so shocked and confused. Twilight had walked out of the forest right in front of them, and been delighted to see them, despite her injuries. She'd even shown some concern for Fluttershy's anxiety towards her; now suddenly she was showing nothing but disappointment and hatred towards her. Applejack was confused though now, since Twilight had said that there was no creature originally, but now added that there were multiple creatures.

“Ah thought ye just said there was no creature? What’s this about a bunch of ‘em now?” she asked.

“Oh think about it for a moment Applejack! This is the Everfree forest, this place is full of species that take and kill ponies! How am I supposed to remember all of the ones I was trapped with?” Twilight asked back after snapping at Applejack.

Applejack frowned, about to argue back due to her tone, but realised that to do so might be unfair considering Twilight’s condition after the traumatic experience she must have gone through. Fluttershy couldn't move her body at all. She was shuddering involuntarily, and her mind was flooded with confusion.

‘Why is she doing this to me? I thought she wanted me to leave... She said so herself that I was to go and not come back! Why is she attacking me? Did I really mess up this badly and leave her when she wanted me to stay?’ Fluttershy asked herself over and over as she became more upset by the second. Pinkie Pie after seeing Twilight’s outburst towards Fluttershy had become quite frightened of Twilight, wondering if something had happened in the forest to make her act like this. She kept her head down and stayed quiet, shuffling nervously over to Fluttershy to comfort her, knowing how much of a sensitive soul she was. Rarity however, although knowing Twilight was upset and angry, had to help clear Fluttershy’s name.

“Twilight dear, you don’t realise how desperately Fluttershy’s been trying to get to you. She snuck out of the hospital with Pinkie Pie despite our warnings ready to go in there to save you. She’s likely going to get a serious leg infection if we don’t get her back soon...” Rarity explained. Upon hearing Rarity try to fix the predicament, Twilight simply sighed and avoided all eye contact.

“You better get her back to the hospital then... I need to go back, I saw Rainbow Dash searching around for me inside the forest.” Twilight said turning to face the trees again.

“You can’t go back!” Pinkie Pie gasped at the suggestion, looking at Twilight in shock.

“Are you insane?” Rarity asked, far from her calm lady like tone that she usually maintained.

Applejack didn’t shout at her in objection though, Twilight was out of her mind, and she wasn’t about to let another friend leave on their own accord to put themself in dangers way; even if it was for another friend, which was what made it so much harder for her to do so. Still, she put on an aggressive facial expression and leapt over in front of Twilight, cutting her off from moving any closer to the forest.

“Oh no ye don’t! We ain’t losin’ ye again! Ah don’t care if there’s danger in there or not, you’re not going back in!” Applejack retorted, before walking towards Twilight with an intimidating glare, causing even the others to back away from her with Twilight.

Twilight backed up not out of fear however, but cunning. Very few thoughts flickered through her muddled mind, but enough of her retained memory could tell her that Applejack would likely let her guard down if she felt she was in control of a situation, and then she’d be able to slip by her. Twilight strangely enough however felt simply like crying. A foreign feeling had started invading her mind, and part of it she knew was extreme guilt. She didn’t understand why, nor could she try to understand; she only felt like she was about to do something wrong and get her friends in danger, but she couldn’t stop herself. She wanted to walk over to Fluttershy and apologise profusely, but she couldn’t. Every thought of turning around trying to do the right thing made her memory even more muddled.

Twilight looked into Applejack’s eyes for a moment while trying to sort her mind out. Her intense glare would strike fear into the burliest of stallions, but Twilight could see through the charade. Even though her mind was a mess, she could recognise the care deep inside them, and the reasoning behind her actions in trying to block her advance. She wanted to cry out to her that she was sorry, and that she was making the right decision, but she couldn’t; all she could feel was pain in her many disarrayed thoughts.

Twilight closed her eyes and shunned herself from Applejack’s dangerous gaze, feeling a new sensation building in her head. She knew it wasn’t the first time she’d experienced it, but it still felt like something she’d never been through before. A crackling static built up in her head, and became louder and louder. She clenched her teeth as the static began to become a growl, before then progressing to a fierce roar.

“I don’t know where she is!” She responded to the roar, before it responded in a somewhat snarl. “I don’t want to! Don’t you make me! Just take me! Leave the others!” Twilight responded angrily through clenched teeth.

Suddenly she felt pressure on her shoulder which caused her to flinch away in fright. She looked back at Applejack again who’d tapped her shoulder to get her attention, before she disappeared from sight for a moment in a thick cloud of grey, and then returned to her vision almost as quickly as she’d vanished; but she was backing away, with a worried expression having replaced her recent glare.

“Twilight! What’s wrong with yer eyes?” Applejack asked in a broken panicked voice. She looked like she’d seen a ghost, but rather floating through Twilight’s eyes. Twilight didn’t respond to her; instead she clenched her teeth again and started to mumble incoherently to herself. Applejack still shocked started to scurry over to Rarity, unable to find her hooves on the ground properly.

“Rarity, somethin’ is definitely wrong with Twilight... She ain’t acting anythin’ like her usual self at all.” Applejack whispered to her. “We need te get her te the hospital, with Fluttershy, now!”

“What about Rainbow Dash? Twilight said she saw her in the forest.” Rarity pointed out. Applejack paused momentarily to think.

“Ah’ll go get Rainbow Dash, you and Pinkie can take Twi, and Fluttershy te the Hospital. Ah’d take them separately though, Twilight’s not herself right now, and whatever’s happened te her, has got her taking her anger out on Fluttershy, so I think you should take Twi, while Pinkie takes Fluttershy.”

“Agreed...” Rarity replied with a nod.

They returned their eyes to Twilight, glancing momentarily at Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy, who were both almost in the same state regardless of their hugely different conditions; Fluttershy having been traumatised by Twilight and now unable to stop herself from crying, and Pinkie traumatised by fear and confusion, and all her vibrant features having evaded her, most notable of which being her hair which had become completely straight. Rarity let out a sigh.

“They’re both such fragile spirits... I’m worried Applejack,” She started turning her head back to face Applejack. “Pinkie might recover soon, but I’m not sure if Fluttershy’s going to come back from this... She’s going to be mentally and physically scarred for the rest of her life...” Rarity said with a cough and sputter, as tears found their way to her eyes.

Applejack turned her head away and stood up, turning to face the forest.

“Rarity, Ah’m worried too, but... staying here and doing nothing ain’t going’ te make it better.” Applejack said, taking a few steps forward, before turning back to tell Rarity to start making her way to the hospital. Applejack barely had a moment to open her mouth to speak before her jaw dropped on its own. As if her problems hadn’t escalated enough over the past events, Twilight was gone.

“Where’d she go?” Applejack asked, running over to where Twilight had been mumbling to herself. Rarity turned around and gasped in shock to find the area behind her now empty. The sudden disappearance attracted the attention of the bawling mares further up from the pair, who were startled enough by Applejack’s sudden reaction to take notice. Before any of the others could respond though, an incredibly loud deafening scream echoed through the forest, which the others instantly realised was Twilight’s, but even after scanning the trees there was no sight of her.

Applejack stopped scanning as another scream echoed through the trees, as if taunting them that their friend was in trouble, but they could do nothing about it. She wanted to know what was going on behind the whole sadistic ordeal, and she wanted an answer now, before everything became more confusing.

“That’s it! Ah can’t take this no more! Fluttershy, what the hay is going on?! You said there was a dangerous creature in there, but Twilight says it was deadly animals! What was it? Who’s telling the truth, because honestly Ah’m so confused Ah can’t even tell anymore!” Applejack babbled, having trouble finding her words. Fluttershy though had still barely recovered from tonnes of crying yet again, and could barely manage more than stutters to reply. “Fluttershy, what’s going on?” Applejack asked, trying to get an answer.

Fluttershy began to curl up into a shivering ball as more questions were launched at her. Her sight was beginning to distort and the world around her was growing and shrinking. Everything she could hear had become loud and distorted as if explosions had been going off in her ears, and her body was beginning to convulse violently out of control.. She couldn’t respond to anything, nor could she make out anything to respond to. The trees in her sight had begun to distort even more, stretching and shrinking into impossible shapes. Fluttershy’s heartbeat had rapidly begun to increase in speed and her mouth was beginning to froth. Pinkie Pie leant over Fluttershy and put her hooves on her shoulders, noticing how stressed Fluttershy was really becoming.

“Applejack! Applejack what’s happening to Fluttershy?” She asked, shaking Fluttershy’s shoulders. Applejack had failed to notice that Fluttershy’s reactions weren’t as simple as she had assumed. She ran over to her friend as she quickly became concerned and realised Fluttershy was beginning to have a stress induced seizure.

“Ah... Ah thought she was just scared.” Applejack cried, holding onto Fluttershy, shaking her gently, trying to get a different response. “Fluttershy? Fluttershy Ah’m sorry! Ah didn’t mean to stress you. Oh Rarity help me!” she called out, turning her head in her panic to try and get more help; but Rarity was nowhere in sight.

“Rarity? Rarity where are you? Ah... Ah don’t know what te do!” Applejack cried out turning her head back around. “Pinkie do ye know wha...” Applejack started, talking to Pinkie Pie to request her help if she could offer any, only to find she was nowhere in sight either. Applejack began to breathe harder and heavier, becoming terrified and worrying that if she could do nothing about what was happening she’d hyperventilate with Fluttershy.

She looked down at the shuddering mare, and with no more helpful thoughts going through her mind, and hope seeping from her faster than ever, she grabbed Fluttershy and hugged her to herself. “Fluttershy, Ah’m sorry! Please, please be okay!” She cried as the mare’s convulsions shook her own weak body. No answers, two stories and no proof either is true, four of her friends mysteriously having disappeared, and the only one left cradled in her arms on what could have possibly been her deathbed if she couldn’t help.

Tears streaming down her face and her heartbeat and breathing escalating very fast, Applejack clenched her eyes shut and in a last ditch effort to try anything for help, she tried to pray to Celestia, hoping that if any sort of miracle could possibly happen it’d happen now.

“Princess? Ah... Ah don’t know i-i-if ye can hear me. Ah need help... Fluttershy needs your help. Please! If you can hear me we need your help!” Applejack cried, looking at the skies and hoping desperately for an answer, but the voice she heard next was nothing close to that of Princess Celestia. It chilled Applejack to the bone, and made hair all over her body stand to the point it was stinging. As it spoke in its deep, distorted voice, she felt her grip on Fluttershy weaken, as her last slithers of hope faded from her being and dark tenticle like appendages began to surround her.

“They can’t help you now.”

Slendermane: Requiem

by Strumfreak

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5