Bedtime Stories
“But I don’t want to go to bed!” A blue filly whined loudly as she stomped her hoof on the floor, “It’s early!”
“Yeah!” A yellow colt chimed in, moving to stand by his sister. “That’s not fair. Sundown gets to stay up until nine.” He pouted, locking eyes with his baby-sitter.
Their elderly babysitter raised her brow, smiling gently. “Is that so? You do know that little ponies who go to bed when they’re told, get stories. Of course, if you want to stay up later without a tale...” She shrugged nonchalantly, turning away to go back to her seat.
The two little ponies had suddenly changed their minds as the rushed around to meet the pony as she finished turning.
“If you put it like that, suddenly I’m really tired!” The colt closed his eyes and forced a wide yawn, pausing in between to open one eye to make sure she was still watching.
“Well then, I’ll meet you two in your bedroom, and we can--“ the foals had already disappeared, “get started.”
By the time the elderly mare had made her way up to the children’s bedroom, they had made sure to tuck themselves in their beds, waiting anxiously for her arrival. Both of them had even gathered their Captain Rainbow Dash plush toys to snuggle into during the story.
She shook her head and laughed, levitating a cushion to sit on in between the two beds. “Are you ready?”
“Yeah!”
“Mhmm!”
The mare nodded, altering the position of her glasses as she cleared her throat, “Tonight, I’ll tell you a special story, one that I haven't told for many years..."
*
The Equestrian sun shone beautifully over its lands, warming the world beneath it. Ponies played and sang, worked and slept. The life of Equestria had been beautiful, as it always had been. The colourful trees and birds filled the ground and the skies, while the water shimmered brilliantly in the sun’s glory.
The world was beautiful and colourful.
Fluttershy, a meek yellow Pegasus, wandered through the forest near her house, smiling at the various critters that followed her, running between her hooves. Today, she had planned a picnic with them. The picnic basket and blanket were strapped neatly to her back as she continued through the forest. Sighing happily, she followed the route towards an open and secluded plain at the other side.
The wind whistled past her. The chirp of the birds began to slowly die out as she made her way through the trees and bushes. This wasn’t unusual for where she was going, as the birds preferred to be somewhere they could watch others, and play with them. Where Fluttershy was headed, there was no such opportunity, save for the odd creature that was wandering through.
Fluttershy stopped, quietly gaining her bearings within the vast forest. It was easy to get lost here, and a keen sense of direction was always needed. Following her instinct, she made a left turn and continued to follow through before turning right at a large tree. The clearing was near.
The sight and smells of the clearing filled her mind. She thought ahead to the soft grass dancing in the breeze. They would sit under their favourite tree, drinking tea and swapping stories on their daily lives. Paul the Bear would regale them all with a humourous tale of his roommate, while Henrietta the Hedgehog would tell of her children’s recent achievements. She couldn’t wait to arrive.
If they were lucky, perhaps her friend Rainbow Dash or Pinkie Pie would drop in to join them. She had invited them. However, she had also resigned to that it was okay if they didn’t find the time. Her other friends were already extremely busy. Their arrival would certainly add to the day, but it would detract from it.
Fluttershy halted suddenly as a cold wind blew from behind, taking her thought-filled trance with it. She looked around, noticing now that the critters that had originally accompanied her had disappeared. The forest was darker than before, and more importantly, she was alone.
Barely daring to breath, she continued walking in the same direction. Something felt odd, and different, but she couldn’t put her hoof on it. Her eyes followed the treetops, now looking dull and lifeless. She knew these trees, and they had never looked like that before. In the distance, she could see the clearing between gaps in the trees.
Her pace picked up in to a trot, and then in to a gallop as her stomach began sinking and turning with every passing second. There was light, a dull light, but it was different. The light wasn't warm or welcoming, it was simply there. She had to follow the light into the clearing and see what was wrong. Whatever it was, her instinct was screaming to her to turn back.
She stopped at the edge of the clearing, a frightful gasp emitting from her lips. The beautiful clearing, the dancing grass, her favourite tree; all of them were still. The life had drained from this once beautiful clearing. This wasn’t her favourite place. The colour was gone. Everything around her had turned black and white.
The world was colourless and dull.
The wind had ceased, and the cloudy skies were grey, as if a storm threatened to open at any second. But it wouldn’t. She could see the sun, the once bright and shining sun now sat in the sky as if it were some ornament in a picture, filled in by a pencil.
She called out to her critters, to her creatures and to her friends, but no answer came. To her ears, she was yelling as loudly as she could manage, yet her voice didn’t echo. Her words felt muted and stuck in around her. Sound had muted.
There wasn’t a sign of any life. Paul and Henrietta were not waiting for her under the tree. Her critters did not surround her hooves. Even the skies felt empty. They lacked the birds flying overhead. Fluttershy was truly alone in this black and white world.
She turned around, seeing her picnic basket in the distance. It had fallen from her back as she had galloped over. Now, its contents lay spilled on the ground. The teapot and cups had cracked as they hit the ground. She approached them slowly, watching whatever shadows may haunt the forest. The feeling of dread could not be shaken; it would not leave her bones. Something was out there, and it was watching her.
Her. She looked at her back, to her wings and hooves, and even to her cutie mark. She wasn’t monotone. Her yellow coat and pink mane were still colourful. The pink butterflies on her flank were as vivid as the day she got them. This didn’t make sense. Why wasn’t she as colourless and dull as her surroundings? Was she the only one left?
Maybe she wasn’t. She had to go back to Ponyville and find any form of life. She had to find her friends. At the least, she had to find out what was going on. So she ran. She followed her nose, gazing upward every so often for a chance to fly out of the thick treetops, but no chance came. All she could do was run. Turn left at the large tree, and right at fallen log.
Hurry, Fluttershy. Hurry and find your friends.
She found her way home, stopping to call for her chickens, her otters and her birds. There was nothing. Only empty, colourless homes. The stream that followed around her house had now become empty and barren, as if it had dried up years ago. This couldn’t be possible. She was here barely twenty minutes ago.
Fluttershy heaved as she returned to a gallop, heading towards the town of Ponyville in the distance. The town was always bustling with life. Her friends would be there, and they would be able to fix this. At least, they would stop her from being alone.
A black cloud loomed above. Its magical, smokey tendrils sucking up the last of the Equestrian colour from the sky. Its red eyes glared down at her, watching her. Fluttershy was the last morsel of colour in this world, and it was still hungry.
She called for help and screamed for attention as she ran through the dead park and over the bridge in to the town. She looked around corners, inside windows and under as many objects as she could find. There was not a soul to be found.
She visited her friend's houses and favourite places: The library, Sugarcube Corner, the Boutique and even the farm were uninhabited, silent, and lightless. Each place was as empty as the world around it. There were no signs of any of her friends.
She stopped in front of a fountain. The statue that adorned it was of a pony perched upon a ball. The fountain never ceased running, it never failed to bring life to the world. Now, it had stopped. Water didn’t flow around the statue. There was no water to see. There was only a cold, pallid consistency to the rest of the town.
Fluttershy’s chest heaved, her body shivering as she flung herself over the edge of the fountain, hanging on it. This wasn’t Ponyville, it was some cruel joke. There was no one to go to, no one to hug or cry on. She was the only living thing.
As tears flowed from her eyes and down her muzzle as her ragged breaths became the only sound in the world. Her tears slowly dripped to her chin, pooling there until they dropped off and splashed the bottom of the fountain.
Plop.
Fluttershy’s eyes widened as the sound filled her ears.
Plop.
She gasped, jumping back. Drops of colour splattered the bottom of the fountain. They weaved and twisted, beginning to form a trail. The trail of colour shot towards the yellow mare before she could even squeak. The colour moved around hooves, wrapped around her body, and enveloped her. It hugged her, told her that everything was going to be alright.
Under her hooves, she could feel soft grass. It was green. Not only that, she was shining! Her body shined brightly. She could feel something she could only describe as pure light running through her body.
She took a step back. The colour followed her, leaving a path of fresh, green grass in her wake. in that single spot, it was as if the world was normal. She could even see the sun reflecting off the blades as they gently swayed. She smiled widely, looking at the contrast of colour and colourless ground. A happy gasp emitted from her mouth as she smiled widely. She was colouring the world!
With an elated glee and renewed vigour, the yellow pegasus spread her wings and shot in to the air, hovering above the town of Ponyville. She gazed upon the pale, dull world that her lands had become, watching as the pulses of colour around her splashed the sky. The sky was turning blue again.
Fluttershy shouted loudly, sharing her happiness with the rest of the world. She spread her wings once more and began spiralling down, the path of colour following her in her pattern, lighting up the world in its natural hues. She flew down to Ponyville, flying through its streets with a speed and skill that she rarely ever saw in herself. But it was there. She felt like dancing, and she did. She looped around the sky, dived under bridges, and flew through the streets she loved so well.
Behind her flowed a wave of colour and light. The breeze began to flow, the birds began to chirp, and the inhabitants of the town began playing once more, materialising as the wave of colour washed over their ground. Most ponies were oblivious to the change, unaware that they were ever gone to begin with.
Some ponies, however, looked around in confusion. They felt displaced, as if they couldn’t place what was wrong, or what had happened. A librarian looked over to her assistant questioningly, who shrugged in return as he placed a stack of books next to her desk.
The fillies and colts at the school began playing once more, while their parents went about their business in the town. Apples were sold at the marketplace, dresses were made, fun was had and clouds were slept upon. The world was beginning to return to normal, as the wave of colour covered the sun.
Warmth returned to Equestria, and life returned to the beautiful land.
Fluttershy flew high in to the sky, higher and higher until she could see a dark cloud hanging above the land, its red eyes glaring at the yellow pegasus. It wasn’t supposed to be there. It caused the evil upon the land this day, and it was time for it to end.
Fluttershy focussed on the cloud of darkness, flying faster and faster toward it. The wind raised passed her, blustering in her ears. The bright light trailed behind her, slowly beginning to dull. Her newfound power was ending. With one final push, she would return colour to the entire land of Equestria.
And she did. Fluttershy turned around the cloud, flying around it again and again. The cloud roared loudly, materialising dark arms to try and swat her away. The light that shone around her began to envelop the darkness, squeezing it tighter and tighter, engulfing the cloud entirely until...
Poof!
The stolen colour of the world exploded in the sky, showering the world in a bright, colourful explosion of light. It reached far across the lands, showering the black and white world with bright, fresh colour.
The land shone beautifully. The soft breeze flowed through the land as the trees rustled in the wind. The sun warmed its lands and its inhabitants as they played in its light. The rivers and streams ran throughout the lands once more. The birds sang, the ponies played, and colour returned to the world of Equestria with a beautiful rainbow shining overhead.
The world was beautiful and colourful.
Fluttershy landed in the clearing in the middle of the forest and smiled to her creatures. She ran towards them, pulling them all in to one, big hug, squeezing them until she couldn’t squeeze anymore.
The world would never know what one meek little pegasus did that day.
*
Well, maybe not the entire world,” the elderly mare whispers with a smile. She looked up from the story-induced trance that tended to overtake her these days. She giggled quietly as she saw the two little foals fast asleep in their bed, cuddling in to their plush toys.
They must have fallen asleep through the middle of the story.
The elderly mare quietly took her cushion and left the room, closing the door behind her with one final glance inside, watching the sleeping foals.
She turned around and almost yelled as a mare stood behind her with a soft smirk on her face. She seemed very amused by what she had heard.
“You weren’t telling them stories again, were you Twilight?” The pegasus asked.
“Of course not. I was giving them a history lesson.” Twilight smiled at her friend, turning towards the stairs, “Your history lesson.”
Fluttershy giggled and sighed, leading her friend down stairs and to the front door. That story had been a personal medal of hers that she wore proudly in the company of herself, and the one mare that would ever believe such a tale. She hugged Twilight, and pulled back with a smile.
“Well, perhaps its best left as a story.”