Better off Alone

Fluttershy:

I looked around me and the world was black, all I saw was darkness. The only thing I could see was that box. The light sobbing was heavily apparent as I grew closer. “I wouldn’t get closer if I were you.” I whipped around to the sudden appeal of a voice. There stood King Sombra; immediately I wanted to run. But his tired and calm appearance washed away my fear. He seemed different than my first encounter with him in the Crystal Empire.

“What are you doing here?” I asked baffled by his appearance. He looked confused for a second.

“The better question is, what are you doing here. I’ve been here...” He trailed off as if he was pondering something. “Oh, maybe somewhat of a millennium now, I’ve lost track of the time. Hard to do so when time seems to not exist here; I haven’t eaten anything since I got here. I could go for anything at this point.” He looked off into the distance as if he was thinking about something.

‘How can you be here for so long?” I asked, the sobbing from the box became apparent once again. I turned toward it.

“Please don’t go near it, I don’t think you’d like what you see. I know I regret it.” He said with a sigh.

“Why?”

“I’ve been here for a very long time. I’m not even sure you’re even real, right now. But I do know what that box entails; at least for me I knew. Whom knows, you could end up in a better situation than myself.” I noticed how sweet his voice was. The Sombra I had encountered never spoke to my knowledge. The dark presence I felt…brings chills to my spin just thinking about it. But now…I don’t know how to describe it.

“What is this place?”

“From my guess, it’s a world that exists outside of the normal world, outside of normal time. Nothing ages, but nothing begins. Neither an ending or a beginning; just existence, or none for a lack of a better word.” He seemed to trail off again, mumbling something under his breath. “May I ask how long you have been here.”

The question took me back, it only felt like seconds. But it also felt like an eternity. I pondered the question, and the more it remained silent the box seemed to make its presence known increasingly. “You all right?” I looked at him confused. “You’ve been standing there for about an hour now, or at least from what I can tell from counting.”

“What?” I asked, my head was pounding and it felt like I had something pressing against my chest. Squeezing the air out of my lungs.

“What is your name?” I heard him ask, his calming voice seemed to sooth what was ailing me. “Sometimes you need something to ground you. It was hard for me when I first arrived here. That one with the hat helped me. Don’t think he will be back though.” Again, he trailed off, mumbling something under his breath. Sounded as if he was cursing himself.

“You shouldn’t blame yourself.” I said with a wheeze. He looked at me surprised.

“It’s my own fault I am here. The other me probably isn’t helping…”

“Other you?” I asked trying to keep my balance.

“I made a deal a long time ago. Power drove me, I come from a land that even I don’t necessarily know too much about. All I mostly remember is the elders talking about shadow and the ‘realm’ we came from. He made it as if we were not from the world we were in. I was so young back then.” He eyes told me the sadness he felt. “I was so stupid back then, I made a deal with a being beyond my own knowledge. The one with the hat seemed to know what he was, except he couldn’t help me. He tried so hard to help me; the length he went through to help me.”

“I tried yes and I’m sorry I couldn’t do more.” A very familiar voice said, we both turned to see Ashura standing in the distance. At that moment, my heart leapt up to my throat, a familiar face.

“What you know of this place, you knew of him?” Another voice said that came from behind. Another familiar voice, Princess Luna.

“A very long time ago yes, but the incident with the Crystal Kingdom I knew nothing about. The shadows that befell Sombra was not of my knowledge.” Ash seemed very serious and concerned. “Which does beg the question how are you here Sombra?”

“I do not know exactly what you mean. I was left here, you left me here.” He seemed a tad angry at the thought. “But I was beyond saving.” He sighed with grief. “I laid out my path and I must walk it.

“That isn’t entirely true…if you are here there must be a reason. There is always a reason for everything.” Ash said with a grin on his face.

“How can one such as yourself say that? You told me so long ago that there wasn’t anything you could do. I ran…I didn’t want to believe…I ran so long and so far.”

“Sombra this isn’t the place you may think it is, or perhaps this world has changed once again.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, Princess Luna took a step forward.

“This is the realm of dreams. Fluttershy you are in a coma, and from Ashura’s words; things are never as they seem.”

“But this is perfect, boom Sombra is here and that proves something. I don’t have a lick of an idea what it could be but it does make something.” The sobbing was now once again apparent to me. We all seemed to turn toward it. “Hold on a minuet. No that can’t be, no way that can be.” Ash said running toward the box.

“No don’t! Don’t you remember what happened last time!?” Sombra yelled looking panicked.

“Oh my, it’s so adorable…I can hardly handle it!” Ash squealed in a voice I wasn’t sure he was able to make. He kicked the box out of the way and there laying was what looked like Sombra. But as a child. “Don’t you see what this means!” We all exchanged concerned and confused looks. With a groan, he picked the colt off the ground and place him on his back. “It means someone is going to have a cute little baby boy!”

“What?!” We all said in unison.

“Think about it, this is a world of dreams. A world of fantasy, with the mixture of Siders the realms between the two have merged at this very moment. The right place at the right time. Sombra is going to be born again.” The colt seemed happy as Ash pranced around with him on his back. I looked at Sombra and a look a relief passed over his face.

“If this must be the case then what of Fluttershy, she is in a coma. Her condition is not getting better.” Princess Luna said with great concern. I easily shared that concern.

“Nah, I wouldn’t worry about it.” Ash said as he made a silly face at the colt. He giggled as he bounced lightly up and down on Ashura’s back.

“But…” I tried but was cut off.

“No buts, I’m sure of this. This world is beginning to fade, and now Fluttershy you have a choice. You can do something about it all. This Sider that is here, it’s close to you. There is something eating away at you and you will not move on through this if you do not end up dealing with what your trying to hide. The emotions you are trying to bottle up, you have to let them go.” He said with utter seriousness.

“What…emotion would I be…”

“What is it Fluttershy?” Princess Luna asked.

“Alone…” I said lowering my head as if I was ashamed of it. “I feel so alone, ever since I learned what happened to my parents. It’s just something...that eats away at me. If there was something I could just do. Something so they didn’t meet with the fate they befell.”

“You are beginning to sound like me Fluttershy. Trust me that is not a road you want to travel.”

“I’ve walked that road for millennia. It is not one you should travel through.”

“It’s best to deal with your past dear. I regret the events between my sister and myself. It isn’t easy to travel or leave behind.”

“But isn’t there something I could do?” I asked with tears in my eyes.

“I’m sorry but there isn’t something you can do to change the past. It was a fixed point, nothing good could mend it if you could change it.”

“No…there must be something. If this world can exist, these powers that you and all Equestria has inside it. There must be something.”

“Please Fluttershy you have to let it go; their gone and nothing can bring them back.”

“I don’t believe you…you keep so many secrets from us all. From Twilight, does she know anything about this? Huh? These words you speak are they the actual truth or just a clever lie. Talking about fixed points. If something like this can happen…there has to be something we can do.”

“I’m sorry but…”

“No, I won’t accept that!” I pushed Ashura away from me. Tears heavily flowing down my cheeks.

“Fluttershy!” The world seemed to shake. “Fluttershy you have to calm down!”

“Ashura what is happening?” Princess Luna asked looking scared, something I’ve never seen before on any alicorn.

“No…No you can’t do this. Please stop!” Ash pleaded, tears started to stream from his eyes. He looked to be in great pain.

“Ashura Glitch, what is going on!” Princess Luna asked before she began to shriek in pain. The look on her face look of pure torture. It felt as if my body was on fire, I felt something I just couldn’t describe.

“Please Fluttershy you can’t do this…please!” He pleaded once more, but my mind was made up. I knew there was something that could be done. Something that could change things that happened. My mother and father would be okay.

~ ~ ~

I opened my eyes to see my familiar ceiling that I always seen when I woke up every morning. I felt my blanket over my body, it felt so warm. I pushed the covers off and stretched my sleepy muscles. I felt so good, fully rested, and ready for the day. Angel was sleeping soundly, but when I put my hooves on the floor it aroused him from his sleep. “Good morning sleepy head. Shall we go check on everyone else?”

Angel seemed just as usual for every morning. Not wanting to get out of bed, but the thought of food defiantly got him up. We walked out of my room and made our way outside. Just a normal day it seemed and it just felt so right. I walked out to the sheds and the barns to say hello to all the animals and to give them all their food. Angel following me intensively, because he knew he was going to have his breakfast soon and knowing him it would be a big orderly meal he would demand. “Hi Fluttershy!”

“Hi Ace.” I said to my foalfriend that quickly approached me and greeted me with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. I still remember the first day I met him, he was so scared of the train. He’s a gifted mechanic, and he worked great with Ashu…. Pain struck me in the head as if I was hit with a hammer.

“You all right Shy?” Ace asked with concern. I shook my head trying to shake the feeling I was having.

“I’ll be all right, I think I just have a little morning sickness.” I said as the feeling began to leave me.

“All right, but if you’re not feeling one hundred percent I’ll be here to take care of you. I’m sure Ashura won’t mind holding down the fort for the time being.” When he said, Ashura’s name the world seemed to spin again. Ace looked even more concerned. “Look maybe you should go lie down.”

“No, I’ll be find.” I said straightening myself, I gave him a confident smile.

“You sure?”

“You worry too much.” I said shaking his concern off.

“So, what do you want to do today?” Ace asked following me.

“Well I have dinner with mom and dad and then later I’m helping Twilight at the library.”

“No, I mean for you and myself, we had plans remember…” He pondered his words, I couldn’t recall. But the look on his face made me change the feeling I had. That sickly feeling, I had that I was forgetting something.

“Right…Uhm we could go to the diner.” I said with a smile. He smiled back with a nod. After he helped me finish my morning chores he was off to the shop. Which lead me to go to my mom and dad’s place. I was hoping my brother Zephyr wouldn’t be there. But knowing him he would be…or was he doing another so called…calling again. That boy just doesn’t learn I swear.

Once I was at Mom and Dad’s place Zephyr was nowhere to be found. We could have a nice visit for once. Mom had told me she and her friends have been enjoying a new little diner they found near town. Dad was still happy to have his cloud collection. It was so good to see them, but the entire time I was there I felt like something just wasn’t right. I pushed it out of my mind. Saying goodbye to them that feeling had finally faded. Mom had asked if I was feeling all right from the start. I told her I felt fine, just a little headache. But looking back on it, something was just off.

I shook the feeling as I headed to Twilight’s library. I knocked on the door and was met with Twilight yelling, “Just a moment.” I waited and as I did I heard crashing as if someone had fallen down the stairs or something.

“Twilight is everything okay?” I asked through the door. Everything went silent for a little, then the door swung open.

“Hi Fluttershy!” She said sounding like she was out of breath.

“Everything all, right?” I asked, she was blocking the doorway like she was trying to hide something.

“Oh, everything is fine, just fine.” Her hair was a mess and her eyes were bloodshot.

“Have you been up all night?”

“No…no It’s fine. Is there something I can do for you?” She looked back inside like she was worried about something.

“Twilight is something wrong?” She looked back at me looking confused.

“I’m sorry Fluttershy, now isn’t a good time. I got to go.” With that I was then met with the door. I waited for a second and I could hear Twilight saying something. “How can we fix this Ash?”

As soon as I heard that name, it felt like someone hit me over the head with a brick. My vision became immensely blurred and was met with a ringing in my ears. I stumbled away from the library as my stomach turned. Thankfully it subsided so I could get my balance in check. I wasn’t sure what to do now, I was supposed to help Twilight. That’s when I noticed Ace walking toward me. “Ace, what are you doing here?’

“Ash wasn’t at the shop, I came to see if he was okay.” With that everything went black, I couldn’t keep myself on my hooves. What was probably hours from then I woke up in the hospital. I was alone so I was very confused, I got out of bed and went out to the hall.

“You’re awake! Oh, thank Celestia!” Ace yelled happily as he came running down the hall.

“Sir, please don’t run in the halls.” A nurse barked at him.

“Apologies ma’am.” He said sincerely. He looked at me with a large grin on his face.

“Ace? Why am I here?” I asked quietly, never really was one for hospitals. So much pain and suffering here.

“You fainted, just out right on the ground blacked out.” I shook my head, wasn’t sure what to make of it. “The Doctor said nothing is wrong with you, you are in absolute perfect health. He was very confused about it, everypony was.”

“I don’t know what to say. This is all so confusing.” I had a sharp pain in my head, I could barely keep my head up.

“Fluttershy are you all right?”

“Yes, little Flutters, are you all right?”

“That’s not funny Ace.” I said glaring at him. He recoiled a little looking confused. My head felt so heavy, I just stared at the ground.

“What did I say wrong?”

“You’re not okay you little mistake.”

“Ace that isn’t funny, that voice your making is not okay.”

“Pathetic!” The whole world started to spin.

“Fluttershy are you all right?” As soon as he asked I threw up the contents of my stomach. “Nurse!”

~ ~ ~

Twilight Sparkle:

“Are you sure you are okay?” Ash was trying to walk somewhere, but he was stumbling around. He had been changing all morning, from having wings to not, to having a horn to not, sometimes both, sometimes neither. I wasn’t sure what to make of it. Ever since I met him things like this had happened before; but not like this. Certainly not like this, usually he would just hide in the study for a while and he didn’t stumble around when it happened.

“No Twi, I’m not okay. But I need to go….” He trailed off like he forgot where he was going.

“Where in Equestria do you need to be so urgently.” I tried forcing him to stay in bed. But he just wouldn’t. I’d tuck him in, but soon enough he was trying to walk to the door.

“I…I just need to…go.” I was super worried, this wasn’t like him. He usually would tell me in detail when something…unusual would happen. But he’s barley said anything about anything really.

“Let me help you.” I said going to him, but he pushed me away.

“Twilight, this is not…something you…can help with.” He was gasping at this point.

“Ashura Glitch you can barely stand! At least let me help you walk!” He looked at me, his eyes were so sad. Tears where heavily streaming down his face.

“Twilight, please just open…the door and let me go. I…. have to fix this.” I was at a loss for words. I nodded my head and went to the door. I watched as he stumbled to the door, he stopped and leaned on the frame and look at me. “I love you so much.” I had tear well up and I started to cry.

“I love you too.” With that he was on his way to where he needed to be. Damn idiot…I reluctantly closed the door and turned with tears still in my eyes.

“That was sad….and a bit dramatic.” I jumped from the surprise of someone talking. I looked up and saw a pony…who looked allot like Fluttershy, but she had black streaks in her hair and wore punk style clothes.

“Punk Rock I presume?” I said wiping the tears from my eyes.

“Yep, existence is weird ya know. Have you ever tried not existing? Now that is weird on a whole different level.” She said giving a half-hearted chuckle.

“Why are you here?” I asked trying not to lose it.

“I have no idea. Your friend Fluttershy is odd, she doesn’t quite know what to do. She made a big mistake, something not even he can fix.” She walked toward one of the book shelves. She looked over the selections.

“What do you mean?”

“No one knows, I don’t think. Not even the Writer you fancy so much…I don’t think he knows either.” She grabbed one of the books and started to flip through it. “When I was younger I use to love to read. I would sit in my room and just read book, after book, after book. But then I got older and all that changed. I used to be just like her, I use to take care of animals when I was younger. But allot of things changed, I changed. Just like that other friend of Rainbow Dashes. She had a life before the whole things prior I’m sure. Or at least that’s what the Writer tells me.”

“Why are you telling me all this?” I asked not understanding her intent. At this point I wasn’t sure if she was a threat to me.

“The world had a place for everything. Reality has pieces that fit together, and when you change things. Well things get out of order, wouldn’t you say? Like when you have a pile of books and you pull the wrong one….it all just comes crashing down.” She looked at me with a sneer. “This metaphor would have been perfect if you had a stack of books for me to pull.”

“I suppose.” I wasn’t sure what to make of her. This mare was not what I was expecting, granted how do you expect anything like this.

“The world is falling apart, she changed something. Ash is trying to help the best he can, but thanks to the change he shouldn’t exist. He is forcing himself here, trying to right the wrong.” With that Punk Rock was gone.

“Doesn’t exist, right the…wrong?”

Ashura Glitch:

I know you expect me to explain what is going on. But dear reader that isn’t something I can exactly tell. This world is crumbled to me, the best I can explain is that I see a broken mirror. I do not belong here, but neither does the world itself. I must right the wrong, one way or another.

Except I’m walking a thin line between two worlds. One that leads to oblivion, and another that leads to utter destruction of this world and the next. So yes, positive choices all around. Fluttershy stole powers that technically shouldn’t exist. Well in this world, when we entered the Realm of Silence. Influence of emotion can be powerful, Fluttershy as I said stole power that doesn’t belong here. She took mine and Princess Luna’s Magic and twisted reality. Normally this wouldn’t be a problem if it was done right and cautiously. Except rage, and anger fueled the change.

“Excuses don’t lead anywhere but to other excuses.” ZXexian finally showed up, all this trouble and he finally shows up. “You know this worlds fate, why must you try to change it.” I ignored him, still walking the path I laid out for myself. “She changed it and look at what happened, you think you could have done something different? Do you think there’s something more you could have done?”

“No! ZXexian, there’s nothing I can do to change this worlds fate. I know what becomes of it all right! I know it’s my fault in the end.” I spoke low on the last sentence. I knew how this story would end, I know how it will all unfold. But there are things I can’t see; some things don’t add up completely. Those are areas I have room to play in, and possibly change things. Except…I didn’t see this, how could I?

“What are you going to do?” ZXexian asked sounding unsure; unusual for him. ZXex was calmer when dealing with emotion. Very charismatic, that is until Ten shows up. At that point he could give Pinkie Pie a run for her Bits.

“I’m going to make things right, one way or another.

Ace:

Today had not been the best day; Fluttershy getting sick and now they are not even sure what is wrong with her. I had been waiting in the cafeteria for well over three hours now, just worried sick about her. I was sitting with my face in my hooves, when I heard someone sit across from me.

“Hi Ace.” I looked up and saw Ashura.

“Ash?” His body looked unusual, like he was mostly static or something of the sort. It was hard to describe.

“She messed up big time Ace. Things in this world don’t belong, things are not what they should be.”

“What do you mean?”

“I was able to find you because you are not originally from here, you were pulled here by Fluttershy.”

“Ash what the hell are you talking about?” His body seemed to straighten and he looked a bit normal.

“The Fluttershy here is not Fluttershy, this entire world is pushing reality on another. She is forcing this world to be like this and it won’t last. It’s all going to crumble!” He started to flicker.

“I don’t understand what you’re telling me here. If there is anything I can do to help I’ll do it; but I don’t even understand what’s going on.”

“Reader, can you give me a hand?” He said off to the left, straight behind me. That’s when the world around me seemed to darken. Everything eerily shifted around like nothing belonged. “Not what I was going for, but it will do.”

“Alright Ash you have my attention, what do you need me to do?” A sly smirk appeared on his face, one he’s quite known for.

“Kiss her, that’s all I need you to do.”

“That doesn’t sound too hard, should be easy enough.”

“Ah, it would if you saw her as Fluttershy; but now you should see her for what she in. A swirling mass of anger and regret, of sadness and loneliness. Like I said, this Fluttershy isn’t her, it’s her Sider trying to take control of Fluttershy and both universes that are trying to…co-exist.” I wasn’t sure what he meant, but then I noticed the world around was pitch black, the walls and floor where black. Everything was still there, pictures, décor, everything in a normal hospital facility. Except it was all black and looked like a black liquid.

“Kiss her…is all I have to do?” He nodded his head, I got up from my seat and started to Fluttershy’s room. I turned back to Ash and he looked to be in pain.

“Go Ace, I don’t think we have a lot of time.” He grunted like he was just stabbed. The look he gave me didn’t make me stay to make sure he was okay. I swiftly made my way to Fluttershy’s room; once I was there I didn’t bother knocking. I went in and everything looked normal. I closed the door behind me as I took a last look at the black liquid like state of the world.

“Ace?” I heard Fluttershy asked weakly.

“Yeah.” I paused at the door, not turning. Closing my eyes, I let out a frustrated sigh; my mind went back to when I first met Fluttershy. It wasn’t long ago, but it felt like an eternity. Celestia I was such a mess in the train.

“Everything okay?” I shook my head.

“Not really.”