With love, Flutters.

by LightningChaser9

Rating: everyone
Tags: Human, Sad, Main 6, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Fluttershy
Length: 12342

When your life is filled with emptiness and hatred, maybe all you need is a little pick me up from a loving little pony to reintroduce what life is actually about.

(Inspired by My little Dashie) When your life is filled with emptiness and hatred, maybe all you need is a little pick me up from a loving little pony to reintroduce what life is actually about. It's not all about you after all.

Published 2013-06-29 20:00:01 UTC
Last updated 2013-06-29 20:00:01 UTC

With love, Flutters.

I don't really even know where to begin. I mean, how can I? There's no way to say any of this bluntly at all. I guess a names a good start...My-my names Marshall. I'm 34 years old. I'm about 5'9, have brown hair and green eyes. I live in Seattle. I guess you could say I'm just like any other guy out there. An average Joe, as they say. On the outside that is... It's-it's been a while since I've felt like this. I honestly have no idea why I'm writing this. I just feel like it's necessary for people to know what happened. It's her right...For us. Sorry. I'm getting sidetracked. Let me actually explain...

I remember the day still--of course I remember it. 19 years ago, February 2nd, 2011.It was a normal day for Seattle. Light showers, and puffy clouds dotted the sky, obstructing any sunlight from beaming down below. There was a cool breeze that gently twirled the leaves around. I remember when life had meaning to me, I used to find beauty in nature. I used to think the leaves looked like they were dancing in the wind-but, that's beyond this point. Instead of enjoying the day to it's extent, I was inside, sprawled across the couch, watching TV, as I usually did. I worked at home as a telemarketer, and my shift had just gotten out. I spent most of my time outside of work in front of the TV, letting my skin pigmentation get paler as the days went by. Yeah, I know what you're thinking. And, yes, the apartment I lived in was shitty. But, I didn't really care . The job payed enough money to drag me through life without getting eaten up by debt and afford a place to live. And, I had kind of gotten used to my boring life. I had even gotten used to the apartment that I lived in. Albeit, a rather bland one at that, as the walls were all gray, and all barren of any kind of photographs, or artwork. One room served as my office, which was really just a rolling chair, writing desk, computer and an old telephone. Another was the living room, complete with a stiff, uncomfortable couch, an extremely old television set, and a sad looking table in the corner that served as my dining room table. The last was my bedroom, which was just a mattress with some sheets thrown over it, and the door to the bathroom in the corner. Yes, the place was depressing as it sounds. I lived alone. Not just in the apartment, but in life as well. And, I was completely fine with it. I didn't need anyone. And no one needed me.

You see, my life is pretty void of anyone really. Back when I was around 12 years old, my mother left my father, and I guess that's really what started everything. My father, brother and I were heartbroken, and it was a hard time for all of us. Times were tough, especially since our mother made most of our money. My brother and I tried to drown out the problems around us with something that still lifts my spirits today: music. My brother was an expert at the violin, and I enjoyed the piano. My mother had gotten me the piano for my 10th birthday, and had only just recently found my love for it. And since we didn't have enough money for video games, this was a good pastime for us. We loved playing classical music together, and for a while it drowned out the problems around us. There was actually a good time for my family when my father actually found a women we all liked and agreed on. Sadly though, this wasn't a lasting thing. Yes, their relationship lasted. It was something else entirely that put an end to me actually enjoying life. I had gotten home one day, and my father greeted me with a stern look on his face. It wasn't like him to be like this, as he was a pretty outspoken person most of the time. He didn't have all the time in the world for my brother and I, but hell, he still cracked some jokes and made us laugh when he was around. I tried asking him what was wrong, but all he did was give me a simple sheet of paper, while a silent tear rolled down his cheek, onto his plain, white work shirt. I was a pretty smart kid, so I understood what most of it meant. It wasn't really bad. Until I reached the bottom. You didn't have to be smart to figure it out. The word was in bold, and hard to miss. It said, 'Cancer.' I was angry then. And I guess I still am. I wasn't just angry with God, I was angry with everyone. Something always had to be blamed on someone. Nothing was ever my fault. I barely talked to anyone. My brother couldn't even get me to talk. The next few months were really just me confined to my thoughts, hurting anyone who tried to get me to open up. Both physically and verbally. After a few weeks of not talking to anybody, my brother...decided it was time to go. We found him in his room one morning, and we were all in shock. My brother was the happiest person you would ever know. He was the person who taught me how to read music. How to make pizza. How to...live. The only thing he had left for anyone, was for me in particular. It was a simple sheet of paper, written in simple, black ink. It stated,

'It's not always about you.' I refused to believe that I had caused the fall of my own brother. I left the room, without another word. Time sort of flew by after that. Days seemed like minutes to me. I guess that's when life lost meaning to me. No, not suicidal. You'll get what I mean in a minute. Then...the day came. This day really changed my life. I woke up to my fathers girlfriend screaming hysterically and I ran down to see what was happening. My father--was dying. There were tears in my father's girlfriends eyes, and she looked at me with a helpless look. We knew there was nothing we could do except try to comfort my father as he died. I remember he held my hand, and the last words he said to me, were,

"I love you...so much..." in a very scratchy voice.
"No...no! Don't you give out on me dammit!" I yelled, my eyes welling up with tears. He looked at me, and smiled. One last smile.

"Son...it's gonna be...alright.." He said. Then, he...was gone.

"DAMMIT DAD! YOU'RE ALL I HAVE LEFT...DON'T-DON'T YOU GIVE UP! GET BACK HERE!" I yelled, pounding on the bed he was dying on. I cursed the sky, resting my head on my dads chest. My only family, gone like that. The cops were here in less then a minute, and he was...taken care of. After that, I decided there was no God. There was no kindness or beauty in nature. Everyone's just a self centered asshole, who only cared about themselves. Those were the rules I lived by. I didn't go to my fathers funeral. I believed that he had chosen to leave. To leave me. I didn't care. Or at least, tried not to show it, and went on with my sad excuse for a life. But soon, school grades dropped, and all of my friends started just avoiding me. It was a pretty dark time for me. But, something happened that had changed my depressed state. School was out before I knew it, and with nothing else to do in my free time, I favored watching TV in the mornings. No, not to enjoy the shows. Just to waste some time. There was just...nothing to do. Every morning, I would watch cartoons. Always the same ones too. Batman, Pokemon, The Amazing Spiderman, etc. There was a channel that showed all those cartoons, and those were the ones I could tolerate. Then, on one Saturday morning, I had woken up around 8:50. I never woke up at this time usually. I pushed the hair out of my face and switched the TV on. The early bluish light was showing through my windows. Annoyed, I went up and shut them angrily. In my haste to shun nature out of my room, the TV remote fell behind my bed.

"Dammit..." I muttered to myself. I had turned the TV on, and it was on a random channel. My TV was pretty old, and didn't have the ability to switch channels with knobs on the TV. There wasn't really anything interesting on, and I didn't even know what channel I was on. Then, at around 9:00, I heard the theme song that every guy is supposed to hate.
"My little pony-
My little pony-..." You get the point.

"The hells this?" I said, annoyed. I was about to just unplug the damn thing, but then the show itself came on. I watched the first couple of minutes of it, and found myself hooked. Minutes turned into hours, turned into days put into watching that show. Soon enough, I had fallen in love with it, and for the first time in a while, I actually smiled. Hell, I even laughed a couple of times. From that point on, I was actually happy. But, that didn't really change my relationship with my friends or my brother. Some show that you really enjoy doesn't fix everything you've fucked up. At least I was happy though. I know it sounds really cheesy, but My Little Pony saved my life at the time. Whenever I felt sad, or mad or anything else like that, I would watch an episode of My Little Pony, and would always feel much better. The colors, the happy lives of the ponies, the town they lived in...so much better then my life. Maybe that's why I enjoyed the show so much. So, I survived through my years alone, and was damn proud of it. I didn't need anyone's sympathy. I was fine by myself. And, I guess that's where I found myself now. A lonely guy in his 20's living in a small apartment who makes money harassing people. Hey, at least I was living, right?

Sorry--I'm getting sidetracked again. Anyways, you get the point. I lived a lonely life, and I was OK with that. I was on the couch, enjoying a little My Little Pony. But--something felt different this time. Lately, it had been. It's hard to describe exactly what I'm talking about. I wasn't suicidal, but life was just...Slow. Meaningless. It's not fair to say I had something to live for, because the cold reality was that I didn't. And I knew that. When My Little Pony didn't cheer me up, I always had a backup plan. A sort of safe haven. Walking. It wasn't that I enjoyed walking, but I found comfort in moving forward. Comfort in moving, but not being worried of where you're headed. And, most nights, I found myself walking down a part of Seattle not many people knew existed. Today was just one of those days where I just needed to walk. To be out in the open with my thoughts. So, I threw on my shoes and my dad's old army jacket and I was out the door. The sun showed proudly like some kind of king looking down on his subjects, and yet there was the nice contrast of a cool breeze gently blowing across the city. It was a nice day, but I didn't really care. Rain or shine, I was still going to walk. I took a moment to examine the tall skyscrapers and big, fat office buildings that surrounded my apartment. Of course, a few houses were scattered around the block, but most were composed of now rotting wood, or had been converted into some sort of drug lab. I was amazed that my apartment complex was still standing, and hadn't been bought out by the neighboring companies, or at the very least, robbed by the towns massive amounts of thugs. Buildings and whether aside, I was off. It didn't take long for my feet to sort of take over, and move my body by themselves while I thought. I was thinking the same thing that day that I always did.

'If I could change one thing I did...what would it be?' Now, this was something that cut me deep down. The fact that I used to ask a lot of people, and a lot of them could confidently respond with 'Nothing'. But...I could list so many things that I probably could have been better off with or without. Well, better for me at least. I drove my friends and family away...I tried to seem like the tough guy who felt nothing, and I hurt so many people doing that. Was it worth being left alone? I knew that if I hadn't pushed everyone away, I would have never been left alone. And really, that's what was best for almost everyone. I didn't need to be in anyone's life. And no one needed to be in mine. This is what went through my mind as I walked farther to my unintended destination. I pushed most everything out of my mind and just walked farther. I didn't want to be brought down by my thoughts now. The sun made its slow journey down, almost in sync with me as I looked forward, hands in pockets, and walked. No thoughts, no words to strangers, no worries in the world. It was a nice sense of false happiness. The sun slowly made it's way down, turning day to night, and it took me some time to realize that it was late, and probably wasn't safe to be over in this part of town at this time. I was about to turn around and try to find my way back to my home, when I heard a noise. Now, usually, being a vigilante hero and investigating things isn't my thing. But---the cry I heard sounded so...helpless. Shortly after that, a loud clang erupted from the same direction of the cry I heard. I knew helpless when I heard it, and that was definitely a cry for help. I ran towards the alleyway that the commotion was coming from, already regretting my decision to help. I eventually found myself in the alleyway,dim orange street lamps illuminating the silhouettes of four goons with makeshift weapons cornering something. Upon closer inspection, they were really just some high school kids. I didn't know what they were harassing, but I wasn't going to let them continue. No one needs to live a life as miserable as mine.

"HEY! You kids! The hell are you doing? Leave that thing alone!" I yelled, not really sure what they were picking on. The biggest of them was blocking my view of it.

"Scram old man, before we put the hurt on you!" one of the skinnier kids of the group said, showing off a sharp looking glass shard in his hand. At this point, I could have fled. Ran away and forgot the whole thing. But, something really told me to stand my ground. To stand up for myself for once. I knew what I had to do. I acted quickly, reaching into my right jacket pocket to pull out my stiletto. My father had given it to me, who had received it from his uncle. I always carried it, since it provided good protection, and there were always some shady looking characters in my block. I pulled it out quickly, then charged the smallest of the group. He threw a punch, but I ducked under it, quickly swiping his feet from under him. He hit his head hard on the concrete, and was out cold. The next one was medium sized, and was the one with the glass shard. He jabbed once at me, but I dodged the first one, elbowing his face. He staggered back, but recovered quickly, slashing my right arm successfully this time. He tried to jab again, but I moved to the side, opening my own weapon. I quickly kicked him in the stomach and he hunched over. The bigger of the kids had grabbed me before I knew what was happening, and my knife was of no use thanks to the weird angle I was being held at. The medium sized kid got back up, and I could tell he was going to try and hurt me. Try being the key word. I stomped down on the bigger kids foot, and he immediately let me go, grabbing his foot. I quickly jabbed the knife into the medium sized kids arm, and he let out a cry of pain. Crimson red stained my jacket and the alleyway floor. The bigger kid was coming toward me again, but I reacted quickly, punching him forcefully in the gut. He fell to the ground, incapacitated. The medium sized kid was still trying to come at me, but was much weaker. So, as he came in close, I grabbed him and slammed his head against the nearby brick wall. The hit he received wasn't exactly gentle, and was out cold. I dropped him on the ground. The bigger of the kids got up, and I thought that he was going to try something, but he was signalling for me to stop. Now, I may be good at hand to hand combat, but I'm no monster. I closed the knife, and told him,

"Get those two out of here. Leave, and don't mess with helpless things anymore." He nodded gratefully, and dragged the two out of the alleyway. I put the knife back in my jacket pocket, and looked at the wound on my right arm. It wasn't bad, but there was lots of blood spilling from the cut. Physical wounds didn't hurt nearly as much as the ones caused by shattered hopes and memories. I was about to walk off, when I remembered why I beat up those kids.I looked around for what the kids had been harassing. I looked around , but couldn't really find anything. Just broken bottles and some milk crates. Then...I heard the same noise. This time though, it sounded as if it were coming from behind me. I turned around, and scanned the floor. It took me a few glances and a couple seconds to register what I was seeing. In the corner of the building, was a filly Fluttershy plushie.

"Damn. They still make these things? Do they talk now?" I said out loud. It looked pretty clean for being out in an alleyway. I walked closer to it, with intentions of picking it up. But, as soon as I got down next to it...it moved. I nearly flew backwards, and was beyond startled.
"The hell?!" I said. Upon closer inspection, the thing did blink, and its chest rose like it was breathing.I got up, then slowly got closer to it. I took a knee, and examined the thing closer. It backed up more into the corner it was taking refuge in.
"No...this is impossible..." I thought out loud. There was no way that what I saw could be real...yet here it was, looking at me with those bright, cyan eyes. The little pony couldn't have been more then three. Hell, she couldn't even speak. I got a little closer to her.

"Hey little girl, don't be scared. I won't hurt you..." I said, extending my hand as an offer of safety to her. She looked at me with those big, cyan eyes, then looked at my hand. It was at that point that I knew she probably couldn't even understand me.
"Hey, those kids are gone. See?" I said, moving to let her see the kids had left. She looked out to the side, then back at me. It looked like she relaxed a little bit, but she still looked scared. Then I remembered something. Evey time I go on walks, I usually bring apples with me since I'm gone for extended periods of time. I reached into my left coat pocket, and sure enough, found a bright red little apple. I took out the switchblade, and flicked the blade out. She flinched when the blade came out, and closed her eyes, backing more into her corner.
"Hey, hey, it's OK. I promise I wont hurt you." I said, trying my best to soothe her. I carefully sliced off a piece of the apple and extended my palm with the apple in it towards her. She opened one eye, then the other. She walked close to my palm and sniffed the apple. She looked at me, almost as if asking for permission to eat it.
"Go on. It's for you." I said, offering her a smile. She looked at the apple again, and carefully nibbled on the corner of it. She sat down and nibbled more of the apple. I smiled to myself. Fluttershy had always been my favorite, and she looked so cute as a filly just eating the apple. Of course, I was still contemplating how this was possible, but at this point I was just concerned about her safety. She looked up at me, eyes filled with wonder. I looked around, to make sure no one was around. I thought about giving her to an animal shelter.

'The hell man? She's just a baby, you can't abandon her. Just take her home for a while.' I thought to myself. She fell on the ground, and started rolling around. I laughed to myself for a bit.
'Seattle sure as hell aint a place for a filly like this...' I thought to myself again, realizing the irony of the situation. 'A beatuifal pony like this, in such a place like this, involved with someone like me...' I thought to myself again.
It had been a while since I took a second to appreciate the beauty in anything, and had shocked me as the thought was being processed. My mind was made up. I gently patted her on the head, and held out my hand for her. She looked at me, then climbed into my hand. She looked happy to not be in the dirty alleyway anymore.

"Let's get you somewhere safe." I said, looking down at her and smiling. I put her in my front jacket pocket and she poked her head out while we walked back home. I felt...happy. It was hard to say why though. Something totally out of the ordinary was happening, and I was barely concerned. Thoughts aside, we pushed forward towards home. Some people looked towards me as I walked back home, but no one actually realized she was alive. Joy was something that had been void in me since the passing of anyone who actually meant something to me, and it was weird feeling it, even if only for a moment. About an hour later, right when the air had turned into a stifling cold, we had returned to my apartment. I cracked open the cheap door and stepped inside, closing, then dead-bolting the door shut. Again, I didn't live int the best part of town. I flicked on the light switch on a nearby wall, and a dim, amber tinted light flickered to life. I took off my shoes, then reached into my pocket, taking Fluttershy into my palm. I gently lowered her onto the ground. She slowly looked around the place.

"I know it's not much, but it's something, right?" I said to her, walking into the kitchen.I flicked on the heater, and searched the fridge. I didn't know how long she had been out in the big city, but I imagined she was still hungry. I got out a bowl and made the best representation of a salad I could, and poured her a bowl of water. I set the two bowls down on my table built for one, and carefully lifted her up on it. She put her face into the salad while I switched on my TV. I looked back to her, and she looked at me, a piece of lettuce stuck to her face. I laughed a little.

"You got a little something on your face kid." I said, getting up to brush the lettuce off her face. I watched her eat and drink the rest of her food before putting her on the couch. I sat across from her. The question had been bothering me since I brought her here.

"Hey kid...you got somewhere to be?" I asked. She looked at me with such a sad expression, that my heart almost exploded. She couldn't talk, or understand me that well, but imagined she knew she was lost.
"Well, it's alright. We'll find your home soon. For know...uh...I guess you can bunk with me for a while. You down for that?" I asked. Her face lit up, and she jumped into my lap, curling herself up into a ball of yellow and pink fuzz. She closed her big cyan eyes, and smiled. It was a little sudden, but I was fine with her staying here for a while. I laughed a little.

"Sleep tight, Flutters." I said to her, gently stoking her pink mane. My heart skipped a beat.
'Flutters...that's a good name' I thought. Better then her big official name I guessed. Her new nickname floated in my mind as I drifted off, to some bad remake of the Spiderman movie. That night, I had the best sleep ever, with something there to keep me warm. Knowing, that I wasn't totally alone in this cold, harsh world. For the next four years, I worked on raising Fluttershy. I wasn't why exactly. I just figured that one day, this would all fix itself. Yeah, I would be sad, but she...didn't belong here. Not with someone like me. I taught her some words, though I wasn't much of a teacher. Her first word ever, was 'dada'. Didn't know where the hell she learned that word from, but it still brought me so much joy that she would consider me as her father. I taught her how to work the TV, and even taught her how to write. I'll admit, it was hard, but she figured out how to correctly write with her mouth. Using her hoof just didn't really work. It-it didn't even seem like four years to me. One day, I'm rescuing the little squirt from an alleyway, and the next, she's calling me 'daddy' and I'm teaching her how to write and read. It was easy to say, that those were the best four years of my life. I was happy for once. She was happy. WE, were happy. I built her her own bed next to mine, and she welcomed this place as her home. I even got a raise, and some respect from my boss. Soon enough, I would have enough money to buy us a proper house. Now, the only problem I ran into was her wings. Of course, she had kind of weak wings, and I was teaching her slowly on how to flutter her wings. I read a lot of books about birds to try and learn how they fly, and relayed most of the information to her. She tried to fly in the apartment, but it was just to small to successfully take off. So, late at night, I would take her outside, and she would hover slightly off the ground. When she got that down, I would carry her in my hands, ad let her take off from there. After that, I would put her on my shoulders, and let her flutter off from there. One night though, she was feeling a little brave, and jumped a little to high. She sprained one of her wings, and was pretty hurt. Of course, I couldn't take her to a doctor, so my medical skills would have to suffice.

"Daddy, *sniff, sniff* my wings hurt Daddy..." She said, sitting on the ground, tears spilling from her eyes. I took a knee on the ground and hugged her tightly, making sure not to hurt her wing anymore.

"It'll be OK kiddo, Daddy will take care of you. C'mon, let's get you back upstairs-" I said, about to lift her up in my arms. But, I was interrupted by another question from her.

"D-Daddy? Sing me a song?" She said, looking at me with those big, cyan eyes.

"Ah, I dunno kiddo. Pops ain't much of a singer." I said to her, offering a gentle smile.

"P-please?" She said, looking at me with those puppy dog eyes. I couldn't resist her. I really only knew one song that most kids would probably enjoy. And that was the one my mom used to sing to me. Before she left...
'That will do I guess...' I thought to myself. I held her a little less close, and cleared my throat.

"You are my sunshine...

My only sunshine...

You make me happy...

When skies are gray...

You'll never know dear...

How much I love you...

Please don't take my sunshine away...." I kissed her sprained wing when I was done with the song.
"Better?" I asked. I didn't have the voice of an angel, but she seemed pleased enough.

"I love you Daddy" She said suddenly, latching onto me tighter. I smiled.

"You too, Flutters. Let's get you upstairs kiddo." I said, carrying her back upstairs. We got inside, and I put her on the kitchen counter top. I went to the bathroom and got some gauze and alcohol, and came back to bandage up her wing.

"Alright, now stay off the wing for a couple of days, and you should be better in no time, Flutters." I said to her, patting her on the head. She giggled like little girls do, and hopped off the counter top, trotting to the couch. I just watched and smiled as she turned the TV on. I accepted my role as her father that day. Someone needed to bring her up right in this world, and hey, I was doing a pretty damn good job of it so far. Eventually, we got the whole flying thing worked out, and she could fly successfully. Not very strongly, but hey, she tried and that's all that mattered to me. Those four years were golden to me. At first, I was a little skeptical about being her father, but now, I realized that there was no way I was going to let her go until she was raised right. That was the day my life changed for the better. I promised from that point on, Fluttershy was my one priority. And, she was.
Seven years later...
Flutters turned fourteen this day. I remember as a gift, I got her the most perfect little white bunny. She looked so happy, and couldn't have said thank you more. I was happy with myself then. I was raising her right. That wasn't the end of the surprises though. Flutters and I piled into the car, and we drove down to our new house. Yeah, that's right. For the past seven years, I was saving up for this place. It was far back in the country, heavily populated with trees and animals. A canopy of trees covered the house, and it was not very visible from the outside. Flutters loved the place. She didn't even want to leave to get her stuff back from our old apartment. Hell, I didn't even think anyone else lived there except for Flutters and I. The beginning of the year was going pretty great. I had gotten signed to a company as a visual designer, and was making way more money then before. I had set up a garden and a hammock for Flutters so she could spend all the time she wanted outside. It was pretty good-
Until that damn knock on the door came.

It was about five o'clock on a Wednesday, and Flutters and I were playing some old N64 games together. I was more of an old school gamer, and Fluttershy liked the older, less violent games.
Mariokart was her favorite, and she loved playing as Peach. Of course, when I first tried to teach her how to play, it was a little awkward because of the hooves, but she got the hang of it. Hell, she was better then me at it.
The day was pretty quiet, and I had planned on going out to buy some stuff from the farmers market so Flutters can get some more seeds for he garden, and I could pick out some fresh greens. I hate to admit it, but the kid successfully converted me to a vegetarian, so we mostly lived off the food Flutters grew. The day was just pretty average. Then, almost out of nowhere, we heard a knock on the door. It was odd, because I really had no one else besides Flutters. Even so, we were in the middle of nowhere. Unless you knew where the place was, you couldn't find it. I told Flutters to stay here, and I went up to the big, mahogany door. I grabbed my switchblade just in case, and slipped it into my front jean pocket. I cracked open the door, and gasped. I opened it little more. Before me, was one of Princess Celestia's royal guards.

"The hell are you doing here?" I asked, shocked. This was impossible. It was just sheer luck that Flutters was brought here, but there was no way there could be more of them. I tried asking the kid how she got lost and stuff like that, but she always told me she couldn't remember.

"Sir. It seems one of our kind has drifted somehow to your world. You've known about this, and have not tried to return her. We are giving you a warning in advance to return her, before you will suffer the consequences." The white and blue pony said. I was angry then. Had they not realized how long she had been here?
"What the hell? You think now is the best damn time to come claim her back? She's been with me for fucking eleven years! Nice timing asshole! I found her in an alleyway! Way to look out for your own kind.." I said, getting closer to the pony. He looked shocked, and a little hurt.

"That's-impossible. She's only been gone eleven days where I come from. Celestia says to return Fluttershy in a week, or the consequences will be great. That is all." The pony said, turning to leave. Their conception of time was different, and I realized then, that a day was the equivalent to about a year here. Before I could say anything, the pony had flew up high into the sky, returning back to it's realm. I slammed the door shut, and turned around, only to find Fluttershy standing there. She had heard everything. She looked about as happy as I did.

"How did he know my name..." Fluttershy asked me, sounding hurt and angry.

"Flutters, I-"
"Don't give me that Flutters crap Dad! How did he know my name, and why was he a pony like me?" Fluttershy asked, tears in her eyes. She had never raised her voice before, so I knew she was hurt. I sighed heavily. There was no use hiding the truth anymore. I explained to her who she was, what the show was, and how I found her.

"Why Dad? I-I trusted you!" She said, running out of the room, flying far back into the forest, tears streaming down her face.

"FLUTTERS!" I yelled, running after her. I couldn't keep up with her. She was to fast for me to keep up with. Stranded in the middle of the damn forest, with no idea where my baby girl was. Golden.

"GOD DAMMIT!" I yelled, tears welling up. I cursed into the sky.
"WHY NOW? WHY ME? HAVEN'T I FUCKED UP ENOUGH? SHE'S ALL I HAVE LEFT!" I said, kneeling on the ground. I fell on the forest. There was no use hiding it, I was balling. My tears wet the earthy dirt below me. The hard truth hit me. I thought to myself-
'It's ironic, isn't it, Marshall? The harder you try not to feel anything...the more it actually hurts. You used to think you could push it all on to someone else...someone who you thought actually deserved it. You hurt so many people...so much pain...but you can't push it away on anyone else now, can you? Even when you hurt others...when you blame them...it doesn't make it stop, does it? Just accept what you are. A monster. You pushed her away. You lied to her. You let this happen. This is your fault. No one else. You god damn monster...' I knew every word of it was true. I picked myself up, and leaned against a nearby tree, emotionally wrecked. I searched the whole forest, every cave, every tree, but I couldn't find anything. I was pissed. And for the first time, I was pissed with myself. I wasn't blaming anyone else. I had come to terms finally...I went back home at around 9 o'clock. About four hours of searching, only to turn up empty-handed. I walked into the dark, quiet house and flicked on some of the lights. I turned off the N64, which had been on for roughly 6 hours straight, and still hadn't even heated up, and turned off the TV. I wasn't in the mood for TV tonight. Instead, I went into the kitchen, and into the far right corner. If I wasn't so broken, I would've smiled at the sight. Before me, stood my white grand piano. Flutters found it in storage and helped me move it in here. I hadn't even tried to play it when we got it in here, and wasn't even sure if I could remember any songs. I sat down on the white piano bench, and gently ran my fingers across the ivory keys. The kitchen was dark, as I had forgotten to turn that light switch on. I placed my hand on the right keys to play a chord, and pressed down, letting the sound ring out. The sound was as I remembered it as a kid, still very smooth sounding and gentle. I hit another chord, and another, and before I knew it, I was playing Cannon in D minor without even thinking about it. Yeah, the song sounded nice and all....but it was empty to me. It didn't carry any meaning. True musicians know what I'm talking about here. Sure, anyone can pick up an instrument and play some generic song while everyone claps, secretly thinking to themselves,

'Wow, haven't heard that a thousand times.' But, it takes a true musician to pick up that same instrument, and transfer his feelings into music, and for people to enjoy it. That's the music that carries power. I played a few more chords and ending up just slamming my fist on the keys, resting my arm across they keys, then putting my head on my arm.
The hell's the point anyways? Nothing matters anymore...' I thought. I had poured my soul out to my little girl, and now she was just gone, just out there. Anything could be happening to her, and I was just sitting there, feeling sorry for myself. I fell asleep on the piano that night, and woke up in the morning feeling like I had drunk heavily last night. I staggered up, sloppily made some coffee, and just sat down on the couch.

"Look at yourself, Marshall. Sitting on the couch while your only form of family is out there running wild. The hell were you thinking? You ain't nothing but a loner from Seattle. You're not father material. Jesus, you can't even take care of yourself. What were you expecting? Just forget about this. About all of this. You've wasted two lives already. Just go... no one wants you..." I thought to myself. Without really any other points in my life, I knew what I had to do. I slipped on some simple clothes, and a jacket, and stepped outside, quietly shutting the door behind me.. I looked around the sky, riddled with rain clouds. I sighed deeply, put my hands in my pocket, and walked. I kept my head up, and walked. Tiny rain drops started splashing my clothes and the earth below, but I still kept walking. Drizzle turned into heavy rain, but I kept walking, hair and clothes soaked. I knew where I was going for once, and nothing was going to stop me from reaching my destination: Home. Lightning flashed above, and thunder clapped furiously. But, I kept walking. I had finally reached my landmark, which was a big, steel bridge, about 60 feet above ground. I climbed up on the ledge, and took a seat on the bars, feet dangling 60 feet above the ground, only three feet of water below. I closed my eyes, and breathed in deeply. More rain came down, and lightning struck nearby trees. Almost all of it was drowned out though. I just didn't really care anymore. I was about to stand up on the rail, when I heard something behind me. Like someone yelling almost. I opened one eye, and turned slightly to see what was going on. My eyes couldn't hardly believe it.

"DADDY!" Flutters yelled again, running towards me. I didn't want the kid to see me like this. I thought about just getting it over with then, but she had somehow gotten right next to me. My guess was that she flew, but I still wasn't really in the mood for any of this.

"What are you doing here kid?" I asked quietly, not able to look her in the eye.

"Daddy, I saw you last night. I know you wouldn't have lied to me, unless you were trying to protect me, and I realize that know. Please, come home, daddy. I want things back to normal." I looked into the kids eyes, and saw she was crying too. Even the rain couldn't hide that. My heart truly was touched. No one had ever cared so much about me before, and I knew that I couldn't leave my baby girl alone. I stood up and hugged her, and she hugged me back. We stayed like that for a good minute or so. No words, no worries, no nothing. Just me and my little girl. I picked her up, and said

"C'mon. Let's get you home, Flutters." I said, smiling at her. She smiled back, and we began our trek home together. As a family. My little girl had saved me that day, and I would never forget that. In the same situation without her, no one would have stopped me. No one would have batted an eye as another suicide was reported. But Flutters? She was different. Because of me. And that, made me smile. We reached home, and I placed her down on the couch, and went to go fetch some towels.

"Here ya go kiddo. Don't wanna get a cold, right?" I said, switching on the TV. Flutters nodded, and wrapped the blanket around herself gratefully.

"Daddy?" Flutters asked. I looked at her.

"Yeah?" I said.

"I'm still kinda cold..." She said.

"Tell ya what. I'll light up the fireplace, and go make you some hot coco. How does that sound?" I asked her, already knowing her response.

"That sounds great! Thank you daddy!" She said, sounding quite happy. I offered her a mile, then walked into our kitchen, gently patting her on the head as I went by. I made us both two mugs of hot chocolate, and handed one to her, sitting down next to her on the couch, and we both watched the fire gently dance and crackle in the fireplace. I looked over to Flutters, wrapped up in her blanket, big cyan eyes on the fire. She looked back at me.

"You never told me you could play piano so well.." She said, looking over to the white grand piano on the kitchen. I looked over my shoulder.

"Yeah...I didn't did I? I just don't like playing music that I've played a lot of times before." I explained.
"Why don't you learn something new?" She said, big eyes on me now. I took another sip of hot chocolate, and told her,

"Not sure kiddo...not a lot of music just reaches out and says, 'you must learn me on piano.'" I explained again. A loud thunder clap sounded above, shaking the whole house. Flutters let out a squeal and shut her eyes, and I quickly hugged her.

"Hey, don't worry, Flutters. Just a lil bit of thunder. Daddy won't let anything happen to you.." I said, holding her close. Flutters really never did like thunder storms. Anything loud was on the disapproval list for her. She looked up at me.

"Daddy? Promise you won't let them take me?" She said. I had almost forgotten about my encounter with the royal guards a couple days ago. But, I wasn't going to let them take her.

"I won't let them Flutters. I promise." I said, holding her close again. I could feel the silent tears wet my shirt as Flutters cried, both in relief, and joy. Hell, I could even feel a few escape my eyes. I let her go for a second, and she wiped her eyes discreetly with her yellow sweater sleeve. She was a pony, but it didn't stop her from falling in love with it when she saw someone wearing it on TV. I couldn't find an exact replica of it, so I did my best to sew her one, and when she got her cutie mark, I even sewed on three butterflies on the top right of it. She loved that sweater...

"Stay here for a second, kid. I think you earned this..." I said, getting off the couch, heading upstairs to my room. I delved deep into my closet, looking for the dusty old leather case. I found it, and hurriedly pulled the acoustic guitar out of it's case, giving it a quick tune before heading back downstairs. It wasn't exactly my guitar. My mother had given it before she said good riddance to the family, and it was really all I had left to remember her by. The song I was about to play, was taught to me by my dad. It meant a lot to me, and I didn't usually play this song for anyone. I got down the stairs, and immediately saw Flutters face light up, with wonder and excitement. I knelt down about three feet away from her, and told her.

"This is for you, Flutters.". With that, I had strummed the first set of chords, signifying the start of the song. Then, the vocals. I didn't exactly have the voice of an angel, but it didn't matter. Like I said before, it's the message the songs sends.

"Well I won't back down, no I won't back down
You can stand me up at the gates of hell
But I won't back down

Gonna stand my ground, won't be turned around
And I'll keep this world from draggin' us down

Gonna stand my ground and I won't back down
Hey Flutters, there ain't no easy way out
Hey I will stand my ground
And I won't back down
Well I know what's right, I got just one life
And you make it worth living
But I'll stand my ground and I won't back down
Hey Flutters, there ain't no easy way out
Hey I will stand my ground
And I won't back down"

I finished the song on an A chord, and let it ring out. I looked over at Flutters, only to see her starting to tear up. I smiled. I knelt closer in front of her

"It's true, Flutters. No ones taking you away, I promise. For as long as I live. Here, I want you to have this." I said, gently handing her the guitar. A single tear fell on the wooden body, as Flutters looked down at the guitar, then back to me. "It's very special though, so take good care of it. But, other then that, it's yours." I said. She didn't try hiding it anymore, and threw the blanket off of her, and latched onto me, sobbing. I let a few tears escape me too, as we both held each other. We stayed like that for god knows how long, but it was nice to be comforting her. When she was done, we watched Over the Hedge, which was her favorite movie, even though it was a little old, and played Mariokart until she she decided she was to tired to carry on. Hell, I'd get tired too if I won almost every race. Even if a few of them were rigged. I carried her upstairs to her bedroom, and tucked her into bed. I brushed her pink, soft mane out of her face, and kissed her on the forehead.

"Sleep good, kiddo." I said, turning the light off in her room. I had let her decorate her room when we moved in, but all she really did was hang up some animal posters, and set up a nice space for angel, the white bunny I had gotten her for her birthday. But, she was happy with it, so never asked her about it.

"Daddy?" She asked, right as I was in her door frame.
"Thanks for being the best dad ever." She said. I didn't turn around. I didn't want to see her old man cry.

"Anytime, Flutters." I said, quietly bringing a sleeve up to my eye, wiping away the tears. I was her favorite person in the world, and some asshole thought he was gonna take her from me? Not a chance. Flutters was my baby girl. No one was going to take her away. That, was a promise.

"Anytime..." I said again, closing her pink door gently, walking towards my room. My room was to the left of Flutters, though it was originally downstairs. She didn't particularly enjoy the dark, or thunderstorms, so I felt she would feel better f I was always right next to her, in one way or another. I flopped down on my bed, exhausted from the day I had endured. It turned from being the worst, to the best day I had spent with Flutters. She had chosen me, and saved me from myself. And, I realized that day, that I would never do something like that again. I would never abandon Flutters, and I would never let anyone take her. My little girl was changing me. For the better. But. I knew that in seven years, that guard would be back, and with more ponies this time. But, seven years was a long time.

'I'll have something figured out by then...' I thought to myself, finally drifting off to sleep in my bed. It was a peaceful night that night.

Seven years later...

God...I remember this day to well. May 5th, 2022. Flutters turned twenty one that day, and I introduced her to, 'Apple Cider'. I couldn't exactly make it like Applejack, but I did my best for Flutters. She didn't drink much, which didn't really trouble me. I had brought her up a little on the shy side, and she had to warm up to new things before getting comfortable, but that was fine with me. She was really only comfortable with me, and didn't like the idea of other people. So, she was really raised by me, and her animals, which had really taken a liking to her. The whole house was surrounded by animals, and Flutters made it seem like she could talk to them. She didn't watch a whole lot of TV besides the occasional My little Pony, Friendship is Magic reruns. She liked seeing what kind of crazy adventures people had written for the mane six and her to go on. Otherwise, you could find her practicing the guitar I had given her about seven years ago, or spending time with her animals. I guess you could say that life was normal. We didn't do much, and enjoyed the company of each other. Life was simple, and easy. But, this was the day I was dreading. Flutters may not have remembered, but I did. About the royal guard. Today was the due date, and I hadn't come up with a plan. Not one that was guaranteed to work anyways./ Flutters put down her mug of cider carefully, and spoke in her soft voice.

"Dad, I know it's a little early...but I got you this..." he said, reaching into her sweater pocket, pulling out a small, wooden box, wrapped in a red bow. She handed it to me in her left hoof, and offered a genuine smile. I carefully lifted the box out of her hands, and looked it over carefully. The box was wooden, and looked hand carved. It had two hinges on the side, and on the front, the words, Dad was carved. I looked back at Flutters.

"Kiddo...did you make this?" I asked. She nodded, still smiling. My birthday wasn't for months. "You didn't have to do this, Flutters..." I said.

"Oh, just open it!" She said excitedly. I took out my switchblade, and flicked the blade out. I carefully cut off the bow, and lifted the cover up, letting it swing to the back of the box. The inside was lined with velvet, and housed the most beautiful pen I had ever seen. The body was made of smooth, oak. In the middle of the body, was a silver band, and a silver pocket clip. The head was a golden fountain pen tip, and, my name, 'Marshall Pinkston' was engraved on the wood body. I was awestruck. It was truly the most beatuifal thing ever.

"Flutters...how did you do this?" I asked, carefully taking the pen out of the box. There was so much care to put into this. I have no idea how she knew I enjoyed writing...

"Well, I made all the wood parts, and I had a little help with the animals when it came to the more...expensive parts." She explained, seeming pleased with my reaction. I put the pen back in the box, and set it down on the counter. It was her birthday, and she was giving me the presents.

"How did you know kiddo?" I asked. She held up one of the stories I wrote.

"I thought it was to good for you not to continue. And a writer needs proper writing tools, right?" She said. I held back some of the tears, and told her to wait here. It was her birthday, and I of course had gotten her a present. I got the simple, leather book from my desk, and rushed back downstairs. I handed it to her.

"Sorry kiddo, it's not much." I said, nervous of her reactions to what I had given her. She flipped open the cover, reading the message on the inside. I had wrote it. There was another letter I had written to her at the back of the book, but my hopes were that it would be a while before she found it.

Flutters-
Thanks for all these great memories. You've made me a better person, and I feel like you raised me more then I raised you. Thank you, so much.
Yours always,
Marshall.

I saw her face light up, as she turned the page. It was a picture of her as a filly at our old apartment, eating a salad. The next was of he fluttering her wings for the first time. There was one of her yellow feathers in there. A picture of her talking to her animals, one of her writing, one of her playing N64. It was of every moment I had spent with her, or of a moment I wanted to capture forever. At first, they were just pictures I was taking t o prove to people I wasn't crazy. But, as the years wore on, I decided I was going to keep these. For us. I thought that she might like to have them more then me. Especially if she was going to go today...I saw a single tear drop splash the last page of the book, which was a photo of her and I smiling, out in the forest behind our house. She looked at me with those big, cyan eyes, and hugged me.

"Thank you so much dad..." She said, sniffing heavily, tears falling to the hardwood floor. I knew she would love it. She pulled away, looking through the photos again.

"When did you take these?" She asked me.

"Whenever I never wanted a moment to end...Guess that's why there's so many." told her, laughing a bit. She hugged me again, and I hugged her back. The moment was almost perfect...
Almost.
I knew the high and mighty princess wouldn't forget what she had said several years ago. Flutters may have forgotten, but it was still on my mind. Just as she pulled away, a knock was heard at the door. Flutters looked at me, memories flooding back.

"Stay here kiddo. Don't worry, I got this handled." I said, walking towards the door. I creaked it open slowly, only to find myself standing face to face, with princess Celestia herself. Behind her, were two royal guards, and to my surprise, the mane six. It was almost to unreal. There was almost no way this could be happening, and yet it was.

"Princess..." I said, grimly

"I believe you know why we're here." She said, sounding more uptight and royal then king George the third.

"Forget it. She's staying here, Princess. You ain't takin my daughta away from me." I said. The other ponies burst through the door, examining the place for a short while, then spotting Flutters. My Flutters...They all ran up to her, excitedly shouting her name, while giving her a big hug.

"Daughter? She's been here for 19 days, sir. I have no idea what you've done to her, but-"

"Hold the damn phone, 'Princess.' She's been here 19 years, your conception of time is fucked up. I rescued her from an alleyway, and raised her while you were just sittin there. She doesn't remember anything. So, if you wanna get all uptight and royal with someone, do it with yourself, cause there ain't no one else to blame, Princess." She looked stunned, and Flutters looked uncomfortable under the massive group hug that the ponies had her in.

"Hey...you be careful with her..." I said, trying to keep my cool. The ponies looked at me, then back to Flutters. She ran towards me, wrapping her arms around me in a hug. I could feel her tears already.

"Don't let them take me daddy..." She said. I gently brushed her mane. She sounded just like she did when she was four years old.

"It's gonna be alright kiddo..." I said. " I made a promise, and I plan on keeping it." I finished. She let go of me for a second. The mane six, or in this case five looked at me. I could tell by the looks in their eyes that they understood how much Flutters and I cared about each other.

"Princess, I-" Twilight started.

"Enough. She belongs back in Ponyville, and I don't want to hear another word about it!" Princess Celestia cut off Twilight.

"You're not...taking her" I said. The other ponies stood behind me.

" 'Tia, isn't there another way?" Rainbowdash asked. Celestia glared at her.

"She doesn't belong here, and he doesn't belong in Ponyville. This was a mistake that happened to work out for one reason or another, but we need her back. " She looked at me. "Even if we have to take her back forcefully." She said. The ponies gasped.

"I'm not moving..." Fluttershy said.

"Very well the. Guards! Get her!" The Princess ordered. One of the guards approached Flutters, and grabbed her by the hooves. She let out an audible 'Ow', and...I guess I just snapped.

"You get your fucking hooves off of her!" I yelled, charging at the guard. I took out my knife, and plunged it into his back. He fell to the floor, hurt. I pulled the knife out, but was faced with the other guard, who jabbed me in the stomach with his sharp horn. I coughed, and fell over on the ground. The other guard stood back up, shocked, blood staining his white coat.

"You stab an armed guard, one who works for the princess herself, just for someone who you raised? She's not even blood related to you..." One guard started. " Princess, this isn't right. They love each other, do you not see what he just did for her?" He finished. I coughed up some crimson red onto the hardwood floor, and managed to stand up, bracing myself onto the kitchen wall.

"S-she's my girl. Y-you cant take h-her from me..." I sputtered out, tears streaming down my face, while blood stained my shirt. The wound hurt, but I knew the guard was only doing his job.

"Princess! Please, stop this madness! Find kindness in your heart!" Twilight pleaded. I fell back on the ground, slowly losing blood.

"Hm..." The Princess mulled over this for a second. "Fluttershy, you can go get whatever you want to bring with you, and I normally wouldn't allow that." The Princess said. Flutters just looked at me, not moving.

"Go, before I change my mind." The princess simply said.

"Flutters-j-just do what s-she says." I said, blood coming out with some of the words. She trotted upstairs, leaving me here on the floor, with the mane six looking down at me.
"Sir...I'm sorry...I'll do everything I can...I promise" Twilight said, taking her hoof in my hand. There were tears welling up in her eyes. I coughed painfully, rolling on my side. The mane six looked down at me, while the Princess stood in the same spot, unmoving. She was looking out the front door now, not even batting an eye. More blood spilled on the floor, while the mane five simply looked at me with pity. Some were crying, and others weren't. I was in to much pain to take to much notice. Just then, Twilight's horned started glowing.

"Here...this should ease the pain..." She said, touching my wound with her horn. It immediately felt better, but the initial puncture was still there. I managed to stand, taking a seat in one of the kitchen chairs. The room had fallen silent. Hell, what was there to say? My daughter was getting taken from me, and there was nothing I could do to stop them. I heard trotting coming from our hardwood stairs, and saw Flutters, carrying a small suitcase and a box. She had put on her yellow sweater, and had angel in the box. Tears still spilled to the ground though, and I knew how hard this was for her. How hard it was for us. She put her belongings down momentarily, and came over to me. She wrapped her arms around me tightly, and I could tell how bad she didn't want to leave. I hugged her back, then out her on my lap. One last time.

"Flutters...I know how much you don't want to leave. Trust me, I don't want you to leave kiddo. But, they need you, and I...I need you to be where you belong. They'll take good care of you. You...you need to be strong.. For us. OK? Just remember...that daddy loves you. And he always will. I'll always be looking out for you, no matter what. I'm gonna miss you kid. But, we had a good run, right?" I said, my voice broken by sobs. I could barely look at her in those bright little eyes and tell her that. It was hard to tell her that she needed to go...to be with who she needed to be with. She looked at me, tears heavily wetting her sweater and my shirt.

"But-but daddy, I belong here! Think of everything we've done here...everything you've taught me! This is home...this is where I belong...with you..." She said, burying her face into my chest. I held her close as she cried, while tears managed to escape me too. I shut my eyes tight. I didn't want her to see me cry, but I couldn't hold it back anymore. The Princess finally said something.

"Come, Fluttershy. Ponyville beckons for your return." Flutters looked up at her, the whites of her eyes red. The other ponies picked up Flutters things, and tried their best to comfort her.

"It'll be OK, Fluttershy. We're all here for you...." Twilight said, gently encouraging her. Flutters jumped out of my lap, and got in the middle of the ponies. She looked at me, and I looked back at her. I knew what she was trying to do, trying to remember my face, the house and all the memories we shared here. I smiled gently at her.

"It's alright Flutters...I love you, and always will. Go on now....they need you..." I said to her, trying my best to comfort her. The princess looked at me simply, and said,

"I apologize for the inconvenience, but you must understand. She is an element of harmony, and we need her. I do thank you for looking after her. But, we must bid you a good day sir." I still didn't like her, no matter how many times she said sorry. I nodded simply, and watched as Flutters slowly walked with the now completed mane six. I couldn't smile anymore, and just let the tears flow.

"You-you take good care of her..." I said, to no one in particular. The majority of the ponies nodded, offering smiles, and apologies. Flutters still was looking at me, and I found it harder by the second to look her in those eyes.

"I love you...so much..." I said, gently. I could tell that deep in her heart, she knew Ponyville was where she belonged, and that she needed to return. Hell, I knew that too, but it doesn't take away any of the pain to watch the only person, or pony in this case, who cared so much about me to just leave. I waved, tears in my eyes, as the mane six were out the door, into a big, pink hot air balloon. The Princess closed her eyes, and her horn lit up a bright orange. After about ten seconds, she was back to normal, and had her back to me. The balloon took off, ascending higher and higher, until it was nothing but a black speck, high up in the sky. I looked into the sky, hoping that there would be...something. Anything that would bring me back my little girl...but nothing happened. This was when I remembered that my life wasn't some kind of damn fairytale. I sighed deeply, and went back inside, plopping myself into a kitchen chair. My only family, gone like that. One tear formed, and dropped followed by another, and another, until my head was down on the kitchen table, surrounded by a puddle of tears. I looked down at my shirt, surprised to find that my wound was gone. Then it hit me.

"No..." I said out loud. I ran upstairs, and burst into Flutters room...only to find it filled with boxes and other miscellaneous items. I looked in disbelief breezily, then hurried to the room next to hers, which was supposed to be my room. When I opened it though, there was simply a writing desk, a computer and a rolling chair. My office. I knew then that the Princess must have done something to ensure that nothing was left behind from Flutters. I fell to the ground, broken. My daughter, and anything she may have left behind was gone. I laid down on the ground, silent tears rolling down my cheeks. I had no idea what to do anymore. The only thing that had changed my life...that had made it worth living, was gone. Any essence of her very being was gone. I was going to just sit there perpetually, until I noticed something under the desk. I slowly inched to the desk, and reached under the it, grabbing the item. I pulled it out, and let out an audible gasp. It...it was the leather bound photo album I had given Flutters today for her birthday. I slowly traced the emblem on the leather cover with my finger, looking in disbelief. There was no way this could be here. It was for Flutters, and she would have surely taken it with her. I opened it slowly, making sure that it was the one I had given her. Sure enough, the first pictured showed me my little girl, with a salad leaf stuck to her little face. I smiled, and flipped through the photos I had taken for us. I looked at every one for at least a minute, slowly tracing over the scenes, wishing that there was a chance she would come back. Wishing that this was all just a bad dream, and that I would wake up in no time to find my baby girl outside, tending to her animals. But, I knew that she...was gone. Not from my heart, just from my plane of existence. My heart quivered as I came upon the last picture, which depicted Fluttershy hovering above the ground with me next to her, arm around her. This was taken the day before, and I had taken it to finish off the photo album. The page next to it was a handwritten note I had put in it. The one I had put in there in hopes that she would read it when she was gone. I read it, curious to what it said exactly.

Flutters-
Happy birthday kid! Or not, it really all depends on when you find this. I know this may not be everything you were hoping for, but I hope you can enjoy these as much as I do. I know it's your birthday kiddo, but I feel like every day has been my birthday, my gift being you. You made me smile when I was down and helped me appreciate life for what it is. My heart beats for you, Flutters. You saved me baby girl.
Happy birthday-

Dad.

I smiled. I knew that my job here was done. I raised her right, and now she's out there, tackling whatever life has to offer. And I knew, that she didn't have to be here for her message to live on. She saved me from myself, and I could never be more grateful. I stood up, and hugged the photo album tight, like it was my little girl. As I did though, I heard something. Like paper dropping to the floor. I looked down

"Huh?..." I asked, confused. I slowly bent over, picking up the paper. My heart skipped a beat. It read, 'Daddy' on it. I quickly unfolded it, nervous to what the contents had in store for me. My eyes scanned the paper.

Daddy-
If you're reading this, then sadly, I have officially...left the place I call home. And, you have found the photo album that you gifted me. I know you're confused, but I must make this quick. These memories mean more to me then anything, but I want you to hold onto them. You deserve them. You fathered me, and sheltered me from an unforgiving world, and even though the world looked down upon you, you found enough kindness in your heart to raise a total stranger. And, I know that you think that I saved you, but surely, it is you that saved me. I love you daddy. Please, never forget that. Now, don't be sad. Dry your tears. Though I may be gone, I shall always remain in your heart. As my final wish, I want you to live on. Be happy. For us....

With love-

Flutters.

I looked on in disbelief, reading every word carefully. This surely was here. She had taken her last minutes here, and had written this. I carefully folded the note back up, and slipped it in my pocket, while a single silent tear rolled down my cheek.
And for a first, this tear was of joy. I walked downstairs silently, and walked out onto my porch, sitting down on a chair, carefully watching the sunset while the wind gently twirled the leaves around. Almost like they were dancing. I knew that life would carry on, and I would never quit. Never give up. Because I know, that somewhere out there, my little girl is sitting on a cloud, thinking,

"I love you daddy"
And I can't let her down. I'll carry on. For us.

The end, of a truly beautiful beginning.

Author's Note

Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it! Leave a like to show your support, it really helps out! And for those of you wondering, yes the original author of My little Dasie gave me permission to use his story as a sort of base, and I thank him for that. Feedback always welcome

NOTE: I did not write these songs. Some lyrics have been modified by me. All credit go to their rightful owners.