Chapters Tis a Kindness (Fluttershy Grimdark)
The bright sun cast not a shadow upon land, being held in the sky at the highest point, reflecting the leftovers of dew droplets upon the grass projecting a world of an unusual beauty. It was certainly a day to inspire courage in the introverted pegasus, and such courage was necessary considering the purpose of her journey into Ponyville. She trot along the path into town, saddlebags bouncing with each laid hoof, the ever slightest smile curling along the corners of her mouth. Though the circumstances could have been better, the very thought of improving the world in a manner which she could perform so admirably could only produce overwhelming feelings of joy. So onwards towards the task at hand Fluttershy went, coming up to the door of the Ponyville schoolhouse.
She peered through the nearby window, observing the few yet many fillies and colts in the classroom. Though indeed there were only three fillies and one colt in the classroom, it was a disappointment that there were this many young ponies who were made to remain after school, however hopefully their misbehavior that earned them such punishment shall be corrected by the end of this visit.
Fluttershy entered the small building, silencing the arguments of the young ones and the instructor in unison.
“Um . . .” She began, initially intimidated by the small ponies. “Hello Miss Cheerilee, I’m here for the lecture.”
The magenta pony, Cheerilee, was elated as to the appearance of the yellow pegasus. “Ah, excellent. Attention everypony! Given that those of you present have been particularly naughty lately, I’ve decided that it may be best to have somepony come and tell you all about how good it is to be nice. As such, I’ve gotten one of the nicest ponies in Ponyville to help teach you all about being good fillies and colts.”
And immediately this was met with a quick remark from one particular filly in the audience, one with a luxuriously styled mane and a tiara. “What makes her so nice?”
“Well Diamond Tiara, Fluttershy is the element of kindness and has saved Ponyville on a number of occasions. In fact, she’s so kind that Princess Celestia herself entrusted Fluttershy with teaching Discord how to be more kind and productive.”
“Yeah, well what does that have to do with us? I mean, I can’t speak for the rest of these ruffians but I, for one, am greatly kind!”
“You weren’t very kind when you and Silver Spoon put paste in that other filly’s mane, now were you?”
At this point Diamond Tiara was flush with anger and protested in her defense “She started it!” She exclaimed, slamming her hooves down on her desk.
“Now settle down. Just listen and you’ll all be out of here in no time, and hopefully you all won’t have to be held for detention ever again.”
And with this the filly settled down back into her seat and Fluttershy stood next to the desk, more comforted by the silence of the classroom.
“Thank you Miss Cheerilee. And good evening fillies and colts. I’m sorry if I’m keeping you a bit longer than usual, so I’ll try and get over this as soon as I can. Now, I’m sure you all didn’t mean to be so mean to any of your classmates, and we all sometimes do things without thinking of them, but we all have to remember self control and to try and stop ourselves from doing something mean to another pony.”
The four in their seats nodded in agreement, helping to encourage Fluttershy to continue.
“I’m sure none of you want to stay after school during detention, just like how none of you want to be mean to anypony else, so always try and remember that before you think about doing something to somepony else, think about how it will make them feel, and if it’s an okay thing to do.”
And with that a voice interrupted, quavering with uncertainty as the lone colt in the classroom began to speak up. “Miss Fluttershy?” He inquired, raising his hoof.
“Yes?”
The stout unicorn continued “What if somepony is being mean to you or did something bad to you? What do we do then?”
“That’s a very good question. If somepony is being rude to you then the first thing you should do is to ask them to stop. This doesn’t work all the time but you’d probably be surprised at how often it works if you just ask them very clearly to stop doing the thing that is annoying you, because they might not realize what they’re doing is wrong. If they keep doing the thing then you shouldn’t be mean to them back, like calling them names or getting into a fight, you should try and find the help of a teacher or an adult to help you.”
“But that’s snitching!”
“I know it’s a hard thing to do, but sometimes it’s the best thing to do before a situation gets out of control. If they don’t stop then I suppose you can probably try and talk to them and ask them why they’re being so mean. Like I said before, they might stop if they realize that what they’re doing is mean to you, and if they continue being mean then they might tell you why. If they tell you why then you can try and fix it, because sometimes you might have done something mean to them without even realizing it.”
She smiled as she looked at the faces of the young ones, seeing that the one adorned with a tiara was the only one who remained clearly unsatisfied.
“Do any of you have any questions?”
And immediately hooves went up from the four. With this, Fluttershy nodded to Diamond Tiara. “You first.”
“I didn’t even do anything that bad; I don’t need to be here!”
This complaint, though minor, upset Fluttershy. She continued to smile but was silently disappointed that her message did not get through. It was clear that the filly was corrupted and doomed to a life of trouble, irresponsibility, and misery. Great kindness could be exercised, but it would likely be to no avail, something greater must be done, a drastic measure must be taken.
“I’m sorry to hear that, what’s your name?”
“Diamond Tiara, now that you know my name, can I please leave?”
“If Miss Cheerilee says that it’s okay, you may leave. However, if Miss Cheerilee agrees I’d rather you come to my cottage tomorrow after school so that I may be able to help you much more.”
Fluttershy looked at Miss Cheerilee and the teacher nodded in agreement.
“I think it’s a wonderful idea Fluttershy! And if you come back well mannered and better behaved then I will cancel the rest of your detention.”
“So it’s agreed, you may go now. But remember to show up at my cottage tomorrow.”
The well groomed filly left the schoolhouse in a triumphant trot with not another word but at the doorway she stuck her tongue out and blew a raspberry at the rest of her classmates. Afterwards she hurried on home as Fluttershy addressed the rest of the questions of the young ones. The day continued on as usual and afterwards Fluttershy bid the now more joyous and even tempered children farewell and headed to her cottage, preparing her and the building for the next day.
Author's Note
Life in Equestria is one where concepts of mania and absurdity must be extended beyond the ordinary comprehension, for life in Equestria is one of magic, monsters, misery, and might. Conflict persists without necessary cause, where one is of a greater lack of knowledge if one may even remain in their bed asleep without being abducted by some horror of the night or be compressed into metaphysical energy. To live in Equestria, one is required for their own sake to hold the ideals of humor and hope, for to lack such would leave one a terrible fraction of a pony of unsound mind and unsafe body. It is of a particular necessity that only ponies of optimism may live in the wonderful and mystic land of Equestria.
Tis a Kindness (Fluttershy Grimdark)
The cottage was cozy and roomy, a very pleasant environment that would be very conducive to the efforts ahead. The poor filly, this world has corrupted her, and no matter the efforts she makes Fluttershy knows they will all be without avail, the filly will continue to succumb to the evils this world has. Methods both unorthodox and possibly even unethical must be performed if she is to prevent the further corruption of this unfortunate young pony.
There was a knock at the door. Now is the time. Fluttershy went to the door and took a deep breath. There will be no turning back now. What must be done will be done. So she opened the door and smiled.
“Good evening, Diamond Tiara, welcome. Please come in.” and she stepped aside, allowing the filly to enter. After Diamond Tiara was in the middle of the room, Fluttershy closed the door which shut with a resounding sound through the cottage.
“Alright, let’s just get this over with. I don’t have time to waste on this pathetic thing.” She filly claimed, taking a seat on the couch in the room, sinking into the comfortable cushions.
Fluttershy walked over and sat on the other end of the couch. “Very well. I’d like to thank you for coming, and I promise this will be over soon.”
“It better be.”
“From what I remember you put glue in that other filly’s mane.”
“She deserved it!”
“Okay then. She did she do?”
Diamond Tiara was elated that finally a grown up was taking her side for once, even if her face didn’t demonstrate it by keeping a frown. “Well you see I was in class minding my own business and making the most marvelous picture ever. It was so lovely that it could be hung in a museum for a hundred bits! But then that stupid blank flank, Applebloom, took my glue without asking and started using it, like as if she owned the stuff! And then I knew she would probably waste my glue on that picture that wouldn’t even be suitable for being used to soak up spilled milk! So I told my friend Silver Spoon who was helping me with the picture to take the glue from that stupid blank flank and she did and since I know Miss Cheerilee wouldn’t have done anything about it so I decided that if that blank flank wanted glue so bad then she could have it and I squirted it in her mane. And then Miss Cheerilee acted as if I did the wrong thing and told me and Silver Spoon to stay after school for the rest of the week. I mean, Silver Spoon did take the glue away but I was only doing what Miss Cheerilee should’ve done.”
Diamond Tiara took a few moments to catch her breath, the extensive description of the preceding events taken much of what air filled her miniscule lungs. After she was ready to speak again she continued.
“So as you can see I didn’t do anything bad, and I don’t deserve to be punished.”
“Did Applebloom know you were using the glue?”
“Now you sound just like Miss Cheerilee! Didn’t you hear how it really happened? I didn’t do anything wrong!”
“Just bear with me please. Like I said yesterday, we all make mistakes.”
“The only mistake I made was letting that stupid blank flank snitch on me.”
Fluttershy sighed, growing frustrated with the filly. Her efforts seemed to be making no impact, but regardless she knew she must continue to try. There must be some hope that she may be able to learn.
“Alright, well how about this. If you took a bottle of glue that someone else was using, but you didn’t know it, would you deserve to have paste sprayed in your mane?”
This sent a jolt through the young filly, causing her eyes to open wide in shock. Finally, progress! Fluttershy thought. Perhaps now there may be hope.
“That would be wrong, obviously! If they didn’t want anybody to use it then they should say so, and then I’d tell them before I take it.”
“So was it okay for you to do that to the other filly?”
“Well she knew I was using it and she was just wasting it so that I couldn’t use it!”
“How did she know? Did you write your name on the paste?”
“No, but it was on my desk so she knew I was using it!”
“Maybe she was just going to borrow it for a second?”
“She was going to waste it all in that second!”
“Couldn’t you have asked her to return it?”
“She wouldn’t listen to me; after all she did try using up all the glue!”
“Were you sure she was going to use it all up?”
Frustrated and flush faced, Diamond Tiara turned away. “You’re just like everypony else, blaming me for everything that happens!”
So harsh, the words of this filly were not directed at Fluttershy but they stung just as badly. It wasn’t the simple fact that she is failing to help try and teach this poor youngster the necessary morals needed to live a long and happy life, or that it seems that the filly wouldn’t even acknowledge her. It was the thought that this young pony would grow up into a mare, uneducated and stubborn in her ways and not ready to take on the world. She would grow up and succumb to the evils this world has, and lead a life of persistent suffering, hopelessness, disease, corruption, terror, fear, cold, exploitation, and she will only be able to earn a horrid and painful death.
Fluttershy fought back tears, and stared emptily into space, her eyes pointed towards the floor but she was lost in her own dark mental images of the torture this filly will have to endure later in what is only medically considered life. Lost in the Everfree forest, torn apart by a wild animal, eaten from the inside out from some strange parasite, falling into a deep lake, crushed by a crowd, falling victim to some fellow misguided pony, frozen alive during winter, a slave to the generosity of strangers, forced to work in a mine. Moment by second, the thoughts raced graphically and more extravagantly through her mind until she finally came back to her own responsibility. If she couldn’t do something, these images would some or all become a reality, and she will be responsible for the suffering Diamond Tiara would have to endure.
Tis a Kindness (Fluttershy Grimdark)
Fluttershy’s whole body started to go numb. She couldn’t let herself allow Diamond Tiara to be a victim of her own ways, to do so would be cruel. What kind of pony would she be if she just watched these events unfold? If she would permit the misery to continue, she may as well be the cause to it. But now she is certain, only one course of action may be done. Her hesitation fled from her form, her eyes gained focus and she could feel the world around her again. She tried to avoid it, but it seems there is only one thing left to do.
“I really tried, Diamond Tiara. Please forgive me.”
“The only thing you tried was to blame me when it wasn’t my fault!”
Fluttershy hid her face, buried it in her hooves, her voice slightly muffled but still very clearly understandable.
“No, it’s not that, I tried to help you. I tried so hard to try and get you to be better behaved. If you keep acting like this then you will only be able to live an unbearable life.”
“What’s that mean?”
“It means you won’t be able to experience any joy, you won’t be able to live in any comfort. Your life will be filled with such misfortune. I wanted to try and keep this from happening, but there’s no hope!”
“You’re lying! I will be a beautiful socialite and live in Canterlot. Mares and Stallions alike will worship the very ground I walk on and I will be showered with gifts and praise simply because I am so lovely!”
“But none of that will happen if you continue to be so ill mannered, rude, and set in your ideas. If you truly wish to be like that you must learn to behave, to be social, and to be kind. If you continue to act as you do then you will never be able to enjoy the many aspects of life, and you will be in such torment because of it.”
The words, though heartfelt and spoken with genuine concern were scoffed at by the well groomed filly. “Ha, shows what you know, I will be so astounding that everyone will come to my gatherings!”
“I’m sorry. I’m truly sorry. But I can’t let you live a life of such pain. No matter how much work, no matter how much effort, no matter how much time I won’t be able to change you.”
“And what needs to be changed? I’m just perfect the way I am!”
“I know. That’s the point. You are doomed to misery in your life ahead and it will only get worse as you continue to grow. I can’t allow that to happen.”
“And how are you going to do that? Make sure those stupid blank flanks don’t get in my way again?”
“By making sure no more harm can ever happen to you ever again, by making sure that you won’t ever feel any pain, And by keeping this dangerous world away from you.”
These cold words were spoken with a trembling voice. They were phrased as though a threat, though the tone gave a sense of true sorrow. They startled Diamond Tiara, causing her to now stare in suspense at the yellow pegasus on the other end of the couch.
“What do you mean? You can’t keep me here!”
“And I won’t. Please don’t be afraid. Please, I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Then how will you keep the ‘world away from’ me?”
“I won’t let you live in this terrible, awful world.”
Diamond Tiara was now huddled into the corner of the sofa, still staring. Fluttershy did not seem as though she was particularly fast or strong, so if she tried anything it wouldn’t be a far run from the door.
“You wouldn’t, you’d get caught! You’ll be thrown in the dungeon!”
“I put a lot of thought into this. I want you to know that I won’t hurt you. I have a lot of practice with treating animal wounds and pressure points. All I have to do is press a few arteries, cut off the blood flow, and you’ll just fall asleep. It won’t hurt, I promise. You’ll just fall asleep, and then I’ll press a few more and you won’t ever have to suffer in this world.
“You . . .” She began, stuttering for a moment and then gulping in fear. It was just a small run to the door, just a few steps. If she tried anything then it would be a quick escape. “You’ll be caught by the royal guard if you even try to touch me! I’ll scream!”
“It’s late in the day. Nobody usually comes to the outskirts of the forest around this time. I would be the only one to hear you. Please, don’t be scared. I promise I’ll do everything I can to make sure it doesn’t hurt.”
“If this world is so bad and mean then how come you don’t just kill yourself?” She accused, her voice now quavering. Her sentences began to grow more fractured, interrupted by short breathes.
“I couldn’t do that, not while there are so many ponies that need help to end their suffering or even future suffering such as you.”
“You’re a monster!”
“I know!” and sobs could be heard, though the words still flowed fluidly. “I am a horrible pony, and if anypony or anything tries to stop me I won’t fight back. I know it’s terrible, I should be tossed in the dungeons or deserve any punishment Celestia gives me. But if I don’t do this then I’ll continue to live, knowing the sort of future you and all those other ponies will have! And that makes me an even worse monster.”
Diamond Tiara began to move herself from the corner of the couch now to the edge of the seat. There should be no way for Fluttershy to catch her now if she just left.
“Well you don’t have to do it then! You don’t have to try and kill me!”
“I really must. I’m so sorry Diamond Tiara.”
“Please don’t, I swear I’ll behave. I’ll be a better pony! I won’t do anything like it ever again! Please don’t kill me!”
“I’m so very deeply sorry Diamond Tiara.”
Fluttershy removed her hooves from her face and now looked at Diamond Tiara. Her eyes watered and red. Pain and blurriness a plagued her sight. She began to approach Diamond Taira slowly.
“Please, Diamond Tiara, please don’t be afraid. It won’t hurt, I promise. You’ll just fall asleep and that will be all.”
The filly bolted for the door, and managed to get a few steps away from the couch before being pounced upon by the blonde pegasus who held her down with surprising strength.
“I’m so sorry Diamond Tiara.”
Fluttershy struck several blows, two to the neck and one to the side of the head. They were not powerful; they did not have to be. Though the filly beneath her struggled furiously, screaming till her voice was hoarse, it was to no avail. She stopped struggling, growing weaker, though she remained conscious. It was not long until she stopped struggling, her breaths short and weak. Fluttershy turned the small pony over face up. She could see that the unfortunate one remained awake, but was likely not in pain.
“It will be okay. Try not to be scared. You will never have to suffer ever again.”
And so she began to press on the throat, being careful not to hurt the filly but applying enough pressure so that she would stop breathing. Diamond Tiara did not struggle, and probably couldn’t. It was not much longer until the unfortunate Diamond Tiara finally slipped away, no longer a victim of the world around her. The act was finished.
Tis a Kindness (Fluttershy Grimdark)
Fluttershy drew the blinds and went over to the body. She cried openly over the corpse, it looked as though the poor filly was simply sleeping, but she knew very clearly it was not so. She will never forgive herself, she doesn’t deserve forgiveness for her actions but she knows what she did was right. It was a mercy, the greatest kindness of all, to keep an innocent young pony from having to grow in a world of corruption, havoc, mayhem, and terror.
Night was approaching; the copper-blood sunset was in the sky, signaling the coming of the moon. Fluttershy went into the kitchen, her motions forced with little emotion behind them. She was acting purely mentally, her motions almost mechanic in nature. She retrieved a bag from the pantry and brought it into the center of the cottage and opened it on the floor, the bag filled with food scraps that were clearly in a state of rot. The bag was helpful in the aid to grow the various plants of the forest so that the animals may be able to feed themselves when they desired, but now it may be used to feed the more tricky animals of the wild. She slid the body into the sack, and buried it beneath the decomposing matter, the coat of the creature stained easily and quickly became filthy, the purple and white mane turned brown and green in the compost, and the smells were indistinguishable. She opened the door to the cottage and left, heaving the bag along with her.
She traveled deep into the forest with the bag until she was quite a ways from Ponyville and any potential for prying eyes. She removed the body from the bag and laid it upon the green forest floor. It was now covered in rotted pieces of decomposing matter, splotches of slime on parts of its coat, and the mane which was so wonderfully groomed was now ruffled, scattered, and with splatters of brown grease. There were very dark marks on the neck and side of the head of this body, precisely what was to be expected from the actions that preceded this journey. Though her actions were done precisely as she desired them, with no anticipation nor hesitation, she could still no longer bear to allow her eyes to continue to wander. She turned away and retrieved the sack and trudged back to her cottage.
What’s done is done, the bears, wolves, and creatures of carrion shall feast well tonight. It’ll likely take a few days until the body is finally gone along with the bones and what will be left is nothing more than a few bits. The filly will be missed, certainly, but she arrived alone and it’s only understandable she would leave alone. She seemed like such a clearly independent filly, so claiming she galloped on home by herself wouldn’t be out of the question. However the truth behind the disappearance of Diamond Tiara will be left only to one individual, the yellow pegasus named Fluttershy.
