Switching Sidesby Annalisa FlatChaptersA Wish Gone WrongSeeking AnswersPutting the Pieces TogetherA Wish Gone WrongFluttershy awakened to the sounds of birds chirping a melodious tune across the meadow. She gracefully stretched out her limbs, eliminating any stiffness that developed the previous night. Slowly but calmly, she trotted over to her kitchen, and poured herself cup of tea to start her day off. As she stirred her drink, she glanced out the kitchen window and caught a glimpse of the beautiful landscape outside her petite, forest cottage. Eager to get some fresh air, she escaped the walls of her home to observe nature's wonders. As she exited her warm cottage, several bunnies hopped forward towards her hooves, their noses twitching as they nuzzled her coat lovingly. The radiance of the sun beamed down on her pastel pink mane, as the thick strands were lifted by the wind. The smell of daisies sugarcoated the air, as she breathed in the sweet aroma. She leaned down and picked several of the flowers to give to her good friend, Twilight. Then, with one effortless flap of her wings, she flew slowly into her cottage to retrieve her tea, and galloped off to Ponyville, her woven baskets intact. Fluttershy approached Twilight's tree library with a grin plastered on her face. Today the two of them were going to go out to the market and explore the shops. Not only would this give her the chance to spend time with her friend, but she planned on buying a few things for her own. Hopefully she could use her assertive ways more effectively, unlike the last time. Fluttershy knocked lightly on the wooden door, being careful not disrupt her conscientious friend. She was working on a new spell this week, and the slightest interruption could break her concentration. Several seconds later, a purple mare with wings and a horn emerged from the library. "Why hello Fluttershy," Twilight said, in her usual happy tone."Are you ready to go to the market?" "Yes, I'm very prepared," she replied, though her voice was barely audible. "Glad to hear it!" Cheered Twilight."With all my princess duties, I haven't gotten a chance to just hang out in Ponyville! I'm glad my scheduling worked out." Fluttershy just nodded in agreement. She wasn't one to talk in any situation. "Let's go!" ~~~~~ By the time the two mares got to the market, there was already a remarkable amount of commotion. Everywhere they looked, tall tented stands lined the walls of the street. The shopkeepers shouted advertisements that could be heard from a mile away, where as the other ponies were tossing around bits faster than their eyes could handle. Fruits, vegetables, and toys were piled into wooden barrels at every shop, attracting Fluttershy, who wanted to buy them desperately. Instead, to be kind and considerate of Twilight, she followed the purple alicorn through the busy streets. No matter where Fluttershy looked, somepony was always looking at Twilight, who had become the talk of Equestria. Some of them even built up the courage to confront her, and ask for a quick autograph. Twilight signed everything with a huge smile, where as Fluttershy was starting to frown. Not only was this taking away from her time with her best friend, but Twilight got all the attention, where as she was still the unknown pony on the sidelines. After what seemed like an eternity of walking and signing, Twilight had finally found the store she was looking for. It was a worn down antique shop. Twilight pushed Fluttershy inside, and slammed the doors shut. "Finally," She sighed. "A moment of privacy." She sat there for a second, collected her thoughts, and than began to speak. "I'm going to go ahead and look at some of the old books in the reading section,"She announced."If you want to take a look too, go ahead. If not, feel free to look around. I know this place like the back of my own hoof, so if you want to find something, just ask me!" "Um..ok,"Fluttershy whispered, careful not to annoy other guests. At first she planned to stick with Twilight no matter what, but she had her bits. Why not take a look around? She took a brief look around and decided to look through the section labeled,"Antiques and Old Toys." You never know when you'll find something cute in there, like a candle for your nightstand, or and old mini statue to place on your coffee table. As she scanned the shelves, she noticed something in the back corner that looked out-of-place. Curious, she reached her hoof in to grab the item. Besides, she felt guilty leaving something that didn't belong there. Fluttershy peered into the shelf to find that the object was, a rock? What was a rock doing in the store. She flipped the chipped stone over and read the tag observantly. In tiny handwritten words, the tag said this... Hello, valued customer! What you see here if called a dream diamond. According to ancient stories, a pony who's felt neglected can make a single, irreversible wish of their choice. Once the wish has been made, the stone will turn into a diamond, perfect for decor or jewelery. If you can't manage to make your wish come true, feel free to take this to a jeweler, who will reveal the gem under the black surface. Then you get a beautiful piece of decor to put in your home or apartment! Happy wishing! Fluttershy laughed slightly. She knew that you couldn't simply wish on a rock and expect the dream to come true. Though, the gem in the core of the rock sounded promising, and it was only a single bit. Maybe she could use it as a good luck charm. She dropped the stone in her woven basket, and trotted off towards Twilight, who had dozed off while reading a book. "Huh, what?" She questioned, unaware that she had fallen asleep."Oh, sorry to keep you waiting Fluttershy. Clearly I'm not buying that book. Did you find anything you liked?" "Actually, yes,"Fluttershy took the stone out of her basket and showed it to Twilight."It was very cheap, and I plan on making it a good luck charm." "Hmm, a dream gem?" Twilight said disapprovingly. "I've heard the name before. Are you sure you want to buy it?" "Of course," she answered. "I have no intention of using it for it's intentional use." "If you say so," Twilight trotted over to the entrance of the store. "Go ahead and make your transaction. I'll be waiting outside for you!" Fluttershy made her way to the front desk, and immediately pulled out her bits. She placed one on the counter next to the shop owner, who looked at her wide-eyed. "Um, you keep the bit," The stallion responded."Free of charge." "Thank you!" Fluttershy shouted, though her shout was more at the noise level of any other pony talking."That's very kind of you." The shopkeeper just shrugged at her comment and continued to go through what looked like a pile of papers on his desk. Fluttershy, on the other hand, was happy as a clam as she skipped out the doors, only to find that a cluster of cameras were shooting like mad-mares at a certain spectacle. To my surprise, the spectacle was not Twilight. "Yes, my performance in the Best Young Flyer's competition will be 20% cooler than that of last time." Rainbow Dash? How did she attract all those people? Fluttershy pondered this as Rainbow Dash posed over dramatically for the paparazzi below. "Ok everypony, ditch the cameras," ordered Rainbow Dash, and in a blink, everyone had left the area. Rainbow flew down towards Fluttershy and Twilight, making a swift landing that was photo ready. "Hey, guys!" said Rainbow."What's up?" "We were just going through that antique shop over there,"Explained Twilight."How did you attract all those people?" "Well as you know, I just came back from the Wonderbolt Academy," Rainbow said in a show-off voice. "Before I left, Spitfire said that I had a chance of being a Wonderbolt!" "Um, thats great, um, Rainbow Dash," whispered Fluttershy, but Rainbow Dash didn't hear her. "It sure is a big deal," added Rainbow." If I wasn't the fastest pony in Ponyville, I wouldn't have this chance right now!" "We're very happy for you!" chirped Twilight. "Hey, where'd Fluttershy go?" The two mares looked down the street, only to find that a certain yellow pegasus was running down the road, teardrops streaming down her face. ~~~~~~~ Fluttershy rampaged through the forest, trying to put as much distance between herself and the city as possible. She was searching for her favorite spot to be alone. It overlooked a sea of fluff that lined a long meadow. When she saw it in the distance, she ran as fast as she could, and dug her face into the grass. Suddenly, something began to brush her mane and rub her back. When she glance behind herself, she realized it was Angel, as well as a few of her other meadow friends. They were consoling her with kind words, though only Fluttershy could understand. "Oh Angel, it just can't take it anymore!" She cried." Twilight is a princess and Rainbow Dash is known throughout Equestria for her flying. What am I?" Suddenly, Angel began to speak. "You're a great friend," "I know, but think about it. I'm a pegasus who can barely pass as even a basic flyer. What does that say about me?" Fluttershy asked hopelessly. "Sure, you can't fly. But you can talk to us! No other pegasus pony can do that, can they?" "No,"She responded,"but I just feel like that's not what I'm meant to be. Like I'm meant to do more than stay on the ground for the rest of my life. My wings are meant to fly." "I'm sorry, Fluttershy," "It's ok Angel." Fluttershy reached into her basket and took out the dream diamond. "If you can actually grant wishes," She stuttered in sadness," I wish that I will be a great flyer one day, just like Rainbow Dash." The rock did nothing but sit there. Fluttershy looked at it as if she suspected it was translating her cry for help. But nothing happened. It was no use. Did she actually think that it would work? She was a lunatic. She stood up and walked shamefully down the road with her head down, and a look of depression on her face. When she got to the front door, she stormed through it and threw herself in bed, unaware that the dream diamond was glowing suspiciously. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Fluttershy awoke the next morning to the peaceful sound of nothing. Precisely nothing. This baffled to her, as she usually awoke to the sound of birds chirping. She fluttered her eyes gently, opened them all the way, then placed a look of confusion on her face. Why was the ceiling blue? She blinked several times to assure it wasn't a trick on her eyes, but unfortunately, it was none other than the color blue. Something wasn't right. She sat up, and observed the room. What was going on?!?! The room she awoke to was completely foreign to her. It looked as if it were a college dorm. She was sleeping on a blue bed, with the Wonderbolt's insignia sewn onto the bedspread. There was only one window, which was located right next to the door. A single sink sat in the corner of the room, and under it were professionally made cabinets. Curiousity consumed Fluttershy's mind as she opened the cabinets. What was inside perplexed her to the max. All of HER toiletries were thrown into the cabinet, though she hadn't the slightest clue how they got there. Fear overtook her, as she explored a closet right next to the sink. Now her mind was spiraling out of control. All of her outfits that she wore on certain occasions were hung up, excluding an unfamiliar garment in the back of the closet. As she removed the outfit from the hangar, her eyes shot out out of their sockets. A Wonderbolt Academy suit? Author's Note Third story! This story is currently my top priority, for I am entering it in a competition. My other stories will be on hold for a brief amount of time (sorry, Tom the Bomb.) Anyways, thanks for reading!!!!!!!!! Seeking AnswersThis wasn't happening. She must be dreaming. But no matter how many times she tried to wake up from this horrible nightmare, the costume remained to exist. She hyperventilated. Fear swallowed her confidence, and her heart rate increased dramatically. Her little life was peaceful, ordinary, never interrupted by witchcraft of this sort. How in Equestria is this going on? That's when she heard a knock at the door. Being the polite pony she was, she set her own predicament down for a second so that she could address the pony at the door. When she turned the knob and opened the door, a teal mare with windblown blond hair stepped into her tiny room. She had pegasus wings, and was wearing a suit identical to the one in Fluttershy's closet. "Fluttershy, what are you still doing in your robe?!" she asked."We're going to be late for practice now, and Spitfire is going to hammer us when we get there!!!" "Um, excuse me, do I know you?" Fluttershy questioned. The pegasus rolled her eyes."Very funny, Fluttershy. Of course you know me. I'm Lightning Dust. I'm unforgettable." "Well, I seem to have forgotten you," Fluttershy said, now extremely worried. "I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR GAMES!" She screamed, her face resembling a red cherry."Get in your suit, and let's go to class! I can't show up without you, because I'm the wing pony." "Um, ok, give me some time to get ready..." Lightning Dust had slammed the door shut before Fluttershy could finish her sentence. How rude she thought. She couldn't mind that now, for she had a bigger dilemma on her hands. How does that mare know her? Where was she? What was going on!!!!!!!!! Immediately, Fluttershy calmed down with one of Cadance's breathing techniques. Yes, she did have a serious problem that she couldn't solve. Though, as the element of kindness, she had no right to hold up everypony's day, and decided to simply go with the flow for a single day. Maybe things will start to become more clear as the day progressed. All she needed was some fresh air. Fluttershy reached into the closest and retrieved the academy suit. To her surprise, it fit perfectly when she slipped it on. Next, she had to brush out her hair and such. However, something in the sink mirror caught her eye. She stepped back, and began to hyperventilate. Her cutie mark had changed. Now, instead of three pink butterflies, there was a single butterfly, followed by a streak, making it resemble a shooting star. This wasn't logical. Her cutie mark had only switched when one of Twilight's spells went wrong, but this, this was her cutie mark, individualized to fit her, except this wasn't hers. How much chaos could've happened in a single night? Fluttershy rushed through her routine, fearing that if she didn't get some fresh air, she might go mad. She sprinted towards the door. However, when she opened it, there wasn't any solid ground. Only a tiny patch of clouds were there to act as a sidewalk. She looked around some more. To her right, hundreds of dorms just like hers stood on the clouds. To the left, a dining hall stood proudly with a wonderbolt emblem across the top. Lastly, in the center of it all, a long stretch of floating land seemed to act as a runway of sorts, and several groups of ponies were sitting in groups next to instructors in military outfits. That must be where I need to go, she told herself. Careful not to fall on her take off, Fluttershy leaped into the air and soared down at her normal pace. It was actually quite easy, as if she had gained more wing power overnight. She decided to pick up the pace just an inch. This was still surprisingly easy. Suddenly, she had a need for speed. She put a lot of effort in this time while flying downwards, so much that she couldn't pull up. She had gone straight under the land, and was plummeting down. Immediately, she discovered why. A small skinny cone had formed around her, pushing her muscles with so much resistance that she had to let go of the grasp. When she stopped flying, a sudden burst of energy threw her back up into the air above her. She struggled to gain her balance, and instead came crashing down. She heard a sudden bump, and her stomach cried in pain. What had she fallen into? She looked up, and realized ten ponies were staring at her with displeased eyes. One of these ponies was a mare with fire like orange hair, a yellow coat, and a military uniform. Fluttershy recognized the face in a millisecond. It was Spitfire, captain of the wonderbolts, and Rainbow Dash's idol. "FLUTTER-SHY!" she shouted, attempting to get her attention."WHY DID YOU HOLD UP THE WHOLE GROUP?" "Oh my," Fluttershy awed."You're Spitfire, captain of the Wonderbolts!" "We've met before, Fluttershy" Spitfire gave her confused eyes. Fluttershy couldn't understand why. Instead, she continued to talk. "Oh, my friend Rainbow Dash is a huge fan!" she announced."I remember she saved you with a sonic rainboom once, and she attends this school, I believe." "I don't know what's gotten into you this morning, Fluttershy," Spitfire said,"but I've never heard that name in my entire life. We don't have a student named Rainbow Dash." Fluttershy's jaw dropped as she heard those words. She didn't know who Rainbow Dash was?! That's crazy! Something strange was going on, something stranger than waking up in a dorm that's not your own. "Oh, now I remember!" "You know who Rainbow Dash is?" "Ya," She replied. Fluttershy saw a little hope. "She's that mare who chickened out at the best young flyer's competition a few years back. Who was it that won again?" "I believe it was Rarity, Spitfire," Answered a mare with straight blond hair and a pink coat. "Ah yes, that's right," Spitfire said."Anyways, let's get back on track. We are going to start our day off with 500 laps, then 100 wing-ups, and lastly, a turn on the dizitron. Fluttershy?" "Um, yes ma'am?" She answered nervously. "Since you're generally faster than the other students, you will double everything and go on maximum level of the dizitron." "Wait, WHAT?" "Good luck!" Spitfire cheered as she went to her post. Fluttershy gulped. She was the slowest flyer in Equestria, and Spitfire expected her to be faster than all these prodigies? She wanted to buy herself time to think about this, but she knew she couldn't when an earsplitting horn blared its sound across the campus, signaling the start of the exercise. The other pegasi leaped into the air effortlessly, and began making laps around the chunk of land. Here it goes, Fluttershy thought to herself, as she beated her wings repeatedly. When she was at a stable hover, she dashed ahead as far as her wings could take her. In a single effort, she managed to catch up to the others easily. But catching up was nothing. She knew she had to fly double-time if she was going to please Spitfire. She took a deep breath, and darted as fast as she could. The sudden burst of wind startled her, as she covered her eyes with her hooves. That was when a loud voice from below shouted, "LAP 1!" She had already done a lap? She glanced around, and discovered that she had indeed flown a whole lap, and effortlessly too. Why was she so strong today? Did she have a good night's rest? The question was beyond her right now, as all she cared about was getting through the next 999, make that 998, laps ahead of her. Scanning the sky with her eyes, she flew exceptionally, avoiding all hazards and flyers. The laps went by in a breeze, faster than anypony could count them. And for the first time this morning, she was having fun, as if this really WAS her life, and flying was her forte. Before she knew it, all one thousand were up, and though she didn't believe it, she still beat everypony to the finish. "Nice work, Fluttershy,"congratulated Spitfire."Go ahead and do your wing-ups. The other students are still struggling." "Yes, ma'am," She said with a smile on her face. She was astonished! In all her life, she had been left in the shadows,, and wanted nothing more than to fly like Rainbow Dash. Now, in..wait..WHAT! Something inside her snapped. She could've sworn that was the wish she made on the Dream Diamond was excactly that. Her wish had come true! It all made sense now. She wished that she could fly just like Rainbow Dash. Now, she is pretty much living Dash's life on an alternate timeline. That would explain why Spitfire didn't know who she was! It would also explain why she woke up in a room she didn't know about. This is how her life plays out on this alternate timeline. But wait... it's irreversible. Her life before is history, like none of it ever existed. Does that mean, oh no. Her friends, are they still her friends? Is Twilight in Ponyville? What have the rest of her friends become? Where's Angel? Can she still talk to animals? All these questions swam in her mind as she competed her one-hundred wing-ups. After all, Rainbow Dash said the best way to relieve stress is through exercise. After she was done, she just sat there. Is this really what she wants? Is being a great flyer worth sacrificing all your friendships? What had she done? "Nice work, Fluttershy," said Spitfire, who had been watching her. "Let's get you in the dizitron. Then you won't have to wait for every pony to finish up, and you can have a break. You have been working exceptionally hard lately.' "Thanks," Fluttershy replied, though she had no idea what the dizitron could be. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Spitfire guided Fluttershy to a gigantic spiraling circle at the end of the runway. The purple and green contraption had a little pocket that could hold a single pony. When Spitfire ushered her over to it, she shivered in fear, but gave in unwillingly. "Ok, you know the drill," Spitfire said as she directed a stallion to pull a huge lever. "Um, yes I do, um," Fluttershy said in her shy voice," But could you, maybe repeat the instructions again?" Spitfire face-hoofed. " Fine. The dizitron is going to spin you around and make you very dizzy. When you are released, try to regain your balance ad direction, and fly back to this point. Got it?" "Um, maybe?" she responded. Spitfire orded the stallion to continue pulling the lever until it got to maximum power. Fluttershy was drowning in tears as the dizitron nauseated her and scared the feathers out of her. She couldn't catch her breath as she wailed continuously. Suddenly, a weightless feeling overtook her, and she was flung into the air in a full-on spinout. Don't cry Fluttershy, don't cry Fluttershy, she said to herself, trying to regain her balance. She then immediately darted forward, did a loop de loop, and tried to achieve a stable landing. Fortune called on her that day, as she stuck the landing flawlessly. "Nice, 5.7 seconds, that's an academy record." Fluttershy blushed sweetly. She wasn't used to getting so much kind attention towards herself. usually that attention was distributed to Rainbow and Twilight. Finally, she got to be the star, and since she was strong and fast in this timeline, she didn't have to lift a finger to be victorious. "Great job today, Fluttershy. Are you planning on entering the Best Young Flyer's Competition?" "The what?" Fluttershy was confused. "You know, where all the best pegasi show off their flying skills. We aren't the judges this year, but we do get to send one representative for the academy. If you're up to it, you can enter." Fluttershy instantly did a fangirl squeal. Be the school's representative in a televised competition? That's everypony's dream! She had to except, but she wanted to play it cool, just like Rainbow Dash. "Um, I'll think about it." "Good," She responded, happy to hear that her favorite flyer might compete."You're first on my list, but tell me soon." "Sure thing!"Fluttershy chirped."See you tomorrow for practice!" Spitfire soared of to the other side of the runway to speak with the other students. Fluttershy wanted to stick around and help, but she had more important things to worry about. She didn't want the world to collapse because she changed history with one thoughtless wish. She darted to her cloud dorm and pushed the door open slowly. She scanned the room, looking for none other than the dream diamond. She ransacked through every cabinet, every shelf, but she couldn't find it. Not until she spotted her weaved baskets in the corner on a table. She facehoofed herself. She never took the rock out, so of course it was in there! Now she had a huge mess to clean up later, only because she wasn't thinking. Fluttershy walked slowly over to the basket, hoping there wasn't some dimensional poison left over, and reached her hoof in. Thinking it was the dream diamond, she pulled an object up, but the fuzzy fur on it made her have a heart attack. What was that creature?! She peered into the basket, and found something she thought she had lost forever. "Angel!!!!!!!!!! "Hi Fluttershy." Fluttershy embraced the creature, giving it a little kiss on the nose. "I thought I had lost you forever! How are you here?!" "Well, when the dream diamond transported us to this alternate timeline, it transported the baskets as well. Since I was in the basket, I came along with you to this world." "But wait, how can I still talk to you? My cutie mark changed..." "The single butterfly is still on your cutie mark, which shows that you still have your connection with animals." "How do you know all this? I thought you were in the box the whole time." " I was in the box, not blind. I watched the whole thing happen last night. I was worried about you, so I stayed up all night." "Aw, that's so sweet! Though it's kinda weird that I'm getting all my answers from a bunny. Now come on. There's a certain purple unicorn I need to talk to." Angel handed Fluttershy the dream diamond, which, no surprise, had turned into a diamond, just like the description said. She trotted over to her closest, took out her saddlebags, and placed the diamond inside. Angel climbed on her back, and they flew off, hoping that Twilight was still in Ponyville. They had some magical business to discuss. Author's Note I have nothing to say except, here's chapter 2! Enjoy! Putting the Pieces TogetherFluttershy soared down towards Ponyville, her eyes peering into every window, every street, looking for the purple mare she so desperately needed to speak to. Ponies trotted down the streets, carrying saddlebags filled with clothing they recently purchased. Others were observing the fruit carts, handing over a couple bits for a bushel of apples. Behind one of the fruit stands stood an orange mare with blond hair that was in complete disarray. Atop her head stood a brown country hat, that Flutters so obviously recognized. Expecting nothing but casualty, she flew down to greet her beloved friend. " Oh Applejack!" Fluttershy declared, relieved. "I've been looking everywhere for Twilight! Have you seen her?" Applejack gazed at her with a slightly perplexed expression. "Ah'm mighty sorry, but, who are you?" "It's me, Fluttershy!" she replied, smiling with relief. "You're Fluttershy?!" Her friend's pupils grew the size of a watermelon. "Why, It's so great to meet you! I'm Applejack!" "We've already met," she chirped, slightly shocked at her friend's unusual response. "We have?" She questioned. "Why, I think I'd remember meeting a skilled flier like you." Impatience emerged from her mind as she thrust her hoof out to softly hit AJ's shoulder. "Nice prank, AJ. Let me guess, Rainbow Dash put you up to this." Fluttershy failed to swallow her incoming giggle. "Listen, I respect you, Honest!" Applejack backed away."But ah've never met you, or this Twilight you speak of." Fear cloaked Fluttershy's mane as a sense of realization overtook her. This darned alternate timeline had messed up her treasured friendships too! What ELSE had it done? Fluttershy jammed her hind leg into AJ's cart, furious as a griffon. She didn't realize what she had done until squashed apples and the remnants of the cart lay smashed and destroyed. She cautiously backed away. "Oh, um, sorry....." Before she knew it, AJ was throwing apples like a mad mare, Fluttershy her intended target. She felt a slight ache of pain in her right side, where a bruise formed where an apple had been pelted at. AJ's next several throws were slightly off aim, and hit two nearby ponies walking nearby. Bon Bon, one of the victims, became enraged with fury. Nobody messed with her, because she turned into a maniac when she didn't get her way. The best background pony of them all wasn't going to get away with apple assault. Bon Bon and the other victim, Carrot Top, Dove into a nearby vegetable cart, and emerged with a hoof full of tomatoes. Fluttershy watched as Applejack shuddered, hiding behind the wreckage of her cart. Bon Bon thrusted a tomato at the mare, hitting her in the muzzle. AJ growled. More apples and tomatoes were pelted, each being on aim, injuring their opponent. A large group of school fillies and colts saw the fight, and decided to get in on the fun. Cheerilee, the teacher with them, sighed. "Come on, every pony! Let's go back to the schoolhouse and........." Before any pony knew it, a mass vegetable war had started up in the middle of the intersection. Flutters let out a squeal that could be heard to nopony else but herself, for she knew she was the catalyst of this dilemma. All she wanted to do was gallop home, lock the doors, and cry heavily under the sheets of her bed. All of this, because of that dream diamond.... That was when it hit her. She left behind her crazy ambitions, and made a mad dash for the antique shop. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Fluttershy burst through the doors of the antique shop, only to find a lazy store clerk napping on a table, drool escaping his lips. Ew. Some ponies in her life simply lacked poise and grace. She set this thought aside, and let out a muffled squeal that was just enough to wake the sleeping Stallion. "Huh, what?" He mumbled, grasping reality with his hooves once again. "Oh, that nightmare was awful. Hot Dogs, walking around, eating lettuce..." Fluttershy twitched at his active imagination. What was a hot dog? She sighed. "Um, I was wondering if you could tell me a little about this dream diamond." She dove into her saddlebags, retrieving the crystalized artifact. "I bought it several days ago, and I'm confused." The stallion's expression changed like a reflex, cringing up in sudden realization. A look of deja vu crossed his face, toying with his emotions, twisting a and spinning his brain into mush. He looked at Fluttershy observantly, as if he was trying to translate an internal presence that had landed in his skull. Fearfully, the clerk spoke. "Come with me." he slowly walked over to a door in the back of the shop, labeled DO NOT ENTER. Fluttershy reluctantly followed, unsure of where they were going. The two ponies tip-hoofed down an old set of stairs, the floorboards creaking every step. The wallpaper wilted and ripped, cloaking the walls in destruction and darkness. Very few light could be seen, besides a few rays squeaking their way through the tight openings of the ceiling. It wasn't until several staircases later that a significant source of light was visible, illuminating brightly among the cluttered room it supplied light to. Fluttershy stepped off the stairs, her hooves swimming in the soft, wool carpet. Test tubes serenaded on their racks as blasts of chemical air shooted out their beakers and tubes. The shopkeeper whistled a tune, as if he was attempting to harmonize with his musical potions. "Oh, this?" He asked her, though she never questioned him. "This is an old experiment I've been working on. If you're never going to do anything with your second life, you might as well make up for the lost time by trying something new..." "In English please," Fluttershy interrupted, not very found of anything beyond the basics. "Oh, sorry for confusing you," he said, taking the dream diamond from Fluttershy's possession. He slipped it into a cupboard below his desk, careful not to break the priceless gem. "Tell me the truth, did this, "dream diamond", completely turn your life around?" "Well ya," she responded, thinking it was obvious. " What does that have to do with anything?" "IT'S A MIRACLE!" The clerk shouted, nearly knocking over a beaker or two. " another victim, that is actually in my alternate timeline! GENIUS!" Fluttershy scrunched up her muzzle in confusion. "Um, I'm not sure I'm following..." "OK FINE," she yelled, though careful not to be heard."I'll explain it in idiot terms." Fluttershy was deeply offended, wanting to flap the stallion in the face for saying something so crude, but since she was still the element of kindness, she refrained from producing violence. "As you probably know, when you wished for something on the dream diamond, you were transported to another timeline, where your wish came true," he explained thoroughly, assuring that Fluttershy was following. " Well for some crazy reason, you were transported to the same timeline I am in, for I too was a victim of the dream diamond." Flutters nearly choked on her own saliva upon hearing this news. HOW IN EQUESTRIA WAS THIS EVEN POSSIBLE? She began to hyperventilate feverishly. "Now yellow mare, calm yourself," the stallion reassured. "It's not like the universe is going to collapse on us in the next 24 hours. Anyways, after you hear MY story, I can hear all about your suffering." "Ok.." she said, drowning in utmost fear while her trans-dimensional friend had a conversation with her. "Anyways.." He began," I was simply walking through the Phillydelphia Diamond mines, when I came across a strange, ominous rock. Curious, I picked it up, careful to make sure no security guards saw it, and walked slowly away. Then I thought, what's the need to hide it? It's not like they would've wanted it. After that, I went to work, where I was shamefully fired..." Fluttershy's empathetic characteristics came pouring out at the thought of this, covering her eyes to make sure nobody saw her tears. "It's not that bad!" He consoled, careful not to disrupt her. "Calm down. We really must get on with the story. I was sad and ashamed. That's when the rock began to glow suspiciously. I thought it was just a reflection in the light, but I was still entranced by its beauty, so I wished,'Please get me a job, somewhere, somehow, and I will be eternally grateful.' The rock transported me to Ponyville, but I didn't know that it changed everything about me besides my unemployment." He quickly galloped over to the cupboard that Fluttershy's dream diamond was in, and retrieved another identical one, just slightly smaller. "Well, that's certainly peculiar.." She responded, still unable to take the whole situation in. "It was nice meeting you and all, but I really must get going. I have flying practice, and I need to go speak to Twilight Sparkle about this curse we have here." "Who's Twilight?" "There's no time to explain," She responded, taking the diamond from his grasp and stuffing it in her saddlebag. She began trotting up the stairs at a fast, rushed pace. "BUT WAIT! I FORGOT TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE TIME CONTINUUM CUR..." A wooden door was heard slamming shut overhead. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Spitfire sat impatiently on the training ground, her hoof watch ticking away, as well as her students' patience. A bright sunny forecast was recorded that day, and although the students were eager to stretch their wings, a certain pink haired pegasus mare was holding up the entire team. "What is up with Fluttershy this week?" Spitfire questioned, glancing at her students to make sure there weren't any other absences. "This is the second day in a row she has been late to class, and It's a penalty to all of us." A turquoise mare soared over to the group, wings outstretched and blond hair blown back in the wind. She landed roughly on the landing area. Barely sticking it. "You know if I was grading that you'd have a very poor score," added Spitfire. "Now, where's that lazy partner of yours? "I searched her dorm, Spitfire," she responded."I couldn't find her anywhere. She must be down by Ponyville." "Thank you for searching, Lightning Dust," said Spitfire, putting a dark red check near Fluttershy's photo on her clipboard. "Now, I suggest we begin with several hundred laps around the expanse.." "I'M HERE!" Shouted a sweaty Fluttershy, her face burning like asphalt. "I had a, family situation." "You're lucky you're here today," she responded, scribbling out the red mark. "If I didn't get a response from you today on the Best Young Flyer's Competition, I would've skipped you and moved on to my second choice, which is..." she scanned the list accordingly. "Lightning Dust." Fluttershy glanced over at raving mad Lightning Dust, who had just purposely stepped on another stallion's tail to let out her anger. I see why Rainbow Dash always hated her, she thought to herself. "WHAT ARE YOU DOSING OFF FOR, FLUTTER-SHY!" yelled Spitfire in her loud, coaching voice. "Go get to your laps!" "Oh, yea, sorry..." The morning seemed to go off without a hitch. Drills were conducted, we took turns on the dizitron, nothing out of the sort. That was until Spitfire called Flutters over to talk. Fearfully, she flapped over to her supposed mentor, expecting lots of annoying lecturing. "So, are you excited about the Best Young Flyer's competition in a few months?" she asked positively. Fluttershy looked at her blankly. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't give it a second thought. I've been so sidetracked.." "I'm sure you have," she interrupted. "With the 1,000th Summer Sun Celebration coming up in a couple of days, I'm sure you've been busy socializing with visitors coming to Ponyville this year." Once again, Fluttershy's expression was in a state of confusion. "I don't mean to correct you, but, Isn't it the 1,003rd? In Manehatten?" "Nope. It's 1,000 on the nose," She corrected. "and Princess Celestia is sending her prized student here to foresee the preparations. I think her name is Twilight. Being in Canterlot all the time, I know pretty much all the ponies." Fluttershy backed away. "and what about Luna?" "Who?" Fluttershy Choked. Author's Note Sorry about how long this took. With school eating up my time, I had to give it first priority above my writing. I hope this plot twist got you out of your seats and ready for more! Spoiler: Angel returns in chapter 4.
A Wish Gone WrongFluttershy awakened to the sounds of birds chirping a melodious tune across the meadow. She gracefully stretched out her limbs, eliminating any stiffness that developed the previous night. Slowly but calmly, she trotted over to her kitchen, and poured herself cup of tea to start her day off. As she stirred her drink, she glanced out the kitchen window and caught a glimpse of the beautiful landscape outside her petite, forest cottage. Eager to get some fresh air, she escaped the walls of her home to observe nature's wonders. As she exited her warm cottage, several bunnies hopped forward towards her hooves, their noses twitching as they nuzzled her coat lovingly. The radiance of the sun beamed down on her pastel pink mane, as the thick strands were lifted by the wind. The smell of daisies sugarcoated the air, as she breathed in the sweet aroma. She leaned down and picked several of the flowers to give to her good friend, Twilight. Then, with one effortless flap of her wings, she flew slowly into her cottage to retrieve her tea, and galloped off to Ponyville, her woven baskets intact. Fluttershy approached Twilight's tree library with a grin plastered on her face. Today the two of them were going to go out to the market and explore the shops. Not only would this give her the chance to spend time with her friend, but she planned on buying a few things for her own. Hopefully she could use her assertive ways more effectively, unlike the last time. Fluttershy knocked lightly on the wooden door, being careful not disrupt her conscientious friend. She was working on a new spell this week, and the slightest interruption could break her concentration. Several seconds later, a purple mare with wings and a horn emerged from the library. "Why hello Fluttershy," Twilight said, in her usual happy tone."Are you ready to go to the market?" "Yes, I'm very prepared," she replied, though her voice was barely audible. "Glad to hear it!" Cheered Twilight."With all my princess duties, I haven't gotten a chance to just hang out in Ponyville! I'm glad my scheduling worked out." Fluttershy just nodded in agreement. She wasn't one to talk in any situation. "Let's go!" ~~~~~ By the time the two mares got to the market, there was already a remarkable amount of commotion. Everywhere they looked, tall tented stands lined the walls of the street. The shopkeepers shouted advertisements that could be heard from a mile away, where as the other ponies were tossing around bits faster than their eyes could handle. Fruits, vegetables, and toys were piled into wooden barrels at every shop, attracting Fluttershy, who wanted to buy them desperately. Instead, to be kind and considerate of Twilight, she followed the purple alicorn through the busy streets. No matter where Fluttershy looked, somepony was always looking at Twilight, who had become the talk of Equestria. Some of them even built up the courage to confront her, and ask for a quick autograph. Twilight signed everything with a huge smile, where as Fluttershy was starting to frown. Not only was this taking away from her time with her best friend, but Twilight got all the attention, where as she was still the unknown pony on the sidelines. After what seemed like an eternity of walking and signing, Twilight had finally found the store she was looking for. It was a worn down antique shop. Twilight pushed Fluttershy inside, and slammed the doors shut. "Finally," She sighed. "A moment of privacy." She sat there for a second, collected her thoughts, and than began to speak. "I'm going to go ahead and look at some of the old books in the reading section,"She announced."If you want to take a look too, go ahead. If not, feel free to look around. I know this place like the back of my own hoof, so if you want to find something, just ask me!" "Um..ok,"Fluttershy whispered, careful not to annoy other guests. At first she planned to stick with Twilight no matter what, but she had her bits. Why not take a look around? She took a brief look around and decided to look through the section labeled,"Antiques and Old Toys." You never know when you'll find something cute in there, like a candle for your nightstand, or and old mini statue to place on your coffee table. As she scanned the shelves, she noticed something in the back corner that looked out-of-place. Curious, she reached her hoof in to grab the item. Besides, she felt guilty leaving something that didn't belong there. Fluttershy peered into the shelf to find that the object was, a rock? What was a rock doing in the store. She flipped the chipped stone over and read the tag observantly. In tiny handwritten words, the tag said this... Hello, valued customer! What you see here if called a dream diamond. According to ancient stories, a pony who's felt neglected can make a single, irreversible wish of their choice. Once the wish has been made, the stone will turn into a diamond, perfect for decor or jewelery. If you can't manage to make your wish come true, feel free to take this to a jeweler, who will reveal the gem under the black surface. Then you get a beautiful piece of decor to put in your home or apartment! Happy wishing! Fluttershy laughed slightly. She knew that you couldn't simply wish on a rock and expect the dream to come true. Though, the gem in the core of the rock sounded promising, and it was only a single bit. Maybe she could use it as a good luck charm. She dropped the stone in her woven basket, and trotted off towards Twilight, who had dozed off while reading a book. "Huh, what?" She questioned, unaware that she had fallen asleep."Oh, sorry to keep you waiting Fluttershy. Clearly I'm not buying that book. Did you find anything you liked?" "Actually, yes,"Fluttershy took the stone out of her basket and showed it to Twilight."It was very cheap, and I plan on making it a good luck charm." "Hmm, a dream gem?" Twilight said disapprovingly. "I've heard the name before. Are you sure you want to buy it?" "Of course," she answered. "I have no intention of using it for it's intentional use." "If you say so," Twilight trotted over to the entrance of the store. "Go ahead and make your transaction. I'll be waiting outside for you!" Fluttershy made her way to the front desk, and immediately pulled out her bits. She placed one on the counter next to the shop owner, who looked at her wide-eyed. "Um, you keep the bit," The stallion responded."Free of charge." "Thank you!" Fluttershy shouted, though her shout was more at the noise level of any other pony talking."That's very kind of you." The shopkeeper just shrugged at her comment and continued to go through what looked like a pile of papers on his desk. Fluttershy, on the other hand, was happy as a clam as she skipped out the doors, only to find that a cluster of cameras were shooting like mad-mares at a certain spectacle. To my surprise, the spectacle was not Twilight. "Yes, my performance in the Best Young Flyer's competition will be 20% cooler than that of last time." Rainbow Dash? How did she attract all those people? Fluttershy pondered this as Rainbow Dash posed over dramatically for the paparazzi below. "Ok everypony, ditch the cameras," ordered Rainbow Dash, and in a blink, everyone had left the area. Rainbow flew down towards Fluttershy and Twilight, making a swift landing that was photo ready. "Hey, guys!" said Rainbow."What's up?" "We were just going through that antique shop over there,"Explained Twilight."How did you attract all those people?" "Well as you know, I just came back from the Wonderbolt Academy," Rainbow said in a show-off voice. "Before I left, Spitfire said that I had a chance of being a Wonderbolt!" "Um, thats great, um, Rainbow Dash," whispered Fluttershy, but Rainbow Dash didn't hear her. "It sure is a big deal," added Rainbow." If I wasn't the fastest pony in Ponyville, I wouldn't have this chance right now!" "We're very happy for you!" chirped Twilight. "Hey, where'd Fluttershy go?" The two mares looked down the street, only to find that a certain yellow pegasus was running down the road, teardrops streaming down her face. ~~~~~~~ Fluttershy rampaged through the forest, trying to put as much distance between herself and the city as possible. She was searching for her favorite spot to be alone. It overlooked a sea of fluff that lined a long meadow. When she saw it in the distance, she ran as fast as she could, and dug her face into the grass. Suddenly, something began to brush her mane and rub her back. When she glance behind herself, she realized it was Angel, as well as a few of her other meadow friends. They were consoling her with kind words, though only Fluttershy could understand. "Oh Angel, it just can't take it anymore!" She cried." Twilight is a princess and Rainbow Dash is known throughout Equestria for her flying. What am I?" Suddenly, Angel began to speak. "You're a great friend," "I know, but think about it. I'm a pegasus who can barely pass as even a basic flyer. What does that say about me?" Fluttershy asked hopelessly. "Sure, you can't fly. But you can talk to us! No other pegasus pony can do that, can they?" "No,"She responded,"but I just feel like that's not what I'm meant to be. Like I'm meant to do more than stay on the ground for the rest of my life. My wings are meant to fly." "I'm sorry, Fluttershy," "It's ok Angel." Fluttershy reached into her basket and took out the dream diamond. "If you can actually grant wishes," She stuttered in sadness," I wish that I will be a great flyer one day, just like Rainbow Dash." The rock did nothing but sit there. Fluttershy looked at it as if she suspected it was translating her cry for help. But nothing happened. It was no use. Did she actually think that it would work? She was a lunatic. She stood up and walked shamefully down the road with her head down, and a look of depression on her face. When she got to the front door, she stormed through it and threw herself in bed, unaware that the dream diamond was glowing suspiciously. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Fluttershy awoke the next morning to the peaceful sound of nothing. Precisely nothing. This baffled to her, as she usually awoke to the sound of birds chirping. She fluttered her eyes gently, opened them all the way, then placed a look of confusion on her face. Why was the ceiling blue? She blinked several times to assure it wasn't a trick on her eyes, but unfortunately, it was none other than the color blue. Something wasn't right. She sat up, and observed the room. What was going on?!?! The room she awoke to was completely foreign to her. It looked as if it were a college dorm. She was sleeping on a blue bed, with the Wonderbolt's insignia sewn onto the bedspread. There was only one window, which was located right next to the door. A single sink sat in the corner of the room, and under it were professionally made cabinets. Curiousity consumed Fluttershy's mind as she opened the cabinets. What was inside perplexed her to the max. All of HER toiletries were thrown into the cabinet, though she hadn't the slightest clue how they got there. Fear overtook her, as she explored a closet right next to the sink. Now her mind was spiraling out of control. All of her outfits that she wore on certain occasions were hung up, excluding an unfamiliar garment in the back of the closet. As she removed the outfit from the hangar, her eyes shot out out of their sockets. A Wonderbolt Academy suit? Author's Note Third story! This story is currently my top priority, for I am entering it in a competition. My other stories will be on hold for a brief amount of time (sorry, Tom the Bomb.) Anyways, thanks for reading!!!!!!!!!
Seeking AnswersThis wasn't happening. She must be dreaming. But no matter how many times she tried to wake up from this horrible nightmare, the costume remained to exist. She hyperventilated. Fear swallowed her confidence, and her heart rate increased dramatically. Her little life was peaceful, ordinary, never interrupted by witchcraft of this sort. How in Equestria is this going on? That's when she heard a knock at the door. Being the polite pony she was, she set her own predicament down for a second so that she could address the pony at the door. When she turned the knob and opened the door, a teal mare with windblown blond hair stepped into her tiny room. She had pegasus wings, and was wearing a suit identical to the one in Fluttershy's closet. "Fluttershy, what are you still doing in your robe?!" she asked."We're going to be late for practice now, and Spitfire is going to hammer us when we get there!!!" "Um, excuse me, do I know you?" Fluttershy questioned. The pegasus rolled her eyes."Very funny, Fluttershy. Of course you know me. I'm Lightning Dust. I'm unforgettable." "Well, I seem to have forgotten you," Fluttershy said, now extremely worried. "I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR GAMES!" She screamed, her face resembling a red cherry."Get in your suit, and let's go to class! I can't show up without you, because I'm the wing pony." "Um, ok, give me some time to get ready..." Lightning Dust had slammed the door shut before Fluttershy could finish her sentence. How rude she thought. She couldn't mind that now, for she had a bigger dilemma on her hands. How does that mare know her? Where was she? What was going on!!!!!!!!! Immediately, Fluttershy calmed down with one of Cadance's breathing techniques. Yes, she did have a serious problem that she couldn't solve. Though, as the element of kindness, she had no right to hold up everypony's day, and decided to simply go with the flow for a single day. Maybe things will start to become more clear as the day progressed. All she needed was some fresh air. Fluttershy reached into the closest and retrieved the academy suit. To her surprise, it fit perfectly when she slipped it on. Next, she had to brush out her hair and such. However, something in the sink mirror caught her eye. She stepped back, and began to hyperventilate. Her cutie mark had changed. Now, instead of three pink butterflies, there was a single butterfly, followed by a streak, making it resemble a shooting star. This wasn't logical. Her cutie mark had only switched when one of Twilight's spells went wrong, but this, this was her cutie mark, individualized to fit her, except this wasn't hers. How much chaos could've happened in a single night? Fluttershy rushed through her routine, fearing that if she didn't get some fresh air, she might go mad. She sprinted towards the door. However, when she opened it, there wasn't any solid ground. Only a tiny patch of clouds were there to act as a sidewalk. She looked around some more. To her right, hundreds of dorms just like hers stood on the clouds. To the left, a dining hall stood proudly with a wonderbolt emblem across the top. Lastly, in the center of it all, a long stretch of floating land seemed to act as a runway of sorts, and several groups of ponies were sitting in groups next to instructors in military outfits. That must be where I need to go, she told herself. Careful not to fall on her take off, Fluttershy leaped into the air and soared down at her normal pace. It was actually quite easy, as if she had gained more wing power overnight. She decided to pick up the pace just an inch. This was still surprisingly easy. Suddenly, she had a need for speed. She put a lot of effort in this time while flying downwards, so much that she couldn't pull up. She had gone straight under the land, and was plummeting down. Immediately, she discovered why. A small skinny cone had formed around her, pushing her muscles with so much resistance that she had to let go of the grasp. When she stopped flying, a sudden burst of energy threw her back up into the air above her. She struggled to gain her balance, and instead came crashing down. She heard a sudden bump, and her stomach cried in pain. What had she fallen into? She looked up, and realized ten ponies were staring at her with displeased eyes. One of these ponies was a mare with fire like orange hair, a yellow coat, and a military uniform. Fluttershy recognized the face in a millisecond. It was Spitfire, captain of the wonderbolts, and Rainbow Dash's idol. "FLUTTER-SHY!" she shouted, attempting to get her attention."WHY DID YOU HOLD UP THE WHOLE GROUP?" "Oh my," Fluttershy awed."You're Spitfire, captain of the Wonderbolts!" "We've met before, Fluttershy" Spitfire gave her confused eyes. Fluttershy couldn't understand why. Instead, she continued to talk. "Oh, my friend Rainbow Dash is a huge fan!" she announced."I remember she saved you with a sonic rainboom once, and she attends this school, I believe." "I don't know what's gotten into you this morning, Fluttershy," Spitfire said,"but I've never heard that name in my entire life. We don't have a student named Rainbow Dash." Fluttershy's jaw dropped as she heard those words. She didn't know who Rainbow Dash was?! That's crazy! Something strange was going on, something stranger than waking up in a dorm that's not your own. "Oh, now I remember!" "You know who Rainbow Dash is?" "Ya," She replied. Fluttershy saw a little hope. "She's that mare who chickened out at the best young flyer's competition a few years back. Who was it that won again?" "I believe it was Rarity, Spitfire," Answered a mare with straight blond hair and a pink coat. "Ah yes, that's right," Spitfire said."Anyways, let's get back on track. We are going to start our day off with 500 laps, then 100 wing-ups, and lastly, a turn on the dizitron. Fluttershy?" "Um, yes ma'am?" She answered nervously. "Since you're generally faster than the other students, you will double everything and go on maximum level of the dizitron." "Wait, WHAT?" "Good luck!" Spitfire cheered as she went to her post. Fluttershy gulped. She was the slowest flyer in Equestria, and Spitfire expected her to be faster than all these prodigies? She wanted to buy herself time to think about this, but she knew she couldn't when an earsplitting horn blared its sound across the campus, signaling the start of the exercise. The other pegasi leaped into the air effortlessly, and began making laps around the chunk of land. Here it goes, Fluttershy thought to herself, as she beated her wings repeatedly. When she was at a stable hover, she dashed ahead as far as her wings could take her. In a single effort, she managed to catch up to the others easily. But catching up was nothing. She knew she had to fly double-time if she was going to please Spitfire. She took a deep breath, and darted as fast as she could. The sudden burst of wind startled her, as she covered her eyes with her hooves. That was when a loud voice from below shouted, "LAP 1!" She had already done a lap? She glanced around, and discovered that she had indeed flown a whole lap, and effortlessly too. Why was she so strong today? Did she have a good night's rest? The question was beyond her right now, as all she cared about was getting through the next 999, make that 998, laps ahead of her. Scanning the sky with her eyes, she flew exceptionally, avoiding all hazards and flyers. The laps went by in a breeze, faster than anypony could count them. And for the first time this morning, she was having fun, as if this really WAS her life, and flying was her forte. Before she knew it, all one thousand were up, and though she didn't believe it, she still beat everypony to the finish. "Nice work, Fluttershy,"congratulated Spitfire."Go ahead and do your wing-ups. The other students are still struggling." "Yes, ma'am," She said with a smile on her face. She was astonished! In all her life, she had been left in the shadows,, and wanted nothing more than to fly like Rainbow Dash. Now, in..wait..WHAT! Something inside her snapped. She could've sworn that was the wish she made on the Dream Diamond was excactly that. Her wish had come true! It all made sense now. She wished that she could fly just like Rainbow Dash. Now, she is pretty much living Dash's life on an alternate timeline. That would explain why Spitfire didn't know who she was! It would also explain why she woke up in a room she didn't know about. This is how her life plays out on this alternate timeline. But wait... it's irreversible. Her life before is history, like none of it ever existed. Does that mean, oh no. Her friends, are they still her friends? Is Twilight in Ponyville? What have the rest of her friends become? Where's Angel? Can she still talk to animals? All these questions swam in her mind as she competed her one-hundred wing-ups. After all, Rainbow Dash said the best way to relieve stress is through exercise. After she was done, she just sat there. Is this really what she wants? Is being a great flyer worth sacrificing all your friendships? What had she done? "Nice work, Fluttershy," said Spitfire, who had been watching her. "Let's get you in the dizitron. Then you won't have to wait for every pony to finish up, and you can have a break. You have been working exceptionally hard lately.' "Thanks," Fluttershy replied, though she had no idea what the dizitron could be. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Spitfire guided Fluttershy to a gigantic spiraling circle at the end of the runway. The purple and green contraption had a little pocket that could hold a single pony. When Spitfire ushered her over to it, she shivered in fear, but gave in unwillingly. "Ok, you know the drill," Spitfire said as she directed a stallion to pull a huge lever. "Um, yes I do, um," Fluttershy said in her shy voice," But could you, maybe repeat the instructions again?" Spitfire face-hoofed. " Fine. The dizitron is going to spin you around and make you very dizzy. When you are released, try to regain your balance ad direction, and fly back to this point. Got it?" "Um, maybe?" she responded. Spitfire orded the stallion to continue pulling the lever until it got to maximum power. Fluttershy was drowning in tears as the dizitron nauseated her and scared the feathers out of her. She couldn't catch her breath as she wailed continuously. Suddenly, a weightless feeling overtook her, and she was flung into the air in a full-on spinout. Don't cry Fluttershy, don't cry Fluttershy, she said to herself, trying to regain her balance. She then immediately darted forward, did a loop de loop, and tried to achieve a stable landing. Fortune called on her that day, as she stuck the landing flawlessly. "Nice, 5.7 seconds, that's an academy record." Fluttershy blushed sweetly. She wasn't used to getting so much kind attention towards herself. usually that attention was distributed to Rainbow and Twilight. Finally, she got to be the star, and since she was strong and fast in this timeline, she didn't have to lift a finger to be victorious. "Great job today, Fluttershy. Are you planning on entering the Best Young Flyer's Competition?" "The what?" Fluttershy was confused. "You know, where all the best pegasi show off their flying skills. We aren't the judges this year, but we do get to send one representative for the academy. If you're up to it, you can enter." Fluttershy instantly did a fangirl squeal. Be the school's representative in a televised competition? That's everypony's dream! She had to except, but she wanted to play it cool, just like Rainbow Dash. "Um, I'll think about it." "Good," She responded, happy to hear that her favorite flyer might compete."You're first on my list, but tell me soon." "Sure thing!"Fluttershy chirped."See you tomorrow for practice!" Spitfire soared of to the other side of the runway to speak with the other students. Fluttershy wanted to stick around and help, but she had more important things to worry about. She didn't want the world to collapse because she changed history with one thoughtless wish. She darted to her cloud dorm and pushed the door open slowly. She scanned the room, looking for none other than the dream diamond. She ransacked through every cabinet, every shelf, but she couldn't find it. Not until she spotted her weaved baskets in the corner on a table. She facehoofed herself. She never took the rock out, so of course it was in there! Now she had a huge mess to clean up later, only because she wasn't thinking. Fluttershy walked slowly over to the basket, hoping there wasn't some dimensional poison left over, and reached her hoof in. Thinking it was the dream diamond, she pulled an object up, but the fuzzy fur on it made her have a heart attack. What was that creature?! She peered into the basket, and found something she thought she had lost forever. "Angel!!!!!!!!!! "Hi Fluttershy." Fluttershy embraced the creature, giving it a little kiss on the nose. "I thought I had lost you forever! How are you here?!" "Well, when the dream diamond transported us to this alternate timeline, it transported the baskets as well. Since I was in the basket, I came along with you to this world." "But wait, how can I still talk to you? My cutie mark changed..." "The single butterfly is still on your cutie mark, which shows that you still have your connection with animals." "How do you know all this? I thought you were in the box the whole time." " I was in the box, not blind. I watched the whole thing happen last night. I was worried about you, so I stayed up all night." "Aw, that's so sweet! Though it's kinda weird that I'm getting all my answers from a bunny. Now come on. There's a certain purple unicorn I need to talk to." Angel handed Fluttershy the dream diamond, which, no surprise, had turned into a diamond, just like the description said. She trotted over to her closest, took out her saddlebags, and placed the diamond inside. Angel climbed on her back, and they flew off, hoping that Twilight was still in Ponyville. They had some magical business to discuss. Author's Note I have nothing to say except, here's chapter 2! Enjoy!
Putting the Pieces TogetherFluttershy soared down towards Ponyville, her eyes peering into every window, every street, looking for the purple mare she so desperately needed to speak to. Ponies trotted down the streets, carrying saddlebags filled with clothing they recently purchased. Others were observing the fruit carts, handing over a couple bits for a bushel of apples. Behind one of the fruit stands stood an orange mare with blond hair that was in complete disarray. Atop her head stood a brown country hat, that Flutters so obviously recognized. Expecting nothing but casualty, she flew down to greet her beloved friend. " Oh Applejack!" Fluttershy declared, relieved. "I've been looking everywhere for Twilight! Have you seen her?" Applejack gazed at her with a slightly perplexed expression. "Ah'm mighty sorry, but, who are you?" "It's me, Fluttershy!" she replied, smiling with relief. "You're Fluttershy?!" Her friend's pupils grew the size of a watermelon. "Why, It's so great to meet you! I'm Applejack!" "We've already met," she chirped, slightly shocked at her friend's unusual response. "We have?" She questioned. "Why, I think I'd remember meeting a skilled flier like you." Impatience emerged from her mind as she thrust her hoof out to softly hit AJ's shoulder. "Nice prank, AJ. Let me guess, Rainbow Dash put you up to this." Fluttershy failed to swallow her incoming giggle. "Listen, I respect you, Honest!" Applejack backed away."But ah've never met you, or this Twilight you speak of." Fear cloaked Fluttershy's mane as a sense of realization overtook her. This darned alternate timeline had messed up her treasured friendships too! What ELSE had it done? Fluttershy jammed her hind leg into AJ's cart, furious as a griffon. She didn't realize what she had done until squashed apples and the remnants of the cart lay smashed and destroyed. She cautiously backed away. "Oh, um, sorry....." Before she knew it, AJ was throwing apples like a mad mare, Fluttershy her intended target. She felt a slight ache of pain in her right side, where a bruise formed where an apple had been pelted at. AJ's next several throws were slightly off aim, and hit two nearby ponies walking nearby. Bon Bon, one of the victims, became enraged with fury. Nobody messed with her, because she turned into a maniac when she didn't get her way. The best background pony of them all wasn't going to get away with apple assault. Bon Bon and the other victim, Carrot Top, Dove into a nearby vegetable cart, and emerged with a hoof full of tomatoes. Fluttershy watched as Applejack shuddered, hiding behind the wreckage of her cart. Bon Bon thrusted a tomato at the mare, hitting her in the muzzle. AJ growled. More apples and tomatoes were pelted, each being on aim, injuring their opponent. A large group of school fillies and colts saw the fight, and decided to get in on the fun. Cheerilee, the teacher with them, sighed. "Come on, every pony! Let's go back to the schoolhouse and........." Before any pony knew it, a mass vegetable war had started up in the middle of the intersection. Flutters let out a squeal that could be heard to nopony else but herself, for she knew she was the catalyst of this dilemma. All she wanted to do was gallop home, lock the doors, and cry heavily under the sheets of her bed. All of this, because of that dream diamond.... That was when it hit her. She left behind her crazy ambitions, and made a mad dash for the antique shop. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Fluttershy burst through the doors of the antique shop, only to find a lazy store clerk napping on a table, drool escaping his lips. Ew. Some ponies in her life simply lacked poise and grace. She set this thought aside, and let out a muffled squeal that was just enough to wake the sleeping Stallion. "Huh, what?" He mumbled, grasping reality with his hooves once again. "Oh, that nightmare was awful. Hot Dogs, walking around, eating lettuce..." Fluttershy twitched at his active imagination. What was a hot dog? She sighed. "Um, I was wondering if you could tell me a little about this dream diamond." She dove into her saddlebags, retrieving the crystalized artifact. "I bought it several days ago, and I'm confused." The stallion's expression changed like a reflex, cringing up in sudden realization. A look of deja vu crossed his face, toying with his emotions, twisting a and spinning his brain into mush. He looked at Fluttershy observantly, as if he was trying to translate an internal presence that had landed in his skull. Fearfully, the clerk spoke. "Come with me." he slowly walked over to a door in the back of the shop, labeled DO NOT ENTER. Fluttershy reluctantly followed, unsure of where they were going. The two ponies tip-hoofed down an old set of stairs, the floorboards creaking every step. The wallpaper wilted and ripped, cloaking the walls in destruction and darkness. Very few light could be seen, besides a few rays squeaking their way through the tight openings of the ceiling. It wasn't until several staircases later that a significant source of light was visible, illuminating brightly among the cluttered room it supplied light to. Fluttershy stepped off the stairs, her hooves swimming in the soft, wool carpet. Test tubes serenaded on their racks as blasts of chemical air shooted out their beakers and tubes. The shopkeeper whistled a tune, as if he was attempting to harmonize with his musical potions. "Oh, this?" He asked her, though she never questioned him. "This is an old experiment I've been working on. If you're never going to do anything with your second life, you might as well make up for the lost time by trying something new..." "In English please," Fluttershy interrupted, not very found of anything beyond the basics. "Oh, sorry for confusing you," he said, taking the dream diamond from Fluttershy's possession. He slipped it into a cupboard below his desk, careful not to break the priceless gem. "Tell me the truth, did this, "dream diamond", completely turn your life around?" "Well ya," she responded, thinking it was obvious. " What does that have to do with anything?" "IT'S A MIRACLE!" The clerk shouted, nearly knocking over a beaker or two. " another victim, that is actually in my alternate timeline! GENIUS!" Fluttershy scrunched up her muzzle in confusion. "Um, I'm not sure I'm following..." "OK FINE," she yelled, though careful not to be heard."I'll explain it in idiot terms." Fluttershy was deeply offended, wanting to flap the stallion in the face for saying something so crude, but since she was still the element of kindness, she refrained from producing violence. "As you probably know, when you wished for something on the dream diamond, you were transported to another timeline, where your wish came true," he explained thoroughly, assuring that Fluttershy was following. " Well for some crazy reason, you were transported to the same timeline I am in, for I too was a victim of the dream diamond." Flutters nearly choked on her own saliva upon hearing this news. HOW IN EQUESTRIA WAS THIS EVEN POSSIBLE? She began to hyperventilate feverishly. "Now yellow mare, calm yourself," the stallion reassured. "It's not like the universe is going to collapse on us in the next 24 hours. Anyways, after you hear MY story, I can hear all about your suffering." "Ok.." she said, drowning in utmost fear while her trans-dimensional friend had a conversation with her. "Anyways.." He began," I was simply walking through the Phillydelphia Diamond mines, when I came across a strange, ominous rock. Curious, I picked it up, careful to make sure no security guards saw it, and walked slowly away. Then I thought, what's the need to hide it? It's not like they would've wanted it. After that, I went to work, where I was shamefully fired..." Fluttershy's empathetic characteristics came pouring out at the thought of this, covering her eyes to make sure nobody saw her tears. "It's not that bad!" He consoled, careful not to disrupt her. "Calm down. We really must get on with the story. I was sad and ashamed. That's when the rock began to glow suspiciously. I thought it was just a reflection in the light, but I was still entranced by its beauty, so I wished,'Please get me a job, somewhere, somehow, and I will be eternally grateful.' The rock transported me to Ponyville, but I didn't know that it changed everything about me besides my unemployment." He quickly galloped over to the cupboard that Fluttershy's dream diamond was in, and retrieved another identical one, just slightly smaller. "Well, that's certainly peculiar.." She responded, still unable to take the whole situation in. "It was nice meeting you and all, but I really must get going. I have flying practice, and I need to go speak to Twilight Sparkle about this curse we have here." "Who's Twilight?" "There's no time to explain," She responded, taking the diamond from his grasp and stuffing it in her saddlebag. She began trotting up the stairs at a fast, rushed pace. "BUT WAIT! I FORGOT TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE TIME CONTINUUM CUR..." A wooden door was heard slamming shut overhead. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Spitfire sat impatiently on the training ground, her hoof watch ticking away, as well as her students' patience. A bright sunny forecast was recorded that day, and although the students were eager to stretch their wings, a certain pink haired pegasus mare was holding up the entire team. "What is up with Fluttershy this week?" Spitfire questioned, glancing at her students to make sure there weren't any other absences. "This is the second day in a row she has been late to class, and It's a penalty to all of us." A turquoise mare soared over to the group, wings outstretched and blond hair blown back in the wind. She landed roughly on the landing area. Barely sticking it. "You know if I was grading that you'd have a very poor score," added Spitfire. "Now, where's that lazy partner of yours? "I searched her dorm, Spitfire," she responded."I couldn't find her anywhere. She must be down by Ponyville." "Thank you for searching, Lightning Dust," said Spitfire, putting a dark red check near Fluttershy's photo on her clipboard. "Now, I suggest we begin with several hundred laps around the expanse.." "I'M HERE!" Shouted a sweaty Fluttershy, her face burning like asphalt. "I had a, family situation." "You're lucky you're here today," she responded, scribbling out the red mark. "If I didn't get a response from you today on the Best Young Flyer's Competition, I would've skipped you and moved on to my second choice, which is..." she scanned the list accordingly. "Lightning Dust." Fluttershy glanced over at raving mad Lightning Dust, who had just purposely stepped on another stallion's tail to let out her anger. I see why Rainbow Dash always hated her, she thought to herself. "WHAT ARE YOU DOSING OFF FOR, FLUTTER-SHY!" yelled Spitfire in her loud, coaching voice. "Go get to your laps!" "Oh, yea, sorry..." The morning seemed to go off without a hitch. Drills were conducted, we took turns on the dizitron, nothing out of the sort. That was until Spitfire called Flutters over to talk. Fearfully, she flapped over to her supposed mentor, expecting lots of annoying lecturing. "So, are you excited about the Best Young Flyer's competition in a few months?" she asked positively. Fluttershy looked at her blankly. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't give it a second thought. I've been so sidetracked.." "I'm sure you have," she interrupted. "With the 1,000th Summer Sun Celebration coming up in a couple of days, I'm sure you've been busy socializing with visitors coming to Ponyville this year." Once again, Fluttershy's expression was in a state of confusion. "I don't mean to correct you, but, Isn't it the 1,003rd? In Manehatten?" "Nope. It's 1,000 on the nose," She corrected. "and Princess Celestia is sending her prized student here to foresee the preparations. I think her name is Twilight. Being in Canterlot all the time, I know pretty much all the ponies." Fluttershy backed away. "and what about Luna?" "Who?" Fluttershy Choked. Author's Note Sorry about how long this took. With school eating up my time, I had to give it first priority above my writing. I hope this plot twist got you out of your seats and ready for more! Spoiler: Angel returns in chapter 4.
