Death

2 weeks later

The sun was starting to set in in Equestria, and Luna's moon slowly crept up.

Fluttershy sighed as the sun's bright light reflected on Pinkie's element of Harmony, giving it a happy glow. Fluttershy sat there until the the sun set, and Luna's moon was in the sky.

Fluttershy looked at the element. "I miss you, Pinkie."

But Fluttershy knew that she must go, she had work to do. She slowly got up, and walked away from the Tombstone, and out of  The Canterlot Cemetery For Lost Heroes. Light tears rolled down the yellow pegasus's face as she walked to the nearest train that lead to Ponyville. She looked back at the cemetery, now thinking she left Pinkie alone.

Pinkie must be very lonely in there.

The thoughts slipped away from Fluttershy as the Train Engineer demanded bits for her ride back to Ponyville.

"Two bits, please!" the Engineer was starting to get impatient.

Fluttershy took out two of the four bits she had with her, and gave them to the engineer. She sat down on the left side of the train, getting a perfect view of the cemetery. Soon enough, the train started to pull away and Fluttershy was forced further and further away from Pinkie Pie.

***

Angel impatiently stomped his foot as Fluttershy walked inside her cottage home.

"I know you all want dinner. I'm sorry I was late." Fluttershy apologized.

She grabbed all types of food; bird, cat, dog, rabbit, etc, etc.

For being rude, Fluttershy was going to give Angel his food last. First, she poured the dog's food. There was only two dogs; or puppies, in Fluttershy's cottage. She found them together abandoned in Fillydelphia a few weeks ago. She then fed the birds, but to prevent total chaos, had the birds sit in their cage and get their food one at a time. Then was the cats. Just like the dogs, Fluttershy had very few cats, only four. She put the cats' food in one big giant bowl so they could learn to share. Then she went to the rabbits' section, and poured them their  food, but Angel had to sit in his cage.

Fluttershy stepped outside to feed the chickens and pigs, and then she heard a rustle come from somewhere.

"Huh? Who's there?" she asked.

Nothing happened.

Fluttershy shook her head, and walked inside, and gave Angel his food. She then settled all of the animals in their cages to go to sleep, and walked upstairs to go sleep in her own bed.

She slowly closed her eyes and fell asleep.

AROOOO!

HISS!

BECAW!

SNORT!

SCREAM! (just incase you didn't know, rabbits scream like little girls when they're scared.)

All panicked sounds of different types of animals came from everywhere.

Why are they making these noises?! Fluttershy thought as she got out of bed.

She trotted downstairs. Nothing was there. Why were they panicking?

AHHH!" Fluttershy screamed as she felt herself be slammed against the wall.

She cried, looked up, and saw a grey unicorn wearing a mask. Defentily a stallion. His horn glowed a scary black, and with his magic, holding a blade.

Fluttershy gasped as the unicorn approached her.Her wings opened and she took off to the ceiling. "What do you want?!" she asked.

"I want you, Fluttershy." he said in a raspy voice.

"What?! Why?!" asked Fluttershy.

The pony only responded, "You have a way with animals, my dear. If I have you, I can capture some of the smartest show dogs and get my money's worth!"

Fluttershy gasped and her eyes widened, then her eyebrows slanted downwards.

"NO!"

She flew over to her kitchen and grabbed the biggest, sharpest, knife she had.

"Leave me alone!" she hissed, "OR ELSE!"

The unicorn charged after her. Fluttershy flew up and back down and stabbed the pony in the back, barely missing his spine. The pony turned around and bit Fluttershy on her hoof. Fluttershy squealed, took the knife out of his back and let the blood run out. She then turned around, so she once again faced the unicorn.

"We don't have to fight. Just come with me.." the unicorn said.

Fluttershy growled and charged after the unicorn. She aimed for his chest, but missed it, and stabbed his fron arm. The unicorn stabbed Fluttershy in her flank, causing blood to run out over the three butterflies on her.

She took as much advantage of this as she could. She kicked her back hoof, that was also attached to the bloody flank, and hit the unicorn right under his chin. He pulled back. Fluttershy soared towards him and her two front hooves hit the front of his chest. He fell backwards.

Using his magic, he flung himself upwards and pinned himself down on Fluttershy, using his hooves to pin down Fluttershy's hooves and wings. He put his blade up to her throat.

Fluttershy gulped, but could not think of a way to escape. What Fluttershy has not noticed before was that the unicorn was wearing saddle bags. Out of the left saddlebag, he took out a rope with his magic and wrapped it around Fluttershy, keeping her hooves and wings in while still having the blade to her throat so she couldn't scream. He then brought out duct tape and wrapped it tightly around her muzzle.

He lifted the blade off of her throat and used her magic to pick her up. He then galloped into the Everfree, where he had a one-pony wagon. He put Fluttershy in a giant box behind the place where the unicorn would pull. He opened a door in the back of the box and threw Fluttershy in, then closed the door. He strapped himself to the wagon, and started to pull Fluttershy further and further away from her home.

***

Fluttershy awoke in what seemed like a jail cell. The ropes were off her, but the duct tape was still wrapped around her mouth so tightly her hooves wouldn't be able to take it off, infact, she tried to.

A stallion, not the same one from last night, came up to her cell. He was a big muscular Earth Pony Fluttershy defentily didn't want to mess with. He had ponies attached by the hooves and neck with chains, which reminded Fluttershy of what King Sombra did. The Earth Pony was holding the next pair of chains, ready to hold in it's next victim - Fluttershy.

Fluttershy obidiently came up to the Earth Pony and let him chain her. Fluttershy looked ahead; ponies of all types. Earth, Unicorn, Pegasus, stallion, mare. They stopped by a few more cells and picked up more ponies. They then walked into a large room, and it looked like a medieval torture chamber. Fluttershy noticed a stallion; he was a black pegasus, with eve a more black mane, cuts and bruises all over his body from bloody fights. His eyes were bloody red, as if from so much fighting they were stained over time. Fluttershy lowered her head in fear, and observed more her surroundings. The front of the chain was chained to a pole.

"You're probably all wondering why you're here..." Fluttershy heard the stallion say.

The stallion looked at the crowd of ponies tied to the pole, and the crowd of ponies reflected his gaze.

"Money. We need it. You should feel honored, all of you ponies have very special talents that we could use. So you will stay here for as long as we need you." the stallion said, "Any problems?"

Fluttershy thought about how her animals could be in danger of starvation, but didn't want to take the chance of them doing something bad to her animals.

Everypony else remained silent.

"Very well. Workers, unchain the ones we need right now."

The workers unchained a few pegasi, three female, two male.

"You are all of my athlete pegasi. You will stay with us, and compete in competitions so we can win money, that's if, if you do win."

Fluttershy suddenly thought of Rainbow Dash. But she knew that Dash was way too good of a flyer for them to even catch.

The same strong stallion that brought them here brought them back to their cells.

As they were walking back, Fluttershy heard a vicious scream. "LET ME GO!!!"

She looked over to see somepony familiar.

Lightning Dust?

The pony was strapped to a wall, she had duct tape around her mouth, but it was ripped.

"YOU ASSHOLES! LET ME GO!" she screamed.

The stallion ignored Lightning Dust and put everypony else back in their cells.

Fluttershy watched as the stallion grabbed something off the wall; is that a whip? Fluttershy thought. He unlocked Lightning Dust's cell and started smacking her with the whip. Lightning dust whinnied in pain, but he only hit harder.

Fluttershy could tell Lightning Dust was in great pain, but she was refusing to show any sign of weakness. The stallion walked out of the cell and grabbed duct-tape, and wrapped it tightly around her mouth.

Fluttershy uncomfortably went to the corner of her cell and tried to sleep.

***

Fluttershy awoke again. She got few hours of sleep, and she heard her stomach grumble. She tried removing the duct-tape, but it was still tight around her mouth. She then heard hoovesteps go around the hallway of jail cells.

A different pony, an Earth Pony mare, was pulling a cart of food. She stopped at a female unicorn's cell first. "Come here. I won't hurt you." she said.

The unicorn walked up to the front of the jail cell like an abused caged animal. The Earth Pony brought out a knife, and the unicorn backed away from the cell doors, trying to illuminate her horn in defense, though she couldn't.

"We put a gel on all of your horns while you were still unconscious. Don't worry this knife is only to cut off your duct-tape so you can eat."

The unicorn walked back up to front of the cell, and let the Earth Pony mare cut off the duct-tape.

The Earth Pony slid a bowl of moosh in the cell, and the unicorn looked at her and spoke,

"What is this?"

"Beats me. I'm not the cook."

The unicorn eyed the food, and hesitantly began to eat.

The Earth Pony stopped at different cells and began to repeat the same process.

She stopped at Fluttershy's cell, feeling sorry for the scared Pegasus.

Fluttershy didn't want to come up, but her hunger got the best of her and she allowed the Earth Pony to cut her duct tape off.

She then ate.

The food wasn't good at all, but who cared now? If this is what she had to eat, she'd eat it.

After the Earth Pony left, Fluttershy could hear Lightning Dust swearing to herself and biting her jail cell bars in effort to break them.

Nopony was in the mood to talk to eachother, so the only noise was Lightning Dust's banging.

Eventually a pegasus stallion walked into the jail cell, and stopped in front of Lightning Dust.

"Listen," he said in a deep, dark voice.

"Come with me. Do not try to escape. If you are too much of a problem, we will have to execute you."

Lightning Dust's eyes widened in fear and she followed the pegasus with her head lowered.

Fluttershy was about to go sit in the corner of her cell when she heard the same voice,

"You are coming with us, too."

Fluttershy squealed in fear, but followed the pegasus and Lightning Dust.

They went into a small office, and the familar black pegasus greeted them neutrally. The other stood guard by the door.

"You both have a mission for me. You need to capture the grand show dog, Tiana.

Fluttershy screamed in her mind, No!

She has heard about Tiana, the star show dog. She won nearly every beauty pageant she's entered, and for the last two years, a non-stop streak.

"Why do you want Tiana?" Fluttershy asked in fear.

"Money. We're going to hold the dog ransom." Fluttershy shuttered at the fear of doing such a crime.

"And why would we do such a dumb thing?!" Lightning Dust hissed.

"Would you like to be killed?" asked the pegasus.

Lightning Dust shook her head, but then screamed, "You should work for your money!"

"Nah." said the pegasus, "I'm Steal Stuff."

"Steal Stuff?" Fluttershy asked, keeping her humor inside of her body.

"That's my name, yes. I come from generations of ponies who did one thing; steal."

"Now," said Steal Stuff.

"Here's the plan. There's a finale dog show tomorrow, and we need to get Tiana before that time. Right now she's in her mansion in Canterlot."

"How do you know this?" asked Fluttershy

"You want me to reveal all of my information, don't you?" asked  Steal Stuff, "If I reveal too much, I'm afraid I'll have to kill you after the job is done."

Fluttershy squealed in fear.

"Now, you...blue one-"

"Lightning Dust." Lightning Dust hissed.

"Lightning Dust goes to the mansion first and with her skills, gets around everything she needs to and grab the dog. Of course the dog will wake up and freak out, so thats when the yellow  one comes in to calm it down, and you bring the dog back to us, and your job is finished." said Steal Stuff.

Fluttershy didn't dare tell Steal Stuff her name.

"Now, you both understand your job?" asked Steal Stuff.

The two mares nodded.

"Good. You will be leaving at 10 tonight. I expect you both to at most be back by midnight."

"You will locate this mansion. It is white, with many flowers, most being yellow and purple. It has exactly five floors. Walk out this door at ten exactly, not one minute before, not one minute after. You will both go back to your cells."

The pegasus pony at the door took them back to their cells, where Fluttershy realized there was a hole nearly the size of her mouth in there.

"Hello?" she said into the hole.

A sudden big yellow eye came up, blocking the light from the hole.

"Ahh!" Fluttershy screamed, and flew back to the opposite side of her cell.

"Hi there, Fluttershy!" a friendly and familiar voice yelled.

Fluttershy went back and looked in the hole to see the mail mare, Derpy.

"W-Why are you here, Derpy?" she asked.

"Dunno. They said something about me being an experiment." Derpy said.

Fluttershy gulped. Why would they want to experiment on Derpy?

"Why?"

"They said something about my eyes being odd. Are my eyes weird?" Derpy asked.

Fluttershy knew how much Derpy would feel out if she kept pointing out the flaws of her eyes, so she said, "N-No. Not at all, Derpy."

"Okay!" Derpy cheered in her normal, happy voice.

Fluttershy looked at a clock installed on a wall.

10:46 a.m.

Why are they so confident me and Lightning Dust will return? Of course we'll escape once we get the chance, she thought.

The same Earth Pony mare returned.

Isn't it a bit early for lunch? Fluttershy thought.

Then she realized that she was collecting plates, and then she realized something else.

She was putting the duct tape back on.

One unicorn stallion bit her on the hoof when she tried to attach the tape.

Fluttershy noticed how she pressed on a button near the wall.

Is she opening the cell?

Soon enough stallions of all races came in. One big strong muscular unicorn held a whip.

Oh, no.

With the outnumbering of ponies, the imprisoned unicorn was slammed to the wall and chained there, where he was whipped, and the duct tape was put around his mouth.

The Earth Pony mare had a bandage around her hoof.

So that's what the buttons are for...to call down misbehaving ponies!

"Any objections?" the mare asked as she came across another unicorn stallion at the next cell.

He shook his head, galloped to the front of his cell and let her duct-tape him.

She took away his plate.

Surprisingly, Lightning Dust made no trouble, and allowed the mare to wrap the tape around her muzzle.

Once the mare got to Fluttershy's cell, Fluttershy thought of how eager she wanted the freedom to talk, and even move her jaw. But she didn't want to have the mare hit the button next to her cell wall and have Fluttershy be whipped like the poor unicorn did. She didn't gallop to the front of her cell, but rather walked. What's the rush?

She let the mare wrap her muzzle with duct tape. The mare spoke to her.

"You don't even need duct tape. You're quieter than a mouse."

She then went over to the next cell without looking back.

Fluttershy eventually found herself just staring at the clock.

Tick, Tick, Tick

12:07

Tick, Tick, Tick

12:08

Fluttershy had found herself growling in frustration.

This wasn't her.

Everytime a pony passed by the cells she was eager to slam on the bars and tell them to let her out.

Fluttershy spread her wings and flew at the cell door, trying to get herself out.

Derpy looked through the hole at Fluttershy.

She's gone crazy.

Fluttershy realized how much her freedom was to her, and this was the first time ever. She wanted her freedom again, and she wanted it now. She opened her jaw and felt the painful but sweet sensation of it rip.

Fluttershy moved her jaw, and whispered a few words to herself. She had broke free.

Only from the duct tape.

Fluttershy went towards the cell bars and started pulling back with her teeth, as if she were playing tug of war.

As she was pulling, she then realized every other pony in the cell was watching her, with one note to her on all of their minds.

It's useless.

Then hoovesteps came down the hallway.

It was the Earth Pony Mare.

"Lunchtime." she said.

She was cutting off the duct tape of the ponies, when Fluttershy realized she would notice the ducttape unwrapped around Fluttershy's mouth.

Fluttershy tried wrapping the duct-tape back around her mouth but it looked like hardly any job was done at all.

When it was Fluttershy's turn to receive food, the Earth Pony made another comment; "I must have not done a good job with your tape...oh well, you don't need it." and she cut off the rest of the tape.

Fluttershy got her bowl of moosh and began to eat, when she noticed something on the mare. A vest. And attached to that vest was...

keys.

Normally, Fluttershy would finish her food and sit back and cower, but now she's gone half crazed, and she was willing to do whatever she could to get out.  Fluttershy reached her hoof farther and farther toward the keys.

EARLIER THAT DAY

"Fluttershy promised she'd be here." said Twilight, concerned.

"She's probably busy tending to her animals, her usual 'I'm late' excuse." grumbled Dash.

"It's been quite a couple minutes since the picnic started..." Applejack said, "And at this location, Fluttershy's cottage is the closest to us."

"Do you think she's alright?" Rarity asked.

"She's fine!" Dash exclaimed.

"I'd rather go check on her. Maybe we'll come by her as we go towards her house. I just wanna make sure she's not having any problems." Twilight said.

"Fine, but we're wasting time doing this!" Dash growled.

Applejack looked at Rainbow Dash with concern, "Twilight's right RD, Fluttershy is usually the first one here after Pinkie..."

An awkward silence swept through the air.

"...Let's go." Twilight said, breaking the silence.

The four ponies trotted towards Fluttershy's house.

As they approached, it seemed like a zoo. Animal screams were heard throughout the house.

"She must be having BIG problems if her house is sounding like that." Rainbow Dash said nervously.

Applejack knocked o the door. "Fluttershy? Ya'll home?"

No response.

After a few more tries, the four mares decided to just walk in. They all gasped at the scene.

"Oh, yuck!" Rarity yelled as the smell of animal poop wafted in the air.

"Is that...blood?" Rainbow Dash asked as she went towards the floor, inspecting a suspicious red stain.

"That's blood alright." Twilight said, concerned.

Rarity fainted at the sight only to be caught and shaken awake by Applejack.

"Whatever happened, Fluttershy either made blood spill or spilled her own blood." Rainbow Dash said.

"Probably both..." Twilight remarked.

Twilight took lead. "Okay, guys, I have a plan. Applejack and I will feed the animals and clean the cages,Rarity looks for any signs of Fluttershy's disappearance,  Rainbow Dash, look everywhere for Fluttershy. This includes the Everfree forest! Pinkie Pie-"

Another awkward silence filled the air.

"GO!" Twilight screamed, once again, breaking the silence. The ponies went to work.

***

Fluttershy grasped the keys and ended up slamming the mare into her cell doors.

In surprise, the mare turned around but Fluttershy slammed her again, desperate for the keys. The mare extended her hoof to hit the button of doom. Fluttershy slammed her again. The mare let out a scream. Suddenly the keys flew out of her vest and into Fluttershy's cell.

Fluttershy grabbed the keys, and then she realized the mare had hit the button of doom.

No!

Fluttershy quickly ran to the front of the cell and tried to get the key to unlock herself, while the mare lie on the floor, back aching.

The door unlocked.

Fluttershy grabbed the mare and threw her into the cell, slammed the door, and then she was locked in. Fluttershy could hear the steps apporach faster. Fluttershy unleashed her wings and flew throughout the hallways, holding the key in her mouth. When she realized it would be no more of use, she dropped it, and she heard a voice scream, "MY EYE!"

Fluttershy soon realized she was underground, and soared up a pair of stairs and shoved open a door. The entire prison was like a giant cellar.

The sun's warmth shone on her yellow coat, and she soared into the air as fast as she can. Soon enough, there were other pegasi following her. Fluttershy panicked as they approached faster. Then suddenly, she felt something wrap around her body, stopping her wings from flapping.

Fluttershy lounded with a loud thud. Dust exploded around her, and she could hear the coughs of many ponies. Once the dust cleared, Steal Stuff slowly trotted up. Once he was close enough, Fluttershy could only see his dark hoof.

"You're in big trouble, yellow one." he said, and turned around.

"Take her away."

Fluttershy felt herself being lifted with unicorn magic. and being carried back down to the prisons. She was literally thrown back in her cell.

"Blood Break is dead!" a pony came galloping up to the group.

"What?!" Steal Stuff asked, then looked at Fluttershy.

"You're innocence is gone, yellow one! You killed her!"

He looked back at the other pony.

"How'd she die?"

"Severe brain damage. No way I could save her. She died within about two minutes when I got her out of this cell." He pointed at Fluttershy's cell.

Steal Stuff looked at Fluttershy, but said nothing.

1:32

Has it really been that long?

The crowd of ponies began to descend when the same strong unicorn that she fought earlier wrapped duct tape around her mouth.

Fluttershy had caused an awkward silence throught the prison cells. Nopony talked. They didn't want to talk. What could terrifying Fluttershy could do next?

Fluttershy fell asleep, thinking

I'm a killer.

***

Fluttershy awoke on her bed. She checked the clock. 2;30 p.m. It was just a dream. She walked downstairs, seeing her animals happy to see her. And she was happy to see them. Angel hopped over to her, hungry and grumpy. She pet him.

"It'll come soon, Angel Bunny."

Then she realized how soft, how soozing his fur was. And how she wanted to stroke again and again. The young rabbit tried to scurry away and Fluttershy stroke him more and more.

"No, no, Angel." Fluttershy said as she kept on petting him.

She then realized how much she wanted to keep his soft, soothing fur forever and ever, and never let it go.

If the rabbit starves from me holding him so much, I will be stroking a smelly corpse, Fluttershy thought to herself.

"Oh Angel, come with me, I'll feed you first."

In no regret, Angel followed.

Fluttershy and Angel went into the kitchen and saw blood stains everywhere.

She thought in her mind, Did the dream I have really happen?

Fluttershy then realized what a thrill it was to fight, to see blood spill. To represent her victory that she did. She then loved blood. She wanted to see blood that she made come out. She set Angel on the table.

Fluttershy again thought to herself, I want to see blood spill, to see what beautiful work I have done.

"Here, Angel," Fluttershy said grabbing the same, thick, bloody knife as she remembered from the battle. (Which she had not cleaned.)

"Hold still!" Before the rabbit could respond, Fluttershy sank the knife into his soft, fragile body.

Blood spurted from the dying rabbit's chest as it hit Fluttershy's face. Not only has the sight of blood made her feel alive, but the feeling of it splashing on her face did. Fluttershy licked around her mouth. And the taste, too!

Fluttershy continued stabbing Angel, seeing the blood and feeling the blood and tasting the blood. Soon enough she could smell the blood; which smelled better than anything to her. Blood, she loved it. And the only way to get more was to work for it.

***

"Get up, yellow one."  she heard a voice say.

Fluttershy woke up startled, she looked up at Steal Stuff.

"We need to talk."

Steal  Stuff looked at Fluttershy as she followed him.

They went into his office.

"You know, yellow one. I am not mad at you for murdering Blood Break. Infact, I'm fascinated. I underestimated you. You even took out Metalhoof's eye."

Fluttershy thought of how she dropped the keys when she made an attempt to escape.

"Even almost escaping has impressed me, yellow one. I want to know; would you like to be an assassin for us?"

Fluttershy gasped.

More blood!

"Sure!" She said in delight, without thinking.

Fluttershy then stopped herself. What monster have I become?!

There was no going back now, though. Steal Stuff already acknowledged the offering.

"Good After your first mission tonight. Get some rest, yellow one. We are getting along well. Perhaps you'll become a friend to me."

Fluttershy uncomfortably went back to her cell thinking how she would become friends with such a horrid pony. Perhaps Fluttershy was a horrid pony, too? Was this really who she was? Fluttershy looked at the clock.

6:27

Her first mission was in four hours, and she had a plan to make it her last.

***

"It is time, yellow one." she heard Steal Stuff say.

Lightning Dust was by his side.

"You are going to leave in ten minutes. Let me give you the supplies necessary." Steal Stuff said.

***

Fluttershy and Lightning Dust soared out the door with their supplies.

"Where are you going, Lightning? Canterlot is this way!" Fluttershy said over the wind.

"I'm not heading towards Canterlot!" Lightning Dust hissed, "I'm heading for freedom!"

Of course.

Fluttershy did remember her strive for freedom as she remembered escaping

"Let's go. Quickly." Fluttershy said.

The two ponies soared side by side.

Fluttershy would never be able to keep up with Lightning Dust's average speed, so Lightning flew slower than usual.

Atleast they were both on their way to freedom.

***

"Just as boss predicted, Metalhoof." Wingburn said to the one-eyed pony.

Metalhoof looked at the pure red pegasus.

"Go at them, Wingburn."

Wingburn took off into the sky, carrying a net in his mouth.

***

"...Who's-" Lightning Dust started, but then got cut off by Wingburn soaring into her side and pushing her into a cloud.

Fluttershy gasped. "How DARE YOU?!"

She flew over to Wingburn and slammed him in his side, causing him to fling away.

Fluttershy heard a loud thud.

Lightning Dust flew back towards Fluttershy.

"I seriously thought he was gonna kill me. If there wasn't a way out, I would have suffocated in that cloud."

"I think I killed him..." Fluttershy said quietly.

Suddenly a loud roar of wind came as Wingburn soared to the two pegasi and threw the net at both of them, entangling their wings.

"AHHH!" They both screamed as they fell towards Earth.

Fluttershy grabbed at the rope and started to viciously bite.

"What are you doing?!" Lightning Dust, sure those would be her last words.

"Setting you free!" Fluttershy cried.

Fluttershy thought of her goresome thoughts and how she loved them.

I don't want to die being a monster!

"And how will you set me free?!" Lightning Dust screamed

"By having the rope all to myself!" Fluttershy screamed

Suddenly, part of the rope tore off of  Lightning Dust's wings, but there was no time to get the other half of the rope off Fluttershy's.

Lightning Dust soared after Fluttershy.

"No! Don't save me!" Fluttershy screamed.

Lightning Dust looked in confusion, and attempted to grab Fluttershy's back hoof but ended up being kicked in chest.

"Go!" Fluttershy screamed.

She looked at the ground. She realized she would be hitting water. It would only be a few seconds before she hit.

This is it, she thought. Goodbye. life. Goodbye, friends. Goodbye, everything. Goodbye, me. I'd rather die a non-psycopath than one.

Suddenly, Fluttershy felt her body impact on the water. It was cold, and the impact was so hard pain went surging throughout her body. Her eyes opened in shock. While it wasn't even a fourth of a second, it felt like an hour. It was supposed to be quick and painless. But she's never expreienced such pain before. Her body quickly spilled blood, her bones broke. Too much damage happened to Fluttershy to ever save her. She saw a bright light, and felt herself leave the pain.

Forever.

***

"It's been THREE DAYS. THREE!" Cried Rainbow Dash as the four ponies met up at Twilight's library.

"I did the best I could do, Rainbow. I contacted the Ponyville police, I even used one of my tracking spells. She's nowhere near here." Twilight said.

"I have to agree with Rainbow, Twi. Wouldn't ya'll get a little suspicious if Fluttershy was missing for three days?" asked Applejack.

"So right now all we can do is put up more flyers on Fluttershy being missing?" Rarity asked, impatient.

"I guess, so, Rarity. Because Twi here can't use her egghead brain to think of any bright ideas."  Dash replied.

"Let's just go-" Twilight started, but then the doorbell rang.

"Is it Fluttershy?!" The three other ponies asked in hope.

"I don't know, girls! Let me open the dang door." Twilight grumbled.

The door opened, there, she found a green unicorn mare holding mail.

"What, an accidental mail mix up? I don't blame you, Derpy-"

The unicorn interrupted her. "Ah, no. We haven't been able to find Derpy for days. Usually I do Manehatten services, but since they have all that fancy technology, mail isn't really popular there anymore."

"How long ago did she go missing?" Twilight asked.

"About three days ago, possibly four." the unicorn said.

"Odd, that's the same time our friend went missing." Rarity excalimed.

The unicorn shrugged. "Oh, well. Probably just a coincidence. Just take your mail, please. I'm busy."

Twilight took the mail using her magic.

When she shut the door, Twilight and her friends looked at the newspaper. Dash asked,

"Did they put our 'Missing' poster in there?"

"Let me see..." Twilight flipped through the paper.

"Wait Twilight-stop!" Rarity hissed.

"Why?" Twilight asked, impatient to find their friend's 'Missing Pony' poster.

"Look here. 'Dead Pegasus Found in Canterlot River'." Rarity replied.

"Whoa!" Applejack exclaimed, "ya'll don't see that in the front page of the paper everyday."

"Okay. I'll read it aloud, then." Twilight said.

" 'I was just fishing, when I felt something tugging on my line. It felt big and heavy. I knew fish weren't that heavy down in this river, so I reeled it in and there was a dead body of a pony.' a local Canterlot pony, Fish Reel, claims, 'We don't know who it is. It was defentily a full grown mare, and a pegasus.' Applejack interrupted Twilight's reading.

"That's odd. Ain't a full grown mare and a pegasus a little suspicious to ya'll?" asked Applejack, but nopony wanted to reply.

Twilight continued to read.

"This pony has a yellow body and light pink mane. If anypony knows who she is or why she is dead, please contact Canterlot Investigation Team with mail, or visit them at 786 Loral Drive." - ss. Writer, Bean Mc Goolb"

An awkward silence went throughout the ponies.

"Fluttershy...dead?" Rainbow gasped.

"...Let's go, girls." Twilight announced.

The ponies stepped out of Twilight's door and made their way to Canterlot.

***

"Twilight! I'm back from shopping! I-" Spike stopped talking when he realized nopony was in the treehouse.

"That's weird..." Spike said, looking around.

"Hoo!" a mysterious voice said.

"It's me, Owlicious!" Spike exclaimed.

"Hoo!" Owlicious came into view holding the newspaper.

"What? Were you reading the news?" Spike asked, and chuckled.

"Hoo!" Owlicious shoved the newspaper in Spike's face.

"Fine, fine I'll read it."

Spike began reading.

His eyes went back and forth as he read the first articale.

Spike gasped.

"Fluttershy!"

***

Twilight and her friends burst into the Canterlot Investigation Team HQ.

"How may I help you?" A pony came up to them and asked, but then bowed, seeing princess Twilight.

Twilight sighed. She didn't like how she got this kind of attention all of the time.

"We know who the pony is, that died in the river. She's our friend Fluttershy." Twilight said.

"Is she, princess?" the pony gasped.

"I'm sorry for your loss. Here, let me talk with you all." And she trotted toward her office.

***

Spike burped out a letter.

He opened and read,

"Dear Twilight and Spike, just instantly, I received news about a pony dead in a river. This sounds a lot like Fluttershy, your friend. Please find out. I am sorry if you had to receive the news this way.

Sincerely, Princess Luna

"Luna?" Spike said to himself, "Either way, I might as well write back."

Spike wrote.

Dear Princess Luna, I have heard of the news. I'm not sure if Twilight has, I came home to find I'm the only one here.

Sincerely, Spike

He sent the letter.

"Where is Twilight...?"

***

"What is THIS!?" Steal Stuff asked. He shoved the newspaper into Wingburn's face.

"You IDIOT! I SAID TO CAPTURE THEM IF THEY TRIED TO ESCAPE, NOT TO KILL THEM!"

"Master- I don't even know if the blue one is dead!" Wingburn cried.

"I liked the yellow one better!" Steal Stuff hissed,

"I WAS BEFRIENDING HER! DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS?! WE COULD SAVE OUR PRISONS FOR OTHER PONIES!" Steal Stuff shouted.

"If you were befriending her, how come she attempted to escape?!" Wingburn asked.

"She probably followed the blue one!" Steal Stuff hissed.

"What if she didn't master?" Wingburn asked.

"She would learn to trust me anyway!" Steal Stuff hissed,

"I never got to learn her name! Get the pony who captured her." Steal Stuff hissed.

Wingburn trotted to get the grey unicorn whom captured Fluttershy.

"What is it, master?" The grey unicorn asked.

"The yellow pony's name.." Steal Stuff started,

"What was her name, BearStrike?!"

"Fluttershy, master." The grey unicorn replied.

Steal Stuff's pupils shrank.

A flashback soared into his mind.

"She's beautiful..." Steel said as he saw the new pony sit down at her desk at Cloudsdale Elementary School.

"Maybe I can make friends with her."

"Class, this is our new student, Fluttershy. We will be nice and kind to her." the teacher, Miss Notin said.

"Now Fluttershy, right now it's time for writing. I'll have a partner help you. Is anypony willing to help Fluttershy with writing?" A A few ponies raised their hooves, Steel raised his eagerly.

"Steel, you can help Fluttershy." Miss Notin said.

Steel went over to Fluttershy's desk.

"Hi, there. I'm Steel." Steel said happy at the beautiful pony.

Fluttershy whispered, "I-I'm Fluttershy."

"Did you say something?" Steel asked.

Fluttershy didn't respond.

"Well, welcome to Miss Notin's Kindergarden class. Let me help you get started." Steel Stuff smiled, and started explaining everything to Fluttershy.

***

"I'm..I'm moving, Steel. To Ponyville." Fluttershy said to Steel, her best friend since Kindergarden.

"What?!" Steel exclaimed, dropping his sandwhich on the lunch table.

"N-no, Fluttershy! Please stay!" Steel cried.

"I'm sorry...its just..my aunt Posey has to take care of me, now..today's my last day." Fluttershy sighed.

"B-but, we're only half way through second grade!" Steel cried,

"Stay with me, Fluttershy! I'm sure my parents will love you! It's-"

"I'm sorry, Steel. It's just...things have happened and I'm not allowed to tell." Fluttershy said.

Steel sighed. "Fine... but one day, we will see eachother again."

***

Fifth grade. Fluttershy hasn't been here since second.

"Welcome Fluttershy, class." Mrs. Montio said.

"Hi, Fluttershy." Everypony in the classroom said.

Steel gasped.

It was Fluttershy! It was really her!

Once lunchtime rolled around, Fluttershy felt a sudden pounce on her back.

"Ah!" she squealed, and turned around to see her old friend, Steel.

"Steel? Is that you?" Fluttershy asked. Steal nodded.

"I knew one day I'd see you again!" he said cheerfully.

"I do recognize some other ponies in this school." Fluttershy said.

"Great! Want to sit with me at lunch?" asked Steel.

"Sure!" Fluttershy said. She grabbed her own tray and they sat down.

"So how was third and fourth grade?" asked Fluttershy.

"Fine. It'd be much better with you here, though. Fluttershy, why'd you come back?" asked Steel.

"My aunt Posey divorced my uncle ScarredWing." Fluttershy said,

"Scarred Wing was a pegasus. I moved back with him, to here. Posey was an Earth Pony, so that's why I couldn't stay."

"Well I'm glad you're back, Fluttershy." said Steel.

"So am I." Fluttershy said, and she smiled at him.

***

Second year at Cloudsdale Junior High. 7th grade.

"We have a lot of class periods together, Steel." Fluttershy said.

"Yeah, except for math and social studies. But that's okay." Steel said.

"Yeah. Oh well." Fluttershy said.

***

"Class, take a seat please anywhere. Find a partner for our lab project." Mr. Oy said.

"Want to be my partner?" Steel asked Fluttershy.

Fluttershy responded, "Always, Steel, always."

***

"Gah! Stupid math homework! I'm so dumb, Fluttershy. I'm not afraid to admit it. I still have 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, and college course math classes to go through, yet I can't understand this stupid crap!" Steel growled.

"You're so lucky my uncle isn't home, Steel. He'd tell you to shut up so meanly you'd be afraid to come back over." Fluttershy chuckled.

Steel made a nervous laugh. "Uh, okay. Yeah."

"Let me help you, Steel. It's simple. I'll do an example problem."

Fluttershy wrote on the back of her homework sheet.

"See? Simple. I'll write a problem for you to figure out." Fluttershy said.

She wrote a problem.

Steel figured it out easily.

"Sorry my handwriting is so sloppy." he said.

"That's okay, Steel. Most boys do."  Fluttershy chuckled again.

Soon enough, they finished their homework.

"So...you have no TV, right?" Steel asked.

"No. 'Uncle thinks it's brainwash." Fluttershy chuckled yet again.

"Why are you laughing so much?" Steel asked.

"Nothing.." But this time, Fluttershy laughed even more than before.

Steel thought to himself, am I making her laugh?

Fluttershy brought out a radio from her closet.

"We can listen to music."

Fluttershy turned on the radio.

"Ooh! This is my favorite song!" Fluttershy exclaimed.

She stated doing a little dance.

Steel remembered the thought of when he first saw her... the most gorgeous mare ever. She moved so elegantly, her mane swayed side to side..

Fling!

Steel saw his wings open. And they were stuck.

"Oh no..." he said. He went to find the bathroom.

He locked the door. "Go-down-you-stupid-wings!" Steel said as he tried to push his wings back to normal.

With many tries, he finally got them normal again.

He went back out, Fluttershy was still dancing. He hoped she didn't see that. That'd be awkward.

The song ended.

"Why didn't you join me?" Fluttershy asked.

"I uh-I can't dance." Steel said trying to his lying eyes.

He actually never knew how to dance. He never really cared.

"Let me show you, Steel." Without asking him,she grabbed Steel by the hoof.

The next song came on.

"Okay, just move your hoof like this..." Fluttershy said,

"Good...now..move like that-wait, no! Wait!"

But it was too late. Steel fell atop of Fluttershy.

His face went red. "Oh uh-sorry!" he said.

"It's alright," Fluttershy said. She got up but knocked her head under his chin.

"Agh!" She said, she backed away and faced Steel.

She's never been this close to Steel. Like Steel, her face went red and she backed away.

They sat there in silent awkwardness until the song ended, and the commercials came on.

Fluttershy turned the radio off.

"Well, wanna get something to eat or something..." Fluttershy said, trying to get rid of the awkwardness between them.

She started to make her way to the kitchen.

You've had a crush on her ever since first grade, Steel. It's about time you told her.. he thought to himself.

"Uh, Fluttershy?" Steel asked.

Fluttershy was halfway through the door way.

"Yes?"

"Uh...Fluttershy, I've..I've always l-liked you since I met you..."

"Well, of course. Once we made friends, I've liked you since then."

"N-no..it's more than that, Fluttershy...I-I love you."

Fluttershy turned over to face Steel.

"You really do?"

"Y-yes."

Fluttershy walked towards Steel.

"I've been waiting forever for you to admit it, Steel."

"You knew?"

"Of course I did. Boys are so obvious."

Right then, she took Steel by his neck and slammed his lips into hers.

Steel's eyes opened wide in shock, but then closed them in ease as he felt Fluttershy's soft lips touch his.

After about a minute, she let go.

"Fluttershy..." he said,

"Yes, I'll be your girlfriend silly!" she said, smiling.

"...Yeah. I was gonna ask that."

The front door of the cloud aparment unlocked and Fluttershy's uncle ScarredWing came inside.

Fluttershy and Steel looked at eachother and just laughed.

That was close.

The high school years were all one happy blur for Steel, until the last year.

***

"I'm moving back onto ground, Steel. After I graduate." said Fluttershy.

"What?!" Steel asked, "I'll come with you, Fluttershy!"

"You can't. You belong in the sky. You need to put your talent to good use, Steel. I'm no good at flying, I belong on the ground where all the animals are. I wouldn't waste your life just so I can enjoy mine even more."

"B-but, does this mean we're done?"

"No," Fluttershy said,

"One day we will see eachother again, Steel. One day."

***

Steal Stuff flashed back into reality.

"MASTER!!!" BearStrike was yelling.

Wingburn and BearStrike were waiting impatiently.

"You are dismissed."

Wingburn and BearStrike left without a doubt.

Steal Stuff closed his office door. More memories flowed through his mind.

The school year ended.

"Why, out of all the ponies, FLUTTERSHY HAD TO BE THE ONE TO GO DOWN TO THE GROUND?!" Steel screamed.

"Steel?" A hoof knock was on his bedroom door from his father.

"Go away, dad."

But his dad opened his door anyway.

"What's wrong, Steel?"

"Nothing."

"You are my son. I know when something is wrong with you. Now tell me. Become a man."

Steel sighed. "Fluttershy is leaving."

"Ah, your girlfriend. You can never trust mares, they are pieces of garbage."

Steel growled, "You sexist asshole!" and he pinned his father to the bed.

"Let me go, Steel! I am your father!"

"No! You didn't know Fluttershy like I did! She said we'd see eachother again - she promised!"

"Ah, but will you still be in love with Fluttershy when she sees you again? Will she still love you?" asked Steel's Father calmly, despite the fact he was pinned down.

Steel's eyes widened.

"She will no longer love you the next time you see her!" scolded Steel's father. He slipped out and pinned down his son,

"It's time to inherent what's been going on in the family for generations..."

"No! NEVER!" Steel hissed.

"Oh yes. You have MY BLOOD, Steel. and everyone who shares OUR BLOOD has one thing they must do. They must steal, they must do crimes. Listen to me, son. If you don't, I will make you."

Steel slipped from his father's grasp.

"No! I'm not a criminal! It's not me!" Steel cried.

His father pinned him down. "You shall inherent your new name, Steel. Your name shall now be called Steal Stuff. You will take on the newest generation of burglary in Equestria. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?"

"No!" Steal Stuff hissed.

"Yes," his father replied, "Welcome to the family, Steal Stuff."

Steal Stuff shivered as he snapped back to reality.

The mare he loved was dead.

He walked out into the hall.

"You're all going free."

One by one, ponies flew and galloped out of their cells.

"BOSS!" Wingburn screamed, "Now they all can tell the princesses!"

"I know. They can. I can't forgive myself for the crimes I have done to these innocent ponies."

He grabbed a knife.

"Goodbye."

And he slit his throat.

***

Twilight inspected Fluttershy's body.

"It seems she died once she hit the water. She didn't drown."

"Ah, okay." The piny said.

"I don't need approval to do this; I'm burying her in the Canterlot Cemetery for Lost Heroes, right next to her best friend.

"Ah okay, here, take a temporary coffin." the pony said. She placed Fluttershy gently in the coffin, and the ponies took her over to the cemetery, a trail of tears followed them.

Twilight's horn glowed, and suddenly Spike appeared.

"New spell I'm working on..." she told her friends.

She looked at Spike, eyes dry with tears.

"Wha-?! Oh hi, Twi." Spike said.

"Spike, take a letter please."

"Sorry Twi, no paper or quill."

Twilight's horn glowed and a quill and paper appeared.

"Write what I say, okay?"

"Okay."

"Dear Princess Celestia, my friend, Fluttershy, has died. We wish you ask to hold a small funeral tomorrow."

Instantly, Spike burped out a letter. All it said was,

"Yes."

ONE DAY LATER

The funeral was smaller than ever. It only had Celestia, The four friends, Posey, and ScarredWing.

"Any speeches?" Celestia asked.

Rainbow went up first.

"Fluttershy was awesome..really. I am so shocked from her death that tears are hardly even coming out. I know sooner or later they might...I just hoped Fluttershy isn't as shocked as us. I hope she's at peace."

Then Applejack.

"Fluttershy was kind to the core. I appreciated her alot. I'm devistated she's gone."

Then Rarity.

"It's a shame to lose such another good friend. I know everpony's time comes, and I'm glad we enjoyed Fluttershy while we could."

Lastly Twilight.

"What can I say, really? Fluttershy was another extremely good friend of mine and I'm so sad she's gone. May her heart rest in peace."

Princess Celestia nor Scarredwing or Posey made a speech.

The four friends sat next to each other crying.

Fluttershy, the kidness to their souls, the shy small pony with a really big personality.

She was gone forever, slowly lowering deeper into the ground, next to one of her best friends.

Fluttershy would never be able to show her kindness and care to her friends again.

Maybe she will be able to show it to Pinkie Pie.