It was my worst fucking nightmare. That's all I can really say, when I think about it.
“Iron Will wants YOU on stage!” The voice boomed over the cranked-up amplifiers, a force resonating and pounding into my body with a vice grip and a cold chill.
No.
“...m-...me?” I managed to stammer, feeling the silent derision of dozens upon dozens of pairs of eyes upon me.
Look, isn't that Fluttershy? You know, the really freaky animal lover that lives all by herself out on the edge of the Everfree Forest? That pony is, like, so weird.
“NOW!” The voice commanded. Celestia damn it, I obeyed.
I found my trembling hooves taking me skirting around the crowd, their eyes following me still as I crept weakly up to the stage. My mouth felt like I had just decided to swallow a few hoof-fulls of sand and my heart was hammering quicker than the flutter of a hummingbird's wings against my ribcage. I felt myself instinctively curl my wings tight into my sides, a purely instinctive reaction at that point. I had been here before. Oh, yes.
All my life, I've dealt with being...well...timid. The shy, easily-excitable pony that nopony really pays any attention to. It's been...lonely. These past couple of years, though, things have been relatively good – I have five close friends, fellow bearers of the Elements. I'd never had that many friends before. I can't help but wonder if I have them now.
I stepped out onto the stage, and there he was – that scrawny little fucking goat, his eyes glazed over as if he were in some sort of a trance. I tried to politely step around him, but he kept blocking my path – I felt my blood pressure rising, veins starting to pop out of my neck.
“Ooh, he's blocking your path! WHAT are you gonna do about it?” The creature roared, hurting my ears. I already felt a hell of a good headache coming on, and his incessant blaring wasn't helping matters in the slightest. I gave the usual answers – all defensive, all non-combative...but he wasn't having any of that bull, if you'll pardon the corny expression. He insisted that I assert myself aggressively, and he went so far as to flick me right on the flanks – I decided that that was the last straw, then. Something snapped.
I looked down at his still, unmoving form crumpled on the stage, his neck horribly askew. Silence washed over the hedge maze like a thick, oppressive veil.
“I...” I began.
“I've only got one thing to say...”
“...I was never really on your side.”
And then Fluttershy turned into the Spy and blue team won.
