Chapters Rainbow Dash plopped onto her bed, crossed her legs, and opened the new edition of Daring Do. She had waited all night outside the bookstore, in the snow and ice. Now, it was time to read it. The newest book in the series, Daring Do and the Temple of Shadows. Rainbow could tell this would be the best book yet. She idly flipped past the Table of Contents and to the first page. As she read, she noticed a note was scribbled onto the bottom of the page. She ignored it and continued to read the story. At Chapter 2, Rainbow decided that was enough for a day, and she closed it. Rainbow looked over at the alarm clock. The time read 12:25p.m. Dash needed to be at Fluttershy's at 12:30. What the heck, Dash thought. Why not just go over now? With that, Dash put on her rainbow scarf, then took off.
A soft, white blanket of snow covered all of Ponyville. Clouds hung high in the sky, and a chilly breeze scratched ponies and animals alike with icy fingers. It was hard to make out Fluttershy's Cottage in the swirling white of Winter, but Dash managed to find it. The Pegasus alighted on the snowy ground, then walked up to Fluttershy's door. One knock was all it took. Fluttershy answered the door, and ushered her friend inside. The interior of the Cottage was warm and cozy, and a crackling fire cast an orange glow. Playful shadows danced on the walls. Fluttershy sat down in her favorite chair, and motioned for Dash to sit next to her. Rainbow took her seat.
"Oh, I'm so glad you could make it, Rainbow." Said Fluttershy.
"No problem. Why wouldn't I come over? My house is freezing." Replied Dash. Fluttershy's ears perked up. That meant she was exited about something.
"Do you want some tea? I just remembered that I got some this morning."
"...Tea." Said Rainbow glumly, giving Fluttershy the "are you f**king kidding me." look.
"What's wrong? It's ok if you don't want any, Rainbow Dash."
"I don't know, something about tea is just weird to me. I drink coffee. That's also why I never invite Pinkie over."
"I'm sure you'll like it once you try it." Said Fluttershy. She trotted into the kitchen and came back out with a tray, bearing filled cups and a teapot. It wobbled, some of the tea sloshing out and splashing on the floor. Rainbow got out of her chair to help her friend. Dash took the tray from Fluttershy and set it on the coffee table. Even though Fluttershy was 2 years older than she was, she still felt like it was her job to protect the yellow Pegasus.
"Thank you, Rainbow."
"Sure thing, Shy. Now let's taste this pansy "tea"." Dash took a sip of the piping hot tea. It tasted like bitter flowers, and it burned her tongue. And to her surprise, she liked it. Her rosy eyes lit up, and she took another sip. "Hey, this stuff isn't half bad!"
"See Dash, I told you you would like it. Ooh! Hold on a minute!" Exclaimed Fluttershy. She ran into another room, and came back out with 2 sealed envelopes. "This is what I invited you here for. I got these in the mail this morning. One of them was addressed to you." Fluttershy handed Rainbow Dash an envelope.
"Derpy must have delivered my mail wrong again. Oh well. Princess Celestia and Luna do cordially invite you to this year's annual Hearth's Warming Eve...BALL!!" Shouted Rainbow. Her gaze shot to Fluttershy. "A ball!? Like the kind where you have to dress up and dance ball!?" Asked Rainbow, frantic.
"...yes?" Squeaked Fluttershy, her invitation covering most of her face. Rainbow Dash was hyperventilating. She clutched the letter close to her chest.
"No, I can't go to a ball! Gotta go home...Daring Do! Need awesomeness! Thanks for the tea, Shy!" Rainbow ran out the front door and launched herself up into the snowy sky.
...............
The door to Rainbow Dash's cloud home burst open. Rainbow sprinted to her room, closed and locked the door, laid on her bed, and opened the Daring Do book. She calmed down as she read, but the wind kept blowing the book to the page with the note. Finally, Rainbow gave up and read it.
Into the story they go. Their only hope is the end. Say goodbye to those you love. The book is all they know.
Rainbow read it again and again, but it made no sense. Say goodbye to those you love? The book is all they know?
"Some crazy pony must have written that." Huffed Dash, flipping back to her page.
Meanwhile...
Fluttershy sat in her favorite chair, sipping tea. Angel laid snoozing, curled in her lap. Fluttershy smiled fondly as she thought about how Rarity was reacting. She was probably bouncing around the Boutique, a wide grin painted on her face. Fluttershy suddenly felt her arm go limp, causing her to spill tea on herself. Then it was her other arm, then her legs, her body, and finally, her head. Her vision faded, and she was left slumped over in her favorite chair, tea dripping onto the floor. Angel looked up at his Fluttershy, and smiled. She was cute when she was asleep.
...............
Fluttershy tried to open her eyes, but they felt heavy. All she could see was the sun, blinding her with its harsh light. Fluttershy groaned. Her head hurt: it felt like it had been cracked open and poorly stapled back together. All she could do was roll over. The ground under her felt hot and rocky. Fluttershy tried to open her eyes again. The exceedingly bright world began to swim into focus. The blue sky was cloudless, and sunlight filtered though the green tree canopy above her. Slowly, Fluttershy rose to her hooves. Her legs wobbled, and threatened to give out under her. She shook her head. Fluttershy took a careful step, but stumbled and fell. Her ears were ringing, and the world was still a bit blurry.
"...Ouch..." Fluttershy shakily got to her hooves, then crumpled onto the ground and held her stomach. "Oh, dear...it hurts..." Her eyes were shut tight. Where was she? Why did she hurt so badly? Fluttershy vomited, then wiped her mouth and once again rose to her hooves. She turned and walked into the surrounding jungle. Anywhere was better than here. Maybe she could find her way out, and go home. Maybe...
A sense of impending doom was starting to wash over Fluttershy. She had been aimlessly wandering around for Celestia knows how long, and wasn't getting anywhere. She looked at the large, split tree to her left. She had passed it 25 times already. Fluttershy sat on the ground and hugged her legs to her chest. She was lost. Lost in the jungle with no food, no water, and whatever was out there, lurking, watching in silence. The sun's rays cast long shadows. Fluttershy shielded her eyes with her wings. It was then that she remembered: she was a Pegasus. Cautiously, she flapped her wings and rose above the trees. All there was was trees, as far as the eye could see. Hopeless, Fluttershy lowered herself into a treetop, and watched the sunset. The sky lit up in firey colors. Red, orange, and yellow, all laced with lavender purple. At least there was one good thing about this place. Fluttershy's eyelids closed, and she quickly drifted off into the Dreamscape.
................
Angel Bunny awoke from his nap, yawning and stretching. He looked up at his Fluttershy. She was still sound asleep, a bit of drool hanging out of her mouth. Angel hopped off her lap and checked the time. It was 4:45pm. Fluttershy didn't usually take 4-hour naps, but he paid it little attention and carried on with his day.
1 Day Later...
Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie sat around a table at Sugarcube Corner, all with warm drinks clasped in their freezing hooves.
"And then, I opened the closet-" Said Rainbow Dash, who was then interrupted by Pinkie Pie.
"What was in it!? Was it a cake!?" Shouted Pinkie. Twilight facehoofed. She knew that Pinkie Pie drinking hot chocolate with whipped cream and extra marshmallows wasn't a good idea.
"Pinkie! It's my story, so let me tell it! Jeez." Said Rainbow Dash. Pinkie sat back down in her chair and leaned forward, eyes wide. "So, where was I again?"
"Hang on for just a minute, Rainbow Dash. Has anypony seen Fluttershy? She was supposed to meet us here." Said Twilight. Everypony shrugged. Well, everypony accept Rainbow Dash.
"Fluttershy? She invited me over for tea yesterday." Replied Dash. Applejack snorted, some of her cider spilling out of her mouth. Dash shot her a death glare. The farm mare just exploded into loud bursts of laughter. Pinkie soon joined in, giggling uncontrollably. Rarity snickered.
"What're you laughing at, Applejack?" Growled Rainbow Dash.
"Oh, cheerio', darlin'! Would ya' like to join me for tea and crumpets!?" Laughed Applejack, using a poor British accent. She snorted loudly, and continued to laugh. Rarity couldn't hold it back anymore, and laughed so hard that her eyes watered.
"Girls! This is serious!" Scolded Twilight. The laughter quickly died down.
"Um, go on, Twilight." Applejack blushed.
"Twilight dear, it's alright. Fluttershy's probably at home. Maybe she forgot about our get-together. It's nothing to worry about." Said Rarity. Just then, there was a soft tapping on the door. Twilight's horn lit up, and the door swung open. A very cold Angel Bunny hopped in, along with the Winter wind. Angel hopped up to the mares and made frantic gestures.
"Um, sleep! Yer tired!" Guessed Applejack. Angel shook his head, then made his ears flop in front of his face.
"Fluttershy?" Guessed Twilight. Angel nodded vigorously, and mimicked being asleep.
"Fluttershy's asleep!" Exclaimed Rarity. Angel nodded and motioned for them to follow him. Twilight set 10 bits on the table. They all got up, and followed the white rabbit.
................
Fluttershy was rudely awakened by something knocking her out of the tree. The moon hung high in the sky, barely giving her enough light to see. She got to her hooves and walked over to where the object had pushed her. She felt around, and came in contact with something warm. She felt along it. It felt furry and muscular, like a big cat. And it growled at her. Her pupils shrank to the size of pinpricks, and she slowly backed away. It let out a ferocious roar, and all of a sudden, Fluttershy felt an immense, burning pain in her chest. She turned and ran away as fast as her legs could carry her. Blindly she ran, tripping over roots and bushes. She could feel its hot, sticky breath on her rump. There was another slash, another fire set to her flank. She ran faster, but the pain made her slow down. Tears came rushing down her face. It jumped, digging its claws into her hind legs.
All of a sudden, the ground ended. Gravity pulled her down, causing the beast's claws to tear all the way down her legs. An ear-splitting scream echoed though the jungle as she tumbled down a steep hill, dirt getting into her mouth and wounds. She stopped rolling, and just laid there, crying and bleeding everywhere. Because crying was all she could do.
................
The mane 6 entered Fluttershy's home, cheeks pink from the cold. There, slumped over in her favorite chair, was Fluttershy. They walked over to her and tried to wake her. Twilight shook her shoulder.
"Fluttershy...Fluttershy...get up, please." Said Twilight. She continued to snooze.
"Fluttershy, dear, it's time to wake up." Said Rarity, shaking her. Applejack was the next to try.
"Hey, Fluttershy! Git up, ya' missed Sugarcube Corner!" Yelled Applejack, stomping her hooves on the floor. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie exchanged glances, then nodded at each other. Pinkie started yelling, while Dash ran into the kitchen to get water.
"SHY! ITS TIME TO WAKE UP, SLEEPYHEAD! IF YOU DONT WAKE UP, DASHIE'S GONNA SPLASH YOU WITH WATER! WAKE UP WAKE UP WAKE UP WAKE UP WAKE UP WAKE UP!!" Yelled Pinkie. There was no response from Fluttershy. Dash splashed her with ice-cold water. Anypony, no matter how heavy of a sleeper, would have woken up by now. Nothing happened. Fluttershy was still slumped over in her favorite chair, sound asleep. The mane 6 exchanged glances.
"Why isn't she wakin' up? Even Applebloom would've' woken up by now." Said Applejack, concerned.
"Yeah, Twilight...is this kind of thing normal?" Asked Rainbow Dash.
"I've read a few books about sleep, and nothing like this has ever come up." Replied Twilight.
"Should we go get Nurse Readheart?" Asked Pinkie.
"...Sure. Rainbow Dash, would you-" Said Twilight.
"I'm on it, Twi!" In a flash, Rainbow was out the door.
..................
Nurse Readheart stepped out from the examination room, a clipboard in her grasp.
"So, how is she? Is there something wrong with her?" Asked Dash. The rest of her friends nodded and leaned in close.
"Well...I'm afraid your friend is in a coma." Said Nurse Redheart. They all gasped in unison.
"But why? How did it happen?" Asked Twilight.
"We have no idea what caused it. Usually it's poison or a severe head injury, but nothing is wrong with her at all. She's perfectly healthy...We're not sure if she's ever going to wake up." Rainbow Dash was trying desperately to hold back a river of tears.
"But why!? This can't just happen! Let me see her!" Yelled Rainbow Dash. Nurse Redheart frowned, then opened the door to let them in. Dash bolted to the bedside, tears now streaking down her cheeks and onto the blankets. Everypony else stood by the door, watching in silent sadness.
"Fluttershy, what the hell!? How can you do this to me? You can't just leave like that! What happened to us always sticking together? I need you! You- you can't leave without saying goodbye..." Sobbed Rainbow Dash. Pinkie sat next to her, and wrapped a hoof around her shoulders. Dash leaned on Pinkie, her body shuddering with each hiccuping sob. The next to step forward was Rarity, then Applejack, then Twilight. They all sat there together, silently grieving for their lost Pegasus friend.
Author's Note
Hehe...pacing...I'm terrible at pacing. The Challenge Answer will be announced at the end. Good luck, and thank you for reading!
Fluttershy slowly opened her eyes. The sun was just starting to peek over the horizon, painting the sky in bright colors. Her chest and flank still stung, but it hurt much less. She attempted sitting up, but a sharp bolt of pain laid her back down. Fluttershy gasped when she heard the crackling of a fire. Was it all just a bad dream? Maybe it was. But the sound of silence put out her tiny flame of hope. However, the silhouette of a pony reignited that little flame.
"Rainbow Dash?" Her voice was weak. The pony tilted its head, and sat down in front of her. Fluttershy's hope was once again stomped out. It wasn't Rainbow Dash. It was a golden-coated Pegasus mare with a grayscale rainbow mane, and familiar rosy eyes.
"Ah, and she finally wakes up." Said the mare.
"W-where am I?" Asked Fluttershy quietly. The mare walked away, and came back moments later with 2 wood bowls. One of them was handed to her. She took it, and sniffed. It smelled like rice.
"Where are you? You're in the jungle, if you hadn't noticed already. You were hurt pretty badly when I found you last night. You would've died." She replied, her tone nonchalant.
"Thank you." Said Fluttershy.
"Don't sweat it. Name's Daring Do. Yours?" Asked Daring, helping her sit up.
"Um, I'm Fluttershy." Whispered Fluttershy, her mane falling in her face.
"What?" Asked Daring, leaning a bit closer.
"I'm Fluttershy."
"Oh, Fluttershy! Nice to meet ya'. I'd recommend eating that before it gets cold, or I'll eat it." Said Daring. Fluttershy's stomach rumbled. She hadn't realized how hungry she'd been. She stuck her muzzle into the bowl and scarfed down the rice.
"Looks like somepony was hungry." Teased Daring. Fluttershy was too famished to care. She just nodded. Daring trotted away, and came back with a roll of bandages.
..............
Rainbow Dash trotted into Fluttershy's room, pulled up a chair, sat down, and set her bouquet of flowers next to the other gifts.
"Hey, Shy. I know you don't like all this adventure and action stuff, but I thought it'd be nice. A way for us to spend some time together." Said Dash, trying to hold up a false smile. She opened the book and began to read. "Chapter 4. Daring Do ran through the jungle, a tiger hot on her tail..."
............
"Finished. You're all patched up." Said Daring, wiping sweat off her forehead. Even in the early morning, the jungle was hot and humid. Fluttershy stood up, and tried to step forward. She stumbled, but was caught by Daring Do. "I'd sit down if I were you. You just got mauled by a tiger. One step at a time, alright?"
"I need to find a way out." Replied Fluttershy. Daring blocked her path.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. There's no way in hell I'm letting you go out there alone. You're gonna get yourself killed, genius." Said Daring defensively. "Only treasure hunters like me know how to survive in places like this." Fluttershy sat down.
"You're a treasure hunter?" Asked Fluttershy.
"Yeah. It's dangerous, but really rewarding."
"How's it dangerous?"
"Seriously? You're seriously asking me that? First off, the types of places that treasure can be found in are insane. There are bushes and roots that you can trip on, and then there's the animals. Second, the temples and ruins are full of booby traps, and not to mention a chunk of stone could fall off at any minute and crush you." Said Daring crossly.
"Oh, my." Whispered Fluttershy. Daring pulled out a map, and traced out a route with her hoof. She pointed to a large red X.
"I need to go there. The Temple of Shadows." Said Daring. Fluttershy shivered.
"The T-Temple of S-Shadows?" Fluttershy gulped. Anything with the word "shadow" in it was immediately a red flag. "D-Do I have to g-go there?" Daring looked her up and down.
"Oh f**k no! You'd die in 10 seconds flat! I'm going on my own. You're in no condition to be doing anything but walking." She exclaimed loudly. Fluttershy felt a strange sense of déjà vu around this mare. She was very similar to Rainbow Dash. It was almost scary.
"So, Daring?"
"Yeah?"
"What kind of treasures do you...hunt?"
"Rare and ancient artifacts. Stuff like the Sapphire Statue, the Griffon's Goblet, and the Ring of Destiny."
"Really? That sounds cool." Daring blushed slightly at the compliment.
"Thanks."
...............
Rarity glanced at the photo of her and her friends, then continued to work on the task at hand. She had started to work on the dresses for the ball ever since she got the invitation. But something inside her just felt empty, like all her inspiration had been snatched away from her. Now it was just stitching, instead of creating. She took another glance at the photo. Her eyes locked on Fluttershy's smiling face. Rarity's lower lip wobbled, and her vision was blurred from tears. She turned back to her sewing machine. Just stitching...
............
Rainbow Dash finished the chapter, then moved on to the next. "Chapter 5. Daring looked at her map. She wasn't far from the Temple of Shadows."
............
Pinkie took the cupcakes out of the oven, and proceeded to frost them. She spread on a layer of butter yellow cream cheese frosting, and topped it off with pink icing butterflies. She carefully removed them from the baking tin, and arranged them on a plate. Pinkie picked up the plate and set it on the counter, next to a tag that read "Strawberry Flutter". She ran her hoof through her long, straight mane, and sighed.
..............
Daring packed up her saddlebags, and helped Fluttershy walk along with her. The Temple of Shadows wasn't far. They would set up camp on the ruin's edge. They walked together though the jungle, hot and exhausted.
"Hey Shy, how're you holdin' up?" Asked Daring.
"It hurts when I put too much weight on my hind legs, but I'm ok." Replied Fluttershy.
"Good." Soon, they reached a clearing at the edge of the Temple. "We'll camp here." Daring set down her saddlebags. "Fluttershy, would you go get some wood for the fire?" Fluttershy nodded, and limped over to the nearby trees. Using her wings to keep her hind legs off the ground, she gathered an armful of wood and took it back to Daring Do.
"Thanks, Fluttershy." Daring went to work, preparing the night's fire. After camp was set up, Daring went over her plan with Fluttershy. "So, here's the plan. I'll stay here with you until you're in good shape, then I'll go into the temple, get the Shadow Staff, and I'll come back and get you. Then we can leave here. Sound good to you?"
"Mhm." She replied. They just sat there for a while, an awkward silence hanging in the air. Finally, Daring had had enough quiet.
"So, Fluttershy. Tell me about yourself."
"Ok. I live in Ponyville, in a cottage on the outskirts of town. I live with my animal friends, and take care of them."
"Sounds kinda lonely."
"Oh, not at all! I have pony friends, too. There's Rarity. She's a fashionista, and designs dresses. She's pretty classy. I go to the spa with her every Tuesday. There's Applejack, a farmer, Pinkie Pie, a baker that's always happy and makes me smile. My best friend is Rainbow Dash. We've been friends ever since we were fillies, living in Cloudsdale. She stood up for me when I was bullied, and helped me and my other friends earn their Cutie Marks. You remind me of her a lot. Twilight Sparkle is the one that brought us all together. It was time for the Summer Sun Celebration, and we were responsible for setting it all up. But what we didn't expect was Nightmare Moon, instead of Princess Celestia. We had to go through the Everfree forest, and we overcame all of Nightmare's challenges together. Then, we defeated her with the Elements of Harmony. I represent the Element of Kindness." Explained Fluttershy. Daring realized she had leaned in a bit too close in her wonder, and scooted away. "Princess Celestia sends us on adventures sometimes."
"...Woah. That's so awesome!!" Exclaimed Daring. "Have you had to fight for your life before?"
"Well, I did battle Changelings once. I just avoided them, I didn't fight. I don't like conflict."
"We're gonna work on that, just in case you get attacked on anymore of your crazy adventures. It's also just a good skill to have. But for now-" Daring rummaged through her saddlebags, and pulled out a banana. She broke it in 2, and gave a half to Fluttershy. "Eat."
..............
It had only been 3 days, and Rainbow Dash was already a train wreck, in every possible way. She never realized, until now, how much Fluttershy meant to her, to them. Without her, nothing felt the same. Rarity would go alone to the spa every Tuesday, Pinkie was always sad, Twilight couldn't focus and attend to her duties, even Applejack couldn't work properly. But Rainbow Dash had taken the hardest blow. She visited Fluttershy every day, and read her Daring Do. She was lost without the shy mare. It felt like a piece of her soul had been gouged out of her, then burned. She never talked to her friends anymore. Either she was cooped up at the hospital, or she was cooped up at home. The awesome Rainbow Dash was now a husk of her former self. And it had only been 3 days.
Rainbow walked to the Day Spa, her expression somber. The tiny doorbell chimed. Aloe and Lotus were nowhere to be found, but Rarity was. She was sitting on the waiting room sofa, leafing though a magazine.
"Rarity?" Asked Rainbow. Rarity's head shot up, and her gaze shifted to Rainbow in surprise.
"Rainbow Dash? What're you doing here?" Asked Rarity.
"I came to see you." Replied Dash. Rarity smiled warmly, and motioned for Dash to sit next to her. Rainbow sat next to her friend, but didn't say anything more. Aloe and Lotus walked up to Rarity and asked her what her treatment would be.
"The Usual, please." The sisters nodded. "Come along, Rainbow." Said Rarity. Dash got up and followed her to their first treatment: the sauna. The two mares entered the wood room, and sat on the bench as a cloud of steam puffed around. They sat there for awhile, until Rarity snapped.
"It wasn't your fault!" Rarity shouted, tears running down her pale face and making her makeup run.
"What did you just say?" Snapped Rainbow Dash.
"What happened to Fluttershy. It wasn't your fault, so stop acting like it!" Her voice cracked. "I know it's hard, Rainbow Dash. But it wasn't your fault. You spend all day either at the hospital or at your house. You never talk to us. I'm worried, Twilight's worried, Celestia knows how worried Pinkie is, and even Applejack is concerned about you. What happened to the strong, brash, confident mare we used to know? What happened to her, Rainbow. Tell me what happened. Please." Rarity sobbed. Rainbow Dash looked her straight in the eye, and spoke in a sharp, angry voice.
"You want to know what happened to her? She's gone. She's gone and she's not coming back until Fluttershy wakes up."
.............
Fluttershy finished off her banana half.
"Why don't you tell me about your self, Daring Do?" Asked Fluttershy.
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because my work involves secrets. I can't trust anypony. Not even you."
"Hey! I shared my life with you, so why can't you do the same? I understand that you may be secretive, but still. You trusted me enough to save me when you could have just left me there. So why? Why did you save me if you don't trust me?"
"Because you were gonna die. That's not trust, that's just common decency."
"So why didn't you just save me and then let me go my own way? Why didn't you let me go? Why am I still here, sitting next to you?"
"Because...because...because you were going to die out there all alone. Letting you go would've been like letting somepony kill themselves, right in front of me. I just couldn't let that happen, especially to an innocent pony like you. You're completely clueless as to what's out there waiting. I can handle myself. You can't." Said Daring, covering her eyes with her hat and turning away.
"Please, Daring Do? Please?" Fluttershy scooted up next to her and gave her a hug, her forearms wrapping around Daring's waist. Daring pushed her away.
"Don't touch me right there." She said crossly. A lightbulb went "ding!" over Fluttershy's head. She smirked, and repeated the motion. Daring chuckled, then pushed her arms away again. "I told you to not touch me there."
"Ooh! Looks like somepony's ticklish!" Replied Fluttershy.
"No, I'm not."
"Oh really? Then prove it!" Fluttershy tackled Daring, and began to tickle her mercilessly. The explorer exploded into a fit of laughter, and tried to shove Fluttershy off. Eventually, Fluttershy saw that she'd had enough, and let her up. "Ha! And you said you weren't ticklish!" Scoffed Fluttershy, voice filled with pride.
"I-I bet you're ticklish too!" Shouted Daring. With that, Daring tickled Fluttershy until she couldn't breathe, but was mindful of her wounds. The stars now peppered the night sky, alongside the pale moon.
From the treeline, Ahuizotl watched intently. Finally, he had found Daring Do's weakness. Now, after all these years, he would have his sweet revenge.
Rainbow Dash stared up at her ceiling, a photo of Fluttershy clutched tightly to her chest. Rarity's words played over and over again in her mind, like a broken record. "What happened to her? What happened to her? What happened to her?" The cold winter wind blew throughout her cloud home, but she didn't care. She didn't even feel like this was her home anymore. Fluttershy was her home, not this mansion. The Hearth's Warming Eve Ball was coming closer with each passing day, and Dash had no idea who she was going with. Only if Fluttershy were here... She thought. Dash grabbed her Daring Do novel and flew down to the hospital. She sat in her chair next to Fluttershy's bed.
"Chapter 12. Daring Do struggled in her bonds. Ahuizotl laughed. He then aimed the Shadow Staff right at her, and prepared to fire."
...........
Fluttershy stared up at the night sky. A shooting star streaked across the dark blue sky, lighting up the night. She rolled over and looked at Daring Do, who was sound asleep. Make that 2 good things about this place. Fluttershy thought, smiling. All of a sudden, Fluttershy was being pulled away from the clearing, from Daring Do.
"DARING!! Daring help!" Fluttershy called, before a hand was clamped over her mouth. She was hit over the head, and she fainted. The last thing she saw was Daring Do, still snoozing.
Daring opened her eyes and sat up, yawning and stretching.
"Hey Fluttershy, rise and shi- oh no." Daring looked to her left, then to her right, but Fluttershy was gone. She stood up and began searching all around camp, frantic. "Fluttershy! Fluttershy, where are you!?" She called. There was no response, just the sound of the rustling leaves. Daring launched herself up into the sky, scanning the landscape with a watchful eye. A loud, ear splitting roar disturbed the peaceful silence. Daring snapped her head toward the source of the roar: the Temple of Shadows. She narrowed her eyes.
"Ahuizotl."
.............
Twilight opened Fluttershy's room door, to find Rainbow Dash reading out loud. Dash looked up, and slammed the book shut when she saw Twilight.
"Sorry to intrude, Rainbow."
"It's alright, Twi." Said Dash.
"Well, I just came by to tell you that the Ball is only 3 days away. Rarity would like you to come over to Carousel Boutique for your dress fitting." Said Twilight, bearing a forced smile.
"Dress fitting? Blech. I'll be there in a few minutes." Replied Dash. With a dismissive wave of her hoof, Twilight left.
"See you there. Hopefully." Twilight whispered to herself.
The little bell chimed as Dash opened the front door of Carousel Boutique. Rarity trotted out of her workroom, smiling warmly. Her measuring tape was around her neck, and her bright red reading glasses sat on her muzzle.
"Oh, hello Rainbow Dash! Come right this way." Rarity said excitedly, leading Dash to her workroom. The rest of the mane 6 were already there, chattering about the dresses and the Ball. They all seemed genuinely happy, for the first time since Fluttershy... Miraculously, Pinkie's hair was poofy again. They all looked great. Rainbow surveyed the workroom as Rarity fit the dress on her. Her eyes fell on the mannequins at the back of the room. All of them were bare, except for 1. It wore a see-through gown with a ruffled collar. A piece of gold fabric ran down the back, under a dark orange fabric with an embroidered floral design, with golden shoes and an earpiece. It was Fluttershy's. Dash looked down at her own dress, while Rarity studied her work. Her dress was a blue, see-through dress. It had a cloud, which was situated on her back, with 4 rainbow-colored ribbons flowing out of it, 2 on each side. It was complete with gold, lace-up shoes, as well as a pearl necklace.
"Well Rainbow darling, I think you look fabulous!" Cheered Rarity, clapping her hooves together. Dash just stared at Fluttershy's dress. "Rainbow Dash, are you alright?" She asked. Rainbow looked away from Fluttershy's dress, and diverted her attention to Rarity.
"I'm fine, Rarity." Replied Dash.
"Oh, alright then. I'll go get my dress on, and we can all say that the dresses fit correctly. If anypony needs an alteration, please say so."
...........
Daring flew off in the direction of the Temple, but lowered herself to the ground when another roar met her ears. She then sprinted full speed toward the Temple, the sound of her hoof steps echoing throughout the stone walls. She slid under the stone door the moment before it closed. She now stood in a long hall, with carvings etched into the walls.
"Ok Daring. This is the Temple of Shadows, home of the ancient Shadow Demons. Just stay in the light, and you'll find her and get Ahuizotl." She said to herself. With that, she ran down the shaded hall, staying in light where she could find it. At the end of the hall, basking in the sparse sunlight, was a Bengal Tiger. Daring held her breath and crept behind it, trying to be as silent as possible. She put a hoof down, and there was a loud snap. The Tiger turned around to face her, teeth bared and claws out. Without thought, Daring ran up and gave it a powerful kick. It was knocked back into the shadows. Daring heard it howl in pain, and cringed. She needed to move while the Shadow Demons were busy. Daring took off down another hall.
Fluttershy woke up. She tried to move her arms, but they were chained to a cold stone wall. Her legs were chained as well. She found, however, that her wings were free, and she flapped them quickly.
"Where am I!?" Fluttershy called into the dark room, her voice frantic. Her wings clung tight to her body when she heard someone laugh. "Who are you? Show yourself!" She demanded, pulling on the chains. Then, someone stepped out into the light, accompanied by big cats. It was a blue, cat-like creature, with razor sharp teeth and an extra hand on its tail. Fluttershy started to cry. This...thing was probably going to kill her, and nopony would even notice she was gone. It said nothing: it just smiled at her. It walked up to her, and unsheathed its claws. It brought a paw up to her belly, and clawed a long line down to her legs. Fluttershy let out a loud, long scream, and arched her back. It then reopened the now un bandaged wounds on her legs and chest. Thin lines of blood ran down her body, and started to drip onto the floor. Drip, drip, drip.
............
Rainbow Dash's eyes shot open. Today was Hearth's Warming Eve. She rolled over and looked at her clock. The time was 10:47am. Dash leapt out of bed, grabbed her scarf, and took off. She had hold the girls 9:30 sharp. She landed on Twilight's balcony, and entered the treehouse. She slowly crept down the stairs, and with a loud roar, jumped in front of her friends. Twilight and Rarity both screamed and leapt for cover, while Pinkie laughed, and Applejack gave her a hug. Seeing that it was just Rainbow Dash, Twilight and Rarity exited their hiding places.
"Happy Hearth's Warmin', Rainbow." Greeted Applejack.
"Yeah! It's good that you got here, because Pinkie Pie almost are your Gingerbread House." Said Twilight, gesturing to a table, which was topped with 5 Gingerbread Houses. Pinkie's mouth was watering.
"Gingerbread...mmm...Oh, hiya Dashie! I'm so, so happy you made it! Did you try the hot coco!? Oooh! Ooh! We need to open presents now!! Can we, Twilight!? PLEASE!?!" Begged Pinkie. Twilight rolled her eyes, then looked underneath the decorated tree.
"Ok, since Dash is here." Said Twilight. They all sat around the tree, and Twilight passed out presents. "This one's for Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie, Me, and Rainbow Dash." Twilight said to herself, handing each pony a present. One was left sitting under the tree. "Applejack, how about you open yours first?" With that, Applejack tore off the snowflake wrapping paper. Inside was a green knitted sweater, with a yellow "A" in the middle.
"Ah' love it, Twilight. I'll wear it all day." Said Applejack, fitting it over her head and onto her arms.
"Pinkie, why don't you open yours next? You look awfully exited over there." Twilight chuckled. Pinkie was sitting in front of her present, muzzle stuffed into the wrapping paper. On cue, she ripped it open so fast you couldn't see her arms. Her present was a sweater fairly similar to Applejack's: it was light blue with a yellow "P" in the middle. Rarity's was a pale purple sweater with a yellow "R". Twilight's was navy blue with a yellow "T".
"Your turn, Rainbow Dash." Said Twilight. Dash opened her present, and inside was a rose colored sweater with a yellow "RD" in the center.
"It's great, Twi. Thanks." Replied Dash, slipping on her sweater. Rarity and Twilight exchanged glances. Rarity tapped Rainbow on the shoulder.
"Rainbow dear...we all helped make this for you. We're all so incredibly sorry..." Rarity handed Rainbow Dash a scarf. It was light blue on one side. On the other, it was half rainbow and half pink & yellow. On the rainbow end was Fluttershy's Cutie Mark, and on the pink & yellow end was Rainbow Dash's Cutie Mark. Dash got to her hooves, put the scarf on, and hugged Rarity.
"Thank you so, so much. This...means a lot to me."
............
Daring stopped dead in her tracks when she heard a scream. It echoed off the walls, making it difficult to pinpoint where it came from. She went in the direction where the scream was loudest, and battled her way through tribe colts and big cats, all the while dodging Shadow Demons. Eventually, she came to a vast stone chamber. Fluttershy was chained to the wall, unconscious. The words "Daring Do" were carved into her body. Daring flew up to her, and shook her awake.
"D...Daring..." Fluttershy coughed blood onto the explorer, but she paid it no heed. "You have to...leave...it's a...trap..." Fluttershy once again became unconscious.
"Look who it is. Daring Do, that meddling little pest!" A voice hissed. Daring turned around to see Ahuizotl standing before her. In his tail he held the Shadow Staff.
"Let her go, Ahuizotl!" Demanded Daring.
"Now hold on, Daring Do. I have a little preposition for you. You can take the Shadow Staff and be on your way, and leave your little "friend" here with me, or you can take her, and I'll keep the Staff. What do you say?" Asked Ahuizotl, grinning evily. Daring looked at the Staff, then at Fluttershy. She hung there, weak and helpless. She was going to die soon, if she didn't stop bleeding. On the other hoof, Ahuizotl could easily kill off all of Equestria with power over the Shadow Demons. Fluttershy, or the Staff? One, or over a Million? A friend, or a whole Country? Daring closed her eyes tightly and racked her mind for ideas. After what seemed like hours, she opened her eyes and glared at Ahuizotl.
"Give me the Staff." She said. Fluttershy opened her eyes, and looked at Daring. The explorer took the Shadow Staff in hoof, and smiled deviously. Then, she turned and left. How could she just abandon me like that? Fluttershy thought. She narrowed her eyes, her body boiling with red hot anger. "How could you just leave me!? How could you?!" Fluttershy shouted, her weak voice filled with desperation. The anger faded, and was replaced by sadness. It felt like there was something missing inside of her. "I thought we were friends..."
..............
"Only one more Chapter left, Fluttershy." Said Rainbow Dash. Rarity trotted into the room, smiling.
"Rainbow, the Ball starts in 2 hours. It's time to get ready." Said Rarity. Dash looked up at her fashionable Unicorn friend. Rarity was incredibly slow when it came to getting ready.
"I'm alot faster than you are, Rarity. There's only one more Chapter left, alright?" Said Dash. Rarity rolled her eyes.
"I suppose you can finish it. But be at the Boutique right after, alright? Hello, Fluttershy darling. I wish you could come to the Ball with us. Happy Hearth's Warming." With that, Rarity left.
"Now that that's over with: Chapter 26."
...........
Ahuizotl laughed when he was certain Daring was out of earshot. Fluttershy was confused. Why was he laughing? Her eyes widened in horror when he pulled out another "Shadow Staff".
"Hahaha. That Daring Do was never the brightest little protagonist, now was she?" Laughed Ahuizotl.
"Protagonist? You mean Mare, right?" Asked Fluttershy meekly.
"No, I mean Protagonist, you stupid foal! Like the main character in a story." He said. Then, it clicked into place. Now, it all made perfect sense. When Rainbow Dash ran off to "Daring Do" when she got the Ball invitation, she meant to read a book. Daring was the main character in a book series Rainbow Dash liked. She. Was. In. A. Book.
"I...I'm in a book." Fluttershy grew panicked, and struggled in her bonds. "Why am I in a book?"
"Why, I was just testing you, my dear." It laughed again. Fluttershy grew even more fearful. Ahuizotl's voice started to sound less like Ahuizotl, and more like...
"Discord?"
Author's Note
PLOT TWIST! Hehehe I'm so evil
Rainbow grunted as Rarity tied her dress up a bit too tight.
"Rarity, it's too tight!" Complained Rainbow, glaring at Rarity. Rarity tied a bow, then resewed the cloud back on to Rainbow's gown.
"I do apologize, but you wouldn't want to look all frumpy at the Hearth's Warming Ball, would you?" Rainbow sighed. "Just one more stitch here and- ha! I'm finished!" Rarity clapped her hooves together, and led Rainbow out to the mirror stand. For once in her life, Rainbow Dash looked girly. Her usually messy and tangled mane had been washed, brushed, and put up into a bun on the top of her head. The gown itself flowed out behind her, like a curtain billowing in a gentle summer breeze. The pearl strand and gold shoes completed the ensemble perfectly. Dash twirled, and looked herself up and down.
"This is awesome, Rarity. Thanks for making it." Said Rainbow. Then, Twilight and Pinkie trotted out of the dressing rooms in their gowns.
"Oh, hello Pinkie. Hello Twilight. All 3 of you look simply divine! Excuse me, Twilight?" Asked Rarity.
"Yes, Rarity?"
"Does Applejack need any help getting her dress on? She almost tore a seam at the Gala."
"Maybe."
"I'll go check, and then we can leave. Alright, girls?"
"Sure thing, Rarity." Said Dash.
"Ok then. Applejack, do you need any help?" Asked Rarity, opening a dressing room curtain slightly. Applejack strode out into the main room, chest puffed out proudly.
"Nope. Ah' finally put on one a' yer' fancy tight dresses without rippin' it! Ha!" Boasted Applejack.
"Well then, let us be on our way!" With that, they left the Boutique.
.............
"Discord?" Asked Fluttershy. Then, Ahuizotl transformed into a very familiar draconequus.
"Well, it looks like you caught me." Said Discord, holding his mismatched paws up in the air.
"What do you mean by "testing me"? And, why would you do this to me? I thought I was your friend." Fluttershy started to weep quietly.
"But I am your friend, Fluttershy. This test was to see if you could learn my hidden lesson."
"D-Did I pass?" Fluttershy gulped.
"Hmm...let me think for a moment...no." Remarked Discord, walking up to Fluttershy with the Shadow Staff in hand.
"W-What's g-gonna h-happen to m-me?" Fluttershy stuttered quietly. Discord aimed the Shadow Staff at her, and grinned. Then, he fired.
Daring laughed as she flew out of the Temple, the Shadow Staff in hoof.
"Fluttershy was such a stupid mare. I'm friends with nopony, and I'll never be friends with anypony in the future." She said to herself. As much as she enjoyed the feeling of victory, there was a bit of guilt gnawing at her. She walked to the tree line, but paused. Fluttershy's words ran through her mind. "How could you do this to me!? How could you? I thought we were friends..." Daring shook her head. No. She's not my friend. I don't have friends. Then, Fluttershy's desperate scream echoed through her head. She banged her hooves on her temples. An image of Fluttershy passed through her head. Chained to the wall, bleeding and helpless. Her face, smiling at Daring. Laughing with her. Bleeding. Blood everywhere. Tears. Desperation. Friends. Friends. Friends...
Daring threw the Shadow Staff on the ground and sprinted back to the Temple. Upon entry, a faint scream tickled her ears. Fluttershy. She ran back to the stone chamber as fast as she could. She tripped, and felt sharp claws raking her legs. Daring blindly kicked out behind her, scrambled to her hooves, and ran faster. Chunks of stone began to fall from the ceiling, and the Shadow Demons continued to attack her.
"Discord, what's gonna happen to me, since I didn't pass?" Fluttershy sobbed quietly.
"I'll show you, my dear." He said. With that, he fired the Shadow Staff. A large shadow washed over Fluttershy. She felt something scratch her. Then there were more scratches, and more, and more, until she was being clawed all over her body. Then, something, the same something that had scratched her first, began to dig its claws into her chest. Deeper and deeper it dug into her, easily breaking her ribs, and reaching her heart. Fluttershy let out an unearthly screech as she felt her beating heart being ripped out of her. Her vision faded, and the world went black.
Daring burst into the chamber, only to find out she was too late. Fluttershy was still chained to the wall. Her body was covered in blood and claw marks, and there was a large, gaping hole in her chest. Daring's vision was blurred with tears as she flew up to Fluttershy's body. She picked the locks on the chains, and sat with her on the bloody floor. Daring caressed Fluttershy's head in her arms, and sobbed. She stared at the blood all over, and wailed loudly into the shadow.
"Fluttershy...I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I used you for my own personal gain. I should have realized sooner that we were friends...and friends don't just abandon each other, right? Now you're dead. I...I could have saved you. I'm sorry!" Daring laid down on the floor, putting her head on Fluttershy's belly. She took Fluttershy's hoof in her own, and cried herself to sleep.
............
The Mane 6, now 5, stepped out of their carriage, and trotted into the castle. It was as magnificent as ever. Colorful garlands hung from the balconies and chandeliers, wreaths were out on all the doors, and everything was decorated in Hearth's Warming style. A large buffet table, complete with confetti cannons, stood on the left side of the entry room. Pinkie and Rarity trotted over to the buffet while Twilight ran off to go find the Princesses. That left Applejack and Rainbow Dash. Unsure of where to go, they made their way to the ballroom. There, ponies danced and chatted with one another, and enjoyed champagne and fine wine. AJ and RD stood awkwardly next to the dance floor while Octavia Melody played her cello onstage. Applejack was asked to dance, just leaving Rainbow Dash. She headed over to the stage, and listened to Octavia.
"Man, this sucks without Fluttershy." Dash said to herself.
"I know, right?" Dash turned to see Pinkie standing next to her.
"Sweet Celestia! Now tell me, exactly how the hell did you get here in 1 second?" Hissed Dash quietly.
"I walked, dur." Said Pinkie. The party pony's cheeks were a bit brighter pink than her fur.
"Ahaah..." Replied Dash, eyeing her friend suspiciously. Hopefully Pinkie had stayed away from the Cider fountain, as well as the Egg Nog. Bad things happened when Pinkie drank too much. Celestia knows how bad Cadance's bachelor party was. "Well Pinkie, let's go find Twilight, ok?" She asked.
"Why? We just got here, for pony's sake! Ooh, more Egg Nog!" Cheered Pinkie. Dash grabbed her by the arm, and was in the process of leading Pinkie out of the ballroom when none other than Fluttershy walked down the stairs. Her gown reflected the light perfectly, giving her a golden glow. She slowly walked down the stairs, eyes closed and a smile on her face. Dash felt her wings open suddenly, almost knocking Pinkie over. Sh*t! Stupid wings! Dash thought. Fluttershy opened her eyes, and when they fell on Rainbow Dash, she smiled wider and ran up to her, then threw her arms around Dash's neck and brought her close.
"Hey, Shy. I missed you." Whispered Dash.
"I missed you too, Rainbow." Replied Fluttershy. But she was just saying that to spare her friend's feelings. Who she really missed was Daring Do. Fluttershy broke the hug, and Dash's cheeks went red.
"D-D-Doyouwannadancewithme?" The words practically flew out of her mouth. Fluttershy nodded, and they went out into the dance floor. Fluttershy had to teach Rainbow how to dance, and after a few laughs and failed attempts, they were waltzing along with the other dancers.
"So..." Said Dash.
"So?" Asked Fluttershy.
"So how'd you just wake up like that?"
"Wake up like what?"
"Wake up from your coma, Shy."
"C-coma? I was in a coma? I thought I was in a book." Dash raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah, you were in a coma. But what do you mean by "in a book"?"
"I mean I was actually in a story! I didn't know at first, and I went on an incredible adventure before I was told it was all a story."
"I'm confused, Shy. In a story? Please, just explain to me what the hell is going on with you." They stopped dancing, and just stared at each other.
"I fell asleep pretty soon after you left my house last week, and I woke up in a jungle. I was chased down by a tiger, but I was saved by a mare named Daring Do. She healed me, but I was kidnapped by a creature called Ahuizotl and taken to the Temple of Shadows. Daring came in to save me, but just took the Shadow Staff and left me instead. It turned out that Ahuizotl had given her a fake, and used the real one to..." Fluttershy trailed off, her eyes watering with tears.
"Hey, it's ok." Dash took her to the corner of the room, away from all the commotion. "What? What did he use the real Shadow Staff to do?" She asked.
"He used it...to torture me. He commanded the Shadow Demons to cut me up and claw me, and I was bleeding everywhere. And just when I thought I couldn't take it anymore, he had one of them rip my heart out. Then I woke up in the hospital." Her voice cracked, and she broke down into quiet sobs. Dash hugged her tightly, but was still very confused. Daring Do? Ahuizotl? The Temple of Shadows? It all of a sudden clicked into place. Daring Do and the Temple of Shadows. The book. Ahuizotl. The Shadow Staff. The note at the beginning of the book. It was a spell. She had sent Fluttershy into the book by mistake. All of it was her fault.
"I'm so sorry, Fluttershy." Dash began to cry along with her friend. "I- I have to go use the filly's room." Rainbow then ran off. Fluttershy turned to face the crowd, wiped her tears, and walked up to the stage. She looked around, hoping to catch a glimpse of Rainbow, or Daring. Standing next to her was a familiar Pegasus mare. She had a golden coat, a grayscale rainbow mane, and rosy eyes.
"Daring?" Asked Fluttershy, her voice hopeful. The mare turned to look at her. Her eyes widened, and she walked up to Fluttershy, mouth agape. The mare turned to face her, and smiled.
"Ah, so I see you've read my books." She said. Fluttershy cocked her head quizzically. "Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm A.K. Yearling." She held out a hoof.
"Oh, um, I'm Fluttershy." She said, shaking A.K. Yearling's hoof.
"That's a beautiful name." Said A.K. Yearling. Her eyes grew a bit misty.
"Thank you." Fluttershy blushed. The author stared at her for awhile. "Is something wrong, Ms. Yearling?" Asked Fluttershy.
"I'm sorry to stare. You just look very familiar..."
"So do you, Ms. Yearling."
"Hmm. Fluttershy, would you like to accompany me to the castle courtyard?"
"S-Sure." Fluttershy replied. With that, they headed out to the courtyard. The moon hung high in the sky, the chilly Winter breeze blowing the last fallen leaves around. The two conversed for awhile, talking about the books and the concept of adventure.
"Adventure is out there. One only needs to go out and find it." Said A.K. Yearling, staring up at the moon. All of a sudden, the breeze blew up A.K. Yearling's ballgown, revealing her Cutie Mark. It was a compass rose, just like Daring Do's. Fluttershy's eyes grew wide.
"Daring Do..." Fluttershy whispered. A.K. Yearling looked over at her.
"What?" She asked. Then, she noticed that her dress had flown up, and pushed it back down.
"You're Daring Do, aren't you?" Asked Fluttershy.
"I do bear a resemblance to my character, don't I?" Said A.K. Yearling, smiling.
"Yes, you do. You do to every single detail of her. You even share the same Cutie Mark." Said Fluttershy, her voice bearing a hint of accusation.
"C-Cutie Mark?" She gulped.
"Mhmm. Now tell me, "Ms. Yearling". Why did you leave me at the Temple of Shadows!?" Fluttershy shouted, eyes welling up with tears. A.K. Yearling shut her eyes tightly, then tore off her ballgown. She fanned her wings and undid her ponytail.
"I...have a confession. I'm Daring Do. You're right, Fluttershy. I left you at the Temple of Shadows. I-I used you, and Celestua knows how much I regret it. I'm sorry. I don't know how you could ever forgive me. I can't even forgive me. I got you killed." Daring started to cry. Fluttershy said nothing: she just pulled Daring close, and gave her a passionate kiss.
Author's Note
Challenge answer: Random Romance
