Queen of the Night

by Anonymoose

Rating: teen
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Comedy, Fluttershy, Sex, Random, Alternate Universe
Length: 4532

Fluttershy has a problem. She keeps waking up with strange dreams. What has been going on? And what is that delicious metallic taste upon her tongue?

Fluttershy has a problem: she keeps waking up with strange dreams. What has been going on? And what is that delicious metallic taste upon her tongue?

Warning: Contains Flutterbat and Silliness. Consult a Doctor if pain persists.

Supporting Cast: Rarity, Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Celestia and Luna.

Edited by Level Dasher

Published 2014-02-07 19:10:03 UTC
Last updated 2014-02-07 19:10:03 UTC

Creature of the Night

The first few mornings had been terrible. Twilight had told her it might have been an after-effect of the spell they had accidentally cast upon her. She was all better now, but her alicorn friend had warned her that she might feel some lingering side effects.

For those first few mornings, Fluttershy would wake from dreams half remembered— vague but startling visions of a night on the prowl… a sweet metallic taste of iron upon her tongue.

For those first few mornings, the sun seemed brighter than normal, almost uncomfortably so. For the first time in her life, Fluttershy found herself cursing the dawn, longing for Luna’s beautiful night.

It wasn’t as though she disliked the night; aside from the obligatory Nightmare Night… along with any movie night where Rainbow Dash was in charge of the film, the nights were wonderful. Besides, so many of her beautiful little critters were nocturnal; they needed just as much love and care as her little day-dwelling friends.

But these days? She longed for the night.

Even if she had to have those nasty dreams.

Those first few mornings felt like a distant dream to her now, when she found out the nightmares were real.

Ж

It was supposed to be a nice night out. Rarity had only asked Fluttershy out for drinks. Just something fun for the two mares, something a little different from their weekly spa visits.

Rarity had been interested in a stallion she had seen at Berry Punch’s establishment a few nights earlier, and needed a wing-mare to accompany her (Twilight was busy, and apparently Rainbow Dash would have given the stallion the wrong impression). While Fluttershy wasn’t normally one for the bar scene, she did want to help her good friend.

After seeing the stallion leave with another mare, Rarity had fallen into a bit of a slump, and had hit the bottle hard. Fluttershy’s one Bloody Luna sat only half-drunk through the night. They left the pub a few hours later; Rarity had not found her stallion, but somehow it was Fluttershy who was feeling unfulfilled…

…until now.

“Oh dear oh dear oh dear,” Fluttershy babbled in panic, as she held Rarity’s limp body in her hooves. “Oh, Rarity, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to.”

With an uncanny and unknown strength, Fluttershy hoisted the unconscious Rarity over her back and took flight.

Ж

“It’sssss not fair,” Rarity moaned as Fluttershy helped her walk through the dimly-lit park. “I’m pretty… no, I’m beautiful. And that stallion— that stallion, left with Sassaflash.”

Rarity stumbled a little, but Fluttershy managed to keep her on her hooves.

“I mean, Sassaflash. Sassasassasaaaaaasaaflaaaash. It’s a stupid name, for—” Rarity hiccupped. “A stupid name for a stupid poooooony.”

Rarity tumbled forward, struggling to stay on her hooves, and leaned against a lamp post for balance. “I mean, look at this rump, Fluttershy.” Rarity wiggled her tail at Fluttershy, who blushed profusely. “Look at it. It’s wonderful.” She turned to her friend.

“I’m wonderful, and I’m pretty, and I’m humble… what stallion wouldn’t want all this?”

“You are very pretty, Rarity,” Fluttershy responded. Rarity always put so much effort into how she looked, and Fluttershy could tell. Her nostrils flared as she picked up the most alluring scent. “And you smell wonderful.”

“Hmmm?” Rarity asked. “Oh, yes, I dabbed on a little eau dis lee before I came out tonight.” Rarity flicked her mane over her shoulder, exposing her neck. “C'est magnifique, is it not?”

The smell drew Fluttershy closer. Rarity smelled really good. Like, really good. Fluttershy moved her muzzle over Rarity’s neck, and took in a deep breath through her nostrils.

Really good!

Rarity giggled loudly, laughing at the feeling of Fluttershy’s breath, tickling the short fur behind her ear.

“Darling,” Rarity chuckled, squirming at the sensation. “I know we’re alone in this darkened park, but what would the neighbours think?”

“Oh Rarity, you smell soooooo good,” Fluttershy moaned, licking her lips.

Rarity barked an unladylike laugh as she felt Fluttershy’s tongue trace her neck.

“Oh, ewww!” Rarity laughed, as she put a hoof on Fluttershy’s chest, giving it a gentle shove. “If I wanted to be fondled by my wingmare, I would have asked Dash after a—”

Rarity’s words were cut off as Fluttershy found the source of the lovely scent. It wasn’t eau dis lee, as Rarity had told her. It was the delicious smell of the external carotid artery, pulsing just beneath the surface. A quick, teeny-tiny nip, and Fluttershy’s mouth found the source.

It’s— it’s so wonderful.

Fluttershy had never experienced such bliss. The slightly familiar, sweet metallic taste washed over her tongue. as Rarity went limp in Fluttershy’s forearms, making little mewling sounds.

Fluttershy gasped loudly, breaking her hold on Rarity’s neck. Small rivulets of blood dribbled from two pin-prick holes on Rarity’s neck. Fluttershy darted forward and licked at the blood, before pulling back in horror. She watched as the two pinprick holes closed over, the only sign of their encounter was a faint stain of pink against the pale white-gray of Rarity’s coat.

“Oh dear oh dear oh dear,” Fluttershy babbled in panic, as she held Rarity’s limp body in her hooves. “Oh, Rarity, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to.”

Fluttershy lifted her friend over her shoulders. and took flight. Carousel Boutique was not far from the park, and she flew with amazing speed.

Never once did she think to look back, where Shutter Speed, a local photographer for the Ponyville Express, hid in one of the bushes. He was not entirely sure what he had just seen, but he was certain he could sell his pictures to somepony.

Ж

Fluttershy looked in her mirror when she returned home. She barely recognised the hideous monster staring back at her. She had only seen this mare once before, and Fluttershy had hoped she would never have to see her again.

Her ears were furry and pointed high, while her wings were now leathery. The mare’s mouth contained two elongated canine teeth on either side of her incisors.

What was probably the most hideous feature of all were the eyes. Those horrid, evil, nasty-looking blood-red irises. She didn’t need to be a fashionista like Rarity to know that her eyes did not match the flowing pink mane or her pale-gold coat.

Maybe if Fluttershy went to bed, the horrible monster would go away. It was close to dawn… and she was dreadfully tired.

Ж

Sharp rapping at the door awoke Fluttershy from her deep slumber. At some point throughout the night, or maybe even the morning, she had closed the curtains to keep out the sunlight. It was too early to be awake… it couldn’t be any later than noon.

Noon?

Fluttershy leapt out of bed. Her poor little animals hadn’t had their breakfast. The poor dears, they must be so hungry.

“Are ya home, sugarcube?”

She could hear Applejack’s voice through her door, but she had to tend to her animals first.

“Fluttershy, please open up!”

Twilight seemed pretty insistent, but poor Angel would be… wait, where was Angel Bunny? Where were her critters? Not a cheep, nor a quack, nor a bark, nor a hiss… not a single sound stirred inside Fluttershy’s cottage.

“We’re coming in, dear,” Rarity called out, seconds before Pinkie Pie burst through; Fluttershy instinctively scurried away from the sunlight flooding through the open door.

“Wow, it’s like super-duper extra dark in here!” Pinkie Pie moved to open the living room curtain, but was encased in a pale-raspberry aura and levitated to the couch.

“Pinkie Pie,” Twilight chastened as she set the mare down, “we are guests in Fluttershy’s home, and if she wants to keep the curtains closed, we should let her.” The alicorn fixed her pink friend with a meaningful stare. The others filed into the room before Applejack closed the door.

Twilight lit her horn, casting a dim light about the room. Under the soft glow, everypony could finally make out Fluttershy, hiding near the far wall.

“It— It’s true!” Twilight gasped. “Oh, Fluttershy… I’m so sorry.”

“What’s—” Fluttershy stopped as she nicked her tongue on one of her canines. “Oh, no! No-no-no-no-no!” She flew back up to her room, desperately denying the fact that her wings sounded different as they beat through the air… along with the fact that her hearing was sharp enough now to be able to discern a difference.

She stopped in front of her mirror; the monster was still there. She was supposed to go away last night!

Ж

Twilight managed to calm Fluttershy down, while Rainbow Dash and Applejack were on duty keeping Pinkie Pie from throwing a “So-you’re-a-vampire-pony-and-you-attacked-one-of-your-best-friends-last-night” party.

Rarity sat on a chair, still a little woozy from blood loss.

“H-How did you find out?” Fluttershy stammered, casting a cautious glance towards Rarity. “I didn’t think she’d remember.”

“I didn’t, deary,” Rarity replied. “Well, not all of it. I didn’t believe it… until I, ummm, well…”

Everypony looked silently to Twilight, who sighed before nodding. She lit her horn up, and levitated a newspaper.

“It’s only in the Ponyville Express right now…” Twilight shuffled nervously. “Princess Celestia is already trying to run interference on the story…”

Fluttershy didn’t hear much more of what Twilight was saying; she was too busy staring down at the paper in horror.

Sexy Vampire Mare in Ponyville!

Early this morning, Ponyville Express photographer Shutter Speed managed to snap this photo of the Element of Generosity, Ms. Rarity, being fed upon by a creature that resembles our very own Element of Kindness, Ms. Fluttershy.

As many know, Ms. Fluttershy disappeared from the modeling scene under mysterious circumstances, before fading back into obscurity. Princess Celestia has always denied requests from reporters to allow interviews with the so-called saviors of Equestria.

How long has Fluttershy been a creature of the night? How many other ponies have fallen victim to her seductive vampire wiles? What else are they hiding from us? Neither Princess Celestia nor Ms. Rarity were available for comment at the time. More pictures on Page 6.

Fluttershy blushed heavily. The photo of her feeding on Rarity looked particularly risqué; a quick glance towards Rarity revealed the mare felt very much the same way.

“Well, it’s not exactly how I wanted to make the papers,” Rarity chuckled nervously.

“I’m so sorry, Rarity.” Fluttershy began to tear up. “I don’t know what happened; I just couldn’t stop myself.”

“Oh, it’s okay, my dear. We all, umm, have to eat, I guess. And… it wasn’t exactly unpleasant. I would be happy to help again…” Rarity’s blush intensified; her cheeks nearly outshone Twilight’s light spell. “…i-if you wanted, that is.”

“Not for another four days, you won’t!” Twilight said, shooting a look at the white mare. “You need time to replenish what you’ve lost.”

“So, Rarity…” Rainbow Dash trotted over to Rarity, a look of curiosity across her face. “What was it like? You know… having Flutters feed on you?”

The pegasus burst out laughing as Rarity’s blush deepened.

“Careful you don’t blush any more, sugarcube,” Applejack chuckled. “Ya heard Twi; ya need to replenish yer blood, and it ain’t gunna help if it’s all in yer face!”

“Sooooo?” Rainbow asked as she nudged Rarity. “Come on, what was it like? You obviously liked it, and you told me you definitely weren’t into… that.”

“Fine! If you must know…” Rarity growled. She yanked on Rainbow’s mane and whispered in her ear. The polychromatic pegasus started to laugh, but quickly fell silent. Her eyes bulged and her jaw dropped. The others watched as the usually unflappable Rainbow Dash went bright red with embarrassment.

“The best? Like, the best best?” Rainbow asked, shellshocked from Rarity’s explanation.

“The absolute best! Like never-to-be-repeated-in-a-million-years-again best.”

Rainbow Dash looked to Fluttershy with awe.

“Dibs being fed on next!”

Ж

Princess Celestia frowned at the newspapers laying before her.

Normally, she was able to at least get through breakfast, and a quiet catch-up with her sister, before her royal duties began for the day.

Today, it seemed, was not going to be one of those days.

Even after politely asking the Editor-in-Chief of the Ponyville Express to print a retraction, the pictures had already been sold to other papers, each with their own interpretation of the facts. Shutter Speed had not been under an exclusivity contract, and had evidently sold the pictures to every paper from the Manehattan Journal to the Vanhoover Daily. There was even an article in a smuggled copy of Hive Today. How one stallion had managed to travel so far in so little time was beyond Celestia.

‘Queen of the Night’ the Manehattan Journal had called her. The less favorable and more conservative Appleloosan Gazette had called her the ‘Spawn of Tartarus’. The Canterlot Times were as equally inflammatory (though they had always been critical of Celestia’s administration), while the Canterlot Digest “welcomed our new vampony overlords.”

Regardless of the many opinions spread about before her, one thing was clear: things had most certainly turned to—

“Horseapples!” Celestia cussed, as she set aside yet another article. Raven diligently set the article down in the ‘less flattering’ pile, while Kibitz sat opposite Celestia, frantically penning apology letters to Celestia’s cancelled appointments.

“Sister! Such language is ill-fitting for a princess,” Luna chuckled as she entered the room. “And good morning to thee, Raven. Kibitz, thou still hast not accepted Our offer to come on night patrol with Us.” She winked at the older stallion, who paled. “Thou wert considerate in showing Us Our sister’s day; thou really must come and see how Our Night Court is run.”

Kibitz looked to the night alicorn, a green something dripping off of her torc. She had a few scratches and bruises, and there were twigs throughout her mane.

“R-Run in with timberwolves, Your Highness?” Kibitz gulped.

“Oh, yes!” Luna clapped her hooves. “‘Twas a most rousing end to Our night. Poor George might be out with a wing injury for a month, We think. Thou must join us next time!”

Luna flashed the moustachioed stallion a wicked tooth-filled grin… right before he passed out.

“Luna, will you please stop harassing my staff?” Celestia had not even looked up from the papers.

“Oh, Tia… you’re no fun anymore.”

Luna trotted around the table to give her sister a big, slimy, green-goopy hug. Affection and pranking in one.

“Luna!” Celestia shrieked, as Luna nuzzled her sister, wiping some of the smelly timberwolf ichor into her cheek. “That’s disgusting! Haven’t I asked you to bathe before breakfast if you’ve been out on patrol?”

“Probably…” Luna shrugged as she plopped herself down unceremoniously next to her sister. “So what has you so on edge—”

Luna levitated the Manehattan Journal to see what had her sister so entranced. Celestia did not have time to take it away from her sister before the paper was ignited in moonfire.

“QUEEN OF THE NIGHT‽” Luna rose into the air, her eyes aglow with ethereal power. Powerful winds swirled about her, scattering the carefully sorted newspaper articles across the room. “WHAT USURPER WOULDST… USURP… OUR THRONE‽”

“Luna, calm down!” Celestia frantically attempted to grasp onto the few articles she had not yet read; she did not fancy having to start again from scratch.

“WE SHALL REND THEIR FLESH AND SEE THE HEADSMAN’S AXE BETWIXT THEIR HEAD AND NECK!”

“Luna!” Celestia shouted, pulling sharply on Luna’s mane. “Not in front of the M-O-R-T—” A dull thump beside her told Celestia that Raven had fainted. “Oh… she’s out. Never mind.”

“Tia!” Luna moaned. “That hurts!”

“Nopony is trying to usurp your throne,” Celestia growled.

“But the papers—”

“What have I told you about not believing everything that is written in the papers?” Celestia asked with exasperation.

“Ummm, not to?” she asked. Luna levitated a second, less-enflamed newspaper to read, when she spotted the picture on the front page. “Nay! Say it is not so. Poor, sweet Fluttershy is not the usurper! She is Our friend.”

“Nopony is trying to usurp you!” Celestia barked, attempting to pull the paper out of Luna’s magical grip. All she succeeded in doing was tearing yet another paper. “I know I have explained to you the press’ penchant for hyperbole. This nonsense is just to sell papers.” She sighed. “But yes— poor Fluttershy is involved. It seems she has developed some manner of ummm… porphyric hemophilia. Twilight wrote me about it yesterday afternoon.”

“And you did not think to inform Us?” Luna slammed her hoof down on the table.

Celestia had been dreading this. “She is a member of the Elements of Harmony—”

“Former Elements of Harmony,” Luna corrected.

“—and as such, this is a matter that requires delicacy.”

“If ‘tis true that Our friend Fluttershy is indeed a member of Our Sanguis Vampyr, then clearly this matter falls upon Our domain.”

Celestia groaned; the last time Luna had claimed eminent domain over something was three thousand years ago. It was a wholly unfair ruling ratified by the courts at the time, and had led to her sister controlling the solar alicorn’s cake and ice cream intake, because ‘dessert is eaten after dinner, thus they are a night-time food.’ Until Nightmare Moon’s banishment, that is.

Admittedly, Celestia’s flank had grown in considerable size in those first two centuries. Thankfully, larger mares were popularised by the artist Ruby Nest, and she enjoyed a few more years judgement-free.

Still, she worried what repercussions she would suffer if she allowed Luna this concession… as well as the repercussions she would suffer if she did not fight her sister on this.

“Very well,” Celestia sighed. “But please exercise the utmost discretion in this delicate matter.”

“We shall be the very model of discretion, Sister.”

Celestia woke Kibitz and Raven, informing them her Court would go on as normal.

Ж

Pandemonium.

That is a word a brave pegasus might use to describe the scene outside Fluttershy’s cottage.

Chaos.

That is a word a certain draconequus might use to describe the scene as well.

Fluttershy was neither a brave pony, nor a draconequus, so rather than coming up with a word to describe the scene, she just hid from it. In her favorite closet.

Her front garden, usually filled with the din of hundreds of cute little creatures, was currently filled with the cacophony of a hundred ponies.

Cacophony.

That was another word a draconequus might like.

Evening was falling, and the shouts from outside her cottage had not ceased.

Ceased.

That is a word. Not really a likeable nor dislikeable word. Just a word. No matter.

Twilight had tried to visit earlier, but the throng of ponies outside had kept her at bay. One side feared their princess would become a thrall of the demon, the other afraid she would take away their dread-mistress of the dark.

Rarity and Rainbow Dash had both tried to visit, too; when they could not get through, they joined the throng of vampire enthusiasts, donning shirts with the slogan “Bite Me!” written across them.

Fluttershy was in this alone.

“FEAR NOT, THY SUBJECTS! YOUR PRINCESS OF THE NIGHT HATH ARRIVED!”

Princess Luna!

Fluttershy was certain that the alicorn could help, that she could make this all go away. She cautiously exited her safe, secure wardrobe. She wearily crept across the floor, keeping as low as she could, and looked through the curtains with just the teeniest-tiniest bit of trepidation.

What she saw outside made her practically crap herself. Princess Luna was adorned in a midnight-black cloak trimmed with a deep red. Atop her head, rather than a crown, was a black, wide-brimmed hat with a pair of phoenix feathers stuck in the band. Across her chest were belts strapped with vials of incandescent liquids, sharply pointed wooden stakes, and several magazines. Strapped to her back was the most intimidating crossbow Fluttershy had ever seen.

“PEON— CITIZENS! LONG HAVE WE PROTECTED THEE FROM THE CREATURES OF THE NIGHT. TAKE HEART, THIS MONSTER SHALL NOT SEE THE DAWN!”

Fluttershy panicked. It was, after all, her go-to solution. She piled as many pieces of furniture against the door as she could before the alicorn reached her cottage. Admittedly, one chair and an old milk crate was unlikely to slow the princess of the night down for very long.

“Fluttershy, ‘tis I, Princess Luna,” Luna whispered through the door. “Can you open up?”

“Go away!” Fluttershy yelled through the door. “No Fluttershy here! Visitors not welcome tonight!”

“Fluttershy, please.” Luna’s voice seemed to hold some desperation in it. When the door did not yield, Luna sighed. “Very well…”

The wooden door snapped open under the powerful buck of the princess.

Luna stepped through, barricading the door behind her. “We do not wish for any witnesses for what must come.”

Fluttershy cowered under her table. She wrapped her leathery wings in front of her face; if she was going to die, she didn’t want to see it. While her new, unfamiliar leathery wings were hardly as comforting as her old, soft feathery ones, they would have to do.

This was it. This was the end.

Fluttershy was pulled from under the table by Luna’s strong telekinetic grasp. Powerful forearms wrapped around her body, as the princess squeezed her tight. If this is how vampires were slain, then maybe Fluttershy wouldn’t mind dying. It almost felt like a—

“Huzzah!” Luna hugged the shocked vampony. “Fluttershy, ‘tis so good to see thee again.” Luna put the startled ex-pegasus on the floor, and levitated a kettle over the hearth. “Dost thou have any tea? ‘Twas a long flight, and We thirst.”

“Umm,” Fluttershy mumbled, “I think I have some camomile in the cupboard above the sink.”

“Oooo! We love camomile,” Luna squealed. “Ever since We returned, We have enjoyed a cup with Our sister every morn. Thou dost not sully thy tea with sugar, do thee?” Luna returned, levitating two teacups and a tray of biscuits, placing them on the table. The princess then levitated the couch and smashed it against the wall, splinters of wood flying everywhere.

“I-If you are here to k-k-kill me,” Fluttershy stammered, “please—”

“Kill thee? What would give that…” Luna looked down at her outfit, then back to the shattered couch. Oh, right! “Nay, faire Fluttershy, We are not here to slay thee. These…” She paused, motioning to her clothing and accoutrements. “… are just for theatrics. Nay, We would ne’er slay one of our beautiful subjects… especially not one of Our friends.”

Luna blushed, looking away.

“‘Tis good that this hath happened to thee.” Luna fidgeted with her empty tea cup. “This life is long and lonely, and so few e’er join our ranks. To have another that might join our fledgling Camareilla… and to potentially be witnessing the birth of a new clan… ‘tis truly an event for celebration.”

“Cam— what? Join who?” Fluttershy looked to the princess. “Ranks? Oh, I don’t think I’d be very good in the military…”

“Nay, thou hath joined Us in the ranks of the unliving, the immortal, the danse macabre.” Luna’s mouth turned down into a frown. “You’re a vampire, Fluttershy, a creature of the night, like myself and many others.

“We must be careful how our kind feed, faire Fluttershy.” Luna bore her sharpened canines. “We live in the shadows, unknown and hidden from ponykind… Oh, excuse Us for a moment. Wouldst thou please finish preparing the tea?”

Fluttershy shrieked as a light burst between them. Princess Luna was knocked backwards, hurtling through the air as she crashed through the glass window of Fluttershy’s cottage.

Fluttershy was about to see if the princess was okay, when a shout from outside stopped her in her tracks.

“FOUL VAMPYR, WE SHALL NOT BE BEATEN SO EASILY! STAY BACK, PEASANTS, THIS MONSTER IS A DANGER TO THEE!”

Luna crashed back through the shattered window.

“Is the tea read— Fluttershy, why dost thou hide beneath the table? We thought We made it clear We were not here to kill thee.” Her irises flashed lavender for a moment as she stared back towards the shattered window. With a flick of her horn, she sent Fluttershy’s bed flying out the opening. The crash was followed by a scream piercing the air.

“Hmmm, the reporters are refusing to keep their distance,” Luna said, her unusually lavender eyes still looking towards the window. “We wished to speak more, but We suppose We must end this soon. Very well…”

The princess’ horn glowed as she channelled energy into her spell. As Fluttershy was lifted off the ground, she watched in horror as her hooves dissolved and her wings disappeared. The chill crawled up her body as the spell enveloped her.

All throughout, Fluttershy kept screaming, her shrieks filling the night air.

Through tear-filled eyes, she watched in horror as even her muzzle finally disappeared from her sight.

She was gone. Strangely, she was still screaming. Her screams were abruptly stopped by Princess Luna clamping Fluttershy’s non-existent mouth closed.

Luna whispered into Fluttershy’s non-existent ears. “Worry not, faire Fluttershy.” The princess’ breath tickled Fluttershy’s non-existent hair. “We have just cast an Obfuscation spell upon thee. Thou shouldst be quite alright.”

Fluttershy touched her very-invisible hooves to her invisible-but-still-actually-existing face, and breathed a sigh of relief.

“Thou must go hide in the treeline. We shall come to thee soon, but We must ensure nopony thinks thou hath survived.”

“What are you going to—”

“Trust Us,” Luna said, placing a gentle hoof to quiet her friend. “We will be very…”

Ж

“DISCREET!” Celestia boomed, as she slammed the paper down in front of Luna.

“How is this… in any way… discreet?” Celestia was struggling to breathe. Kibitz had already passed out, and Raven was huddled in the corner of the room where she had been all morning, curled into a fetal position and sobbing. Fluttershy sat cowering next to the Princess of the Night.

Luna looked down to the headline before her.

Princess Murders National Hero

“Was this not the publication that just yesterday called Fluttershy an abomination?” Luna asked, nonplussed.

The accompanying picture for the article was quite good; she looked particularly imposing walking away from the exploding tree that was Fluttershy’s former home. She had made certain to not look back, for maximum sangfroid.

“Twilight has been writing me all night,” Celestia growled. “She thinks Nightmare Moon is back, and is on her way here now to discuss how to stop you without the Element of Kindness.”

“She would distrust Us so?” Luna slammed a hoof on the table. “We thought she was Our friend!”

“SHE THINKS YOU MURDERED ONE OF HER FRIENDS!”

“Well, We shall have to have words with her about not believing everything she reads in the paper!” Luna retorted. “We thought you would have already taught her that.”

“I’m sorry you had to do all this for me,” Fluttershy apologised. “I didn’t mean to be a burden.”

“Nay, faire Fluttershy, Our sister merely overreacts.”

“Over… over… over…” Celestia stammered.

“Yes, ‘tis over, Sister.” Luna levitated her cup of tea and took a sip. “Ahh, camomile. We never did get that drink, did We, Fluttershy?”