Years in the Heart

Slipping, falling, dying. Please, don't leave...

"Willow! No!" She fell, Fluttershy fell from his grasp. Down, down, down to the earth and rocks, to the real world, back down to hell. She felt her hooves spark as they touched the ground. A surging pain rose from her legs up through the rest of her body. Needles, knives, and fire burned her skin. Falling to the floor she fell into an uncontrollable seizure of pain. She managed to stop her twisting body by bracing it between a stray tree root and a rock. A single trickle of blood slid out of her nose, only to be lost in the shower of tears raining out of her eyes. Her body, so she thought, was released from the magic. Three years had collapsed onto her body. It was awful, but what was in store for Willow was going to be even worse. Fluttershy was barely even to handle three years returning. Willow, he had nearly seven hundred years. It would kill him. Fluttershy looked up. Still there...

Willow continued to flap his wings, but how long would he last? A couple of hours? That was if he had the energy. "Ah'm sorwry!" He fell a little bit. Fluttershy wanted to speak, but she couldn't. Her body was still too weak. Slowly, Willow's altitude began to die like each dreadful moment that passed. "Ah'm sorwry..." Willow forced his wings to keep going, going, hurting, failing. Tears, painfully dying tears, bled out of his eyes.

Fluttershy watched. That was all she could do! Watch. Helpless, she was. Oh Faust, she thought, give me the strength to talk, she just needed to tell him before he was gone. "W-will..." She saw him part his eyes in agony; he still tried to survive. However, his efforts were for naught. "Will I-I-," she stared at his eyes. Old, sad, but alive. When she had first met him, when she had first seen his eyes, that wasn't there before. She gave him that being. She gave him hope, she helped him to live... "Willow. I love you." Fluttershy tried to raise her hoof to reach for him. He was so close, almost touching the ground.

His tears changed their lifestyles. The salty drops were overpowered by sweet rivers of pure love and life. A weak smile, was all Willow could manage. Gathering his voice he prepared to speak one last word. He needed words that could say everything. He needed words that would say everything. He changed the level of his body so that he could be face to face with Fluttershy. "Thank you." His voice was clear but not forced. It was his voice, speaking, for the first time, for the last time.

"Willow!" It was too late. She watched his wings stop. Like a stone, he dropped down. Like a stone dropped in a river he was going to be washed away. Touch. The tip of his fore hoof made contact with the floor. Time froze in both of their hearts. Years were about to vanish the years that they carried together were about to be stripped from their hearts. Mist, no dust; the dust looked like mist. Like a tidal wave sweeping away weak and feeble homes on a beach.

The dust and ashes of Willow's body began to roll in on himself. Dust to dust, ashes to ashes. His feathers blew away like the fuzz on a dandelion. What was left if his bones shriveled as if though they were drowned in acid. His mane withered into grey fibers that twirled in the air and dwindled into nothingness. Willow's face was the last to go as the ashes rolled up his neck. His dreary eyes closed at last, and he disappeared compiled into a wisp of air. "No!" Fluttershy jumped forward to try and catch his ashes. Why? She didn't know. No ashes came. There was nothing left. He was gone.

But amidst the hollow air, a small object fell from above. So small, Fluttershy would have almost missed it. A small green crystal fell into Fluttershy's hoof. The leather band that once held it was gone. Glowing. It was the one thing that remained as the memory of Willow. Fluttershy held it close to her chest. The last thing that survived. It almost brought a certain warmth to her heart. This one small object brought a life back to her heart. Years. Warmth. Yes there was warmth, but from where?

A light glowed where the house of Willow once stood. In the ancient remnants of what once was a fireplace, a small tree was lit up. It lit up the night. The bonzire tree remained. Fluttershy crawled closer to it. She pulled her pile of flesh and blood to the final light of Willow's soul. The light, the warmth it gave her the strength to keep moving towards it. Pictures. She could see them. The pictures that Willow talked about, she could see them. She could see him. Back, the pictures took her back to the beginning. He rescued her from the timberwolves and nursed her back to a healthier state. Conversations that seemed distant became clear. Fluttershy could see Willow and her with soup, talking, just talking. Those conversations faded as voices in the distance broke through to her mind.

"Fluttershy!!?" Those voices... They were distant memories that burned as dim as the embers of the blazing bonzire tree.

"Fluttershy?! Where are ya sugarcube?" Applejack?

"We've been searching forever! I don't think she's in this part of the forest!" Rainbow Dash?

Her friends, yes, her friends. She remembered.

"We have to keep looking!!!" Twilight...

"It's been three years Twilight. What if she's-"

Rarity!

"No she is alive! I can feel it in my tail!!!" Pinkie!!!

Fluttershy could hear them. They were close. She called out to them. Half crying, she yelled as loud as she could. "Help!!!"

Applejack carried Fluttershy on her back. "I wonder what she's been doin' out here all them years." Fluttershy could hear Applejack even though her consciousness had given up.

"I'm not sure..." Twilight said still lost in deep thought as she held the burning bonzire tree in her magic.

"What is that?" Rarity asked. "It's so, well beautiful."

"I still don't get why Fluttershy wanted us to bring along this burning bush." Rainbow muttered.

"I can understand the crystal she put in my bag, but what ‘is’ this strange plant exactly?” Rarity looked at Fluttershy. She could see the poor mare was half asleep, but still facing the light of the burning tree.

Twilight knew exactly what it was. “It’s a bonzire tree. But, it doesn’t make sense. All of the bonzire trees are in museums now. How can there be another? They can’t naturally grow in the wild.” A thought came across her mind, impossible. “Unless…”

Rarity walked up closer to Twilight’s side. “Unless what?”

Twilight wondered, could it be? “Starswirl the bearded, he made these trees to light the Princesses’ original castle. The castle was those ruins we found in the Everfree forest. But, that place was searched, top to bottom. All of the bozire trees were recovered, some dead, and some alive. So, how can this one even exist? It’s impossible!”

“Unless? You were saying…”

“Yes.” Twilight continued. “I don’t believe it, but this could be the one that Starswirl made for his wife.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa… Starswirl had a wife?” Rainbow blinked her eyes in disbelief.

“She was dying of a disease we know today as cancer, and Starswirl tried to save her by putting her in a forcefield that stopped the disease, but it also stopped her from aging.  He gave her the tree, because no normal fire could exist in the field. The bonzire’s fire is part of it’s biological processes. The fire prevents it from growing any bigger than it already is. Essentially, it is ageless. It became a symbol of his never aging wife.” She sighed as the rest of the history would have to unfold through her words. “Unfortunately, his wife died when she accidentally stepped out of the magic of the force field. All her years came back to her at once and she perished.” Twilight shook her head. “This, could be the last artifact linked to Starswirl’s wife.” A tear escaped Fluttershy’s eye as she listened to Twilight’s words. “Unless they really did have a son…” Wait what?

Applejack cocked her brow. “Are ya tellin me that Starswirl and his wife had a colt? But I thought his wife was barren.”

“It’s just a myth.” Twilight scoffed. “Just more conspiracy theories… Ponies believe he was hidden because in those days it was illegal to cross breed.”

“Crossbreed?” Rarity yelped. “But me and Spike…”

“Don’t worry. This was centuries ago.” Twilight gave her a smile.

“So what, did this ‘conspiracy colt’ have a name?” Rainbow chuckled to herself.

“Actually, I think they called him something like, Willow. Yeah, Willow. That was what they called him.” Twilight shook her head again, but Fluttershy had risen up.

“Willow?” Fluttershy spoke, and they all halted as they saw their friend awake. She stared at them all. Her eyes were riddled and bloodshot as a marine layer of mist rose through them. “He, he, he’s…” Fluttershy began to pant. Air staggered in, and out, and in, and out. “He’s, he’s gone.”

“Fluttershy? What ever are you talking about?” Rarity walked closer to her friend who was still riding on Applejack’s back.

“I met him…” Fluttershy stared at her legs. “I held him.”

“Dear...he’s not real. You just heard Twi-” Rarity stopped. “Fluttershy?”

SMACK

A wild animal had replaced their friend. “HE WAS REAL!” The force of a hurricane came raining down in the form of yellow hooves. The beast was out. The tortured damaged soul had escaped into the world. Death was afraid. Hell, everyone in Tartarus ran for what was left of their lives as this once kind hearted soul let out her wrath. “I LOVED HIM!!!” What was left of her soul? Did the real Fluttershy even exist anymore? Or, was she so consumed by her loss? Her friends screamed as this unknown rage stole their friend. Applejack Struggled to keep her from slaughtering Rarity. Thrashing and screaming, “HE WAS ALIVE!” Twilight’s eyes welled up as her friend struggled in Applejack’s grip. What happened in the last three years? What drove her to this? “Jyes.” What was that she muttered? “Jyes,jyes,jyes…”

“What’s she sayin?” Applejack mumble as Fluttershy began to calm down. They all walked a little closer as a small smile scratched the corners of Fluttershy’s mouth. Her eyelids rested peacefully as she remembered.

“That’s how he would say yes...jyes. The way he talked. His words could melt your heart. They melted mine.” She whimpered as she remembered all that she could. “He cared for me, he was there for me, he was there…” Fluttershy paused as Rarity held onto her hoof. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry. I just miss him.” Her smile failed her, but she fought for it in the end. “I-I-ah…” She fought her wavering voice. “I need ta remember ‘im like he wuz when he was alive.” No one dared question the way she spoke. “He was beautiful. He showed me love.” Rain came down from above. Everything seemed to slow down. The fire lit up the little glass worlds. Fluttershy watched new pictures, the memories she could remember from those three years with him. “It’s so sad. I can’t remember too much of his words, but I can see his face. I can see those sad old eyes. He lived for so long alone, but I, I made him happy. Because, he wasn’t alone anymore. I loved him. But I can’t seem to remember why.” The rain came down, but it did not touch any of them. As far as the light of the bonzire tree stretched, the rain rolled off its heat as if it were a dome. “I can see moments he shared with me. He left a mark on my soul. I am bound to him. No stallion could ever challenge his love, life or virtue. He was perfect. His voice even, as well. His voice was the most perfect of all. It spoke with profound waves of time, gratitude, and light.” She stared at the bonzire tree. His face stared back through the memory of the tree. Somewhere, he was alive. “I may never hear those words again, but I will never forget, he existed. He was real.”

A ghost in the air warmed her soul. She was haunted, but comforted. He was alive through her, through Fluttershy. Willow was sealed to her. Death had no bounds, by Faust. Fluttershy could feel him once more through the kindness of Faust to give Fluttershy a final adieu to the old souled young bodied stallion.

“We have to keep going.” Twilight said.

Applejack lifted Fluttershy back onto her back and they began to walk under the dome of the bonzire tree’s heat umbrella. They were all walking home. Rainbow Dash to her husband, Big Mac. Rarity was going to be back with Spike, her husband, and the father to her daughter. Twilight, to her castle where Flash sentry would be waiting. Pinkie would sleep with her new coltfriend. Applejack was excited for her first date with Thunderlane. And our dear Fluttershy…

Our beloved friend who had suffered so much pain, and torment inflicted by the curse of Starswirl’s bubble, she was going to rest. Her mind half dead, she slept. She slept along the side of her beloved Willow. He seemed so real, the heavenly space he sat with her in, heaven. She knew it. She was in heaven.

“She stopped breathing!”

Fluttershy caressed the curves of Willow’s face with her hooves. Kiss. She relieved herself of passion’s lust and embraced him. Not for sexual pleasure, but for the pleasure of not being alone. He was here, he was hers.

“What do we do?”

Fluttershy laid on Willow’s chest, free from mortal pain. A green light grew in his chest. “Willow?” Fluttershy traced along his chest where the calming light radiated from his heart. She could see the crystal, the green crystal. It was in Rarity’s bag, back down in…

“She’s Gone…”

Willow stared at Fluttershy. “Fluthersigh.” Oh Willow. It was so good to hear his voice. “Yoo cant stay ‘ere…”

“Wait! Her pulse just came back.”

No, don’t put me back. “Willow. I don’t want to go. Why can’t I stay?” It wasn’t fair. Why was this happening all over again? She could feel her body, her existence, slipping away from Willow.

“She’s breathing!”

Willow shook his head with a smile. “We still had this moment.” His voice was clear of impediments. It always was clear. “I am closer than you think. But promise me this.” Anything. “Live life, for me. Live life and remember me for who I was. Forget about my death. Just remember me for the good times, the close times, and our best times. I love you, my dear Fluthersigh.” An angel whispering her name called, timed to go.

“She’s awake!”

Fluttershy stared up at the stars. They danced, and twirled for Fluttershy. They lifted her heart. All the years, they always passed. But those three years, those years remained in her heart. The years in her heart echoed through space and time, “We will not be forgotten. Our love goes on.” The stars glistened in agreement. The bonzire tree flickered with the ghost of all the lovers who had suffered tragedy. They all sang in the rain. They sang their requiem for Fluttershy and Willow. They sang for their love. They sang for their hope. They sang...