Chapters “Angel?” Fluttershy continued through the forest. “Angel, where are you?”
She walked, and she continued to walk. Deeper. Darker. The trees seemed to grow over her head. Their bark skinned arms reached across forming a canopy of tree limbs that blocked out the light. Creak. Crack. Their gnarled roots twisted through their skin tight tunnels under the ground. Feeling. Hoofsteps. A face unseen was watching. It was a face that only could be seen from the heavens. The forest was watching. Intruder. No. The leaves around whirled around in the subtle breeze. The leaves, the tiny soldiers hovered over the roots, scouting who was trekking this far into their territory.
“Hello?” Fluttershy looked around the seemingly empty forest. She could feel the tiny leaves that rode a breeze paste her hooves. “Angel?” Little did she know, that Angel already found a way out of the forest a long time ago.
She’s still advancing on the path of eternity. Stop. Follow. The air changed, breeze reversed. The soldiers changed their direction. Obeying their invisible master, they followed the foreign mare that headed closer to their sacred grounds. Fall. Fly. They whipped through the larger roots that grew into massive arches in comparison to their miniscule size. The arms of the trees swayed in approval of their green warriors advance. Follow. Alert. The wind howled throughout the forest. The battle cry sounded out through the creaking and wailing bark. Children of timber stirred in their sleep. Their backs arched and stretched into form. Help. Attack. Pairs of yellow eyes twisted open, open, open.
“Who’s there!?” Fluttershy cowered, now aware that something was watching her. She could feel them, those eyes. Those yellow eyes, tinted green, lined a near perfect circle around her. Their misty breath clouded her vision. Fog. there was just fog. “Oh no.” A shadow grew in the fog. A tall figure became more defined. That figure made up of branches stepped forward.
His legs were wood, his ligaments were twigs, and on his stretched face were brows made up of grassy leaves. Beneath his brow, were his luminescent eyes that targeted the quivering Fluttershy. The growl within his log belly screamed a symphony, a tribute to hunger. The sharp stakes that were his claws tapped on a loose stone that rested near his paw. His wolverine shape readied itself to pounce. The timberwolf and his siblings advanced.
“Ahh!” She ran, ran, ran, run, run faster, can’t. Fluttershy took to the air. Zoom, dash, slowing, don’t slow! Cry, for help! “Help!” Her voice echoed across the embedded ears of the trees could hear her cries. Deeper, deeper, she went. Darker, darker, it was getting. The sky had vanished. The path got wider. It was growing beneath her, or was she shrinking? Getting tired. “No, must keep-” Something caught one of her hind legs. “Eep!” She was dragged down to the floor of the path she had been following. Everything happened so fast it was a blur. Pain, there was just pain.
The timberwolf slashed her wings. Droplets of blood and plume of feathers burst into the air taking flight. She didn’t have time to scream, another timberwolf came upon her. It, yes it, this wild beast, it slashed through her legs with it’s splintery claws. More timberwolves came, more slashing. They kept slashing. They wouldn’t-
“STOP!!!” A voice, but whose? It was loud, defined, but strained. The voice was replaced by battle cries of someone, but who?!
Fluttershy looked up. Her eyes were blurred from the loss of blood. She could feel it leaving her. It felt so strange, like water falling through a strainer. The wolves seemed to stop for a moment. Something else came into her view though. There were branches, logs, and twigs flying over her eyes. Splinters and leaves were fleeing the scene as a bright shape came into her peripheral vision. Eyes, not glowing, but brown. Those eyes were sad eyes, old eyes. They were nice and kind, but why are they fading away.
Fluttershy’s eyes were getting heavy as she heard the voice again. “Mith, miths?” The words were incomprehensible. Soon her hearing began to fade as well as all her sight and sensation. Her limbs gave up. What seemed to be left of her wings gave up. Her body had forced her to give up. There was black. Everything disappeared. There was only one thing left, some new sensation. She couldn't quite put her hoof on in, but if she could say, she felt weightless.
Fluttershy opened her dreary eyes. Was she dead? She wasn’t sure. The pain wasn’t sure. She could feel in the universe that something was wrong with her body, but pain was no where in sight. The only thing in sight was white. White bandages covered her body. She remembered feeling pain, but that was a long while ago. She looked around. Her eyes were met by that of a rather peaceful room, a living room, not very big, but still a living room. The wooden walls were barren. Two windows let the waterfalls of morning light flow in. Her bed, or so it seemed was a sofa of some strange sorts. It was soft, and it smelled of pine. Looking around, there was more furniture to be seen. Strange. The furniture was shaped in an unnaturally natural way. The furnishings appeared to be grown.
She nipped at the bandage that was wrapped around her wing. As she did she heard a sound, the floor creaked behind her. When she turned her head to face the sound, she was met by a bright pair of chocolate brown eyes. Those sad, old eyes… Those eyes were stronger than her own. Fluttershy could feel her eyes getting tired again.
She awoke multiple times. Her desire to be conscious was often overpowered by the ropes of weakness that pulled her body into rest. When she would wake up, she could not open her eyes. Sound still came to her in bursts of sickness and headache. That voice that once sounded out like warriors in battle had ceased to a more sincere whisper of single words. She would hear him, she thought it was a him, say, “Sip.” When she sipped, her throat would be greeted by warm and creamy tomato soup that warmed her insides like a blanket made of taste and remedy. He would say, “Pill,” and a small capsule would be placed on her tongue that was flushed down with warm heavenly milk. He only said what he needed to say. It was rather curious. His single words sounded almost forced. This stranger’s words were articulated and enunciated to a seemingly stressful degree. Why was he talking that way?
Fluttershy woke up for another short time. But this time she opened her eyes. Her glassy eyes couldn’t move. Instead they just focused what was in front of their view. Her limbs were covered in dried blood. She was horrified and would have reacted if she could, but her body put a stop to any struggle that might commence. Fluttershy watched as a steady hoof came down on her forelegs with a white wet rag. It was warm, and soothing. She watched the rag move along her legs changing color. The white was hidden as the dried blood departed from her yellow fur. Another smell entered her nose, it was familiar, a plant she herself had used as ointment for her injured furry friends. A cold chill of the smell’s source was poured along her legs and then dabbed with the resurrected white rag which was free from the stains of old blood. A white mesh of cloth greeted the spots where there were very clear injuries. New bandages wrapped, twirled, and sealed her legs up. The hooves that performed this task moved on to her wings. Fluttershy nearly cried, afraid that her wings were too far gone for her ever to fly again. But there they were. Still attached. Only a few bunches of feathers had gone missing. Those would grow back of course. Fluttershy knew she was going to be alright somehow. Physically anyway. She would recover. But, she was still lost.
Again she was awake…
That smell...smoke?
Her eyelids parted. Her pupils shrunk in the warm light that greeted her. A calm fire burned inside of a stone fireplace. It was the one enduring light source that brought warmth to the dark room. It was late. A few stars twinkled like diamonds in the sky through the wood framed windows. All was calm in the night, and all was quiet. Only small sounds disturbed the silence. There were the dainty snores of little creatures, and light pitter patters of the small night creatures were careful not to disturb anyone’s rest. A sigh radiated from the direction of the fireplace.
As her eyes focused, Fluttershy could distinguish a shadow that partly blocked the radiating light. Who was this pony that had saved her from the timberwolves? She partly closed her eyelid as his head turned around. She could see them again. His old eyes glistened in the dark. He sighed again and turned back towards the enchanting flames. Why did he sound so tired? Was he injured? His face seemed clear to her, even though she couldn’t see it. It was kind, it was friendly. It had seen many years, but strength still held on within his soul.
He seemed like a rare stallion. He seemed to be walking on a path guided by a truth made of iron. He was holding on to that solid truth to stay on that path. The path must be long for his eyes to look so old. His breath didn’t match his. It was young and controlled. His head turned again to face Fluttershy. She parted her eyes and just, stared. Those eyes of his were so old, and now they seemed so full of hope.
Fluttershy yawned as she stretched her back. She awoke to find that her bandages had been replaced with lighter more flexible ones. She examined these new strange cloths that were wrapped around her limbs. Like silk they were, and fresh with an enticing smell of honey. She looked around the barren room. The fire was gone, but in its place stood a miniature tree. Strange, she thought. Why would there be a tree growing in a fireplace? It was an oddity of, well, small proportions, but even greater meaning that she didn’t know yet.
“Soup?” That stressed voice came from behind her.
“Oh yes please. I-” She stopped when she saw him. “Oh.”
The pegasus stallion was not old. His eyes did not match his body. He was young, very young. He might have even been younger than Fluttershy by a couple of years. His unnatural old eyes contrasted his blue tinted white fur. A red streak stretched and weaved through his dark brown mane. Around his neck was a green crystal that hung by a leather string. His alabaster smile was weaker than his old eyes. Smiling was not something he did on a regular basis. It was foreign to him. It was apparent that he hadn't smiled like this before. Hope. Friendly. He just smiled, and handed Fluttershy her bowl of soup.
"Thank you." Fluttershy whispered. Her unsurety showed in her voice, it caused the stallion's smile to weaken a bit as he repeatedly exchanged his glance between her and the floor. He trailed off and into another room, allowing Fluttershy to partake of her healing soup in peace.
How strange, she thought. Silent. Quiet. He doesn't seem to like talking. Why? Fluttershy drowned out these mysteries by sipping on some of the soup. It was delicious. Not too fancy, it was vegetable soup, but it was good soup. Strange. The soup was not like anything she had ever tasted. She couldn't even make out what kind of vegetables were in the soup.p. They were of strange elliptical shapes that were cooked in a rainbow of colors. Still, it was delicious.
The pegasus stallion came back to check on her. "Good?" He asked. Fluttershy nodded setting the bowl down in her lap.
"I'm sorry if I'm a being a burden." She watched as he shook his head to say no. "Oh, okay." There was silence between the two if them. What a strange fellow, she thought. "Um, I hope you don't mind me asking, but, what is your name?"
His smile left his face as he traded glances between random points and Fluttershy. "Uhh," was all he seemed to muster up.
"I'm so sorry, are you mute?" She would have slapped herself if it weren't for her curiosity.
"No." He blurted out. He stared at the floor shuffling his hoof in place. Sighs billowed in and out of his gut. He looked sad again.
"I'm sorry." Fluttershy cowered back into the couch feeling guilty for her words. She looked down at the bowl of soup which was half full now. Trying to be optimistic, she gave a quick smile at the memory of how good the soup was.
"Will-uh." He piped up.
"What?" Fluttershy looked up surprised by the uttered syllables.
He sighed. "My nam iz Will-oh."
"Willow?" Fluttershy smiled at being able to hear his name. But why was he talking like this now?
"Jyes." He smiled. "Bu' yoo ca coll me Will." He smiled but only a little. Dread had taken over his mind. It was visible as his cheerful expression died and was sent to a wasteland. "Sorwy I tok dis way."
Fluttershy almost cried for the poor guy. "Oh it's alright...I don't mind." She gave her best smile.
"I haz speech ipedimen' sinz I waz litel." He looked at the floor. "I no stupid, juz cant tok wight." That word stupid. He said it so perfectly, as if that was the one word his brain had been trained to say. It was like that word had been haunting him all his life. "Yoo thin' I iz stupid don yoo..."
"Oh no, I don't. It's perfectly fine." Fluttershy have him a comforting smile. "It's fine, Will." She saw his face light up at the use of his name. Then she remembered her momentarily forgotten manners. "Oh, and, I'm Fluttershy."
Willow smiled. "Flut-her-sigh." He did his best to pronounce her name. "Izs nise too meet yoo Miz Fluthersigh." His enthusiastic smile came back. His voice was like that of someone who was mentally handicapped, but his mannerisms said otherwise. He didn't act like a stoic child, he was a grown stallion. His speech just didn't match, him. Willow was a strange oddity that baffled Fluttershy. The way he said her name, Fluthersigh, it was cute like a three year old foal trying to say her name, but this was not a foal. His voice wasn't high, but at the same time it wasn't low. His voice wasn't scratchy, or gnarly. It was just peaceful. His voice was like butter, butter that was being spread onto a stale piece of bread. The sound of his voice made up for his lack of enunciation. He was kind; willing to help Fluttershy in her injured state.
"It's nice to meet you Will." Fluttershy smiled again. It was easier because now, she understood.
The sun was just beginning to set. Fluttershy sat in front of the hearth this time with a bowl of vegetable stew for dinner. She stared at the mini tree that sat in the fireplace. "Are you going to light a fire with that poor tree in the fireplace?"
"No." He said smiling. "Twree makz fi-ur." Willow sat down with his own bowl of stew. He put his fore hooves together and began to whisper something with his eyes closed. What did he mean by "tree makes fire"? As soon as he stopped his whispers he went to work at his stew.
Fluttershy stared at him for a moment. "Excuse me, but what was that?" She tried her best not to sound judgemental.
"Oh." He said as he was swallowing some of the vegetables. "Prayyer." He stated.
"Prayer?" She whispered to herself. "Prayer for what?"
Willow smiled. "I pray ta Faust, dat food'll bee good fer bodee." These were some of the most clear words she heard him say. Interesting. He wasn't stranger than anyone else Fluttershy had met. He was just different. Now, what did he mean about the tree? "Luk, luk ah da twree." He pointed his hoof towards the small plant. As the last of the sun's amber rays faded away, the tree began to glow. It's limbs were like embers. Slowly the light got brighter, until, it was ablaze with fire.
"Is that, what I think it is?" Fluttershy was stunned as she now recognized what the tree was.
"Jyes. Bonzire twree." Willow smiled at Fluttershy and continued to eat his stew.
Bonzire trees were truly a rarity. They did not grow naturally. There are only a hundred left in Equestria. An old wizard, Starswirl the bearded, made them as a gift for the princesses. They were meant to light the halls of that now ancient castle. But after the castle was destroyed, treasure hunters and others came along and took the remaining bonzire trees to sell them. They never grew too big because the fire they produced would burn up any new limbs once they reached a certain size. Self trimming trees that produced light, they truly were a wonder. And here, wherever they were, here was one. It's fires were hidden from the rest of the world. The bonzire was humbly being used for what it was meant to do. It's warm light breathed heat into Fluttershy's heart.
"It's beautiful." Fluttershy whispered under her breath. She looked up at Willow. He had already finished his stew. It was curious how zoned out he seemed. His eyes were locked on the swirling flames of the burning bush of a tree.
"Da fwames has pictours." He smiled at Fluttershy.
"Pictures?" She asked.
"Jyes." His reply was hymn spoken as if years of loneliness were suddenly over. He seemed relieved to be able to say that. To say that he did see, to say what he saw, it released him from bonds that bound him in secret.
"What so you see?" Fluttershy was curious. What exactly did he see?
"I szee da wurld." It was profound. "I szee the starz." As Fluttershy listened his words became more clear. "I see myself, through forest glades I wander. I can hear the rolling thunder of great waterfalls. I can hear angel voices singing. If I try hard enough, I can just be able to fathom their beauty. I can walk among the lofty mountain grandeurs. Then I see the lights of the homes so bright at night. I see the world, and all it's wonders. I have seen the light and magic of life, by just gazing into this simple enchanted tree." He sighed, breaking the illusion. "Stupid. I knowz i' iz."
"Oh no, it's fantastic..." Fluttershy looked away. She was embarrassed having blurted that out in excitement. When she turned back she just saw Willow smiling. His face was at a long awaited rest. Those chocolate diamonds that were his eyes glistened in the fire light of the bonzire. "I think, that's beautiful." He laughed a bit. "What? What's so funny?"
"Nutthen." He ceased his light laugh. His face remained stamped with a smile. "I wuz jus thin-kin... I onwly imajened wut angelz lookz likes." He smiled. "I nevor thot dat I wud meet wun."
An angel, Fluttershy thought. He thought she was... "An Angel? Me?"
"I nevor thot dat angelz wud be dis beautiful." He returned his glance to the flames in the fireplace. "I knowz yoo no reel angelz, bu' yoo cum pritty cloze." He stared at the flames, and when the flames echoed in his eyes, they were old again. They were like mountains. Beautiful, yes they were, but millions of years old and being discovered made them new yet again.
"Why are you helping me?" Fluttershy lifted her weak fore leg to bump Willow out if his trance.
"I dunnow. I gess I jus wanned to hellp an angel." He stood up and retrieved something from the other room. Willow returned with new bandages and a bowl of ointment. "Giv me yur leg." Fluttershy obeyed and stretched forth her foreleg.
She watched as he unraveled the bandages. Underneath were fine red lines held together by stitches. Willow rubbed some of the ointment into the sewn crevices, and then he finished the leg by wrapping new clean bandages around it. He repeated this with her other legs, and her wings. Nothing hurt any more. The ointment was numbing, but the sensation of Willow kneading it into her wounds still came through. "Thank you Will." Fluttershy added at the end of the regular procedure.
Willow stood up again, this time returning with blankets and pillows. "I thot yoo mite wan' dese." He laid out a large fleece blanket and made a half circle out of the pillows. "Le' meh hellp yoo." He helped Fluttershy up onto her new makeshift bed. Gently, he pulled a soft quilt over Fluttershy. After tucking her in, he headed for the door. "Goo-nite."
"Wait!" Fluttershy squeaked, halting Willow in the process. He turned his head over his shoulder and was met by the pleading eyes of Fluttershy. "Don't leave."
Willow gave in to her plea. "Holl on." He left and returned once more. This time he carried a brown scraggly old wool blanket that was riddled with holes. He took one of the pillows from the sofa and set it down on the floor. Willow wrapped himself in the brown mess of a blanket, he rested his head on the floor with the pillow. He smiled as he closed his eyes to rest.
"Goodnight, Will." Fluttershy laid her head down. Her chin was just resting on one of the pillows. She stared at Willow as he slept. His rhythm breath went in , and out, and in, and out. Around his neck, the green crystal seemed to fluctuate with light in such a way that matched the rhythm if his breathing. He was a kind old soul, though his body didn't show it, his eyes did. Fluttershy pondered on his words. Willow considered her to be an angel. No one had ever said anything like that to her before nice stallion, a lot nicer than some others she had met.
Fluttershy's eyes began to get heavy. The time and darkness of the room was taking its toll. Also, the light and warmth of the bonzire was warming her up to perfect comfort. Once more Fluttershy looked at the sleeping Willow. He had no cutie mark. That was strange. He was a full grown stallion, and he had no cutie mark. She hadn't noticed that before. Aside from that, there wasn't really a problem. He was still nice. And, Fluttershy thought, he's kind of cute. Her eyes gave up to the desire for rest.
Peacefully, quietly, soundly, and safely, they rested.
Three weeks later...
After three weeks of talking, healing, and rest. Fluttershy decided she was ready to give walking a try.
"Ollwight, gud, guod..." Willow helped Fluttershy balance herself as she attempted to walk. Her legs shakes only a little as she put her body to the test. She was content with doing this. Fluttershy knew that her friends must have been worried sick about her. But for some reason though, she wasn't as worried about her friends' concerns as she should have been. Step. She looked at Willow who watched in case she were to fall. Steps. He decided to take a risk and allow Fluttershy walk by herself. Stepping. She let her strength continue to grow as she exercised her newly returned legs.
"It's so wonderful to be able to walk again!" Her voice cheerfully sang as she began to trot. "Oh Willow I'm feel like I co- ahh!" She marched over an edge. Her hopeless body was thrown into a tumble down a slope. She felt her head spinning. Fluttershy dared not spread her wings to fly since they were still not in any shape to do so…
"Gotchya!" The spinning stopped. Fluttershy looked up and tried to focus her eyes on her savior. Willow's big brown eyes stared back at her. Face to face, as he held her. He flapped his wings faster to adjust for the weight change. "Yoo shud be moor cayrful neks tyme." His voice, it was absent of anger, or scowl. It was relief. Sweet sweet relief. Both his tone and her thoughts. Relief. His stutter seemed to never go away in her head. Yes, it translated, but its tempo and illiteracy remained the same. It was beautiful imperfection. Some distant memory of a lesson she had learned from her friend Discord. Nothing is perfect, so relish in the beauty of imperfection. It was his voice. Just his voice was imperfect, and that was all. He was kind, but afraid, maybe, he was afraid that he would be judged for his speech. She didn't care about that. Fluttershy had just noticed his grasp around her. She felt safe, and he, Willow, was her protector.
"Thank you." She gave him a light peck on the cheek. To her amusement, Willow's face had turned into a cherry ready to burst. A certain look overcame him then. His eyes lost their happiness. He flew back up the slope and carefully set Fluttershy down on the grass. "Willow?" He began to walk back to the little house that was a short distance away. "Will?!" He stopped. "Willow, what's wrong?" Sniffles echoed in whispers across her ears. "Will..." Her voice trailed off as she regained her wobbly feet and walked over to him. "Please." Fluttershy raised her wing and stretched it across his back. Finally he unveiled his face, ablaze with burning tears. Not literally on fire, but they might as well have been. His old brown eyes were bloodshot and shaky.
"Yoo gotta go nou," he cried, "yoo shud go bak too ya frens." He whimpered. He turned was about to run until Fluttershy threw her wait on top of him to stop him.
"Willow, wait. We can still see each other… I can visit you, and you can visit me." Why, she thought, was he over reacting?
"No." His voice turned bitter. "I cant leev, an yoo cant stay." What did he mean? "It no fare!!!" He cried again. He can't go, and she can't stay. What did all this mean? She wanted to be able to see him. Willow was her new friend, maybe more, so why wasn't she allowed to come back if she left?
"Willow? What are you saying?" Before she could continue, another voice came towering over the both of him.
"HE WILL DIE IF HE LEAVES, AND YOU WERE NEVER WELCOME HERE." A tall white timberwolf with glowing violet eyes stood behind them. Willow stared up and was met by a gentler response. "Go inside your house, son." Nodding his head, Willow obeyed and solemnly walked back inside his little home. The white timberwolf redirected its attention to Fluttershy. Tears trailed down its alabaster wooded cheeks. "You, have doomed my son."
"W-what" Fluttershy felt her heart sink into her chest.
"I acted as his mother, when he was alone. I raised him as if he were one of my own pups, but now, he is sure to die." The she wolf shook her head. "I guess it was my fault as well. It was my sons that chased you here in the first place." Silence was all…
Silence...for the damned. But, who was the damned.
"I'm sorry." Fluttershy nervously walked up to the white mother who was so distraught. To her surprise, she felt a wooden paw bring her into an embrace.
"I suppose I owe you an explanation." She wiped away her sappy tears.
"Why did you say Will was going to die?" Fluttershy looked briefly to see that Willow peek through one of the windows of his home, then he turned away.
The white timberwolf sighed. "Perhaps I should introduce myself first. I am mother Elm. I am the mother of the timberwolves in this part of Equestria. Yes, there are more like me, but they aren't as kind. The timberwolves that chased you, those were my sons. Sweet little pups they were, but like all of their brothers before them their natural instincts began to kick in. Fortunately Willow was able to save you. You are lucky you had gotten that far into the forest. If you hadn't well...
"This place is very special. Before the Everfree forest grew over the area, it was the resident area of a unicorn, Starswirl. A genius, he was, but also a fool. He just didn't know how to let go... His wife, a pegasus, even though she was a barren peasant, ridiculed by society, Starswirl loved her. And, when she was dying of a rare disease, he had it in his mind to save her. He cast a spell and enchanted this place. A protective force of magic covers all this, even you now. This place can heal anything, but the disease only stayed away if his wife remained inside the force. Why do you think your wounds healed so fast? Anyway. Starswirl kept his wife in the bubble. An added effect, his wife never aged. The fool, his spell was flawed. His wife, could only cease to age while she was in the bubble. One day she wandered too far out of the circle... It was horrible... All her years, all at once...returned. Starswirl only found her gold wedding band on top of a pile of dust, ash, and clothes. And Willow..."
Tears, made of sap, soiled the white grains of her face.
Fluttershy gasped, water came to relieve her eyes of a dreadful pain. "How long has Willow been here?"
Silence chained up the poor mother who now was faced with the terrible curse that time cast on her adopted son. "Nearly seven hundred years." She closed her eyes and shook her head. "He was just a colt when I found him. He did grow, to maturity, at least. But no cutie mark." Fluttershy turned and faced the house. "He's been alone for so long, and I think you know. After being mostly alone for seven hundred years...he loves you. Just for the brief company. He loves you. And, I am glad you are the last person he will ever see while he's alive."
"Why?" Yes, Fluttershy thought, why?
"Because, I think in your heart, you love him too." Elm smiled.
"But-," she stopped. Her heart ached and fought against what she was about to say. "I do, but why? I've only known for few weeks, but, it feels like..." She trailed off. Fluttershy was baffled. How long...
"Time is different here. It's been longer than you thought." A vain smile dared touch Elm's wooden cheeks. "Three weeks...three years actually.”
Fluttershy almost died in heart. Three years… Taken. Lost. “But, I-I-”
“You haven’t lost those years though. You just forget how to remember them. It’s like at the end of a day, you can’t recall all of the events that happened, but they did.” Elm shook her head. “I’ve been watching you and Willow.”
“Why do I love him?” Fluttershy begged at last. The burning in her heart was dying to get out. A long lost sensation that she had almost forgotten about, but what was that? Who am I? Who is he? Why doesn’t anything make sense? Pain, why pain?! Why now? What is happening? She clasped her head as she tried to stop the red hot knives from digging deeper into her mind.
“Stop.” At the raise of Elm’s paw, all of Fluttershy’s pain had vanished. “You must focus.” Fluttershy took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “Good. Now, try to remember a good feeling.” Fluttershy listened to Elm and channeled her thoughts toward the first thing that came to mind, warmth. “Imagine the feeling as a door, open it.” Fluttershy stepped through the door.
She saw past the door into a room.
Willow’s living room?
Snow, outside the window...winter. Wait this all was familiar.
“Will!!!”
Was that her? She watched as her forgotten memory returned.
“Jyes...I heerre.” Willow came running in with a blanket which he wrapped around both himself and Fluttershy as they sat in front of the burning bonzire tree.
The way he said that word, “Jyes.”
It was so cute…
“I’m sorry i’m such a burden. You probably have more important things to deal with than me.” Fluttershy buried her face in her legs trying to warm them up.
“Wut cud be moor i’portant then an angelz?” Willow pulled her closer; he wrapped her up in his wing.
“You’re so nice…” Fluttershy blushed.
Why was he so nice? As they cuddled up under the blankets,
Fluttershy got to thinking, she wanted to be there…
“Fluthersigh?” Willow asked.
“Yes?” Her muffled voice came from between her fore legs.
“Dere iz sumtin, I wonna tel yoo.” His voice, so calming.
Tell the truth, please…
Fluttershy shuffled a bit next to Willow, trying to get warmer. “Go on.”
“I jus wonnded ta say,” he breathed, deep, “I wreally like yoo.”
Oh Willow…
Really?
Fluttershy was lost in the moment as she watched herself nuzzle into Willow’s neck.
She wanted him back...the real him. She wanted him now.
Why was it so cold?
“But where there is life, there is also-” Elm stopped. “I think you know.” Elm raised her paw to wipe away Fluttershy’s cascading tears. “The magic in this place is almost gone. Your presence here used it up.” Elm looked to the sky. Its light was fading in more ways than one. “But, I suppose, this would have happened eventually with Willow by himself. The time would just be longer.” Fluttershy looked up at Elm. “Well, at least this way...he won’t be alone.” With that, Elm turned away and left Fluttershy alone with the fading sky.
Sky, why? Why do you let the light fade? Why did you let this happen? Why does Tragedy take life today? Why did this happen? Why was Willow doomed to die when she had just met him, when she had just learned she loved him? Run…
Fluttershy ran back to the house. Before she could even make it to the door, it burst open. Willow put his wings to the test as he sped towards Fluttershy. The light faded all around. It was fading fast. The vibrant green grass was becoming dull. Flowers died. Old flowers, that had lived for so long were dead. Willow saw but kept going, flying, his words, clear but choked by tears. “Before Ah die…” He grabbed a hold of Fluttershy. “I love you.” His wings lifted both of them into the air. Fluttershy cried into his shoulder as the rest of the magical oasis died. Even Willow’s home, collapsed.
“Will, I-I-” She had to tell him. The years were stolen, but by Faust she had to tell what truth was left. “I love-” She stopped. Here he was. It was wrong but right. Closer. He was going to die, but this would be his last moment. Eyes. Fluttershy stared up into his shimmering eyes. There it was again, hope.
“Evwythin will be owright.” Willow said. “I cant fly fowevor.” That is right. And as soon as he touched the ground, all his years would return, and his body would give up the ghost. “Can Ah at leest hav uh kiss goobye?” His words, sunlight. Tears. Why Tragedy, why?
“If it’s alright with you…” She couldn’t beat that habit, permission. Fluttershy cursed at herself. Permission be damned right now!
“Jyes.” Leaning in…
How sweet it was. Never, had anything felt like this. Passion. Purely blind passion. It felt amazing. Freedom. To just live for this moment, and forget about what happens when they touch the ground again, it was a moment all crave, but rarely find. Blind passion. She felt like it was weeks, but knew, Fluttershy knew she had known Willow for years… Nothing in common, what kind of love is that? Then again… How did the studious Princess Twilight fall in love with the simple minded guard known as Flash Sentry? How was Princess Celestia,the element of harmony, able to find love in Discord, the spirit of chaos, how? Nothing’s perfect. But this moment… It would last beyond death.
Fluttershy screamed with inflamed tears of anguish as she felt herself slipping out of Willow’s arms, back towards the ground.
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...
Time. It can damage books. It can do just that in multiple ways. Whether it be through translation, or just getting worn out, time would always be taking its sweet but deadly toll on the leather bound works of art. Words would fade with age, how a word or picture is interpreted is altered decade to decade. This matter simply dealt with the change of sight, or lack there of. No one knew what others looked liked in the olden days. Whatever pictures were drawn, were just interpretations that were invented by some one’s imagination and based on loosely gathered facts. A person from the past, could never fully be justified in how their picture looked in a children’s book.
Fluttershy sighed as she stared at the awful picture. His eyes and fur were the wrong color, his mane was ridiculously pampered with sparkling stars, and he was way too lanky. The only thing that seemed right was his blank flank. No talent, no purpose. Well...he almost had one. It made her curious. What would his talent have been. Fluttershy stared at the false interpretation that was simply labeled, “Willow.”
“You alright Fluttershy?” Spike tapped on her shoulder.
“Oh, hello Spike. Yes, I’m, I’m fine.” Fluttershy closed the book and shoved it aside. It was the eighty second book she had hopelessly searched through in the Ponyville Library. The place had been rebuilt after it was destroyed by Tirek, but many books had been lost to the flames.
“You were looking for something?” Spike asked.
“Yes, actually…” Fluttershy sighed. “I was hoping to find an accurate picture of Starswirl's son, Willow."
"Oh." Spike had heard about Fluttershy's recent obsession. He had heard what she did to Rarity over the matter. Even after he had forgiven Fluttershy for attacking his wife, he still felt an uncertainty around her. "Well, if you are looking for the 'most' accurate depiction, you should probable look in the older books that just got sent here from Canterlot. Well, they're copies, but they have prints of the original photos." Spike walked over to a box which was still covered in postage stamps. He pulled out a box cutter and opened the box. After shuffling through some books, he found what it was he was looking for. "Here it is..." Spike handed Fluttershy the book.
"The Forgotten Child." Fluttershy glossed over the gold leaf title imbedded in the green leather. "Thank you Spike."
"You are most welcome." He sighed. "Take care Fluttershy." After patting her on the shoulder, he walked upstairs leaving Fluttershy to herself.
She turned her attention to the book. "Please," she whispered to herself as she turned through the pages.
Words...
Words...
More words...
The same story seemed to be hopelessly played out in the words that retold again and again the story of how Willow came to be.
A picture, finally...
The picture was of a pegasus mare. Her white snowy mane and fur were only contrasted by her spectacular purple eyes. An albino, of the sorts, she was smiling as she held a bundle in her fore hooves. She was holding a baby, Willow. A caption below read, "The mother of Willow." Something familiar about the mare sparked Fluttershy's memory. A being, with purple eyes who was white as the clouds in the sky. She looked like a timberwolf Fluttershy had once met. Could it be? Was that Elm? It had to be her. Who else could it be? Elm, she was the mother that was do devoted to caring for her son, but how did she become a timberwolf?
Fluttershy turned the page. Her heart nearly exploded when she saw the water color painting of a very young Willow. He looked the same. It was him. He was just younger. But still, it was him. Him, him, him, wait, what was that? A folded piece of paper was tucked under the next page. There was a note on the back of it.
Dear Miss Fluttershy,
I wish this note could have come under better circumstances, but here it is just the same.
It is not much, I know, it was all I could send for now. I hope that is can help you find what you are looking for.
Sincerely,
STARSWIRL
She unfolded the paper…
...there was only one pony Fluttershy knew could decipher it.
“This is fascinating!” Twilight was as giddy as a school filly when Fluttershy had shown her the paper. “It’s a pyramid cypher! But, it’s written in the old runic language of equestria. It’s nearly identical, believe it or not, to our lettering system. Of course there have been a few revisions, but it’s practically the same. And of all things! It’s from Starswirl the bearded!!! But, why is it addressed to you?” Twilight stared at Fluttershy in disbelief.
“I don’t know, it was just tucked in that book. Do you know what it means?” Fluttershy asked timidly.
“Actually, I have the runic alphabet memorized.” Twilight beamed. “Now I just gotta decipher it.” Twilight pulled out a notepad and quill. Looking back and forth between the note and the notepad, she began the slow process of writing out the secret order of the mixed up letters.
C A N L O
S R R E S
Æ O T B E
N R A E N
A T I L W
“That can’t be right.” Twilight rotated and turned the paper trying to find a pattern in the letters. “There has to be some clue that I’m missing. Ah! Why is it so dark? I thought I told Spike to change that light bulb.” She held the original cypher underneath a tableside lamp. “Come on, come on. Wait, what?” A dark line began to appear on the paper. The exposure to the lamp made the dark line grow into a path that traced out the letters. A pattern appeared. “Yes!” Twilight got to work and copied down five words that the line traced out.
TORRE - BEARN - ÆSCAN - LOSEN - WLITA
“What is that supposed to mean?” Fluttershy was growing tired of this sick joke. This note was supposed to help her find what she was looking for. This ancient mess of letters didn’t seem like they could help her find Willow.
“Torre, I know that word.” Twilight struggled to remember what it was, that word. That word was significant. “Torre, torre, torre,” she whispered to herself, “toreh, towre, tower, tower? Tower! It’s tower. Torre is the ancient word for tower!” Twilight ran to a bookshelf and yanked out a book labeled “Phonics of the Old Equestria”. She flipped through several pages. “Okay, there, and there.” She began to scribble the translation of the words down on her notebook.
TOWER - CHILD- SEEKS - LOST - BEAUTY
“And that, fully translated in the correct way would say, ‘The tower child seeks for his lost beauty.’ Fluttershy, who would send you this? I know it says Starswirl, but it’s just, strange. Why would he send you this, how could he have sent you this? He’s been dead for a long time.” All was silent. Fluttershy just stared at her friend. She could not answer that question.
“I don’t know, I just don’t know.” She wept, clinging to the book with that young Willow trapped inside.
It was evening…
Down the empty street, Fluttershy, well what was left her, she walked. It was just her flesh and bones that walked down the street. The dead street. It wasn’t alive, it wasn’t like the forest. This place was a barren wasteland where other living things lived inside of the dead trees that made up their dead homes, with their dead furniture, and their dead knick knacks. Everything was just dead. There was no rhyme or reason either. Ponies never questioned anything. Fluttershy knew that if she asked the married couple, sitting on the bench, they would not know why they truly loved each other. Sure, they can say traits they like about each other, but why do they like those said traits?
There was no real answer for what love was. Maybe it was just a natural fear of being physically alone, so anyone will prance up to anyone to say “I love you” just so they don’t feel lonely. What was love? Love was an illusion made up to make people think they can be happy. Fluttershy wasn’t mad, just sad. She was sad that she was thinking this way. Why was she so sad? If love is a lie, why does she want it so much? Again, that hope that love was real sparked a momentary sense of warmth in her heart. Friendship is real, she thought.
Friends will respect you for who you are, even if you’ve made mistakes, they treat you with kindness, still. Friends care for you and concern themselves with your well being. They are there when you need them, when you ‘need’ them. Need is different than want. What about a friend who cares more for you than everyone else? What are they? They respect you more, feel for you more, and want to be around you, all the time. The more than friends want to protect you. When they are more than friends, you single them out above the rest. A friendship evolves into something greater. Your friendship is everlasting. Your friendship is love.
Yes! That is where love comes from! It comes from friendship. Was Willow’s friendship this great? The time distortion in the enchanted are had messed with how she had seen time. The bond existed without her knowing. It grew under the spell. It was there. It was going to stay. Willow’s heart was imprinted on her soul. He belonged to her, she belonged to him. The thought was no longer chilling as it was thrilling. A stallion had chosen her as his friend. Willow had chosen her to be his close friend. Fluttershy had never truly felt this before. It was strange, new, and foreign. And yet, it was beautiful. “Faust, please, give him back to me. I don’t want to be alone.”
Fluttershy stopped walking. A sign, just up ahead caught her attention. It read, “TOWER - Children’s Therapy.” That line that was translated from that note, it echoed inside Fluttershy’s head. The tower child seeks for his lost beauty. A child from this place? A child? Curiosity pulled Fluttershy closer to the door.
After entering, a little bell above rang out a chiming tune. The air smelled of some sort of freshener. A bowl of potpourri was sitting at the registration desk. Behind the desk a brown furred, sandy maned pegasus mare sat with her glasses focused on some records. “We’re closed until Dr. Neural comes ba-” she stopped when she looked up to see Fluttershy. “Oh my Faust.”
“I’m sorry. Am I intruding?” Fluttershy was about to back herself out the door.
“No it’s alright, just, it’s just...you’re real.” The mare squinted. She took off her glasses and stood up. She clumsily made her way around the desk. “This is, so strange.”
“I’m sorry, but what’s so strange about me?” Fluttershy asked.
“Oh nothing really, just unexpected.” She eyeballed Fluttershy up and down. “I do apologize. My name is Feather Pen.” Fluttershy noticed her ink quill cutie mark. “You wouldn’t happen to have known a colt by the name of Arctic Blade, would you?”
“I’m sorry but I don’t know a colt by that name. Why? Who is he?” Fluttershy waited tensely to see where this was going.
“He was a patient here. He,” Feather gulped, “he painted that.” Her hoof pointed at a painting on the wall that Fluttershy hadn’t noticed. It was her. Fluttershy was staring at a copy of herself. Every detail was spot on, from her mane which hung over her face to the shape of her eyes. Even her own cutie mark was identical.
“Why would a colt paint a picture of me?” Fluttershy nearly choked on her breath from the shock of seeing herself hanging on a wall.
“The patient, was obsessed with what we thought was his imaginary friend. He drew hundreds of pictures. All the pictures were of the same mare, well you. It hurt all of us when we heard Dr. Neural tell the poor colt that you weren't real. He cried every time the doctor would try to tell him, he would cry. It was almost like he was dying everytime he heard it." Feather shook her head at the awful memory.
“Does he still come here?” Curiosity, it killed the cat, but for Fluttershy it was doing her another service.
“Oh, no. He was checked out of here years ago. I believe it’s been some thirteen years.” Feather admitted.
“But how could he have painted me like that? I didn’t look like that thirteen years ago. I was only a filly. How could he have known that I would look like that?” Curiosity bit back at Fluttershy.
“He couldn’t have.” Feather’s tone was strange. Almost afraid. “He said he never met you. But he could talk for hours and hours about you. Your favorite food is carrot cake, isn’t it?”
“How did you know that?”
“Because,” Feather sighed, “each week Arctic, the colt, he would ask me for carrot cake recipes. He wanted to make some in case you ever came around to see him.”
Fluttershy thought for a moment. Arctic Blade? That’s a strange name for a colt. Why would he, how could he possibly know her without even meeting her. A mystery, yes. Who was he? “Where does he live?”
“Well, the last time I heard, his father was going to take him up to the frozen north.” Feather paused in thought. “I think the father’s name is Zubry.” She walked over to a filing cabinet and pulled out an old file. Searching through the file, she found what she was looking for. “Oh, it’s Zuberi. Yes, he was a Zebra. I guess Arctic was his adoptive child.”
“You did say the Frozen north, right?”
The train stopped along the side of a long since abandoned rail station. The windows were cracked, and the ticket booth was full of snow fall. In the background, a series of log cabins cast the shadow of a somber ghost town, except, this ghost town was alive. Each one of the cabin’s windows were flickering with the light of some fire source. Distant laughter was carried on the chilling breeze. No fools were about to venture out at night her. There was a problem. A sign hung on one of the lamp posts of the rail station. It read, “BEWARE: Timberwolves At Night.” It was night now.
Fluttershy walked off of the train car. Even with a dozen layers of snow clothes, she still shivered. She continued to move forward as the train began to leave behind her. Along she went through the cold town. It was quiet, the snow fell like feathers. Each little flake was a work of art waiting to make a touchdown on the ground. It was eerie. Here, it was almost like the Everfree forest. The snow seemed to be alive. Icy little eyes were watching from beneath her hooves. Twinkling in the reflecting light of the cabins, they stared their cold stares. A small but lively bunch of trees against the mountains saw the lone mare, walking, helpless. An easy kill.
Fluttershy shivered as she went. The crunch of the snow under her hooves sounded out like glass shells shattering under a hammer. Exposed, she could feel something watching her. They, or it, wouldn’t see much since her face was buried by a ton of scarves. She halted as when she heard a growl. Almost as an instant reflex, she swore she saw a pair of glowing eyes behind one of the cabins. “Hello?” There was no answer. Silence reigned the snowy air.
Another growl grew as the shadows gathered for their fatal attack. A pack of beasts. Pairs upon pairs of glowing eyes. As Fluttershy cowered down to the ground the timberwolves advanced into a circle around her. There was no chance of escape. She had no direction to run in. Her limbs were still numb from adjusting to the cold. Flight was out of the question since her wings were buried somewhere in the layers of the clothing she wore. This wasn’t going to end well. Well, not for the timberwolves that is.
A black figure darted through the barrier of timberwolves. Marching around Fluttershy, the figure pulled back his hood and mask. Facing the timberwolves he let his own roaring voice, “Voltar para as sombras!” Challenging them, he called upon them, telling them to return to the shadows. The timberwolves snarled, their gnashing teeth were a futile attempts at trying to scare off the one they knew was their master here. The figure pulled a sword from behind his cloak. It was an icy blade that rang out a blue tone deafening to the ears of the timberwolves. “Retorno, ou morrer.” Return or die. He held the blade up high with power. The wolves crept back into their forest of dark and death. Redirecting his attention, the stallion flexed his wings which were bound to some sort of metal braces. He stared at Fluttershy who was cowering on the floor. “Are you alright miss?”
“What?” She was surprised she was still alive.
The stallion smiled. “You are new here, aren’t you? Follow me. My father and I have a spare room that you can stay in for the night.”
Before she could raise her head to see his face, his hood was back on as he headed towards one of the cabins. She followed close behind. The cabin was a bit larger than the rest. She watched as the stallion set his sword in the snow. Tapping the side of the cabin, a pile of snow came down and buried the sword, preserving it.
"Come on in." He pushed the door to the cabin open. His voice, it sounded so familiar.
As they stepped into the cabin, a pound clacking of shaking hooves came tumbling down the hallway. "Theluji? Why in the name of the Gods were you still out there!?" An older, possibly middle aged zebra came running to shut the door. "Who is this!? I thought I told you to stop bringing in strays."
"I'm sorry father." He pulled down his hood. Fluttershy still couldn't see his face in the shadows if the cabin. "I couldn't just leave her out there."
"Her? You brought a mare here?" The zebra eyeballed Fluttershy; he looked her up and down carefully. "My apologies. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Zuberi, and this is my son, Theluji. Although the insists on calling himself by his translated name. It's not as impressive in my opinion."
"I'm Arctic." He faced Fluttershy. "Arctic Blade."
Fluttershy nearly collapsed where she stood from the sight of Arctic. Was he a changeling? Or is this a sick joke. This was cruel if it was a joke. This was heartbreaking! But, it was no joke. This was real. She really was seeing what she thought she was seeing. It was impossible, but an uncontrolled blind urge of desperate love took hold of her. She embraced Arctic. It was his eyes, and hair, and his face. She saw a ghost that had taken to flesh and blood. That face, those deep old and young eyes, but that was impossible. Willow?
"Uh, miss?" Arctic stood a little baffled.
Fluttershy quickly let go realizing what she had done. "Oh I'm so sorry, you just re-" it made her sick for a bit, "reminded me of a friend I lost." To her surprise, Arctic just smiled. "I'm Fluttershy..."
"Well, it's nice to meet you miss Fluttersigh," he coughed, "I mean Fluttershy. Sorry my throat it's a bit sore. I'm going to make some tea, would you like some?"
"Oh yes please." If it weren't for the scarves, Fluttershy's blush would have been completely visible. She watched Arctic walk of into the kitchen. Sighing she turned to the zebra.
"What kid, you never seen a zebra before?" Zuberi scowled.
"Yes I have, but just one. Her name is Zecora." Fluttershy said a little timidly.
"Wait, you know Zecora?!" Fluttershy nodded at Zuberi's question. "Well, where has my favorite niece been hiding all these years?" He chuckled.
"She lives in the Everfree forest." Fluttershy smiled a bit, knowing that she had just met Zecora's uncle. He was strange though. He didn't have the accent or rhyme in his sentence structure. She turned to look at the kitchen. Fluttershy watched as Arctic prepared the tea kettle on the stove. He had Willow's face, and his eyes, but something was missing. Something wasn't right. It was like another was wearing Willow's skin. But still, it was that much closer to being with Willow.
"I'll bet that you are curious about how Theluji, or Arctic, came to be my son." Zuberi noticed Fluttershy was staring at Arctic through the kitchen door. "Well Miss Fluttershy, I'll tell you. I found him. He was wandering out in the woods over there. He barely had a scrap of clothing on him to protect him from the cold. So, I took him in. His wings were damaged somehow. That's what those braces are for." Zuberi paused in silence. "I never found his parents. I assumed the worst. I guess the timberwolves must have... Well you don't need to hear that." It was strange how Zuberi had bounced his tone to a different level so casually. "He had some issues when he was a colt."
"I know, he kept drawing pictures if a mare." Fluttershy interrupted. "He obsessed over her, didn't he?"
"How did you know that?" Zuberi was baffled. He didn't know what to think. This mare, whoever she was, just walks in and knows about his son's mental problems as a colt. His world was about tone rocked. Zuberi watched Fluttershy unwrap the scarves from her face. His jaw dropped as he recognized her now from the hundreds of drawings he had thrown away. "You."
"Tea's ready. Do you want any su-" Arctic stopped halfway through the door. The tray in his fore hoof began to shake as breathing turned erratic and discorded. "Dad? I think I'm going crazy again..." He set the tray on a side table and quickly attempted to retreat, but his body halted at the sound of Fluttershy's voice.
"Wait! Please don't go." She stood up and gently walked over to him.
"Son, I'm afraid you aren't going crazy. She is really here this time.
Silence. It broke when Arctic dared to move closer to Fluttershy. Raising his hoof, he traced her face. "Oh Faust." He choked back on his tears. Just like Fluttershy's incident earlier, he lunged at her and took his time to embrace her. "You're real. You're really real." He sobbed into her mane. Catching his own error it what must have been confusing to Fluttershy. "I'm sorry." He wiped his tears as he stepped back. "I just, I mean you, look like-"
"I understand." Fluttershy smiled up to him.
A pile of snow clothes and a cloak sat by the fireplace, drying. Zuberi smiled at the sound of Fluttershy and Arctic chatting away in the kitchen. The two of them were baking a carrot cake.
"I don't know how to describe the feeling I have around you." Arctic chuckled.
"Do your best. I want to know." Never before had Fluttershy felt so excited to hear what someone had to say about her.
"Okay. Well, I feel warm, happy, and I feel as if-. I don't know." Arctic smiled sheepishly.
"Please, go on." Fluttershy was on the edge of her seat.
"Well, I feel like I'm talking to, well, an angel." He smiled. This nearly stopped Fluttershy' heart. Only one other stallion had ever compared her to an angel. "But, I feel like something is missing. I feel like I've forgotten something. Another life is hidden from me, but I don't know what it is."
Fluttershy shuffled her fore hoof alongside his. "I understand." Smiling at Arctic, she could see his face light up.
Arctic hummed a laugh as his heart almost began to flutter. "Jyes," wait, did he just say, "I mean! Yes!" Fluttershy stared at him, half confused and half in disbelief. "Excuse me." He bolted out the kitchen and into a side room. Fluttershy was shocked. Anxiously, she followed after him. Carefully she crept up along the door which was still partially open. She could hear him silently shouting at himself. The turned quiet. She heard him whisper to himself, "Stupid, stupid, stupid..." Fluttershy's heart stopped when she realized what he was saying. "Arcit, wy yoo so stupid?!"
She pushed open the door. Fluttershy say she was standing in what looked like his room. On the back wall of Arctic's room was an obscure painting of a small burning tree. "You are not stupid." Fluttershy wrapped her wings around him. "You just have trouble talking. That's all." Arctic stated at her.
"Pleez don tel no wun..." He begged.
"I promise I won't." Fluttershy buried her face in his neck. "I promise."
DING
The timer went off in the kitchen. "I got it!" Zuberi called out. He knew that something important was going on. He knew this was going to happen.
"Wut iz dat?" Arctic corrected his voice. "What is that?"
Fluttershy looked down at the small brown pouch that was tied around her neck with a string. "Oh." She said removing the pouch from her neck. "I think I brought this to give back to you." She pulled up Arctic's hoof and emptied the contents of the pouch into it. A single green crystal slid out.
"It's a heart, a timberwolf heart." Arctic exclaimed. "Where did you get this?" He stared at it. He couldn't stop staring at it. It trapped his eyes.
"Arctic?" Fluttershy shook him. "Arctic?!"
A light, a face seeped out if the crystal. The glowing face turned for a bit towards Fluttershy. It smiled. Turning back to Arctic, Willow's face merged with his. The glowing light dimmed leaving the crystal black. Arctic's eyes glowed for a moment. Then, he collapsed.
"Arctic!" Fluttershy fell to the floor and desperately tried to shake him awake. "Please!" She let her head fall. "Don't leave me, not again." She cried as she lay down next to him. Weakness had taken up her body. Again she suffered. She suffered in silence. However, Fluttershy's suffering was about to pay off.
"Fluthersigh?" Arctic woke up. "Fluthersigh, I remember. I can remember those three years. But that's all. I'm sorry." He was met with the hug if his life.
"That's all I need." Her forelegs wrapped around his neck.
"I am Willow, but my name is still Arctic, or Theluji. Arctic sounds kind of stupid anyways." Arctic looked away.
"I think Arctic, is just fine." She sighed into his neck. "Names aren't as important, as long as you are you." She looked up to Arctic. His eyes were alive again. Willow was alive. Only his name had really changed. He is Arctic, the new Willow, the son of Starswirl. He was hers. He belonged to Fluttershy. She nuzzled his neck. A familiar scene played out where she was once again safe in his arms. She felt him pull her face up to his.
"I will never lose you again. I love you Fluthersigh." Arctic closed his eyes.
They shared a gift between each other. It had been long awaited for the both of them. The warmth from their hearts fueled their will to never die. Their kiss was not goodbye, but rather, a hello. They were glad to meet each other again.
Zuberi smiled and looked up to the stars outside his window. He let out a sigh. "Well Starswirl, you did it. You brought them both back." Laughing, the Zebra turned to look at Starswirl who sat across from him. "I'll send you some photos of your son's wedding, when it happens."
"I intend, dear sir," the old cloaked unicorn smiled, "to be there in person." Starswirl chuckled as his bearded face slowly faded away, back into the time which his spell momentarily allowed him to escape.
Some seven hundred years ago...
"Willow that tickles!" The filly screamed in laughter as her friend turned into the tickle monster. "Stop it, please!" She couldn't stop laughing.
"But Dahlia, yoo luk so cute wen ya laff." Willow stopped a little disappointed.
The two sat in the middle of the vast Everfree plains. The grass waved in the wind. A few small trees were scattered across the field. They were young trees, that someday would grow into a forest. But not yet...
"Willow, if I keep laughing, I won't be able to hear your sweet voice." Dahlia smiled at her friend who was smiling back.
"It not as sweeet as yur voyse. I wish mi voyse wuz nomal lik yurs." The smile fell away from his face. "The udder colts coll me stupid."
"Don't listen to them! You aren't stupid Willow, really. You just can't talk right." Dahlia hugged Willow. "Better?"
"Yah, behher." Willow mumbled past Dahlia's pink mane. He stroked the pale yellow fur that covered her leg. "Tank yoo."
Dahlia released Willow from the hug. Her turquoise eyes shined as a question creeped up on her mind. "Will?" She often called him that. Usually it meant she was being serious.
"Jyes?" Willow wondered what his best friend in the whole wide world was about to ask him.
"Will, do you think I'm pretty?" Dahlia asked. "Because, I heard some if the other fillies call me ugly."
"Wut!?" Willow was shocked.
"They said my fur was urine colored, and I heard one of the fillies' moms say my hair was hideous." Her eyes began to water.
Willow wiped her tears away with one of his wings. "Dey jus jellus."
"Jealous?" She whimpered.
"Jyes. Dey jus jellus they doan has furr brite as da sun. An, yur hair iz pritty." He smiled. "Lik peenk rowzes."
"You really mean that?" Dahlia blushed.
“Dahlia, yoo ar da prittyest fillee, I evor seen.” Willow giggled a bit when he saw Dahlia blush. “An, I lik yoo.”
“What?” Dahlia couldn’t believe her little ears. “You like me?”
The bashful little Willow nodded as he grinned his charming little grin. “I wanned ta giv ya sumthin.” Willow got closer. “My mudder toll me yoo giv dese ta ponees ya luv.” Willow leaned in and pecked Dahlia on the cheek. “An, I tink I luv yoo.”
Dahlia couldn’t hide her face which was swarming with a celestial pink blush. “Willow? Can I tell you something?”
“Aneethin.” He shuffled closer to Dahlia.
Dahlia smiled, and gave him a longer kiss on the cheek. She whispered into Willow’s ear. “I love you too.”
The two friends embraced as they learned about their affection for one another. They laid back in the grass of the Everfree, and looked up. They watched the shape shifting clouds roll by like ships across a sky blue ocean. Starswirl, the resident wizard, had just appeared there out of thin air. He watched Willow, his son, lay next to his best friend in the whole wide world. They were so innocent. Starswirl hummed to himself. He found it funny that the two could never know at this time how far their love would go. They both were on a set path that would tear them apart, and ultimately bring them back together again. But now, they could enjoy each others’ company. Here they could wait until the brewing storms were ready to strike.
“I promise you Willow. The both of you will have each other in the end.” He spoke only to himself. Starswirl knew his son would be alright. He knew Dahlia would be alright. Their names may be changed to Arctic and Fluttershy, but their love would remain the same, enduring. Their love would endure beyond the end. Trials would test them, but it would make their love stronger. Their love was the purest kind. It was innocent love. This love would be drowned. When you hold a bonzire tree underwater, its fire cannot stunt its growth. It grows bigger. Like the small bonzire trees that Starswirl had made so long ago, their love would emerge from the waters having grown to a greater feat of magic.
Friendship is magic, as the old saying goes. Starswirl never considered it to be magic. He believed it was just a willpower that could feed magic. He only believed his son and his love made it because the magic already inside of them was strong enough. He didn’t know…
It was their friendship that would make them live on. Their friendship was a special one. There is no word that can comprehend the true essence of what they had, but the word that comes the closest is love. Love is a part of friendship, which if harnessed can achieve wonders.
Wonders…
Friends become close friends,
Close friends get married,
they have children,
their children grow up, and
those children follow their parents’ path
they find friends and, well you know.
...wonders.
The wonders of what friendships can bring. Oh praise them, remember them, cherish the memories of those wonders.
Never forget what may come from the years in the heart...
THE BEGINNING, never the end.
