The Curse of a Magical Mare

"You do realize I have plenty of shadows to spare, right? You killing that one was rather pointless." Ichibey commented as he peaked his head through Fluttershy's mane, "By the way, that was a clever ruse you used when you told Spike about Rarity's death! I almost believed you myself."

"It was bound to happen sooner or later, once he realized Rarity was dead." Fluttershy coldly remarked as she began to unemotionally carry herself from Golden Oaks Library to her cottage on the edge of town. She apathetically glanced back to the tree where she just slayed her friend, "He was beyond saving when I discovered he was a Magical Mare, and I decided it better to deal with his witch while it was still weak."

The cat-like Incubator stared, "You're a cold mare, you know that?"

The pegasus sighed as she gazed up into the gray clouds that blanketed the skies over Ponyville, "With courage comes brutality. That is the curse of my sin."

"You understand that you too shall become a witch eventually, right?"

Fluttershy stared into her rose-colored Soul Gem, now tainted black. She withdrew the Grief Seed expunged from Velstadt and held it close to the jewel. The tainted blackness leaped from her gemstone to the seed, reverting the Soul Gem to it's original sparkling glow. She sighed, "Perhaps. We shall see."

As she began walking back to her home, the pegasus could hear her own hoofsteps clopping on the pavement in the ensued silence. However, the quiet didn't last long. The rain reprized it's downpour and drowned out all the non-sound that existed moments ago. As the water dripped down her mane and face, Fluttershy growled slightly, "Typical."

In order to save herself from becoming too drenched, she broke in a full gallop, speeding towards her home, the rain blurring her vision. Her eyes stung as the droplets of water pierced her large, turquoise irises. Before she knew it, she felt the rain cease pelting her fur. She slowed her galloping to a slow trot and wiped her eyes with her wing, only to realize that her surroundings had changed. She was no longer in Ponyville, but what seemed to be a demented looking barn, adorned with various tools that seemed to be drawn with crayon by a young foal. She knew this to be a Witch's Labyrinth

The pegasus sighed, "I am NOT in the mood for this." She flashed a hoof across the rose colored pendant around her neck, and a long green dress caressed her yellow body, very much reminiscent of her Grand Galloping Gala attire. Grass-green boots wrapped around her hooves and teal flowers appeared all over her pink mane and tail.

"Now," she muttered, "where are you...?"

A childish giggle signaled a presence to her left. Instantly, Fluttershy extended curved daggers from her wrists and spun towards the laughter. She scowled at the small horseshoe with a face staring back at her, still giggling. "Tseh," She spat, "You're just a Familiar. You won't yield me a Grief Seed."

Ichibey poked his head out of her mane, "So, are you going wait and let it grow into a witch?"

The pegasus brandished her daggers in front of her, "No. Spike's seed still has one more use. Since we're here, I'll slay it before it can hurt anypony."

"Suit yourself." Ichibey shrugged as he hopped to the ground of the Labyrinth.

As the Familiar playfully hovered away--still giggling--, Fluttershy darted towards it. She swung her daggers at the Horseshoe, but it simply hovered just out reach. It childishly chuckled, taunting the mare.

Fluttershy extended her wings and growled. Like lightning, she shot towards the Familiar and pinned it against the 'barn's' ceiling. "It's over," she threatened. Before finishing it off, she cocked her head to the right and raised an eyebrow, "I wonder where the mother witch is..." A delighted giggle was the Horseshoe's only reply. The pegasus sighed and shook her head, "How foolish."

With that, she wrapped both front hooves around the edges of the horseshoe and began bending it's parabolic shape. As the Familiar struggled to get away, it only laughed ever harder and louder as the yellow hooves straightened it's form. Fluttershy scowled as it finally snapped in half. She threw it's severed pieces behind her to the ground. It's hysterical giggling resounded all throughout the Labyrinth as it all faded around her.

The laughter subsided as the rainy Ponyville materialized once again. She shook her head, "Let's go Ichibey. It's finished." The Incubator didn't respond. "Ichibey?" The mare looked around the cobble streets and on top of the brick buildings, but her catlike companion had disappeared. She sighed, "Where have you gotten off too...?"

Rainwater slid off her mane to the ground as she dropped her head. She was tired. The deep, black rings hanging under her eyes could attest to that. She pulled her rose-colored Soul Gem out of her chest. Although slightly tainted black with her battle with the Familiar, she gave a relieved smile that no more Witches made their homes near Ponyville just yet. She reveled in the thought of finally getting some sleep in who-knows-how-long.

Other then her hooves clopping on the cobblestone streets, she soundlessly carried her fatigued body across town back to her home. As she crossed the bridge just outside her home, she tiredly lifted her gaze. Her face twisted in horror as she saw Rainbow Dash-- most likely waiting for her to return-- conversing with the cat-like Incubator outside her door.

In a panicked frenzy, she darted towards the two without hesitation, "NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!"

Within seconds, she had Ichibey pinned against her wooden door.

"You're little bit too late, Fluttershy." Ichibey commented quizzically through his frozen cat-like face, "We've already made the contract."

Fluttershy's eyes widened and her ears dropped. She scowled, "No..." She yelled as she bashed Ichibey's head against her door, "No!"

Again,

"NO!"

And again,

"NO!!"

And again,

"NO!!!"

And again.

"NO!!!!"

She breathed heavily as she stared at the bloody mess in her hooves. She moaned as she dropped the lifeless corpse, "No..."

"FLUTTERSHY?!" She turned to face her cyan friend, glaring at her, "What the heck?! You killed him!! What's wrong with you?!?"

"Oh, it'll take more than that to end my life." Ichibey calmly jumped down from Fluttershy's roof.

Rainbow's jaw dropped, "Wha-" She looked on in disgust as the little cat began devouring his previous corpse, "That's... Disgusting..."

"...Do you understand what you've just done?" Fluttershy growled at her friend.

Rainbow returned her gaze to the mare, "Woah, calm down. What's gotten into you?"

"ANSWER ME." Fluttershy commanded.

Shocked at her new demeanor, Rainbow Dash blinked, "Woah, okay! Hold up. I'm not tellin' you anything until you tell me why you're acting so nasty!"

Fluttershy lowered her head. Her mane covered her eyes as she glowered, "Show it to me."

"Show what?" Rainbow asked.

"Show me the gem that was created when you made your wish."

The prismatic pegasus rolled her eyes and huffed. She reached to her shoulder and magically dragged out her Soul Gem. She presented the sparkling sapphire Soul Gem wrapped in an ornate gold casing to her friend. "Happy?"

Fluttershy instantly snatched the gem out of Rainbow's hoof and glared at it.

"Hey, that's-"

She shifted her icy glared to her friend, causing Rainbow to silence the remainder of that statement. Without warning, Fluttershy deepened her scowl and ran one of her daggers straight through Rainbow's chest. The cyan pegasus' eyes grew wide in shock as she gagged and gasped for air. As Fluttershy forced Rainbow to her knees, she yelled, "Now, do you understand?!"

She retracted her dagger and let Rainbow Dash slump.

"Hmm. Harsh and effective." Ichibey commented.

The pegasus held up her hoof, "Wait for it."

A few seconds passed, and Rainbow Dash gasped and convulsed. She slowly stood up, a mix of horror, shock, and rage all mixing in her face. The rage took over completely as she glowered at her friend. Just as she was about to yell, Fluttershy carelessly tossed her sapphire Soul Gem behind her with no trace of emotion. It clinged and splished on the sidewalk, until inevitably splooshing in the creek outside Fluttershy's home.

"DUDE!!" Rainbow screamed, "What was that fo-"

The vibrant shimmer in Rainbow's eyes instantly disappeared as she lifelessly toppled over on the pavement.

"Fluttershy!" Ichibey shouted, "Why did you just throw your friend away?!"

The pegasus merely glared, stepped over Rainbow's corpse and slammed her house door behind her.

She leaned her back against the wooden door, fell to a sitting position and sighed in remorse, "...What have I done?"