Of Everfrees and Everlastings
Fluttershy hummed a tune as she walked.
There was no other way to explain her merriment. She was just in a good mood today. When the mid-morning sun pierced through the tall trees of the Everfree forest, it filled Fluttershy with a tangible feeling of peace. It felt like heaven itself was shining down through the treetops. While the Everfree forest for Fluttershy was an absolute challenge for her to navigate without wetting herself at night, the morning was much more bearable. As a small rush of wind rustled her mane softly, it bent some of the nearby foliage and flowers along her path.
The forest was looking healthy as ever as Fluttershy made her way. With the frequent rain patterns Ponyville had been having, the plants and trees were all shimmering and green. It gave Fluttershy delight to see, and it warmed her heart a little bit.
There were no reason for the weekly walks. They helped to clear her thoughts and become closer with the nature that surrounded her home. The melancholic tweets of the birds above her, and the chirps of the crickets underneath her filled Fluttershy with a perpetual bliss rivalled by nothing else.
She always took the same path–and she never wished to stray away from it. It was like a safety barrier that protected her from anything that might have caused her stress. The idea of becoming scared was unfathomable as long as she stayed on the path, and took in the lovely din of nature on her own.
The path itself was a large loop, one that normally took Fluttershy thirty minutes to navigate when she walked at normal speed. By now, she had everything mapped out like the back of her hoof. She never had to worry about getting lost And–hypothetically, if she did–she never had to bat an eyelash. Since the dirt trail lead in a giant circle, all she needed to do was head west in order to find her way again.
Fluttershy sang to herself, a soft-spoken ditty that she always crooned on her walks. She was a sucker for repetition. She was already almost halfway through her trip, and she had absently slowed herself to a sluggish walk. She would sometimes drag her nature walks out for as long as possible, since she only had enough free time to do it once a week.
However, it was getting increasingly difficult to relax with the bloodcurdling screams that bombarded her ears.
Fluttershy stopped immediately, her ears pointed upwards. The screams were very high pitched, like somepony was speaking through a voice modifier. She immediately felt her heart quiver, and a natural urge to bolt. Though, she couldn’t. Her hooves were planted to the soft, dew-ridden morning dirt.
Another agonizing wail–this one filled with cries of despair. Fluttershy’s eyes went wide. Somepony must have been in trouble! The only problem she was having was working up the courage to do anything about it. A certain side of her nagged and prodded Fluttershy to run, and that whatever was making… whoever it was, scream like that wouldn’t think twice to hurt her as well. But Fluttershy could never do that. She would never leave somepony alone and helpless in the woods like that. For once, she just couldn’t bring herself to run.
“H-Hello…?” Fluttershy’s voice was barely audible. The screams stopped for a moment, only to start up a second later, as if another jolt of pain had run through them. Fluttershy cringed, and cried out a little louder. No response.
More screams–more excruciating, unrelenting cries. Fluttershy gulped. The yells were coming from the east–a direction that she’d rather not go. With shaking features, she stepped off the dirt path towards the sounds.
Fluttershy made her way through the foliage, one leg forcibly after another. She had some idea of where that part in the forest lead to, but she wasn’t positive. Years of following the same path made her unsure.
The farther and farther she walked, the louder the howling became. The sounds became unrelenting. It started to pound her eardrums. There were a few instances where she had to stop for a millisecond and close her eyes with pain. It was giving her a nasty headache. Whoever was screaming just wouldn’t stop. In fact, Fluttershy hadn’t heard the voice pause for even a second to take a breath.
About three minutes after leaving the path, Fluttershy found what she was looking for. It wasn’t a moment too soon.
In front of Fluttershy was a rusted metal wire fence. The normally diamond-shaped patterns that the wires once made were now of varying forms. It only ran for about fifteen feet, the rest of the fence either having collapsed or gone entirely. The fence had thin, stringy pieces of ivy that entangled it.
The source of the screams came from the middle of the fence.
Fluttershy had to squint her eyes to see properly. At first, Fluttershy thought that she was looking at a large butterfly. However, she realized that she was very wrong after nearly a half-second of thinking. The wings were almost transparent, and pink. They had some kind of shimmering, dotted tribal pattern that adorned both sides, and a large swirl. The wings were spread wide along the fence spasmodically, as if they were being continuously zapped.
The winds belong to a small creature, one that Fluttershy had never seen before. Some kind of hairless monkey was spread along the fence, as if she was a prisoner of steel. She was very tiny, and about a quarter of the size of Angel Bunny. There was long, curly red hair that hung down from the top of her head. She wore nothing except for a crimson-colored dress that only came down to her thighs. Fluttershy presumed it to be a female.
The being had its eyes closed, and its head was thrown back. Her back was arched uncomfortably, as if the fence was slowly draining her of life. The screams that escaped her throat would have torn a normal pony’s vocal chords to shreds. Fluttershy was in awe.
The being hadn’t noticed Fluttershy’s presence at all, occupied with its own suffering. Fluttershy mouth was hanging open, completely flabbergasted with her own discovery. She didn’t have time to think about what the creature was. For some reason, it was screaming in pain. The cries continued to drill a hole in Fluttershy’s head, as well as her heart.
Fluttershy couldn’t let this continue. “I… I…” she didn’t know what to do or say. Fluttershy didn’t know what was wrong. It took Fluttershy way too long to take notice of the fence, and the way the being was acting. Fluttershy’s motherly side broke free, and she took action.
With a swift swipe, Fluttershy grabbed the being–not caring about the possible consequences–and removed it from the fence. Fluttershy knew that this being wasn’t exactly a butterfly or a moth, however it was physically similar. With this in mind, she knew not to grab the being by its wings, and instead pried it off the fence with a firm grip on its body. Fluttershy let out a loud shriek, and jumped back the moment the being became free.
The screaming stopped immediately, and the creature plummeted downwards. Luckily, the being’s wings began to flutter just inches from the ground. At first, it was erratic and worrisome, but Fluttershy let out a soft sigh of relief when it got its bearings. It flew up a bit more, a few feet from the forest floor. She brought a hand to her forehead, and Fluttershy caught glimpse of her bright pink eyes. They were unsettling, and reminded her of cotton candy. Fluttershy didn’t take her eyes off it. The being was extremely alluring and rather cute.
The being landed on a small branch on a still-maturing tree, and sat down weakly. She let out a disturbed groan. Fluttershy gulped once more.
“A-Are you alright…?” Fluttershy had no idea if the being could even speak. Seeing that it had the capability to sigh and scream its pretty little lungs out, she saw no sense in not trying.
There was a small lull. The creature eyes were focused upon the ground. Fluttershy was going to assume that her hunch was correct, and that the being couldn’t speak. But then, it opened its mouth.
“I… I am fine,” it said. Her voice was serene and wondrous, unlike anything Fluttershy had ever heard before. Saying the her voice was like fine wine was an understatement.
“You were caught on that fence…” Fluttershy squeaked, stating the obvious. The being turned to the fence, what presumably appeared to be her version of a living Hell, and shook her head.
“Yes… I was.” Fluttershy did not expect her response. There was another small pause, before the creature looked up again. “I am sorry about that,” she said. She pointed a thumb over to the fence. “I do not get along well with metal.”
Fluttershy shook her head, still slightly taken aback due to the fact that she was talking to a creature that she had never seen or heard of before. To her, this was unheard of. Fluttershy had never heard of a being that had that bad of a reaction when they came in contact with metal. Her lack of knowledge made her nervous about the being.
“I-It’s alright. I h-heard the screaming…” she stuttered. A small wind tore through the forest. For some reason, the being’s hair didn’t move. However, she did turn a little red.
“Thank you again. I am forever in your debt.” The being hopped off the branch, and fluttered a few feet from Fluttershy’s face. She placed a hand on her hip as she almost hovered in midair.
“Uhm, excuse me?” Fluttershy said. She had a bad feeling about this. Something told her that she should bolt. However, she didn’t wish to offend the creature.
“I am forever in your debt.” The being looked the pegasus up and down, as if she was searching for something. She then returned her gaze to Fluttershy’s eyes. “You saved my life.”
“I wasn’t aware,” said Fluttershy, looking toward the ground. The direct eye contact was making her uncomfortable. While she knew that the fence was causing the creature a great deal of pain, she hadn’t realized that she may have actually saved its life. “D-Don’t mention it.”
“I do not think you understand,” the being said, rolling her eyes. “You saved my life. I will forever be grateful of your service.” Her words seemed sincere and honest, but her body language proved otherwise. Fluttershy had trouble figuring out if the creature was being serious or not.
This entire situation was making Fluttershy leery. Though, she felt curious. “What are you? Uhm, if you don’t mind me asking. I’ve never seen a creature such as yourself before.”
The being cracked a grin, bearing her pearly white teeth. “I am sure. A pegasus one with nature like you would naturally be inquisitive of me.” She paused, stared long and hard, then continued. “Fluttershy.”
Fluttershy took a defensive step back, her mouth open in astonishment. “H-How did you know my name?” The being held up her open hands, as if to say she was harmless.
“It is a gift of mine, to reach into the minds of others. Specifically, animals and further beings. It is was makes me, a fairy, unique from the others.” Fluttershy stopped. A fairy? She had never heard of that before.
The fairy quivered her wings, an after effect from her encounter with the fence just a moment ago.
“You’re… a fairy?” Fluttershy repeated. The fairy crossed her legs, and gave an elegant bow, as if Fluttershy were royalty. She did it with a smile. “I’ve never heard of that before.”
“Naturally,” said the fairy. Her legs remained crossed as she hovered, something Fluttershy presumed a sign of submission. “I am a keeper of this forest. I now realize that this forest in your property, however, and apologize for intruding without your permission.”
Fluttershy ignored the second part unintentionally. She didn’t mind that this being was living in her forest. She just couldn’t believe it. “A keeper…?”
“Yes.” The being uncrossed her legs. “I look over the animals, the greenery, and the ecosystem in this forest.” She paused. “Seeing as this is your property, I see that we have been sharing the same job.” The being hadn’t said anything particularly funny, but even still she cracked another grin.
“I don’t mind,” said Fluttershy, turning towards the ground. The fairy cocked an eyebrow. “You live here, too. We can share it.”
“You are humble,” the fairy said. “I appreciate that, Fluttershy.”
Fluttershy blushed. “Erm, do you have a name, by any chance? Or is it just Ms. Fairy…?” The fairy bit the inside of her lip, and Fluttershy immediately thought that she had said something wrong. The floating creature gestured a hand from her legs, and then to high above her head, as if she was doing some sort of mid-air dance. The more Fluttershy conversed with this fairy, the more she realized that the being was very, very, similar to a butterfly
“As a matter of fact, I do. My name is Iridessa, Keeper of the Everfree. The second part is but a title.”
Fluttershy smiled. “It’s nice to meet you, Iridessa.”
“Likewise.”
There was another lull in their conversation. Fluttershy had nothing else to say to the being. Personally, she was kind of glad that she happened to make a new friend. “Well, uhm, I’d better get going.” The fairy stared with crossed arms. “I’m sorry to cut this short, but I have to get home to feed some of my animals. Please, take care, and I–uhm–hope we can meet up again soon.”
Iridessa continued to stare, making Fluttershy self conscious. She assumed that the fairy had heard. She turned her head…
...and jumped when she saw the fairy only a few inches from her face. There were small sparkles in the air, surrounding the pegasus.
“I think you misinterpreted what I had said earlier.” Iridessa’s eyes were wide, but Fluttershy couldn’t tell why. “I had meant it. I owe you my life. That is a debt that I cannot repay. I am forever grateful of what you have done for me.”
Fluttershy’s cheeks flared, and she looked away. “Uh… don’t mention it. It’s nothing--”
“But it is not,” said Iridessa. “I am a creature of endless possibilities. I am prepared to service you for the rest of your life.” With one look, Fluttershy realized that the fairy wasn’t joking.
“N-No no, please. That’s not necessary.” Fluttershy help us a defensive hoof, but a kind smile.
“You must realize that I have to do this. It is the only way. I can grant you anything you desire.” Fluttershy stopped, a gasp caught in her throat. “I can make your wildest dreams a reality, Fluttershy.”
The pegasus didn’t like the sound of this. It was apparent that the fairy had more to say, but Fluttershy just couldn’t bring herself to hear it. “Iridessa, please… that’s not necessary.” Fluttershy maneuvered her way around the hovering fairy, who was staring at Fluttershy with pleading eyes. “I’d much rather we stay friends. Now, I must get going.”
"It is a Fairy tradition, Fluttershy, why do you insist of refusing me?” Iridessa said. She hugged her body. “You must know.”
“Tradition?” Fluttershy stopped. “What do you mean?” While she had absolutely no intention of utilizing the Fairy’s services, Fluttershy immediately felt her heart drop with disappointment.
Iridessa nodded. “Yes. You saved my life, and now I must serve you for the rest of your existence.” She looked off into the distance, deeper into the woods behind Fluttershy. “I am an immortal being. One of the only things that can actually end my life is metal and iron. Being saved, as well as getting into my predicament in the first place, is disgraceful among my species. Offering you my services is contingent for such a foul thing.”
Fluttershy wasn’t exactly sure what to say. The first question that she came up with was also the most irrelevant. “You’re… immortal? A species? Wow!”
Iridessa nodded again. “Indeed. In fact, there are hundreds scattered among Equestria as Keepers. However, this is unimportant right now.” She raised up her legs behind her, as if she was praying on her knees. “You must let me do this. I can grant you wishes. I can fulfill any desire that you crave. I am begging you, Fluttershy. I cannot go back to the other fairy’s and face the ignominy. Please, let me help you.”
Iridessa was pleading, which almost immediately made Fluttershy wince. She had a terrible feeling about this, and she knew that she wouldn’t like the idea of somepony going around doing things for her. She didn’t care about wishes, or magic, or anything that the fairy had to offer. She just felt bad. She let out a small sigh, and turned to the ground.
Iridessa was smiling, a grand one that bore through Fluttershy’s consciousness like a speeding arrow. “I’d… I’d like to say yes, really.” Upon that fateful word that changed the entire sentence, Iridessa’s smile faltered. “I just can’t accept. T-Thank you anyways. I wouldn’t feel good having you do my… uhm… bidding, for the rest of my life.” Fluttershy tried her best to give the fairy a reassuring smile.
“You understand, right? I’m sure you have a better use of your time anyways…?”
With this, Iridessa’s smile disappeared. “Pardon me?” she said, placing a hand on her hip. Her pink eyes were similar to an army fleet consisting of nothing but fire. “Time is nothing to me. As an immortal being, I do nothing but pray for time to come to an end. You, however, are subject to it. I have no other way to bide my time, thank you very much. I would love to serve you.”
Fluttershy found herself frowning. Perhaps she chose her words poorly. “B-But I don’t want you to serve me…”
“I do not understand why.” Iridessa was moments away from yelling. “Why would you not like aid from an immortal, magical being? I am practically giving you my life, until yours ends.”
“I-I just don’t…” Fluttershy stuttered. She took a few steps back.
There was a quiet lull in the conversation. The two just looked at each other. Iridessa’s fists were clenched horrifically. Fluttershy was almost surprised that they didn’t bleed, until she remembered just what she was talking to. “Alright then. Have it your way.”
“I--”
“If you will not let me serve you, then perhaps you can serve me until the end of time instead.”
Fluttershy’s heart stopped. It felt like it was dropped off the edge of space. “I–what? Wait!–”
But it was too late. Iridessa had already concocted her plan, and it was in full motion before Fluttershy could finish her sentence. With a snap of Iridessa’s fingers, she poofed. Fluttershy’s eyes went wide when all that remained of her was a floating ball of lights and sparkles that shimmered off the dew covered grass. With surprising speed, the ball hovered towards Fluttershy.
It made contact with her face, and then the ball immediately dispersed. Fluttershy let out an anguished cry when the sparkles, the fairy dust, entered through every part of her face. The particles flew into her eyes, her nose, her mouth–even her ears. Iridessa’s dust was inside of her, and it hurt. It felt like sharp, miniscule pieces of diamonds were floating through her bloodstream, cutting and ripping and tearing her insides to shreds.
Fluttershy cried out again, tears dripping down her cheeks. She brought a pained hoof to her face, but it was already too late.
More screams of torture, more cries of anguish, more wails of agony. Fluttershy couldn’t control her voice as if reached volumes she never knew existed. Her body was tingling–shaking with fright and suffering.
Fluttershy wanted to continue screaming. However, she couldn’t after a while. Her yells quieted down, without her bidding. Everything was turning into one big blur. The lights, the beautiful melancholy of the forest began to wane.
Fluttershy didn’t even understand that she was dying. When she felt everything drift away, that thought was nowhere to be found. Fluttershy perished.
Well, her brain, that is.
Fluttershy was still, technically alive. From deep inside Fluttershy’s brain, a new voice–a new personality–let out a small cackle.
“No worries,” Iridessa said. “I’ll just entertain myself for eternity inside of your body.”
With this, Iridessa directed her new body back to Ponyville.
Back to home.
Author's Note
Just something for fun.
Hope you all enjoyed!
-Cyneryk
