Ponyville Origins: Fluttershy

Ponyville Origins:Fluttershy

by LilacHorizon

“Fluttershy,” my mother said to me, “what in Equestria is THAT?”

I looked up at her, a guilty expression controlling my face. “It’s a bird,” I said. “It was hurt, and helpless, and…”

“You KNOW we don’t want you having pets! We’ve been over this! You just never learn, do you?”

“I’m sorry, I-I’ll get rid of-”

“No! You insensitive brat, you just don’t care about us! We have rules for a reason, and you need to follow them! I don’t know HOW your father lives with you!”

“But mom,” I cried, “you can’t mean that. I mean… I’m your daughter, right? You love me, we’re family.”

“I don’t love you, nopony does. I’m ashamed to even CALL you family.”

I froze when I heard hoofsteps. My father was rapidly descending the stairs. “Fluttershy!”

“Yes, dad?”

“How DARE you disrespect your mother! She and I gave you a place to stay, and you just treat us like trash!” He smacked me across the side of my face.

“I’m really sorry,” I cried, “I only wanted to help the bird!”

"Get out of my house."

"What?"

"GET OUT!"

The small, cloud door swung shut. I didn't mean what I did. I only wanted a pet. How else was I supposed to get one? It was alone, scared, hurt. I had to help it. But now, my own father rejected me.

He had always beat me. Insulted me, shot me down. But to actually get rid of me? I hadn't expected that. I wouldn't be surprised if anypony else said the same thing. I was pretty weird.

I sniveled as my eyes watered. I couldn't look at that door anymore. I had to go away. In a very slow and depressing manner, I made my way into the streets. It wasn't long before I found an abandoned building.

I sat under the roof, curled up, and cried like a baby. I reflected over everything I had done. I brought a little bird in. That's it. He had broken his wing, and he needed help. I only wanted to take care of it.

When I refused to get rid of it... He decided to get rid of me. I hoped the bird lived. I knew I probably wouldn't. Not now.

A few minutes later, I managed to cry myself to sleep. The sheer cold of the concrete flooring wasn't particularly comforting, but it was good enough for a creature as pathetic as me.

=====

A few weeks later and I was still living under that roof. Not many pegasi had spotted me, and the ones that did only glanced pitifully before moving on.

One rather large, bright green stallion flew over to me, and gave the familiar look of pity. When he left, however, he didn't leave for good. He returned with some food and a small cup of water, which I graciously took. He smiled, wished me well, and left. The kindness of that pony would not be forgotten.

A few more nights passed. At one point, I felt like I needed to just give up, curl into a ball and die. It seemed easier and more practical than the emotional and physical struggle to survive. A few select ponies, however, kept giving me things to sustain my life just a little longer. It was because of this that I kept changing my mind. I kept thinking that maybe there was still hope for me.

One night, I was drifting off to sleep when something tapped my shoulder. I looked up. There she was. My first friend I would ever make.

"Hey," she said, "you alright?"

I hadn't spoken to anypony in weeks. I tried to speak. "I... Um..."

"What was that?"

"Y-yes..."

"Didn't quite catch that."

"Yes."

"Okay, well... You look kind of uncomfortable, heh... Wanna spend the night at my place? I'm sure my folks would understand."

"O-okay. Thank you, uh..."

"Rainbow Dash." She grinned as she held out her blue hoof. I grabbed it, and she helped pull me up from my spot. "You are?"

"I'm Fluttershy..."

"Flutter-what?"

"Fluttershy."

"Okay Fluttershy. Come on, let's get home."

Having no better option, I followed her. I didn't really want to. It didn't feel right to accept this generous of an offer. I just couldn't live without it.

=====

The inside was pretty neat and tidy, especially in comparison to my old house. Rainbow's parents were very accepting and allowed me to stay. Both of her parents had commented on my quietness and shy nature, but Rainbow Dash kept waving them off and claimed it didn't matter.

I sat at their dinner table and ate with them. They were extremely kind. The entire time, they offered me extra food. If I ever complained about being hungry at home, I'd get a severe punishment.

After dinner, Rainbow invited me to sleep in her room. I denied the request, and told her I really didn't want to be a nuisance, but she insisted. Rainbow dragged me into her soft, soft bed, and we fell asleep shortly.

=====

The next day, I ate breakfast with them. Her parents were really sweet, and Rainbow Dash seemed like the coolest pegasus ever.

"Rainbow," her mom said, "its time for flight school. I can take care of Fluttershy."

"I really shouldn't stay here," I muttered. "You have your family..."

"It's no problem, really! Consider yourself part of our family!"

"Mom," Rainbow sighed, "can't she just come with me? I'm sure she's missed a bit."

"Actually, I've never gone to school. You see, my parents-"

"What? Come on then, you've gotta learn some cool stuff!"

"Oh, I don't know-"

She grabbed my hoof and ran out the door with me. I gave a little squeak of fright as this new pony took me with her.

Once we arrived, she took me to the instructor and claimed that I was already enrolled, I just had been on vacation the first half and sick the other. Surprisingly, she bought it.

They started by doing a few warm-up exercises, which I was okay at. It was just hovering up and then lowering, while maybe moving around a bit. It was what we did next that spooked me.

She had us line up one by one near the edge of a cloud. From it, the ground was completely visible. As beautiful as it was, falling wouldn't end well.

The first pegasus, at the sound of a whistle, leaped over the edge and flew forward, quickly. Several cloud rings were scattered in a circle. The stallion flew through each ring perfectly, landed on the starting cloud, and grinned.

Triumphantly, he walked away, his long shaggy mane flapping about in his face. The next pegasus, just as the first one landed, took off and copied the actions.

Each pony did this. I was last. I couldn't do it. No way. I gave out a little squeak when the instructor called me up.

I peered over the edge. It was such a long drop... I glanced over at Rainbow. She smiled at me, and winked. I smiled back. Of course I was safe. Nothing bad had happened to me ever since I met her.

I jumped off, completed the course, and came back. I had never felt so alive. So invigorated. So... Fearful. I wasn't doing it again. As neat as it looked when the other ponies did it, I obviously didn't belong.

We did several other tests similar to this, all of which I had trouble with. Eventually, I quit trying and just sat out of everything. When the time to leave came, I felt more relieved than ever before.

=====

I slumped home quietly with Rainbow Dash as she attempted to cheer me up. "Hey," she said, "I'm sorry about today. If you keep going, and you try, I'm sure you'll be a great flier."

"Thanks," I said, "but I know that isn't true. You're the best flier there is. You sure seem like it."

Rainbow Dash put her hoof around my neck and leaned in towards my ear. "Fluttershy," she said, "I'm only trying to impress them. I know I'm not that good, to tell you the truth."

"But you are good."

"Not as good as I make myself out to be. Of course, I'm still pretty awesome!"

I smiled. She trusted me with her secret and I felt good about that. Nopony has ever trusted me with a secret before. I promised myself I would never tell anypony.

I followed Rainbow into her home. We ate dinner again, slept again, ate breakfast again, and went back to the flight school. I was pretty reluctant at first, but I felt safe with Rainbow and ended up going. This continued for a few more months. Every day of flight school tired me out more and more, and made me feel extremely self-conscious. At least I knew I couldn't fly very well now.

The ponies at the school didn't tease me very much at first. They probably just felt bad for my emaciation. Eventually, I had grown a bit and wasn't all skin and bones. They started insulting me so much more, but I didn't care. I had a good family and a good friend. Not to mention a great healthy lifestyle.

I could go to school, get better at flying, even if only a little, and come home to ponies who love me, along with Rainbow Dash, whose kindness wouldn't be forgotten. I fell into this routine. I was part of her family. I was very grateful.

One day, I asked Rainbow's parents if I could get a pet. After talking it over, they decided it would be done. Rainbow Dash also brought up a good point: if I got a new pet, I'd need room for it. Her parents also agreed to this. I didn't want to accept the offer at first, considering all they had already done, and how expensive it was, but Dash never took no for an answer. The next day, some ponies started making my new bedroom out of fresh, white clouds.

=====

About a week had passed. I came home from flight school, exhausted from doing next to nothing. Perhaps I was just overwhelmed at the amount of ponies who laughed at me during the flight test we took.

I was chatting with Rainbow as I walked through the front door, and that's when I completely froze. Rainbow's parents were both standing before me, with a metal cage in between them. Inside was a tiny baby bunny.

It was adorable, perhaps the cutest thing I'd ever seen. I ran right up to it, my emotions taking over my thoughts. Rainbow's parents chuckled as I took out the bunny and hugged it. This day must have been blessed by Celestia herself. I would call him Angel.

=====

The biggest moment of my life had finally come. After flight school, a bunch of bullies started picking on me. They had thrown a few insults at me here and there every day, which I mainly just ignored, but these really got to me. I was on my hooves and knees, crying as they sent out insult after insult.

I was so embarrassed. It wasn't my fault I couldn't fly. It wasn't my fault I was afraid of everything. It was all because of my parents. They just didn't get it.

Right as I was about to run off in tears, she showed up. My best friend. Rainbow Dash. She gave them a beating I could never forget. She had always been so kind to me. I figured maybe I needed to return some of that kindness back to her.

In the years to come, I would. I would show her kindness. In fact, I would show everypony kindness. Maybe after that, they would return it. Kindness would spread like a disease, only, a good disease. Maybe then, they'd be kind to me too. And I could talk to my real parents again. And they would talk to me. Nicely. Lovingly.

In a few years, of course, I earned my cutie mark. This was, again, thanks to Rainbow Dash. To this day, she has stayed loyal to me. Our friendship will never end, I can tell. I had no idea, the moment I left Cloudsdale for good, that she would follow me. Just like a loyal pegasus would.

Just like a kind pegasus would.