Prevailment of the Butterfly
Prevailment of the Butterfly
NOTE: Please read this story first if you haven’t already. It is the original (Abandonment of the Butterfly by Valaris) and it’s not too long.
This story is a fan-made continuation of that story. Done with the author’s permission.
I don’t own the show or any of that stuff.
*-~-*
A few weeks had passed since Fluttershy sighted her parents while in Cloudsdale, touring the city before the Best Young Fliers Competition started. Memories of her parents that she had been able to push aside once before had resurfaced and were stronger than ever. Dreams had followed the night of the competition, though they didn’t affect her daily routines during the first couple days.
But as time went on, it became harder for her to move past them. By the end of the first week, the memories refused to leave her alone. They invaded her every thought during the day and every dream during the night. The more they flooded her mind the harder it became to forget them the next morning. They were back with a vengeance. The more she remembered, the more rage and depression plagued her.
“Weak. Insignificant. Fragile. Just like you. A pathetic insect… Low, dirty” The voice of her father rang clear as day in her mind. She could still feel the sting on her face from where her father had struck her those many years ago. She brought a hoof to her face with a flinch as if she had actually been hit. The tears started once more. Why do I even still care about them? I…I shouldn't care about them. They *left** me. They didn’t care if I survived or if I died. They abandoned me! On the ground... alone. They were my parents.* That thought hurt her more than anything. Parents. Family. Those who are supposed to be there for you when you feel like you are broken beyond repair. Those who are supposed to be there to cheer you up. To make you smile. To comfort you. To show you that you aren’t alone in the world… they left me for dead! I’m not like them. I refuse to be. I’m the complete opposite of them. But they were still my parents. And I guess that’s why this hurts so much. No longer having the will to get out of bed, she collapsed into tears once more.
She hadn’t been outside of her house the past few days. She didn’t want her friends, or anypony, to see her depressed. But she knew she needed to get groceries soon. She’d been putting it off too long, and if she didn’t get it by nightfall, some of her animals would end up without dinner. Reluctantly, she dried her eyes the best she nd tried to think happier thoughts in order to motivate herself to get out of bed. Even simple, mundane tasks were enough to distract the distraught mare for a short period of time. But the thoughts returned nearly as soon as she finished.
After a small pep-talk to herself, she put on her best face and headed to the town square. She just wanted to get her shopping over with, get back home, feed her animals, and try to recover the best she could. She just wanted the pain to be over. If I can return to my normal life... I’ll be happy. I just hope... it happens soon. Please let it be soon...
Fluttershy was hiding most of her face behind her mane. She didn’t want anypony to notice her. Nopony to talk to her. She just wished she’d be able to get her items and get out, but being a regular at the store, she figured they’d at least be talking to her. I’ll get over this again... sooner or later... it’ll just take some time... right? She whined quietly to herself, once more feeling tears trying to fight their way out. [They showed me who not to be. How not to act. I *hate** them! With everything I am I can’t stand them! But... that doesn’t stop the pain.* She vaguely heard the sound of wings flapping behind her, followed by a familiar voice.
“Hey Fluttershy!”
She knew exactly who’s voice that was. Rainbow Dash, her closest friend, had spotted her. Oh Celestia, no. Not her! Not now!
“Oh... h...h-hi, Rainbow. Uhm... Nice.. w-weather we’re having.”
Rainbow noticed immediately that her friend was acting much shyer and quieter than her usual self. Fluttershy’s voice was quieter now than it was while talking to a stranger. The two of them were best friends! Why would she be this shy around her all of the sudden? “Y...Yeah. It... it is, isn’t it? Uh, you okay, there? You seem... upset. I haven’t seen you the past few days, and to be honest we’re all a little worried. Twilight said something happened on our outing a few weeks ago? You know that if you need to talk, we’re all here for you. ”
“Oh, I’m... fine.” At least... I will be... “Don’t worry about it.” Fluttershy glanced up at Rainbow Dash but then quickly looked away. Concern plagued Rainbow’s eyes, and she couldn’t bear to look into them.
“O...kay... Well, what brings you to town?” she asked the pink-maned mare.
Please go away? “Oh... J-just getting food for my animals. Y’know. Uhm... a few of them h-have been sick! Yeah. So, I can’t really be away from home for too long. I really need to get going. Uhm. I’ll... TalkToYouLaterOkayBye.” And with the last words flying out of her mouth, she took off, leaving the rainbow-maned Pegasus both slightly worried and confused
Should I follow her? Rainbow Dash mused. I mean, she obviously isn’t doing anything shady. This is Fluttershy we’re talking about. So something has to be wrong.
Rainbow Dash flew up into the sky but didn’t leave the area. She used other buildings as cover as she quietly spied on her friend.
Fluttershy sighed with relief as she ran, thinking she left her friend behind. “I couldn’t bother her with this. It’s... only temporary, anyway.” With another heavy sigh, she gently pushed the door to the store open and began grabbing her supplies. Time to get this over with. I may be in a bad mood... but the animals still need to eat. And it’s not like I can give Angel chicken feed to cover for the lack of carrots.
Fluttershy made as little conversation as possible while looking for the food supplies she needed. The occasional “Hello” from a different customer, or one of the staff asking her if she needed help was most of what transpired. But the short talk with the cashier felt like it went on for hours.
“Good afternoon, Ms. Fluttershy. Did you find everything you needed?” asked the cashier.
“Oh, uhm. Well. Y-Yes. I-I did.”
“That’s good. I was wondering how you were. You’re usually routine with picking up the food for your animals. Everything alright at home?”
“Y...Yes. Everything is... fine. Just... a few of my animals are sick... so I didn’t have time to... pick it up when I should have..”
“Well, that’s everything! You have a great day, Ms. Fluttershy.”
She once again sped through her ‘goodbye’, eager to get home and just be done for the day. “OkayThanksYouTooBye.” With that final phrase she darted out with her bags. YES! Home... home. Just gotta get--- Just as she left the door, the sight in front of her caused her to freeze. AGAIN?! There, in front of her once more, were her parents. And this time, they saw each other. Her heart skipped a couple beats as the memories once more flooded back to her at once. The fall from Cloudsdale, the butterflies who saved her, the sonic rainboom that scared all the animals. How she started to comfort the animals and calmed them down, showing they had nothing to worry about, the joy that she felt being surrounded by all the critters.
And how every ounce of happiness she felt was crushed in an instant by the mare and stallion in front of her. Her sadness was suddenly replaced with anger. Her first words were spoken no louder than her normal speaking voice. “How dare you...”
The father just scoffed and glared down at her condescendingly. With a voice full of spite, he said “Tch. Figures. A full-grown mare, and still can’t speak up. What a pathetic---”
“How... DARE YOU?!” She screamed as her eyes narrowed, the tears making their way out. Here parents were shocked by the sudden outburst. A smirk creeped onto stallion’s mouth as he listened to his daughter. “Do you two have any idea... what you did to me?!” Spectators stopped and stared at the sudden commotion going on outside. “I did anything and everything to please you... I tried... my hardest to make you happy, to prove I was worth something. And you treated me like dirt that day. You treated me like I didn’t matter anymore! WHY?!”
The stallion just shook his head disapprovingly. “You are a Pegasus! Your wings are WHO. YOU. ARE. And if you can’t use them, you’re nothing! Ask any other Pegasus! All our jobs involve using our wings.”
Murmurs started spreading through the crowd. What was going on? Were they family? Why were they fighting? What’s that yellow Pegasus talking about?
“That’s... that’s where you’re wrong! I found my calling that day! I had my own way with animals. I could calm them down! I could communicate with them! I could help them! I was so happy with myself! I... I finally found my special talent and then you left me!” H I tried to fly after you, I called out to you! You. My parents... and you left me that day... without looking back. You didn’t care if I lived or died there!”
The mother spoke up this time. “You would’ve been a stain on our reputation. There was no other choice. We raised you better than this!”
“YOU ABANDONED ME!” She screamed, taking a step forward, trying to shake the tears from her face, to force them back into her eyes. C’mon,Fluttershy... be strong! “You left me! ME! Your daughter! My heart shattered into pieces! My world crashed down on top of me! WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME?!”
“You could’ve... Oh, I don’t know... tried to fly back?!”
“I DID! I DID TRY! I TRIED AND MY WINGS GAVE OUT AND I FELL! I CALLED OUT TO YOU AND YOU IGNORED ME!” She could feel her legs shaking underneath her as the pain skyrocketed. All the emotions she had been able to suppress were now flowing out of her. “I hoped... I prayed that you would come back. I stayed there... waiting for you to come back for me. To tell me everything would be alright! That I meant something to you! But... you never came back. It was as if I never existed. And why? Because I’m not a good flier?!” Fluttershy couldn’t decide between being depressed and infuriated with her so-called parents. “You... you destroyed my world. I slept there that night. Unable to get back. You left me with nowhere to go. And you want to know who did come looking for me? My friend. The one, true friend I had at flight camp. Rainbow Dash. Thanks to her... I have learned to stand up for myself. I’ve learned to be myself. She helped me get through life after you two abandoning me faster than I ever could have on my own. And you know what? I’m done with you two. You aren’t my family. I... I realize now that I truly don’t care about you. From the bottom of my heart... I hate you... I HATE YOU!” she shrieked. Anger was the clear winner here; anger so intense it would’ve made the night at the Gala look like a small fit. “You don’t love me. FINE! I’m done with trying to make myself worthy to you. I have a calling in life. I have friends who love me and whom I love. My friends... are the only family I’ll ever need. You two made the mistake of leaving me that day and not looking back... And now it’s my turn. I’m making my own decision and leaving you two behind. Anything I’ve ever felt for you... I’m leaving right here and moving on with my life. After all this time... I still thought of you as my parents. And it hurt that you did that to me. But now... I see the truth. As long as I have my friends, I’ll be fine. With Rainbow Dash. And Applejack. And Twilight. And Rarity. And Pinkie Pie. With their help, I forgot about you two once, and I’ll do it again, too. Especially with Rainbow Dash! She means more to me than anypony. And I will NOT let you take away my happiness a second time!”
By this point most of the crowd had dissipated, but the few that remained stepped out of the way as Fluttershy turned and left the scene. But her father wasn’t about to take those remarks sitting down. He quietly followed her. And just as Fluttershy thought she could head home, something hit her, hard. She fell to the ground, her saddlebags falling off, groceries spilling across the floor.
She looked up and stared at her father, no longer angry, but scared, and hurt. Just as she was about to stand up, he stepped on her side and pinned her to the ground. “You ungrateful little brat. You think you can just do that and leave? Oh, you’ve made the last mistake of your life, bitch.”
Fluttershy called out for help. Well, tried to, but her voice was gone.
“You were screaming just a moment ago! C’mon! Scream! Beg me not to hit you again! You’re just an insignificant, worthless, pathetic insect!” He emphasized each insult before he kicked her in the side, eliciting another cry of pain. “Just like your cutie mark!”
Rainbow Dash had seen enough. With one quick movement she charged downwards from her hiding spot and bucked the stallion hard, sending him tumbling out of the alleyway. If it was possible, her eyes would’ve flashed red. “You touch her one more time... And I swear to Celestia you’ll be hauled away by the medics. I swear you lay one more hoof on her...” Rainbow Dash spat with a growl, her nostrils flaring up faster than a fire in a straw house. She was ready to unload her fury on the stallion in front of her, and he knew she wouldn’t hold back.
“... Stupid fillyfoolers. Figures a weak insect like you would be one of them.” He grumbled as he stood up and left. “WE’RE LEAVING!” He shouted to his wife.
Rainbow Dash quickly moved to Fluttershy and helped her up. “Ohmygosh! Are you okay? He didn’t hurt you, did he?”
“I’m... fine.... I guess... you heard that all...”
“Fluttershy... you were amazing. I’ve... never seen you take control like that before.”
Fluttershy lightly blushed as she realized what she must’ve heard, and knew it was only a matter of time before she mentioned it.
“Is... uh... what you said... true? About me?” asked Rainbow.
A small squeak escaped her lips as she tried to phrase her next words. “Y...Yes... You... s...well, Rainbow. To be honest... you saved my life that day. I had no intention of ever returning to the clouds... and in the shape I was... I don’t know if I would’ve had the energy to go back to Cloudsdale. But you helped me.I... I wish I was more like you. Assertive... taking control. I---”
“Fluttershy... you just told your parents---no. Not your parents. Those monsters... that you hated them. You don’t give yourself enough credit. You’re stronger than you think.”
“But... you always are sticking up for me. I’m so weak I---”
“You stared down a Dragon. You stood up to a cockatrice as it was turning you to stone. Fluttershy. You can be brave when you want to and need to. And to be honest... there’s nopony else I’d rather stick up for than you.” Rainbow gently nuzzled Fluttershy and wrapped her hooves around her.
“Meep.” was the first response by Fluttershy, followed by her returning the hug, crying softly into Rainbow’s embrace. “Th...thank you, Rainbow... You... mean so much to me. Thank you... for being my friend.” A soft sob escaped her throat.
“C’mon, ‘Shy. Let’s get you home. You seem like you could use some rest. I’ll even walk with you.”
“Thank you, Rainbow Dash... again.” She sniffled lightly as a small but sincere smile slowly spread on her face. “I really don’t know what I’d do without you.”
