Author's Note

Things get a little serious here. If you don't like the c word and various adult language and adult dark themes then please don't read further. Proceed with caution. This is your last warning.

Chapter 4: Red Flag to a Bully

Another day in Ponyville and it was sunny again. It was the height of summer so it was sunny almost every day. With Twilight’s comforting talk yesterday, Floppy thought it would be good to try going on a walk around town again. Perhaps she did just need to settle in more. Perhaps she was worrying too much about her physique. Floppy, knew that Applejack or Twilight would insist on joining her if she told them so she left on her own.

The birds were singing and everyone was outside enjoying the weather. A pale blue and white unicorn and a white, purple and pink earth pony sat together on the grass for a picnic. A white earth pony with red main and tail wandered around watering the red roses in the flower patches spread around the Ponyville river going through the town. Floppy smiled as she passed them. It always made her day when she could see other ponies having a good time, even if she wasn’t. Floppy was so busy in fact, that she didn’t notice a group of young colts in front of her and she soon bumped into them. When she did, she lost balance and fell on top of the three little ponies.

“Hey! What’s the big idea!” One of the young ponies yelled.

“Oh I’m so sorry!” Floppy quickly tried to roll back onto her front but she found it difficult as her belly seemed to make her weight uneven. The ponies squeezed out from under her and looked down on her. The leader of the group, a dark red earth pony spoke first.

“Haha! What’s the problem?” He smirked

“She can’t get up!” The little white Pegasus laughed. The other one was a unicorn and didn’t say a word but Floppy felt unnerved by his dominating expression. Floppy managed to roll onto her front and quickly got up with a little wobble.

“I-I’m sorry. I’ve gotta go now” Floppy tried to turn and walk away but the three ponies ran into her path.

“Where do you think you’re going?” The earth pony smirked while walking closer to Floppy. Floppy started to sweat and tried to step back away from them.

“I bet she can’t go anywhere without stopping to eat a pound of hayburgers” The pegasus chuckled like a hyena. Floppy stepped back further until she soon realised she couldn’t go any further due to the fountain being behind her.

“I’ll bet she can’t even walk to the restaurant. She rolls!” The unicorn said. Floppy closed her eyes and tried to ignore them. She tried to listen to the birds and the bees. She tried to drown out the voices in her head but this only seemed to make them echo clearer.

“You listening fatty or are your ears full of fat to?” the leader yelled, completely invading her personal space to intimidate her further. Floppy tried to hold back the tears and she clenched her teeth.

“Fatty! Fatty!”

“Can’t get up!”

“Fucking fatass!”

“Worthless cunt!”

“No no!” She yelled to herself.

“no!”

The sound of the colts laughter bounced around in her head like a church bell ring. Everything was drowned in hateful voices. All the things she had been told she was. There was only one option left. She had to make it stop!

“NO!” Floppy cried as she turned and bucked the children.

They flew quite a distance and grinded on the floor a few feet away. The leader rubbed his cheek, blue and swelling from the impact. He was about to yell out to her but then he saw Floppy’s face as she it pulled up and he cowered in fear. He then proceeded to scream like a filly and legged it out of there as fast as his little legs could take him. The others looked at him and then back at Floppy before then running for their lives. Floppy screamed an almighty screech of anger before everything went black.

Rainbow was dashing to the scene and watched the last few minutes unfold as she flew over. She landed in front of Floppy. She lay there unconsciously splayed on the ground like a broken figurine. Rainbow turned to see a curious crowd gathering around the fallen pony. For once, Rainbow was unsure what to say for a few seconds as the ponies gathered closer.

“Hey! Stay back OK?” Rainbow finally said as the crowd started to grow uncomfortably close. Rainbow could sense a very unsettling feeling amongst the crowd.

“That pony bucked a bunch of young colts! I saw it!” One of the ponies cried in anger. The rest of the crowd agreed and started to grow further into disorderly rage. Rainbow looked back at Floppy’s limp body and then faced the crowd again before making her decision

“Didn’t you see what happened?! She was trying to defend herself!”

“From a group of children?!” The crowd cheered as this pony spoke up for them.

“Those children didn’t deserve that! Are you going to stand by while this strange pony beats up our youth?!” Before Rainbow could respond, she noticed the crowd getting even closer and aggressively staring her down.

“Back off! I’m warning you!” Rainbow said as she tried to stand her ground.

“Everyone please!” Twilight had arrived and shouted to the crowd with authority and confidence.

“This is an unfortunate misunderstanding! Everyone please calm down” Twilight yelled above the crowds cries

“Misunderstanding?! What is there to understand? She bucked a group of children!” the individual retaliated.

“I know it may seem hard to understand but this pony has been neglected for many years. She has been beaten and tread upon by her own family and has never known true friendship. She has already played a part in saving this town and all of Equestria. She was there when we used the Elements of Harmony!”

The crowd quieted down a little as she spoke.

“Please” Twilight begged

“Let me reach out to this pony. I can help her and she won’t do this again! I as a faithful student to princess Celestia, I promise you this!”

“But how on earth do we know you aren’t just lying? You only appeared a few days ago. Why should we trust you?!” Everyone yelled in agreement to this statement.

Twilight spoke with all the honesty and seriousness she could muster “You will have to trust me”

Everybody spoke to each other in the crowd but it didn’t seem like they were much swayed. Just then, a voice yelled amongst the crowd.

“I trust her!” The crowd split as Applejack wandered towards Twilight and Rainbow to stand beside them.

“I have spent a lotta time with this pony and I can whole heartedly say that I trust her. If you can’t trust Twilight, then trust me”

The crowd whispered and gossiped to each other. Twilight may be new but everyone knew Applejack. She had lived here for years and was known as the most trustworthy and honest pony in all of Ponyville. Twilight was one thing but Applejack was something else. Eventually the crowd finished whispering and the individual who had cried out earlier spoke up.

“Alright. We trust you Applejack. Please don’t fail us”

“Thank ya kindly” Applejack said and she quickly sighed a deep sigh when the crowd started to disperse.

“This is a lot worse than I thought. I wish I had talked to her more” Twilight said with her head down in thought and shame.

“Don’t blame yourself, Twilight. No-one could a predicted this.” Applejack comforted Twilight before she looked over at Floppy who was still unconscious.

“We better find Floppy a place to rest. She sure as heck can’t stay here”

“I think she may feel most comfortable at the library. Plus, it will give me a chance to talk to her when she wakes up” Applejack agreed and she threw Floppy onto her back.

“Woah woah woah wait a minute! What the hell is going on here?” Rainbow butted in

“Is what you said about Floppy true?” Rainbow said sounding baffled, curious and worried at the same time.

“I’ll tell you on the way there. Let’s go” Twilight and the others wandered off to Twilight’s tree house.

‘What a day this has already been’ Twilight thought to herself.

Floppy found herself waking up with a bad headache inside Twilight’s library, yet again. Floppy tried to remember what happened but it hurt to think about it.

“How do you feel?” Twilight said leaning over Floppy. Floppy screeched in surprise before realising it was just a friend.

“Sorry. You made me jump” Floppy rubbed her head

“Ooooh my head” she groaned

“I’ll see if I can find some medication. Don’t strain yourself OK?” Floppy nodded and Twilight headed into the kitchen for some headache medicine.

“How are ya doin’ sugarcube?” Applejack said in a gentle tone while stroking Floppy’s scruffy yellow mane. Floppy found this surprisingly comforting.

“I-I’m OK”

Rainbow stood in the corner of the room tapping her hoof. She had her lips pulled in like a scolded school girl and she was sweating profusely. Twilight wandered back in the room and gave Floppy the medicine with a glass of water.

Once Floppy had taken the medicine, Twilight turned to Rainbow “Alright, I think you can talk now”

“Oh thank Celestia!” Rainbow cried as she let out a burst of air.

“Floppy, what the heck happened there?! Why did you buck those kids?!”

“W-What?!” Floppy pulled back in shock.

“You mean, you don’t remember sweetheart?” Applejack found herself saying in a sweeter way than she had expected herself to.

“N-No!” Floppy cried before putting her hoof to her head again in pain.

“It’s OK, Floppy. Don’t strain yourself” Twilight said with the calmness of an ocean sea on a peaceful day. Floppy looked at Twilight with complete forlorn.

“Did I really attack some children?” Floppy said, hoping she had somehow misheard.

“I’m afraid so, Floppy” Twilight said in the gentlest way possible.

“It’s OK, sweetheart. We know you didn’t mean nothin’” Applejack said while putting her hoof softly on hers.

“You were defending yourself! They deserved it!” Rainbow cried

“Rainbow!” Applejack said with disappointment. Rainbow just frowned and sat down in a huff.

“You said I could speak and now your yelling at me!” Rainbow complained but no-one was listening

“What did they say to you, Floppy? Do you think you can tell us?” Twilight asked. Floppy just burst into tears. She was just so confused and didn’t remember doing anything. It was a lot to take in. Twilight looked solemnly at Applejack and Applejack looked back with just as sad a frown.

“We better get you home, sweetheart” Applejack said while coxing her up

“No!” Floppy weeped with her quivering voice

“Oh, not that home. Sweet Apple Acres, sugarcube” Applejack corrected. She was surprised herself that she had said that.

“OK” Floppy said weekly, her tears drying slightly but still breathing erratically. When they got to the spare room and her bed, Floppy fell fast asleep in almost an instant.

When Floppy woke again, it was already afternoon. She took a moment in bed to think about the past few days. This wasn’t working out as she had hoped. It was no use. Of course she couldn’t live there. She didn’t belong there. She didn’t belong anywhere. She was better off in the Everfree forest and so, with that, she made her way through the door without being spotted. She snuck quietly over to the edge of the Everfree forest. Just then, she stood on a twig and Applejack turned away from her apple trees. Floppy stood in alarm as Applejack looked over in her direction. She had been spotted.

Applejack looked to Floppy, then to the Everfree forest and then back to Floppy and quickly realised her intentions. Floppy turned and ran as fast as her hooves could take her into the darkness behind her.

“Floppy NO!” Applejack cried out. She quickly threw her apple barrel off her back and galloped over to the forest but by the time she got there it was too late. Just like that, the mysterious pony was gone, just as easily as she had arrived. But Applejack now felt like she had a new open wound in her heart. Applejack had started to lose hope but then she turned and ran as fast as she could towards Twilight’s tree house. Surely, there was something they could do. They couldn’t give up on her yet. They had to find her!

Applejack knocked quick and hard on Twilight’s door. Twilight came out and instantly understood something went wrong.

“Twilight! Floppy, she-” Applejack was in such a panic and lost for breath that she could barely speak. She had ran all the way across Ponyville to get there after all.

“Ran into the Everfree forest?” Twilight asked. Applejack nodded. Twilight quickly rushed in and got a lantern.

“Let’s go!”

“What about everyone else?” Applejack cried

“There is no time! Besides, we also don’t want to draw attention to ourselves. She is likely frightened and will run away if she spots us” Twilight said all the while galloping towards the Everfree forest with full confidence and determination. Applejack saw how strong she was and decided to trust her, following close behind.

Floppy kept running without turning back. She ran and ran and ran until she ran out of steam. She stood there, trying to catch her breath. So this is it. What my life has become. Just a stupid fucking pony who can’t even handle a bunch of children! Floppy kicked the mud underneath in frustration. What am I? What is even the point of being alive if all I do is spread pain and misery to everyone I meet?! Floppy kicked the tree in front of her with her front hooves.

“fat”

“pathetic”

“worthless”

The words spun in her head as she bashed and scrapped the tree to try and drown out the voices.

“WORTHLESS!”

“PATHETIC!”

“You might as well DIE!”

She slammed the tree with all her strength before crumbling to the ground in tears.

Twilight and Applejack searched long into the night. Twilight’s fore thinking meant they had a light at least and they made sure to stick together.

“If we stay out here any longer, we may be putting ourselves in great danger” Twilight said

“But we can’t leave her!” Applejack said in earnest

“Do you want to keep going?” Twilight asked while turning round to her.

“I ain’t leavin’ till we find her!” Applejack stated with the upmost clarity.

“I thought you would say that” Twilight said and they continued to search. Just then, Applejack thought she could hear the sound of a pony crying.

“Stop” Applejack said. Twilight stopped and everything went deathly quiet. Then they heard a rustle in the branches

“Flo-” Twilight covered Applejacks mouth quickly

“We need to be quiet. Remember what I said. She might run away” Twilight whispered. Applejack nodded and they continued, very slowly and gently tiphoofing on the muddy forest floor. Twilight and Applejack peeked round a tree and spotted a faint figure in the distance. Applejack couldn’t contain her excitement and she ran and pounced on the pony.

“Hey! What the fuck are you doin’?!” A male voice yelled from underneath Applejack. Applejack quickly pushed herself off this stranger.

“Oh my gosh! I’m mighty sorry!” Applejack apologised

“You better fucking be! You land on me again and you will get the beating of your fucking life, fat cunt!” Applejack was absolutely shocked by this ponies language and didn’t know how to respond.

Twilight, however, was more collected and she stepped forward “I’m guessing you are Floppy’s brother?”

“Say what?” Applejack said in surprise, trying to piece together what on earth was going on.

“Wait, who the fuck are you two?!” The voice yelled in anger

“I’m Twilight and this is Applejack. Now answer the question. Do you know Floppy?” Twilight scowled sternly. Applejack was surprised to see her acting with such confidence and strength against such an aggressive character. ‘I guess that is what comes of living in Canterlot’ Applejack mused.

“Yeah, I know that fat worthless bitch. What’s it to ya, chump?”

The figure was difficult to see with all the dark shadows of the Everfree forest and even harder as it seemed he had a dark tone of fur that merged into the darkness. And yet, his shining, glaring eyes were very visible. Applejack had never felt so intimidated by a pony before but she wasn’t afraid. Instead, she found how he spoke of Floppy as extremely offensive. The way he just dismissed her like a pile of trash and how he seemed to revel in every insulting word towards her. It made her blood boil unlike anything before but she had to stay calm. Twilight clearly knew what she was doing.

“What the fuck goin’ on over there?” A croaky voice bellowed from not far away. It was another dark figure but as the moonlight shone slightly through the trees when she approached, you could see her fur was a tone of green. However, it was impossible to tell exactly what type of green it was with all the darkness. Even Twilight’s lantern didn’t brighten up their faces enough to see them properly as if the darkness was eating up the light it emitted. But the figure, although faint, gave off a feminine air as she walked.

“I don’t fucking know. These ponies are askin’ ‘bout that fat bitch” The male pony responded to the other figure.

“Who are you and what do ya want?” The feminine figure spoke

Twilight kept a strong and calm composure “We are looking for Floppy”

“Oh great! Fucking take ‘er. I don’ give a shit!” The womanly figure said, sounding more fed up than aggressive as she turned and meandered away again.

“W-What?! You can’t just-” Applejack was stunned but she was cut off by Twilight.

“I guess you won’t mind if we take her then?” Twilight remarked.

“Yeah, fuck ‘er and take ‘er. Better yet, fuck her! That would be fucking hilarious! That bitch is mental. She would probably flip! HAHA!” The male pony teased.

Twilight grimaced, quickly losing her patience. Applejack was just frozen in shock. At this point she was so angry she couldn’t seem to move. The male pony turned and noticed their anger and continued while casually looking at his hooves as if searching for dirt.

“I’m gonna miss ‘er though. That flesh is a perfect punching bag. Watching the bruises form and seeing them bleed as you punch ‘em again is really much more entertainin’ then some tree or somethin’” Applejack felt like she was going to kill a pony, either that or spontaneously combust on the spot. Twilight breathed deeply and glared at him.

“She’s prob at the cave just south of ‘ere. Now piss off”

“Thank you” Twilight said and continued to drag Applejack’s frozen body away. Neither of them said a word as they wandered away from the pair of strange Everfree dwelling ponies.

After a while of walking, Applejack had calmed down tremendously but the things he said about Floppy were still burning in her mind.
“I can’t believe what just happened. I have never met someone so...so...evil and intimidating and all ma life” Applejack said, trying to piece together her feelings on the matter.

“I know. That was the most grammatically incorrect language I have ever heard!” Twilight said in astonishment

“Twilight! Forget his grammar! What about how much he swore? The things he said about, Floppy. As if she was just some-some play thing of his!” Applejack said with frustration and utter disbelief

“I always suspected she had been abused but I never could imagine to this degree” Twilight shook her head, dismissing the thought.

“We can’t dwell too much on it. There is nothing we can do about it now. The damage has been done” Applejack frowned as she realised she was right. It was no wonder Floppy had acted the way she has done. Now she felt like she finally understood her. Perhaps too well. It made her feel sick.

“The cave! Up ahead!” Twilight announced, pointing to a cave slightly lit by thin branches seeping the moonlight. Twilight and Applejack gathered speed and peeked into the cave. Floppy squealed at the sight of them but found herself too tired to move. Applejack ran and threw her arms around her. Floppy was surprised to see this and just stared at her.

“Oh thank Celestia! Thank Celestia your OK!” Applejack said, eyes just watering. Floppy just stared at her blankly, not knowing what to think. Twilight slowly came forward.

“We have met your family and I think it’s fair to say, you don’t need to see them again” Floppy looked up at Twilight in amazement.

“Are ya hurt, sugarcube?” Applejack cried, tugging on Floppy’s hoof

“N-No I’m fine”

“I have to be honest with you, Floppy. Your parents don’t want you anymore”

“Twilight?!” Applejack said in utter shock that she dared to say such a thing to her face

“That’s nothing new” Floppy said, looking down and shuffling her front hooves

“I didn’t think it would be” Twilight said as she came closer and sat in front of her.

“Floppy. You don’t have to hide here. You can stay with us”

“No I can’t! You saw what I did! I bucked a child! Several children!” Floppy said, getting agitated again.

“You were scared” Twilight said while holding her hoof

“It’s OK to be scared” Floppy looked up at Twilight and Twilight wiped her tears away.

“We talked to them. They agreed to let me work with you. We can make things better. Don’t give up now” Twilight urged Floppy while holding her hoof tighter.

Floppy looked to Applejack and back to Twilight. She had never met people that were so understanding, so kind and patient. It felt too good to be true. Like a dream. Nevertheless, it was definitely happening. Floppy thought for a moment. Could this really work? The way Twilight said it she almost believed it. Oh, what the heck! It’s not like there was anything else she had to do. She might as well try. Even if it hurt, Floppy had never been so happy as she had been with these ponies. Maybe there was a chance. Just a little chance.

Floppy nodded. Applejack and Twilight instantly both sighed in relief. Floppy couldn’t help but giggle. They smiled back at her and pulled her up by her front hooves. Then they wandered out of the forest together.