A shriek echoed in the air, breaking the calm and peaceful silence. A crowd gathered at a small, cozy cottage. The CMC, being pushed by the crowd, ended up hopping around to see what caused all the commotion. Whispers went through the crowd.
"What are they talking about?" Sweetie Belle asked.
Scootaloo shrugged. "Let's go to the front in see.
When the fillies finally pushed and shoved their way through the crowd of larger ponies in their way, they finally got a look at what they wanted to see.
Sweetie Belle was the first of them to witness the shock and horror. On the ground laid a butterscotch pegasus with flowing pink mane. Red, thick liquid was flowing from the cuts on her coat. She wore a somber look as her body was motionless. "F-Fluttershy?" Sweetie Belle questioned.
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo could only get one glimpse of the body before Applejack stood in their way, blocking their view. "Y'all don't need to see this, run home now."
"But Applejack-" Apple Bloom began to say.
"Hush. I want y'all to go home now. Ah'll explain everythin' later," Applejack said.
"But-" Apple Bloom got cut off again.
"I said hush," Applejack began, her tone more strict. "Go home, now."
The three fillies bent their heads, doing as Applejack had instructed. They felt shocked and melancholy at seeing Fluttershy's dead body. They did not talk on their way home. Slowly, each filly dispersed and went on their own way.
...
Scootaloo zoomed on her scooter to the clubhouse. Rainbow Dash agreed to let her have a sleepover in her cloud house for the weekend. Scootaloo was still curious about what happened. She decided to ask Rainbow Dash once she saw her.
"Hey, squirt!" Rainbow Dash greeted as Scootaloo sped her way towards the cyan pegasus. "Ready to go to the most coolest house in Equestria?"
"Yeah!" Scootaloo cheered enthusiastically before Rainbow Dash lifted her up and flew into the sky, leaving a trail of sparkling rainbow behind her.
Once they were inside Rainbow Dash's house, Scootaloo decided to ask her. "Hey, Rainbow Dash?" Scootaloo asked.
"What you need, squirt?" Rainbow Dash replied.
"Do you know why Fluttershy was..." Scootaloo began, trying not to put it in a somber way. "Do you know why Fluttershy passed away?"
Rainbow Dash's confident grin immediately faded away. Her eyes went downcast, as she frowned. "I... I can't tell you. Applejack will explain it to you later."
Scootaloo winced. She hated upsetting Rainbow Dash, and she never had down it until now. Not wanting to push it any further, Scootaloo didn't say anything for the rest of the time, letting the mood grow gloomy.
...
"Why hello, Sweetie Belle. How did your day go today, darling?" Rarity asked as she heard Sweetie Belle come into the boutique. Sweetie Belle didn't reply. Rarity knew she never did that, so when she turned to look around she immediately saw the fillies sorrow look.
"Sweetie Belle, what happened?" Rarity asked, her concern suddenly growing.
"It was... Fluttershy," Sweetie Belle answered, having pain in her tone when saying Fluttershy.
Rarioty winced on the inside. She was hoping, praying Sweetie Belle wouldn't find out. She hated seeing her little sister's sad mood as much as it pained her about her friend's sudden death.
"Do you... want to talk about it?" Rarity asked, hoping that she could make Sweetie Belle feel better. Sweetie Belle rarely ever got sad, and it hurt Rarity's heart seeing her sister in her current condition.
"I dunno, I guess," Sweetie Belle mumbled.
"Come on, now," Rarity lead her little sister into a room. "We'll have to have a talk about losing a loved one."
...
"So, what happened?" Apple Bloom asked, her mouth full from the food she stuffed.
"Apple Bloom, it's rude to talk while you chew!" Applejack scolded her sister.
"And Ah thought Rarity was the fancy one," Apple Bloom muttered under her breath so Applejack couldn't hear. "What happened?"
"What's the little filly talkin' 'bout?" Granny Smith asked, suddenly involved in their conversation. She turned her attention to Applejack.
"It's 'bout Fluttershy's death, Granny Smith," Apple Bloom replied. Applejack shot her a glare, making the filly give her a sheepish grin for her sudden outburst.
"Well, ya see," Applejack began. "Fluttershy goes to the market daily to get food fer her animals. Ah saw her walkin' to her cottage, and even gave her a wave. But then a few moments later, I heard a loud scream. Ah thought Fluttershy was in trouble, but then I saw that she still. The poor mare was severely injured. Ah knew Ah had to get help. Of course, everypony wanted to see the Element Of Kindness, so they all rushed over to her cottage. We have no idea what happened or how she died. We took her to the hospital, and they said it was definitely not any health issue."
"That's it?" Apple Bloom asked. "That's what ya wanted to tell me? Ah thought ya would tell me how she died, that's nothin'!"
"Hush now, Apple Bloom!" Granny Smith said, her voice rising. "Ya know it's painful for yer sister to talk 'bout that!"
"Sorry, Granny Smith," Apple Bloom apologized. "Hey, where's Big Mac?"
"He went to help with Fluttershy's funeral," Applejack replied. "Now it's time fer yer bedtime, Apple Bloom."
...
Scootaloo walked on the path to Fluttershy's home. She had left her Wonderbolt action figure of Rainbow Dash at her cottage. It pained Scootaloo to do so, but the action figure did mean so much to her. Scootaloo glumly made her way to the door. She knocked on it two times with her hoof, expecting somepony to answer. She had heard that some ponies were making preparations inside, mostly her close friends who are also The Elements Of Harmony.
A few moments passed by. Scootaloo waited. She tapped her hoof against the ground. She knocked on the wooden door again. Still no answer. Wondering what was going on, Scootaloo put her hoof on the door, but before she could move, the door had opened by itself. Scootaloo was shocked, her pupils shrinking.
She really didn't want to go inside now, but she really wanted to retrive her action figure. "It's now or never," Scootaloo whispered to herself as she reluctantly took a step inside. It was dark as the night.
