Fight or Flee? (Fluttershy's Final Dilemma)

Fight or Flee? (Fluttershy’s Final Dilemma)

By: Clue Tzes

Chapter 5:

Twilight

Fluttershy walked out of the forest, shutting her eyes and shaking a few tree branches from her hair. With fear telling her not to open them, she decided to risk it and peeked one open anyways. She found herself near to the point she came in, near enough to find her way back to Ponyville easily. The sun now high in the sky, Fluttershy began to wonder how long she'd been in there, seeing as it was night when she entered.

She shrugged the thought away and began walking slowly, in the direction of Ponyville. One of the last friends she had that had some sense of themself was gone. The only ones she knew remained were Luna, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, and herself.

 "The girls... maybe I should go check on them," she wondered aloud.

Where would they be though? Surely they wouldn't risk being together in public. Maybe at one another's homes? She shivered at the thought of having to return to Applejack's farm, and she had no chance at getting to Rarity's easily. She tried to think as she walked, shaking a few more branches from her mane. That's when it hit her, the tree house.

Even if they weren't there when she got there, they would be eventually. She looked off towards Applejack's house, the tree house not far from there, and began making her way in that direction instead.

Luna awoke as the sun broke the horizon, her cloud she'd cried herself to sleep on now elsewhere. She glided to the ground, gazing around at the vast expanse around her; she was to the east of Ponyville. She focused her magic and searched for Fluttershy, watching her as she was making her way out of the forest. Luna snapped back to reality once more, looking around and making sure she was alone. She took to the sky once more, cautiously flying cloud to cloud, hoping to meet with Fluttershy on a more physical plane this time.

Scootaloo broke the silence, the dawn a few hours behind them now, "I guess now we have to choose..."

Sweetie Belle looked up, "What do you mean choose?"

Scoots looked Sweetie Belle in the eyes and whispered, "We choose how we're going to help end this nightmare."

Applebloom peeked up now, "Ah guess we have to help Fluttershy and Zecora still..."

Scootaloo shook her head, "You remember what Zecora said... We weren't to return to her hut for some reason she wouldn't tell us."

Sweetie Belle whispered, "What if she's… becoming one? I mean she was acting really weird after all, it'd make sense, right?"

Applebloom looked at Sweetie, "Are ya nuts? Zecora couldn't become one of them! She's got all sorts of powerful magics and stuff!"

Scootaloo rebounded, "Look at Rainbow Dash, they got her! She's stronger than Zecora's silly parlor tricks!"

Sweetie Belle growled, "At least my sister has real magic!"

Scootaloo glared over, "And look where that got her! And Zecora! And Rainbow Dash damnit!" Sweetie flinched at the swearing, "ABSOLUTELY NOWHERE!" She screamed, now breathing heavily, tears of sadness and anger running down her face.

Before anymore could be said, a soft rapid knock on the tree house door caused them to jump, quickly moving into one another's hooves once more, all ill feelings forgotten.

"Wh-what do we do?" Applebloom whispered.

"Go answer it? I don't know!" Sweetie Belle fired back.

"I'll do it. Even if we don't, they'll get in anyways. Stay back girls and if anything happens, run as fast as you can and don't come back. I can hold them off for however long we need..." Scootaloo whispered, getting to her hooves and moving to the door.

"Scoots no!" Applebloom quietly cried.

Sweetie whimpered, aware her friend wouldn't come back once determined, "Thank you Scootaloo..."

Scootaloo opened the door and lunged outside at the pony on the other end.

Fluttershy walked past the Apple's farm, using the orchards for cover. As she made her way through, she stole a few glances through the trees, realizing the farm was abandoned. She kept moving, wondering where they could be, unless they were somewhere off waiting for her... Fluttershy shivered at the thought and picked up her speed, finding the path to the CMC's tree house.

She was nearly there when she heard the angry screaming of Scootaloo. Fear coursing through her body, she spread her wings and hurriedly crossed the rest of the way to the tree house, coming to the wooden boards right outside the door. She began softly knocking, the fear that drove her there now preventing her from busting in to help. The door slowly creaked open and Scootaloo lunged out, pinning her to the ground.

"GET AWAY FRO-Fluttershy?!" Scootaloo shouted, staring in surprise at the assumed attacker.

Fluttershy covered her face, her body quivering in fear, "I-I'm sorry! Please don't h-hurt me!" She quietly cried out.

Scootaloo rolled off Fluttershy and quickly walked back into the tree house, "Get in here before somepony sees you!"

The frightened pegasus crawled into the fillies' fort, pulling the door shut behind her. She sighed in relief and relaxed herself on the ground, her body spread out in exhaustion. The Cutie Mark Crusaders exchanged looks of confusion before going over to Fluttershy.

"You ok?" Sweetie Belle asked her.

"I'm so tired... I-I've barely slept since it all began..." she sighed, closing her eyes.

"If ya wanna take a nap, we can kinda protect ya. Ah mean, nopony has come down here for quite some time, so we've been pretty safe," Applebloom offered to her.

"M-maybe just for an hour," she yawned, "or two... B-but we need to plan a f-few things..."

"Like what?" Scootaloo asked, but she was already asleep. Scoots sighed and went over, sitting against the wall with her friends while they waited for their visitor to wake up, then came another knock on the door.

Luna drifted around the outskirts of Ponyville, making sure to stay out of the view of anyone below. Once or twice she thought she had been spotted, but finally she made it around to the forest, seeing Fluttershy off in the distance. Luna didn't want to scare her, so she tailed her until Fluttershy took off towards the tree house. She sighed, not hearing Scootaloo’s yelling, and sped up a little, curious as to why Fluttershy rushed. Had she been seen? She got to the tree house just in time to see the door quickly shut. Luna glided to the deck outside and knocked on the door. A bunch of shuffling was heard from inside, followed by hushed whispering and the sound of frantic hooves.

“What do we do?” she heard Sweetie Belle ask.

“Same plan as last time?” Scootaloo offered.

“But what do we do about Fluttershy? She’s dead asleep!” Applebloom reminded them.

Luna’s ears perked at the name, “So she is in there…” she whispered to herself, “Um… girls? It’s me, Princess Luna. Will you let me in?”

More whispering came, then she heard Scootaloo, “Come on, it’s Luna of all ponies! We have to let her in!”

“What if she’s one of them?” Applebloom shot back.

“If she’s one of them then we’re already dead; we’ve gone over this once before! She IS one of the most powerful ponies in Equestria…” Sweetie Belle helped them realize.

“Fine, we’ll let her in. Not like we have much of a choice,” Scootaloo said with eagerness in her voice.

The door creaked open a little, Scootaloo’s orange muzzle peeking out, “Eye check. Now,” she demanded.

Luna looked into Scootaloo’s eyes, showing her they were void of the darkness, causing her to sigh in relief, “I am safe like you four. I fear it is only us who remains as so though,” Luna explained, walking through the now open door.

“Figures…” Sweetie said, obviously disgruntled.

“Come on now Sweetie, it’ll get better for us! Ah mean, sure, right now ain’t the greatest but it can’t get worse can it?” Applebloom asked.

“Please don’t jinx us…” Scootaloo groaned.

Luna let out a small sigh, “They do have my sister on their side.”

“See!” Sweetie Belle squealed, glaring at Applebloom.

Luna sensed what was about to take place and began scolding, “Now is not the time for squabbling you two, we have a dire task at hoof.”

“Well we can’t do anything until she gets up so I vote for squabbling until then!" Scootaloo told her.

Luna rolled her eyes and sighed, "I could try a spell on her if anything. It'd give her the feel of a long rest after mere minutes."

Sweetie jumped, "Why didn't you say something sooner?!"

"I didn't think we'd have a type of anarchy this quickly," Luna said, giving the CMC a dumbfounded look.

They awkwardly shifted, uncomfortable with the gaze, "So about that spell..." Scootaloo said to change the subject.

Luna closed her eyes, her horn's tip glowing and surrounding Fluttershy in its aura. Fluttershy began stirring, shaking slightly as the magic began its work on her. The Cutie Mark Crusaders watched the twitching body in fear, thoughts of how badly this could end running rampant through their mind. Suddenly Fluttershy yawned, slowly opening her eyes, and then the magical aura was gone.

"G-girls..." she yawned again, "I think I'm ready to begin."

Scootaloo smirked, "So is Luna, sleepyhead."

Fluttershy looked over at the princess and leapt into the air frightened, "Wh-when did you get here?!" She hurriedly whispered.

"A little after you passed out Fluttershy. The girls advised I use my magic to hurry your rest so we can get things figured out while we have solitude."

Applebloom piped up, "We did not! You told us about the dang spell in the first place."

Sweetie Belle whispered, "I mean, we sorta technically did tell her to do it..."

Fluttershy giggled to herself at the fillies' embarrassment, "Well girls, shall we?"

"What all do we know about the enemy?" Luna asked Fluttershy.

"F-fire ends them for good... It's the only way," Fluttershy responded, images of the burning Zebra coursing through her mind.

"Yeah, Applejack snapped two of her hooves and was up runnin' minutes later. They got some kind of spell fixin' them quickly," Applebloom chimed in.

"Fire is the only way? What of the resulting corpse? Does that mean that all of the taken are... lost?" Luna asked, sadness welling up deep within her.

Fluttershy could read it easily, "Did they get your sister?"

Luna looked away, a tear falling from her eye as she whispered, "Y-yes."

Fluttershy bit her lip and fixed her saddle-satchel, the flank shifting inside... the flank...

"There may be a way... I-I'm not entirely sure but, it's something," Fluttershy confessed, slowly pulling Zecora's remains form her bag.

Scootaloo ran to the window, puking outside into the forest, "I-Is that ZECORA?!?!"

Fluttershy looked away, beginning to cry, while Sweetie Belle and Applebloom could only gape in horror at the scene before them.

"Fluttershy... wh-what happened?!" Luna asked, startled and slightly shivering.

"Sh-she turned and c-came at me trying to kill me... She told me f-fire was the o-only way and th-this was all that was left," she quickly said between sobs.

"Did she tell you anything else?"

"She told me... how it began... you should know too Luna, you were there after all..."

Luna looked as if she had been struck, the memories of so long ago flooding back deep into her, "N-not him..." she managed to choke out.

All Fluttershy could do was nod in return.

"I'd like to know what happened too..." Sweetie Belle whispered.

Luna and Fluttershy exchanged glances and nodded, "Then allow Fluttershy to tell as Zecora did to her, anything she misses I will add in."

The CMC sat there, listening as Fluttershy told them the beginning of what they all believed to be the end. Applebloom was stunned at Zecora's age, believing the zebra to be no older than Big Mac. Sweetie Belle was surprised there was such strong magic that could cause the princesses to flee in such terror. Scootaloo's mouth hung agape at the fact that Zecora had infiltrated a city like she did.

"So, she was a spy? That's so cool!" She shouted in excitement.

"Yes, we knew she had what it took so we trusted her with the task," Luna told her after the story was over. "There's one other thing I fear though. There were no corpses, yet the souls pushed forward..."

"Wouldn't they have just been destroyed in the explosion?" Sweetie asked.

"Not necessarily. We checked around and not a single trace of pony was left."

"What could it mean?" Fluttershy asked worriedly, fearing the answer she felt she knew.

"Not only will their souls be taken over, but possibly their physical form too. Let’s hope I’m wrong though or I fear no flank will be left behind for redemption."

"There's always going to be a chance as long as we keep fighting. No matter what happens, we stick through this and never lose hope. That's the only way we're going to get everypony back and return this town to normal!" Scootaloo shouted, trying to imbue confidence in everypony else.

"I wish it were that easy," Luna said to all of them, "But we have a whole town of corruption. Scratch that, 2 towns of this corruption. Are we really going to kill that many ponies?"

"We don't have much more of a choice!" Sweetie Belle yelled at her.

"D-don't yell at Princess Luna, Sweetie," Fluttershy reprimanded.

Applebloom moved next to Sweetie Belle, "A lot good her being a princess did for us! How can't ya even help Celestia protect her kingdom?!"

Luna flinched and glared at the two fillies before removing her crown with her magic and turning it to dust right there, "WHERE ART THOU DAMNED PRINCESS NOW!? NOT HERE TO AID THOUEST ANY LONGER. FOLLOW US FLUTTERSHY FOR WE WILL NOT STAND FOR SUCH INSOLENCE!" She shouted, using the Royal Canterlot voice, and then turned towards the door.

Fluttershy stood there and stomped a hoof down, "No! W-we're not being split any more than we already are! We stay together and that is final!"

Scootaloo leapt on Fluttershy's back, "Yeah! I mean, she does have a point Luna... We need to work together if we're gonna at least contain this."

Luna sighed, turning back, "You are correct young one, but those two have no right to scream at me as they did."

"Well... You didn't either really..." Fluttershy whispered.

Sweetie Belle and Applebloom exchange saddened glances, "We're sorry Luna... It's just hard to deal with all of this, especially seeing our sisters as such," Sweetie Belle explained.

"I am fully aware of the feeling. Celestia knows I'm part of the resistance though, so you two were lucky to last as you did."

"Good. Now that we're all on the same side again, it's time we made a plan. We need fire, lots of it," Scootaloo began, bringing over a map of Ponyville. "I've been thinking, and our only easy source of fire would be fuel. Enough of Ponyville is made out of wood, but we need a real kicker to it, especially if we have to k-kill everypony," she ended with a whisper.

"How well stocked is the fuel at the train station?" Fluttershy asked.

"Canterlot keeps it very well stocked. Enough to run the train for 6 months," Luna told her, "Not to mention all the excess we've given just in case communications are fractured between the towns."

Scootaloo's jaw dropped, "That's WAY more than enough fuel, if I'm right."

Fluttershy glanced over, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle at her side, "What did ya have in mind Scoots?" Applebloom asked.

"Imagine if we took the fuel and poured a long trail around Ponyville, covering all the houses and paths inside town. Now imagine if we stocked the rest of it all in one area where we try to coax everypony in town to, and when they're all there, we light it! And KABOOM! WE'RE HEROS!" Scootaloo shouted.

"And psychopathic murderers!" Sweetie Belle grumbled.

"Do you really see any other way out?" Luna asked, "And besides, if things happen like they did with Zecora, we'll still have... those," she said, motioning at the zebra flank on the ground.

Fluttershy blushed, putting them back into her saddle-satchel, "Wh-what could distract all of Ponyville though?"

"We'd need a lot of noise, lights, and action! Like a concert," Scootaloo said, her voice lowering.

Luna and Fluttershy exchanged looks of worry, fearing where this was going, "A-a concert done by wh-whom dear Scootaloo?" Luna asked.

"Well, Rainbow Dash is all sorts of lost... and so is my family... So I'd be willing to sit there on the mother lode when everything goes up in flames..." she whispered, looking over at Sweetie and Applebloom.

Sweetie Belle took a deep breath and walked over to Scootaloo, "And I'll be right there with you... Rarity and my parents are taken, and I'm not sure things will ever be the same either."

Applebloom joined them as well, "After seeing what happened with Applejack and what she did, things will never be right for me. Count me there too Scoots."

"Thank you girls," Scootaloo whispered, pulling them all into a hug.

"We can't possibly let them go through with this," Luna whispered to Fluttershy.

"They're dedicated Luna, there's no talking th-them out of it now..." Fluttershy told her, "And they have a point... They do have nothing left and it's atrocious to see. M-maybe letting them do this would be more merciful...?" she finished and lowered her head, closing her eyes.

"That is true, and they will be helping us immensely... Such sacrifices will be immortalized when, I mean if, things ever go back to normal," Luna put a hoof around Fluttershy, consoling her; "Mercy is what these three deserve after all. We can't chance them succumbing to this terrible curse either."

Scootaloo released her two friends, "We need to get the instruments, set up a stage, and alert everypony we can."

"Alright. Who's gonna do what though?" Sweetie asked.

"Well, since Scootaloo can't sing no better than a dying rooster, ah vote for Sweetie Belle!" Applebloom decided.

Scootaloo flinched, slightly hurt, "Alright, she can sing this one. We'll write the song together and work on the dancing as well."

"How quickly shall it be ready?" Luna asked.

"Well, judging by where the sun is... I'd say by tonight we could have everything ready and posters up. Anypony who doesn't know about it will come check out the noise for sure," Sweetie Belle explained.

"Are you girls absolutely sure a-about this...?" Fluttershy asked.

"Are you sure there's a chance to get things back to where they were?" Scootaloo asked in a solemn tone.

"Good point..." Fluttershy reluctantly whispered.

"Now what do we do Fluttershy?" Luna asked.

"I'm going to see Twilight... There's a chance she held them off," Fluttershy told her.

"They got Celestia; Twilight is just as lost I am sure."

"You don't know that..."

"No, but I know the level of Celestia's magic and will, for it is the greatest of anypony in Equestria."

"She'll have found a way, I know it."

"Just let her go Luna. After how she handled herself with Pinkie? I think she'll be fine," Scootaloo advised.

"That. Wasn't. PINKIE!" Fluttershy angrily growled.

"S-sorry... I mean Warp."

"As you wish then Fluttershy. I will be at the train station in two hours. Make sure they don't follow you there."

"Got it Luna."

"Hey, girls, can we have one last group hug? Ah mean, ah know it's sappy and all... but this might be the last time we'll be all together again..." Applebloom said, her eyes watering slightly.

Everypony stayed silent, moving in and wrapping their hooves around one another.

"Together we will overcome this... Your losses won't be in vain young fillies. Scootaloo. Sweetie Belle. Applebloom. Your legacies will remain on this land for as long as the stars do shine. Thank you for everything," Luna said, her voice quivering, "A-and farewell... May we meet again, i-in our dreams..." she looked to Scootaloo at the end of the small speech.

"I'm looking forward to it Luna... Bring Fluttershy with ya sometime," Scootaloo replied, tears running down her muzzle as she smiled.

"Good luck everypony... We'll need it," Fluttershy finished.

They all broke from the hug and Luna and Fluttershy reluctantly left, going their own separate ways, using clouds and trees for cover. The CMC sat there, waiting a few moments.

"Well, let's get to work girls!" Scootaloo cheerfully shouted, bringing smiles to her friends’ faces.

And so they began.

Fluttershy made her way to Ponyville quickly, gliding in on a cloud from the back of a local record shop. The amount of ponies below was scarce, and those she did see seemed to be on watch. They know I'm coming, she realized, dropping to the ground and watching a light-blue earth pony and a red pegasus walk by her.

She quickly slipped to the next building, the library only 30 feet away now. Moving every time the coast was clear, she found herself only one leap away. Ready to make the journey end, she about moved to the door, but stopped as a grey pegasus with bubbles for a cutie mark sat right on the front steps to the library.

Fluttershy growled angrily, watching the mad looking pony just sit there. She gazed around, seeing an open window on the top floor of the building. Twilight's bedroom... Maybe there's a chance after all...

She looked around, getting the chance to move when the grey pony looked in the opposite direction. Quickly flying up and into the window, she sighed in relief, sitting on the soft bed. She felt the same weariness from earlier seeping over her, but it was different this time... She lied on the bed, facing the open door way. Before her eyes forced themselves shut, she saw Twilight, her horn glowing and the darkness swimming in her eyes.

"N-no..." Fluttershy managed, before falling unconscious.

She struggled to open her eyes, the power of the sleeping spell leaving her weak still. She managed after what felt like minutes, but her vision was still blurry. Blinking slowly, she finally got it clear enough to look around.

The walls around her were grey, torches with red fire adorning golden holders around the chamber. From the look of the pattern, she believed the room to be circular, with a staircase to her left. She began rising up, but gasped out, realizing she was bound down. Using the flickering firelight to see her restraints, she acknowledged the rope binding her hooves down to a stone altar of sorts. To her right sat a knife in what looked like a silver basin, rust and dried blood coating it.

Fluttershy's breathing grew more frantic as she took in the reality of her situation. She kept frantically looking around the room, and the more she did, the more this place reminded her of the church from Pinkie and Warp's realm. She fought the rope bindings, horrific thoughts of this unholy altar flying through her mind. Hoofsteps coming down the stairs made her freeze fast and close her eyes, hoping they didn't know she was awake.

"No use hiding it Fluttershy, your breathing was much too loud..." she heard Twilight say.

"P-please let me go..." she whispered.

"I could've let you go, even when we found out you weren't that insolent zebra... but you attacked us... tried to kill us... For that, there must be payment," Twilight explained, a grim smile on her lips. "How do you like the place though? Rarity helped me get it as close to the old city as possible... I understand from Pinkie, you've gotten a bit of a tour."

Fluttershy growled, rearing up against the ropes, beginning to stretch them in rage, "They're not Rarity... Nor are they Pinkie... AND YOU AREN'T TWILIGHT!" She screamed, trying to lunge at her possessed friend.

"Oh, but I look, sound, and act like her don't I? Of course, in due time she will be lost for good... Then I will take control," Twilight told her, giving her muzzle a light kiss. "Quite the trophy you would have been had you not retaliated... Such beauty would serve me nicely in the future..."

"I'll die before I become your trophy-mare you meanie..."

Twilight's horn glowed, using magic to pull Fluttershy's muzzle up, straining the ropes again, "What's my name? It certainly isn't meanie... Say it, or I kill you now!"

Fluttershy whimpered, a single tear falling down her cheek in fear for her life. She tried to will herself to not give in, but she had to live. Without her, the resistance was virtually lost.

"S-Slakt..." she whispered submissively.

"Good mare... You get to live a little longer! Besides, I've got the most wonderful day planned for us. It'll be a memory to tell our foals," Slakt grinned deviously, releasing Fluttershy from the magical grip.

She cursed in her mind, hating his mocking romantic advancements to her. She'd let him play things out, but not let herself be persuaded otherwise.

"Oh? Did you? How was this day to be planned?" She asked, half-mockingly.

"O-oh, well, I uhm..." he trailed off, the question obviously catching him off-guard, "Why ruin the surprise?!"

She grinned, realizing she'd been through something like this already, "If you let me go, I promise to be the sweetest mare around..."

The possessed Twilight smiled and leaned close, whispering in Fluttershy's ear, "I'm not an idiot. You tried the same stuff on Kicks... Do I look as simple as she is? Plus, if I really want you as my own, I have magic to do that."

Fluttershy recoiled, now trying to figure a new way out... if there was one.

Slakt trotted back to the staircase, "I'll be right back," he told her, and then added in a darker tone, "Sweetie."

She shivered, partly enraged by his persistent flirting, even though she knew his intentions were grim. The rest of her rage came from the desire to escape. She should've listened to Luna when she said Twilight was probably taken... She had had hope though, and that was turned against her. Closing her eyes to hold back tears, she slowed her breathing. There had to be a way out...

She struggled against the ropes once more and looked over, seeing one beginning to fray. She kept tugging, pulling with all of her rage-induced might until the first rope snapped... Then the second, third and fourth. She was finally free, but it had been too easy.

She worried, aware that there might be more ahead, but her drive to escape made her move towards the stairs. She looked back into the room once more to be sure there wasn’t another way out, but her eye caught her saddle-satchel next to the knife-holding basin instead. Rushing over and making sure everything was in its place, she eyed the blade, deciding it was more helpful than a needle. After making the switch and putting it in her bag, she snagged a torch off the wall and began climbing the dark staircase to whatever lie in await above.

The ascent took her about 10 minutes in total, the entire trip nothing but stone walls surrounding her. Not a single torch was on the way, making her thankful she'd grabbed the lit torch that was in her mouth. At the top she found a steel door cracked open. Nudging it open the rest of the way, she entered and it slammed behind her, the rush of air nearly extinguishing her light of salvation.

She spotted a small flicker of light, far ahead of her in the dark chamber she was in. She flew towards it quickly, but it didn't grow any closer after another 10 minutes and she stopped, fearful of more trickery. The silence around her was broken as she heard hooves galloping off to her left. She spun to face the sound and heard them continuing.

"You think I'm some simplistic unicorn don't you?" A warped mix of Slakt's deep voice and Twilight's sounded from the air around her, "I wanted you to escape. They wanted you taken care of quickly, but no. I wanted my fun like the others had, so I made sure you'd make it here... Now the rules are simple, find a way out without dying and you live. If you die, well... obviously you're dead!"

"Where is here?!" She growled to the dark air above, not wanting to object to his offer at freedom.

"I refurbished the library rather quickly... Added on the two lower levels of which I'm quite proud of personally, but alas, the time for explanations has ended. Welcome to the stealth master's lair DEAR FLUTTERSHY!!" Slakt screamed as the room started rumbling, bookcases flying from all directions.

She began trying to move but was cut off in any direction she tried. She cowered to the floor, holding the torch close until the room stopped. When she felt it was over, she stood once more, finding a path ahead of her. She began navigating the bookcases, turning when needed, going back when she hit dead-ends, running amuck amidst the labyrinth Slakt created.

Burning the bookcases crossed her mind, but she realized the smoke alone from the fire would kill her before she could get out. Flying over them was gone as well because they extended floor to ceiling, making sure there wasn't any way out. As she began eliminating cheap ways to win, she walked down another path realizing she was heading back to where she started. Sighing and setting the torch down, she began rummaging through the sack, looking for anything to help guide her.

She silently thanked Luna when she found her flashlight and the thread Applejack had advised her to bring. She quickly reconfigured the same flashlight rigging on her wing she did when she entered the Everfree Forest. After that, she tied one end of the thread to the starting bookcase, and then picked up the torch and extinguished it, deciding she wasn't prepared to fight this time. Holding the spool in her mouth, she began trotting down another path, letting it unwind behind her.

After a few minutes of traversing the maze and backtracking a few times, she heard laughter behind her, "Such an inexperienced prey aren't you? Basically showing me where you are and even leaving me a trail to follow... I must thank you Fluttershy," Slakt whispered in the warped voice behind her.

She spun, watching Twilight's silhouette disperse into grey smoke and evaporate into the air. He was good; she would have to be better though to make it out. Fluttershy, with a large amount of reluctancy, turned off her flashlight and began navigating through the dark room, barely making out the bookcases as she walked.

Continuing to trace her way through the dark maze, she saw the original light off in the distance and realized that must be the way out. Another light began glowing off in the distance to her right; it was purple...

"Twilight's horn!” she realized aloud.

Suddenly another light, this one reddish orange, appeared dimmer but began growing in a line. It kept growing longer, as if following a path. Twilight's glow disappeared in an instant, followed by the mixture of voices laughing, "You didn't think it'd be as easy as a simple maze did you? Poor, poor filly. So utterly foolish, aren't you? SEE YOU LATER FLUTTERSHY!" She heard Slakt cackle, "If you manage to live that long dear."

She watched the glow continue, curious of what it was. Suddenly the direction changed to the right and began building up, but continuing at the same time. Then the glow went left, building up once more, and continued for a while and then it hit her what it was. Slakt had lit her yarn on fire, effectively beginning her original, fatal, idea of burning the maze.

Fluttershy snapped the yarn, leaving the trail behind her but taking the still half-full spool with her. Sprinting through the maze, taking random turns in the dark, narrowly avoiding colliding headfirst with the shadowy bookcases, she continued trying to get to the original glow the best she could. Fluttershy watched to her right as the fire spread farther, getting closer to where she was in the maze. As the scent of smoke reached her muzzle, she saw the light directly ahead and a little to the left.

She broke into a full trot, half-flying as she turned towards the glow... right into a dead end. Fluttershy looked at the bookcase in front of her, separating her from safety and collapsed to the ground. Turning her head, she saw the fire closing in fast and realized it was too late, she was going to die.

"Use your head; there's gotta be a way out... S-somehow," she hopelessly whispered to herself.

Use your head... The words echoed in her mind and she stood, ramming into the old bookcase headfirst. It shook, books falling off and to the ground around her. Twilight would hate me... she thought as the books clattered. The thought of her lost friend enraged her even more.

"This is for TWILIGHT!" She shrieked, ramming again, sending more books down. "FOR ZECORA!" She dove at it again, "AND PINKIE PIE" Another hard blow to the bookcase, "AND APPLEJACK, AND RAINBOW DASH, AND RARITY! AND ALL OF MY OTHER FRIENDS I'VE LOST BECAUSE... OF... YOU!" She rammed it as hard as she could, breaking through the middle and sending the top half crashing down behind her, where it was engulfed by the approaching flames within seconds.

Fluttershy, sweating, aching, and panting ferociously, looked to the light, eyeing another staircase, this one lit, in front of her. She quickly began ascending it, leaving the burning wreckage behind her. Taking each step with caution, she let the rage slowly recede deep within her.

"Y-you need to contain yourself Fluttershy... What would Angel think if he saw you so flustered? Besides, you should s-save that side of you for when you need it if you're to save anypony..." she reminded herself.

She smelled the smoke once more and looked back, seeing it rising up the staircase, trying to escape to the air above. Fluttershy flapped her wings once, extinguishing all the torches around her that lit the stairs, pushing the smoke back. She clicked on her flashlight and continued up, flapping her wings slowly as she did. After another few minutes, she reached a metal door and pushed it open.

Stepping through into a dark hallway, she shut it behind her and checked it for any signs of the smoke escaping. She found none and realized after a while, the room would be consumed by the smoke and the fire extinguished. She kept walking forward, putting the thoughts of the room behind her, and kept cautious, expecting Slakt at any step.

Eventually she hit another dead end, with no way to go otherwise, save for the way she came. She pushed against it, hoping it'd sway or give any hints of movement, and heard a sharp click. The wall slid aside, revealing to her the bottom floor of the library where Twilight lived. Fluttershy had found freedom once again.

She trotted out, clicking off her flashlight and looking out a nearby window, seeing the night time well on its way. Fluttershy sighed and turned around, watching another bookcase shake as the one she came from slid shut. Quickly trotting over, she heard a muffled cry for help and knew she had to find a way. She couldn't head-butt this one without possibly injuring whoever was on the other side, or without alerting nearby ponies.

She quickly began pulling books off with her teeth, hoping the trick she was used to seeing in her mystery books paid off. Finally, one pulled and stopped, giving off another click. She squeed happily, realizing what little reading she had done paid off. Fluttershy stepped back, watching the bookcase slide aside, revealing Spike, on the floor quivering in fear.

He rushed to her, hugging her leg tightly, "F-finally... somepony normal..." he whispered, tears streaming down his face.

After finishing designing their act, the Cutie Mark Crusaders began working on the stage outside of town hall. They kept working, from midday to midnight until finished. There, they collapsed on the stage and looked around, the town's ponies moving about around them, each with the darkness in their eyes. One pairing caught their eye though, it was Twilight and Rarity. The trio moved closer, ducking behind some bushes, trying to catch what they could of the conversation.

"...and she's in the basement, trapped and probably roasting by now! Isn't it magnificent how stupid these ponies are? Why would I give her a maze she could solve if I wanted to kill her!? She had hope, and beauty, but she was a danger to us. The final change is beginning though, and soon we will have our old selves once more, being rid of any trace of these souls. Oh, I also have this mare's dragon pal locked up, and hopefully, when everything's done, we can use him as a servant. He seems much more... submissive," Twilight said to her white unicorn friend.

Sweetie Belle looked to Scootaloo, tears in her eyes as she whispered, "They have Spike too!"

Scootaloo nodded in understanding, "I heard... Why's her voice like that? It sounds like she's part stallion or really really hoarse."

"Ah thought we were ponies..." Applebloom said, trying to lighten the mood.

They ignored her and rose up, peeking back over the bushes. They came muzzle to muzzle with Rarity who whispered, her voice purely her own, with her eyes dark-ridden, "And now we have you too..."

A tear rolled down Luna's cheek after hearing Slakt say Fluttershy's fate. She tried to get a look at Fluttershy with her magic like she did last time, but was unable. Luna sighed in her cloudy hide-away above the train tracks and stood, brushing away the tears and cutting the connection with the CMC as Rarity began taking them to her boutique. With Fluttershy incapacitated, if not dead, it was up to Luna to save the Crusaders and fight off or kill the possessed Rarity.

End Chapter 5