Fight or Flee? (Fluttershy's Final Dilemma)

Fight or Flee? (Fluttershy’s Final Dilemma)

By: Clue Tzes

Chapter 7:

Fluttershy

Not a word was said after Luna fell to the ground. The Cutie Mark Crusaders exchanged worried glances with Fluttershy who simply nodded in return and fixed the Princess into a more comfortable position. After that, still no words having been spoken, they made their way into Ponyville, the sun reaching its first hour above the horizon on what would most assuredly be the darkest of days for Fluttershy and her compatriots. The way to the train station was as clear as could be. The skies above would be an issue later on though, as it seemed to them a storm was slowly approaching. Using a few gas canisters, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, Spike and Fluttershy began trailing gasoline around the town, each starting in a different area and ultimately leading their trail to the stage. The scent from the gasoline was strong, but the Crusaders had crafted makeshift muzzle-masks for each of them out of what they found in the forest, but they had to take the occasional break though if their heads began aching from the fumes. After this they took a small lunch break, sitting by the station and eating sandwiches they'd salvaged from an empty restaurant nearby.

“I can't believe we're seriously doing this...” Sweetie Belle began, breaking the silence.

“Ah know what ya mean, but it's the only way to make sure things don't get too much worse...” Applebloom replied, taking a bite of her hay sandwich.

“We talked through it... We didn't really have much more of a choice, did we? We’ve accepted our role and at this point there's no turning back now. By the time we finish, they'll have started waking up anyways...” Scootaloo solemnly said, setting hers aside.

“If we had a more efficient way to do this, or at least another few ponies, we'd be fine,” Sweetie Belle concluded.

“Well, ah reckon the most we can do now is hurry up an' finish dousing the homes... Then we gotta get that stockpile at the boutique like Luna said,” Applebloom reminded them.

“Well then Crusaders, let's get to it! We still need to siphon the train when we’re done too,” Scootaloo cheered, grabbing a full can of gasoline and running off to finish her job.

Fluttershy and Spike stayed with their backs to them the whole time, Fluttershy silently crying as Spike put his hand on her shoulder in comfort. She couldn't bear listening to the girls talk about their coming deaths, no matter how ok they were with it. She hated herself for not being able to come up with another way, but she had to accept that that was the end of it. They began getting up to go finish when they suddenly realized Applebloom and Sweetie Belle were still there.

“Ah'm just really scared Sweetie... Ah just don't get how Scootaloo ain't scared...” Applebloom confessed, looking at her friend.

“Sheis scared but I don't think she wants us to realize that. She's always headstrong that way, you know?” Sweetie Belle tried to reassure her.

Applebloom sighed and whispered back, "Sometimes ah wish she wasn't like that..."

Sweetie Belle stood and began walking towards the canisters, "Well, her being like that is one of the reasons we're friends. Actually, she was the one who said we should stand up for you at Diamond Tiara's cute-ceañera.”

“Ah said sometimes, not all the time...”

“Oh, right. Well, let’s get back to pouring the gas, we’re running low on time as it is,” Sweetie Belle suggested as she got to her hooves.

Applebloom nodded and followed suit, each grabbing a jerry can and rushing back to where they’d left off, putting on their leafy masks. Fluttershy wiped her eyes with a wing and began putting her mask on, saying nothing to Spike as he finished his food. Fluttershy began walking, picking a can up under her wing, struggling with its weight.

“Need a hoof?” She heard Luna ask from above her.

Fluttershy looked up, seeing the dark-blue alicorn smiling down at her. She quickly shook her mask off and nodded at Luna, returning the smile warmly. Spike walked up and tossed Luna the extra mask the Crusaders had made for her.

“S-so you’re feeling better I take it?” Fluttershy asked a few minutes later as they helped coat the last parts of Ponyville in the gasoline.

Luna nodded, talking through the mask, “Yes, it was a much enjoyed rest after everything that has happened. I feel ready for anything now!”

Fluttershy giggled to herself through the mask, emptying the last of her can and giving it to Spike who was on her back. “Well, I suppose that’s exactly what you needed,” she said with a smile hidden behind the mask.

“Aye, that is true. Fluttershy, may I tell you something?” Luna asked as she continued pouring where she could while backing up against the stage.

“Y-yes?”

“How it is you’ve managed to hold together so well after everything you’ve been through is remarkable,” Luna began as they walked back to the station to meet up with the Cutie Mark Crusaders, “But many trials still await you as you must know, even that of my sister…” Luna closed her eyes for a moment and sighed before continuing. “Nevertheless, I must say it has been a true honor to be able to fight alongside you, even if we technically haven’t yet,” Luna giggled at the irony and took on a more serious tone, “And I plan on fighting with you until all of this is over. I know things weren’t exactly ideal when we met, after my redemption, on Nightmare Night; but now I hope you can call me a friend, just as I can call you a hero. You’ve fought against them the most and have gathered quite the band of resistance so far. You’ve saved and killed ponies and here you are, smiling and giggling with me… A lesser pony would have fallen to insanity or suicide by now.”

Fluttershy blushed immensely, looking away from the Princess, “O-of course I can… Just because somepony frightens you doesn’t mean that you can’t consider them a friend. Sometimes being like that is something I just can’t help, but now I feel like those minor fears are just silly. I mean, look at how much worse things could be, and are… Even now though, I know whatever trouble lies ahead won’t be so bad because there’s always something worse. Maybe not for me, but for somepony somewhere… Of course, th-that doesn’t mean I’ll never be scared again.”

“That’s to be understood seeing as fear is not something one can beat entirely. We’re all scared of something, whether we know it or not… Let’s stop this talk though, the girls are up here and I’d rather them not have to hear it…”

Fluttershy nodded in understanding as the three of them pulled their masks off, breathing cleaner air finally. The CMC waved at them as they approached, a good number of gas cans still sitting next to the platform. Luna, Spike, and Fluttershy waved back as they rushed up to meet them, Spike holding on to Fluttershy’s back.

“I can’t believe we’ve actually done it girls… After everything that’s happened to us, it didn’t look like we’d get it all done but we really have,” Scootaloo said in satisfaction.

“Oh, yay, we doused the only home we’ve ever known and now we’re going to wipe it off the map!” Sweetie Belle cheered sarcastically.

“Come on Sweetie, we all know it’s what’s gotta be done…” Applebloom reminded her.

“I know, I know, sorry. Let’s just finish this all up while we have the time. What’s left?”

“Well, we’ve gotta put as much as we can under the stage, seeing as all of them will be there. Then we still have to get the Boutique done up well…” Scootaloo said as she thought more. “I think that’s actually it. So it’d be best if we split it up…”

“You three take the stage, we will take the Boutique seeing as there might be more traps left undisturbed. Plus, I think it’s better that no one with emotional attachment goes there, sorry Sweetie Belle. Even then, one of them might be in there.” Luna explained, giving Sweetie Belle an apologetic look.

“It’s fine Luna, I really doubt I’d be able to handle it too well, plus if somepony is in there we’d be done for,” Sweetie Belle admitted.

“So it’s settled then?” Scootaloo asked.

“Hold on a minute,” Applebloom interjected, “Why’s Spike bein’ so quiet?”

Spike looked up from his new spot next to the box holding the Elements of Harmony, Smarty Pants still in his claws, “Sorry girls, I’ve just been thinking about a lot today…” he explained with a sad tone.

Fluttershy whispered low enough so that everypony but Spike could hear, “I think he’s still upset about T-Twilight. Maybe we should leave him alone for a bit?”

Everypony nodded in agreement and then Scootaloo spoke up, “Alright, let’s get to it then. Come on Crusaders, grab whatever you can and bring it to the stage!”

The Crusaders nodded and began running over to the cans before Luna stopped them, “Wait! We’ll need a lot for the Boutique, so don’t take too many until we’ve finished, understood?”

They nodded and continue bounding towards the cans, beginning to drag them through Ponyville to the stage set up in front of the town hall. Once they got them there, they stopped, pondering where to put them.

“What do y'all think we should do with 'em?” Applebloom asked, leaning on hers.

“Well, we can't leave them out in the open and we need somewhere where they can do the most damage,” Sweetie belle concluded.

“How about right here under the stage? I mean, that way we not only have them hidden, but when the stage explodes it'll send flaming shrapnel everywhere, igniting it all even faster!” Scootaloo said excitedly.

“But, won't we also be gone instantly?” Sweetie Belle said quietly, hints of distress in her voice.

“Y-yea, I've been trying to avoid that thought this whole time... I don't think I could've gone this far had I not...” Scootaloo said, her voice going quiet as well.

“Well, at least ya got us there by your side! Everything will be alright Scoots, ah promise ya!” Applebloom said, pulling her two friends into a hug.

“Alright, I guess you're right. Let's keep putting them under here,” Scootaloo said, slipping from the hug and trailing gasoline under the stage to the point where the cans would be.

Fluttershy and Luna watched the trio drag their cans away as they trotted over, taking their own as well. Luna hoisted one onto her back, taking two more with her magic as Fluttershy was barely able to drag one with her hoof and wing. As Carousel Boutique came into view, Luna moved her hoof in front of Fluttershy to hint that she needed to slow down. Luna gently pushed the door open, looking around as daylight streamed in through the windows, illuminating the empty boutique.

“Wait here, I'm going to do a quick run-through upstairs to be sure,” Luna whispered, setting her gas cans right inside and moving to the stairs in the back.

Fluttershy waited by the doorway, shivering as she looked around her surroundings. She hadn't been in here in a while, but now that she was she was getting the same feeling she pushed away at Twilight's home.

Regret.

They had been her friends and here she was, planning to kill not only them but everypony else in the town.

“I-I can't do this...” she told herself aloud.

You HAVE to, it's the only way. Even then, there might be a way to bring them back. Very few things don't have a way to counter them. Even Discord’s chaos could be countered by your friendship Fluttershy; it's up to you to counter this...

She let her thoughts go silent as she pushed away the thoughts keeping her from going any further, “I c-can do this!”

“Can do what Fluttershy?” Luna asked as she came down the stairs.

“Nothing Luna!” She replied with a cheerful smile.

“Alright, and everything was clear upstairs, so we are good to go.”

Fluttershy nodded, propping the door open and dragging her can outside. Luna picked it up with her magic, helping her to connect the line of gas outside to the interior of Carousel Boutique. After they did that, they began pouring more gas around the bottom floor, setting the now half-full cans in the center of it, the pile growing towards the wall where Luna's crescent moon was burnt into the wallpaper. After a few more minutes, and about thirty or so cans, Luna and Fluttershy stood in the doorway of the building looking at the pile.

“Will it be enough?” Fluttershy asked.

“Hmm, I can enhance the explosion with a spell or two. It was one I picked up a while back out of curiosity, but I haven’t had a chance to use it. Unfortunately, that means there’s no way to tell how powerful it could end up,” Luna explained as her horn began glowing, the pile of gas cans surrounded in her magical aura.

After a few seconds both stopped and Fluttershy looked over to Luna, “A-are you done?”

“Yes, let's go make sure the Crusaders don't need any more help,” Luna said, turning and leaving the boutique, Fluttershy right on her heels.

Shutting the door behind them, they made their way back to the center of town as the Cutie Mark Crusaders finished putting the last of the cans underneath the stage.

“A grand idea girls!” Luna said smiling at them, her horn and the cans beginning to glow. “Are those the last of them?”

“Well, we could always siphon out what's in the train but there's not enough time. We've gotta start soon,” Scootaloo said, looking at the sun that was barely touching the horizon in its descent.

“I suppose you're right. Have you everything you could possibly need now?”

Scootaloo blushed softly, “Uh, maybe one last goodbye group hug?”

“I'm in for it!” Spike called as he came running up.

Scootaloo smiled, everypony else following suit as they all hugged one another, “S-so... This is actually it?” Fluttershy asked.

“Ah reckon so,” Applebloom replied.

“Yeah, well at least we made the most out of it!” Sweetie Belle reminded them.

“Now it's up to us to use the last of it to finish this!” Scootaloo said, determination coursing through her words.

“Good. Fluttershy, Spike, and I will immediately head to Canterlot to take care of things there after it all goes off. The station will be far enough for us to wait at until the first explosion, then we'll have to fly quickly to get away from the second explosion's blast,” Luna told them, looking at Fluttershy.

Fluttershy nodded in understanding, “I'll be able to manage, don't worry.”

“Good, then we will leave you to it. I just want to wish you all good luck; we're all counting on you. Farewell girls,” Luna said, turning and beginning to walk away.

“G-goodbye girls,” Fluttershy said, beginning to tear up as she turned and began running after Luna.

Spike nodded at the trio, “I don't know what's going to happen in the end, but for now I have a bad feeling. I only hope it's wrong. Goodbye girls.” He turned and walked away, following the other two.

The Crusaders exchanged confused and worried looks before Scootaloo shrugged, “Alright, let’s make sure everything is set.”

“Ah got a few fireworks hooked up on the sides, so when we set those off they’ll light the stuff,” Applebloom said, motioning to a few bottle rockets.

“And the sound should be good, provided we knew what we were doing when we hooked it up… We hit play on the music and we start singing, attracting everypony we can.” Sweetie Belle said grabbing the microphone.

“Are you sure you’re ready? Once we start, there’s no stopping. This sounds gonna hit all of Ponyville like a storm,” Scootaloo said, her hoof above the play button.

“Let’s at least get their attention first; it’ll be better that way.”

“Alright, whenever you’re ready Sweetie.”

The three companions walked away from the stage, their heads lowered, knowing that this was it for the Cutie Mark Crusaders. After a decent trek back to the train station, they waited there for things to begin, Spike clutching onto Smarty Pants while Fluttershy emptied the box containing the Elements of Harmony into the same side of her bag as Zecora’s flank.

“Why not keep them in the box Fluttershy?” Luna asked, watching the yellow pegasus pack.

“It’ll be easier this way… The box is unneeded weight and I don’t mind carrying them like this at all,” she told Luna with a half-hearted smile, “If we have time after this, maybe you could enchant my bag to help me carry more, if it’s not too much trouble…”

Luna nodded and turned away, realizing Fluttershy was just trying to keep her mind off of the fillies. She looked towards the town, and then to the horizon, despite the growing clouds in the sky she could still see the sun barely peeking over it now. She assumed the CMC were waiting until it was completely gone to begin.

Sister… We will fix things… I will return you to your former self… You will raise the sun once more and I will be by your side, raising the moon. I won’t let anything stop us from it now.

Spike clutched the doll, toying with the yarn and buttons on it as Luna and Fluttershy spoke some. He ignored it though, thinking only of Twilight, the mare that had brought him into this world and then tried to take him out. Whether or not it was her, could he ever face her the same way ever again?

You were always there for me, and I wanted to always be there for you but it looks like I won’t be able to. I love you Twilight and I hope you can forgive me for whatever happens to you tonight, if we can’t get things back the way they were before.

Fluttershy finished putting the elements in her box and stood there, her mind filled with the thoughts of all of her lost friends.

We had it so good before, and now look at it… Everything has fallen apart and I’m the only one left… I will fix this, for all of you… A-and we’ll have that picnic, like we’d planned to in the start, as friends again… W-won’t w-we?

Fluttershy blinked away tears quickly before regaining herself.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders stood in their positions in silence, waiting for Sweetie Belle’s cue to start. Applebloom thought of her family, Sweetie Belle focused on her family, and Scootaloo thought of Rainbow Dash, the same thought running through each of their minds.

This is for you.

Sweetie Belle screamed into the microphone with as much rage as she could muster, “WAKE UP EVERYPONY, WE’VE GOT A SHOW FOR YOU AT TOWN HALL. COME AND FIND US YOU MONSTERS!” She turned towards Scootaloo, “Wait for my cue to hit play. We have to get a good number of them here.”

Scootaloo nodded quickly, she knew she was ready.

The corrupted townsponies were just waking up as they heard the blaring voice call for them. They knew what had to be done to the intruders who wished for their reign to end. They all left their houses, the smell of gasoline not registering to them, nor the wet feel of it beneath their hooves. All that mattered was ridding the world of anypony who stood against them. With rage in their minds and darkness in their eyes as well as their hearts, they began reaching the stage, looking for an easy way up.

Sweetie watched them begin to gather, wincing slightly and beginning to tear up as she saw her parents in the angry crowd. Once she blinked the tears away, she noticed Big Mac and Granny Smith; a quick look back at Applebloom’s teary eyes told her she saw them too. The second Sweetie Belle saw a large number of them gathered around, she motioned for Scootaloo to hit it. So she did.

Spike, Luna, and Fluttershy heard the Cutie Mark Crusaders’ challenge as they sat on the platform of the train station. They watched as they saw the forms of ponies leave their homes, going towards the center of the town. Everything was working, not a single one would be left in what would be Ponyville for only a few moments longer. Clutching each other, the trio watched in anticipation to see if everything would go as planned, that was when they heard the music kick on.

Scootaloo slammed down the play button and rushed to Applebloom and Sweetie Belles sides, “Doesn’t look like we’ll get to see that dance number in action, huh girls?”

Sweetie smirked at Scootaloo, “Probably not, but we can still do some dancing if they get up here.”

“Leave the dancin’ to Scoots and me, you got a song to sing!” Applebloom said, wrapping her hoof around her friend and smiling.

Sweetie Belle nodded, snagging the microphone from the stand and got ready to sing, “Say it with me girls,” she whispered.

The other two nodded and got close, shouting in unison, “CUTIE MARK CRUSADER MARTYRS!”

Sweetie Belle listened to the rock music, a slower pace than their original, but still good enough for Scootaloo to have been ok with it. She heard her cue and began.

“Here we are where we began

Up on stage, as a trio

The Cutie Mark Crusaders have a return

But none of us can be called a hero.” She cut short as she saw ponies piling on themselves, finally realizing how large of a crowd of multi-colored assailants they had gathered. The dark-infested eyes glared at them, never blinking as they stayed close to the stage, growling and shouting, showing no signs of backing down. She shrieked as one or two began flying up there while others started climbing up, coming for them.

The trio in waiting sat there, listening to the music, tears in their eyes. They didn’t know when the end for their friends would come, but they each had a pit of despair as the anticipation and suspense grew within them. Spike stood up, facing the town and clutched Twilight’s old doll close to him.

“S-something’s wrong girls… I don’t know what, but I can feel it,” he whispered.

“Spike, a-are you sure?” Fluttershy quickly asked.

“Let’s just wait and see before jumping to conjecture, a few more seconds at least,” Luna said.

Spike nodded, holding tighter to the last connection he had to the pony he called mom, even if she didn’t know he considered her that.

Scootaloo and Applebloom began rushing at the approaching ponies, tackling into them and knocking them back off of the stage as Sweetie Belle picked back up with her singing.

“Everypony gather round

Take a step right up here

Come at us with fire in your eyes

For in the end it's us you'll fear

We can scream and we can shout

We'll take on each of you fierce and true

So come on at us now

There's not a thing you can do…”

She cut off again as the coming horde grew more in number, enough to make her begin to help Scootaloo and Applebloom knock them off, slowly getting backed towards the edge where the other two now were. She ran to their side, turning and backing towards the switch that would light it all up, swinging her microphone now as they kept fighting back the advancing crowd. She quickly put it back to her lips, singing with all she had left and letting every emotion she’d bottled the past few days come pouring out through her voice.

“The time has come,

The moon is high

Come on everypony

The end is nigh!

We've only got moments

Enough for one last ruse

So now we'll shout it loud

COME ON GIRLS, LET'S LIGHT THE FUSE!”

Sweetie Belle stomped back on the switch to light up the fireworks, waiting for the explosion that would take their lives, but it didn’t come. She stopped in stunned silence, fear and hope both void from her body. She felt absolutely nothing until the despair kicked back in.

“WHERE’S THE EXPLOSION?!” Scootaloo screamed.

“IT DIDN’T WORK! OH SWEET CELESTIA, IT DIDN’T WORK!” Applebloom cried out.

The angry mob began closing in quicker, causing the frightened fillies to charge towards them, keeping a few at bay as Sweetie Belle frantically thought of a way to light everything. They had no way to get any fire, unless… That’s when the name Applebloom had said clicked in her mind. Breathing fire was his specialty, even if only to send scrolls, but she couldn’t do that… She wouldn’t dare ask, but even then, maybe he already knew what was coming…

They heard the last words of the song and closed their eyes, ready to flee as the girls ended the fight with one stunning explosion followed by one more, but the first never came.

“Wh-what’s happening?!” Fluttershy frantically asked.

“It didn’t go off… IT DIDN’T GO OFF!” Luna realized, bellowing at Fluttershy in her Royal Canterlot voice.

“HELP US! SEND ANYTHING, OR ANYONE! PLEASE! WE. NEED. FIRE,” they heard Sweetie Belle bellow in a fit of hopelessness.

Spike closed his eyes, looking down, “I knew something wasn’t right…” he turned, handing Fluttershy the Smarty Pants doll.

She looked at him, feebly shaking her head as she realized what he meant to do, “Sp-Spike… n-n-no…”

Spike shook his head and hugged her, “Give that to T-Twilight when she comes back… I have faith in you,” he gazed at the doll, “Sometimes, you have to keep faith in yourself too, and that things will get better, even if that means you won’t be around to see them… Keep this doll for me and give it to Twilight… T-Tell her, she kept me going… She was why I chose to do what I am… So she could have things b-better again and tell her she’ll find a-another assistant someday, even if she doesn’t think so, I kn-know so… Tell her thanks for everything and I loved her for it all and even if I’m not there physically, I always will be in her h-heart, just like Smarty Pants was always there for her, before I could be. Tell R-Rarity I loved her as well, and always will… Promise me that Fluttershy… Please?”

Fluttershy nodded, tears streaming down her cheeks as she stared at Spike, hugging him one last time before falling to the station platform sobbing.

Spike looked to Luna, “Would you do the honors of dropping me off there? I’ll wait a few seconds before lighting it, don’t worry…”

She nodded; her eyes watery as well as she knelt down, letting the baby dragon climb onto her back. He took one last look at the sobbing pegasus who gave a frantic wave goodbye as he told Luna she was fine to go. Luna took to the skies quick, moving towards the center of the town where a massive amount of ponies were converging on the stage, moving towards the three fillies who were backed to the edge with even more assailants waiting below. Spike pointed down and Luna nodded, descending low enough for him to jump.

“Thank you Luna… I hope you get your sister back…” he whispered, hugging her before jumping down into the center of the crowd.

“Your bravery won’t be forgotten young dragon… Do not worry,” she whispered as she began flying back to Fluttershy.

Spike landed hard and immediately began clawing through the crowd of ponies that were now converging on him. His claws cut and scraped coats, wings, and flesh as he moved towards the Cutie Mark Crusaders. He screamed in rage, breathing fire at advancing ponies that were slowly engulfed in the flames, leaving their flanks behind. He kept fighting his way to his friends, eventually reaching them after wounding and killing a few others. They welcomed Spike into their hooves and they all whispered one last word before Spike blew fire at the gasoline, immediately igniting the tanks.

“Goodbye…”

Fluttershy lied there crying to herself as Luna took off, dropping Spike off after a few seconds. She looked up at the alicorn that was coming towards her when she heard the sound of the train beginning to chug.

“Wh-what?!” she asked aloud, fear and surprise in her voice.

She quickly trotted around the building, seeing her 5 corrupted friends looking out the window of the train at her as it began moving along, quickly moving up to top speed. “NOOOOO!” She shrieked at the top of her lungs.

It went unheard due to the first huge explosion ringing through the skies, knocking Fluttershy to the ground.

Luna saw Fluttershy standing on the platform and thought she saw the train starting to move, but the thought was quickly cut off as the first explosion went off behind her causing her to go deaf momentarily. She increased her speed, going faster than a Wonderbolt as she scooped the collapsed pegasus off of the front of the station platform, taking her off into a direction south of Canterlot.

Fluttershy looked up at Luna, frantically screaming and crying as she fought against her, “THE TRAIN! THEY’RE ON THE TRAIN! LUNA!”

Luna looked down at the fighting pegasus, feeling her grief at what she assumed was the loss of her friends. She saw Fluttershy’s lips moving, but her words were lost on Luna whose ears were still ringing from the first explosion. After a few more moments the second one went off, taking Carousel Boutique out of the picture, as well as another large chunk of Ponyville.

“THE TRAIN! PLEASE LISTEN! TH-THEY’RE GETTING AWAY!” Fluttershy kept screaming and wailing with no chance of being understood.

Looking back behind her, Luna saw some of the city had been leveled, and what hadn’t been was already being reduced to cinders, the entirety still aflame. A huge smoke plume arose from the burning city, adding to the already grey skies above as the first droplets of rain fell onto Luna’s muzzle. She sighed, knowing they still had much more work to do, but a short rest in the clouds would do them fine. Maybe then she could see what Fluttershy was so frantically fighting her for…

Fluttershy kept screaming and crying as she watched the Friendship Express take her tormentors off to Canterlot at top speed, barely escaping the explosion’s radius. She stopped fighting but couldn’t calm herself, and wouldn’t until long after Luna had landed onto the clouds she was staring at. With her home and most of the ponies she knew far behind her now and gone possibly forever, she relaxed in Luna’s hooves as they flew through the rainy night, still crying and screaming. She didn’t know what was next, but what she did know was that her fight was far from over…

End Chapter 7

End Fight or Flee? (Fluttershy’s Final Dilemma)