In An Instant

Fluttershy felt awful. Her stomach was a twisted knot, and her brain felt like mush.

She'd flown up to a cloud the next morning. She watched the sky, a hazy mess with the never moving sun resting close to the horizon. She sighed, holding her spear tightly with her wing.

It was up there where Fluttershy realized why she felt this way. Though these ponies weren't her friends, she was their protector. And she let them die.

Of course, she didn't know if they were dead. Pinkie kept trying to explain that it wasn't her fault, and no one could save Applejack, and they couldn't control Rarity. But Fluttershy knew better.

"Hey Fluttershy."

Fluttershy turned around to see Rainbow Dash flying her way over to the cloud. "Mind if I sit?"

Fluttershy shook her head. When Rainbow sat down, Fluttershy said, "I want to apologize."

"Apologize? You don't need to-"

"Rainbow, I've put you in such a situation. I know how you felt about Applejack. I know that you are so stressed out and depressed, and I feel terrible-"

"Shy." Rainbow put a hoof on Fluttershy's. "Please. Don't apologize to me. There was no way around it."

The mares looked to the sky. Rainbow sighed and said quietly, "I'm okay. Death is inevitable, friend."

"You're joking."

Pinkie Pie shook her head, tears running down her cheeks.

Fluttershy was in shock. "She...she k-killed herself?"

"She found a spear and..." Pinkie's voice trailed off as she moved her hoof across her throat.

Fluttershy fell to the ground and began to weep. Pinkie Pie sat next to her, wrapping her in a hug. "What are we going to do?"

"I don't know." Pinkie looked to the sky.

In an instant, Fluttershy didn't feel remorseful. No, she was angry. Fluttershy wiped her face. "We need traps. We need patrols. We need everypony on their game. We can't lose any more!"

Months passed.

Ponies in the camp were assigned partners. Pinkie and Fluttershy were assigned to each other, much to Fluttershy's relief. She didn't know if she could handle being assigned to somepony else, even Dumbbell.

There were less hunters and more soldiers. Traps were set and checked every day. Fluttershy went outside of camp every time, planning to use her emotions for the best of her campmates, in the case that they were to perhaps spot a changeling.

But there was nothing. No signs of changelings. No dead ponies.

And then they ran out of food. Zecora came prepared, offering her ponies potions to fill their stomachs.

Fluttershy still felt empty.

One morning, she and Pinkie Pie were walking through the woods, alone. Fluttershy brushed her braided mane out of her face and she covered her pit-trap with leaves. "How is the net, Pinkie?"

Her pink friend was up in the tree nearby, carefully hanging the net. It was Pinkie's specialty. She had an incredibly sense of balance, better than any pegasus Fluttershy knew, including herself. "All is secure, Fluttershy."

Fluttershy knew her talents should remain on the ground. When she was a young pony, she lived in the city in the sky: Cloudsdale. Most pegasi lived there, and that's where Fluttershy was born an raised. But one day, a mysterious purple mare spoke to Fluttershy's bullies, explaining that ponies should never bully each other. Fluttershy was incredibly grateful to that mare. Such a shame she was killed in the attacks. Or, something. Fluttershy never saw her again. She was never able to thank her.

Even after Dumbbell and Hoops had trained Fluttershy on the course for hours, she wasn't doing too well. When she thought she was finally getting the hang of it, she fell.

But then, Fluttershy was caught by a great cloud of butterflies. They landed her on the ground, where she instantly fell in love with their beauty. It was then that she got her cutie mark. It was the best day of Fluttershy's life. Because of that day, Fluttershy realized that she needed to live on the ground. She moved to Ponyville years later.

Unfortunately, that joy didn't last very long.

Fluttershy turned her head towards the tree. "It seems so. We best get back to camp."

And so they walked. Fluttershy held onto her spear tightly. "Pinkie Pie, I would like to ask you something."

"Go ahead, Fluttershy."

"Well..." Fluttershy looked down to her hooves. "Do you think all of this is worth it?"

Pinkie Pie faced her friend. "Wait...what?"

"Do you-"

"No, no, I heard you. Are you serious?"

"Maybe Zecora is right. Maybe we're all destined to bow to Queen Chrysalis."

"You can't be serious."

Fluttershy looked up. "Wha-"

Pinkie Pie's brows were furrowed. "We have worked our whole adult lives for these ponies. Not because we like them, or because they deserve to be saved. All these traps we save, all the food we haven't eaten... It's all because you're too stubborn to listen to Zecora!"

Fluttershy was confused. Does she want me to listen to Zecora or not? "Pinkie, I just..."

Fluttershy's voice trailed off when she realized that Pinkie was already gone.

"Pinkie?" Fluttershy's heart was beating faster and faster. "Pinkie?"

Fluttershy ran back to where the traps were set. She checked the nets and the pits, but there was no sign of her friend.

Fluttershy gasped. My...friend?

Oh Celestia, I really do care about her!

Fluttershy's vision was going blurry. She sat down, trying to catch her breath. When she finally regained her footing, Fluttershy ran back to camp.

Fluttershy saw Zecora standing near some other ponies. "Everypony, head out of camp! Pinkie Pie is missing! We need to...Wait. What's happened?"

Some mares shared some glances. "Uh, she's right over there."