In An Instant

Days passed.

Fluttershy and Pinkie went about their normal duties. Thankfully, everything was...normal. Fluttershy was afraid of what Pinkie would say when things finally could be said.

Not surprisingly, it happened when they were in the forest, alone. Pinkie was back up in the trees while Fluttershy waited. She picked at the ground with her hoof.

Pinkie hopped down. "Looks good." When Fluttershy nodded and turned to walk back to camp, Pinkie added, "Hey, I'm sorry."

"Sorry?"

"I...uh...Overreacted. I've always liked you too." Pinkie bit her lip. "It's just...We live under such strict codes. If things were better, I'd..."

Fluttershy shook her head. "Don't apologize, Pinkie. I understand. Plus, I don't think it was very nice of me to just...spring that on you."

"Fluttershy...I love you too."

In an instant, everything had changed.

Fluttershy blushed. "...W-What?"

Pinkie smiled. "I do. I really do. And...I want to make it work. Somehow."

"You do? You shouldn't...I mean, no. We..."

"We won't put the whole camp in danger. We won't..." Pinkie Pie placed a hoof on her forehead and sighed. "I can't believe it!"

Fluttershy smiled and laughed. "Me either. But we have to be safe. You said it yourself, 'We are these ponies last hope. We have to protect them at any cost.'"

It was always the simple things about Pinkie that made Fluttershy love her. Sure, appearance was a big part of love for Fluttershy...But Pinkie was so smart, and strong, and kind...

Fluttershy had never been happier. She felt safe, and warm and tingly all the time. Pinkie Pie made her incredibly happy.

She and Pinkie spent most of their time together. They hunted together, ate together, set up traps together, and they had even began sleeping in the same hut.

One morning, they were sitting in the center of camp, eating breakfast. Ponies sat in a circle with them. "How is everythin' going?" asked Berry Punch. She grinned at Fluttershy. "It must be...exhilarating to be in a relationship."

Fluttershy turned bright red. Pinkie placed a hoof on her's. She said, "It's not like that. We are just...More in love than I ever thought."

Berry nodded. "Nopony knew love. Even before the attack, none of us had been in relationships."

Fluttershy looked at the group before her. Though some were foals, most were fully grown ponies. "None of you?"

They all shook their heads. "We're just so happy for you," Berry said. "You give us hope."

"Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie," a voice called out from beyond the clearing.

The mares turned their heads. "Zecora?" asked Fluttershy.

The zebra stepped forward. "Return to my hut at once, for some news I will share. I must."

Fluttershy frowned at Pinkie, before they stood and walked with Zecora back to the hut.

Zecora stared at the mares. Fluttershy could see the anger burning in her eyes.

"I have much to say. I'll start right away," said the zebra.

Pinkie bit her lip. "Zecora, I think we all know-"

"I know you two know what you're doing. And how much you will be losing." Zecora paced around them. "If the changelings arrive, nopony will leave the camp alive!"

"Zecora, you're overreacting," said Fluttershy. Zecora stopped pacing. "Our love isn't harming anyone."

Pinkie stepped closer to Zecora. "If the changelings do come, we're prepared. There's traps, and we are much stronger than before. Everypony is willing to fight until the end. Including us."

Zecora stepped out of the hut, shaking her head at the mares before disappearing into the fog.

"What are we going to do?"

Pinkie turned to look at Fluttershy. "Huh?"

Fluttershy had begun pacing without even noticing. "Well...it's not like I want to stop."

Pinkie Pie smiled. She stood and kissed Fluttershy's cheek. "Then there's your answer."

"Wait...what?"

Pinkie laughed. "Don't you see? What we told Zecora is the truth. Nothing is going to happen."

"I just don't know..." Fluttershy's voice trailed off. "I mean, if our love really is this strong, wouldn't the changelings showed up by now? I'm so worried, Pinkie."

Pinkie bit her lip, and then grinned. "Let's get married."

Fluttershy gasped. "What?"

"Yes." Pinkie nodded, and then laughed. "Not to take your mind off of the changelings. Just because I love you. And you love me. This is the most important thing in our lives right now."

"Trust me, I would love to. But..."

"Please, Fluttershy."

"Alright." Fluttershy smiled. "Let's get married."

While Pinkie Pie planned their wedding, Fluttershy did all she could to protect her ponies from the changelings. She went on every single patrol. She set up twice as many traps on every side of camp. She made potions, built weapons, and taught the foals how to use them.

And each night, when the two were exhausted, they curled up together and slept for as long as they could.

One morning, Fluttershy woke up early. It was getting harder and harder each day to sleep longer and longer. Fluttershy was nervous. She was nervous about how the wedding would go. She was nervous of what Zecora was planning to do. She was nervous because the wedding might create so much love that all the changelings in Equestria rush to Fluttershy's home to feed.

But that was just ridiculous.

Right?

"Yes," Pinkie told her. And Fluttershy believed.

That morning, Fluttershy watched the forest. She could hardly see through the fog (it seemed to get thicker each day), but she took some joy out of just watching the leaves blow and the trees whisper as the wind blew through them.

Fluttershy knew that Pinkie was also awake, probably watching her watch the trees, but Fluttershy didn't turn around to check. She was focused. Pinkie didn't know that she was mustering up her courage.

"I have to leave."

Fluttershy heard Pinkie sigh. "I know."

Fluttershy gritted her teeth. "I know that they're out there. They're taunting me. Waiting for me to let my guard down."

"Maybe they're waiting for you to come to them."

Fluttershy shook her head. "Why would they care. I'm just another pony in their minds. I know they aren't torturing me intentionally."

Pinkie stood, and then sat down next to her fiancé. "It's all in your head. You're too good of a soldier, you know."

Fluttershy nodded as Pinkie lay her head on Fluttershy's shoulder. "I know," she said, mostly to herself. "I know."

Nopony left Everfree.

It was the one law. Their unspoken law. Fear held them to camp, tied to the trees with invisible string.

But Fluttershy was not afraid. She walked out of Everfree as she walked in camp, with her head held level and her eyes not focusing on anything because she was too deep in thought to look.

She didn't know what she expected to find. Either an entire swarm of changelings and their queen or nothing at all. Both terrified her.

Okay, maybe she was a little afraid.

Fluttershy stopped herself before she pushed through the last layer of bush that separated her new life and her old life. She took in a deep breath, and then released it.

When she walked through, she saw nothing. It was too hazy to see clearly. Wonderful. If I want to see anything, I'll have to get close.

Fluttershy cautiously walked toward the ruins of Ponyville. She saw exactly what she thought she'd see. Buildings that had fallen to the ground, smears of blood, and no signs of life. Other than the blood.

Fluttershy flew back to camp. Her heart pounded. It was too peaceful. There had to be something else. There just had to be. Something lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike...

Oh Celestia, what if we've been hiding from nothing for all of these years?

Fluttershy landed when she saw her traps. She checked them all. Nothing. Of course.

Wind howled around her. Her ears twitched, as she'd caught a sound that the wind had carried.

No...It couldn't be...

As Fluttershy walked back to camp, she could hear the singing more and more clearly. Why in Equestria are ponies singing? I haven't heard a song like that since...a wedding.

Fluttershy frowned. She asked the wind, "What is going on?"

Although she hadn't expected it, the wind brought Fluttershy an answer. She halted in her tracks as she heard Pinkie Pie's soft voice.

"I promise...love unconditionally...my sun, my moon...forever and ever...death do us part..."

Fluttershy shook her head vigorously. "No...She...Who could she...?"

This time, the wind brought no answer.

Fluttershy waited in the shadows of the trees. She hoped that she would hear somepony. Pinkie, Zecora, an unfamiliar voice...Somepony that could give her the answers she desired.

But in an instant, as she peeked through the vines, Fluttershy regretted many things.

She regretted fighting. She regretted the traps she'd set, the work she'd done and the scars that came with it. She regretted trusting Zecora, and coming to the camp. She regretted becoming a soldier, and befriending Pinkie. She didn't regret their love, but she began to question it.

Because Pinkie was about to marry a changeling.