" Has anypony seen Fluttershy?" Rarity asked as she calmly sipped from the straw of a cup. She looked around at her gathered friends at the table outside Sugarcube Corner. Rainbow Dash continued to munch on her favorite blueberry cupcake as she raised an eyebrow at the fashionista.

" Not that ah'm aware?" Applejack said as she lifted an apple and took a bite from the surface, juice flowing down her chin. Twilight took a moment to put her book down and looked around them.

" Now that you mention it, I haven't seen her at all today. Doesn't she always come to market on Saturdays?" Everypony nodded as they looked about, only to jump as a flash of pink leapt into view.

" Fluttershy went home!" Pinkie Pie, a bright pink earth mare with a messy pink mane and tail shouted as she dropped herself into a chair at the table, a tray of almost a dozen cupcakes in her hooves.

" I saw her this morning going back home after Dashie's little prank." She then proceeded to stuff her mouth with three cupcakes at once as she spoke around them.

" E' eemed uful orrid out umfin" They looked to her in confusion. With a sigh, Rarity levitated a napkin over to her and began to clean frosting from around her lips.

" Pinkie dear, if you would please try that again, but with less food perhaps?" Pinkie simply giggled and nodded her head vigorously as Rarity struggled to keep up with the napkin. After a few moments, she swallowed and leaned over, snatching Rainbow Dash's juice glass and taking a deep gulp, much to Rainbow's dismay.

" *Ahem* I said, she seemed awfully worried about something. I mean with how quickly she ran out of town and in the direction of her cottage." The friends all looked to one another with hints of worry.

" Do you think my prank scared her that bad?" Rainbow felt the twisting of guilt in her stomach as she looked down at the table. A hoof clapped her on the shoulder and she glanced over to see Applejack shaking her head with a grin.

" Nah, that gal's stronger than we give er credit fer. I doubt the prank had much to do with it." Rainbow gave a slight grin in response, but still felt as though her heart was in her hooves.

" Maybe... but it wouldn't hurt to go and apologize either, just in case." They looked to Twilight as she stood, lighting her horn and placing the book back in her saddlebags, along with a few bits on the table to cover for her own drink and food. Rainbow took a silent moment to contemplate this before nodding.

" Yea, yea your right. I should go apologize, I don't want her to be hiding away the whole weekend now thinking that some parasprites are actually attacking the whole town again." With a hearty flap of her wings, Rainbow shot into the air and angled herself towards the direction of the shy mare's cottage.

The others looked to one another, before looking down at Rainbow's half eaten cupcake and glass of juice, which Pinkie was currently slurping from again. With a sigh, Rarity reached into her own saddle bags and placed a few bits on the table.

" I swear, that mare will owe me one for this." The others chuckled as Twilight waved to them.

" Well, I'm heading home, it's getting late and I have to make sure to stay caught up on my studies." Both Applejack and Rarity raised their eyebrows as Twilight began to walk in the opposite direction of the library.

" Pardon Twilight, but uh, the library is that way." Applejack stated, nodding her head in the actual direction that Twilight should be going. Stopping in her tracks, Twilight gave a nervous chuckle and began a brisk walk in the right direction.

" I knew that! I was just uh... checking to see if you knew that!" If possible, Applejack's eyebrow rose higher. Twilight could feel herself beginning to sweat beneath the mare's gaze and proceeded to trot off towards her home.

" She was going to spy on Spike wasn't she?" Rarity and Applejack turned to Pinkie as she pulled the remaining few cupcakes towards her. Looking to one another, Rarity snickered into her hoof while Applejack rolled her eyes.

" Ah wouldn't doubt it. That mare has become more protective over the lil' feller ever since he confessed to her that he felt like she was his mother. Which ain't exactly wrong, considerin' how the two of em' came together." Rarity nodded as she levitated her own glass towards herself and took a small sip.

" Indeed, I still remember that. The poor dear broke down into tears and wouldn't let go of him until she passed out. It was an emotional day for the two of them. It's not the first time she has sneaked off to check on him while he was running an errand or two for either her or me. Did I tell you that a stallion once refused him service at a stand simply because he was a dragon, and Twilight bore witness to this?" Applejack and Pinkie both looked to her with wide eyes.

" Wha- No! Who the hay was it? Ah'll give em a piece of mah mind!" Applejack stood up angrily, straightening her hat as she looked out around the market place. Rarity however leaned over and placed her hoof on Applejack's side and shook her head with a grin.

" You won't find him dear. As it happens, the stallion was an out of towner who had brought his wares. He left in quite the hurry when he suddenly found that all of his wood working tools came to life and began to chase him all the way out of town." She ended with a giggle as Applejack and Pinkie both guffawed at the tale.

" Well ah'll be, the little filly is a firecracker after all." Applejack snickered and turned to sit in her chair once more. Looking to the sky, she gave a soft sigh at the amber and orange hues.

" Gonna need to be gettin' home soon. Granny'll tan mah hide if we don't get the rest of the chores done before nightfall." Rarity nodded and proceeded to levitate a few bits onto the table between them.

" I'm already paying for Rainbow, may as well live up to my Element and pay for both of ours as well." Applejack smiled in thanks.

" Ah' appreciate it, jus' don't go askin' me to model fer yer next line of clothes will ya?" Rarity snickered into her hoof.
" Oh ho ho, we'll just have to see Applejack." With a laugh, the two stood to their hooves and waved back at Pinkie, who now lay upon the table asleep with a happy smile and cupcake frosting on her lips.

- With Rainbow Dash-

The wind was cool against her mane as Rainbow flapped her wings to gain altitude, using a nearby thermal to help boost her even higher as she kept her keen eyes on the ground below. The cottage she was searching for sat about a half mile outside of town, on the edge of the Everfree forest. Though it should not have taken her as long as it has for her to get there, no one ever said that she was ready face her friend.

' Dangit, why'd it have to be Fluttershy.' She sighed as she flapped her wings softly.

Fluttershy and her had been friends for almost as long as she could remember. They had met just shortly before flight school, their parents introducing them to each other when both of their fathers began work at the weather factory. Despite having such varied interests, they became fast friends and were nigh inseparable. Rainbow always protected her from bullies and Fluttershy was always there to cheer her on. It made her heart ache when she did something that caused any sort of pain to her friend.

Spying the top of the cottage a short distance ahead of her, Rainbow sighed and angled her wings into a slow dive.

' Best to just get it over with.' As she closed in on the home, worry crept into her face. Normally the sounds of animals would be almost deafening to those who weren't accustomed to it. But now it was strangely silent. As she touched down on the bridge leading up to the small home, Rainbow looked about, her ears flicking in every direction, searching for the familiar sounds that always came with being at Fluttershy's.

" Huh... I guess their all asleep?" Looking to the burnt orange sky, she raised an eyebrow in confusion.

" Kind of early though?" Shrugging her shoulders, Rainbow trotted her way up the path, taking care to follow it exactly as she felt her heart once more drop to her hooves. As she approached the door, she raised a hoof and held it there, waiting to knock.

' Ugh, why is this so hard...' She clenched her eyes shut and softly tapped her hoof on the door. With a quick twist, she pulled a one away away from the door.

" Oh well, guess she's not home!" She chirped, spreading her wings and readying to take off, only to hear the sound of the door knob turning behind her, and grimacing at her luck.

" H-hello?" A strangled and hoarse voice came from within the cottage. It a raspy cough followed the voice and Rainbow immediately grew worried, turning quickly to face the door, trying to peek in.

" Hey Fluttershy? It's me Rainbow, you uh, you ok in there?" A quiet shuffle and another cough followed a brief moment of silence, before the door opened wider and Fluttershy stepped out onto her porch. Rainbow's eyes grew wide as she took in her friend.

Fluttershy stood before her, a haphazard mess. Her mane stuck out in several places and her butter yellow coat look pale and messy. Her eyes were blood shot and her lips were pale. Her wings were dragging onto the ground, the feathers dirty and a few twisted in directions that made Rainbow wince.

" What is it Rainbow?" Her hoarse voice broke Rainbow from her reverie and she quickly rushed up to her friend.

" Oh my gosh! Are you ok!? Are you sick!? Do you need a doctor!? I'm so, SO sorry about my prank!" Fluttershy had to step back a few hoof steps to get Rainbow out of her face.

" I-I'm fine, I'm fine I promise. Prank? What prank?" Fluttershy looked mildly confused as she looked to her friend who hovered closer in worry.

" Forget about that, you are NOT OK! We gotta get you to the hospital, come on!" Flying around behind her, Rainbow tried to hook her forelegs under Fluttershy's barrel, only for the mare to duck under her and back further into her home.

" NO! I-I mean. No. I'm fine Rainbow, I'm just feeling a bit under the weather is all." Rainbow lowered herself back to the ground and looked her friend over again.

" Are you sure? You look a lot more than just ' under the weather' to me." Fluttershy shook her head and did her best to give a smile to her friend.

" I'm fine, I think it was just something I ate before laying down..." Her smile did not reach her eyes, but it was enough to fool Rainbow. The prismatic mare gave her friend a stern look, before slowly nodding her head.

" If you say so... do you want me to stay over and help take care of you? I could still go and get Nurse Redheart, she does house calls I think?" Taking a moment to fight back a cough, Fluttershy shook her head.

" Th-there's no need. Angel has been helping to take care of my needs, he's been big help." Fluttershy did her best to smile once more, though this time, Rainbow could see the strain on her face. With a huff, she turned and spread her wings once more.

" Alright then, but, you better be ok by tomorrow or I'm getting the Nurse Redheart over here pronto!" Fluttershy nodded to her friend, raising her right hoof to wave.

" I'll do my best, have a good evening Rainbow." Turning slowly, she walked back into her home and closed the door softly, the sound of a lock being turned could be clearly heard from the outside. Rainbow looked back to the door of her friend and grimaced. Something about all this didn't feel right. Flapping her wings, she took to the skies and made a beeline for her home.

' You had best take good care of her Angel, or I'll get Gilda back here to teach me how to make rabbit stew!'

- Within Fluttershy's cottage-

The sounds of coughing filled the air of the darkened cottage. A form shuffled about near the window, watching as her friend flew away. Once she was sure that the mare would not turn back, she turned and rushed back to the kitchens, leaping over the overturned coffee table and the splintered remains of the kitchen door. Upon arriving within, she dove once more into the already open cupboard, yanking out every food item she owned.

" S-so, so hungry!" Using her teeth, the mare tore open the box of oats that she currently held and began to pour them into her mouth, chewing greedily and mixing it with the jug of juice that she pulled from the open fridge earlier to help it go down.

When Fluttershy had first awoken from her nap, the first thing that she noticed was a lovely taste in her mouth. It was like mixing every fruit that she loved together in a beautiful and intoxicating cocktail and left her wanting more. It was merely moments after that she realized her little friend was no where to be found. In her haste to locate him and his precious scent, she had turned her entire house nearly inside out, scaring many of her animals into their burrows and many more back into the woods.

Even as she searched for him in a panic, her stomach had begun to rumble with an insatiable hunger. Perhaps an hour of searching and she could no longer take it, her pressing need to eat overriding her addiction to the smell of the parasprite. She had rushed to the kitchen, shattering the door and forcing open both her fridge and cupboards. At first she had tried to cook, but it was taking too long. She needed food right then and now!

Forgoing the cooking process, she began to eat everything that she could. Fruits, berries, oats, vegetables, she even got into some of the food she fed to her animals. She didn't care however, she just knew that she was hungry and nothing was working. Nothing she ate seemed to take away the growing and insatiable urge to eat. When a knock came to her door, she panicked and it took all her strength to drop the food, clean up herself a bit, and make her way to the door.

The whole time she spoke with Rainbow, she couldn't help but wish she would just go away, go away and let her EAT! The mare made her think of all kinds of foods with her colorful mane. The red like juicy Sweet Apple Acres apples, the green like a delicious kiwi fresh from harvest, the blue of her fur like a ton of blue berries piled in front of her. It was torture to let something so delicious sit just inches before her!

Every time Rainbow spoke, she managed to snap her out of her daze and realize that the mare before her was indeed a mare, and not a pile of fruits and food. It did not stop her stomach from churning with hunger however.

Fluttershy's eyes shook wildly as she tore into a can of yams with her teeth, the sharp metal of the can cutting into the sides of her lips a bit, pooling blood into her mouth along with the fruit. A spark of flavor exploded in her mind and Fluttershy let out a groan of ecstasy. Licking her lips more, her eyes glazed over.

In the corner of the kitchen, high up in cabinet, Angel watched his owner with no small amount of fear and worry. She had been on a one mare rampage all day, destroying her home. Now she ate everything in sight and it scared him. Looking back into the cabinet, he could see the shivering and cowering frames of other creatures who called this cottage home. With a quiet glance back, he froze as he stared back into the haunting eyes of Fluttershy, who now looked directly at him, blood dripping down the sides of her lips.

" So... hungry..."

Author's Note

Shaded: * covered in Bandages and more than a few casts* So as you may have noticed, I pushed this one here out a whole HECK of a lot faster than I thought I would...

Twilight: * Reading a book* Subtle persuasion has its... benefits...

Shaded: * Sweats profusely* R-right... I uh... I don't own MLP: FiM or the Equinox Ponies...

Dimmed Star: Don't you think they get the point already? Do we really need to have a disclaimer after EVERY new chapter? Other stories don't do it.

Twilight: It's best to be safe, after all, this one here does have a tendency to... Neglect his duties...

Shaded: * Sweats Bullets*