The Sunset Fantasy

Chapter 5: The Selfish Wish

Fluttershy was frozen in place. Doctor Whooves and Nurse Redheart stared at her. They could hear hoofsteps a ways away from them.

“E-excuse me?” Fluttershy's breathing became heavy.

Nurse Redheart hesitated to speak, while Doctor Whooves dove right in. “I mean,” he began in a low voice, “What was that thing you transformed into last night when you ran off into the Everfree Forest?”

Fluttershy began to sweat and instinctively back away. Neither of the other two advanced toward her. “How do you know what happened last night?”

Doctor Whooves grinned nervously. “I saw you flying towards your home in a rush yesterday. I trotted after you to see if you were going to prepare for a monster attack—who better to know if there is one that you, eh? Anyway, then I saw you run into the Everfree Forest, crying. And then you suddenly turned into a giant beast!”

Nurse Redheart nodded. “He told me about it soon after. Now what happened last night?”

Fluttershy backed away even further. “Um . . .” she couldn't force the words out.

Doctor Whooves sighed. “Fluttershy, we know this may be difficult for you to talk about—“

Nurse Redheart took a small step forward. “But we really need to know what's going on.”

“Why?” Fluttershy squeaked.

At this, Redheart's face hardened. “This whole mess may be limited to panic now, but I have no idea whether this will become a serious threat. For all I know, ponies could be hurt!”

Doctor Whooves nodded. “I do apologize if this is hard for you, Fluttershy.” Fluttershy lowered her body. “But we need to know what we're dealing with.”

Fluttershy sighed. “You're . . . could you please not tell anypony about this?”

Nurse Redheart looked like she was about to shout, but Doctor Whooves stopped her. “We'll see what we can do. Now, why don't we start with questioning you?”

Fluttershy nodded, and sat down in front of them. She stared at the floor.

“Now then,” the Doctor began, venturing to step closer to Fluttershy. “Why don't we start with what happened last night.”

Fluttershy didn't look up. “I became a monster.”

Doctor Whooves stepped closer, and Fluttershy backed away. “We know that, dear.” Fluttershy winced. “What exactly did you become last night?”

“I don't know exactly,” Fluttershy said. “All I know is I became a monster.”

The other two looked at each other. “Okay,” Nurse Redheart said. “Has this happened recently, or this is something that came around in the past?”

“It first happened four nights ago.”

Nurse Redheart began to pace. “So this isn't something you're familiar with?” Fluttershy shook her head. “Okay, so we're dealing with you as a creature that doesn't know how to control itself.”

Fluttershy peeked out from behind her hair. “I'm-I'm learning how to control it.”

“Really!? Well then, I suppose everything's fine, then!” Nurse Redheart huffed and turned away from Fluttershy, putting a hoof to her face.

Doctor Whooves rubbed her shoulder. “Settle down, dear. Maybe this isn't her fault.”

Fluttershy mumbled.

“I'm sorry dear, what was that?”

“It . . . it is my fault.”

For a few moments nothing happened. Nurse Redheart was taking deep breaths, and Doctor Whooves stood with concern on his face.

“Fluttershy.” It was Nurse Redheart who broke the silence. “Why don't you tell us what happened? Maybe we can sort this out.”

A smile from the nurse and the doctor made Fluttershy sit up straight. “Alright, then.” Doctor Whooves took a seat to Fluttershy's left, while Nurse Redheart sat directly at her right.

Well, it all began when I was preparing dinner for my animals. Everypony was behaving themselves-well, actually, Angel was picking a fight with Mrs. Badger again, and they wouldn't stop bickering. They usually settle it quickly and fightlessly, so I left them alone.

And then they all went quiet and looked into the Everfree Forest. I was somewhat afraid right now, because I couldn't see or hear what had their attention. They didn't seem afraid, though, and when there was yelling, they didn't run away.

So I went to see what was going on (of course, Harry came with me, so I felt safer)--

“Wait, who's Harry?”

“Oh! He's a bear.”

“...”

Anyway, me and Harry went in to see what was going on in the Everfree Forest. We followed the voice of the screaming, and I could soon tell that it was a pony making those noises. We soon found Trixie tangled in a bush.

“Trixie . . . why does that name sound familiar?”

“She performed a show a while back.”

“Oh, right! The Great and Powerful Trixie.”

Yes. She was tangled up in a bush. When she saw us, she screamed.

“Please don't be afraid!” I blurted out, even though I was hiding behind Harry. “We're not here to hurt you.”

“Who's saying that!” She was looking at Harry. “Was is you, bear?”

Looking back, I suppose it was silly for me to hide behind Harry; he was so confused! I came out of my hiding place, and she calmed down. “Here, let me help you.”

She was reluctant at first, but I was able to untangle her. She was a mess. Her cape was torn, her coat dirty, and her mane frazzled. Her hat, though, was unharmed.

“Trixie thanks you,” she said. “I must be on my way now.”

I didn't want her to go out on her own, so I stepped in front of her. “You could stay at my place.”

Trixie looked at me, and then at Harry, and then shuddered, creeping Harry out. “I'd... rather not impose on you or your, er, friend.”

Harry tried telling her it wouldn't be any trouble, but Trixie didn't understand. After a few more minutes of reassuring her it wouldn't be any trouble, I took her back to my cottage.

Let me skip a few scenes: Trixie came over and was at first scared of my animals, but once I explained to them that she was a guest, and that she needed some space, they left her alone. Angel and Mrs. Badger had stopped fighting.

And then she took a bath. She talked to herself a lot, but I couldn't understand anything she was saying. Not that I was spying or anything!

“Relax, Fluttershy. Please continue.”

And then she came downstairs for dinner. It wasn't much, just a light vegetable salad, but she dived in and ate voraciously. It was quiet for a while, and then she decided to begin a conversation.

“So,” she began. “You like to take care of animals?”

I of course answered yes! And I began to tell her how I got my cutie mark and how I take care of the animals—and I told her about this one time where I was out flying and I saw a goose plummeting towards to the ground and I had to swoop in and—

“Fluttershy, I think you're getting sidetracked.”

Oh, sorry. Anyway, Trixie was surprisingly patient as I continued on and on about how I loved taking care of animals. At the end, Trixie had finished her salad, and she had finished off my bowl while I wasn't looking. I didn't mind, though.

“So,” Trixie said with curiosity. “You're very close to your animals?”

I nodded. “Oh yes, very much.”

She smiled, but it wasn't a friendly smile. It was more like a smile of somepony that wants to do something bad. “Well, what if I, The Great and Powerful Trixie, could somehow help you become an animal?”

I hadn't suspected anything bad at that time; I was confused. “Excuse me?”

“Well,” Trixie began, leaning closer. “After Trixie's . . . last show, she's been practicing some new skills. I could transform you into an animal if you'd like.”

I was unsure about it at first, so she used Angel Bunny to show me how safe it was.

“...safe.”

...Er, somewhat. What she did with Angel was safe, and kinda funny: she turned him into a chicken! He ran around so angry, and I thought something was wrong. Then Trixie used her magic and he turned back into his normal bunny body. I couldn't help but laugh.

I'm sorry.

“There's no need for apologies, dear. Please continue.”

Seeing this demonstration, I felt a lot more comfortable.

“So,” Trixie said. “Are you interested?”

I didn't feel too afraid about it; I thought it would be fun to be a dog or a bird for a day. I told her I'd be okay with it.

“Wonderful!” she shouted. “Step outside and we can begin.” So we both left the table and went to my chicken coop. “And don't worry about repaying me,” she added. “Your taking me in is enough.”

And so she cast her spell on me, and . . . and . . .

“And then you became that thing?” Doctor Whooves asked. Fluttershy nodded. “So this entire thing is Trixie's fault.”

Fluttershy shot up and shook her head. “Oh, no, it's all mine!”

Doctor Whooves remained calm. “But she's the one that decided that you needed to be a monster!”

“You don't understand,” Fluttershy sighed. “I'm the one that didn't tell her what I wanted to be; Trixie was so distraught that I wasn't satisfied, since she put a lot of effort into what she did.”

Nurse Redheart shook her head, confused. “But that doesn't explain why you're still going through with this. Why don't you just ask her to stop?”

“She can't stop i—“

“Oh, my flank she can't stop it!” Nurse Redheart shouted. “Darnit, Fluttershy, have you even asked her to stop it!?”

“Settle down, dear,” Doctor Whooves whispered.

“Why haven't you told anypony about this?”

Fluttershy bowed her head. “This is my fault. Trixie can't stop it until her strength's restored, and so I've been trying to get past this quietly.”

Nurse Redheart huffed. “Unbelievable. So when does this happen?”

“When the sun sets behind Canterlot.”

Nurse Redheart's eyes widened. “Er, I need to go check something.” With that, she ran out of the room. The other two ponies looked at the slowly-closing door for a second before the Doctor turned to look at her. “I'll be right back, okay dear?”

Fluttershy nodded and lowered herself to the floor. The Doctor gave her nape a nuzzle. “Hey, everything's going to be fine. Alright?” He got no response; he silently left the room.

Fluttershy just lay there with her eyes closed, sobbing. Nurse Redheart deserves to be angry. I'm a monster who's endangering Ponyville because I'm too selfish and stupid to do anything right! I-I can't think of anything I could do to make this right except waiting.

But why is she so mad at Trixie?

The doors burst open, and both the Doctor and Nurse Redheart ran in. In an instant, they both gasped; Nurse Redheart had to cover her mouth to stifle a scream. Fluttershy lifted her head . . . to find that it rose much higher than it should've. She looked down at her body, and realized that she had just transformed.