Chapter 6.
Swarm Of The Bats.

"Bats. Why did it have to be bats?" Fluttershy asked herself as she looked across the cavern. Bats of endless numbers lined the walls, ceiling, and floor. As far as her eyes could see, nothing but bats was her vision.

She might have been a caretaker to the animals of Ponyville, but she didn't like bats. Not that she hated them. She couldn't dare hate any creature. But bats were a different story.

Back when she moved to Ponyville, she dove into every book about all kinds of animals. From dogs to cats, and birds to fish. She learned just about every creature there was to know. With a few exceptions, of course.

During her first Nightmare Night in Ponyville, she was making her way to the market to get food and supplies for the night, before it got dark. On her way, however, she saw a strange figure flying overhead. It was small, but nothing her trained eyes couldn't detect. It didn't look like a bird, and it surely was not a butterfly. Curious as to what this new creature was, she chased after it.

After a while, she came across a cave. She saw the creature fly inside and hesitated to follow. But the urge to find it was too strong. And making the worst mistake of her life, she walked inside. She got no more than a few hundred hooves before realization hit her. And it was worse when the cave walls turned green with eyes.

She ran out of the cave, screaming for dear life as the bats followed in hot pursuit. She made it back to her cottage in no time, locked the door and boarded the windows. Looking out between the wood, she concluded the bats had lost interest and flew back to there home.

She could understand all sorts of different animal languages. All the creatures she'd seen around Ponyville were kind. But these bats were nothing but mean. All the things they said in their bat tongue were cruel and full of hate.

Fluttershy could only recall one instance when a creature of any sort was that mean to her.

Long ago, when she was just a small filly back in Cloudsdale, she was picked on by a few of the other pegasi from her flight school. She felt helpless and afraid. The names they called her.

"The flightless filly. Weakling. My grandmare can fly better than you. Cry, baby."

That is until a lone filly named Rainbow Dash swooped in for her rescue. She heard of Rainbow Dash before and knew she wasn't the best filly to pick on. Or worse, be made a fool. "Leave her alone."

"Hey look, guys, it's Rainbow Crash!" One of the bullies called out in mockery of the fillies name. Rainbow hated the nickname "Crash" but had a better comeback all lined up.

"Hey Loops, did mommy forget to cut your hair again?" She said with a confident grin.

The young colt "Loops" gritted his teeth together. "You trying to pick a fight Crash?"

"Keep picking on her and find out," Dash said, lowering herself to the ground. She was ready to pounce before one of the bullies whispered something into Loops ear.

With a grin, Loops said, "You want a fight, Crash. How about a race, tomorrow at noon?"

Rainbow Dash grew a devious smile and extended a hoof, "You're on."

Loops shook it, and the gang of bullies flew off. A thoughtful grin found its way to her face. She almost couldn't wait till tomorrow. That is until she looked to her left at a stunned and still Fluttershy.

Rainbow Dash walked up to the timid filly and extended a hoof, "Hi, I'm Rainbow Dash," she said closing her eyes and waited for the other girl to shake back. Only, the shake never came. Opening her eyes, she noticed the filly on the cloud, as far down as she could go.

Rainbow Dash looked left and right before saying, "What's your name?"

The yellow filly said in a whisper, "I'm F...Fluttershy."

Rainbow Dash wrinkled her nose and bent down a little, "I'm sorry, what was that?"

The filly backed up a little before saying again, "It's Fluttershy."

Rainbow Dash picked her ears a bit, but she didn't find anything to say her hearing was impaired, "One more time please."

The filly was practically face planting the ground now, "Fluttershy?"

Rainbow took a step back, a look of confusion on her face, "Um, well, it's been nice knowing ya, but I got to go."

Fluttershy looked up and saw the rainbow-maned filly starting to walk away. No, she could let her leave! Not without saying thank you at least. "My name is Fluttershy!" She said, trying to find her hooves again.

Rainbow Dash turned and gently smiled back at the poor filly, "Well, now we're getting somewhere."

Fluttershy weakly smiled back before saying, "Th...Thank you for helping me with Loops. I hope it wasn't t...too much trouble."

Rainbow Dash waved a hoof, "Na, I dealt with those boys before." Rainbow put said hoof on Fluttershy's back, "And if you stick by me, I'll make sure those three won't cause you any more problems."

Rainbow Dash thought her little confidence booster would help, but the shaking under her hoof was proof enough that it didn't. She could see the fear in Fluttershy's eyes from just being this close to another pony. Looking for something to distract the pair, more Fluttershy than herself, she thought of an idea, "Hey, want to go for some milkshakes after school. My treat."

Fluttershy was taken aback by the sudden offer. This new filly just saved her skin, and then asked her out for a milkshake. Yup, this day has officially taken a turn. But maybe for the better. "Um, s..sure."

Fluttershy shook her head. Reminiscing about days gone by can wait. Right now, she needed to find a way around the bats. Looking left and right, she couldn't see any way around. The bats completely covered the walls, ceiling, and floor. The closer she looked, however, she found them all to be asleep.

"Maybe if I walk carefully, I could sneak past them." She thought as she slowly inched her way towards the bats. Almost on the tips of her hooves, she tip-toed around the bats. One by one, more bats found their place behind her.

A small step here and a tiny step there, she slowly started making her way. She moved to the left and passed to the right. She halted the instant she sensed her moves becoming more wavered. She almost lost her balance completely and just barely saved herself from falling right in the middle of the pack.

After a few seconds of steadying, she continued her treck to the other side of the cave. She could see a faint light in the distance and hoped it to be the end of the bat covered floor. Moments later, though it seemed like forever, she finally made it across the sea of bats.

Sighing in relief, she took a moment to catch the breath she didn't know she was holding. Looking up, she gapped in awe, as she saw the most beautiful display in all of Equestria.

Standing before her was an underground lake, with specks of gold and silver lining the walls. Green moss joined in as well, as it draped from the walls and hung from the ceiling. Looking up, she found the light was coming through an opening to the forest floor above. Looking into the water, diamonds, emeralds, and sapphires could be seen on the ground beneath. And a small, tree-root made bridge connected the ground she stood on to an island in the middle of the enormous cavern.

And in the middle of the small island, perched inside a limestone bird fountain, was a lavender lotus.

She slowly walked up to the bridge, tested its durability. Once she concluded it was safe, she made her way across. As she stepped across the bridge, her eyes fixated on the lotus. Besides the room it resided in, the lotus itself was a sight to behold.

The petals were purple, and the stigma was a rich gold. The light from the hole above only enhanced its beauty. It shined, almost glowed in the moonlight. Fluttershy stood over the lotus in stupefaction of its wonderous colors. The flower moved in the water so subtilty, it almost looked alive.

Fluttershy cautiously moved her hoof towards it, shaking. She didn't understand why, but this flower put her in a state of unease. Its beauty felt like a mask, covering something dark and foreboding. Like a warning, again, her soal was telling her to turn away. Whispers were echoing in her mind, speaking contradicting words to her soal.

"Take it."

Fluttershy hoof shakingly moved closer to the cursed flower. Her heart was racing as she drew nearer towards the lotus.

"Take it!"

Fluttershy's hoof grazed the stem, inches away from fully grasping it.

"TAKE IT!"

Fluttershy's world went black, and a darkness fell over her. She could see nothing, but everything at the same time. She saw the past, and she saw the future. She saw ponies, coming and going. She saw happiness, and she saw grief. She saw life, and she saw death. She saw the light but fell towards the darkness.

Falling, falling through the universe, she saw nothing. She felt nothing. She heard nothing. All sense of life was gone, and just as quick as it left, it all came back.

"You are not her..."

Fluttershy opened her eyes and shook her head. Coming back to her senses, she looked down. The lotus was in her hoof. Sighing in relief, she turned to leave.

But a defining sound echoed throughout the cave. Fluttershy covered her ears the best she could, still holding the flower in her grasp. Looking back towards the rest of the cave, she watched in horror as a hundred bats flew her way.

Reacting quickly, she ducked behind the fountain. The bats soon filled the cave, and Fluttershy was stuck. Looking around at the mess, she tried to think of her options. She didn't have many, and everyone idea was worse than the last. She then looked up.

Seeing the hole in the ceiling, she thought of another idea.

"If I'm fast enough, I can make it past the bats."

With determination and fear on her face, she crouched down, spread her wings, and beelined it towards the hole. But she didn't make it. The bats heard her fast takeoff and swarmed in. Fluttershy saw in bats coming, but it was too late.

One by one, the bats attacked. Bites coved her body in seconds. The pain was excruciating, and she let out a cry. It was like a thousand knives stabbing all over her body. Her screams and pleas for help would not be heard, however, as more bats attacked.

She pushed as hard as she could, trying to get to the opening. No matter how hard she flew, she didn't have enough strength to make it. She dropped the lotus as they bit her wings, causing her to fly out of control and crash into the water.

She tried to breathe but found herself unable. She tried to stand, but she couldn't feel her hooves. She attempted to fly, but her wings were limp. Her marks bled and her body shut down. Closing her eyes, she prayed to Celestia that it was all a dream.

Fluttershy found herself floating deep in a dark void. All light was gone, and there was nothing in sight. She couldn't hear or feel. She was alone.

"Hello?"

Nothing.

"Anypony?"

No answer.

"Help me."

Fluttershy was lost and scared. She didn't know where she was or how she'd got there. All she knew, was that she was cold. Not like somepony left the door open during autumn, cold. No, it was more like walking in the Frozen North, cold.

She was about to ponder further until the world began to materialize around her. Looking at the new land in front of her, she gapped in astonishment.
"Ponyville? How did I get back here...?"

It looked like Ponyville, but it was dark, dim, much like the cold days before Nightmare Night began. The sky was a deep orange, and the grass was a dull greenish brown. It looked like Ponyville went through Tartarus and back.

Walking through the empty streets, she felt more alone as signs of life were far from sight. Nopony for miles could be seen, but maybe she could find her animals. Picking a direction, she made her way to her cottage.

On the way, she saw the center of town, completely deserted. The town hall was vacant, the library, was empty, even the boutique was devoid of life.

Fluttershy lowered her head closer to the ground. The Ponyville she knew was gone, replaced by a wasteland of sorrow and loss.

After a time, she made it to her cottage. All the life her home once had was also gone. The house looked like it was in disrepair and the windows were planked.

Walking up to the door, she outstretched a hoof to meet it. She then noticed that the door was cracked open.

"Angel," She called, "are you in here?"

The voice that answered her, however, wasn't angels.

"There are no angels here," It said in a sad, distant voice. "Who are you?"

Fluttershy took a step back, unbeknown to who this voice belonged to, "Um, I'm Fluttershy."

The creature in the dark looked back to her. Its red eyes showing fear, sorrow, and regret.

It looked away, "Why did you do this?" The pain in its voice was apparent.

Fluttershy was perplexed by the question pointed to her, " What do you mean? What did I do?"

The creature turned around fully, walking towards Fluttershy with careful steps. Fluttershy was still, too afraid to move. She could see the figure in the light now. It had a yellow fur coat and bat-like wings. She could also see fangs protruding from its mouth, with blood dripping from them. The part that terrified her the most, however, was the wicked smile it had.

"You killed them all."

Fluttershy gasped for breath. She jolted upright and looked at her surroundings. She was back in the cave. She didn't see any sign of the bats, and her wounds had healed, minus the scars. Peering to her left, she saw the Lavender Lotus, gently and innocently sitting on the ground.

Her mind, however, was somewhere far away when she remembered her dream.

"Who was that?"

Author's Note

I'm going to be honest. This was probably my least favorite chapter thus far. I'm sorry it took me this long to publish it, but I've been really busy these past few months and writers block didn't help matters. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. I do hope you enjoyed reading it and until next time, Tally-ho.