Fluttershy and the Misplaced Manticoreby CapNTilfyChaptersManticore at the DoorIn Search of a ManticorePursuitSilenceAshes to AshesManticore at the DoorFluttershy gaped in awe at the creature before her. The manticore tilted its head slightly, its expression unreadable. "Did you get lost," she asked. The manticore simply blinked. Fluttershy sighed. "I wish Sunset was here," she thought aloud. "She might know what to do." She shook her head rapidly. "What am I saying," she asked herself incredulously. "This is an animal!" She glanced at the manticore. "A mythical creature, technically, but still an animal!" She clenched her fists in determination. "I can do this!" Fluttershy brought the manticore to her backyard, thankful that her parents and brother weren't around. Once there, she began to pace back and forth. "I can't just call you ' manticore'," she said. "You at least need a name." She cupped her chin in thought as she continued walking back and forth. She stopped suddenly, and her eyes widened. "Ah," she exclaimed. "I'll call you Silence!" Silence blinked. "I'll take that as a yes, then," Fluttershy said. "Now then," she said as she took out her phone. "What do manticores eat?" She did a web search, then looked up at Silence. "Meat, huh," she asked. "Are you hungry now?" Silence shook its head. "That's a relief. Imagine, me telling my parents that all the meat was eaten by a mythical creature." She giggled. Her eyes shot open in sudden realization. "Wait," she said. "You can just answer simple 'yes' or 'no' questions," she exclaimed. "Why didn't I think of that earlier?" Fluttershy smiled, happy to have at least some sort of level of communication with Silence. "So," she said, "are you lost?" Silence simply blinked. Mental note, Fluttershy thought, blinking is probably equivalent to "I don't know". She gasped when she noticed a pendant around Silence's neck. "That's very pretty, Silence," Fluttershy said as she leaned in to get a closer look at it. Silence backed up a little and shook its head. "Oh," Fluttershy said. "You don't want me to touch it?" Silence nodded. "Okay, I understand." She smiled. "That pendant must be special to you." Silence shook its head, causing Fluttershy to blink in confusion. "It's not?" Silence nodded. Fluttershy began her pacing anew as she thought. "Clearly you can understand what I'm saying...but can you write?" Silence shook its head, causing her to sigh. "Do you know where you belong," she asked. Silence nodded. "Can you take me there?" Silence shook its head. She frowned. "How can I help you if you won't take me where you live?" Silence blinked, and Fluttershy growled in frustration as she put the palm of her hand to her face. "This isn't getting either of us anywhere," she muttered as she scratched her head. "Oh," Fluttershy exclaimed. "Maybe I can try this!" She channeled her geode and summoned several suburban animals to her backyard. Once they spotted the manticore, they slowly backed up, then looked at Fluttershy. "Don't worry," she said reassuringly. "I wouldn't willingly put you all in harm's way." The animals all chittered, cheeped and quacked. Fluttershy frowned slightly. "I don't see how it's a bad choice of words." She looked at Silence. "Do you promise not to harm them," she asked. Silence nodded. Fluttershy looked back at the animals with a gentle smile, and they all visibly calmed down. "Okay," she said, clapping her hands together. "Now that that's settled, this is Silence," She said, gesturing to the manticore. "Silence is unable to speak, so I was hoping one of you would be able to be an interpreter for me." The animals all chattered, causing her to hold her hands up. "One at a time, please. It's hard to hear when you're all talking over each other." She ordered the animals to stand in a single-file line, and they each attempted to communicate with Silence. Roughly an hour had passed, and all the animals tried their best, but to no avail. Fluttershy sighed as the last of the animals gave their best effort, then shook its head. "Well," she said, unable to hide her disappointment, "Thanks for trying, anyway." The animals all chattered at her. She giggled, then smiled warmly. "Thank you. You always know how to cheer me up." The animals all gradually left, then Fluttershy folded her arms and looked at Silence. She made a sputtering noise as she eyed the manticore up and down. She walked over to the patio table, then rested her chin on one hand while tapping a finger on the table with the other hand. "I've never had problems communicating with animals before," she thought aloud. "So why is this different?" Silence blinked at her. Fluttershy's eyes wandered to the pendant around Silence's neck. "Why are you wearing that, anyway?" Silence blinked. "Oh, don't mind the question, Silence," Fluttershy said. "I think if I ask them aloud instead of think them, I might come up with a solution." Silence blinked again. "Hmm..." Her eyes widened. Wait, she thought. If ponies become human, and dragons become dogs when passing through the portal from Equestria... She eyed Silence with a hint of uncertainty. "What kind of creature from Equestria would pass through and become a manticore," she asked. "It doesn't make any sense." Silence stood still and blinked. "If you were a mythical creature already, you would've become something normal. I think." Maybe I should ask Princess Twilight about this next time I see her. Fluttershy stared at Silence. "No," she said. "That still doesn't make sense. Unless..." she trailed off, then gasped. "Unless that pendant has something to do with it," she exclaimed, excited that she finally felt like she was getting somewhere. She ran into the tool shed and rummaged around until she finally found some hedge shears. Maybe if I cut it off, I'll be able to communicate with Silence! She ran to the backyard and gasped as she covered her mouth with a hand. She didn't know how it was possible, but one of the largest creatures she had ever seen had somehow been able to move with little to no noise. Silence was gone. In Search of a ManticoreFluttershy channeled her geode and called forth several animals. They all stood before her, confused. "I know you all just left," she said, "but Silence has gone missing!" The animals gave their respective equivalents of a gasp as their eyes widened in shock. "I'm going to need eyes and ears all over the neighborhood," she continued. "Who knows what could happen if people saw a manticore? They might try to capture it, sell it to the highest bidder..." She gasped. "Or even worse. What if Silence got hungry? People could be killed!" The animals all chittered. Fluttershy calmed down just a tad. "You're right," she said to the animals. "I need to take a deep breath." She took a deep breath, then exhaled. She smiled. "Okay. Birds, to the sky. If you see anything suspicious, have at least one in the air while another reports to me." The birds nodded. "Raccoons," She called out. "Did you all get a good enough scent of Silence," she asked. The raccoons nodded. "Good," she said, clapping her hands together. "Follow the scent as best you can. I'll be behind you all the way." "Dogs," Fluttershy called out. "If you smell Silence, follow the scent as well. If you see it, don't howl, bark or make too much noise. Just whimper, and my geode should react and lead me to you." The dogs barked in understanding. "All other animals, stand by just in case you're needed." She cracked her neck with a confident smile. "All right, then. Every creature, disperse!" The birds took to the sky, the dogs ran off, the raccoons skittered away, and she followed. Fluttershy kept a close eye on the raccoons as they kept their noses to the ground. All I know about manticores is from what Sunset Shimmer told me, and she doesn't seem to know much about their behavior either, she thought. From the looks of things, though, Silence is staying on the ground. For now. She shook her head rapidly. Focus, Fluttershy, focus, she scolded herself. This is no time to get lost in thought! She snapped out of her thoughts when she heard a scream. She gasped, then turned her attention to one of the raccoons. "Smokey, investigate that noise. It might be a lead." Smokey nodded, then ran off in the direction the scream came from. Smokey ran as fast as he could to the source of the scream, then stopped when he saw two vaguely familiar faces. He listened in on the conversation intently. "What was that all about, Pinkie?" asked the familiar blue girl. "I know you tend to overreact sometimes..." "Crush?! Who said anything about a crush," the one apparently named Pinkie exclaimed, then immediately covered her mouth. The familiar blue girl's eyes widened. "Wait...you have a crush on him?!" "Rainbow Dash, I can't possibly have a crush on him! He's an OC!" said the one apparently named Pinkie. The one apparently named Rainbow Dash blinked and opened her mouth, but decided to stay silent. "I mean, he's a nice guy and all, but no. I don't have a crush on him." the one apparently named Pinkie said. Smokey decided that he'd heard enough, and he went back to report to Fluttershy. He caused the bush to rustle, startling the one apparently named Pinkie. Smokey returned to his fellow raccoons and Fluttershy, then chittered, telling her all that he saw. Fluttershy heaved a sigh of relief. "Well, at least she's okay," she said. "But no manticore sighting," she asked. Smokey shook his head. She frowned in slight disappointment. "Thank you for trying your best," she said reassuringly. She turned her gaze to the sky momentarily, checking for any incoming reports from the birds. Nothing. She turned her attention back to the ground as she continued to follow the other raccoons. Fluttershy nearly took out her phone to text one of her friends, but decided against it. No, she thought. Silence is my responsibility. I should take care of this myself. The raccoons stopped, then looked in different directions. "What's wrong," Fluttershy asked, concerned. The raccoons chittered at her, and her eyes widened. "What," she asked, shocked. "How can the scent possibly go in multiple directions?" The raccoons shrugged. Fluttershy pinched the bridge of her nose. Silence must be smarter than I thought. That's the only logical explanation I can think of right now. "Okay," Fluttershy said. "Split up and follow the scent individually. Report back to me if it merges again, and we can go from there." The raccoons nodded, and she stayed behind as she cupped her chin in thought. She closed her eyes, then clenched her hands into fists and held them against her chest. She focused on all the animal noises around her in hopes of receiving a much-needed update. She kept her breathing slow and steady, concentrating hard. Her eyes widened and she gasped when she heard a noise. "W-Who's there," Fluttershy asked as she felt a chill down her spine. She turned to the direction of the noise and saw the raccoons return. She sighed in relief. "Any luck," she asked with a hopeful expression. The raccoons shook their heads. Fluttershy sagged in disappointment and leaned against a tree. "This is getting ridiculous," she said. "You'd think something as legendary as a manticore would be easy to spot outside of Equestria..." Fluttershy slid down the tree. "I can't communicate with it. I can't even find it," she said, then sniffled as she covered her face with her hands. "I...I'm supposed to be good with animals." The raccoons chittered at her, then hugged her. "You know what," she said, lifting her head off of her hands. "You're right. I'm giving up far too soon." She smiled, then pet all of the raccoons. "Thank you," she said. "I really needed to hear that." Fluttershy heard tweeting from the sky, and she looked up. "Constance," she said excitedly. "Did you find Silence?" Constance nodded. "Where," she asked eagerly. The bird tweeted, and her eyes widened. "Wait. That's near Sunset's apartment!" She channeled her geode to call upon a bear. It arrived, and she rode off toward her friend's apartment. PursuitIf it weren't for the dire circumstance she was in, Fluttershy would have enjoyed the wind in her hair. She set that thought aside, as she needed all of her focus in order to find Silence. Harry, the bear she was riding, was running full speed ahead. Fluttershy alternated her attention between the sky and the direction Harry was taking her. "Constance," she called out. Within moments, the orange bird descended and chirped an inquiry. "Have two birds fly over to Sunset's," she said. "One to stay and one to report back to me in case Silence leaves." Constance nodded, then took to the air once again. Good, Fluttershy thought. This way it'll be easier for me to be up to speed on things. She no longer felt that she needed to look up at the sky, and she kept her eyes forward. She and Harry finally arrived near Sunset's apartment, only to find Constance waiting for her. Fluttershy blinked in surprise. "Constance," she asked. "Where's Silence?" Constance looked ashamed of herself, then chirped. Fluttershy's eyes widened and she gasped. "Twilight's home," she asked. Constance nodded. "Okay," she said. "same plan as last time. Get Reginald and Hubert to keep watch over there." Constance nodded again, then took off. Fluttershy channeled her geode again, summoning Harry. "To Twilight's!" As Fluttershy traveled atop Harry, she noticed he was going through fatigue. "Oh, goodness," she exclaimed. "Maybe you should stop, Harry." She pet him on the head gently. "Thank you for your help," she said gratefully. "Now go and get some rest." Harry smiled, then walked back to his home. Fluttershy sighed in disappointment. "I guess I'll just have to hoof it," she said. Upon reaching Twilight's home, Fluttershy nearly gagged. "What is that smell," she cried out as she plugged her nose. Constance, Reginald, and Hubert landed right in front of her. "No sign, huh," she asked. The three birds all chirped at the same time. "One at a time, please," she said, as she unplugged her nose and held out her hands. Reginald tweeted, and Fluttershy gasped. "Really," she asked in surprise. "I think I'm beginning to figure something out here," she said with a smile. "Round up as many animals as you can and meet me within a safe distance from here. I don't want this scent to disturb the animals." The birds nodded and took off. Within a few minutes, dozens of animals had arrived on the scene. Fluttershy paced back and forth. "All right, every creature," she said. "I believe I've figured out what Silence is up to. First," she said, holding up her pointer finger. "It appeared at my house, then left Sunset Shimmer's apartment. When it noticed she wasn't there, Silence went to Twilight's. Now, according to Reginald, Constance and Hubert, Silence's next destination is Pinkie Pie's home." She looked at the animals, making sure they were all paying attention. "This leads me to believe that Silence is looking for all of my friends," Fluttershy said. "But none of them seem to be home. I'd imagine if my they did see a manticore, we'd all be told. So I want you all to spread out. If possible, distract him. Find any way to keep him from flying away, as long as it's not harmful. I need him occupied until I find him." The animals nodded in understanding. "Split up into groups," she ordered. "Those who want to go to Pinkie's, gather here," she pointed in a direction. "Those who want to go to Rainbow Dash's, gather here. Rarity's, go here. Applejack's, here." All the animals went in various spots. She nodded in satisfaction. "Good," she said. "Now spread out! Stay in your respective places until I get there." The animals all dispersed, and Fluttershy began her trek to Pinkie's. Fluttershy arrived at Pinkie's, out of breath. "I really need to get back into shape," she said between gasps. Once she caught her breath, she found the group of surveillance animals and walked up to them. "Any sign," she asked. The animals shook their heads. "Really," she asked, beginning to feel frustrated. A squirrel made its way through the crowd and chittered. Fluttershy smiled. "You're right," she said. "I shouldn't push myself too hard. I think I'll take a taxi to Rainbow's." She waved to the animals and called a ride. She entered the car as soon as it arrived. The driver dropped Fluttershy off at Rainbow's and she waved goodbye as the car left. She walked over to the group of animals. "Any such luck," she asked. A dog came to the front of the group and barked, growled, then whimpered. Fluttershy raised an eyebrow. "I'm not sure a 'funny-smelling kid' is cause enough for worry," she said, then sighed. "Okay, off to Rarity's then." She called and boarded another taxi. Fluttershy had arrived at Rarity's and checked in with the animals there. "Have any of you seen Silence," she asked. The animals all shook their heads, and she began to worry. "What if someone found him," she asked, "what if something's happened to him?" The animals all chittered, and Fluttershy smiled. "You're right. I still haven't been to Applejack's. I really hope he's there." She ponied up, then took to the sky and flew to Applejack's. The sky was beginning to darken by the time Fluttershy reached Sweet Apple Acres. Thoroughly exhausted, she nearly crash landed in the orchard. She found the group of animals keeping watch, and approached them. "Please, please, please tell me you all saw Silence," she said, almost on the verge of tears. The animals all shook their heads. "How the hell can a manticore not be seen in broad daylight," she asked angrily, flailing her arms. "Whoa, Fluttershy," said a familiar voice behind her. "Is that the first time you've ever swore?" Fluttershy yelped, then turned around. Standing before her were Lemon Zest, Sugarcoat, Indigo Zap, Sour Sweet and Sunny Flare. "Wh-What are you girls doing here," she asked. Sugarcoat opened her mouth, but Sour covered it with her hand. "We were just helping Applejack with a little...problem," Lemon said with a smile. "Oh, my," Fluttershy said. "Is she okay?" Sugarcoat removed Sour's hand and frowned, crossing her arms. "She should be fine," Sour said. "Enough about us," Sugarcoat said. "What are you doing here?" Fluttershy sighed heavily. "It's a long story," she said. "You can tell us on the way to your place," Indigo said. "You look like shit." "And people tell me I have no tact," Sugarcoat said, rolling her eyes. "You're willing to give me a lift," Fluttershy asked hopefully, ignoring Indigo's comment. "Sure," Lemon said. "I mean, we're in the neighborhood anyway." Fluttershy smiled. "Thank you all!" She slowly got up and into a van parked nearby. Sour Sweet took the wheel. "What's your address," she asked. Fluttershy told her, then took a deep breath. "Okay," she said. "Here's what's been happening." The Shadowbolts listened intently to her story until she finished. "I'd call bullshit if I hadn't seen the magic for myself," Sugarcoat said. "Still, it's hard to believe." "I understand," Fluttershy said. "But I'm grateful that you heard me out at least." "No problem," Lemon said. "Can we help you?" "Oh, I don't want you girls getting into trouble," Fluttershy said. "Come on," Indigo said throwing her arms up. "Don't you remember how we helped at the Friendship Games, despite the danger?" Lemon smiled warmly. "Yeah," she said dreamily. "Good times." Everyone glanced at her, and she blushed. "I mean, yeah! That was an adrenaline rush!" Fluttershy smiled. "I appreciate the offer, but I think I can handle this. Animals are my specialty, after all." "If you say so," Sour said as the van stopped in front of Fluttershy's house. "Thank you all again," Fluttershy said as she waved, then headed to her backyard as Sour drove off. "Oh, who am I kidding," she said. "Why am I even bothering, going to my backyard?" She sighed heavily as she entered her house. She walked all the way to the sliding glass door with her head hung in despair, then opened it. She walked outside and closed the door behind her. She turned around, then gasped. Silence was a few feet away from her, sitting on the grass. SilenceFluttershy's knees nearly buckled as a slew of emotions hit her all at once. Anger, relief, joy, and frustration battled for dominance in her mind as she slowly approached Silence. She steadied herself, then took a deep breath and exhaled. She managed to quell the storm of feelings and regained a normal stride as she reached Silence. "Do you have any idea what you just put me through," she asked, then shook her head. "No," she said. "Not just me." She channeled her geode for what she hoped would be the last time of the day and hoped that she wouldn't cause a magical surge. Dozens of animals came into Fluttershy's backyard and glared at Silence. "What you put all of us through," she said angrily as she gestured to all of the upset animals. "What would you have done if someone had found you," she asked. "You could have been captured, sold to the highest bidder..." she trailed off and began to choke up. "You. You could even have been shot!" She sniffled. "I don't know what I'd do with myself if you ended up killing someone. The blood you'd shed would not only have been on your paws," she said, pointing to Silence's feet, "but my hands as well." She held her hands in front of her face, then looked back at him. "You came to me, so that makes you my responsibility." "So let me ask you, Silence," Fluttershy said angrily as tears started to fall from her eyes. "Was it worth it? Just going wherever you please without a care in the world? Not thinking about how I'd feel if something happened to you or someone else?!" She sniffled again. "I...I..." unable to hold herself together any longer, Fluttershy broke. Harry plodded over to her and comforted her as the other animals continued to glare at Silence. The manticore simply blinked as he heard Fluttershy's muffled sobs. Several minutes later, Fluttershy thanked Harry then looked back at Silence. "I'm just glad you're safe," she said. "But if you ever, ever do that again I promise I will track you down. I will find you. And I will give you a look so mean!" She stepped over to Silence and got into his face. "Are. We. Clear," she asked. Silence backed up a bit and nodded. "Good," Fluttershy said happily, finally feeling calm after a harrowing day. She went upstairs to her room and changed into her pajamas. Maybe I should check in with Silence before I go to sleep, Fluttershy thought as she finished changing. She walked downstairs and out onto the back porch. She noticed all of the animals were still keeping a close eye on Silence and smiled. "Thank you," she said to all the animals. "Keep an eye on him while I'm asleep," she whispered, then walked up to Silence. "You stay put, and tomorrow Sunset should be back from Equestria. We'll figure something out so we can get you back home. Okay," she asked, giving him a sweet smile. Silence nodded, and Fluttershy hugged him. The animals began to look at her nervously as she broke the hug with Silence. She took notice. "What's wrong," she asked. The animals chittered and pointed at Silence's pendant. She quirked an eyebrow and looked at it intently, until Harry pushed her away and ran. Fluttershy got up off the ground. "What has gotten into-" she heard a loud click, and turned towards Silence. His pendant slowly lit up... Then set Silence on fire. Fluttershy shrieked in horror and ran for the garden hose. She turned the spigot as she thought she heard Silence actually roar in pain. She panicked and ran with the hose in hand and put her thumb on it, spraying Silence with water. The flames only burned brighter and brighter. She clenched her teeth, then looked at Harry. "Quick," she shouted, "Dig up the ground and throw dirt on him!" Harry dug furiously as the flames grew higher and shone brighter. Tears began streaming down Fluttershy's face. She felt powerless, unable to help this poor, suffering manticore! Surely there must be something she can do! She frantically looked around her backyard as terror clutched her heart. Anything would do at this point. She was out of ideas! She could only stand by in terror as the flames died down, revealing nothing but ashes. Another gust of wind blew, scattering Silence's ashes. Fluttershy stood still in shock, unblinking. Physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted, she passed out on the porch. Harry gasped, then picked her up. He opened the sliding-glass door and closed it behind him. He walked up to Fluttershy's room, then gently placed her on her bed. He stood next to her bed, keeping a watchful eye on her. Several miles away, Silence's ashes began to swirl, forming a miniature cyclone. They slowly coalesced into a cloaked being, its question mark emblazoned mask shining in the moonlight. The masked figure sighed, then cracked their knuckles and neck. They tapped their mask. "Mission accomplished. Returning to base." Ashes to AshesAuthor's Note I hope the dream wasn't too nonsensical. I applied dream logic directly to the forehead. Ashes to Ashes Fluttershy opened her eyes to find herself at the entrance to Canterlot High. She had remembered that Rarity told her about some new trend that was kicking into high gear, but she didn't say what it was. She eagerly entered the school, excited to learn more about the next big thing. She opened the door excitedly, and entered. Her excitement changed to horror, however, when she noticed what the new trend was. Fluttershy almost immediately recognized the pendants her fellow students were wearing. She gasped, then ran in search of her friends. Hopefully she could find them by nightfall, which was when the pendants were expected to go off. That's odd, she thought. I don't remember Canterlot High not having a swimming pool in the multi-purpose room. She shook her head, then pressed on. She heard Sunset Shimmer in the midst of a battle as she passed the kendo club room. She turned back, then looked inside. Sunset and Sandalwood were engaged in combat, with Angel Bunny as the referee. They were both armed with cardboard cutouts of bats and wearing balloons. "Match point," Angel Bunny called out. Sunset and Sandalwood bowed respectfully, then assumed fighting stances. Fluttershy dared not interrupt their battle, as it was a sacred rite of passage. She silently cheered for both of them. Sunset swung at Sandalwood, who did a backflip, then ricocheted off the walls and threw a boomerang at his opponent. Sunset closed her eyes and focused, then clapped her hands, catching the projectile. She threw it back at Sandalwood, and it hit, causing him to explode like a miniature firework. Fluttershy covered her mouth with her hands as she gasped. "Oh...oh, my. Poor Sandalwood," she said sadly. Sunset smiled, triumphant, then walked over to Fluttershy and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "He knew what he got himself into," she said. "There's no need to mourn. What's done is done." She grinned, then lightly punched her on the arm. "So what's up," she asked. Fluttershy frantically explained the danger of the pendants to Sunset, and her eyes widened. "Why didn't you say anything sooner?!" Fluttershy flinched. "I...I didn't want to interrupt your soccer match." Sunset sighed and rolled her eyes as she folded her arms. "Like you said, 'what's done is done'. Let's find the others," she said. Sunset nodded, and the two ran out of the room. Now outside, Fluttershy and Sunset began jogging on treadmills as the wind blew in their hair. "What'cha doin," asked a familiar high-pitched voice. Fluttershy looked to see Pinkie Pie with a rose in her mouth. She winked. Fluttershy sighed wearily. "Pinkie, how many times do I have to tell you," she asked. "I just want to be friends!" Pinkie frowned. "Aww, but I've never had sex with a skillet before." Fluttershy blinked in confusion. "A skill-goddammit, Pinkie," she said as she slapped her hand against her forehead. "It's not 'skillet', Pinkie," she said in frustration as she removed her hand. "It's 'pan'. 'Pansexual'." Pinkie shrugged and made a non-committal grunt. "Not that this conversation hasn't been scintillating," Sunset said, "but we've got a problem on our hands!" She then went on to explain to Pinkie the danger everyone was in in the only way she knew Pinkie would understand in one go: a musical number so elaborate that the author couldn't be bothered to spend a paragraph describing it. Once the song was over, Pinkie had began to tear up. She walked over to Sunset, then got on one knee. "Sunset Shimmer," she said. "Will you marry me?" Sunset shrugged and made a non-committal grunt. Pinkie squealed with delight. "I'll get the reverend," she said in a singsong voice, then ran off. Fluttershy stood still in disbelief. "What just happened," she asked in a tone that a child would use when asking where babies come from. Sunset shrugged and made a non-committal grunt. "What in tarnation is goin' on," Applejack asked as Pinkie dragged her by the hair like a caveman with its mate. "One minute ah'm doin' somethin' apple-related, and the next thing ah know, ah'm bein' dragged by the hair like a caveman with its mate!" Applejack blinked and cupped her chin in thought as she furrowed her brow. "Now how in the hay do ah know that?" "Applejack is the reverend," Fluttershy asked incredulously. "Of course not, silly," Pinkie said. "She was closer to us than Rainbow Dash, Twilight or Rarity. I didn't have enough dream fuel for all of us," she said in a matter-of-fact tone. Fluttershy sighed and rolled her eyes again, then yelped as someone bumped into her. Sonata Dusk walked past her, then stopped right next to Pinkie. "You were amazing in bed last night," Sonata said to Pinkie breathily. "I want you. Right here, right now," she said, her eyes half-lidded. Pinkie embraced her and kissed her deeply. Fluttershy blinked, then Rainbow Dash appeared in Sonata's place. Rainbow broke the kiss. "Damn, Pinkie," she said, impressed. "You ever think about becoming friends with benefits?" "Maybe later," Pinkie said with a smile. "Right now, here's what's going down." She explained everything in horse noises, which moved Sunset Shimmer to tears. Sunset broke down and held onto Fluttershy as though her life depended on it. Rainbow frowned for a moment, then took out a blank sign and painted on it. Once finished, she lifted it above her head. The sign read "Understood, Pinkamena-senpai!" "Great," Fluttershy said. "Now all we need to do is find Rarity and Twilight." Pinkie took a deep breath, then shouted. "Pi is exactly three!" She grinned and made a squeaking noise, then held up three fingers. She mouthed the numbers as she lowered them. Once she finished, Twilight was seen running towards them. Once she reached the group, Twilight stopped, panting heavily as she shook with fury. "Which one of you said it," she asked in a low and menacing voice. Everyone else pointed to Pinkie. Twilight turned around, seething with rage. "If I ever, ever hear such blasphemy from you again, I'm going to use your stuffed alligator as a subject in my next science experiment," she said, her death glare boring into Pinkie's soul. "Am I clear?" Pinkie smiled and nodded. "Great," Twilight said, acting like her normal self in an instant. "So why did you all summon me with such heresy?" Rarity showed up, panicking and flailing her arms. She warned her friends of the true danger of the new trend that swept Canterlot High, saving time and making things easier for the author who swears he's not phoning it in, honest! "We know," said everyone but Twilight, who frowned. "Why was I the last to know," Twilight asked in surprise. "Because the sun's setting, that's why," Pinkie answered. Her pendant glowed. "Ooh, am I evolving?" She was engulfed in a pillar of fire, then became ash. "That's the last time I wear something around my neck besides my geode," Rarity said before she shared Pinkie's fate. "Dammit, I'm getting so sick and tired of being bathed in a column of magic," Sunset complained, then bathed in a column of magic for the last time. Applejack shrugged and made a non-committal noise, then burned to ash. "'Pie is exactly three,'" Twilight muttered under her breath. "Of all the things to hear before I die, why the fu-" She was cut off by an easily offended pillar of fire, then turned to ash. Rainbow Dash smiled. "You know, Fluttershy, I've been meaning to say that you have a killer rack," she exclaimed, not looking her in the eyes. She was engulfed in fire and became ash. Fluttershy blushed furiously as she looked down at her chest to see a pendant around her neck. She gulped, then looked up to see six cloaked and hooded figures. Before she could do anything else, her pendant glowed, and she was struck with searing pain. Fluttershy screamed, startling Harry awake. The bear hugged her, causing her to calm down. She took a deep breath, then sighed in relief. "Oh, thank goodness...it was just a dream." Suddenly, the events of the previous night caught up to her. She began to choke up, then sniffled. Harry gave her another hug, and she broke. She heard her phone buzz, but ignored it. She needed to let it all out first. Her phone buzzed several more times as she cried, and she calmed down. "I wonder what all the texting is all about," she said. She took her phone and pulled up her messages. Hey girls, I'm back! - Sunset Shimmer Sunset...I need to talk to you. - Rainbow Dash Sunset, I need to talk to you and the girls about something. - Sent by Rarity I just had the roughest night ever. I could really use a big group hug. - Pinkie Pie Guys, I just had the day from hell. Spending time with you all is just what I need. - Twilight Sparkle Fluttershy took a deep breath and tried to keep herself composed as she sent a message. I was powerless to save someone last night. Can you girls help me honor their memory? - Fluttershy Fluttershy sniffled despite her best efforts, and Harry put a paw on her shoulder, assuring her that things would be okay. "Thank you," she said to Harry. Her phone buzzed once again, and she checked the new message. Her eyes widened and tears fell from her eyes. "Oh, no," she whispered as she felt a chill run through her body. End of Book Six of "Not Just Any Other Old Day".
Manticore at the DoorFluttershy gaped in awe at the creature before her. The manticore tilted its head slightly, its expression unreadable. "Did you get lost," she asked. The manticore simply blinked. Fluttershy sighed. "I wish Sunset was here," she thought aloud. "She might know what to do." She shook her head rapidly. "What am I saying," she asked herself incredulously. "This is an animal!" She glanced at the manticore. "A mythical creature, technically, but still an animal!" She clenched her fists in determination. "I can do this!" Fluttershy brought the manticore to her backyard, thankful that her parents and brother weren't around. Once there, she began to pace back and forth. "I can't just call you ' manticore'," she said. "You at least need a name." She cupped her chin in thought as she continued walking back and forth. She stopped suddenly, and her eyes widened. "Ah," she exclaimed. "I'll call you Silence!" Silence blinked. "I'll take that as a yes, then," Fluttershy said. "Now then," she said as she took out her phone. "What do manticores eat?" She did a web search, then looked up at Silence. "Meat, huh," she asked. "Are you hungry now?" Silence shook its head. "That's a relief. Imagine, me telling my parents that all the meat was eaten by a mythical creature." She giggled. Her eyes shot open in sudden realization. "Wait," she said. "You can just answer simple 'yes' or 'no' questions," she exclaimed. "Why didn't I think of that earlier?" Fluttershy smiled, happy to have at least some sort of level of communication with Silence. "So," she said, "are you lost?" Silence simply blinked. Mental note, Fluttershy thought, blinking is probably equivalent to "I don't know". She gasped when she noticed a pendant around Silence's neck. "That's very pretty, Silence," Fluttershy said as she leaned in to get a closer look at it. Silence backed up a little and shook its head. "Oh," Fluttershy said. "You don't want me to touch it?" Silence nodded. "Okay, I understand." She smiled. "That pendant must be special to you." Silence shook its head, causing Fluttershy to blink in confusion. "It's not?" Silence nodded. Fluttershy began her pacing anew as she thought. "Clearly you can understand what I'm saying...but can you write?" Silence shook its head, causing her to sigh. "Do you know where you belong," she asked. Silence nodded. "Can you take me there?" Silence shook its head. She frowned. "How can I help you if you won't take me where you live?" Silence blinked, and Fluttershy growled in frustration as she put the palm of her hand to her face. "This isn't getting either of us anywhere," she muttered as she scratched her head. "Oh," Fluttershy exclaimed. "Maybe I can try this!" She channeled her geode and summoned several suburban animals to her backyard. Once they spotted the manticore, they slowly backed up, then looked at Fluttershy. "Don't worry," she said reassuringly. "I wouldn't willingly put you all in harm's way." The animals all chittered, cheeped and quacked. Fluttershy frowned slightly. "I don't see how it's a bad choice of words." She looked at Silence. "Do you promise not to harm them," she asked. Silence nodded. Fluttershy looked back at the animals with a gentle smile, and they all visibly calmed down. "Okay," she said, clapping her hands together. "Now that that's settled, this is Silence," She said, gesturing to the manticore. "Silence is unable to speak, so I was hoping one of you would be able to be an interpreter for me." The animals all chattered, causing her to hold her hands up. "One at a time, please. It's hard to hear when you're all talking over each other." She ordered the animals to stand in a single-file line, and they each attempted to communicate with Silence. Roughly an hour had passed, and all the animals tried their best, but to no avail. Fluttershy sighed as the last of the animals gave their best effort, then shook its head. "Well," she said, unable to hide her disappointment, "Thanks for trying, anyway." The animals all chattered at her. She giggled, then smiled warmly. "Thank you. You always know how to cheer me up." The animals all gradually left, then Fluttershy folded her arms and looked at Silence. She made a sputtering noise as she eyed the manticore up and down. She walked over to the patio table, then rested her chin on one hand while tapping a finger on the table with the other hand. "I've never had problems communicating with animals before," she thought aloud. "So why is this different?" Silence blinked at her. Fluttershy's eyes wandered to the pendant around Silence's neck. "Why are you wearing that, anyway?" Silence blinked. "Oh, don't mind the question, Silence," Fluttershy said. "I think if I ask them aloud instead of think them, I might come up with a solution." Silence blinked again. "Hmm..." Her eyes widened. Wait, she thought. If ponies become human, and dragons become dogs when passing through the portal from Equestria... She eyed Silence with a hint of uncertainty. "What kind of creature from Equestria would pass through and become a manticore," she asked. "It doesn't make any sense." Silence stood still and blinked. "If you were a mythical creature already, you would've become something normal. I think." Maybe I should ask Princess Twilight about this next time I see her. Fluttershy stared at Silence. "No," she said. "That still doesn't make sense. Unless..." she trailed off, then gasped. "Unless that pendant has something to do with it," she exclaimed, excited that she finally felt like she was getting somewhere. She ran into the tool shed and rummaged around until she finally found some hedge shears. Maybe if I cut it off, I'll be able to communicate with Silence! She ran to the backyard and gasped as she covered her mouth with a hand. She didn't know how it was possible, but one of the largest creatures she had ever seen had somehow been able to move with little to no noise. Silence was gone.
In Search of a ManticoreFluttershy channeled her geode and called forth several animals. They all stood before her, confused. "I know you all just left," she said, "but Silence has gone missing!" The animals gave their respective equivalents of a gasp as their eyes widened in shock. "I'm going to need eyes and ears all over the neighborhood," she continued. "Who knows what could happen if people saw a manticore? They might try to capture it, sell it to the highest bidder..." She gasped. "Or even worse. What if Silence got hungry? People could be killed!" The animals all chittered. Fluttershy calmed down just a tad. "You're right," she said to the animals. "I need to take a deep breath." She took a deep breath, then exhaled. She smiled. "Okay. Birds, to the sky. If you see anything suspicious, have at least one in the air while another reports to me." The birds nodded. "Raccoons," She called out. "Did you all get a good enough scent of Silence," she asked. The raccoons nodded. "Good," she said, clapping her hands together. "Follow the scent as best you can. I'll be behind you all the way." "Dogs," Fluttershy called out. "If you smell Silence, follow the scent as well. If you see it, don't howl, bark or make too much noise. Just whimper, and my geode should react and lead me to you." The dogs barked in understanding. "All other animals, stand by just in case you're needed." She cracked her neck with a confident smile. "All right, then. Every creature, disperse!" The birds took to the sky, the dogs ran off, the raccoons skittered away, and she followed. Fluttershy kept a close eye on the raccoons as they kept their noses to the ground. All I know about manticores is from what Sunset Shimmer told me, and she doesn't seem to know much about their behavior either, she thought. From the looks of things, though, Silence is staying on the ground. For now. She shook her head rapidly. Focus, Fluttershy, focus, she scolded herself. This is no time to get lost in thought! She snapped out of her thoughts when she heard a scream. She gasped, then turned her attention to one of the raccoons. "Smokey, investigate that noise. It might be a lead." Smokey nodded, then ran off in the direction the scream came from. Smokey ran as fast as he could to the source of the scream, then stopped when he saw two vaguely familiar faces. He listened in on the conversation intently. "What was that all about, Pinkie?" asked the familiar blue girl. "I know you tend to overreact sometimes..." "Crush?! Who said anything about a crush," the one apparently named Pinkie exclaimed, then immediately covered her mouth. The familiar blue girl's eyes widened. "Wait...you have a crush on him?!" "Rainbow Dash, I can't possibly have a crush on him! He's an OC!" said the one apparently named Pinkie. The one apparently named Rainbow Dash blinked and opened her mouth, but decided to stay silent. "I mean, he's a nice guy and all, but no. I don't have a crush on him." the one apparently named Pinkie said. Smokey decided that he'd heard enough, and he went back to report to Fluttershy. He caused the bush to rustle, startling the one apparently named Pinkie. Smokey returned to his fellow raccoons and Fluttershy, then chittered, telling her all that he saw. Fluttershy heaved a sigh of relief. "Well, at least she's okay," she said. "But no manticore sighting," she asked. Smokey shook his head. She frowned in slight disappointment. "Thank you for trying your best," she said reassuringly. She turned her gaze to the sky momentarily, checking for any incoming reports from the birds. Nothing. She turned her attention back to the ground as she continued to follow the other raccoons. Fluttershy nearly took out her phone to text one of her friends, but decided against it. No, she thought. Silence is my responsibility. I should take care of this myself. The raccoons stopped, then looked in different directions. "What's wrong," Fluttershy asked, concerned. The raccoons chittered at her, and her eyes widened. "What," she asked, shocked. "How can the scent possibly go in multiple directions?" The raccoons shrugged. Fluttershy pinched the bridge of her nose. Silence must be smarter than I thought. That's the only logical explanation I can think of right now. "Okay," Fluttershy said. "Split up and follow the scent individually. Report back to me if it merges again, and we can go from there." The raccoons nodded, and she stayed behind as she cupped her chin in thought. She closed her eyes, then clenched her hands into fists and held them against her chest. She focused on all the animal noises around her in hopes of receiving a much-needed update. She kept her breathing slow and steady, concentrating hard. Her eyes widened and she gasped when she heard a noise. "W-Who's there," Fluttershy asked as she felt a chill down her spine. She turned to the direction of the noise and saw the raccoons return. She sighed in relief. "Any luck," she asked with a hopeful expression. The raccoons shook their heads. Fluttershy sagged in disappointment and leaned against a tree. "This is getting ridiculous," she said. "You'd think something as legendary as a manticore would be easy to spot outside of Equestria..." Fluttershy slid down the tree. "I can't communicate with it. I can't even find it," she said, then sniffled as she covered her face with her hands. "I...I'm supposed to be good with animals." The raccoons chittered at her, then hugged her. "You know what," she said, lifting her head off of her hands. "You're right. I'm giving up far too soon." She smiled, then pet all of the raccoons. "Thank you," she said. "I really needed to hear that." Fluttershy heard tweeting from the sky, and she looked up. "Constance," she said excitedly. "Did you find Silence?" Constance nodded. "Where," she asked eagerly. The bird tweeted, and her eyes widened. "Wait. That's near Sunset's apartment!" She channeled her geode to call upon a bear. It arrived, and she rode off toward her friend's apartment.
PursuitIf it weren't for the dire circumstance she was in, Fluttershy would have enjoyed the wind in her hair. She set that thought aside, as she needed all of her focus in order to find Silence. Harry, the bear she was riding, was running full speed ahead. Fluttershy alternated her attention between the sky and the direction Harry was taking her. "Constance," she called out. Within moments, the orange bird descended and chirped an inquiry. "Have two birds fly over to Sunset's," she said. "One to stay and one to report back to me in case Silence leaves." Constance nodded, then took to the air once again. Good, Fluttershy thought. This way it'll be easier for me to be up to speed on things. She no longer felt that she needed to look up at the sky, and she kept her eyes forward. She and Harry finally arrived near Sunset's apartment, only to find Constance waiting for her. Fluttershy blinked in surprise. "Constance," she asked. "Where's Silence?" Constance looked ashamed of herself, then chirped. Fluttershy's eyes widened and she gasped. "Twilight's home," she asked. Constance nodded. "Okay," she said. "same plan as last time. Get Reginald and Hubert to keep watch over there." Constance nodded again, then took off. Fluttershy channeled her geode again, summoning Harry. "To Twilight's!" As Fluttershy traveled atop Harry, she noticed he was going through fatigue. "Oh, goodness," she exclaimed. "Maybe you should stop, Harry." She pet him on the head gently. "Thank you for your help," she said gratefully. "Now go and get some rest." Harry smiled, then walked back to his home. Fluttershy sighed in disappointment. "I guess I'll just have to hoof it," she said. Upon reaching Twilight's home, Fluttershy nearly gagged. "What is that smell," she cried out as she plugged her nose. Constance, Reginald, and Hubert landed right in front of her. "No sign, huh," she asked. The three birds all chirped at the same time. "One at a time, please," she said, as she unplugged her nose and held out her hands. Reginald tweeted, and Fluttershy gasped. "Really," she asked in surprise. "I think I'm beginning to figure something out here," she said with a smile. "Round up as many animals as you can and meet me within a safe distance from here. I don't want this scent to disturb the animals." The birds nodded and took off. Within a few minutes, dozens of animals had arrived on the scene. Fluttershy paced back and forth. "All right, every creature," she said. "I believe I've figured out what Silence is up to. First," she said, holding up her pointer finger. "It appeared at my house, then left Sunset Shimmer's apartment. When it noticed she wasn't there, Silence went to Twilight's. Now, according to Reginald, Constance and Hubert, Silence's next destination is Pinkie Pie's home." She looked at the animals, making sure they were all paying attention. "This leads me to believe that Silence is looking for all of my friends," Fluttershy said. "But none of them seem to be home. I'd imagine if my they did see a manticore, we'd all be told. So I want you all to spread out. If possible, distract him. Find any way to keep him from flying away, as long as it's not harmful. I need him occupied until I find him." The animals nodded in understanding. "Split up into groups," she ordered. "Those who want to go to Pinkie's, gather here," she pointed in a direction. "Those who want to go to Rainbow Dash's, gather here. Rarity's, go here. Applejack's, here." All the animals went in various spots. She nodded in satisfaction. "Good," she said. "Now spread out! Stay in your respective places until I get there." The animals all dispersed, and Fluttershy began her trek to Pinkie's. Fluttershy arrived at Pinkie's, out of breath. "I really need to get back into shape," she said between gasps. Once she caught her breath, she found the group of surveillance animals and walked up to them. "Any sign," she asked. The animals shook their heads. "Really," she asked, beginning to feel frustrated. A squirrel made its way through the crowd and chittered. Fluttershy smiled. "You're right," she said. "I shouldn't push myself too hard. I think I'll take a taxi to Rainbow's." She waved to the animals and called a ride. She entered the car as soon as it arrived. The driver dropped Fluttershy off at Rainbow's and she waved goodbye as the car left. She walked over to the group of animals. "Any such luck," she asked. A dog came to the front of the group and barked, growled, then whimpered. Fluttershy raised an eyebrow. "I'm not sure a 'funny-smelling kid' is cause enough for worry," she said, then sighed. "Okay, off to Rarity's then." She called and boarded another taxi. Fluttershy had arrived at Rarity's and checked in with the animals there. "Have any of you seen Silence," she asked. The animals all shook their heads, and she began to worry. "What if someone found him," she asked, "what if something's happened to him?" The animals all chittered, and Fluttershy smiled. "You're right. I still haven't been to Applejack's. I really hope he's there." She ponied up, then took to the sky and flew to Applejack's. The sky was beginning to darken by the time Fluttershy reached Sweet Apple Acres. Thoroughly exhausted, she nearly crash landed in the orchard. She found the group of animals keeping watch, and approached them. "Please, please, please tell me you all saw Silence," she said, almost on the verge of tears. The animals all shook their heads. "How the hell can a manticore not be seen in broad daylight," she asked angrily, flailing her arms. "Whoa, Fluttershy," said a familiar voice behind her. "Is that the first time you've ever swore?" Fluttershy yelped, then turned around. Standing before her were Lemon Zest, Sugarcoat, Indigo Zap, Sour Sweet and Sunny Flare. "Wh-What are you girls doing here," she asked. Sugarcoat opened her mouth, but Sour covered it with her hand. "We were just helping Applejack with a little...problem," Lemon said with a smile. "Oh, my," Fluttershy said. "Is she okay?" Sugarcoat removed Sour's hand and frowned, crossing her arms. "She should be fine," Sour said. "Enough about us," Sugarcoat said. "What are you doing here?" Fluttershy sighed heavily. "It's a long story," she said. "You can tell us on the way to your place," Indigo said. "You look like shit." "And people tell me I have no tact," Sugarcoat said, rolling her eyes. "You're willing to give me a lift," Fluttershy asked hopefully, ignoring Indigo's comment. "Sure," Lemon said. "I mean, we're in the neighborhood anyway." Fluttershy smiled. "Thank you all!" She slowly got up and into a van parked nearby. Sour Sweet took the wheel. "What's your address," she asked. Fluttershy told her, then took a deep breath. "Okay," she said. "Here's what's been happening." The Shadowbolts listened intently to her story until she finished. "I'd call bullshit if I hadn't seen the magic for myself," Sugarcoat said. "Still, it's hard to believe." "I understand," Fluttershy said. "But I'm grateful that you heard me out at least." "No problem," Lemon said. "Can we help you?" "Oh, I don't want you girls getting into trouble," Fluttershy said. "Come on," Indigo said throwing her arms up. "Don't you remember how we helped at the Friendship Games, despite the danger?" Lemon smiled warmly. "Yeah," she said dreamily. "Good times." Everyone glanced at her, and she blushed. "I mean, yeah! That was an adrenaline rush!" Fluttershy smiled. "I appreciate the offer, but I think I can handle this. Animals are my specialty, after all." "If you say so," Sour said as the van stopped in front of Fluttershy's house. "Thank you all again," Fluttershy said as she waved, then headed to her backyard as Sour drove off. "Oh, who am I kidding," she said. "Why am I even bothering, going to my backyard?" She sighed heavily as she entered her house. She walked all the way to the sliding glass door with her head hung in despair, then opened it. She walked outside and closed the door behind her. She turned around, then gasped. Silence was a few feet away from her, sitting on the grass.
SilenceFluttershy's knees nearly buckled as a slew of emotions hit her all at once. Anger, relief, joy, and frustration battled for dominance in her mind as she slowly approached Silence. She steadied herself, then took a deep breath and exhaled. She managed to quell the storm of feelings and regained a normal stride as she reached Silence. "Do you have any idea what you just put me through," she asked, then shook her head. "No," she said. "Not just me." She channeled her geode for what she hoped would be the last time of the day and hoped that she wouldn't cause a magical surge. Dozens of animals came into Fluttershy's backyard and glared at Silence. "What you put all of us through," she said angrily as she gestured to all of the upset animals. "What would you have done if someone had found you," she asked. "You could have been captured, sold to the highest bidder..." she trailed off and began to choke up. "You. You could even have been shot!" She sniffled. "I don't know what I'd do with myself if you ended up killing someone. The blood you'd shed would not only have been on your paws," she said, pointing to Silence's feet, "but my hands as well." She held her hands in front of her face, then looked back at him. "You came to me, so that makes you my responsibility." "So let me ask you, Silence," Fluttershy said angrily as tears started to fall from her eyes. "Was it worth it? Just going wherever you please without a care in the world? Not thinking about how I'd feel if something happened to you or someone else?!" She sniffled again. "I...I..." unable to hold herself together any longer, Fluttershy broke. Harry plodded over to her and comforted her as the other animals continued to glare at Silence. The manticore simply blinked as he heard Fluttershy's muffled sobs. Several minutes later, Fluttershy thanked Harry then looked back at Silence. "I'm just glad you're safe," she said. "But if you ever, ever do that again I promise I will track you down. I will find you. And I will give you a look so mean!" She stepped over to Silence and got into his face. "Are. We. Clear," she asked. Silence backed up a bit and nodded. "Good," Fluttershy said happily, finally feeling calm after a harrowing day. She went upstairs to her room and changed into her pajamas. Maybe I should check in with Silence before I go to sleep, Fluttershy thought as she finished changing. She walked downstairs and out onto the back porch. She noticed all of the animals were still keeping a close eye on Silence and smiled. "Thank you," she said to all the animals. "Keep an eye on him while I'm asleep," she whispered, then walked up to Silence. "You stay put, and tomorrow Sunset should be back from Equestria. We'll figure something out so we can get you back home. Okay," she asked, giving him a sweet smile. Silence nodded, and Fluttershy hugged him. The animals began to look at her nervously as she broke the hug with Silence. She took notice. "What's wrong," she asked. The animals chittered and pointed at Silence's pendant. She quirked an eyebrow and looked at it intently, until Harry pushed her away and ran. Fluttershy got up off the ground. "What has gotten into-" she heard a loud click, and turned towards Silence. His pendant slowly lit up... Then set Silence on fire. Fluttershy shrieked in horror and ran for the garden hose. She turned the spigot as she thought she heard Silence actually roar in pain. She panicked and ran with the hose in hand and put her thumb on it, spraying Silence with water. The flames only burned brighter and brighter. She clenched her teeth, then looked at Harry. "Quick," she shouted, "Dig up the ground and throw dirt on him!" Harry dug furiously as the flames grew higher and shone brighter. Tears began streaming down Fluttershy's face. She felt powerless, unable to help this poor, suffering manticore! Surely there must be something she can do! She frantically looked around her backyard as terror clutched her heart. Anything would do at this point. She was out of ideas! She could only stand by in terror as the flames died down, revealing nothing but ashes. Another gust of wind blew, scattering Silence's ashes. Fluttershy stood still in shock, unblinking. Physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted, she passed out on the porch. Harry gasped, then picked her up. He opened the sliding-glass door and closed it behind him. He walked up to Fluttershy's room, then gently placed her on her bed. He stood next to her bed, keeping a watchful eye on her. Several miles away, Silence's ashes began to swirl, forming a miniature cyclone. They slowly coalesced into a cloaked being, its question mark emblazoned mask shining in the moonlight. The masked figure sighed, then cracked their knuckles and neck. They tapped their mask. "Mission accomplished. Returning to base."
Ashes to AshesAuthor's Note I hope the dream wasn't too nonsensical. I applied dream logic directly to the forehead. Ashes to Ashes Fluttershy opened her eyes to find herself at the entrance to Canterlot High. She had remembered that Rarity told her about some new trend that was kicking into high gear, but she didn't say what it was. She eagerly entered the school, excited to learn more about the next big thing. She opened the door excitedly, and entered. Her excitement changed to horror, however, when she noticed what the new trend was. Fluttershy almost immediately recognized the pendants her fellow students were wearing. She gasped, then ran in search of her friends. Hopefully she could find them by nightfall, which was when the pendants were expected to go off. That's odd, she thought. I don't remember Canterlot High not having a swimming pool in the multi-purpose room. She shook her head, then pressed on. She heard Sunset Shimmer in the midst of a battle as she passed the kendo club room. She turned back, then looked inside. Sunset and Sandalwood were engaged in combat, with Angel Bunny as the referee. They were both armed with cardboard cutouts of bats and wearing balloons. "Match point," Angel Bunny called out. Sunset and Sandalwood bowed respectfully, then assumed fighting stances. Fluttershy dared not interrupt their battle, as it was a sacred rite of passage. She silently cheered for both of them. Sunset swung at Sandalwood, who did a backflip, then ricocheted off the walls and threw a boomerang at his opponent. Sunset closed her eyes and focused, then clapped her hands, catching the projectile. She threw it back at Sandalwood, and it hit, causing him to explode like a miniature firework. Fluttershy covered her mouth with her hands as she gasped. "Oh...oh, my. Poor Sandalwood," she said sadly. Sunset smiled, triumphant, then walked over to Fluttershy and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "He knew what he got himself into," she said. "There's no need to mourn. What's done is done." She grinned, then lightly punched her on the arm. "So what's up," she asked. Fluttershy frantically explained the danger of the pendants to Sunset, and her eyes widened. "Why didn't you say anything sooner?!" Fluttershy flinched. "I...I didn't want to interrupt your soccer match." Sunset sighed and rolled her eyes as she folded her arms. "Like you said, 'what's done is done'. Let's find the others," she said. Sunset nodded, and the two ran out of the room. Now outside, Fluttershy and Sunset began jogging on treadmills as the wind blew in their hair. "What'cha doin," asked a familiar high-pitched voice. Fluttershy looked to see Pinkie Pie with a rose in her mouth. She winked. Fluttershy sighed wearily. "Pinkie, how many times do I have to tell you," she asked. "I just want to be friends!" Pinkie frowned. "Aww, but I've never had sex with a skillet before." Fluttershy blinked in confusion. "A skill-goddammit, Pinkie," she said as she slapped her hand against her forehead. "It's not 'skillet', Pinkie," she said in frustration as she removed her hand. "It's 'pan'. 'Pansexual'." Pinkie shrugged and made a non-committal grunt. "Not that this conversation hasn't been scintillating," Sunset said, "but we've got a problem on our hands!" She then went on to explain to Pinkie the danger everyone was in in the only way she knew Pinkie would understand in one go: a musical number so elaborate that the author couldn't be bothered to spend a paragraph describing it. Once the song was over, Pinkie had began to tear up. She walked over to Sunset, then got on one knee. "Sunset Shimmer," she said. "Will you marry me?" Sunset shrugged and made a non-committal grunt. Pinkie squealed with delight. "I'll get the reverend," she said in a singsong voice, then ran off. Fluttershy stood still in disbelief. "What just happened," she asked in a tone that a child would use when asking where babies come from. Sunset shrugged and made a non-committal grunt. "What in tarnation is goin' on," Applejack asked as Pinkie dragged her by the hair like a caveman with its mate. "One minute ah'm doin' somethin' apple-related, and the next thing ah know, ah'm bein' dragged by the hair like a caveman with its mate!" Applejack blinked and cupped her chin in thought as she furrowed her brow. "Now how in the hay do ah know that?" "Applejack is the reverend," Fluttershy asked incredulously. "Of course not, silly," Pinkie said. "She was closer to us than Rainbow Dash, Twilight or Rarity. I didn't have enough dream fuel for all of us," she said in a matter-of-fact tone. Fluttershy sighed and rolled her eyes again, then yelped as someone bumped into her. Sonata Dusk walked past her, then stopped right next to Pinkie. "You were amazing in bed last night," Sonata said to Pinkie breathily. "I want you. Right here, right now," she said, her eyes half-lidded. Pinkie embraced her and kissed her deeply. Fluttershy blinked, then Rainbow Dash appeared in Sonata's place. Rainbow broke the kiss. "Damn, Pinkie," she said, impressed. "You ever think about becoming friends with benefits?" "Maybe later," Pinkie said with a smile. "Right now, here's what's going down." She explained everything in horse noises, which moved Sunset Shimmer to tears. Sunset broke down and held onto Fluttershy as though her life depended on it. Rainbow frowned for a moment, then took out a blank sign and painted on it. Once finished, she lifted it above her head. The sign read "Understood, Pinkamena-senpai!" "Great," Fluttershy said. "Now all we need to do is find Rarity and Twilight." Pinkie took a deep breath, then shouted. "Pi is exactly three!" She grinned and made a squeaking noise, then held up three fingers. She mouthed the numbers as she lowered them. Once she finished, Twilight was seen running towards them. Once she reached the group, Twilight stopped, panting heavily as she shook with fury. "Which one of you said it," she asked in a low and menacing voice. Everyone else pointed to Pinkie. Twilight turned around, seething with rage. "If I ever, ever hear such blasphemy from you again, I'm going to use your stuffed alligator as a subject in my next science experiment," she said, her death glare boring into Pinkie's soul. "Am I clear?" Pinkie smiled and nodded. "Great," Twilight said, acting like her normal self in an instant. "So why did you all summon me with such heresy?" Rarity showed up, panicking and flailing her arms. She warned her friends of the true danger of the new trend that swept Canterlot High, saving time and making things easier for the author who swears he's not phoning it in, honest! "We know," said everyone but Twilight, who frowned. "Why was I the last to know," Twilight asked in surprise. "Because the sun's setting, that's why," Pinkie answered. Her pendant glowed. "Ooh, am I evolving?" She was engulfed in a pillar of fire, then became ash. "That's the last time I wear something around my neck besides my geode," Rarity said before she shared Pinkie's fate. "Dammit, I'm getting so sick and tired of being bathed in a column of magic," Sunset complained, then bathed in a column of magic for the last time. Applejack shrugged and made a non-committal noise, then burned to ash. "'Pie is exactly three,'" Twilight muttered under her breath. "Of all the things to hear before I die, why the fu-" She was cut off by an easily offended pillar of fire, then turned to ash. Rainbow Dash smiled. "You know, Fluttershy, I've been meaning to say that you have a killer rack," she exclaimed, not looking her in the eyes. She was engulfed in fire and became ash. Fluttershy blushed furiously as she looked down at her chest to see a pendant around her neck. She gulped, then looked up to see six cloaked and hooded figures. Before she could do anything else, her pendant glowed, and she was struck with searing pain. Fluttershy screamed, startling Harry awake. The bear hugged her, causing her to calm down. She took a deep breath, then sighed in relief. "Oh, thank goodness...it was just a dream." Suddenly, the events of the previous night caught up to her. She began to choke up, then sniffled. Harry gave her another hug, and she broke. She heard her phone buzz, but ignored it. She needed to let it all out first. Her phone buzzed several more times as she cried, and she calmed down. "I wonder what all the texting is all about," she said. She took her phone and pulled up her messages. Hey girls, I'm back! - Sunset Shimmer Sunset...I need to talk to you. - Rainbow Dash Sunset, I need to talk to you and the girls about something. - Sent by Rarity I just had the roughest night ever. I could really use a big group hug. - Pinkie Pie Guys, I just had the day from hell. Spending time with you all is just what I need. - Twilight Sparkle Fluttershy took a deep breath and tried to keep herself composed as she sent a message. I was powerless to save someone last night. Can you girls help me honor their memory? - Fluttershy Fluttershy sniffled despite her best efforts, and Harry put a paw on her shoulder, assuring her that things would be okay. "Thank you," she said to Harry. Her phone buzzed once again, and she checked the new message. Her eyes widened and tears fell from her eyes. "Oh, no," she whispered as she felt a chill run through her body. End of Book Six of "Not Just Any Other Old Day".
