A Ballad for Angel

Twilight carefully read over her notes once more. She had to perform the casting ritual perfectly, or the outcome would be catastrophic. Reading aloud, she checked to make sure everything was in place. "Step one: draw a circle on the ground with the Ancient Equestrian glyph for time in the centre, making sure to use crushed sapphires to form the circle." She looked down at her hooves to see the circle made from the fragments of sapphires she had found the weekend before. "Check! Step two: stand in the circle. Check! Step three: draw a similar circle on the floor around the object or pony you are trying to send back. If you are casting the spell on yourself, draw this circle outside the one you are standing in. This circle is to be made with crushed rubies." She lifted her gaze from the note to her dragon assistant Spike, who was standing in a smaller circle. "Check!"

Spike gave her a look that was somewhere between mournful and wary. "Are you sure this is safe, Twilight?"

"Step 4: focus your m - yes of course it's safe. Would Star Swirl the Bearded have included it on this scroll if it wasn't?"

Spike thought back to the week beforehand, where Twilight had messed up while casting one of Star Swirl's spells and nearly burnt down Whitetail Woods with magical fire. "Well-" he began.

"No. No he wouldn't have," interrupted Twilight. "Now will you let me finish?"

Spike crossed his arms. "Fine, but after this, can we stop trying out spells that use gems? I'm hungry, and I hate seeing them get destroyed."

Twilight sighed and gave him a sympathetic smile. "Okay, we'll get something to eat after this. But for now, just be quiet. I need absolute concentration for this to work."

Spike nodded in agreement and mimed zipping his mouth shut. Twilight set the scroll she had been reading onto a shelf and started to cast the spell. As magical energy began to build up in the base of her horn, the sapphires forming the circle she stood in began to give off an intense blue glow. Seconds later, the same thing happened to the circle around Spike, though that circle glowed a bright crimson. The dragon’s eyes went wide, though he remained silent so as not to disturb Twilight.

Twilight recited an incantation under her breath as the magic building up in her horn came closer to the tip. As the magical energy consumed the entirety of her horn, the circles glowed even brighter, and a magical wind sprung up inside of the library, blowing a few manuscripts and loose papers around the room.

As Twilight lowered her horn and pointed it at Spike, the door of the library opened and a soft voice called out, "Um, Twilight, are you home?"

Distracted by this new voice, Twilight lost concentration and jerked her head towards the door. The magic she had been building up in her horn fired straight out from her horn in a beam of brilliant magenta light. It struck the wall just above the door, freezing the area solid.

In the doorframe stood a cowering Fluttershy. As the wind disappeared and the papers it held fell to the ground, Fluttershy muttered an apology, barely loud enough for Twilight to hear. "S-sorry Twilight... I didn’t mean to disturb you…"

Twilight shook her head to rid her mind of the magic's effects, and then let out a sigh. "It's fine, Fluttershy. Solving the mysteries of time travel will have to wait for another day. Now, is there anything I can help you with?"

"Um, no... Well, yes... But I'm sure time travel is much more important."

Twilight walked up to Fluttershy and laid a hoof on her shoulder. "No, friends come first. I always have time for you guys, no matter what I’m doing."

This relaxed Fluttershy, and brought a smile to the demure pony's face, who breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm so glad to hear that... I was worried that you'd be too busy to help me organize the party I'm throwing for Angel's birthday."

Twilight cocked her head and gave her friend a quizzical look. "Organizing a party? Isn't that Pinkie's specialty?"

Fluttershy nodded. "Yes, I asked her for help too. But you've organized parties for the princesses and every Winter Wrap Up since you moved here. You even organized your brother's wedding. With you and Pinkie working together, I just know Angel's party will be great."

"I suppose that makes sense," replied Twilight. "When is the party?"

"In five days. Pinkie said we could have it in her room at Sugarcube Corner."

"Alright, I'll head over there as soon as I get Spike some gems for lunch," said Twilight as she strode over to a locked cabinet. The lock fell to the ground as her magic unlocked it, and she opened it. While grabbing a few assorted jewels, she turned her head towards her friend once more. "So have you invited everypony yet?"

"Not yet. I'm going to Rarity's after this to tell her about the party, and then I'll go find Applejack and Rainbow Dash," replied Fluttershy, shaking her head. "So far, I've only told you and Pinkie." A faint blush appeared on her cheeks. "Well, and Zecora too..."

Twilight grinned. "You invited Zecora?" She had known about Fluttershy's crush on the zebra ever since she had told Rarity and Twilight while they were at the spa.

"Well, not really," said Fluttershy, staring down at her hooves. "I mentioned the party to her when I gave her the mint leaves I got from Pinkie, but I didn't exactly invite her..."

Twilight closed the cabinet and floated the gems she selected over to Spike, who gleefully grasped them in his claws. The sound of him snacking on gems filled the library. "Fluttershy, what did I tell you?" she said with a sigh. "You've got to be more assertive about it. I mean, how are you ever going to tell her how you feel about her if you can't even invite her to a party?"

"Sorry..." Fluttershy muttered. "I guess you're right..."

Twilight sighed again and brought a hoof to her head. "No, I'm being pushy, sorry. I just have a headache from casting all these spells. You don't have to rush things with Zecora if you don't feel confident about it."

"Okay," Fluttershy said, nodding her head. "I will tell her how I feel someday, but I'm just so scared she won't feel the same..."

Twilight smiled in an attempt to put her friend at ease. "You have nothing to be scared of. I'm sure she feels the same way; you just need to be honest with her."

"Just like you with Celestia?" Spike questioned with a smirk, before stuffing the last gem into his mouth.

Twilight's entire face turned a bright red. "Spike!" She used her magic to zip the dragon's mouth closed, using an actual zipper. She began speaking in a rapid whisper, barely above the sound of her breathing. "Oh Celestia that's completely different she's the ruler of Equestria nopony is supposed to know that oh gosh what am I going to do..."

It was Fluttershy's turn to reassure her friend. Resting a soft hoof on her shoulder, she spoke. "You have nothing to worry about, Twilight. I promise I won't tell anypony."

"Really?" asked Twilight, who had momentarily stopped muttering.

"Really," Fluttershy responded, smiling warmly. "I Pinkie Promise not to tell anypony about your crush. Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."

Twilight returned her friend's smile. "Thanks Fluttershy." She glanced at the clock adorning the wall beside the door. "Speaking of Pinkie, I guess I should go see what she's planning for the party."

Fluttershy nodded her head. "Thank you, Twilight. Just let me know if there's ever anything I can do to repay the favour."

Turning towards Spike, who was still struggling with the zipper over his mouth, Twilight dispelled the magic. "Bleh, thanks a lot Twilight. Now my mouth tastes like metal," he angrily retorted.

"Sorry, but you need to learn to keep secrets better. I told you that secret because I thought I could trust you. I admit, I overreacted, but what if it had been Cadance I was talking to? Or even Celestia herself?"

"Alright, fine. I'm sorry; I won't talk about it anymore."

"Thank you Spike," Twilight responded. "I'm going to Sugarcube Corner, so you're in charge of the library while I'm gone. Make sure nopony steals any books." As she walked towards the front door of the library, followed by Fluttershy, she called back to her dragon assistant once more. "Oh, and don't forget to feed Peewee and Owlowiscious."

The sun shone high in the sky as the two ponies left the library. Before they went their separate ways, Twilight glanced at her pegasus friend. "Er, Fluttershy, about repaying that favour..."

"Yes Twilight?"

"Just promise me two things, and we'll call it even." Fluttershy nodded her head in agreement, and Twilight continued. "First, keep my secret. I don’t even want our friends to know about it yet." A sly grin appeared on her face. "Second, invite Zecora to the party."

Fluttershy's face turned a furious red, but she nodded. "Um, I think I can do that... I'm meeting her this evening to collect the medicine I asked her to make."

"Great! I'll be at Sugarcube Corner for the rest of the day, so come see me there if you need me," said Twilight. She began walking towards the sweet shop, leaving Fluttershy on her own.

As Twilight left, Fluttershy mentally checked the list of tasks she had to do today. She had already asked Zecora to make medicine for the beavers she was caring for, and she had asked Pinkie Pie and Twilight to plan Angel's party. Now all that remained was to invite Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash to the party.

Going to Rarity's boutique first seemed like the logical option to Fluttershy. Rarity was Fluttershy's best friend, and the pegasus was sure that Rarity would love to attend Angel's birthday party. She set out for Carousel Boutique, hoping for the best.

However, when she reached the boutique and knocked on the door, it was Sweetie Belle who answered, not Rarity. "Hey Fluttershy!"

Fluttershy smiled warmly. "Hello Sweetie Belle. Is your sister home?"

"No, Rarity went out to run some errands," replied Sweetie Belle. "Apple Bloom and Scootaloo are here though." She swung the door open more to reveal the two fillies seated on the floor, sheets of paper scattered around them. Upon seeing Fluttershy in the doorway, they waved.

"Hi Fluttershy," called out Apple Bloom, slightly muffled from the pencil she held in her mouth.

"Hey," exclaimed Scootaloo. Her eyes widened as she came to a realisation. "Hey, you read books, right? Do you want to read the fanfiction we're writing?"

"Fanfiction?" Fluttershy questioned.

"Yeah! It's when you write a story about somepony who doesn't really exist. We're writing about Daring Do so we can get our cutie marks!"

Fluttershy shook her head. "Sorry girls, I'm not really a big Daring Do fan."

"Awww," said the three fillies in chorus.

"But it has Rainbow Dash in it as her sidekick!" stated Scootaloo.

Apple Bloom glared at her. "Ah thought we agreed that Applejack was gonna be her sidekick."

"They can both be her sidekicks!" jumped in Sweetie Belle. "Just as long as Rarity is her outfit designer." A small blush adorned her cheeks. "And sometimes lover," she added in a small voice.

"No! Rainbow Dash is her lover!" Scootaloo angrily retorted.

"Rarity!"

"No, Rainbow!"

"How about Ahuitzotl?"

"Don't be stupid, Apple Bloom! They hate each other!"

"Ah'm not stupid, you chicken!"

"Girls!"

The trio of fillies paused their argument and turned to Fluttershy. "Yes, Fluttershy?" They said in unison.

"You need to stop fighting about silly stuff like that. Can't you work together and compromise on the story?"

"You're right," replied Sweetie Belle. "How about if Applejack and Rainbow Dash are both sidekicks to Daring Do, and she's married to both Rarity and Rainbow Dash?"

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom nodded in unison. "That would work."

Fluttershy smiled. "It's nice to see you girls agreeing on something. Now, before I go, do you know where Rainbow Dash and Applejack are?"

"Applejack went to visit Uncle Gala in the McIntosh Hills," replied Apple Bloom. "She won't be back until tomorrow."

"And Rainbow Dash is in Cloudsdale for some stupid weather conference," answered Scootaloo. "I don't know when she'll be back."

Fluttershy thanked them. "I guess I'll have to see them when they get back. Sweetie, can you tell Rarity I'll be in to see her this evening?"

Sweetie Belle smiled proudly. "You can count on me! I’ll tell her as soon as she gets back!"

Fluttershy bid the Crusaders farewell, despite Scootaloo's insistence that she stay and help them write. As she trotted away from the boutique, her stomach rumbled, and she realised it had been a while since she had eaten breakfast. She was unable to complete any of the other tasks she had planned for today due to Applejack and Rainbow Dash being out of town, so she decided getting some lunch would be a good way to kill some time while she waited for Zecora and Rarity to return to their homes.

Not wanting to go to her own home just yet, Fluttershy decided to eat out at a restaurant instead of eating at home. Fine Cuisine, a restaurant owned by Horte Cuisine, was her choice; it was only a short walk away, the food was excellent, and as a bonus, it was near the path to her house.

Having reached Fine Cuisine, Fluttershy walked in the front door. She was greeted by the usual unsmiling face of Horte Cuisine. "Hello Mr. Cuisine. Can I get a table for one?" Horte nodded, and grabbing a menu in his mouth, he led Fluttershy to a corner table. "Um, if it's not too much, could I get a table outside? It's such a beautiful day today," Fluttershy nervously asked. Wordlessly, Horte changed course and led her to an outside table. Setting the menu down on the table, he nodded at Fluttershy as she took a seat, before heading back inside.

A few minutes passed as Fluttershy looked over the menu, figuring out what she wanted to eat. She had already eaten a salad for breakfast, so that was out. Hayfries, though a popular food among equines, was not among Fluttershy’s favourite foods, so that wasn’t an option either. Finally, she decided on a watercress and daisy sandwich.

Having selected her lunch, Fluttershy closed her menu to signal that she was ready to order. Almost instantaneously, Horte Cuisine was there, ready to take her order. “I’ll have the watercress and daisy sandwich please,” Fluttershy requested. “And can I have a glass of water with that?”

Horte nodded, and taking the menu in his mouth, he returned to the restaurant interior. Fluttershy smiled as he left. She enjoyed coming to Fine Cuisine whenever she got the chance; despite Horte’s seemingly cold exterior, he was a kind, if mute, stallion once somepony got to know him. He would always give loyal customers like Fluttershy a small discount, which was a great help, considering the prices he charged.

Fluttershy’s eyes drifted upwards to the sky. She had to admit, it really was a beautiful day out. The sun shone brightly above the town of Ponyville, clearly visible, owing to the sparse amount of clouds in the sky. Around her, couples engaged in polite conversation, and a gentle breeze blew through the outdoor dining area. Her day had been a positive experience as well – despite the fact that she hadn’t had a chance to invite Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash yet, the day was going very well. Everything about the day seemed positively serene.

Suddenly, that serenity was shattered by an ear-shattering roar. Fluttershy’s ears perked up, and she looked towards the direction it came from. Panic ran through her mind as she realised she was staring in the direction of her own cottage.

Without giving the idea too much thought, she got up from the table and jumped over the low fence separating the dining area from the rest of the town. Galloping down the road towards her house, her face was contorted in a mix of worry, panic, and anger. What in Equestria is making that roar? It can’t be one of my darlings, could it? she thought.

Another roar rung out, followed by a couple of screams. Fluttershy pushed herself to gallop faster, her anger now mostly overtaken by worry. As the bridge in front of her house came into view, she could see what had been roaring. Standing in front of her cottage was a massive beast almost as large as the cottage itself. Fluttershy recognised the beast – she had never seen one in person, but they were one of the creatures she had read about in Twilight’s books. It was a wyvern, vaguely related to the draconic species, but much more feral, being completely unable to speak. This one bore bronze scales and claws almost the length of a typical pony, which had already cut a few holes in the walls of Fluttershy’s cottage.

It roared once more before staring Fluttershy in the eyes as she galloped closer, pushing past the crowd of ponies who had gathered around the bridge, and were now watching in fear. As Fluttershy got closer to the wyvern, she saw a sight that made her stop in her tracks.

Lying on the ground, just meters away from the wyvern, was the limp, blood-soaked body of a tiny white bunny.

Despite the volume of the shouts and screams from the crowd, and the growls from the wyvern, Fluttershy couldn’t hear any of it. Tears streaming from her eyes, she was only aware of her own voice stammering out a single word in a voice that was almost a whisper. “A-Angel?”