Storming Hearts

                                          Fluttershy cowered under her blanket, shivering and mumbling the same four words;

"Light. Scream. Cry. Death." over and over, like a broken record player. Tears ran a river down her cheek as she repeated again the four words. Fluttershy didn't know what else she could do. Her animals had been trying hard to help her cheer up ever since she got home, witch on a normal bases, would have worked. But this was far from normal. Although she knew somepony died somewhere in the world everyday, this was not just "Somepony". This was the princess, the pony that, no matter how mad you were at them, you would forgive them. This was Princess Celestia.

No more, she thought, No more. "No more!" Fluttershy shouted out loud. "No! No!" She took deep breaths, in and out, in fear she would forget how to. She was scared, scared and horrified. And disgusted. Disgusted that the doctor's best, wasn't enough. Disgusted that, even though she tried, she didn't save her beloved princess.

Disgusted.

Afraid.

Horrified.

Depressed.

While depressed is still not nearly a strong enough word, Fluttershy was depressed. She got lost deep in thought, about what had happened, and soon the four words became more.

"Lighting strikes, Celestia screams, Twilight cries, death's cold sting." She repeated them, again and again. Until there was a knock. A knock on her door. She opened it to see one of Celestia's old guards. He was a fairly large stallion with blue armor and a metal helmate.

"Miss Fluttershy?" The gaurd asked with a rather deep voice. Fluttershy nodded. "The princess asked us to give this to you when....when she...." He trailed off. Fluttershy accepted the box solemly.

"Thanks." Was all she could say. The large stallion walked off. Opening the box, Fluttershy gasped. Inside was a small stuffed pony that looked like Celestia. Almost immediately, memories came rushing back to her.

She had been sitting with Celestia under a tree after the whole Philomena epidemic.

"I'm just so sorry, Princess!" Fluttershy had cried. "I really shouldn't have abused your trust like that!"

"Young pony, I am not angry." Celestia had insisted. "You simply wanted to help the bird. Kindness is your element after all."

"Y-you still trust me?"

"Of coarse." Celestia said. "You know, theres an old ritual where a princess would give a small, stuffed version of themselves  to prove their trust and forgiveness."

"Really?" Fluttershy replied. "That's really instresting." They had exchanged a freindly glance, and Celestia opened her mouth as if there was something more she wanted to say, but she closed it and had flew back to the castle. "I will never, ever break a promise to you, princess! never!" She had called after Celestia.

She snapped back to realality. Hugging the doll tightly she screamed at the sky; "Thank you, my shining star, thank you! And I'm sorry! Sorry for...for... for being so scared! I'll be brave for you! I...I'll always be brave!" Fluttershy knew it was a lie. She couldn't be brave. Never. She had tried before, and that never worked. Bravery never came the the yellow pegesus, and it never would. Her empty promise would eat her up alive, until she was nothing. So, she knew now what to do.

     Atop the tallest hill, is where she stood. The quite one stood. She looked down, and she jumped, unleashing her wings. Floating she stopped flapping. Her wings retracted to her side, and the cold wind came up, across her face. "Soon" The pegesus whispered in the roaring wind. Slowly, it began getting dark, and then....

All was black.