Slendermane: Requiem

The day slowly started to approach an end, and Fluttershy was approaching the point of desperation. She had only just noticed the sun was reaching its point of descent leaving the sky with an orange tinge. She was plotting in her head ways she could escape the hospital unnoticed, and thinking of a way she may be able to grab something to support her leg along the way. She knew that without the others her chances of lasting for a long time in the forest were low, but all she wanted to think about was getting Twilight out. Fluttershy didn’t skip any ideas, because she knew that by nightfall, if she hadn’t already left the hospital, it would be far too late for Twilight.

“Where in the hay is Rainbow Dash?” Applejack asked the others. “She left almost an hour ago.”

“What if Spike wasn’t there? You don’t think maybe she went to Canterlot herself do you?” Rarity asked.

“Nah, even at her own speed she’d know she wouldn’t reach the Princess in time.” Applejack assumed. Fluttershy started to sweat with worry; she couldn’t help but wonder if she had run into the Slendermane somewhere. It didn’t seem like a very plausible scenario at first, but then she realised Rainbow was going to put the sign up outside of the Everfree forest for her, and her pupils shrunk in terror. She looked over at Pinkie who had gone to sit down and try and rest, after a little scene involving her Pinkie sense. Pinkie looked back noticing Fluttershy gazing over in her direction, and was the first to notice Fluttershy’s breathing increase in speed which progressed to her beginning to shake as if she was sick.

“Fluttershy, what’s wrong? Does your leg hurt? I can get the doctor for you?” Pinkie asked wanting to make sure her friend was ok and help her keep calm.

“I’m fine Pinkie, but I think Rainbow Dash might be in trouble.” Fluttershy told her, starting to feel a sickly feeling in her stomach. Pinkie Pie sulked a bit in concern before piping up in realisation.

“Do you think that was what set off my Pinkie Sense?” Pinkie asked, angering Fluttershy a little.

“Pinkie Pie, this is serious! A few tingles aren’t going to make a difference!” Fluttershy scolded Pinkie who flinched at her tone. She curled up as the depressing feeling tearing away her colour and exuberance started to increase to twice the speed; her hair was practically straight and tangled, and tears were forming in the corners of her eyes. Fluttershy looked at her friend and realised that she’d been far too harsh; especially after knowing how Pinkie reacted to her friends yelling at her, and even more so in the state she was in.

“Pinkie? Pinkie I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped at you, I just... I’m a little stressed out is all. It was wrong to take it out on you.” Fluttershy apologised. Pinkie looked up at her and sniffed, wiping her eyes with her forearm, and nodding to Fluttershy; she wasn’t in the mood to talk anymore, but Fluttershy felt terrible for making her feel worse. “Pinkie, can you come over her?” Fluttershy asked. She thought she could at least offer a hug to prove she was sincere about her apology. Pinkie lightly popped onto the floor and walked over to Fluttershy, who opened her forelegs when she was close enough, and wrapped them around her.

“I’m sorry Pinkie.” She said again tightly hugging her, hoping to raise her withering spirit. Pinkie sniffed again holding back her tears.

“It’s, ok Fluttershy… I understand.” Pinkie replied. Rarity and Applejack had momentarily paused and smiled at the display of care and sincerity in the affection Fluttershy was showing to apologise; then again, that was normal for the Element of kindness when she accidently upset somepony she cared about. Shortly after though the door to the room opened up and the doctor trotted inside a fair way before stopping.

“Great news, Scootaloo is awake.” He announced to the four ponies in the room.

“Oh that’s wonderful!” Fluttershy gasped excitedly. She thought about the last time she’d seen Scootaloo at her house before she’d passed out; covered in filth, cuts, bruises, her own sick, and she was hardly breathing.

“Now she’s still quite sick, but the medication we have been treating her with appears to be working, but unfortunately I can’t say what the substance she was covered in was, as we still haven’t determined a result with our tests.”

“Can we see her?” Fluttershy asked.

“Yes we brought her down to see you all for a moment. Is your friend Rainbow Dash here at all? Scootaloo quite specifically would like to see her.” The doctor asked.

“Well she should be soon, she ran off about an hour ago.” Applejack told him.

“Well if she misses Scootaloo now; tell her when she returns that she is free to visit Scootaloo at any time.” The doctor said before leaving the room, and returning with two more doctors wheeling a single bed, which appeared to have a quite extensive set of medical equipment under it on the wheelie carriage.

Fluttershy focussed very closely on the bed as it was wheeled in, and as the little orange filly on it came into view, she began to cry in the first shred of joy she’d felt since leaving the forest. She looked so much better than before; not perfect, but it was better than anything she’d expected of her injuries. She had her sleek, shiny orange coat back and a straightened silky, clean purple mane. Her eyes were hardly red any more, only lightly bloodshot from sleep deprivation and light pain, and the rest of the skin on her face was no longer pale from blood loss. She had a large quantity of her fore hooves bandaged hanging over the blanket, the lower half of her body remained under it though. The doctors had clearly cleaned her up very well.

“Hey...” Scootaloo started before coughing, “Hey Fluttershy...” she continued coughing some more. She’d obviously still been suffering some injuries in her throat, but her breathing didn’t appear to be so shallow. Fluttershy looked at the machines she was hooked up to, and noticed one had an appendage that was expanding and deflating in unison with her breathing pattern, and she realised it was supporting her breathing.

“Scootaloo, thank goodness you’re ok.” Fluttershy said, watching them roll the small filly to the side of her bed.

“It’s good te see ya like this sugarcube. I was really scared fer you when I carried Apple Bloom and you over here.” Applejack said.

“yes you definitely were in quite a bad shape; you look absolutely wonderful now though darling.” Rarity said.

“Ah yes, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle have also been patched up much more. They are on a straight road to recovery now, would you like to see them?” the doctor asked Applejack and Rarity.

“Well of course we would,” Applejack replied. The doctor nodded, before walking towards the door and ushering the pair to come with him.

“We’ll be back soon Fluttershy,” Applejack said walking towards the door.

“What about Twilight?” Fluttershy asked again, still intent on helping her. Applejack hesitated to answer for a second, knowing she didn’t want to upset Fluttershy, but she wasn’t going to let her leave with her leg in its state.

“I’m sorry Fluttershy, we’ll figure something out later, but for now just stay here and let us worry about it.” Applejack replied before leaving, with Rarity following. As they departed one of the other two doctors still in the room pulled a large leg shaped cast out of under Scootaloo’s bed amidst the equipment and machines, and then a tray of the syringes filled with the translucent yellow liquid that Fluttershy had seen before when the doctor had injected the substance into her leg to stop her pain. He rested the two objects on a bench near Fluttershy’s own bed.

“Fluttershy this is your leg brace you’ll be wearing in a few weeks when we get you back on the leg and walking.” The doctor explained. Fluttershy observed the object, realising it was just one big leg shaped fibreglass cast like the ones that were normally used to help ponies with broken limbs, but it also had a small hole drilled into a spot on the flank of the cast, coated with a thin layer of plastic, that Fluttershy assumed was the spot on her flank she’d received the injection before.

“If your leg starts to sting again, press your buzzer and we’ll have a doctor come up to fix you up.” The doctor said before him and his associate departed.

“Wait a minute, Fluttershy where’s Twilight?” Scootaloo asked, confused by what she’d said.

“I’m sorry Scootaloo; she’s still in the forest...” Fluttershy said, hoping that Scootaloo wouldn’t get too upset by what she had to say.

“With the Slendermane?! Well we have to go save her then!” Scootaloo announced raising her head and arms to attempt to get out of bed, but retracting her body back to the bed after causing her body to sting and ache with the sudden movement.

“You don’t have to do anything Scootaloo. You need to stay here and rest; I don’t want to risk your life again. I on the other hoof am going to go search for Twilight, and even if it gets dark, I won’t leave the forest without her; I owe her that much and more.” Fluttershy said, before Pinkie spoke up.

“Fluttershy, what if Twilight’s in the forest, but that thing catches you? What happens then? You aren’t going to have a good chance of getting away from anything when you can’t walk on your leg.” Pinkie said.

“I have to try Pinkie, and I hate to do this to you, but I’m leaving now!” Fluttershy told her, before throwing her blanket off.

“Fluttershy what do you mean you’re leaving? You’re going to the Everfree forest alone, where there’s a dangerous creature lurking around, it’s getting late, and you’re injured?” Pinkie asked, listing all the flaws in Fluttershy’s plan.

“I know Pinkie, but I have to try, and I have to go now! There’s no way I’ll get out of her when the others get back. They wouldn’t let me leave under any circumstances.” Fluttershy said, spinning her body slowly to try and slide herself out of the bed.

“Well neither will I.” Pinkie said trying to make Fluttershy reconsider.

“Pinkie, don’t you want to see Twilight again?” Fluttershy asked defensively.

“Of Course I do, but you-” Pinkie tried again but was cut off.

“Please Pinkie, I know you’re trying to look out for me, but for Twilight’s sake, don’t try and stop me.” Fluttershy said, successfully sliding herself out of the bed.

“It’s dangerous Fluttershy, how do you know if you’ll even find Twilight?” Scootaloo asked.

“I don’t, but you know what the Slendermane can do.” Fluttershy said.

“I do know what it can do, that’s why I think this is a very bad idea. Don’t forget that the Slendermane put us both in here.” Scootaloo reminded her, before Pinkie spoke up again, after having a few seconds to think to herself.

“Fluttershy, if I can’t stop you... Then I’m coming with you!” Pinkie announced.

“You’re what?!” Scootaloo asked.

“You... You will?” Fluttershy asked stunned that Pinkie had suddenly made such a drastic change in plans.

“Of course I will Fluttershy, who knows; maybe we’ll find Rainbow Dash on our way through Ponyville.” Pinkie considered unknowingly attracting Scootaloo’s attention.

“Wait! Where is Rainbow Dash?” Scootaloo asked, “I really wanted to see her.” Scootaloo said, receiving an unsure frown from the pair. “She... she’s ok right?” Scootaloo asked, becoming concerned by the girls’ reactions.

“I don’t know where she is Scoot, but I’m certain she’s fine...” Fluttershy said, before trying to walk around a little on her leg.

“How does your leg feel?” Pinkie asked.

“It stings... I won’t be able to walk on it for long, not without some support.” Fluttershy said, before realising the doctor had left the fibreglass cast with her. She spun around and picked it up off the bench the Doctor had left it on.

“Pinkie, help me put this on please?” Fluttershy asked rolling over to try and slip her leg into it. She wasn’t having much luck as every time she attempted to move her leg back, the bend would cause her more unwanted pain. Pinkie quickly ran over and gently slipped the cast over her leg like a sleeve, before tapping it into a secure spot, so that it wouldn’t slide off. She slung Fluttershy’s forearm around her neck, and helped her get back up.

“Thanks Pinkie, can you check and see if there’s a saddlebag in the supply closet in the hallway? If there is one outside that is.” Fluttershy asked.

“Why?” Pinkie asked confused.

“I’ll need some of the medicine in these for my leg.” Fluttershy said, pointing her hoof at the syringes of yellow liquid.

“Okay.” Pinkie said, quickly popping outside into the hallway.

“Fluttershy, are you really sure you want to do this? I know it’s for Twilight, but what if neither of you come back? Things will be even worse off than now.” Scootaloo asked looking over to the yellow mare, who was nervously trotting on the spot, trying to warm up her leg a little bit, without causing herself to much pain.

“Honestly Scootaloo, I’m not sure... but what would you do if you were in my spot and Apple Bloom or Sweetie Bell was out there?” Fluttershy asked, determined to get her message across.

“I’d... do whatever it takes to find them.” Scootaloo replied, hardly taking any time to think about her response, but she still couldn’t help but be troubled by some things. “Where’s Rainbow Dash?” Scootaloo asked becoming more and more concerned. Fluttershy didn’t return any gazes straight away, sighing, knowing that she couldn’t tell Scootaloo truthfully anything that she wanted to hear.

Thankfully Pinkie burst in again just before Scootaloo could ask any more upsetting questions that couldn’t be answered. Fluttershy felt bad for not having an answer, but felt better knowing that without sharing her own concerns Scootaloo wouldn’t worry too much.

“I found a saddlebag, but if you’re really going to do this, you have to hurry. I saw the others just coming up the stairs at the end of the hallway, they’ll be here any minute!” Pinkie told her, before moving over to the syringes. “How many do I take?” Pinkie asked.

“All of them, we don’t have time to count through them.” Fluttershy said, watching Pinkie Pie quickly scoop the tray of 6 or so syringes into the saddlebag.

“How do we get out without them seeing us?” Fluttershy asked.

“The window, we’re on the first floor!” Pinkie said, grabbing the saddlebag in her mouth, knowing there wasn’t enough time to strap it on.

Fluttershy moved over to the window and as quickly and carefully as she could do without causing herself pain, opened the window. Pinkie quickly popped her body under her back hooves and pushed her up to get her through the window. Fluttershy winced in pain a little as Pinkie’s support pressured her leg lightly, but was quick to suppress it and pull herself out of the window, before doing so however, shooting back a look at Scootaloo.

“I’m sorry to leave you like this Scootaloo, I’ll see you soon, I promise.” She said as she jumped out the window. She had to try and use her wings to avoid landing hard on the ground outside, but could do no more than spread them to glide, as just doing that alone stretched her wound and caused her some pain. She landed just as softly as she would have hoped, limping slightly into the grass, before looking back at the window.

“Make sure she keeps her promise Pinkie, please.” Scootaloo told Pinkie as she was getting out the window herself.

“I will.” Pinkie promised as well, before jumping out of the window and landing next to Fluttershy, but on her way out, she inadvertently knocked Fluttershy’s bed, causing the buzzer that Fluttershy was given to summon a doctor, to fall to the ground landing on the switch that activated it. Pinkie didn’t realise she’d done so and just ignored it.

“My cottage is on the other side of town; we’ll need to go around Ponyville so no one gets suspicious.” Fluttershy said, realising that her limping around with a cast on may attract unwanted concern.

“Let’s go then, quickly, before everypony realises your gone.” Pinkie said, before the pair made their way as quickly as Fluttershy could go, with Pinkie’s occasional support, towards Fluttershy’s cottage.

Back inside the hospital, Apple Jack and Rarity were approaching Fluttershy’s room, taking their time while they talked about their sisters who they had just seen before coming back. Just as they reached her room, across the hallway from them they saw Fluttershy’s Doctor hurriedly making his way towards their direction as well, and it wasn’t long before he called out to them.

“Do you girls know what’s wrong with Fluttershy?” he asked as he met them right outside her door.

“What do ye mean?” Applejack asked confused.

“Well she’s been holding her buzzer for at least a straight minute, and I had to make my way down here quite quickly to make sure everything’s ok.” The doctor said before opening the door to the room. The girls followed him in, already becoming concerned.

Scootaloo heard the door opening at the other end of the room and quickly tried to think of a way that she could appear clueless as to why the other two were no longer here, but nothing came to mind. She thought as quickly as her mind would let her in her second of a window, before it hit her; sleep. Scootaloo shut her eyes hard and kept them closed, and started to snore, hoping the act would fool the others. Suddenly she heard their panicked voices.

“Fluttershy! Pinkie! Where in the hay are they?” Applejack cried out, looking around the room.

“Oh my! The window!” Rarity also cried out pointing at the open window. The Doctor ran in and picked up the small metal buzzer of the floor next to Fluttershy’s bed.

“Do you think they ran off?” the doctor asked the pair.

“No, Pinkie wouldn’t have let her do that.” Rarity replied.

“What if.... that creature she was talkin bout before came here and took her, and Pinkie?” Applejack asked trying to consider everything she could that would help her figure out where her friend might be. Scootaloo couldn’t help but feel sorry for them while she faked her sleep; she knew they would probably be very worried right now.

“I doubt it Applejack, if something wanted to take them why did it leave Scootaloo?” Rarity asked.

“I don’t know; we should wake her up and ask her though, we have to find them.” Applejack said, before moving over to the sleeping filly.

Scootaloo started to panic; she continued the sleep act, but she had to quickly think about what she was going to say.

‘I fell asleep after they left, and don’t know where they are.’ She thought to herself. She felt a hoof touch her shoulder, nudging her slightly.

“Scootaloo? Scootaloo, we need ya te wake up.” Applejack whispered into the fillies ears. Scootaloo faked what she considered waking up from deep sleep, slowly opening her eyes, and stuttering as she talked.

“Wha-huh? Wh-who’s that? Who’s there?” Scootaloo asked, trying to sound as disorientated as possible.

“Take it easy sugarcube, we just need te ask if ye know where Fluttershy and Pinkie have gone?” Applejack asked hoping the filly might know something.

“They’re- they’re gone?” Scootaloo asked, continuing to play dumb. “I fell asleep for five minutes and they ran off?” Scootaloo asked.

“Great, we don’t know where they could be.” Applejack sighed frowning.

“Maybe they went to try and find Rainbow Dash,” Rarity said.

“Then why would Fluttershy go too in her condition. Rainbow Dash is Pinkie’s best friend, if she wanted to find her, she would have gone alone.” Applejack said. “We should go look for them, if Fluttershy did go out lookin fer Twilight, she’ll be in a lot of danger.” Applejack said, thinking about what she’d heard from Fluttershy, and seen of her condition.

“Agreed, I think our best bet would be to check Fluttershy’s house first, it’s close to the forest, and if they were on their way down there, they probably would stop there.” Rarity suggested.

“Ok then, we’ll do that.” Applejack agreed. “Doc, keep watching Scootaloo, we’ll be back soon.” Applejack said to the doctor, before running out the door with Rarity, not giving him a chance to even reply.

“Oh the dramas we’ve had with some patients here. Let’s get you back to your own room Scootaloo.” The Doctor said, moving behind Scootaloo’s wheelie bed, and beginning to push it towards the door.

‘You better hurry up and get to the forest Fluttershy.’ Scootaloo thought to herself, more concern growing inside of her, knowing that if Fluttershy didn’t make it to the forest to save Twilight, it would probably be too late to save her.