Fallout Equestria: Killing with Kindness

"I can still vividly recall the day the sun came back." Fluttershy spoke quietly against her friend's chest. "It was something spectacular. I had given up hope that Equestria would ever see peace and light again, but there it was. Celestia's sun blazing through the cracks in the cloud cover."

The day was just like any other to the imprisoned Ministry Mare...dull, grey, lifeless, and the random attacks of helpless victims at her base. Nothing had changed for two hundred years and really, there was no hope in sight that it ever would. Over the last decade, she had given up wishing for death, simply accepting that she was helplessly trapped for eternity by the cruel design of the killing joke. She had no energy left to loathe the plants. No energy left to loathe the desolate and death ridden wastelands. No energy left to pray to Celestia and Luna for it to all end.

She had completely given up.

Now she was just empty, having been drained of whatever emotions she had left, simply existing from day to day and no longer even possessing the mental capacity to force herself into thoughts of her friends when the plants below her tortured their victims. What was the point in trying to drown out screams that she was going to hear for eternity anyway? What was the point in trying to pay no attention to the bloody sights she was faced with every day? The mental and emotional anguish had long since passed the point of being unbearable. It was like a knife, blade brought to a temperature that could rival the sun she never got a glimpse of, being thrust deeply into her heart and twisted without mercy, the whitehot steel searing what was left of her fragile feelings.

She was past the point of internal screams and tears. She was empty, with nothing left to feel. The wasteland was a brutal, coldly calculating place, violently annihilating the weak and leaving the strong floundering in their own gradually increasing weaknesses. She had seen it all, and it had thoroughly broken her.

Her emptiness was suddenly shattered when she saw something in the sky. Was that a-? No, it was impossible. She must be delusional.

There it was again! A light! A faint but glowing yellow ray piercing through a miniscule crack in the cloud cover. And as she watched, stunned and fascinated, other similar fissures appeared, lining the entire sky as more rays of golden light penetrated through them into the hazy realm below...and wrestled a faint jolt of hope into Fluttershy's long since shattered heart.

Oh! Oh sweet Celestia! Th-the sun!!

Her thoughts were scrambled, her annihilated emotions slowly ressurecting. A ray of sunlight pierced through the cloud cover directly above her and shot down fiercely into the patch of murderous plants at her base. To her amazement, the plants seemed to wilt, recoiling from the solar intruder with slight wisps of smoke rising from some of them. The beam was relentless, and another, larger ray pierced through the clouds and slammed into the killing joke with a force to rival the first one. Fluttershy watched as the plants thrashed, tendrils lashing out at nothing, twitching and jerking erratically as if in death throes, and she imagined them screaming in agony.

An entire section of clouds burst apart and dissapated, massive rays of sunlight shooting down to the radiation ravaged lands below. The struggling plants stood no chance, and it took only a moment more before they disintegrated to ash and blew away in the faint wind. Fluttershy could have laughed out loud.

Finally she was free of her cruel captor. And this gave her something she hadn't felt in a decade: strong hope.

Across the wasteland larger chunks of the cloud cover were disintegrating, letting the life giving rays of light strike the barren ground. Equestria was beginning a new dawn, and Fluttershy felt as though she were dreaming. One ray of sun gently played across her blood stained trunk, and she could feel it's warmth. She was internally crying for joy, and simultaneously for sorrow, because here she was witnessing what her dear friends never would.

Equestria was returning.

Syntax felt tears drenching her face, thinking of how it must have felt to see light and peace returning after two centuries of nothing but darkness, war and death. How relieving it must have been.

"I wish they could have seen it." Fluttershy murmured. "It was such a bittersweet moment. Watching Equestria as it began to renew itself and replenish what was lost. How they would have loved it. Pinkie would have thrown the largest party the land has ever seen, and Rainbow Dash would have performed her best sonic rainboom ever. Rarity would have made everypony the most fabulous outfits for the occasion. Applejack would have-"

Her voice cracked, a quiet sob escaping.

"Applejack would have busted out the best apple cider ever tasted." Syntax whispered softly. "And Twilight would be all over the place conducting science experiments and trying to figure out the best ways to help everything grow to its best."

"I miss them, Syntax. I really do. It was so hard coming back to a world with them gone. In a way I almost wish I had stayed a tree. But...in another, I'm glad I'm not." Fluttershy sniffled. "I'm hopefully going to be with them, once I pass from here."

"I-I wish you wouldn't mention that." Syntax murmured sadly. "I've really gotten to know you, and you're such a kind and wonderful friend. It's sad to think you might-" she stopped, breathing hitched as she fought back further tears.

Fluttershy nuzzled her young friend.

"Shh." She said softly. "Like I said at the beginning, everypony's time comes sooner or later. I have lived for so long, Syntax. I'm not sad that it's my time, because I'm really tired, and I want to be with my friends again."

"But you'll be gone..." Syntax managed.

"I'll still be here. Just like all my friends are still here in a way." Fluttershy leaned back and gently patted her hoof against Syntax's chest. "My spirit will live on, right here, in you. And in anycreature that knows and loves me. I won't really be gone."

Syntax sighed. This was true. As sad as it was to consider her dear friend leaving, Fluttershy had lived a long and pain filled life. She deserved nothing less than to finally rest in peace and be reunited with her loved best friends.

"Syntax?"

"Yeah?"

"Will you bring me my bag?"

Syntax knew the one. She'd seen it before. Fluttershy never parted with it. Easing away from the pagasus, she fetched the bag and brought it to her. Fluttershy waved to her.

"Open it."

Syntax did as requested, and gasped softly as she found herself gazing at the set of figurines. She removed each one with great respect and care, lining them up on Fluttershy's night-table. Just being in close proximity to them gave her a sense of calm and increased wellbeing.

"I want you to have these." Fluttershy said quietly.

"What? But-"

"No. I want you to have them. Take good care of them. Pass them down to generations after you, along with my story. Creatures must never forget. Never again must history repeat itself so horribly. Please, Syntax? Promise me."

The weight of this responsibility was almost crushing. But Syntax knew exactly what she had to do. She met those pleading eyes and nodded, expression soft yet determined as tears shimmered in her own eyes.

"I promise."

A small smile tugged at the yellow lips.

"Pinkie Promise?"

"Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."

The smile widened more.

"Thank you. This means so much."

Fluttershy leaned her head back, gaze floating to the figurines on her table. Her friends, captured in moments of stopped time, preserved youthful forever.

"My only wish now..."

"One more moment with them like old days?" Syntax said softly.

Fluttershy nodded, eyes closing. "I know I will be with them, but...not here, where we used to go."

Watching her, a light bulb went off in Syntax's head, and she suddenly knew exactly what to do for the elderly mare in front of her.

It needed to be perfect. It needed to be special. And it would be the best last gift she could give to her.