Snap

She smiled warmly at the mare before her — Daisy. A curly, lime green mane, bright emerald eyes, and a coat the shade of rose petals. A cutie mark of three daisies adorned her flank; yes, indeed, she was well known in the town. In her mouth was the handle of a woven basket, no doubt her own hoof-work; she set it down upon the doorstep of her cottage, the flowers within the basket swaying lightly in the breeze. Soon, they'd be planted safe within the soil of her garden, hopefully attracting bees, butterflies, and anything else that wanted to visit them.

Fluttershy placed three bits in the mare's patiently waiting hoof, watching her drop them into her saddlebag. With the coins safely by her side, Daisy turned her gaze back to meet the pegasus, smiling, "Always a pleasure to do business with you, Shy!"

Fluttershy flashed a sweet smile, her own long mane drifting in front of her face in the light breeze before she lifted a hoof, pushing it out of her face. She spoke softly, her voice just barely louder than the breeze, "Thank you again, so much.. I really appreciate you coming all the way over here to get these to me, I know it's a little bit of a walk.." Her face flashed a hint of regret, realizing the florist had probably taken a portion of her work day just to deliver them.

Daisy scoffed, grinning, "Oh, hardly! Plus, it's always good to find a reason to stretch my legs; standing behind a flower cart all day is no joke!"

Fluttershy smiled, relieved the mare was so accommodating — she lightly gasped, remembering she was at home, and stepped aside the doorframe. Gesturing inside, she exclaimed, "Oh! Daisy, would you like to come in for tea? As a 'thank you'.."

Daisy gasped, "Oh yeah, I'd love to! I forgot to bring my water bottle with me, and gosh I could use a drink. Almost got into a coughing fit a little while back — of course, that's what I get for shoving my face into the flowers a couple times though, ugh.." She explained as she stepped in before grabbing the flower basket in her mouth quickly, the door closing gently behind her.

The pegasus quickly got to work making a pot of tea, sorting through the kitchen to get everything in order while Daisy sat at the table, plopping the basket down with her before explaining how the pollen can irritate her allergies, but she makes sure to bring extra tissues with her just in case.. Fluttershy politely 'mhm'd throughout the somewhat one-sided conversation so she knew she was listening, which seemed to be good enough for Daisy. By the time the tea was ready, a cup placed in front of the pink mare, she had explained the events of her entire week — not that Fluttershy was complaining, she was happy enough to give Daisy a chance to vent.

Oh, look..! Fluttershy's gaze shifted from the florist to the table in front of her; an aphid. It was rather large for the tiny insects' usual size, obviously very healthy and happy. It strolled across the table, it's little transparent wings accenting it's plump green body as it made its way across; she figured it must've come from the new plants, probably as a stowaway under a leaf, hidden beyond Daisy's careful eyes. The more she watched, though, it looked like the aphid ended up here by happenstance. Maybe it came in on her mane, the basket, or just the breeze, but it seemed to be trying to get away from the flowers quicker than normal.

Oh well, who knows, they do what they want. In any case, Fluttershy knew exactly what to do with aphids; if there were no predators like ladybugs to eat them, she'd use her smallest paintbrush to delicately remove them from the leaves, brushing them into a cup she'd take outside, before flying over to the edge of the woods to release them safely. Was it work? Absolutely — but she enjoyed it all the same. She was always astounded how tough the little guys were, always able to pick themselves right back up and form their little family groups — even after getting moved halfway across their world!

Their world — her yard probably was an aphid's entire world, imagine the journey this little one must've been on! Practically from one planet to the next, all under the leaf of a flower she just happened to buy — it probably didn't even know how far it had just traveled.

Taking a breath finally, Daisy sighed, and sipped her tea, "Well anyway, enough about me — how have you been? How are the animals and all that?"

Fluttershy stared into nothing for a second as Daisy's voice registered in her head, now talking to her instead of continuing to energetically monologue. She stuttered, "O-oh, me? I, um, I've been — "

"Eugh!" Her sentence was cut off as Daisy let out a groan of disgust, her eyes locking on the little traveler. Fluttershy opened her mouth to say something, to quickly brush the topic aside and move on before Daisy could get started, but no words were faster than the mare's hoof on the table.

Slam

Before she could even form a 'stop', Daisy was wiping her hoof on a napkin, rolling her eyes, "I swear, if that thing came from my plants, I'll give you a discount — so it better not have!" She huffed a little before chuckling at her own joke, immediately lightening the mood.. as if she didn't just kill something. Fluttershy's eyes were locked on the.. smear. Was it even a smear? It was more of a stain, hardly anything left..

Daisy suddenly gasped a little, "Oh Gosh, sorry Fluttershy, that probably freaked you out a little. I should've been a little less forceful, hah.." She laughed softly, a bit nervously as she looked over the vacant expression on the pegasus. "Y-yeah, no, I usually don't like, go after them so aggressively, but aphids have been terrible on my flowers this year. Little monsters end up everywhere, and as soon as you see one, I swear, you'll see fifty more!" Fluttershy watched her get up to drop the napkin into the trashcan.. The napkin, with stains. Stains that used to be a life. Stains that —

"Fluttershy, honey..? I-.. I'm very sorry to have scared you."

The yellow pegasus blinked, her eyes refocusing on the mare as she forced a smile, "N-no, it... It's nothing, it's fine.. I'm fine." She tried her best to put on a reassuring mask, not wanting to make an even bigger scene.

Apparently that's all the florist needed, sighing in relief and smiling wide, "Gosh, you had me going for a second! Thought my little aphid incident gave you a heart attack or something." She laughed softly to herself, sitting back down to finish her tea. Fluttershy's eyes glistened as they began to well with tears, tears she desperately tried to keep inside her. She didn't need this mare knowing how much it hurt.. to watch something violently die.. directly in front of her..

"Anyway, yeah, aphids have been pretty harsh this year on all the girls down at the shops, plants have been dropping left and right. Honestly I'm glad I took the precautions I did this year, or I might not have any stock left to sell — "

"Precautions..?" Fluttershy interjected softly, their eyes meeting.

She half-heartedly smiled, "Yeah, no.. I usually wouldn't, but I wanted to be safe this year."

Fluttershy nodded, her smile wavering, keeping the frustration inside her, "Y-yes, sorry, I meant what kind of precautions did you take..?"

Daisy smiled, "Oh, you know, fungicide, insecticide, stuff like that."

"In-.. Insecticide?"

"Yeah, gotta keep the pests off." She paused, smiling, "I've seen little piles of dead bugs under my flowers, it's been working super well!" She laughed softly, "It wasn't even aphids, just other stuff that tried to mess up my flowers I guess. I don't even know what they were, but they sure won't be killing any plants this year!" She smiled, poking proudly at the flower basket with her hoof.

Fluttershy's eyelid twitched lightly, her gaze locked with the oblivious mare. Her smile was strained, her voice lowered and colder, though it was so subtle it was impossible to notice, "You never told me your plants had.. pesticides."

Daisy suddenly looked a bit nervous, her own smile becoming a bit forced, "Y-yeah, I guess I didn't, huh..? Um.. I totally meant to, just slipped my mind this year, I guess.." She paused, waiting for the yellow mare's expression to lighten and cut her some slack, but it never did. She just.. watched her. Chuckling nervously, Daisy continued, digging herself deeper into the grave she'd just made, "W-well, you know, uh.. Other ponies are usually fine with it, so like, I thought it's like doing them a favor, hah.. Like, they won't have to worry about bugs with my plants at all, and this just.. kinda makes sure of that.."

She cleared her throat, "Um, quality and.. all that.." The florist looked increasingly uncomfortable as the pegasus' gaze bored into her skull, her eyes still locked on her. On her.. through her? Her eyes, though technically in her direction, didn't feel totally focused on anything anymore.

Finally, Fluttershy broke the silence, "Piles of corpses.. under the flowers..?" Daisy slowly nodded, regretting having said anything.

"Y-yeah, a few — "

"Corpses of what?"

Daisy was becoming more and more disturbed by the mare's lack of expression and flat tone of her voice, but tried to power through, "Well, I said before, I'm not really sure.. I saw some bees, some, I dunno.. What, caterpillars? Those little worm guys with legs that eat all the leaves — "

"You even kill bees?"

She took a sip of her now cold tea, wetting her increasingly dry throat, "Well.. Not like, on purpose — I know bees are pollinators, but.. there's gonna be some casualties with these kinds of chemicals, y'know? B-but it's for the greater good! So, it's.. worth it.."

Silence. Dead silence — that was all that greeted her. She bit her lip, aware she had made a very big mistake. Lingering for a second, she quickly added, "Look, Shy, I know I should've disclosed the pesticides on my plants, but I've never had a problem with it before. Nopony but you seems to mind — "

Fluttershy quietly interrupted, "You mean, nopony besides me seems to.. know?"

The mare's face suddenly paled, her smile dropping entirely as the facade began to slip, "Um.. Maybe.."

Fluttershy continued, her unblinking eyes locked with the 'florist', "You've never told anypony about the chemicals on your plants, have you?" She slowly shook her head, her mane shrouding her eyes for a second as it swayed. Fluttershy's hooves were lightly trembling, and she added through almost gritted teeth, "You've never told anypony you're selling death-trap plants, have you?"

Daisy exclaimed, "It's harmless to ponies! Just like, bugs and.. uh, it said it.. might.. be a little bit.. bad.. for really small animals.." She quickly added, "Like, mouse small! Smaller than like, pets and stuff, just other pests that'll mess up gardens — you know, like a, uh.."

"Rabbit?"

Daisy nodded, "Yeah, like rabbits and stuff that would eat the flowers! But like, it shouldn't be deadly to them, it can just make 'em sick if they eat too much of it.. I, uh.. I think, at least. Nopony has reported dead animals on their lawns, so it's probably fine."

Fluttershy nearly whispered, "You're waiting for reports of dead animals before you stop using it?"

Daisy quickly spoke, "No, I'll keep using it, but like, I'll start putting the warning on my labels and stuff." She looked to Fluttershy, who sat stone still across the table from her, pale as a sheet. If she didn't know better, she'd think the mare had snorted the pesticide herself for how sick she looked. Daisy slowly stood, feeling unwelcome in the house, and began to back towards the door, "Well, anyway, it's been good talking to you, Shy. I'll uh, see you around, yeah?" 'Shy' didn't respond.

The mare was going to leave. She was going to leave, and keep selling deadly, chemical coated flowers. She wasn't going to warn anyone unless they complained, she wasn't going to change, she wasn't even going to offer her a refund — no, she was just going to leave.

"Um, so.. Sorry about the plants, but it really should be fine for your pets..!"

She was waiting for numbers. Numbers of deaths. How many creatures had to die before she'd listen? How many piles of corpses had to show up before she'd do something? Before she'd even tell anypony? How many —

"So.. I'll see ya.. H-have a good day." The mare turned, walking towards the door.

She was leaving. Leaving Fluttershy with poisoned plants that could kill nearly every living thing in her home. In her yard. In her sanctuary. And she didn't care.

Fluttershy stood slowly, her limbs trembling uncontrollably.. This mare. She was a killer. Heartless. Cold. She wouldn't stop because she didn't care. Hundreds of lives, hundreds of creatures, hundreds of corpses, gallons of chemicals, and not one single warning to anypony. Not even a casual mention, not even an acknowledgement. All for her poisoned flowers to cash in poisoned bits, poisoned money for her poisoned business.

Fluttershy's wide, unfocused eyes slowly came to rest on the handle sitting on her cutting board by the sink. The handle to a sharp, cold, metal blade. Usually used to slice vegetables to feed her animals, most recently fresh cucumber for some slugs, but it could be used to slice many things. Many, many, many, many, many things..

Daisy was to the door now. She was leaving.

Her eyes focused on the knife. The voice, her conscience, made it very clear: You have one chance. If you don't, she will kill countless others.

The mare's hoofsteps had reached the outside.

Do it now, do it now, do it now, do it —

She picked up the knife between her two front hooves, clasping its cold form tightly, getting a solid grip even as she shook. Her eyes, pinpricks of color, beginning to pour hot tears, focused on the heartless mare. Something within Fluttershy had long ago began to crack, a part of her soul maybe, or of her sanity — something had been bent too far, reaching the breaking point. Something important. It now splintered, until finally, with images of her dead animals at this mare's uncaring hooves plaguing her mind, it finally happened.

Snap

Daisy didn't do much but let out a startled gasp, the hint of a sound escaping her lips. The knife slid easily into her flesh, scraping roughly against her ribs as it plunged into her back. The angle, down from behind, slightly to the side, sent the blade directly through her left lung. The knife easily pierced through her, the tip ripping a deep hole, puncturing what supplied her next breath.

Maybe a part of Fluttershy stopped. Maybe it said, this was insane. This was wrong, this wasn't how a sane pony would stop a crime. A sane pony would go to the authorities. A sane pony wouldn't —

Daisy gurgled a scream, staggering forward, blood beginning to quickly fill her lung, not to mention pouring out around the knife still embedded in her ribs. Her hoof frantically lifted from the ground, reaching around behind her to feel for the wound.

Whatever part of Fluttershy still opposed had relented to the overwhelming fact that she had already done it — she couldn't go back now. She would be imprisoned, she would lose everything if anypony found out. Everything, everything, everything, everything, everything — if anypony found out. If, if, if, if... Only if.

There was no going back now.

Blood droplets sprayed from her mouth, dripping down her chin as Daisy choked on her wheezing gasp. The knife was yanked out of her flesh, leaving a clean puncture wound — it made an awful sound, the air of her breath hissing out from the hole through her body.. but not for long. Fluttershy held her breath, forcing the knife back down into the mare with all her strength, sinking the blade up to the handle into her back. She didn't stop to assess the injury; she pulled the knife back out before thrusting it in, again and again and again and again and again and againand again and again —

Panting, Fluttershy stood over the bloody, mangled heap that was once Daisy. Once.. not anymore. Daisy had long ago taken her final breath, now just a body. A cooling body laying in a growing pool of her own blood. Her back looked like a torn pincushion, her flesh splayed out around the innumerable stab wounds, pouring dark blood, staining her pink coat. If she looked close, she could see the white glint of bone peaking out through a few of the deeper wounds. The knife handle was still sticking out from between her shoulders, growing like a flower from the pony's corpse, the sharp roots keeping it deeply anchored.

Fluttershy sat down in the floor — well, more of a 'collapsed' than a 'sat'. Strands of her long, pink mane were plastered across her sweaty face, the rest hanging limp in front of her eyes. She lifted a trembling, stained hoof to her face, pushing her mane out of the way, leaving a bright red smear across her pale yellow forehead, mixing with her sweat and running down her skin.

Daisy didn't move — of course she didn't, she was dead. As dead as countless other creatures would have been if she had lived. Yes, that's it.. She was the real killer, not Fluttershy. Fluttershy merely stopped a murderer. Yes, yes that's what happened.

The pegasus took a deep breath — the kind Daisy would never have again — and stared at the red mess before her. She placed a shaking hoof on the knife handle, pulling it from her body — it took a bit of force, having been lodged firmly into.. something.. Now free from her flesh, she bled even more — so, so much blood..

She took another breath. Now.. It didn't matter if she was right or wrong. It didn't matter if she wished she'd have done something different. It didn't matter if she regretted it. It didn't matter if it was a mistake. None of that mattered because it was already done. Now, all that mattered was making sure nopony ever knew.

She nodded — nopony could ever know. Nopony. Tears fell freely down her pale face, and she let herself release a shaking sob. Breaking down, she finally wept. She cried for the aphid. She cried for the animals. She cried for the poisoned casualties. She cried for the flowers themselves. She cried for what could have been. She cried for what had broken inside her. She cried for what she had to live with, what she had to do. She cried for the dark secret she would carry within her for the rest of her life.

She didn't cry for Daisy.