The Shivering Eight Part One
2023
"So, Pinkie?"
"What, Sagwa?" Pinkie Pie was interested in something.
"I had received a message from Amy Tan. She and majority of the TV adaptation crew had decided if we can return to television next year."
"Oh that's great! What would the new writers be?"
Sagwa pondered. "How about Kyle McCulloch, Eric Shaw, Ben Gruber."
"Who are Kyle McCulloch, Ben Gruber and Eric Shaw?" asked Pinkie.
"Kyle McCulloch used to work on South Park for the first twelve seasons even though he wrote only one episode of the show, and used to work on Spongebob back in Season 9, even though he only wrote one Season 4 episode. Eric Shaw worked on Spongebob's fifth season and two episodes of Season 6, which sucked....eggs, and wrote for Arthur in its dark age. Ben Gruber worked on the two abominations that was Teen Titans Go! and Breadwinners, but he did do good on Spongebob during its Reneccianse era."
"What about your mouse friends?" wondered Pinkie.
"They missed their old friend Jackelyn. So, Holly would be their new friend."
"YOU LOVE IT!!" shouted Rainbow Dash from the palace.
"SHUT UP RAINBOW!!" called back both Sagwa and Pinkie. Sagwa turned back to Pinkie and cleared her throat.
"Well, I gotta work on the Magistrate's study." said Sagwa. "So long."
"Bye Sagwa!" called Pinkie.
...
2024
Dear Miss Tan.
Thank you once again for the confirmation of the new revival to be filmed on our village, acting if it was the Qing Dynasty years. Allow me to extend the usual courtesies, that you may bring Miss Gautrial-Frankel, Mr Daugherty, Miss Shields and Mr Silberberg, and that your stay will once again be on China! Please be aware that there is a rodent infestation, and we can't afford to put you up anywhere else. A free brick has been given out to each guest, so don't worry about that.
Wishing you all the best!
Chang-Shoo the Foolish Magistrate.
P..S: Try and tell Mr Daugherty not to fall in the canal this time, please?
...
1882
Winter came in the Magistrate's village, and everywhere was white, thick snow. For whatever reason, the seasons didn't discriminate against snow, forcing it down whenever it felt like it, and therefore bringing everything to a stop. It was heavier than usual, and that was saying something considering how often it seemed to fall.
Lots of villagers hate snow and had to dig it out of their paths, but cats didn't mind the winter snow, unless blizzards come.
At the palace bedroom, the Miao kittens started to wake up. Sagwa stretches after she came out of her bed. She gasped as she headed towards the balcony.
“Wow! Beautiful!” she exclaimed as she saw the snow. "It was gonna be a wonderful day out in the snow if Mama decides we can play out here."
Suddenly, a gust of wind came in as Fu-Fu flew in, out of control, he lands on the soft, white pillow.
"Wow, it's freezing out there!" Fu-Fu said as he brushed the snow off him. Then, he saw Sagwa. "Hey Sagwa!”
Sagwa giggled as Dongwa came up to Fu-Fu on the pillow. “Got caught in the chilly breeze?"
Fu-Fu got up. “Just a little, but not a lot." he remarked.
Sheegwa saw Fu-Fu getting out of the pillow. "Hey Fu-Fu. What the heck happened? And why all the snow on-?”
Just as Sheegwa started talking, the door swang open as Sheegwa looked outside, of the balcony. Then she gasped. All three kittens watched as the snow came down. It was the most beautiful thing they had seen.
Mama Miao and Nai-Nai entered the bedroom. “Sagwa." said Mama. "It’s best if we- oh!”
Suddenly, Fu-Fu interrupted them. “Hello there. I just got caught in the chilly breeze, and I just thought I drop in. I’ll close
that for you! In case the whole place would be frozen."
"That’s nice of you Fu-Fu!" said Nai-Nai.
While Fu-Fu closed the door, Mama spoke to the kittens. "Baba and I are gonna do work for the Magistrate today, so that the villagers need insurances to keep safe. You can play outside, but try not to get caught in the snow, okay?”
Sheegwa was excited. “We will Mama! And why is that?”
Nai-Nai cleared her throat. “Snow can be fun to play in. Especially for a palace cat. However, we do not want to be
stuck in deep snow. I even hear that sometimes, they can be 6ft high and deep."
Sagwa was suspicious. “That high? But I always am careful Nai-Nai!"
“So would it be safe if we play in the snow, at the pond out back?” asked Sheegwa.
“Of course you would." Mama smiled.
“We’ll be careful Mama! We promise!" called Sagwa.
...
2024
"Hello, and welcome back to Ponyspotters, that short little break there was sponsored by Spottiswood and Company, proud owners of TV's Bertha! Spottiswood, where joy isn't manufactured, it's created! ...Did we really have to shill that, Nige, I mean, the joke didn't even make sense."
"Well Stan, if we don't want to get fired, we do! Now, there has been rather a slow newsday in the office at the moment, isn't that right. Stan?"
"Indeed, Nigel. However, while things on the political campaign for Ponyville's newest mayor has cooled down significantly since the heated debates between prospective candidates Drampf and Bedella, and the rather embarrassing incidents regarding Twilight Sparkle since rumors of her campaign manager abandoning her have been spreading. However, we have word from Mr Drampf that he has come into the possession of evidence that she and her friends will be airing on Ponyspotters for the first time publicly, information that she promises will change the way that one of our most senior Island residents is viewed. Fluttershy, she says in a official statement, will never be viewed in the same light again."
Fluttershy spat out her drink as Drampf's smug, smarmy looking face filled the screen. She was saying something about how it was high time that the ladies and gentlemen of Ponyville knew who it was they were trusting with their children, but it was like someone had fired a shotgun next to her ears. It was a murmur, a whisper compared to the very loud, very painful screams of panic in her head.
"Pinkie, head over to the store and give Rarity a hand, would you?"
"But Twilight!"
"Now!" Fluttershy was vaguely aware of one set of hooves walking off in the general direction out on the open snowy country, before Twilight came into her side of sight and spoke gently. "Fluttershy? Listen to me, you don't have to, but-"
Fluttershy snapped out of it. "Awah?" He coughed and focused his mind on creating actual words. "I mean, uh, it's okay. Trust me, Twilight, it's fine."
"...There any truth in what Drampf's saying?"
"...Well-"
"You're being obtuse, Fluttershy. Not like you. Which makes me think all the more that there is the very, very distinct possibility that perhaps...Drampf is right. Something is there that you don't want people to know. Now might be the best chance to tell me. I don't watch the news, but I imagine that it would be pretty hard for even myself to view the story that Drampf's going to tell with any objectivitiy."
For a moment, Fluttershy said nothing. Then, as Twilight looked down and began to back away: "If I tell you this...you have to accept one thing first."
Twilight looked up. "What's that?"
Fluttershy stared out at the warm, beautiful snowy sky.
"It was all my fault."
1996.
The fireworks had been a surprise, the Yellow pony had to admit. A bunch of drunken sailors had boarded their ship (A old rusting hulk of a tramper that bore the signs of intense burning and bomb damage, referred to simply as Krakatoa) and pulled them out of storage. Their captain had clearly gone off with a lady of less than reputable nature, and would clearly not be coming back for quite a while.
Fluttershy was slightly jealous. The captain got to get away from his annoying co-workers. She, on the other hand...
"Honestly, yellow pony, the way you handle the snakes was...average, at best." Eagle grinned, that little cocksure grin that Fluttershy was pretty sure was one of the most hated things on Ponyville. "Oh, but if Clozy Glow was here now. She'd tear you to pieces."
"Shut up, Eagle!"
"Now now, leave him alone, old boy." Dizzy smiled kindly to Fluttershy. "It's good, Fluttershy. It's very good. Don't listen to him. Just as long as you don't get the bullies too against you." Dizzy looked off into the distance. "Don't those stupid fools know what they're doing!? There's people here. Women and children! If they attract the Jerrys over here-"
"Spuddy's probably at home, toasting his feet over a roaring fire!" Eagle turned back to Fluttershy and grinned, rather savagely. "And what are we doing out here?" He slapped one of the snakes aggressively. "Trying to give laughing boy over there a lesson on the art of truck treatment? Give me a break."
"Now now, calm yourself." Flutterwise smile was proud, boastful, but warm. "I know it may seem hard to believe, but us bigger ponies
"Don't put that damn tosh on me, Thistle!" snapped the Yellow Pony. "I work just as hard as you all do, and I'm pretty sure that without me, you wouldn't have trains to run."
"Calm down, Fluttershy." remarked Biggles. "It's just the way that they treat you. Give it five or six years. By that point, all but Eagle will have grown out of it."
"You love me!" Eagle grinned at Biggles, who merely gave a quiet laugh in response. "See? Maybe one day, yellow pony, you'll be lucky to get as close as we are! Then you'll be helpful at last!" His hyena cackle came back in full force as Fluttershy gritted her teeth and set off a bomb machine.
Which was when the bomb exploded.
It had been a old one, one left over from the last war, actually. For years now, it had been left in the foundations of the dock, forgotten by all who had constructed the port and left alone, completely silent and untouched for a few decades. However, one of the fireworks had gone astray, and with a deafening bang, it pierced one of the warehouses. Finally, the bomb fulfilled it's purpose.
In the chaos, the mad chaos of screaming and shouting and wailing and terrified pleas for help, the ponies were momentarily all stricken dumb. Albert was temporarily blinded by the light, Eagle and Biggles were both on further off paths to the landing site of the bomb, and to make matters worse were drenched in the remains of some of the unfortunate trucks, and Thistle...Thistle was struck mute with shock. There'd never been such a explosion this close to the older pony, and it had stunned him completely.
No, the only engine in even remotely working state either mentally or physically was Fluttershy, and that was thanks to the incredibly lucky co-incidence of his shunting the trucks as the bomb went off. She stepped back, dazed somewhat. And then she snapped out of it. She had often been witness to many such bombs, as he had not been allowed out before, so this one didn't particularly shock her that much.
But what she did notice was that all of the ponies, the ponies that had mocked her, belittled him, patronized him, who considered him to be somewhat lesser because of his her were now completely out of it. In a brief, mad second, two very simple facts became apparent to her, as her parents and many other parents rushed towards the flames.
No one would suspect a thing if something was to...happen to them, would they?
No one would blame her for being unable to save them.
No one at all.
...
1882
“6ft deep? I can’t imagine that much snow!" exclaimed Dongwa as he, his two sisters and Fu-Fu were heading towards the Alley.
“We’d be shivering a lot like icies, if we were caught under!” added Sagwa.
“Look on the bright side." confronted Fu-Fu. "At least it’s the first day of winter I believe, and nothing bad will stop us”
At the alley, Jet-Jet was playing cards and drinking cat milk with his buddies when the four showed up.
"Hey!" said Jet-Jet. "Enjoying your first time in the snow?”
“It has been a while, since we last saw some snow." said Sagwa. "A blizzard even came at that time, as I almost lost Sheegwa. I thought she was frozen to the fur out there, but she was in bed."
“That’s something." said Jet-Jet. He then drank a sip of his cat drink. "So what are you four up to?”
“We’re heading out to the pond in the back. To play in the snow! That is where we usually play.” replied Dongwa.
"Well here’s what we can do for today." Jet-Jet whispered to them quietly.
TO BE CONTINUED
Author's Note
This is based off Owen Kyte's Sagwa episode idea
The Shivering Eight Part Two
Fluttershy arrived at Princess Clestria's castle, nervously looking this way and that. Everyone was looking at het with...distrust? Fear? Dislike? She swallowed, trying desperately to wet her suddenly dry throat. She looked around, and she tried taking deep breatha.
And then the TV switched on.
Drampf was on there, talking, as he usually did, complete bull from his rather large office. But Fluttershy wasn't focused on that. No, she was focused on the pictures that were rapidly scrolling past as Drampf talked.
Futterwise.
Eagle.
Dizzy.
Biggles.
And then suddenly Drampf stopped talking, and a old, grainy piece of footage began to play. It showed five poniew in a shed. Five ponies sitting there. Right at the end, was Fluttershy.
And then...
And then...
And...then...
Fluttershy'a mind was skipping, like a very, very broken record. Everyone was staring up at it, everyone was watching, everyone knew, they all know about it now, they all know what a coward you are, Fluttershy, they all know your secret. The screaming reached a low pitch that she'd never before heard of before, and without even a second though, Fluttershy bolted, rushing from the castle. She had to get somewhere, had to hide, had to...had to do something to just get away from them all.
...
Drampf stared, open mouthed in complete horror at the sight in front of him. Gotch looked completely and utterly dumbfounded as he sank into the nearest chair. Both men watched as the video played out, the audio (though somewhat crackly) very clear to even the most blocked of ears.
"You...idiot."
"Now hold on-"
"You said, you said that this would...that this would end it. That this would change the way they saw him forever. That it would the final nail in the coffin of Twilight Sparkle the Flipping Pony! Well you were right about it changing the way they see her. She's a goddamn war heroine now! And if there's one thing that the public likes, it's a war heroine! You didn't even check the goddamn film reel!?"
"I-"
"Shut up and let me think! We're meeting with Silverstrean tonight, and I can assure you, your arse is grass when he hears of this!"
...
1882
Sagwa, Sheegwa and Sheegwa were gatherwd around. Jet-Jet, Lik-Lik, Wing-Wing and Hun-Hun were about to start a race. Fu-Fu adjusted his glasses, as he gets ready. Then Hun-Hun smiled at Dongwa, as he smiled back at her. They began at the start line)
“It’s from here-" said Lik-Lik. "-to the bottom of the mountain of that pathway, and then back again. The first person to make it back, is the winner!”
Dongwa looked at Lik-Lik. “You got it Lik-Lik!”
Sagwa turned her head to the alley cats, as she had her eyes looking on Hun-Hun. She knew they had to be careful....otherwise they wod be in danger. “Under one condition. That we try not to get caught in the thick snow”
Hun-Hun smiled. “Deal”
“On your mark…GO!” shouted Fu-Fu. All seven cats began to take off, leaving Fu-Fu behind as he started flying towards them. "HEY! DON'T LEAVE ME BEHIND!” he wailed.
They ran pass the pond, as Sagwa was in the lead. Lik-Lik was second, Dongwa was third, Jet-Jet was fourth, Hun-Hun was fifth, as Wing-Wing, Sheegwa and Fu-Fu were trying to catch up.
“I’ll be the winner!” called Sagwa.
“NOT FOR LONG!" Dongwa called back. "I AM THE BEST!"
"NO YOU AREN'T!" shouted the writer, who flipped the older brother off, then went back to work. The writer's name was Eric Shaw. He used to film on Spongebob SquarePants back in 2007 before he left in the next year.
Anyway, he wind rised as snowflakes blew in. Soon Sagwa was almost there to the bottom of the mountain. However, they all stopped to rest so that the race could resume. Then Hun-Hun noticed dark clouds that loomed ahead, as lots of snow were coming in.
Hun-Hun was worried. “Hey fella’s. A snowstorm is coming. We’d better head back”
Sheegwa and Sagwa looked up.
Sagwa cleared her throat. “You could be right Hun-Hun. We’d better get back anyway. We’ll shiver if we are stuck out here.”
Wing-Wing was shocked. “Wait a minute. What about the race? You said we make it to the bottom of that mountain."
Sagwa agreed. “Well, okay. Just to that pathway. But let’s hurry, okay?”
They resumed to the race. Sagwa ws still in the lead, as they were almost there. But more and more snow are coming down, as a blizzard was about to begin.
“Almost there…just a few more…” panted Sagwa. She soon made it, and cheered. The others made it also, as they catched some air. However, the weather started to get chilly anyway. Fu-Fu could feel the chilly air. "Ooooh." he shivered.
Wing-Wing felt it too. “Hey, you’re right. We’d better get back anyhow. Otherwise we'll die of frostbites."
“Let’s walk together." said Lik-Lik. "I think I had enough racing anyway.”
“Sure works for me” declared Dongwa who needed a warm drink.
Fu-Fu continued to shiver. “Y-yeah. I would be b-b-better in walking anyway. I had e-e-e-enough of flying.”
They started to leave, as the weather grew worse. Lots of snow were coming down hard like a airplane landing as the blizzard had just begun. It got bigger as it blew hard on them. The blizzard was so big, everyone couldn't see! This means...
"WE'RE LOST!" everyone screamed. I was gonna say that.
"SAGWA! I CAN'T SEE!" shouted Sheegwa.
"WHERE THE FLIP ARE WE!?" yelled Lik-Lik.
Wing-Wing started to cry. "I THINK WE ARE LOOOOOST!"
“I KNOW!” said Fu-Fu.
"It’s very cold! I can’t take it!” Sagwa groaned.
“Me too!” wailed Dongwa.
Hun-Hun saw something. "OVER THERE! THAT CAVE!"
Everyone headed towards the cave on the bottom of the mountains. All seven cats entered the cave at the bottom of the mountain, and then Fu-Fu entered also. After Fu-Fu entered, a dark shadow is behind them screaming "WAIT FOR ME GUYS!”. He then entered, safe and sound. Everyone sighed in relief as they are in shelter at last.
"That was the coldest snowstorm I've ever been into!" sighed Jet-Jet.
"I know!" agreed Sagwa. And the toughest! We need to take cover."
Before Sheegwa could utter "Me-" , she let out a loud "AAACHOOO!"
"Hey, are you okay Sheegwa?" asked Fu-Fu as he confronted her.
"We'd better get warm really." said Sagwa. "She's catching a cold and freezing."
Dongwa came up with something. "Hey. If we build a fire in here, we'll all have to get warm."
Hun-Hun smiled. "I agree. I'll find some wood in this cave."
"I'd better help." said Fu-Fu.
The Alley Cats were shocked. "WHAT A MINUTE! WHAT ABOUT US!?"
Sagwa looked at them. "We'll take care of Sheegwa, while you three find something in here." They began to walk as Sagwa and Dongwa comforted Sheegwa to stay in there.
Lik-Lik muttered. "If there are blankets, we'll all have to share really."
...
2024
Fluttershy was hiding in a old castle. It was old, rusty and broken up. She tried to get the horrible things off her head. But it was no use.
...
1996
No one would suspect a thing if something was to...happen to them, would they?
No one would blame her for being unable to save them.
No one at all.
...No.
He would know.
And so, taking a deep breath, Fluttershy sprang into action. He glanced from side to side. "All right lads! Let's get cracking! Here's my idea, we get as many people into the carts as we can until the ambulance get here! We get carts as far away from the fire as possible, which means we get the people as far as we can. There are some fuel trucks over there, which means that if the fire spreads to them, the whole dock goes up in flames, right?" She spotted their parents heading back, and was pleased to see them nodding.
"Right on!" Biggles agreed. "Come on lads, let's do what the yellow pony...what Fluttershy says!"
"All right, I'll ride the fuel tankers, Fluttershy, if you'll give me a hand?"
"Certainly Flutterwise. Eagle, you and Dizzy take care of the carts and the injured. We want to clear as big as space as possible for the ambulance and for the firefighters!"
"You got it!" Dizzy snapped out of it, and rolled forward. "Everyone here please, people coming through! Get on-board, we'll get you to safety."
"Folks, focus on the splendid red pony, all right!" Eagle called out. Elsewhere, Flutterwise and Fluttershy began riding the fuel tankers out of the way, directed by Biggles. Those injured were helped onboard the carta and pushed away from the fire towards the road, while all those who weren't left on Dizzy and Eagle.
At last, the firefighters arrived to throw sand on the fire, and to beat it down with blankets, and medical personal were dealing with the wounded. The engines quietly headed off for home, towards Wellsworth.
And then the very loud, very clear sound of a air raid siren cut through the midnight air.
"Blimey!" Flutterwise was stunned. "Not now! Of all times!"
"The fireworks would have attracted them anyway, but the explosion can't have made things better." remarked Biggles grimly. They were still in the area of the Harbour, so the five ponies quickly went home to sleep.
For a while, after the bombing had ceased, there was little anyone said or did. Nothing moved. The only thing that they could really gather was that whatever damage the Luftwaffe had done was quite severe, from the smell of the rather pungent smoke.
Then, there was a very loud and very audible clinking noise, as one of the house doors (which had been closed) was slowly opened. From what the ponies could see, it was still dark outside, the sky only lit by the bright orange glare of fires far off in the distance. And there, standing in front of them, was the Captain of the Krakatoa. Besides him stood...well, it was pretty obvious who they worked for.
"And you are completely sure that these are the ponies."
"Listen, sir, I did what you told me to do, I found the engines from the Ministry, can I please just go?"
"But of course. Your Fraulein is waiting for you Good luck."
The Captain smiled and turned back.
He walked fifty paces before the man in charge pulled out a gun and...well, you do the math.
As the body was removed, the leader smiled a rather horrifyingly calm smile to the ponies, who were terrified. "Now then...shall we begin?"
