Fear and Doubt Clip Wings

As the three Pegasi finished their story, a hush fell over the large room of the library. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, now two beautiful and full grown, sat on the rug of the hollow tree, beside a middle aged Colorstrike. Tears were welling up in the magenta eyes of the mother and daughter, yet the shy mare wasn't crying, keeping a stony face throughout the story.

Her Ponyville friends looked absolutely horrified, even Pinkie Pie was silent. The party pony's blue eyes were wet and puffy from the crying she'd done, yet she lowered her sobs to small whimpers that escaped through her pink lips. Rarity's expression was utterly horrid, her mascara was smearing down her white cheeks and for once she didn't seem to care. Applejack wasn't crying, yet the country mare was obviously affected. Fluttershy could see it in her green eyes.

Spike and Twilight were silent, and the baby dragon clung to his adopted sister's foreleg.

"And now you all know," Fluttershy's aqua gaze swept across the trembling ponies in front of her. "Why I'm like this. You've all been asking? Well there it is." she said coldly. Colorstrike put a hoof on the younger mare's shoulder and squeezed gently. Rainbow Dash had gotten herself together, back to her original tough state.

"Good God, Fluttershy." Rarity finally said. The unicorn's cheeks were matted from the dried tears. She swept a hoof across them gently, gave it a quick glance, and set it back down. "That was certainly..." she grunted as she tried to find the right word.

"Horrifyin'?" Applejack suggested.

"Yes, horrifying." Rarity agreed, giving a nod to the farm pony. Fluttershy patted the carpet with a hoof, trying to recall anything else she may have left out. Her thoughts were interrupted by a tap on her foreleg. The yellow Pegasus looked up into the magenta gaze of her foster mother.

"Fluttershy," the pink mare started. "You do realize that Arrow and I always thought of you as a daughter since the day you were born." Colorstrike gave a small, sad smile. "If your mother were still here, I think she'd be proud of you! I mean, you graduated top of your class at Veterinary College, you're in the middle of earning your last degree, and you're an Element of Harmony."

Dash nodded. "Yeah, you've come a long way since you fell out of CloudsDale."

Fluttershy said nothing as she looked at the mare she always thought of as a sister. With a simple nod she stood and stretched, a long luxurious stretch that filled every muscle with fresh energy. "Well, I'm off." she whispered as softly as always. "Thanks for listening." she threw her last sentence over her shoulder as she exited the large wooden door of the library and lifted off, back towards her peaceful cottage near the EverFree. Looking back to check if anypony was behind her, she veered upward, and up she went until she finally saw her old cloud home. CloudsDale.

Pulling the memory to the front of her mind, she landed in the city and looked around. She searched through the streets until she saw it. Her old home. Not where she and Dash had lived, but where she and her actual mother had lived all those years ago. The giant "CONDEMNED" sign was paid no attention as she pushed her way through the gate and traveled up the spiraling walkway until she came face-to-face with the rotted wood of the door.

She pressed a hoof against the wood and she could almost feel every memory the door had witnessed running through her hoof. It'd been fourteen years since she'd been here, and now at nineteen she felt ready to come back. Just once. She pushed a bit on the door and shrunk back, terrified of what memories might lie behind it. The angry words and insults of her father seemed to leak through the creases of the old wood, and Fluttershy could feel her mind beginning to slip. With a cry, she backed away and began running, leaping the fence in a bound and jumping off the edge of CloudsDale.

Her wings didn't open until she was almost had landed, causing the impact between herself and the ground to be awkward and painful. She stumbled, muttering curses under her breath as she raised her jammed hoof to her face to examine it. It wasn't swelling, not yet, but it still hurt to put pressure on. With a sigh, she hobbled back to her cottage. The adorable faces of her forest friends welcomed her with warm gazes, and she felt her heart lift. Angel sat on a rock by the door and leaped onto the spot in her mane he loved best. She gave him a loving look and walked inside.

The cottage she had now was much more welcoming than any house she'd ever lived in. It was big to a normal pony, but because of her profession, she needed the space. The small oak door next to her kitchen lead into a bright yellow room with hospital beds where she kept her sick animals. Everyday she brought them out to exercise what they could,and to visit with the other critters, then it back inside to rest. She hadn't lost an animal yet to illness, old age wasn't exactly treatable.

Her bedroom upstairs was large enough only to accommodate a small bed, a desk, a dresser, and a few shelves. The shelves were bare except for a few photos of her, her friends, her boyfriend. and a diploma or two.

She went upstiars and stopped to look at the photo of her Big Macintosh, the rowdy country stallion she'd come to love. Applejack had talked all the time about her brother, and Fluttershy was surprised to had not met him before. Then one day last Spring, she'd come with a fresh delivery of dog food for the Apples' dog, Wynona, when she saw him. The lean muscles under his burgundy coat had rippled as he pulled the plow across the field next to his younger sister. The sweat dripped down his forehead and down his coat, making him gleam in the sunlight. Their eyes had met and that was that.

In the picture, Mac had his forelegs wrapped around Fluttershy, his eyes gleaming with affection as he looked at the breathtaking mare in his grasp. The picture next to it was of them kissing. It had been their first kiss, anypony could tell from the shocked expression in the eyes of the yellow Pegasus and the confident look in the half closed eyes of the farmer.

She smiled when she remembered that day in the photo booth.

"Shy, look!" Big Mac had said, racing towards a small booth.

Shy followed more slowly, amused with her boyfriend. "You think we can fit in there, babe?" she asked, scoffing as he fought to squeeze his muscular body inside. Finally situated, he patted his lap and the shy mare obliged, squeezing inside and sitting comfortably on his lap. After two silly photos and serious one was when it happened.

"Mac, do you-" she never got to finish her sentence as the stallion locked his lips with her's and the camera snapped.