Chapters Silver Herald stared up at the giant tree-like cottage that was now within a few yards of him, his hooves making soft shuffling noises as they hit the stone path beneath him. In his wing, he carried a small box wrapped with yellow ribbon and a pink bow. He adjusted the wing so that the box disappeared under it, making it invisible to the outside world.
Slowly, he approached the sizeable wooden door that marked the entrance to Fluttershy’s cottage. He knocked softly, knowing how much Fluttershy would appreciate it if he kept the noise down. A few seconds passed before the door opened, making a quiet squeaking noise. “Oh! Hi!” Fluttershy’s soft voice said from inside the doorway.
“Hi,” Silver responded, greeting her with a smile, making sure to keep the box concealed. “Happy birthday!”
“Oh my goodness! You remembered!” Fluttershy gasped, and she giggled. “I thought I’d be spending today with all of my animal friends, but I guess not!”
Silver felt his cheeks grow hot, “O-oh...if I’m interrupting something-”
Fluttershy was quick to cut him off, “No, no! If anything, I’m glad you came!” She invited him inside and told him to make himself comfortable. Silver did as he was told, and took a seat on the couch. The box was starting to get uncomfortable under his wing, but he kept still. His gift was supposed to be a surprise; he knew Fluttershy wasn’t expecting to receive anything. She was simple, and Silver knew that the fact that he showed up was enough for her.
But it wasn’t enough for him.
Fluttershy disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Silver to wait. He imagined the surprise on Fluttershy’s face when she saw what he got her...
Oh my, it’s-it’s WONDERFUL!
“Silver? Hello?” Fluttershy’s sweet voice snapped him out of his fantasy. He flinched, and took a few seconds to adjust to reality. “Come on into the kitchen, I have a little something for you!”
Silver stood up, shifted his wing, and followed her into the kitchen. Upon entering, he saw that the table had been covered in a white tablecloth and set in a professional manner. There were two seats, each set with plates and a glass filled with water. It took a few seconds for Silver’s brain to realize that this was his moment. He quickly jumped out and pulled one of the chairs back, allowing Fluttershy to sit down.
“Why, thank you,” she said, tilting her head down in an adorable sort of way. Silver took a seat, himself, and it wasn’t long before Angel brought them their lunch- a salad made with fresh, green lettuce and a wide assortment of berries.
“Wow,” Silver exclaimed, “Did you make this yourself?”
“Yes- I mean- no- well- I had some help...” she glanced down at Angel, who was clearly not happy with his job as a waiter. “You see, that night at the Gala, I ordered a salad, and it was just delightful!” Fluttershy looked back up at him. “There were so many berries, and I didn’t recognize them all, so I came home and told Angel and-” She stopped, realizing how quickly she was speaking, “-and fortunately, Angel knew exactly what I was talking about!”
Silver smiled, and took his first bite. “This is amazing!”
Fluttershy simply smiled, and her cheeks grew red. “Really? I worked really hard in preparing it....”
The two ate and talked about the quality of the food, current events: just about your average Ponyville conversation. Eventually, the topic changed to the Gala- the night they first met.
“Oh, you never told me why you got your cutie mark,” Fluttershy said, motioning toward the blue heart on Silver’s flank.
“You’re right, I don’t think I did,” he replied. “Well, it’s not what you might think at first. It stands for-”
He was interrupted by a knock at the door. “Oh, I'll get that...” Fluttershy said, sounding a bit displeased that their meal was interrupted. She got up and trotted slowly through the open doorway that led into the living room. After a minute or two, he heard a soft scream that could only have come from Fluttershy.
“Fluttershy!” he called out, dashing into the living room. His eyes darted back and forth, searching every corner of the room to make sure that Fluttershy was alright.
But there was no Fluttershy to be found.
The door was wide open, and Silver rushed through it to get a look outside. He looked at the ground, and what he saw nearly gave him a heart attack.
Right there, imprinted in the dirt, were animal tracks.
Dog tracks.
Silver stared in amazement at the impressions for a good minute or so. How? Who? Why? He had so many questions, and so little answers. His only option was to follow the tracks.
Into the Everfree forest.
There was only one other time in his life that Silver had done something brave for the sake of another. It’s what earned him his cutie mark, the blue heart.
Silver looked around nervously, feeling as if a million tiny eyes were watching his every move. A cold breeze blew across his face, sending chills through his entire body. It was obvious that Silver did not like the Everfree Forest.
He walked slowly, checking behind him every few seconds to make sure he wasn’t being followed. That was just one of the things the Everfree Forest was known to do. It had an eerie vibe to it, making you feel like something frightening was about to happen at every moment. Even the occasional rustling of tree branches became a potential threat.
Regardless, Silver trudged on. He knew he had to overcome his fears in order to save Fluttershy from whatever it was that had kidnapped her. The thought of seeing the expression on her face when he came to rescue her...
Silver! You came! I knew you would...
And he still had the tiny box tucked underneath his wing.
It wasn’t long before Silver came across a large pool. It was only about a hoof’s length deep, and every square inch of it’s floor was covered with small stones. Silver looked up, and noticed that there was a clearing in the trees, causing the sun to reflect across the surface of the water.
It was a beautiful scene, and Silver wished Fluttershy could have been there to see it. Who would have thought that such a clearing like this could be found in the Everfree Forest?
A bush to his right rustled, and Silver jumped back, only half ready to face whatever it was that was inside of it. He saw a pair of glowing red eyes, and almost fled.
But he didn’t. He held his ground.
A paw emerged from inside the bush, making an indention in the soft dirt as it touched the ground.
The same paw print from Fluttershy’s cabin.
“So, you came...” spoke the dog in a raspy voice.
Silver’s mind raced. He was being expected? By who? He had so many questions to ask, but he lacked the courage to ask them aloud.
“I know who you seek, and I’ve come to make you an offer you can’t refuse...” The figure had now fully emerged, and Silver knew exactly what he was. He was unmistakably looking at a diamond dog. He gestured toward the water. Silver turned his head to look, and witnessed something that could have come only from the magic of a unicorn.
In the middle of the pond, the water began to part in the shape of a small circle. A figure slowly rose out of it, sparking in the sunlight. It was a pink unicorn, wearing a white gown- MUCH like Fluttershy’s. She had a long, flowing mane and thick, lengthy eyelashes. Her eyes were a deep purple, like a moonlit sky on a clear evening. She was definitely one of the most beautiful ponies Silver had ever seen.
“She can be yours,” the diamond dog spoke in the same, raspy voice, “if you give up your journey.”
Much like the dog had said- this was an offer he truly couldn’t refuse. The pony levitating above the pond in front of him must have been the most beautiful pony in the world. Then something in Silver’s mind snapped. This wasn’t the most beautiful pony in the world. She couldn’t have been. He knew that there was one pony that was more perfect than she.
Fluttershy.
“I’m sorry, sir, but although your offer is very generous, I’m afraid I’m going to have to refuse,” Silver announced, his voice sounding much more confident than usual. He gathered up all of his strength, reared back, and raced out of the clearing before the dog even had a chance to open his mouth.
Silver came to a slow stop about a mile away from the clearing. Leaning against a nearby tree, he began to catch his breath. The more Silver thought about what had just happened, the more he realized that he’d never sounded more confident in his life.
Ever.
The cold breeze took up again, and Silver sighed. He knew he still had a long walk ahead of him.
He began to walk, keeping his head down as he became absorbed in his thoughts. Thoughts of the pink pony at the lake, thoughts of the diamond dog, and- most of all- thoughts of Fluttershy. Was she alright? Did she need his help more than anything? What he wouldn’t do right now to know what she was doing...
Silver walked along, humming a soft tune as he went. It kept him in a good mood, and he knew that was more important than anything right now. Anything except finding an exit, and hopefully Fluttershy.
As Silver trudged along, he noticed something shiny sticking out of the dead grass below him. He approached it, and prodded it with his hoof to make sure it was safe. Upon closer inspection, he realized that it was a bit.
Walking further and further, the bits became frequent. Almost everywhere he looked, Silver could see tiny little coins sticking out of the tan colored grass. There was something odd about it, not to mention suspicious. Was it the work of the diamond dog...?
It wasn’t long before Silver found himself walking in one big pool of bits. They reached the top of his hoof, making Silver wonder where anypony could FIND this many bits.
“Enjoying the walk, I see?”
It was the same cold voice from earlier. It came from somewhere up in the trees, and Silver twisted and turned to catch a glimpse of the mysterious diamond dog. “S-show yourself!” he called out, his voice shaking.
“Oooooh, is the little pony scared?” the dog mocked, “Well then, I’ll make this quick and easy. You’ve obviously noticed the bits below you, am I right?”
Silver looked down at his hooves, which were buried in the pool of shiny coins. He nodded, too afraid to speak.
“Well, just turn back and I’ll have them delivered to your home in no-time. How does that sound, pony?”
So that’s where this was headed. Another temptation.
Silver knew better than to believe a word that came out of this creature’s mouth. He shook his head and tried to run, but the bits only slowed him down, like deep snow on a winter day.
“Try and run, pony, but you won’t succeed!” The shrill voice hung over him, frightening Silver even further. Would he ever make it out of here...?
It was then that he realized that he was a pegasus, which meant he had wings. He transferred the small box to his two front hooves and began to flap his wings, helping him hover above the coin-infested ground. He opened his eyes, found a gap in the trees, and sped ahead without a word or second thought. Behind him, Silver could hear confused grunts that could have only come from the diamond dog. He had escaped yet again.
Silver burst through a large group of trees, landing outside of the Everfree forest. Finally, he thought, I’m out!
He got up and surveyed his surroundings. The terrain around him was a bit rocky, giving him the hint that there were mountains up ahead. He turned his head, and what he saw made his heart jump.
“Fluttershy!” The yellow pony was curled up in the center of a large circle of diamond dogs, who all appeared to be sleeping. Fluttershy, however, was not. He looked up, and her eyes grew wide when she saw Silver.
“Silver!” she gasped as she got up and began to run toward him, “You came!”
“Of course I did,” he replied, “that’s why I have a heart as my cutie mark. It stands for loyalty.” Fluttershy made her way to Silver and threw her arms around his neck. Silver stood there, not sure of what to do. He sat there quietly, letting Fluttershy enjoy the moment. He was sure his face was more red than one of Applejack’s apples.
She let go, and the two stood there, face to face. After a long silence, Silver asked, “How did you manage to handle yourself around those diamond dogs?”
Fluttershy smiled, “I kind of- um- used ‘The Stare...’”
Silver returned her smile, and asked another question, something that he was dying to know, “Did they tell you why they were after you in the first place?”
“Well, they said something about a stolen diamond, then something about Rarity, and then something about revenge...” she looked down and began to dig at the ground with her hoof, “But I’m not sure why they took me...”
At the mention of Rarity’s name, Silver remembered the small white box that he had tucked underneath his wing. He brought it out, and said to her, “It might have something to do with this...”
He handed the box to Fluttershy, who untied the ribbon that kept the box concealed with her mouth. She popped off the lid and exclaimed, “Oh my, is this...for me?”
“Y-yeah,” Silver stuttered, “I got it for you as a birthday present...”
“It’s wonderful!” Fluttershy pulled out a pink, butterfly-shaped diamond out of the box. It reflected the sunlight, giving it a shiny appearance. “How did you ever find something like this?”
“Rarity sold it to me. She said she found it while on one of her normal gem-hunting trips. I saw it, and thought it would be perfect for you...”
“It is!” She hugged him again, and this time Silver returned it. He wished this moment could last forever. “So you’re saying that the diamond dogs weren’t happy about Rarity stealing their diamonds, so they captured me in retaliation?”
“Pretty much, yeah,” Silver answered, letting Fluttershy go so she could stand on all fours.
From behind Silver, there was yet another rustle in the bushes. From what he had just gone through, Silver knew that whatever was about to happen wouldn’t be fun. As expected, the ugly head of the diamond dog from earlier poked out and began to speak, “I gave you two chances to turn back, offered you gifts in return, and yet you still continued on. Now, you will pay the price. Dogs! Attack!”
But nothing happened. The dogs kept sleeping, unknowingly under Fluttershy’s control.
“N-no matter. I’ll just have to deal with you myself. You should’ve taken the money while you had the chance-”
“Money?” a voice said from within the bushes. Out came the beautiful pink pony that Silver had been tempted with earlier. Judging by the look on her face, she wasn’t very happy. “You mean MY money?”
“Yes- I mean- no- I mean...” the dog struggled to find something to say. When he couldn’t think of anything, the pink pony continued.
“The money that you promised ME in return for assisting you?” Her voice boomed across the area, loud enough to be heard all the way from Ponyville.
The dog gulped, and the pink pony pounced forward, trying to attack. The dog swiftly stepped to the side, and began to sprint back into the Everfree Forest. The other pony followed him, close on his tail. They dove through the bushes, and Silver and Fluttershy were left alone yet again.
“Chances to turn back, money...” Fluttershy said softly, “Silver, what happened in there?”
“It’s kinda a long story...” Silver began. “I’ll tell you on the way home.”
“You mean...we have to go back through the Everfree Forest?” Fluttershy asked, shaking slightly.
Silver hadn’t thought of that. How WOULD they get home safely? “I guess we could fly,” he suggested.
This made Fluttershy shake even more. “Fly?” she said, panic present in her voice. “We have to...fly?”
Silver walked next to her and wrapped one of his wings around her torso. “Don’t worry. I’ve got you.”
She tilted her head down and blushed, then gave the diamond back to Silver. He took the string that passed through the gem and extended it. Fluttershy bent her head down, and Silver brought the string down over her head and rested it on her neck. Fluttershy brought her head back up, the diamond now resting on her chest. She stared down at it, unable to take the smile off her face.
“It’s...it’s beautiful!”
Silver only nodded in reply and began to slowly walk forward, preparing himself for the flight home. Fluttershy did the same, and they were soon off of the ground, soaring through the air.
“Wow, look at that sunset...” Fluttershy said after they had taken off. Silver looked, and the beauty of the sky instantly overtook him. The sun sunk halfway down below the treeline of the Everfree, leaving a soft orange glow that spread across the sky. He flew a little closer to Fluttershy.
“Perfect flying conditions.”
Fluttershy smiled in reply and the two flew forward, illuminated by the soft glow from the sun.
You did it, Silver, he thought to himself. Today, you are the bravest pony in all of Equestria.
Fluttershy looked at him and nodded, almost like she had read his mind. After a quick silence, Fluttershy said, “Race you home?”
“You’re on,” Silver answered. The two zoomed forward, laughing and enjoying themselves as they disappeared into the golden sunset.