Somewhere

The train station appeared in the distance. Fluttershy’s destination was now in reach. She walked up to the ticket booth and purchased a round trip to the Canterlot’s outstretch. The train rolled into the station soon afterwards. She gave her ticket to the conductor and boarded the train. The cart was practically empty. Not a lot of ponies were on the train that day. It didn’t really matter to Fluttershy. She prefered to be alone today. There was only one other pony that she wanted to be with today, and she was on her way to see her.

The train gently rocked forward setting it into motion. Steam billowed from the boiler and the running gears clanked to a steady beat. The rhythm of the track was almost soothing to Fluttershy. It acted like white noise, distracting her from her thoughts. However the sounds of the train soon became natural and she was once again alone. It was if she was sitting in her apartment completely isolated from the outside world. She stared out the window to watch the city disintegrate. As the train rolled on, the city became less dense and spread out. The once towering buildings that characterized her neighborhood became more dispersed and smaller houses began to take over. She could actually begin to see shades of green appear in the gaps between the houses; a rare sight indeed. Soon she will be able to see wide rolling fields . Canterlot’s outstretch was nothing but these rolling pastures with a few houses blemishing it. It was truly a magnificent sight. The train, however, was only going to take her part way to her destination. She would have to then take to walk about a mile or so into the countryside.

It had been a while since Fluttershy had seen so much plant life. Cloudsdale wasn’t exactly known for its gardens and living in West Canterlot was like living in a stone cage. It was a miracle that any plant life managed to escape the clutches of it’s cold prison and bloom reaching out for any speck of sunlight it could get. Fluttershy was reminded of the flower that she had to throw out earlier. It gave it its all fighting for a chance at a better life but in the end, its destiny was set. There was no escaping the fact that the flower was not meant to be there. It was not meant to bloom in the city. It was never going to survive.Yet despite it all. It never gave up and sought its fate to the bitter end.

Fluttershy sighed, she couldn’t help but think back to that night. It was painful for her to think about it but she could not help it. She remembered standing on her apartment’s roof. AJ and Fluttershy had been seeing each other at the playground for a week now. In that time they had gotten to know each other better. Each night learning more and more about each other. There was still much to know but after tonight they could finally be together without fear of rejection. The night before Fluttershy told AJ to meet her on the roof after the fight to which AJ agreed. Now the pegasus stood there waiting for the time to come.

The sun had glowed a bright red that night before shimmering to a dull gold and finally setting giving way to the dark night. Even a few stars graced her presence by twinkling in the lonesome night sky. The yellow pegasus was dressed in a white dress with a red bow the same one she wore to the dance. She remembered walking  around the roof anxious to meet AJ once again. She had walked over to the balcony to see a group of pegasi running for home. She’d recognized a few of them as part of Rainbow’s group. It was over. The fight was finished. All that meant to her was that AJ would be there soon. She waited for what seemed like hours until she heard someone come up the stairs to the roof. Her heart skipped a beat expecting a particular orange mare. She turned around only to see a bruised and beaten Thunderlane. She was shocked and concerned and asked Thunderlane what happened. He said there was a fight but that couldn’t have been right. AJ was suppose to stop any fight that might have happened. Thunderlane continued to tell her the events that played out. Each sentence becoming darker than the last. building up worry in the timid pegasus. She pleaded to know if AJ was alright, asking if anything had happened to her. Rage built up in Thunderlane’s eyes until he couldn’t take it anymore and shouted that AJ had......................

AJ had.....

The pegasus broke out of her trance, she felt tears building up in her eyes. She wiped them from her eyes before they could build up any further. The memories began flooding back sending an overwhelming surge of emotion over her.

***

“KILLER!” Fluttershy screamed as she lunged towards the intruder. Her blind fury made her shut her eyes as she pounded away on the pony’s chest, but she was so emotionally drained she had no physical strength in her body. It wasn’t like her at all to be aggressive let alone physically violent, but the news of her best friend’s death came as a world crumbling shock to the poor pegasus. What upset her more was the pony who killed her; the pony who happened to be standing in her bedroom with her.. As the time progressed her emotions began sorting themselves out. The ball of blind anger began to unravel into several other emotions. The feelings came to her in waves of sorrow. She felt devastated, hurt, betrayed, any other emotion that was made to make you feel as if you wanted to die. Tears soaked her cheeks as she gradually slowed down her assault. Despite all her anger and rage, she didn’t hate the pony. In the long list of emotions she felt, hate was not one of them.

She finally succumbed to her fatigue and collapse in the arms of her intruder. Fluttershy wept in the pony’s chest wishing that everything was a lie. The other pony wrapped her orange hooves around the yellow pegasus. She gently brushed her mane as tears from her own eyes flowed down her face. She spoke softly with overtones of fear, worry and sadness.

“I’m so sorry, Fluttershy.” the familiar voice was riddled with adrenaline from the night’s events. “I never meant for any of this to happened.” The orange mare paused briefly trying to choke back her tears. “I never wanted to kill anypony.”

Fluttershy emerged from her chest and looked up towards the pony. Her eyes still beamed with anger but her voice held back any bitterness in her heart. “Why did you do it?”

AJ was breathing heavily. Each inhale quivered from the shock her body had to endure from the fight. “I tried to stop the fight, but they wouldn’t listen.” AJ continued to stroke Fluttershy’s hair trying to comfort her as well as trying to calm herself down. “They held me back and went on with the fight. It was suppose to be fair.” AJ put her cheek on top of Fluttershy leaning for support embracing the pegasus. The hug’s comforting nature was as much for her as it was for Fluttershy. As much as Fluttershy hurting on the inside, AJ felt worse. “But Pinkie and Rainbow pulled knives out of nowhere and...” The recalling of the night’s tragic play kept springing more tears towards her eyes. “Rainbow didn’t mean to kill Pinkie but...” AJ whimpered. “Pinkie was like a sister to me  and when Rainbow killed her I ... I mean I knew Rainbow didn’t mean it either but it’s just... when she died in my arms ...everything went....dark.” Fluttershy could hear AJ heart racing. It pounded out of her chest as if she was scared or frightened. “The next thing I know, I’m standing over Rainbow’s lifeless body and with blood on my...” No matter how strong she was, AJ couldn’t hold back the tears forever. She bent down embracing Fluttershy as they wept together. Through her sobs, AJ pleaded for forgiveness. “I’m so sorry Fluttershy. I didn’t want it to end like this. Please, forgive me. I just wanted to see you one last time.” before I hand myself over to the police.”

Fluttershy held the mare tighter. “No you can’t do that!”

AJ embraced Fluttershy trying to reassure her she was doing the right thing. “I have to, Fluttershy. It wouldn’t be right if I didn’t. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.”

Fluttershy didn’t care whether it was right or wrong. She wanted AJ to be by her side. “Please! Stay here with me.”

“I can’t.” Despite Fluttershy’s pleading, AJ couldn’t bear to see Fluttershy be with the likes of her. She loved her too much to do that. “You deserve better than a killer.”

Desperate to keep her there, Fluttershy continued to plead. “AJ, you’re all I have left here.”

“That’s not true. You have friends and family here. Be with them. It’s what you deserve.”

“But all that means nothing without you.”

“Fluttershy, I would love nothing more than to stay here with you, but I can’t. It’s like you said. We could never be together so long as there was violence.”

“But now there isn’t anything keeping us apart!”

AJ sighed “I wish that were true. You see, it wasn’t me being an Earth pony that was keeping me away from you. It wasn’t even our friends and family. It’s everything around us. It’s this city and all it’s hate. As long as we are here, we can never be truly together.”

AJ’s words were hard to swallow. Fluttershy knew by now it was pointless to keep trying to maker her abandon her decision. But she needed to know one last thing. “So it was all a lie then? That night when you said that our time was going to come, you didn’t believe it at all?”

“I have never lied to you. I will always believe our time will come, just not now.” AJ kissed the top of Fluttershy’s head. “The police are looking for me and I don’t want you to be dragged down with me.” AJ gave the pegasus one last hug. “I will always love you, Fluttershy.” AJ let Fluttershy go from her hug and looked into her eyes. “Promise me you’ll wait for me. I don’t know how long I will be gone, but I promise I’ll come back.” AJ got up to leave the room but Fluttershy held on.

“Please stay with me a little longer.”

“But Fluttershy I...”

“Please?” Fluttershy’s eyes mimicked that of a lost puppy searching for a home. No matter how hard she tried, AJ could not say no to.

Defeated AJ sighed.“Alright, I’ll stay for a little longer.” She sat back down right next to Fluttershy just staring at the walls of the pegasus’ room. There was nothing fancy or interesting about the room. They just sat together enjoying each other’s company, just like the did back at the bridal shop. The moment was bittersweet but Fluttershy was happy just being there with her. The air was calm and the noise to a minimum. To Fluttershy, the moment was perfect.

After a few minutes of silence Fluttershy spoke quietly to the orange mare.“AJ?”

“Yes?”

“Can you sing to me?”

AJ was a little surprised by the request. It seemed so out of place and random. “I don’t know that many songs and I’m not much of a singer.”

“Please? I just want to hear your voice.” Fluttershy’s voice was much calmer as if her worries were beginning to melt away. Her eyelids became heavier and more difficult to keep open. The night’s play drained her completely and she couldn’t stay up any longer. Soon she would fall asleep and then AJ would leave and she will be gone. She just wanted to hear her voice one last time. “I never told you this but you have a beautiful voice. It was one of the things I first noticed about you. Please can you sing for me?”

AJ was reluctant at first but gave in to the pegasus’ request. “Well there’s one song I know. When my Pa died, Ma used to sing it to me to help me sleep.”

“Can I hear it?”

“Of course, Sugarcube.”

AJ closed her eyes to remember the tune. It had been such an awful long time since she had heard it. She never thought she would hear it again when she moved to the city. In a low tone, AJ sang the first note

“There’s a place for us.” The melody was soft and delicate. “Somewhere, a place for us. Peace and quiet and open air. Wait for us somewhere.” Each note that was sung was soothing for Fluttershy. She hung onto every single syllable as if it were a great truth. The melody soared up and came floating down, each time giving a diminuendo that left the listener yearning for more.

“There’s a time for us. Someday a time for us. Time to together with time to spare. Time to look. Time to care.” The lyrical line grew into a tamed yet violent climax that was both sad as it was sweet.

“Someday! Somewhere! We’ll find a new way of living. We’ll find a way of forgiving. Somewhere.” The song died down from its vibrant chorus and soon emerged the same cantabile feeling from before.

“There’s a place for us. A time and place for us. Hold my hoof  and we’re halfway there.” As she sung this AJ wrapped her hoof around Fluttershy’s as she sung the last lines. Hold my hoof and I’ll take you there. Somehow. Someday. Somewhere.” The last word ended with a whisper that rung in Fluttershy’s ears.

By the time AJ finished her song, Fluttershy was halfway asleep. AJ gently put her on her back and walked her over to her bed where she laid her down. All the while Fluttershy completely devoid of energy complied without any resistance. Before she was completely asleep. AJ placed a kiss gently on Fluttershy’s cheek while saying her farewell. “Goodnight, Fluttershy.” Fluttershy’s eyes grew heavier and her body became completely paralyzed. She spent her last moments of consciousness watching a an orange blur make its way out her bedroom window. Darkness soon followed.

***

The train pulled in towards its destination at a turtle’s pace. The steamed billowed from the train and on to the platform. The whistle wailed in the air signaling that it was time to exit the train. A lone yellow pegasus walked onto the platform. Her destination was a short walk from here, it would have been faster if she were to fly but she didn’t like flying. To fly you needed to have spirit but it seemed she didn’t have much of that these days.

She exited the platform and walked towards the gravel road that would take her where she wanted to go. The air was cool despite it being high noon. A few clouds painted the sky. It was a nice day. Fluttershy only wished she had a reason to enjoy it. She sighed as she continued walking towards a hill that was off into the distance. She knew that over that hill was the friend that she so desperately wanted to see. She remembered the last time she saw AJ in her room. She wished that it would have been longer.

The next time she would see AJ was when...She didn’t want to think about it.

After a few minutes, the timid pegasus stood on top of the hill. She looked down and there was a valley with rolling green for as far as the eye can see. Trees of all kinds scattered the land reaching for the sky. Their leaves rustled in the wind creating a symphony of sound that filled the air..It was truly beautiful and peaceful. The only thing that was different about this place, the sole thing that separated it from Canterlot, was that there were no house or ponies living there. The only thing that stood in the valley was a cemetery.

***

“Stand back!”

The crowd of Pegasi and Earth ponies stopped in their tracks. Their intent on killing each other right then and there was halted by the sudden shout. They turned their attention away from each other and glared at the scene that was in front of them. In the dim moonlight  surrounded by blinding street lights stood a yellow pegasus. On the ground in front of her hooves lay an orange Earth pony gone from this world beaten to a shade of black lying in a pool of her own blood. The basketball courts in which they stood was desolate and grim.

The lone pegasus slowly walked over to the a certain charcoal colored pegasus standing the midst of the group. Her eyes wet with tears burned with intense loathing. She held out her hoof commanding the other pegasus to give her the object he was holding.

“Give it to me, Thunderlane.” Her voice was quiet but filled with bitterness.

“Fluttershy but I...”

“Give. It. To. Me.” Each syllable was heavy with aggression and grew more intense with each passing second.

Reluctantly the stallion pegasus handed over a dull grey pistol still warm from it’s one and only shot. The gun burned in her hooves against the cold night air. She glared at the metallic object inspecting it. Fluttershy silently studied the weapon with a death stare focused intently on every screw and every bolt. She muttered, barely audible to the pony’s ears. “How do you fire this gun Thunderlane?”

In an instant Fluttershy gripped the gun and pointed it directly at Thunderlane. “By pulling this trigger?!” Their stares locked with each other; Fluttershy’s being of malice intent while Thunderlane’s was pure terror. Thunderlane flinched violently at the sight of a black abyss staring at him, an abyss in which no life escaped. Both pegasi stood there shaking, Fluttershy out of anger and Thunderlane out of fear. “How many bullets are left Thunderlane?”

“Fluttershy be re-”

“Be Quiet!” Fluttershy snapped as she walked closer to Thunderlane. “Answer me, How many bullets are left?” She pulled the hammer back making a sinister click. “Enough for you?!”  Fluttershy pointed the gun away from Thunderlane and directed it towards the group of pegasi. The drew back at the sight of the weapon.“Or you!?” shouting at nopony in particular. “Or you!?” she yelled as she turned towards the group of Earth ponies behind her. The Earth ponies were equally as frighten as the pegasi spreading out hoping that the gun did not fire in their direction.  No pony dared utter a single word. It was as if they were all under a spell freezing them were they were. They could have ran and fled from the scene like they did when Rainbow and Pinkie were killed: not mumbling so much as a prayer for their fallen comrades. Now they were under the will of Fluttershy; stuck where they were under the mercy of a distraught pegasus with a gun.

Fluttershy lowered the gun but kept it close to the horizon. Adrenaline coursed through her veins her breaths became deep and quickened. “You all make me sick.”

She walked back towards AJ. The pool of blood glistened off of the moonlight. Her eyes were closed as if she was asleep. Her golden mane was now a tangled mess. Her freckled face was now accompanied by bruises and cuts. A clear sign of fight and she knew who had done it. She looked back the the guilty pony: the owner of the gun. His body was covered with old bruises but no new ones had appeared. It was as if AJ had not swung a single blow and took the beating full on without a struggle; without so much as a whimper or scream. Only a piercing sound of a gunshot awoke Fluttershy from her slumber and leading her to this slaughter. She watched as a group of ponies gathered around her body and shooed them away wanting to make their last moments together as private as possible, before she passed.

Now the frantic pegasus looked down at her companion. The sight of her fueled her rage . She sneered at the group and gave one last shout. “You killed her!”

She pointed the gun back towards the two groups. “All of you! You killed her! You killed Rainbow and you killed Pinkie! But you didn’t kill them with bullets or guns. You killed them with hate!” Her voice softened but kept the same amount contempt. As she walked back towards the groups she whispered. “Well I can kill too because now I have hate. Hate for you all and hate for this city!”

The groups were no longer separated but instead merged together out of feared. Fluttershy pointed to the group but didn’t aim at any single pony. She spoke to Thunderlane without actually looking at him. “How many bullets are left, Thunderlane? How many can I send to join them, and have one left for myself?”

The hammer was pulled back. The gun was primed for shooting. All she needed to do was pull the trigger. The gun trembled in her hooves as the ponies staring down the barrel quivered for their lives. She controlled who lived, who died, who will be scarred, and who will be maimed. Her reasoning gone her mind told her to fire at the undeserving ponies. Why not? They all wanted to die for needless reasons, so why not give them what they wanted? The look in their eyes pleaded for mercy, craving for a chance of life. She wondered if Rainbow and Pinkie looked the same way when they were at the brink of death. In the end, they were all cowards. Separated: they were the scum they were led to believe all their lives. Together in their gangs: they were just a scab; an ugly mark making the city worse than they were. Scab or scum: they were all cowards and they deserved to die. And Fluttershy could do it. All it took was one simple action. One small movement and it would be all over.

...

...

...

...and yet...

...

...

...

She couldn’t do it. All gun did was shake in her hooves. Her mind was gone, her reasoning completely shattered. She felt hollow, as if she had nothing to lose. The perfect state to end some pony’s life. And yet, she stood there trembling with a gun pointed a group of ponies, not willing to pull the trigger. She couldn’t because the truth was she was a coward as well. She was just as guilty as the rest. She killed Rainbow, and she killed Pinkie. But most of all, she killed AJ. She didn’t hate anypony, but she was afraid. Instead of standing on her own hooves she let the world dictate what she should do. Her fear and anxiety spawned from her friend’s beliefs and instead of challenging and conquering them, she accepted and fled from them.

But AJ didn’t run away from her problems.  At the dance she loved only Fluttershy and at the balcony AJ opened up to her. AJ didn’t care where her feelings took her or where they might lead. All she knew was that’s where she wanted to be. It didn’t matter if it meant losing all her friends and family, she pursued them without the slightest bit of hesitation. Now the brave mare laid motionless on the blood stained pavement.

Fluttershy only wished she was as strong as she was. If she wasn’t afraid to show her feelings maybe AJ would still be here. If only she had listen to her on the balcony and showed her to the pony to her friends and family. They would have hated her and AJ but at least they would have been together leaning on each other’s shoulders facing the cruelties of the city one step at a time. It would have been dark and it would have been cold, but at least they would have had each other. If only she was brave enough. In the end it was that lack of bravery, that cowardice of hers, that killed AJ. Even in the face of redemption, a chance to make everything right in her fragile state of mind, the same cowardice that killed the pony she cared about was stopping her from shooting the ponies responsible; including herself.

She couldn’t take it anymore. The trembling gun descended from eye level and she collapsed onto the hard concrete letting the gun slip from her hooves and drop to the ground. She sobbed venting her frustration, sadness, anger and hate through her tears. The other ponies did not move, but watched the pegasus sob feeling no longer terror but guilt and shame.

Through her tears she saw a pony emerge from the crowd walking towards her. She looked up and saw it was Lieutenant Luna. Her usual stern demeanor was replaced with one of pure empathy. Without saying a word she picked up the gun using her magic and gave it to Officer Sparkle who was in the back of crowd. She began to walk towards AJ’s body when all of sudden she was stopped by a gentle tug of her tail.

The Lieutenant turned around to see the broken pegasus on the ground looking up to the police mare.

“Please.” Fluttershy spoke gently. Her energy taken away from the events that played out during the night left a toll on the fragile pegasus. “Just leave her alone.” Luna was thought of as the most cold hearted officer on the police force. Over the years she dealt with murders, homicides, robberies, everything that came with the city and it’s ugliness. She had shown no sympathy to any Pegasi or Earth pony. But what she saw now wasn’t like anything she had seen; an Pegasus caring for an Earth pony. She had no choice but to grant her request.

Fluttershy slowly got up on her hooves and began to walk over to AJ’s body. All the hate had now left her body and was replaced by sorrow and guilt. With a heavy heart, she knelt down next to and picked her up. She then placed on last kiss on AJ’s lips. It would be the last time she would ever see her again. The moment was bitter. AJ’s body was still warm as if she was asleep and would wake up any moment after the kiss like some silly fairy tale. But the dried up blood on the orange pony’s mouth said otherwise. This was truly goodbye. Fluttershy gave AJ one last hug and whispered to nopony. “Goodnight, AJ” The pegasus gently put the pony back on the ground.

Even though she said her goodbye she couldn’t leave AJ’s side. She stood there heart broken staring at her. Not a single thought crossed her mind. She just existed for the moment. Just like at the balcony, the world was just her and AJ, nothing else mattered. But the feeling was different. Instead of bewilderment and joy, Fluttershy felt hollow and numb.

After what seemed like hours, a pony emerged from the group: an Earth pony from Pinkie’s gang. He was tanned colored stallion, whom Fluttershy didn’t know. He walked up next to AJ’s body. As he approached a few more Earth ponies began to walk towards AJ and Fluttershy. The ponies picked a side of AJ’s body to grab and tried to lift the body up to move to wherever it needed to go, but the body was much too heavy for them to carry and it seemed like they were going to drop her. But suddenly the body stabilized in the air. The Earth ponies looked across to see a Pegasus helping them lift the body. There was a moment of hesitation but the Earth ponies accepted the pegasus’ help. Soon afterwards a few more pegasi joined them and helped to move AJ’s body. Fluttershy watched as they moved AJ’s corpse away. The ponies and body vanished into the night, never to return to the courts.

Fluttershy looked at the ground where AJ was. It was covered with blood that had rusted in the air and turned a sickly dark shade of brown. Next to the pool was brown Stetson hat. It was all that was left of her. The night wind blew the hat elsewhere leaving the pegasus alone. Fluttershy didn’t dare go after it. She didn’t deserve it.

In her dismal state, she sighed and cried dry tears. She couldn’t believe she was gone. It all seemed like one bad dream. She wanted to believe that she was still asleep in her bed and AJ was still alive. But the cold wind of the night awoke her from her fantasy and brought her to an even colder harsh reality. With nothing else to do, she got up and began to walk out of the courts.

She moved passed the crowd of ponies who still lingered waiting for anything to happen next. She saw Thunderlane walk off with Lieutenant Luna and Officer Sparkle possibly heading to the police station. She saw the white unicorn, Ms. Rarity,  weeping silently in the crowd over the loss of her beloved employee and friend. Fluttershy approached the white mare. The unicorn broke away from her mourning to look up and offer the pegasus an empathetic smile. “Are you Fluttershy, dear?”

Fluttershy nodded sadly. Ms. Rarity put her hoof on  the pegasus’ shoulder trying to comfort her.  “I’m so sorry for your loss, my dear.” Fluttershy didn’t say anything. She didn’t feel like talking, but she didn’t need to. Ms. Rarity understood what the mare was going through. “Come with me. I’ll walk you back to your apartment.” Without giving it a thought. Fluttershy walked with the unicorn into the darkness of the street.

As the walked, Ms. Rarity tried her best to make a conversation with the broken pegasus. “It is so good to meet you at last, Fluttershy. I have heard many great things about you; From Applejack of course.” She looked over at Fluttershy who simply followed the unicorn without making a sound. Ms. Rarity’s heart sunk at the sight of the pegasus’ suffering. She let out a mournful sigh. “You’re going to miss her aren’t you?” Fluttershy didn’t respond but her silence was enough to answer her question. “I’m going to miss her too.” Ms. Rarity spoke with a mournful tone that resonated in the air. “She was such a great pony. Caring, kind, a hard worker; not to mention a good friend. A bit stubborn at times but who isn’t nowadays?” She let of a soft sad chuckle. “She used talk a lot about you, you know?” Fluttershy looked up to see the kind mare’s warm smile. “She used to spend all day talking to me about the most beautiful and wonderful she had ever seen. I will admit I was a bit worried when she told me that you were a Pegasus.” Her voice became sadder and slightly bitter. “I told her to be careful not get into any trouble and she went had to get into that fight and...” She stopped after realizing what she was saying. She sighed once more. “I’m sorry dear. I don’t mean to sound bitter. I just miss her, that’s all.” They continued to walk down the dark street.

“She really did love you.” Fluttershy’s ears perked up. Ms. Rarity continued to speak with calm and strong tone. “If somepony going through all that suffering willingly just to be with the mare of her heart isn’t love, then darling, this world is a sad place.” Ms. Rarity’s words were said with good intentions but they made Fluttershy feel worse than she already did. She remembered all the times she had spent time with the orange mare. Every single time AJ came to Fluttershy. AJ sought out Fluttershy after the dance while Fluttershy was ready to give up the night’s excitement for the mundane life she had before. At the bridal shop, AJ walked through what was considered enemy territory just to see her. Even when they met at the park. AJ was there first making sure if everything was alright. All this time, it was AJ who was risking everything while Fluttershy did nothing. She remembered the doubts she had before: the doubts on the balcony and the doubts in the bridal shop. All them were about AJ’s integrity and validity. But now that she thought about them they all stung with mockery in comparison to the sacrifice AJ had made. AJ really did love her and Fluttershy doubted her. Her heart ached worse than before. She now wished that she that got beaten and shot in the chest. It would have been more just.

The two ponies were now in front of Fluttershy’s apartment. Ms. Rarity gave Fluttershy a hug. “If you need anything, dear, come by my shop and I’ll do whatever I can for you.” She let go of the pegasus and continued down the street into what was known as “Earth pony” territory, but Fluttershy guessed it would just be a normal street soon. With nothing else to do she walked up the steps to the door and entered her apartment.

She climbed the steps, reaching her floor. Her parents sound asleep in their room oblivious to what happened tonight. But soon they would find out. Soon they will hear of Rainbow’s death. They will hear of Pinkie’s and AJ’s death but will not care. They will be sad and see their daughter’s sad face and think it’s only for the death of her friend. Fluttershy decided to let them believe that. They didn’t need to know. No one did. It did not matter anymore. She opened her door to her room and then locked it. She climbed into her bed and did the only thing she could do: sleep. No nightmare could compare to what she had seen. Fluttershy could only hope that she would dream of her and for at least for a little while, they can be happy together.