Smoke.

It's remarkable how such a simple word can send an entire town into panic. A simple word for a simple fact of life. Where does smoke come from? Fire begat smoke. How did one rid themselves of unwanted fire? Normally this was a simple procedure. If an oven was spewing out smoke, all anypony had to do was turn it off, remove what was burning and, in some cases, put out a few flames. House fires were easy too, if a bit on a larger scale. Get out, get the attention of the local fireponies, and clear the streets for the wagon as they doused the house (or, if you were lucky, a weatherpony would snag a nearby raincloud for you). Simple.

A fire in the Everfree... complicates things.

This was something Fluttershy realized all too soon as she dashed through the forest, her pink mane whipping behind her. Chaos was everywhere she turned. To the left, a family of squirrels led the charge towards the safe plains surrounding Ponyville, various other animals following suit. To the right, a manticore mother bent low, allowing her cub to scramble on her back before quickly taking off towards perceived safety, scorpion tail clutching her child securely. A flock of birds rushed screaming past, dodging each other and the occasional limb, daring not to fly overhead into the stream of smoke. They twittered dire warnings to anything near enough to hear them about just what lay behind them and how one might want to reconsider the chosen path if it happened to lay in that direction.

And ahead, lay the fiery inferno of which they spoke.

***

Fluttershy had, surprisingly, not been the first to notice the blaze, though she was the closest Ponyville resident to the forest. She had been inside, sipping a hot cup of tea on the couch in her living room before laying down for bed. Though it was still a might early by most pony's clocks, she had to wake up in the middle of the night to tend to her nocturnal patients, and that meant going to bed long before the moon reached its zenith.

She had just gotten comfortable and began to take a sip when a multicolored streak burst through her window. Fluttershy was safely hidden under her couch long before the flying saucer crashed upon the floor -or at least, so she thought, before a light blue hoof dragged her out, the intruder not even bothering to look before grabbing her by the tail. Obviously she had to work better on her hiding spots, she thought to herself as she was drug across her wood floor, her captor at least being kind enough to avoid the shards of porcelain and glass that mingled with her ruined beverage. Not that she noticed this: her hooves were locked firmly over her closed eyes and would remain there until it was safe enough to look again, thankyouverymuch.

It took awhile for Fluttershy to become aware of anything but the wild images that her fear-induced panic brought to her mind, but when she did she heard a voice she couldn't quite place. Sure, it sounded like Rainbow Dash, but it spoke as fast as Pinkie Pie and seemed to talk like Twilight -she was sure she caught something about the end of the world in there somewhere. By the time she worked up the courage to solve the mystery, the voice ceased. Peaking over her defenses, she confirmed it was indeed Rainbow Dash that had drug her outside her cottage mere moments after sundown. And it looked like she was waiting for something. From Fluttershy.

"Oh... umm... I'm sorry? Could you... umm... repeat that? If you don't mind that is, though I feel just awful about making you go through all that again, so if you hate me for it, I compl-" was as far as she got before she found a hoof plugging her mouth. Her friend began shooting off at the mouth again, this time noticeably slower though still in a rush. It took a few seconds for Fluttershy to pick up on what exactly the pegasus was talking about (something about seeing "it" while flying nearby), but once she heard the words "forest" and "fire" mixed together she quickly turned her head to look behind her house. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Though... she could have swore she saw a dark cloud that may or may not have been smoke rising above the forest... and was that an orange glow coming from between those trees over there? No, it couldn't be. Just her imagination, that's all.

"-so just stay here Fluttershy, I'll be back once I get the others. Got it?" was all the warning the butterfly-adorned pegasus got before a rush of wind signaled her guest's departure. Sighing to herself, she got to her hooves and began trotting back to her house. It would be awhile before the others got here, and she needed to make sure that she cleaned up the mess she made before some poor animal cut its foot or-

Fluttershy let out a barely audible gasp. The animals! Oh there was no way she could just leave them trapped in her home while she left. What if the fire reached her house? The very thought of injured creatures attempting to escape her flaming dwelling almost made her faint on the spot. Immediately she rushed inside -making sure to take care of the spill first, of course, one couldn't be too careful- and began evacuating all her patients. For most it wasn't a problem: many were "walking wounded" as it were and merely needed to be coaxed into staying with a friend for the night (Fluttershy made a mental note to ask for help when she went to the market tomorrow. There was no way she could carry this much food home herself.)

Those that couldn't help themselves, as few as they were, brought a different sort of challenge. In the end Angel placed as many as he could upon her back before she walked them to a small clearing near the creek, where the process was reversed. Though this took several trips, eventually the entire house-turned-hospital was evacuated. That was only half the problem though. Fluttershy sighed as her brain worked overtime to figure out the last part: who would watch over these poor animals? Sure, Angel was a big help -he really was such a dear, he definitely deserves all those extra promised carrots- and could be relied on as much as any pony, but this was more than simply keeping an eye on things while she visited a friend. This was taking care of bedridden patients outdoors! At night! Next to the Everfree, a burning Everfree at that! Usually for these harder cases she asked Zecora to stop by for awhile...

Zecora! Fluttershy mentally berated herself for not thinking of the poor zebra first, wondering if perhaps another thought would shock her out of her stupor for a third time. After all, while Fluttershy lived dangerously close to the Everfree Forest by most ponies' standards, the striped Zecora was downright insane in her choice of habitation within its borders. Oh, but surely she's okay. After all, you still can't really tell it's even on fire! In fact, I bet Rainbow was just having a nightmare from one of her naps. Yeah, that's it. Nothing to worry about. Everything will be alright. Fluttershy relaxed against a nearby tree and took a relieved sigh as the panic seemed to be carried away on a gentle breeze -or at least, she would have if that breeze hadn't brought with it the tell-tale scent of burning wood.

***

Oh, if only Rainbow Dash were here. She'd already be at Zecora's hut by now. Unfortunately, the yellow mare had no such rainbow companion as she attempted to follow the path she knew by heart, dodging scurrying animals and the occasional flare-up along the way. Fluttershy's hooves found little purchase on the dry dirt, their graceful owner attempting to avoid the roots, branches, and other assortments that littered the forest floor. The fall forest was naught but an impressionistic blur to the speeding pegasus. Healthy greens and browns swirled with turning golds and reds (and the occasional strand of pink), only to be devoured by the onslaught of orange as it indiscriminately consumed everything. An orange that was getting closer with every passing second. Fluttershy skidded to a halt, droplets of perspiration flinging ahead of her into the semi-darkness.

Oh I can't recognize anything in all of this. Should I have been there by now? Did I pass it? Did I take a wrong turn? Maybe I should go back... oh what should I do? Why didn't I wait? Fluttershy knew exactly why, of course. The moment the thought of their zebra friend burning alive within the wall of flame shot through her, she knew she had to do something. Sure, she was concerned about the animals as well -she helped a few on her way in- but even Fluttershy knew Zecora came first. She couldn't bear the thought of losing a friend to such a horrible fate, especially when she could do something about it. She just had to get there, just had to!

She began pacing in circles, her body seemingly just as confused as her mind, which only seemed to scream contradictory paths at her. Finally she settled on an apparently random path... and sped headfirst into a tree. Pine needles rained downed on the injured pegasus as she rubbed her sore skull, glancing up and giving the tree a sad look as if asking why it would do something so mean as be in her way. Her watery eyes found purchase on an oddly colored attachment to the offending tree. Fluttershy quickly rubbed her eyes clear (as much as one could with hooves covered in tree sap) and gazed intently at the oddity.

It was a birdhouse. Not just any birdhouse, but a rather ornate one. It was built like a pony's house, complete with a brick-styled chimney on the red roof. The walls were painted in a dizzying array of warm colors that all seemed to both stand out and complement each other. Reds and yellows mingled to give birth to a brilliant orange, giving the impression of a beautiful sunset. It even had a platform underneath with green tufts to simulate a lawn for its lucky owners, on which a small glass pegasus statue was adorned in a mighty pose.

Fluttershy recognized this birdhouse easily. After all, she was the one who placed it there, with the help of her friends of course. When she had expressed her desire to craft a birdhouse for the poor birds in the Everfree Forest, she had no idea it would kick-start a project that all her friends would participate in. Once Applejack found out, she insisted on supplying the wood and doing the labor, though she had never built a birdhouse before. Leave it to Twilight to not only have a book in the library on the subject, but to spend all night reading it in an attempt to become an expert in the art, aiding Applejack with the finer details. Pinkie Pie had gathered all the necessary materials to insure that its new occupants would feel welcome (and had enough supplies for a proper house-warming party, naturally.) Rarity, of course, had designed and painted it (after Applejack and Twilight managed to voice a few concerns with the initial design. Something to do with an indoor jacuzzi...) Rainbow absolutely refused to help with the birdhouse itself, calling it "girly." Still, she did accompany them into the forest to put it up, and even hastily glued the glass pegasus on after it was secured to the tree when she thought no one was looking ("to make it look cooler," was her reasoning when Rarity confronted her.)

Fluttershy shook herself out of her stupor and instantly shot off to her right and straight towards the inferno, destination firmly set. They didn't place that birdhouse just randomly in the forest. Fluttershy specifically chose that tree for a reason. Not only was it in a perfect spot for a bird to live -close to both a source of food and providing sufficient shelter from predators- it was also an apology for the owner of the only other home in the neighborhood after all the horrible treatment they gave her, something that plagued Fluttershy for days. Which means Zecora's should be just around this bend.

Indeed, Zecora's home was just beyond the curve in the path, and so was the flaming frontier, the blackened tree already succumbing to its onslaught. Flames had consumed the majority of the make-shift building and were greedily licking the rest, as if savoring its meal before devouring it. Most of the branches had collapsed already, though whether through lack of structural integrity or falling debris from other nearby burning trees was uncertain to Fluttershy. What was certain was there was a hole in the flames where the door once stood before it fell to the fiery onslaught...

Oh my goodness oh my goodness oh my goodness. Fluttershy's eyes snapped shut as she barreled towards the opening, only unclenching once she felt a wave of heat wash over her. She quickly skidded to a stop before she unwillingly plunged into the inferno herself. Crouching low to avoid the smoke, she looked around frantically for any sign of her black and gray zebra friend. This was no easy task given that the amount of ash and soot that covered the residence, not to mention the cloud of smoke spewing from the remains, made everything in her vision a dull gray and black, the same color as her target. The only true color left in the hut was the odd multicolored smoke from some of Zecora's burning reagents. In fact, few of the tenet’s precious items remained unscathed: her masks had been fully consumed by this point, along with any furniture she once had. Only her cauldron and a few gourds seemed to still be salvageable, though whether they would survive in the end was doubtful.

I don't see her... maybe she got out? Fluttershy raised up and took a deep breath to yell out her friend's name and instantly began heaving from inhaling so much smoke. She collapsed to the ground, convulsing in an attempt to clear her lungs, landing upon a pile of newly-formed charcoal. Wreathing in pain, she didn't even notice as another branch crashed behind her. Coughs seem to wrack her body for far longer than normal, her lungs unable to clear themselves and suck in the air she so greedily desired. Finally, with a loud (at least, for Fluttershy) hack, she managed to clear her airway to allow sufficient oxygen.

Fluttershy struggled to her hooves, attempting to recovering after her coughing fit. Her fur was singed in a few places and was now more black than yellow thanks to practically swimming in all the ashes. She felt lightheaded from all the heat and lack of air from the past few minutes, a wave of dizziness washing over her as she attempted to turn around and exit, only to find the passageway partially collapsed and blocked by a particularly large branch. Panic began to swell once again in the pegasus, this time unrestrained without a friend in danger. Now it was her in danger, and she just couldn't muster up the power to restrain her fears. Fluttershy faced the room again and swiveled her head back and forth, desperate for an escape route as the flames closed in. The heat was beginning to overwhelm her senses as she dripped black liquid, the sweat gushing from her pores and mingling with the soot that layered her body. Oh dear... I can't die in here! I just can't! What would Angel do without me? And all the other animals? And my friends! They would be so mad at me.. oh I just can't bear thinking about it! Fluttershy's panic-stricken eyes darted every direction.

Up was obviously not an option. Though the roof would likely be damaged and brittle enough for even Fluttershy to burst through, the smoke was just too intense. Her already-stricken lungs could likely not survive another such episode, and she seriously doubted her ability to reach such heights fast enough to hold her breath the entire way, even if she hadn’t already ran through a good portion of the forest

Behind her lay the now-closed portal, the branch blocking it as thick as some tree trunks: far too large to even attempt to move. Though behind it she could see the yet untouched section of the forest, that did her little good as far as escaping her current plight was concerned. There wasn’t even a crack small enough to squeeze through, assuming she didn’t burn herself to death on the flaming wood.

To her right, the colorful smoke from Zecora's stores was beginning to cease. The adjacent wall had literally turned into a wall of flame, fire rampaging throughout it. While this likely meant the wall was weakened, there was no guarantee it was weak enough for Fluttershy to break through, and even if she did there was the matter of bringing a flaming wall down on her head. No purchase was to be found here.

Ahead of her lay the giant cauldron, though even it was beginning to show the effects of the raging inferno as it began to slightly glow from the intense heat surrounding it. Though she couldn't see well beyond it, she could make out the glassless window in the rear. While a seemingly obvious choice for escape, making it there required crossing several flaming piles of debris, not to mention that beyond that lay the source of this sudden inferno, whatever that could be.

Her left was in much better shape. Given it seemed to serve as the owner's bedroom, there was relatively little to catch fire here, and what did have its place there had already been reduced to ashes. Unfortunately this meant the wall itself was relatively untouched on the inside and likely still sturdy. There was no way Fluttershy could break straight through a fully intact tree, something her still-aching head acutely reminded her of.

Seeing no other option, Fluttershy crawled to her left around the cauldron, eyes on the distant window. She had to navigate the burning remains of the home to reach her destination, not to mention dodge a few pieces of falling wood. Once she got past the cauldron her tired eyes caught sight of a line of flames in front of her that the pot had previously hidden from her, blocking her path. There was no way around it if she wanted to reach the exit. Her determination evaporated in another swell of panic, her last escape cut off.

The pegasus collapsed on the floor, not caring for the burns it caused on her stomach, spilling tears. I can't do it! I give up! Nothing she conjured to her mind seemed to instill her with the will to keep fighting. The animals can get help from the veterinarian clinic in Ponyville. I only look after the wild animals and my friend's pets, after all. Angel seemed to get along well with Spike when they watched over my cottage for me... I bet Twilight would be kind enough to take Angel in. Twilight and the others... they can get along without me. It's not like they came to visit much... I bet they'll be just fine...

No! Now is not the time to feel sorry for yourself! You should be ashamed! a voice shouted in Fluttershy's head, startling her and making her question just how much oxygen was reaching her brain. It sounded so familiar... How dare you be so selfish right now!

Selfish?

That's right, selfish! 'Oh, the animals don't need me, my friends never visit me,' oh BOO HOO HOO! Fluttershy's eyes clicked open at that line. She recognized that all too well: it often haunted her nightmares ever since they defeated Discord. When was the last time you went to town to visit your friends and didn't just stop by because you happened to be there?

Uhm... well you see... Fluttershy attempted to think of a proper response to the voice, ignoring the world collapsing around her.

Well?

Well... usually I'm busy, you see, taking care of all the animals. And I have to go to bed early so I can wake up and feed them breakfast. And the town is so far away...

So? Don't you think your friends are busy too? Huh? They have jobs and lives too, you know, and yet they still manage to stop by! Rarity even dedicates a day every week to pay for you to be pampered! And believe it or not, the distance from their house to yours is the same regardless of which end you start at!

Fluttershy cringed internally at the rebuke. But-

And don't give me that excuse about sleep! Applejack is up just as early as you are, and she manages just fine!

...

Well? Any other excuses? If she could see the owner of the voice, Fluttershy had no doubt she would be fixed with a piercing glare right about now.

Well... no but-

Then what are you waiting for? You are not just going to sit here and give up. The voice seemed to grow a tad less harsh, though still firm and very assertive. You are going to get back on your hooves and attempt your best! I will not have you die without ever living first.

Fluttershy could not keep her puzzled reaction internal, scrunching her face as she stood. Wait, what does that even mean-

GO! The voice's final command was punctuated by a loud crash directly behind her. As if the tree's final surrender to the raging fire was a starter's pistol, Fluttershy shot forward. She clamped her eyes shut as she dashed through the wall of flames, tongues leaping off and latching in her mane, tail, and wherever else on her body they could find purchase. She ignored their bites and opened her eyes again, gaze firmly locked on the window in front of her. She dodged the falling debris almost mindlessly, solely intent on her goal. A hop, she jumped one flaming pile. Skip, prancing sideways to avoid a falling piece of ceiling. And a "JUMP!"

Fluttershy didn't even realize she spoke the words allowed until splinters from the exploding window bars flew into her open mouth, her taste buds activating on the mix of wood, smoke, and blood. Her body felt aflame from jumping through a wall of fire, her skin beneath her fur wracking her with pulses of pain. She didn't have time to contemplate it though as she sailed through the hole in the tree, her aim true. She flapped her tired wings to slow her descent to keep her from crash-landing into the ground, though it seemed to have no effect on softening the blow. Her chin bore the brunt of it as it scrapped roughly against the root-infested ground, the pegasus sliding past more burning trees.

Before she even completed her skid, Fluttershy regained her footing -failing the first attempt- and streaked back the way she came, veering to the right of the once proud abode. Flames still licked her body in some places, but even her hazy mind knew that rolling around on the still-burning ground would do little good; she needed to find safety first, and that safety lay on the other side of her escaped (and now collapsed) crematorium.

So did one final obstacle. The pegasus knew not how long she was trapped in Zecora's former home, but it was long enough for the fire to advance closer to Ponyville. Though it didn't look like it had gone further than a few dozen feet, that might as well have been a mile to Fluttershy in her current state. Her energy was depleted, her mouth tangy with the metallic taste of blood. Her lungs still burned as if she had inhaled the flames themselves rather than their byproduct. What little fire still clinging to her seemed to remain content at her blackened extremities, at least for now. Her entire body ached and burned, weakness broadcasting throughout her as another wave of dizziness threatened to bring her back to the ground.

Well?

Fluttershy stared at the path ahead. Though that voice, whatever it was, wasn't very kind and said a lot of rude things (she would need to have a chat with... herself... later about how to be nicer when talking to other ponies), it was right. She definitely couldn't give up now after escaping what appeared to be certain death. What was a few yards of burning forest at this point? Any idea of giving up or surrendering to the panic that swelled within her had fled long ago.

Breathing as deeply as she felt able, Fluttershy summoned the last of her strength, emptying her reserves as she charged down the path that originally led her here. Her pace was strong at first as she weaved between the flaming branches strewn across the path, her world naught but a swirling reign of oranges. About halfway through she began to falter, hooves sliding here and there, legs scrapping against not-quite dodged obstructions. Pure will could only fuel a pony for so long, and Fluttershy had consumed her limit long ago.

She stumbled as she reached the turn that led her here, eyes beginning to droop as she lost even the energy to keep those open. She barely took note that she had passed the inferno's current dominion, hooves seemingly moving of their own accord. Finally even they couldn't last any longer and Fluttershy fell to the ground in exhaustion, halfheartedly rolling over in an attempt to put out the remaining flames. Her vision began to darken at the edges as she looked at the forest's ceiling. Though it was brighter than normal from the fire, not even daylight would have penetrated the veil of leaves and smoke, the celestial bodies above invisible to Fluttershy's weakened eyes. Her gaze shifted a little as something reflective caught her eye. A smile graced her lips, despite the pain flowing through her, as she closed her eyes, finally giving up the fight. All she wanted to do was rest... just for a little while...

***

"Is she awake yet?"

"No, Rainbow. She wasn't when you asked five minutes ago, and she probably won't be when you ask five minutes from now!"

"..."

"Oh Dash... I'm sorry. I'm just a little high strung after everything."

"You're high strung? I flew over half of the Everfree just to find her! Then I brought her back here and came back to help you guys! You don't think I'm a little worn out too? I may be awesome, Twi, but even I need my sleep."

"...that's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean, egghead?"

Fluttershy couldn't quite connect to whom the voices belonged or why she cared, but something about their arguing agitated her. She tried to open her eyes, her mouth, anything, to plead to these strangers not to argue, especially over something insignificant as herself. No part of her body seemed to respond to her commands except her heart: she could feel the blood pump faster through her as she began to panic from the lack of movement. She could have sworn she heard something beeping. What was going on?

"Now y'all just simmer down. Twi' didn't mean nothin' 'bout what she said, Dash. She's just... stressed. We all are."

"What do you mean, stressed? I'm not stressed! I'm just tired, that's all!"

"Not stressed, darling? Your fillyhood friend is laying in the hospital unconscious! Surely that stresses you even the teensiest bit?"

Fluttershy attempted to communicate again, and again her body refused to take action. Her heart beat even faster in response, the strange beeping seeming to correspond to it. Why couldn't she move? Why couldn't she see? Why couldn't she feel anything. She was weightless in a dark void, voices surrounding her, yelling.

"Are you kidding? I'm Rainbow Dash! I don't get stressed. I take action!"

"Hey girls..."

"Not now, Pinkie. And pray tell, Rainbow Dash, how do you plan to take action right now? Can your stunts cure your friend? Or perhaps your coolness?"

"What about you, Rarity? Can your fancy dresses and hats help her? What about-"

"GIRLS!"

"Pinkie, what in tarnation are ya hollerin'- oh mah stars. Fluttershy!"

"Rainbow, go get the nurse! NOW! Pinkie, Rarity, get out of the way!"

"What the hay are you trying to do, Twi?"

"There's no time, just trust me on this!"

Even through her glued eyelids, Fluttershy could see a blinding flash of light. Her heart immediately stopped racing as a calming aura washed over her. Her mind followed suit shortly, slowing to a crawl...

***

Silence greeted Fluttershy when she awoke this time. Again she attempted to open her eyes, and again she was unsuccessful. Before panicking, she decided to try to move her hooves again, just a little. Her heart skipped a beat when her right foreleg actually responded, though much more sluggish and taking far more effort than she thought appropriate. She felt something smooth and cool brush against the underside of her hoof.

"Fluttershy? Fluttershy, darling, can you hear me?"

"Wuh? Rarity, why in tha name of Celestia's sun would you be jabbering loud enough to wake the hogs at this hour?"

"...I'm not quite sure what you're implying, dear Applejack, but I could have sworn I saw Fluttershy move just now."

"Look Rarity, Ah know y'all want her to git up just as bad as the rest of us, but ya gots ta get some sleep. Now yer just plum imagining things."

Fluttershy desperately wanted to prove this “Applejack” wrong, that she did indeed move. She wasn't sure why she wanted to reassure the voices, just something in the back of her head seemed to drive her to it, a faint tingling whose source she couldn’t begin to fathom. Summoning all her strength to the task, she commanded her hoof to move again.

"...now Ah'm seein' things."

"No you most certainly are not! I saw it as well! Quick, wake the others! Fluttershy, can you hear me? Move your hoof again if you can. Please darling... please..."

Was the voice... sobbing? Fluttershy wasn't quite sure. Again she was struck with a desire to answer, but this time she couldn't muster the strength, as she felt her consciousness slowly ebb.

"Fluttershy... please..."

***

When the pegasus faded back in, she felt... different somehow. Lighter. Like a great weight that was pressing on her was removed. She also felt much more comfortable, able to feel the soft bedding she lay on and the soft sheets that covered her. She took in a deep breath, reveling in the feeling of safety and warmth.

"Fluttershy?"

This time when she tried to open her eyes, she was greeted with a multicolor blur instead of darkness. She couldn't make out any shapes or outlines, but one dominant color seemed to fill her vision... pink. Why was it pink?

"...Pinkie?"

The pink blob shrunk as it reeled back at being addressed directly, gasping for air. Fluttershy's mind was unfortunately moving too slow to prepare herself for the coming torrent.

"Ohmygosh, you're awake! Hurray! At first I was all 'she's not waking, she's just sleeping!' But then I saw your head move and I thought 'oh, maybe she is awake! I should ask her!' And then I did and you said my name and I went all 'gasp!' And we should totally have a party to celebrate! A 'welcome back' party! Wait, is it really a 'welcome back' if you didn't go anywhere? Maybe it should be a 'good morning' party? But it's not morning. Oh I need to make a cake! I'll be right back!"

Fluttershy was sure she had only blinked to clear her eyes, but somehow in that time Pinkie had rambled off an entire speech and sped out of the room. Her vision was crowded by room’s other occupants before she could contemplate the pink pony's perplexing actions.

"Fluttershy, darling, how are-"

"What the hay were you doing! I told you to stay-"

"Fluttershy! I was so worried about you. Your symptoms were just like this book-"

"Y'all had us in a heap of worry there, Sugarcube! We-"

Overloaded by her friend's voices and faces crowding her senses, Fluttershy did the only thing she knew to: make a terrified squeak and dive under the covers. It wasn't long before her brown fortress was removed by an orange hoof and tossed it to the floor. She gazed at the apologetic earth pony and gave a embarrassed grin.

"Uhh... sorry 'bout that, 'Shy. Guess we lost control of ourselves." Applejack gave a quick glance to the others, as if daring them to repeat the stunt. None of them seemed up for the challenge. "We were all mighty worried 'bout ya. How ya feelin'?" she asked as she backed up to rejoin the group, noticeably further from the bed than it was initially.

She shot a questioning glance at Applejack, clearly not understanding the question and expecting more elaboration. Her response drew odd and worried lucks from the gathered group. Why are they so worried about me? She rubbed her head in consternation, only to find a bandage blocking contact direct contact. Frowning slightly, she looked at her hoof, then the rest of her. White assaulted her eyes wherever she looked. She seemed to be a cocoon of bandages, tufts of her yellow fur poking out randomly in the assortment. Her underside and hooves were completely wrapped, a few spots on her legs still free to the world.

That's when she finally gave the room itself a discerning look now that her vision was sufficiently clear of blurs and ponies. The ceiling seemed to be painted in a dark green hue, with a lighter shade of green swirling within to create intricate designs. The wall in front of her was sectioned in vertical strips of an odd blue, again with more swirls of another shade of the base color. The wall changed to a dirt-brown before it met the tiled floor whose shine made Fluttershy squint. A glance to either side showed green curtains drawn around for privacy. As if in a daze, she lifted a hoof to rub the back of her head, noticing her mane was clipped behind it, presumably to keep it out of her eyes.

Hospital? But why am I- her eyes widened and glazed over and she began to hyperventilate as memories rushed back into her. The forest. Zecora. Fire.

"Oh shoot, she's losing it. Twi', do yer thing again!" The purple pony looked aghast.

"Are you out of your mind? I'm not about to put her to sleep with that spell after she finally woke up! There’s no telling what the side-effects could be!"

Forest. Burning, all around. Pain.

Rarity fidgeted with her hooves. "Well we must simply do something! We cannot leave her like this! Rainbow, fetch the nurse!" she commanded. Rainbow strode forward towards the bedside, disregarding her orders.

Animals running. Smoke.

"Rainbow, what are you doing? The nurse is the other way! ...Rainbow Dash don't you dare-"

SMACK.

Fluttershy's cheek stung from the sudden impact as her head pitched sideways. She just stared forward unseeingly at the multicolored pegasus, incapable of processing what had just happened. Raising a bandaged hoof to her face, she could have sworn she felt an imprint.

"Rainbow Dash! Of all the barbaric, inconsiderate things I have ever seen you do, this tops the list! How dare you raise a hoof to Fluttershy like that? Why I ought to-"

Fluttershy attempted to speak in Rainbow's defense, but what came out was more of a cross between a cough and a squeal, tiny flecks of blood staining her bandages and muzzle. She shook her head and hooves rapidly, trying to indicate that it was okay, really, though the words may have gotten slightly lost in translation of her gasps for breath. Her fellow pegasus seemed encouraged by her antics after helping her gain control of her airways again. Rainbow fixed Rarity with a smug grin.

"See? Action." Her job done, the blue pony hovered over to a nearby chair on the opposing wall and sat resolutely in it as if nothing had occurred, eyes radiating in challenge. Twilight raised her eyebrow at the scene.

"...yeah. Anyway, Fluttershy you really shouldn't speak right now. Thanks to all that smoke you inhaled, your lungs are a bit weak. Not to mention all those splinters." She shot the butterfly-adorned pegasus a curious look. "...how did you get all those splinters in your mouth, anyway? Wait, you can't answer, never mind.” Twilight shook her head. “Point is, the doctor said you shouldn't talk much for the next week or so." At this she gave Fluttershy a grin. "Not that that should be a problem for you, will it?"

Fluttershy grinned sheepishly at the joke and nodded slightly, a faint blush tinging her cheeks. Applejack cut off her affirmative response, removing her hat with her hoof and shaking her head.

"Hoo doggy, that's a right shame though. Ah'd give mah left hoof to hear what all ya got into while ya were in the Everfree! What in tarnation drove you to go in there? I bet it was the animals, wasn't it?" At this, Fluttershy shook her head in consternation.

Applejack continued in a lecturing tone, ignoring Fluttershy's answer again as she replaced her hat. "Ah tell ya girl, Ah know y'all love those critters and all, but ya gotta use some sense! Ain't no need to go rushing in like that instead of waitin' fir the rest of us. We got to yer house 'bout half an hour after R.D. left ya, but y'all had done took off." Rarity picked up steam as Applejack began to waver.

"Oh I know, darling, you could have at least been patient enough for us! Why, when we got there and all your... critters... were running about without your supervision, we were all a tad worried! And when Pinkie Pie said she saw your hoof-prints lead into the forest, well, we began to panic-"

"Hey!" a voice from behind objected. "I did not panic!"

The other three rolled their eyes. "Yes... well... everypony began to panic except for Rainbow Dash, who kept her cool throughout the entire proceeding," Rarity continued, a touch heavy with the sarcasm. "And then when she finally found you all covered in that icky black soot... well. We simply must get you to the spa as soon as possible, Fluttershy! The nurses here did what they could to rid you of that filth, but it simply is not the same!"

Fluttershy smiled gratefully at that, already looking forward to the day she could relax and wash those memories away. Speaking of which... she gestured towards a direction with what she thought was a window, her knowledge of the hospital layout better than anypony's from being Rainbow's friend and cheering section. She did her best to mime her question, which she had a lot of experience with thanks to Angel. Though she wasn’t the best at understanding him, she had learned a trick or two. Twilight gave her an odd look before her eyes clicked open in understanding.

"Oh, the forest? We managed to stop the fire. There’s a lot of damage, and it’ll take decades for it to recover since we can’t heal it magically, but it should be fine. We're still not sure what caused it. Someponies say it was drag- uhh," she seemed to stumble over her words as Rarity shot her a glare. "Yeah. Other ponies think it was a lightning strike -you know how the weather is there. Truth is, we don't really know how it started." This statement caused Twilight to wince, as if the lack of knowledge physically pained her.

"Yeah but you should've seen us put out that fire! After I saved you, that is," Rainbow swooped in suddenly, nearly scaring Fluttershy under the covers again until she realized she didn't have anymore. "After I dropped you off back here, I zoomed back to the forest! There I was, flying through the night sky, fire burning below me! Twilight wanted me to bring in some rainclouds, so I brought one to amuse her, but I knew it wouldn't work."

"Hey!"

"What? I'm just telling the truth! Everypony knows you can't mess with the clouds over the Everfree. Sure enough, when I brought one in to show her how wrong she was, the moment I pushed it over the forest I shot right through it like it wasn't even there! Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, there I was, and nopony could think of anything. So I had this awesome idea to-"

"What is this? It seems Pinkie has told me wrong. I came to see Fluttershy, but instead I hear a story long." Fluttershy couldn't believe her ears, but sure enough, her eyes confirmed it: there was Zecora, standing in the doorway as if nothing was amiss. As if her home hadn’t burned to the ground, almost trapping Fluttershy inside. Fluttershy let out a soundless squeal and attempted to get up and rush over to the zebra, though her body refused and only rose up slightly. Her face must have spoken for her, however, as the zebra gave her a grin of her own. "Fluttershy, it is good to see you as well," her grin turned into a mask of puzzlement, "though how exactly you met this end you simply must tell."

Twilight came to her rescue again. "She can't speak, Zecora. It's nice to see you. Wait... did you say Pinkie brought you here?"

"Yepperoonies! I told you I was bringing Zecora here!" Pinkie said from directly behind Twilight, seeming to bounce straight out of the floor. The purple unicorn practically hit the ceiling.

"Wah! Pinkie!"

"Yes?" she asked innocently, fluttering her eyelashes.

"How did you... why... oh, never mind.” Twilight rubbed her head, not even trying to make sense of it. “Why did you bring Zecora here? Not that I don't want to see you or anything," Twilight quickly assured the zebra of her poor choice in wording, "I'm just trying to find your logic here." A few grumblings went up around her about the connection of "Pinkie Pie" and "logic."

"Well, duh, because Fluttershy wanted to see her!"

"And how the hay do ya figure that?" Applejack objected.

"Because that's why Fluttershy was in the forest! She was going to save Zecora! I mean, come on, if I went to rescue somepony I'd like to see them too to make sure they're okay!" Pinkie looked around her at the confused faces. "What, didn't you guys know that? I thought it was obvious."

All faces turned to the patient. "Fluttershy, darling, is this true?” Rarity ran a hoof through Fluttershy’s mane as if to coax the answer from her. “Did you really run in there after Zecora?"

She sheepishly nodded again, the blush burning her face once more.

"What in the world did you do that for, Fluttershy?" Rainbow demanded of her, floating in her face. "I told you I already got Zecora before I came to see you! She was probably halfway to Ponyville by the time you went in there!"

Fluttershy's eyes widened. Did she really? I don't remember hearing that. Her ears drooped at the realization that Rainbow wouldn't tell the truth about this. How could I be so silly. Of course Rainbow would tell Zecora if she was in danger. Oh, why didn't I listen better, I could have helped with the fire and saved some poor animals their home... A tear leaked out of her eye, only to be caught by a striped hoof.

"There there, do not weep. Next time merely think before you leap! I appreciate your thought, though I truthfully regret the pain it has brought." The zebra delivered a soft smile, one that was gratefully returned by the pegasus in question before a yawn overtook her features, her energy depleted once again. "It seems that you need your rest, so I will leave of my own behest." A chorus of good byes (and one silent smile) saw the zebra on her way out.

"Yeah!" The soothing atmosphere was shattered by the pink hyperactive bouncing bundle. "You should get some real sleep, not that uncont... unconsc... whatever weirdie sleep that Twilight talked about! And don't you worry about any of your animals! Zecora offered to watch over them while you were here! Her and Angel have been handling everything at your house!"

"Indeed. So there's no need to fret over anything." A faint blue glow emitted from Rarity's horn as she retrieved the fallen blanket, tucking Fluttershy in. "Why don't you just lay down and get some beauty sleep? The past few days have been straining on us all."

Fluttershy silently agreed, laying her head down and began to close her eyes, already slipping away. A horrible thought struck her and her eyes jolted open quickly, darting between her friends in panic.

Once again, Twilight understood. "Don't worry, Fluttershy. We're not going anywhere anytime soon. Your friends are here for you." The others nodded in agreement, soft smiles adorning their faces. "We'll be here when you wake up."

Fluttershy smiled again and closed her eyes for good this time, resting easily in the knowledge that she was surrounded by friends that loved her.

Author's Note: This fic was created and submitted for the February Write-off competition. I basically sat down and over one night and morning wrote the entire thing. Overall... I feel okay about it. This is my first attempt at fiction, so I wasn't expecting anything grand. I just saw the competition, and since I always enjoyed writing when I did it for class, decided it might be a chance to get some feedback. I don't plan to be a writer, just a bit of a hobby when I have spare time and the itch strikes.

Personally I felt the end to be a bit forced since I didn't plan this out properly. It was a spur of the moment decision with a prompt I wasn't the most comfortable writing about. Hopefully when I get time to write another one, it will turn out better. Please, feel free to leave comments/criticism, can't learn to be better without knowing what you did wrong after all.