Author’s Note: The story begins from a third person perspective. It begins at the end of Chapter Nine of Fluttershy and Me. It is recommended that you read Act One of Fluttershy and Me, or at least Chapter Nine. At the end of this Prologue, the perspective will change. You’ll know when. Let the story begin.

“So, um, what happens now?” Fluttershy asked. Matthew was looking at the ground, but at that question, his eyes beamed open, and he looked at Princess Celestia. She seemed rather collected of herself, and Matthew knew what her answer would be.

“Well, now we will take you home Fluttershy, back to Equestria,” the Princess answered. She answered as calmly and collectively as she looked. Matthew could feel the tears coming on. He didn’t want to hold them back, so he didn’t. He started to cry like a fountain. They were going to take her away. Fluttershy, the one person… the one pony that managed to turn Matthew’s life around, and she was going to be taken from him.

But, deep down, Matthew knew this was right. It had to be done.

“B-But, why?” Fluttershy asked. “Why can’t I stay with him? I love him! I don’t want to leave him!” Fluttershy started to shed tears, even more so than Matthew. He turned his head to her as she threw herself into his arms. She didn’t want to let him go.

“Fluttershy, you are not meant to be in this world. You merely came here by mistake. This world is not meant for our kind. Please, try to understand that,” Celestia said. Matthew couldn’t speak. He could only hold Fluttershy in his arms as they both wept. But, then he did something neither of them thought he would do. He let go of her and pushed her away.

“Matthew?” Fluttershy said, surprised by what he had done.

“Fluttershy… she’s right. You’re not meant to be here. You have to go home. You have to be with your friends, where you belong, in Equestria.”

“I’m meant to be here with you Matthew! I don’t want to leave you!” Fluttershy tried to throw herself into his arms again, but he denied her. She looked into his eyes with her own, tear filled ones.

“I’m sorry Fluttershy, but you can’t be with me anymore.” Matthew spoke the words, but he didn’t want to believe them. The other ponies in the room were crying just as hard as Matthew and Fluttershy. Matthew turned to see them all in tears. Even the Princess was crying.

“Fluttershy, try to understand that this is not something I do lightly. I’ve seen what you and Matthew have been through. I know what you both mean to each other. But you simply cannot be here with him. When was the last time you were able to walk about freely? To talk to anypony other than Matthew? To fly freely in the open skies of this world? You just can’t do those things here,” Celestia said with a heavy heart.

“I don’t care! All I need is him! Please, don’t make me leave!” Fluttershy cried out, covering her face with her hooves. She cried hard into them, and she showed no signs of stopping. But, she then felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to Matthew.

“Fluttershy, just because you have to leave doesn’t mean I won’t love you anymore. I’ll always love you, and that’s something that will never change,” Matthew said, still crying.

“Please Matthew. Don’t let them take me from you,” Fluttershy said, crying just as much as him. Matthew couldn’t help but pull her into his arms again. He held her tightly, tighter than ever before. He never wanted to let her go, and she never wanted to let him go. They both felt tears running down their backs as they wept onto each other. Matthew then kissed her on her cheek. They then looked into each other’s eyes.

“Hey, listen to me, alright? These past six years have been the greatest years of my life. I owe that all to you. Yeah, we won’t be together anymore, but at least we met each other. I wish I didn’t have to let you go Fluttershy, I really do. But, you just weren’t meant to be here with me,” Matthew spoke. Fluttershy stopped him before he could continue by putting her hoof to his mouth.

“Shh, that’s enough. I understand.”

“You… you do?”

“Yes. I know I came here by mistake, and that I shouldn’t really be here. But, I’m thankful that I’m here now, and that I have been here for these past six years. Everything we’ve done together, all the time we’ve spent together, all the moments we shared… I wouldn’t take back one second of any of it. I love you Matthew, and I always will. We both promised that to each other after all. And… who knows… maybe someday, we’ll meet again.” Fluttershy was trying to stop herself from choking up, but her tears got the better of her yet again. She found herself in Matthew’s arms yet again. After that little speech of hers, he really didn’t want to let her go now.

“I love you too Fluttershy…” Matthew couldn’t say anything else. He was trying so hard to come up with words at the moment, but he just couldn’t say anything. He was too heart broken. He and Fluttershy let each other go, and they turned to the Princess. Looking past her, they both saw that each and every other pony in the room was crying. It was as if a dam had broken almost. Even Rainbow Dash was crying. Fluttershy took a great notice of that.

“Please Dashie, don’t cry,” Fluttershy said.

“I’m not crying… oh buck it, yes I am!” Rainbow said, running over to her friend and wrapping her in a hug. The two Pegasi cried like little children as Matthew watched them. He tried to breathe normally and get his tears under control. He took a deep breath and looked to the Princess.

“Is this really how it has to be?” Matthew asked.

“Yes. I’m sorry Matthew,” Celestia answered. She was crying even more than before now, and rightfully so. The little scene that had just transpired could break the heart of even the toughest man around. It was truly a sad moment. Matthew then found himself running his hand through Fluttershy’s hair, just as he did so very often.

“Matthew, please stop,” she said. Matthew pulled his hand back.

“Sorry,” he said. It just wasn’t the right time for that. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash released each other from their hug. Fluttershy then turned to the Princess.

“Can’t he come with us?” she asked. Matthew felt his lip quivering now as he tried so desperately to hold back his tears. She wanted him to go with her. She wanted him in Equestria. She really didn’t want to let him go.

“I’m sorry Fluttershy, but he can’t. Much as this world is not meant for us, our world is not meant for him. He would be out of place. There is simply too much trouble with him coming to Equestria. I’m terribly sorry,” the Princess answered. Matthew could understand her reasoning behind that. He wasn’t meant to be in Equestria, even if it meant being with Fluttershy. The shy Pegasus nodded her head and looked back to Matthew.

“Well, I… I guess this is goodbye then Matthew,” she spoke, driving Matthew to burst out into tears again and wrap her in his arms.

“I… I love you so much Fluttershy,” Matthew said, his voice cracking multiple times.

“I love you too Matthew,” Fluttershy said. Matthew slowly let her go, and they kissed each other one more time. Fluttershy slowly stepped down from the couch she and Matthew were sitting on, and she walked over to Twilight Sparkle. The Unicorn pony was crying just as hard as every other pony in the room.

“I… I’m so sorry Fluttershy,” she said.

“It’s okay Twilight,” Fluttershy responded. She then turned back to the Princess. “Will I at least be allowed to remember him?” Matthew literally felt his heart shatter. He wanted so dearly for her to be able to remember him, yet at the same time, he knew how much it would hurt her for her to remember.

“If you wish to remember him, then you may keep your memories of your time here. If you wish to forget everything, the spell will wipe your memories of your experiences with Matthew,” Celestia answered. Fluttershy looked to Matthew.

“I want to remember him,” Fluttershy said. She managed to let out a little smile, which Matthew returned. He stood up and walked over to her. He knelt down, looked into her eyes, and kissed her on the lips one more time.

“I love you Fluttershy.”

“I love you too Matthew.”

Matthew stepped back from the ponies in the room, as they gathered around each other. Fluttershy and Matthew locked eyes one more time as Twilight charged her magic. At the same time, they both spoke softly to each other.

“I love you…”

In a flash, the ponies were gone, and Matthew was left alone in his apartment. Where the ponies once stood, they were all gone now.

Just a little while ago, it had just been Fluttershy and me. We had each other, which was more than enough for the both of us. But, somewhere, deep down inside, I knew that this day would come, and that I would have to let her go. I just never wanted to accept it. I lulled myself into the false sense that this was going to last forever, and that she would never have to go. I wish I could have realized sooner how wrong I truly was.

There was something that I used to think… that I used to know. That it was, is, and forever would be, Fluttershy and Me. But now, I realize it.

That it was, no longer is, and never will be again…

“Fluttershy and me…”

Author's Notes:

Here it is! Fluttershy and Me: Without You. This is yet again an alternate reality story, which is my take on what would happen if Fluttershy had to leave Matthew. This is basically my version of the My Little Dashie sequel. I hope you all enjoy reading it. Comment and criticize!

Also, as stated in the story description and the author's note at the beginning, this story changes perspective. When I say dedicated chapters for either Matthew or Fluttershy, I mean that the chapters will only be for one or the other. The perspective won't change during the chapters themselves.