Fluttershy gulped and looked out into the darkness. She gave a look down to Angel and smiled. “It'll be okay. I'll be fine,” she told him gently. She then got to her hooves and made her way forward, pushing the first post.

She knew she shouldn't, they told her not to. She was practically forbidden. She'd already eaten so it wasn't like she needed anything from the ponies in the darkness. But something deep within her told her she had to go. That there was something waiting for her at the end of this long, dark road. Even though it terrified her.

She made it to the second light before she felt a tug on her tail. She screamed and whipped around, expecting to see something from the darkness. Instead, it was just Angel, pulling on her. She let out a soft sigh of relief. “It's okay. I'll be fine, I promise. I just... I'm just going to the bridge. I'll be fine.” She repeated, more to herself than to her pet. He kept tugging, making her sigh. She turned around, grabbed him and carried him back to the bed. “Rest. I'll be back soon, I promise.”

The bunny tried objecting, but she put a hoof to his face. “Sleep. Do what I say.”

The bunny gulped and slowly nodded. She turned around and walked back down the path, lighting the posts as she went. Step after step she took, the fear growing in her as the darkness seemed to encircle her. Not knowing was what made it worse. She thought if she could just see what these creatures were, just once, she could learn to not fear them. But, on the other hoof, she was so terrified they would jump out from the darkness at any moment that each step made her want to turn around and gallop away.

“I should just go back,” she whispered as she crossed over the little stream again. “There's no reason for me to be here. None at all. They don't want me to be. I'm risking everything. I don't need to.” Her fear told her to turn around, but once again she pushed on.

She came to the bridge and once again it gently bobbed. She took a deep, slow breath and pushed out. Her back hooves made it over and she let out a little sigh of relief. She was on it. She took a few steps forward and made it to the post. Her hoof touched it and it began to flicker.

She froze. The light flickered again and again, going off and on. It then glowed dimly, illuminating only a few feet away. She could see the next post. It stood in the darkness, just an inch. But it was inside the darkness. Fluttershy's heart began to beat faster, but she took another step forward.

The bridge shook hard to the side and there was the sound of cracking wood. She let out a scream and lunged to the lit post, wrapping her hooves around it as true horror embraced her. Around the edges of her vision she could see them, moving around, just keeping out of sight so she couldn't see what they were. Down the way she had come, one by one, the previous lamps all began to flicker and then go out. Soon the only light in a world of darkness came from the one she held her hooves tightly around.

Her heart pounded in her chest so hard she was sure it would burst. Then the light flickered. Just for a second. Then it began to dim. She pulled her body closer to it, nearly wrapping herself around the pole as the bridge shook under her. The darkness came every close, a small inch at a time. Soon it was so close she couldn't move without touching it, the things out there. Waiting. Something brushed against her leg and she screamed.

The light came back, slowly expanding and pushing back the darkness. The moment the post on land was enshrouded in light she galloped back, pushing it and lighting the darkness. Post by post she made her way back, her breathing rapid and heart pounding. Small tears formed in her eyes, but she didn't release them until she was finally back in her bed. When she could, she collapsed onto the mattress and hugged Angel close. “I-I'm never going out there again,” she whispered, sobbing into his fur. “It just, it was... it...” She slowly looked up. She wasn't sure, but she swore the darkness around her bed had come closer. It was almost on her.

The lamp by her bed flickered again and she screamed. She pushed back, away from it and molding against the wall. Her screams echoed through the halls as she held Angel as tight as she could, icy terror gripping her heart.

“Chosen one! What's wrong?” a pony asked as he stepped from the darkness. He was the same as all the others, maneless and dark.

“T-the light, it flickered. I-I went down to the bridge, but it flickered, a-and there were things, and they were moving the bridge, a-and I screamed and the d-darkness almost touched me and I could feel them and hear them and they almost had me!” Fluttershy screamed, the tears streaking down her face. She sobbed into her hooves, falling down on her side. “T-they almost had me. I-I just, I tried going too far. I didn't know. I didn't think they'd, but, but I--”

There was a gentle cooing sound as the pony moved over, touching her shoulder and rubbing it. “There there. It's okay,” the pony said. “You're safe. You're in the light. It can't hurt you, not now. As long as you stay here, in the light, you'll be safe.”

“I-it flickered. I-it's never done that!”

“You must have gone too far. You spread your power too thin. You must never, ever do that again. The things in the darkness are waiting, chosen one. If you give them the opportunity, they will take you.”

She sobbed and slowly raised her head. “T-they, it's... but...”

“It's okay,” he whispered. “It's going to be okay. The darkness can't hurt you. You're safe so long as you stay in your light.”

She nodded and, slowly, began to relax. Her eyes watched the darkness though. It was still there, watching her. Waiting for her. Trying to envelop her. All it would take was the light to go out and it would have her. “T-they went out. For a second. All of them but the one I held onto.”

He nodded. “It is dangerous to go out that far. Remember this lesson, chosen one. For your safety and our future. Now promise me you won't go out again.”

“I... I won't,” she whispered. She laid in the bed, the covers around her and the pony gently stroking her mane. Before she knew it, a different kind of darkness enveloped her and she fell asleep.

------

Fluttershy nibbled her food, laying back against the wall. She'd meant it this time, she'd never go into the darkness again. Not after that. She still felt the gentle urge to go out there, to find what was at the end of the road. But she couldn't, not now. It was too dangerous. She couldn't risk it, not again. Just the thought of the lights going out again made her want to fall down and burst into tears.

No, she was safe where she was. Happy, too. She had Angel, her bed, food. She didn't want anything else. The ponies even came and talked to her sometimes. Life was good.

“....hy....” a soft voice called out, soft as a gentle breeze.

Fluttershy's ears perked and she looked around. “Did you hear that?” she asked Angel.

He shook his head. She shrugged and went back to her meal. She was hearing things, the darkness was playing tricks on her.

“... lp...”

She perked her ears again. She was sure she heard it that time. Something was out there, calling. She slowly stood up. Angel pulled on her tail. “Quiet,” she said firmly. He refused and started hopping around on the bed, squeaking angrily. She ignored him and walked a little closer, pushing the first pole. She wouldn't go any further, she promised. She just had to hear it.

“...shy...” the voice called out again.

She looked around before yelling out. “Who's there? Are you the darkness?”

There was another soft cry before new words sprang forward. “Help!” They were soft and weak, but they were clear. Even over Angel she could hear them. She paused and raised a hoof to her chest. No, it was different than that. It wasn't that she could hear it, it was more that she could feel it. Even with Angel making noise behind her, she could feel it. Somepony was calling out to her. Somepony needed her.

She eyed the darkness for a few moments before trotting forward. Angel tried pulling on her tail, but she sighed and gave him a little tug, before flinging him onto her back. She then glared. “I'm just going to see what it is. That's it. Keep calm.”

Fluttershy turned back towards the shadows and walked. Post by post she lit them. She was still terrified, the things in the darkness pushing against the edge. But she just couldn't ignore it. She heard the cry, again and again. Calling her by name, the voice weak and hurt. Angel hopped on her back and tugged, squeaking wildly as he tried to stop her. But she refused. She could feel it in her heart, somepony needed her. She couldn't ignore them. She wouldn't. No matter how scared she was.

She made it to the bridge when she found her way suddenly blocked. Three of the ponies were there, watching and waiting. “Chosen one, you shouldn't be here.”

The voice called out to her again. “Somepony needs me. They're calling for help. They--”

“It's a trick,” one of them said, shaking their head. “The darkness is trying to lure you to it. To spread your magic. To trap you. You must resist, you must fight it. Please. If you go, we are all doomed.”

Fluttershy gulped and looked to the bridge. It made sense. A trap would probably be easy. Making a pony's voice call out to her. The voice called again. It called her name. It was still weak, but she was closer. She could feel it in her heart. Even more important, she knew the voice. She couldn't ignore this pony. “No. I have to go. Whoever they are, they need me. I have to help them.”

“You can't!” the nearest pony yelled, shaking her head. “Please, return to your bed. To safety. You put yourself and us all in grave danger.”

The voice called again. Her eyes widened slightly and she took another step forward. “No. I will face the darkness if need be. But that pony needs me. I must help them. Stand aside.”

“Chosen one, please, see reason,” the pony said as the three refused to budge. She tried stepping forward again, but they held firm. “We won't move. The darkness will take you if we do, we cannot allow that. We won't allow that. Go back.”

Fluttershy gulped and then shook her head. “NO!” She charged forward. The ponies tried to block her way, but she found herself able to push through them easily. She galloped forward, the next post coming alight. She kept galloping, hitting the next right after. The lights struggled to keep up, not slowly lighting this time. They came alight instantly. Angel held on tightly, squeaking. The voice called out again, she was closer.

Then she made it to the last post and the end of the bridge. There was nothing but an empty void. The bridge was latched onto... something. But there didn't seem to be anything. The shadows completely covered whatever ground was there and the post showed nothing. She stopped and stared.

“Fluttershy! Help me! I can't do this alone!”

The voice had never been so clear. Angel was shrieking now, tugging on her tail as best he could. The other three ponies had galloped up behind her, making the bridge shake. “Chosen one, please, stop. You'll doom us all!”

“What's out there?” Fluttershy asked, staring into the void.

“The darkness, it swallows all. If you go there, we'll all be doomed. You're our only hope. We need--”

“She needs me,” Fluttershy said softly, staring into the void.

“It's a trick!”

“No, it's not,” the pegasus said slowly as she looked around. “I can feel it.” Her wings spread. The ponies jumped after her. She ignored them and leaped into the void.

The darkness swallowed her. Her heart began to beat faster as it molded around her, enveloping her. It was... warm. Soft. Comforting. She frowned and looked around, but there was nothing to see. Just the darkness.

“Fluttershy! Closer! Please!”

The pegasus flapped her wings and kept moving, though she had the grim feeling that she wasn't flying by her own power. She just wanted to go there and it was pulling her closer. There was no pain, no hurts, nothing but the darkness.

Then the darkness began to pull apart, turning to light around her and expanding outward. Her eyes widened as she saw the world again. She turned back towards the bridge and gasped. The world she had come from was nothing but shadows and darkness, a thick, purple darkness. The light enveloped her, wrapping the mare in its embrace. The world that had once been so frightening was now beautiful and warm, the sky light blue overhead and the air fresh and warm.

“Fluttershy!” the voice called again. “Behind you!”

The pegasus turned and shrieked. Angel was growling, his entire body wrapped in a dark, purple haze. His eyes glowed a violent red. She shook him off and jumped away. His body began to shift and change, turning into a black, maneless pegasus. A few yards behind him a purple alicorn was laying on the ground, panting for air. Twilight. She knew that mare. That was her friend.

The thing that Angel had become was not. “W-who are you?” she asked softly.

The pegasus didn't answer. Instead, a dark, sick smile formed on its lips and it took a step forward. She shrieked and took a step back. Sensing her fear, it kept advancing, driving her back towards the bridge and the purple darkness.

“Fluttershy! Don't, you have to fight it!” the alicorn yelled. “If you don't, we'll both be trapped here! Our friends need our help, and I need you!”

The pegasus paused for a second and looked back at the creature. She was scared. Terrified even. This... thing was horrifying and, worst of all, she was sure it could hurt her.

But that didn't matter. She felt a small light forming in her heart. Her friends needed her. Words slowly spilled into her mind as she took a step forward. “It doesn't matter how scared I am. I'll still fight,” she whispered softly.

A ball of light formed besides her. A white pegasus appeared, with a golden necklace holding a pink butterfly jewel for a cutie mark. The pony smiled at her before erupting into light. The necklace formed in the air, before floating to Fluttershy's neck. She turned to the creature as thoughts and memories locked away began to flow freely. “Discord...” she whispered. Her hoof stomped down. “You won't win, you big, big meany!” A pink light erupted from the necklace, making the creature shrink back with an angry roar. The light spread out, enveloping the world and everything in it.