The ship glides through the air, the fans eerily quiet as you lean over the edges of the ship. You gaze at the tops of the clouds around you, contrasted with the bright blue of the sky that cloaks above you in every direction. You hold your tongue, letting your mind think. Question. Yet, hold nothing.

The pressure weighs down on your body as you watch the way the ship cuts through the sky.

"Everything okay?" a gentle voice asks.

You look up, and one of the other mares who came with you, Roseluck approaches.

"Yeah," you say, looking back down. "Why?"

"The crew said two ponies jumped on their last trip. Their pegasus could only catch one," she says, approaching you and leaning on the edge beside you. "Just being cautious, I guess."

"Smart," you mumble, not really invested in the conversation.

You can't help but feel like theres something tugging at your frame. Pulling you at the edges.

"Rose, I got a question for you."

The mare looks up to you, seeming confused.

"Why do you care? Why are you standing here, watching me?" you ask.

Rose hums to herself as she questions her answer.

"I guess, I think enough ponies are going to die because of this war. Last thing we need is us fighting ourselves, you know?" she remains silent. "Plus, it would be terrible for morale, don't you think?"

She chuckles to herself as you smile wryly. This one has a dark sense of humor. She's not so bad.

"Do you know Fluttershy?" you ask.

"Eh," she responds. "Nothing I didn't see from news or books. She usually keeps to herself. Plus I do most of the back office work for the flower shop. Just never really had the chance to make the acquaintence."

You turn to her.

"Riddle me this then..." You pause, trying to carefully choose your words. Rose looks at you, an extremely baffled look overcoming her.

"What's this about?"

"So, the Elements of Harmony... Princess Twilight and her friends. They're one of the most powerful groups of friends in Equestria. Keeping them together means they get to use their combined friendship to do... I dunno. Lazer cannons or someshit."

"Yeah? So?" Rose asks.

"Why is Fluttershy on our squad, being shipped out with us?"

Rose opens her mouth slightly, then stares at you with wide eyes.

"You know, I never really thought about that," she says, looking back out to the skyline. "But I'm sure Princess Celestia has her reasons. She's way wiser than we'd ever belive."

You sigh.

"Just... something doesn't add up," you ask. "And I want to make sure someone else sees it."

She looks back to you.

"Like going to war with a country we made peace trade agreements a month ago? You can say that again."

"Wait we, what?"

"Hey guys," says a familar quiet voice.

Three hoove knocks echo across the wooden floor of the airship.

Rose places a hoof to her head and shakes her head.

"We were talking about how we've never trusted those Saddle Arabians," Rose says. "And I've just... I've got this terrible headache."

"Why don't you go lay down, Rose? There's still a long ways until we land. Maybe a nap could do you some good," Fluttershy says in her gentle, motherly tone.

You turn away, making a mental note of what just happened.

Fluttershy has some sort of control... influence over the other ponies. If that's the case... who can you trust? None of this adds up.

Rose trots away without another word as Fluttershy stands beside you.

"I'm sure this isn't easy on you, Anon," she mumbles.

"I'm stronger than you think," you respond. "And if it's all the same, I'd rather I'd be left alone."

Fluttershy looks up at you, then takes a deep breath.

"Just know that I'm here for you, okay?" she says softly. "You don't have to be alone."

You remain silent, thinking to yourself. It's one of the only places where you feel like you aren't being spied on. Where nobody can learn or truly know what you're thinking. No eavesdroppers. No spies.

It... doesn't feel like you're alone. When you sleep... there's this... space. It's dark. But you exist. Except... nothing else seems to. As if you're in the purest form of a lack of creation.

And there... you don't feel alone. You feel... a calm. A stability. You're drawn to the darkness. It calls for you.

The real question, is do you answer?

"Sure. Whatever, Fluttershy."