It wasn’t the letting go that made things hard. Honestly, that was the easiest part. Fluttershy was prepared to let go of her own life, to give it up in order to become Death, unfair as it was. It was seeing how much it hurt her friends that crushed her. She couldn’t tell them where she was going or why; it had to be practical and unemotional.

Fluttershy began her three-day grace period by waking up with her head tucked between her hooves, eyes red-rimmed and bloodshot. She’d ached through her entire being, down to the pit of her soul. She first went out back and buried Hector, the way he deserved. She’d tried to force down some breakfast, but the pained churning of her stomach had made that impossible.

Weary and haggard, Fluttershy had slunk back to bed and lay still for several hours, thinking about how terrible being Death was going to be, how much she was going to miss Dash and Twilight, and Pinkie and Rarity and Applejack, and especially Angel…she’d had him since he was just a bunny! What was he going to do without her? What would all of the animals do without her?! And her friends…could they go on without her?

But as time went by, Fluttershy came to understand that, as much as her leaving would hurt her friends, they could carry on—as she went through them one by one, the world kept turning, and they carried on.

Fluttershy sat on her bed, staring at the cloak that Blanche had dropped off, remembering what he’d told her on the second day. When you’re ready, or when the three days is up—whichever, I guess—go ahead and put it on. I’ll know, and I’ll come to get you. It was nearly midnight of the third day now, and Fluttershy wasn’t ready. If she’d had a hundred days, a thousand, she wouldn’t have been ready.

Haltingly, Fluttershy reached out and put hoof to cloth, holding the cloak in front of her, the silky, ethereal fabric rippling as wind wafted through the window. Her heart was hammering in her chest, refusing to be still.

Fluttershy looked at the cloak, the deep, almost-purple color reminding her of Twi’s eyes…

The walk to her friend’s treehouse library seemed longer than ever that day, and her entire body felt leaden. After she knocked on the treehouse door, the minutes passed like hours before Twilight finally came.

“Fluttershy!” she said with a smile. “What can I do for you?” Seeing the look on her friend’s face, she added, “Is something the matter?”

“No, Twilight,” Fluttershy responded, “It’s just…well…” she swallowed hard, stammering, “I…I have to leave, Twilight, and, um…I can’t come back.”

Twilight’s eyes widened. “Fluttershy, what do you mean?” she asked, “Leaving? Can’t come back? What’s the matter?”

“I, um…” Fluttershy couldn’t find the words—her tongue felt fat and clumsy. “Well, you see, uh…I’m leaving for…a place. And I can’t really…” her voice dropped, “…can’t really come back. Ever.”

Twilight shook her head. “But Fluttershy,” she said, “where are you going? Why are you going there?”

Fluttershy shrunk back. “Well…I, um…I can’t really tell you. I…I can’t really tell anypony. Um, ever.”

Twilight took a step forward, her expression confused. “But we’re the Elements of Harmony, Fluttershy! We’re best friends! Why can’t you tell me?”

Fluttershy’s voice shot up an octave. “I just can’t!” she squeaked, looking down and away. “Please…I can’t say. I’m not allowed.”

Twilight’s mouth flapped for a moment as though she was unsure of what to say, but finally she nodded. “…alright, Fluttershy,” she said, sounding defeated, “I guess if you really can’t tell me, I won’t push you any further.”

Fluttershy tried to say something, but all that would come out was a sour whine.

Twilight walked forward and wrapped her hooves around Fluttershy’s neck, hugging her tightly. “Just promise me you’ll take care of yourself, okay?” When Fluttershy didn’t respond, Twilight pulled away, looking deep into the yellow mare’s watery green eyes. “Okay?” Fluttershy just nodded.

Twilight took a few steps back, forcing a smile. “Don’t worry, Fluttershy,” she said, “I…I’m sure everything will be just fine. In fact, maybe everything will work out for the better, when it’s all said and done.” When Fluttershy nodded, she closed the door. Twilight hadn’t cried then and there, but as Fluttershy ran back to her cottage, she’d known there would be tears.

It only hurt her more that Twilight had restrained herself.

Fluttershy bit her lip, the cloth feeling like fire against her hooves. Her stomach was twisted up in knots—she wanted to throw up, and she didn’t even have the cloak on yet!

It couldn’t be true. Fluttershy went three days, slept, woke, and tended her animals, and still some part of her wanted to believe that everything was just a bad dream, and that this terrible, unfair circumstance wasn’t real.

Blanche had warned her that saying goodbye wouldn’t be easy, but no amount of talking could’ve prepared her for the way Rarity had acted when she’d heard the news…the way she’d pretended everything was just fine.

“…Going away, dear?” Rarity asked, her groomed eyebrows furrowed. “If you don’t mind me asking…going away where, exactly? Will you be coming back, I hope?”

Fluttershy shook her head, looking away. “Um, no, Rarity, you see…I, uh, can’t really say, you know. And, no…I’m not coming back.”

Rarity swallowed hard, raising an eyebrow. “Are you…are you certain that you can’t tell me why, Fluttershy?” she asked. “After all, we’ve been friends for some time now…I’d at least like to be able to contact you.”

Fluttershy tried to smile, unsuccessfully. “Rarity,” she said, “you know I’d love to tell you where I’m going…” Rarity’s ears perked up. “…but I can’t. Really—all it would do is cause more trouble.”

Rarity looked at Fluttershy for a few moments, traces of sadness in her ice-blue eyes. “Very well, Fluttershy,” she said softly, her hair falling into one of her eyes. “If you really can’t tell me…” Fluttershy nodded, reaffirming it. “Then…” The white mare forced a smile, even as the ice in her eyes turned to salty water. “Then I hope that, wherever you go, your life is as fabulous as it was here.”

Fluttershy swallowed hard as Rarity wrapped her front hooves around her neck. “You truly are a great friend, Fluttershy,” she said, sniffling. “I always enjoyed our visits to the spa. Maybe you’ll find someone else who you can do that with!”

Fluttershy shook her head. “Oh Rarity, I could never find somepony like you, not ever!”

Rarity scoffed, letting go of Fluttershy. “Nonsense, dear!” she said. “Why, with your charm, you’ll probably find a thousand ponies like me!” The smile on Rarity’s face reminded Fluttershy of porcelain.

Fluttershy, with no way to respond, turned and walked away, biting her lip. “Goodbye, dear!” came Rarity’s voice, “Safe travels! Write often!” When Fluttershy turned around, at the very end of the road to the Boutique, the blinds were drawn and the door was closed.

Fluttershy stood, dropping the cloak on her bed while she went to look at the window.

The weather outside seemed perfect for today—gloomy and sodden, with thin gray clouds drizzling rain.
The yellow mare sighed, looking out at the spot where she’d buried poor Hector—that rabbit, much as Fluttershy hated to admit it, had started all this mess, it seemed, stumbling into her tree.

Fluttershy’s gaze drifted over to Sugarcube Corner, where flocks of balloons hung in the rain, in stark contrast to all the darkness. When the lightning struck, Fluttershy saw a pink sphere among the yellow and blue—it brought Pinkie to mind. She had taken Fluttershy’s leaving especially hard. Despite that, Pinkie had tried to continue appearing happy in spite of the awful circumstances.

Pinkie, at first, had been shocked and visibly saddened by the news, moreso because Fluttershy couldn’t even tell her where she was heading.

But, Pinkie being Pinkie, she’d bounced back quickly.

“We should have a party, Fluttershy!” she’d hollered, “Oooh, and I’ll make a big vanilla cake with the words ‘Goodbye, Fluttershy!’ It’ll be fun!” The mare smiled sheepishly. “Well, y’know…until you leave, that is.”

Fluttershy shook her head. “There can’t be a party, Pinkie…I’m sorry, but I just wouldn’t be able to attend.”

Pinkie deflated visibly. “Oh…but you’ll be back, right?” Then the cheery smile returned. “I can throw you a ‘welcome back’ party!”

Again Fluttershy shook her head. “I’m sorry, but…I’m never coming back. Once I leave, I’m not allowed to come back.”

Pinkie looked down at the ground. “But, Fluttershy…we’re best friends, all six of us…y’know? It just won’t be the same if there’s only five of us…”

Fluttershy could feel her heart breaking. “Pinkie…”

Pinkie stuck out a hoof, shaking her head as she looked up. A smile still wavered on her lips, though her eyes were flat and joyless. “It’s okay,” she said. “Nopony really leaves forever, right? I’m sure we’ll see each other again.” She let out a small, unconvincing giggle. “My Pinkie Sense says so!”

It was then that Fluttershy, unable to take any more, turned and ran away.

Fluttershy looked away from the window, a feeling of melancholy overtaking her. Heartbreaking as it had been, Fluttershy hoped that Pinkie was right; imagining a life without her friends had already been tough, and seeing Pinkie like that had been hard.

The pegasus felt her stomach rumble and sighed—it was already time for her last meal before becoming Death…

Fluttershy reached under her bed, producing a basket of fresh, ripe apples. She bit into one, happy that she could actually taste it—for the last three days, food had turned to ash in her mouth—her impending fate sapped all the taste from food.

The taste brought a smile to her lips—juicy and flavorful, just the same as ever. Applejack had given her the basket on the day she’d told her the bad news.

Applejack raised an eyebrow, looking Fluttershy over. “You sure about this, sugarcube?” she asked. “I mean, you’ve got a lot going for you here. Friends, animals, etcetera.”

Fluttershy nodded. “I really have to go…” she said. “…I’m sorry. I know it must be hard on everypony …”

Applejack chuckled, patting her friend’s back. “Ain’t nothing to be sorry about, Fluttershy.” The farm pony raised her head with a smile, the fading sunlight catching in her straw-colored hair. “You gotta do what you gotta do, right? That ain’t nothing to apologize for.”

Fluttershy smiled widely. “Thanks, Applejack,” she said. “It…means a lot to hear you say that.”

Applejack nodded. “Whatever you’re doing, it sounds important, Fluttershy. Don’t let us hold you back.” She nudged a basket of apples forward with a grin. “Can’t do important stuff on an empty stomach, right? Take ‘em, free of charge.”

Fluttershy graciously accepted the basket, balancing it on her back. “Thank you, Applejack…for everything.”

Applejack nodded. “And thanks to you, Fluttershy,” she said, her green eyes lit up, “for being such a good friend. I’m only sad it didn’t last longer…” The earth pony looked up at the sun, the brim of her hat blocking her eyes. “Now get on outta here,” she said, “Sounds like you got plenty to do. Happy trails, Fluttershy.”

Fluttershy nodded, said goodbye, and left to go home and sleep—there was only one pony left to tell and, with Applejack having gone so well, she was beginning to think Pinkie was just a fluke; Dash might not go as badly as she thought!

Fluttershy returned to the window when she’d finished a few apples, looking outside to see the moon peeking through the clouds overhead—the storm, minor as it was, had finally started to break up.

The day was initially scheduled to be bright and sunny with moderate temperatures, but after Ponyville’s weather captain had received a certain announcement, there’d been a sudden change in the scheduling on the back end of excuses that the down needed the rainfall.

Naturally, Fluttershy knew exactly why Rainbow Dash had arranged for this downpour…

Rainbow Dash hadn’t been an easy pony to find—whereas the locations of the other four ponies were usually static, Dash drifted around Ponyville often, and it was only after a few hours of searching in the dead of night had Fluttershy found her sleeping on a cloud over her practice field.

Fluttershy had been unable to get any sleep, and she hoped that Dash wouldn’t be too rankled when she was woken from hers. The yellow pegasus floated over to the cloud slowly, hovering a few feet away from it.

“Um, excuse me, Rainbow Dash?” she ventured softly. Dash rolled over in sleep, snorting. “Um…Dash…” she tried again, a little louder. Dash’s eyes fluttered, but she stayed asleep. Finally Fluttershy reached out with her hoof, giving Dash’s shoulder a light shake.

“Huh?” came Dash’s voice, “Wha…? Who’s there? I ain’t scared of you…” She was still half-asleep.

“Um, Dash…it’s me, Fluttershy.” The yellow pony rubbed her hooves together uncomfortably.

“Fluttershy?” Dash responded, sitting up slowly and giving a yawn, “What the heck’re you doing out here at this time of night? I was trying to sleep!”

Fluttershy nodded, upset that she’d upset Dash. “I know,” she said, “and I’m sorry, it’s just…there’s something very important I have to tell you. It couldn’t wait.”

Dash raised an eyebrow, frowning. “Important?” she asked, “What’s so important that it couldn’t wait until morning?”

Fluttershy tried to keep herself steady, remembering how well things had gone with Applejack. “Well, you see…I’m, um…I’m leaving.”

Dash frowned deeper. “That’s it?” she asked, “You woke me up in the middle of the night to tell me that you’re going on vacation?” She rolled her eyes. “Geez, Fluttershy, it’s not like I can’t survive without you for a few days.”

Fluttershy swallowed. “Well, that’s the thing,” she said, “It’s not just a few days. I’m leaving, well…forever. I’m not coming back.”
Dash blinked a few times, then tilted her head. “Forever, huh?” She asked, “Like…forever?”

Fluttershy grimaced. “Yes,” she said, “I’m never coming back. I can’t. And, um…I can’t say where I’m going, either.”

Dash was silent for a few moments. Then, to Fluttershy’s great surprise, she burst out laughing, tears pouring from her eyes as she fell over on the cloud, legs kicking.

“Um, I’m sorry, but…why’re you laughing?” Fluttershy asked, worried.

Dash wiped tears from her eyes, shaking her head. “It’s just…heh…that was really funny,” she said, “I mean, I don’t really appreciate you waking me up in the middle of the night to tell me jokes, but I guess I can forgive you this time, since that was so good.” She snorted. “You, leaving; that’s a laugh. If anypony was leaving, I’m pretty sure it’d be me!”

Fluttershy was taken aback—Dash thought it was a joke? The yellow pegasus shook her head. “Dash,” she said quietly, her heart shriveling, “…I’m not joking. Really; I’m leaving forever, and I can’t tell you where.”

Dash’s stare grew annoyed. “Alright Fluttershy,” she said, “it was funny the first time, but it’s not funny anymore, okay? I’ve gotta get back to sleep.”

Fluttershy felt helpless—why wouldn’t Dash believe her? “No, really!” she said, trying her hardest to make Dash believe, “It’s the truth…” She wanted to cry—Dash was frustrating her so badly!

Rainbow Dash looked Fluttershy over for a few moments, biting her lip as she studied her friend. Finally, she drew in a long breath, her eyes flinty. “…you’re serious, aren’t you?” she said, voice rough-edged.

Fluttershy nodded meekly.

Without warning, Dash flew closer, glaring daggers at Fluttershy. “And you can’t tell me where you’re going, huh? We’ve been friends all these years, and you can’t even bother to tell me where you’re going?” Her hooves shook as she grit her teeth. “What, did you just forget we were friends, is that it?”

Fluttershy squeaked, her lip trembling. “No…I just can’t say…I’m not supposed to…”

“Oh, you’re not supposed to, huh? You’re not allowed?” Dash’s eyes were hard as she laughed in disbelief. “That’s weak, Fluttershy, that’s just weak.” She snorted. “Can’t tell me…can’t tell me?! Your best friend?”

Fluttershy couldn’t even speak as Dash reamed her—she shrunk back, tears welling up in her eyes.

“What, you’ve got nothing to say to that?” Dash’s mouth twisted in a snarl. “You’re just gonna clam up, quit talking…?” Dash’s look softened for a split second, anguished. “…so that’s it, huh? We’re just not friends anymore? It’s over? You spend all these years with us, go through so much with us, and then just decide to leave it behind?” Her hoof shot back, destroying half of the cloud she’d been sleeping on.

“Well fine then,” she said, fighting to keep her voice even, “just…get out of here.” Her mane hung down over her eyes, limp and listless. When Fluttershy didn’t move, frozen in place by her fear, Dash’s head whipped up, her mane falling wildly around her rage-filled, teary eyes. “Are you deaf or something? I said, get out of here, before I do something I regret!”

Fluttershy, sobbing, wheeled around and flew away as fast as she could, her heart hammering in her chest.

Fluttershy was jolted from her memories by the sound of a voice behind her. “Three days and that’s how you spent ‘em, huh?” Blanche said. Fluttershy turned around to find him standing in the middle of her room, smiling softly. “Can’t say it’s what I would’ve done, but hey, to each their own, I guess.”

Fluttershy nodded. “It was all I could manage,” she said, “…it was much harder than I expected.”

Blanche clucked his tongue, waggling a hoof. “And here I figured you’d take my warning to heart,” he said, “but I guess I can’t begrudge you that. Even if I’m physically younger than you, I’m a lot older, and younger ponies seem to have this problem with listening to advice…” He shrugged. “Oh well. Are you ready? Not much time left.”

Fluttershy picked up the cloak and snapped in on, nodding—it fit around her neck perfectly. Blanche began to glow with white light, his form fading. “So…what did you choose to give up?” he asked, voice dim.

Fluttershy’s eyes widened. She’d completely forgotten about that! She looked around, stammering. “Um…uh…” Suddenly, she felt something warm against her leg. She looked down and saw Angel, staring up at her with his usual “are you that big an idiot?” expression.

The yellow mare shook her head. “Angel…” she said softly, “…no, please…you don’t…you can’t…” The bunny shook his head, sticking a paw out defiantly. He turned to Blanche and stomped his foot, glaring up at the white pony.

Blanche raised an eyebrow. “Is he what you want to give up?” he asked, “Are you sure? Isn’t there anything else you can think of that ties you to this world?”

Fluttershy tried her hardest to think of something, anything else that bound her to this world, but...in truth, the only things she cared about were here friends, the animals, and Angel…and one of those was offering himself freely. Meekly, biting her lip, Fluttershy nodded.

Blanche sighed. “Very well,” he said, “this isn’t done that often, and it’s a senseless death, you must realize…” Angel continued with his defiant stare, tapping his foot impatiently. “…but since you’re sure, I guess I can do it.” He reached out to Angel, almost hesitant in his motions.

Slowly, just like with Hector, Angel’s soul began to break free from his body, pulling from his chest. The bunny, stoic as ever, seemed to stare with boredom at his soul for a few moments before it exited him completely, floating over to Blanche.

Fluttershy couldn’t contain the tears—she’d had Angel for so long, and to see him give himself up…she almost couldn’t take it.

As the portal to the Ever opened up and Angel began to float up to it, he looked down at Fluttershy, his hard black eyes watching her intently. She looked back at him, tears running down her cheeks and, for the first time since she’d found him, Angel smiled, and then he was gone.

Blanche closed the portal with a sigh and a smile. “It’s always nice when they don’t fight…” he said softly, turning back to Fluttershy. “Alright, I’m required to ask one more time: Are you ready for this? You can still choose to just die.”

Fluttershy looked between the window, the cloak, and Blanche for what seemed like an eternity, the memories of her friends racing through her mind. Everything rushed through her all at once—Dash’s unflinching loyalty, Twilight’s peerless leadership and calm confidence, Rarity’s unfailing generosity, Pinkie’s tireless laughter, and Applejack’s strength, Angel’s sacrifice…“Yes,” she said, even with her heart wavering.

And in that moment, two things happened.

Fluttershy, as Equestria knew her, ceased to exist.

And Blanche, after hundreds of years of waiting, finally took flight.