Fluttershy's Giant

by Bigwig6666

Chapters

• Fluttershy's Giant - Part One
• Fluttershy's Giant - Part Two
• Fluttershy's Giant - Part Three
• Fluttershy's Giant - Part Four
• Fluttershy's Giant - Part Five
• Fluttershy's Giant - Part Six
• Fluttershy's Giant - Part Seven
• Fluttershy's Giant - Part Eight
• Fluttershy's Giant - Part Nine
• Fluttershy's Giant - Epilogue

Fluttershy's Giant - Part One

Fluttershy's Giant

-

Part One

"Hello little guys. Would you like a treat?" Fluttershy smiled sweetly at her little night squirrel friends. Night squirrels are a very rare breed of squirrels, which only exist in the Everfree Forest, and only come out late at night, hence the name.

The nearest squirrel to her took the bit of nut from her mouth and scampered back up the tree with it.

Fluttershy smiled and held another bit out, nudging it with her nose. "See girls? This is how you talk to night squirrels. They're very shy," she said to the amazed Cutie Mark Crusaders behind her.

"Wow." Applebloom breathed. "They're so cute, Fluttershy. Can ah hold one?"

Fluttershy smiled. "I don't know. Hold your hoof out.

The small earth pony obeyed.

"OK little friends, this is Applebloom. She wants to be your friend too. Can she?" Fluttershy whispered to the squirrels.

The one which had taken a bit of food from her timidly hopped forwards and sniffed the outstretched hoof, it's tiny nose twitching madly.

"Girls look!" Applebloom whispered to her friends as the squirrel placed it's paws on her hoof and sniffed again. "It likes me!"

"I want one!" Sweetie Belle whispered and squeed joyfully.

Scootaloo gagged. "They're too cutesy wutesy for me. Totally uncool. I want a turtle like Rainbow Dash has. Tank is awesome."

Fluttershy giggled. "Tank's not a turtle, he's a tortoise. And are you sure you don't want one of these cute little guys? Or at least hold one?"

Scootaloo looked at her friends, each nuzzling a small furry, black squirrel. "Ugh. Fine then," she said, feigning interest. The truth is, she was secretly dying to hold one.

The pegasus held her orange hoof out and let a small squirrel hop on and scamper up her leg and up to her neck. "Tee hee, that tickles," she giggled as it's little paws tickled her coat and nestled against her purple mane.

"Awwww, Scoots has got a pal," Sweetie teased as she nestled her own squirrel in her own, poofy mane.

"Shut up," Scootaloo whispered. "She's adorable. It is a she right?" she asked Fluttershy, who wasn't there anymore. "Fluttershy?" she asked again, slightly louder this time.

Alone and by the edge of the Everfree, the girls began to feel panic spread over them. They all breathed sighs of relief as the shy pegasus came back into view.

"Oh sorry girls, I was helping a small fox kit over there. I didn't scare you did I? Oh I'm sorry..." Fluttershy hung her head and pawed at the ground nervously.

"It's alright, 'Shy. We just didn't know where y'all was, that's all." Applebloom smiled up at her as the Squirrel nibbled on her bow. "Hey! You can't eat that!" she cried and flicked the nibbling invader off, watching sadly as it scampered back up the tree and into the darkness.

"OK that's enough, friends. We had better get going now, it's late," Fluttershy cooed and extended a wing for the other two squirrels, giggling as they danced along her wings and back then hopped onto the tree.

"Awwww," the girls murmured.

"Don't worry, you'll see them again soon. They like you, so they'll come back." Fluttershy smiled at them. "Would you girls like some cocoa before bedtime?"

They nodded earnestly. "Yeah Flutters, your hot cocoa is the bestest thing ever! Besides Rainbow Dash of course." Scootaloo cried and buzzed her wings.

Fluttershy blushed. "Oh really now."

Applebloom nodded. "It's true, it's the best cocoa ah've ever drinked."

"Drank," Sweetie corrected her.

"What are you a dictionary or somethin'?" Bloom replied and laughed.

Sweetie turned red and followed her friends to Fluttershy's small cottage.

***

"Thanks again fer lookin' after us, 'Shy, with Applejack and Rarity away on some 'business' together," Applebloom said as she sipped her hot chocolate, and grinned knowingly.

"Oh it's no trouble at all, dears," Fluttershy smiled and bustled about, feeding the nocturnal animals in her house and filling up any empty bowls for their suppers.

"How often do night squirrels come out, Fluttershy?" Sweetie asked politely.

"Oh not very often." the pegasus replied as she joined them on the sofa, sipping her own cup of hot cocoa. "But they've recently been showing up lately. I wonder wh-"

She was interrupted by a loud booming noise coming from outside.

"What's that?" Scootaloo asked as they peered out the window.

"I don't know." Fluttershy whispered. "Girls. Stay here. I'll go have a look outside."

The three fillies nodded and gazed out the window at a white light falling from the sky.

Fluttershy took a deep breath and opened her door. "Oh my..." she said as the white thing fell closer, and closer. "Don't lose your nerve now, Fluttershy. Be assertive. protect the girls," she thought furiously to herself.

She took a few steps forward and craned her neck to see what it was.

"A meteorite of some sort or something. I bet Twilight would know." "Oh! Twilight!" she gasped and rushed back inside. "Girls? Gir- oh there you are. Listen, you three stay here while I go see if Twilight knows anything about what's happening. OK?"

"Yes Fluttershy," the trio replied and waved her goodbye as she darted back outside.

"So what do you think it is?" Sweetie asked as they watched the white object fall.

"I bet it's a dragon, come to attack Ponyville. We'll have to stop it!" Scootaloo said and jumped up on a chair. "That'll be our cutie marks! Dragon slayers!"

"But what about Spike? Won't he be offended that we slay dragons for the rest of our lives?" Sweetie countered.

The pegasus grunted and hopped down from the chair. "I suppose. Maybe not a dragon then. What else?"

"How about... an alien!" Sweetie cried. "A new form of life! Maybe that'll be our cutie marks: speaking to alien life forms. That would be cool. Right?"

"Ah don't think you can have a cutie mark in alien-ry stuff." Applebloom murmured.

The unicorn's face fell. "So what's your idea then?" she grumbled.

Applebloom rubbed her chin. "I reckon it's a new type of alicorn! Like the princesses. Ah bet it'll come to give us our cutie marks."

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo looked at each other, then back to Applebloom. "Nah," they said in unison, giggling and turning their yellow friend as red as her brother.

Applebloom's bow drooped. "Why not?"

"'Cause that's just silly, you silly filly," Scootaloo laughed and playfully punched her friend's shoulder.

"Ow. It's not silly!" Applebloom retorted and rubbed her shoulder.

They started bickering, as they usually do when discussing ideas for their cutie marks.

They never noticed the thing get closer...

And closer...

***

*Knock knock knock*

"Twilight! Twilight!" Fluttershy cried as she banged on the door to the library and her friend's house.

"One second!" came a grumpy and tired voice. Fluttershy pressed an ear against the door and heard the locks being unlocked. The door swung open, revealed a bleary eyed Twilight Sparkle. "Oh hello Fluttershy. What's up?" she asked and rubbed her eyes. Do you know what time it is?" she said, a bit too grumpily for Fluttershy.

"Oh... sorry for waking you Twilight... I can come back tomorrow if you want..." Fluttershy murmured and backed away shyly.

Twilight rolled her eyes. "No, no. I'm awake... *yawn* honest. What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost. Are the Cutie Mark Crusaders giving you too much trouble? Have they gotten lost in the Everfree again?"

Fluttershy shook her head and pointed to the Everfree. At the large, white thing still falling, very close now.

Twilight bolted outside and stared at the thing with an open jaw. "Oh my gosh. What is it?" she asked without turning around.

"I don't know. I was hoping we could look through your telescope at it." Fluttershy said as Twilight spun around.

"Of course! Come on. Hurry!" she urged.

Fluttershy looked back at the falling object nervously and glided inside, closing the door gently behind her as she entered.

"Spike! Wake up! Where's my telescope?" Twilight shouted as she, ''blinked'' as Fluttershy called it, all over the room. "Spike!" she barked.

"Ugh. What's up Twi? Oh, hey Fluttershy. What's goin' on?" the baby dragon murmured and rubbed his head with a claw.

"No time to explain, well actually there's plenty of time, but I need my telescope now," Twilight said, getting frustrated. "Where is it?"

"Um... Twi? Is this it?" Fluttershy asked and tapped a large, cylindrical object mounted to a tripod.

Twilight nodded and rushed over to it, swinging it around to get a look at the object. "Just need to adjust the focus... here we go," she murmured and gazed out at the thing. "Take a look."

Fluttershy brushed her mane away and peeked through the scope. "What is it?" she whispered as she brought her head away from the device.

Twilight shook her head, "I don't know. But it looks like it's going to hit the Everfree. Look!" she gasped. "Bits of it are dropping off!"

Indeed there were bits falling off it. Long, gangly bits. Impossibly long bits. Giant bits.

Fluttershy squinted as she tried to make out what they were through the telescope.

Twilight yawned again. "We'd best go check it out in the morning, the residual debris from space will probably burn until then. You're welcome to stay here for the night, if you want, Fluttershy." She smiled at the pegasus.

Fluttershy smiled back. "I'd love to, but the girls are waiting for me. It's way past their bedtime, and I was showing them the night squirrels, but um... I should get back now. Thanks Twilight."

Twilight nodded. "I'll stop by in the morning and we'll go check on what it was."

"OK." Fluttershy gave her friend a friendly hug, and cantered off to her own house, worrying about whatever this thing was.

And if it was dangerous.

Fluttershy's Giant - Part Two

Fluttershy's Giant

-

Part Two

The thing, or Delta Oh Gamma (as was it's full name, shortened to DOG), was fully aware it had fallen out of it's orbit around the planet.

How it didn't know. or why. But it felt as if it was supposed to do this.

But that was silly. Because robots don't feel things.

It scanned it's optical sensors at where it was going to land, ignoring the white hot burning it's steely skin.

[Destination: Unknown.]

It said to itself. It's voice was loud and grating. The kind of voice one would expect a thirty story robot to have.

[Approaching target. Commence landing procedures.]

It tried to raise it's arms out and assist it's descent. And widened it's sensors in surprise as it's arm broke off.

[Problematic. Left appendage missing. Right appendage following.]

It's right arm broke off now, and tumbled down to the ground below.

[Brace for impact.]

It turned itself around and switched off it's sensors as it readied itself for the impact of the earth below. And there it waited for the time of impact.

[T-Minus thirty seconds.]

It opened one sensor and saw the green of the forest's canopy rushing to meet it's head.

***

Fluttershy reached her home, quivering in fear. She looked up and started backwards. The thing was missing. She gulped and glanced around nervously and saw a large colony of bats fly up from the tree tops. She shivered and hoped none of her woodland friends would be disturbed by this thing.

"Goodnight little friends," she whispered and opened the door, to see the inside of her house as if the thing had landed in here instead of out there..

"Oh um... Fluttershy. W-we can explain." Sweetie Belle stammered and tapped Scootaloo and Applebloom on the backs.

Fluttershy blinked at them. They were covered from head to hoof, in blue paint. "What were you three doing?"

"We um... were making a surprise for you, for being such a good foalsitter," Applebloom murmured. "It's not finished though. So you can't see it."

Fluttershy breathed a sigh of relief and looked at them all with a smile. She giggled and covered her eyes with her elegant, pink mane, opting to humour them. "Alright, I'm not looking."

She heard the girls giggle and the shuffling of objects, accompanied by the splash of more paint. "Can I look yet?" she asked.

"No!" the girls adamantly cried and giggled again. "Not yet."

"Alright. I'll just go upstairs until then, then," Fluttershy said, her small voice just barely heard by the crusaders.

She felt a hoof take hers and lead her to the stairs. "You wait, we'll shout when we're done, and then clean all this up. Promise," Applebloom said.

"OK." the foalsitter whispered and smiled. She parted her mane in order to see where she was going as she climbed her stairs. She bit her lip and risked a quick glance behind her, spotting a beautiful piece of art. Blue paint was everywhere, the fillies were covered in it and several of her pillows were now blue. "Awww," she thought and turned into her room.

She gazed around and smiled at the sleeping Angel bunny in his basket. "I'd better not disturb him. But he's sooo cute," She thought and gently nuzzled him, being careful not to wake him.

Fluttershy sighed contently and gazed out the window, out into the dark Everfree. "I hope Zecora's alright. Who knows how close the thing fell to her house..." she trailed off, worrying and shaking at the thought of whatever it was in the dark of the night.

***

DOG blinked one sensor.

[Optical sensor damaged.]

One of it's sensors was missing, seemingly to have fallen out as it collided with the planet's atmosphere. It noted it's legs were missing, both it's arms, it's left optical sensor, part of it's jaw and various bolts and joints. Along with a large dent in it's forehead.

[Repai-airs ne-ee-ded. Cirtcuitzzzzzz... fried-d-d... shutti-i-ing d-dow-wn...]

The light in it's good lens faded as darkness took it's vision.

And there it waited.

Amongst the fire and flames of it's landing spot.

Under the watchful eyes of all the woodland creatures, and a certain zebra.

***

"Fluttershy! You can come look now!" Applebloom called upstairs.

Fluttershy opened her eyes and smiled. "Oh. I must have dozed off. Coming, girls!" she called down as loud as she dare, and glided down the stairs. She gasped at the thing they'd made for her.

"One, two, three. Surprise!" all three of them cried and danced happily around her.

"Oh my..." Fluttershy whispered as she looked at their gift. "It's wonderful girls. How did you make this in such a short time?"

Scootaloo flicked her mane. "Aw it was nothin'. We'd been planning it for weeks, and we only added the finishing touches just now."

Sweetie Belle squeaked with delight. "So you really, really like it?"

"I love it... what is it exactly?" Fluttershy smiled and tilted her head slightly at the bright blue heart shaped thing, with glitter, ribbons and pink butterflies all around it, adorned with a couple of Rarity's gems.

"It's how much we love you as our foalsitter, 'Shy," Applebloom explained and pointed to the gems. "These here represent... uh..." She coughed and scratched her head, turning slightly red in her cheeks as she thought of something. "How... how solid our bond is. Yeah that's it," she murmured and glanced at Sweetie.

"Mhm. And the ribbons represent the knot you form around us and keep us together," the unicorn filly said and nudged Scootaloo.

Scootaloo cleared her throat and took a deep breath. "AndtheblueisbecauseblueiswhatcolourRainbowDashisanditshowshowawesomeyouare," she gasped, taking a large gulp of water Applebloom fetched for her.

Fluttershy giggled and hugged them all. "Slow down and take a breath, Scootaloo."

Scootaloo panted and blushed. "Sorry. The glitter also shows how fantastically awesome you are. As well as the blue."

"And the heart is from all of us. It's so big because that's how much we love you," Sweetie piped up

The yellow pegasus hugged them all, then realized they were all still covered in blue paint. "Now girls, bath-time then bed. OK?"

"OK 'Shy. Whatever you say," Scootaloo said and fluttered off, just barely an inch off the ground.

The girls trotted into the bathroom, where Fluttershy ran a nice, warm bath for them.

"I'll leave you three to it then. try not to flood the place," she said and smiled.

"We won't," they replied and hopped in the tub.

The foalsitter smiled as the water turned a light blue shade, and gently closed the door.

She trotted back downstairs and surveyed their handiwork. "Well... it's... nice and big..." she murmured as she trotted around it. "To Fluttershy, we love you. Less than three," she read. "Who's Three?" she wondered out loud and looked more carefully at the symbol. "Oh." she murmured when she realized it was a heart on it's side. "Silly me. Awww."

She trotted around and propped it up against the far wall, fairly out the way, but still where she could see it.

A splash and a thud from upstairs caught her attention.

"Girls? Everything alright?" she called up and cocked an ear out.

"Yes!" the fillies giggling voices shouted down.

Fluttershy sighed and looked out the window at the warm glow of the morning sun. Then she stopped and thought for a moment. She glanced at the clock. Four thirty.

"Sunrise isn't until another few hours, at least," she whispered, quaking with fear. When she realized where the light was coming from, she quivered even more. "Oh... my..." she gasped and pressed her face up against the window. "The chickens..." She flung open the door, ready to confront whatever was shining on her poultry friends.

She squealed as she saw a rather large bulb like thing sitting just outside of the door. It's cracked lens flickered at her and seemed to slowly blink.

Fluttershy froze up. "H-hello?" she whispered to it.

The bulb blinked again.

Her jaw worked up and down as utter terror took hold of her. She quickly darted back inside and slammed the door, whimpering softly and praying to Celestia the thing wasn't going to eat her or hurt her in anyway possible.

She huddled down on her side of the door and wept quietly.

"Fluttershy?" Applebloom's voice asked from the top of the stairs. "What's the matter? Why'd ya'll slam the door?"

"N-nothing. G-go back to s-s-sleep, girls. I'm f-fine," Fluttershy sniffed and smiled at them, trying to hide her tears and conceal her fear as best she could.

The crusaders shrugged and quietly went back to their room. "What do you suppose is up?" Sweetie asked.

Scootaloo shrugged. "Probably just Fluttershy being Fluttershy. I'm sure she's fine."

Applebloom wasn't convinced. "Ah don't know... she usually ever just breaks down like that. Maybe somethin' with one of the animals happened."

"Maybe she doesn't like our heart," Sweetie ventured sadly.

"No, she loved it. She said so herself. She wouldn't lie to us right?" Scootaloo defended the foalsitter.

Sweetie shook her head. "You're right. She wouldn't... Applebloom what're you looking at?" she asked when she noticed the earth pony had pressed her nose up against the window.

"Look at that," she whispered and pointed to a large object, slowly moving out the chicken coop.

"What is it?" Scootaloo breathed.

"Maybe it's an alien!" Sweetie belle said with excitement.

Applebloom rolled her eyes. "Aliens don't exist, silly."

"Then what else could it be?" Sweetie deadpanned. "A robot? Please."

"How about we go find out?" Scootaloo ventured. "We could go on another adventure."

"Yeah! Cutie mark crusader cutie mark adventures!" Applebloom cried and they all high-hoofed in a triangle. "But Fluttershy won't let us. No way."

"Hmmm." The girls sat and pondered their predicament for a few minutes.

"How about we wait until morning? I'm sleepy as it is," Sweetie yawned.

The earth pony and pegasus rolled their eyes. "Fine. But we have to wake up really early, and find this thing. Deal?" Scootaloo asked.

"Deal," the girls replied. They all performed their signature high-hoof and crawled into their bedroom, where they drifted off to sleep almost instantly.

***

Twilight rubbed her hooves together, anxious for the morning. "What do you think it is, Spike?" she asked. Obviously meaning the falling object.

"Beats me," Spike grunted. "Go to sleep, Twilight. It's... four thirty in the morning."

Twilight shook her head. "Who could possibly sleep at a time like this? With a strange object falling out the sky, possibly landing in the Everfree, right on poor Fluttershy's doorstep. Figuratively speaking."

Spike grunted again and turned over in his basket. "Sure. Well, I'm going to sleep. Try and keep the noise down would you?"

Twilight nodded absent-mindedly and began pacing around the bookshelves, looking for a book on extra terrestrial visitors.

"Aha," she murmured. "Here it is: ''Dealing With Visitors from Outer Space''. Lucky I had this one really."

The purple unicorn grinned and took it over to her desk. "Chapter One: How To Say Hello To Your Visitor..." she read and began absorbing the knowledge, as she usually did when she read one of these books.

***

*Beep*

*Beep*

*Beep*

DOG's remaining sensor flickered on again at hearing the sound of it's repairs beginning.

*Beep*

[Repai-ai-airs com-m-menci-ing...]

*Beep*

*Beep*

***

"Strange sounds from it's mouth I hear,

how very queer," Zecora murmured as she watched the strange thing, as even stranger parts came out the trees and attached themselves to the bulk of the creature.

She decided she would have to warn her pony friends when she saw them in the morning. She thought they would surely try and investigate the strange thing, if they saw it that is. Especially the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

"I hope they are well,

Applebloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie belle.

I would not wish them to come here,

when this thing of fear is so near," the zebra murmured as she made her way to her hut.

Fluttershy's Giant - Part Three

Fluttershy's Giant

-

Part Three

Twilight lifted her head up and blearily looked around, just barely recalling the events of the previous night. "Fluttershy... thing... " She thought some more, searching for something that would indicate why she was sleeping downstairs. "Crashing... oh. Oh. OH! Spike!" she yelled. "Wake up!" She darted upstairs and shook his small body urgently.

Spike groaned and slapped her hooves away. "It's too early, Twilight," he grunted.

Twilight pouted and prodded his rear again. "Wake up, lazy bones. if you get up now, I'll let you eat as much ice-cream as you want today."

The baby dragon poked his head out from under his blanket. "As much as I want? Without interrupting?"

The unicorn nodded. "Mhm. Pinkie promise." She made the motion across her chest. "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."

Spike heaved himself out of bed and climbed onto her back. "Fine," he grunted and yawned. "What do you need?" he asked as she trotted downstairs.

"Well, I don't really know to be honest, I've never seen or met something falling from outer space before." The unicorn blushed as she spoke. For once in her life, she actually had no plan as to how to proceed.

"Wait." Spike stopped her from continuing and hopped down from her back. "You mean you don't have a plan?"

Twilight shook her head and blushed again.

"The great Twilight Sparkle, prized student of Princess Celestia... doesn't have a plan?" he teased and put his claw to his face dramatically, "Oh whatever shall we do?" he said in a mock Rarity voice.

The unicorn glared at him.

"Spike this is serious! I have no idea how I'm supposed to talk to this thing, let alone if it's hostile."

Spike rolled his eyes and sighed. "Well, how about you send a letter to Celestia? Maybe she could come talk to it."

Twilight shook her head. "If she did, she might -no offence to the princess of course- she might take it away and have it studied," she murmured with doubt.

Spike snorted. "Hardly. She's the kindest princess ever right? She'll probably just say ''Hi, how are you?'' and that'll be it. C'mon Twilight, don't be so negative. Remember when she asked you to visit the Crystal Kingdom? It's because she trusts you to do the right thing."

"That was different. We at least knew something about them and Sombre. And I am not being negative, I just want to have the chance to-"

"To what? Twilight, are you planning to dissect this alien?" Spike patronized her.

She blushed and sat in silence for a few moments.

"I'm gonna go see Fluttershy now. Watch after the library would you, Spikey-wikey?" Twilight teased, making kissing noises when she used Rarity's pet name for him.

Spike turned scarlet and glared at her. "Hrrrm. Don't go starting any intergalactic wars, I'll have to clean that up too I guess."

She laughed and hugged him. "See you soon."

As she trotted to the door, she heard a faint knocking and very quiet weeping sounds.

"Fluttershy?" she asked as she opened the door.

"Oh thank goodness, Twilight, it's just simply disastrous, the girls... the Cutie Mark Crusaders... they've... disappeared," the crying pegasus whispered and flung her hooves around Twilight's neck.

Twilight widened her eyes. "What do you mean ''disappeared'', you were with them all last night, weren't you?"

Fluttershy sniffed and released her friend. "I d-don't know where they c-could have gone... I woke up and the door was wide open. Twilight... last night... there was something on my doorstep," she confessed.

Twilight's eyes widened. Any more and they would break out of her skull. "What do you mean, something?"

Fluttershy shook her head. "A giant... bulb thing.... it looked like an eye. I was scared, Twilight. I was so scared..." she whispered again and tears threatened to overtake her thought process again.

"Alright, Fluttershy. It's alright," Twilight murmured and hugged her back, giving her a reassuring pat on the wings.

"Mmm. Twilight... you and... mmm... Fluttershy should go investigate." Spike said through a mouthful of ice-cream.

"I know Spike, but Fluttershy's clearly still upset." Twilight scowled at the dragon.

He just shrugged and walked away, plopping down on a large bean-bag and digging into his tub of ice-cream.

"L-let's g-go now Twilight," Fluttershy stammered.

"Are you sure? I could make some coffee, if you wanted." Her friend looked over her with pity. "I'd hate to be as scared as she was all the time," Twilight thought.

"No. Let's go find the girls. Perhaps Zecora's seen them," the pegasus said, feeling slightly better at having one of her best friends there for her whenever she needed her.

Twilight nodded. "Spike, stay here and-"

"Watch the library, yeah yeah," Spike waved a claw at her and licked his lips.

The unicorn rolled her eyes at him and trotted after the pegasus.

"I do hope they're alright," Fluttershy whispered as they galloped towards the Everfree.

Twilight nodded nervously as they plunged into the density of the forest.

***

"I think it went this way," Applebloom cried to her friends as they followed the trail of the large thing from last night.

"How can you tell?" Sweetie asked as she joined her earth pony friend. "It all looks the same to me. Like the time with teh cockatrice."

Scootaloo pointed to the ground. "Tracks," she said simply.

"Oh."

Applebloom and Scootaloo rolled their eyes at their friends derpyness. "C'mon. Let's get after it. Ah bet it's cool whatever it is." The young far pony laughed and bounced along into the long grass.

Scootaloo nudged Sweetie forwards and fluttered after her.

"So what do you reckon it is then?" Applebloom asked as she glanced over her shoulder.

"I still say it's an alien." Sweetie said and bushed a twig out of her mane.

Scootaloo snorted. "Sure. And unicorns can fly."

Sweetie scowled. "You haven't met the Cake wins, have you?Well what do you think it is then?"

The orange pegasus shrugged. "Beats me. I bet it's awesome though. I bet Rainbow Dash would like it."

"Rainbow Dash this, Rainbow Dash that. Is that all you ever think about, Scoots?" Sweetie argued.

Now it was Scootaloo's turn to scowl. "No! But she is the bestest, most awesomenest pony in Ponyville."

"That's not true! Rarity's ten times more cooler than Rainbow Dash." Sweetie pouted.

"Hey girls?" Applebloom whispered with fear.

They didn't listen.

"Nuh uh! Rainbow Dash can beat anypony in a flying contest, the only thing Rarity does is make dresses."

"Nuh uh!"

"Ya huh."

"Girls." Applebloom whispered again, slightly louder.

They still didn't hear, and continued bickering.

"Girls!" Applebloom shouted and backed away.

The two fillies stopped arguing and looked at Applebloom, and looked at what she was so scared of. "Oh... my..." Sweetie murmured as she gazed up into the cold, yellow eyes of a vicious manticore.

"Girls, run!" came Twilight Sparkle's voice as the unicorn leapt in front of them.

"Oh thank goodness you're alright." Fluttershy cried as she covered them with her wings.

"Just run!" Twilight shouted again and flared up her horn.

The manticore pounced from it's hiding spot and smashed against Twilight's shield.

Fluttershy picked the girls up by the scruff of their necks and galloped away with them, leaving Twilight to fight the beast by herself.

"Stay here," she told the terrified trio of fillies as she dropped them off, a safe distance away.

They nodded silently and huddled together in utter terror, while their foalsitter flew back to Twilight, intending to help. "Don't worry, Twilight, I'm here-" She froze mid-flight as she spotted the rest of the manticore pride closing in.

"T-T-Twilight! W-W-Watch out!" Fluttershy squeaked as loudly as she dared as the manticores crept closer and closer to her friend.

Twilight glanced around and saw the rest of the pack. "Oh... bother," she murmured and sent up a stronger shield, just as the manticores pounced. "Ugh!" she grunted with the strain. "Shining does this, not me."

Their claws and tails pounded on the invisible wall and they howled with anger.

One of them spotted a petrified Fluttershy and licked his lips.

Fluttershy didn't notice it as it swerved around, moved behind her, and opened it's jaws.

Suddenly, everything froze in a pale green light.

A loud creaking sound made the manticores screech in terror and flee.

"What happened?" Applebloom whispered.

"I d-don't know. Stay close, girls." Twilight said and teleported over to them, nudging a frozen Fluttershy.

The pegasus squeaked in absolute terror as the light intensified around them, making them all huddle together.

*Beep*

*Beep*

*Beep*

A beeping sound made them all turn and see a large, circular object with a blue light on it's tip, rolling further into the light.

*Beep*

"Run," Twilight said simply.

They didn't need any more encouragement, especially after a grating sound came from the owner of the beeping noise.

Fluttershy spread her wings and flipped Applebloom and Scootaloo onto her back, while Twilight flipped Sweetie onto hers, and they ran. They ran and ran, and ran. Eventually the thing was left far behind them in the depths of the forest.

They ran as quickly as their legs would carry them to the edge of the forest.

"What... was... that?"  Fluttershy panted, having calmed down slightly since they left the forest.

"I don't know, Fluttershy." Twilight murmured and gazed back into the forest.

The trio of fillies huddled together as they jumped off the backs of their saviours.

"And you three!" Fluttershy turned to them. "You had me worried sick! Don't go running off like that again. No more trips into the Everfree. Not while that... thing's there," she scolded. "Celestia knows what else is in the forest now."

The crusaders nodded silently and dragged themselves towards Ponyville.

"Ah'd b-better get h-home now..." Applebloom whispered.

"M-me t-too," Sweetie agreed.

"See you guys later," Scootaloo murmured as they parted, still shaking with fear.

Twilight turned to Fluttershy. "Are you alright?"

Fluttershy sniffed and shook her head. "I think... I'm just going to go home... and sleep. Thanks for helping, Twilight." She sighed and turned towards her home. "And thanks for helping me get the girls back. I don't know what I might have done if anything bad happened to them." She shivered at the thought. "See you soon... I hope," she quietly added.

Twilight nodded. "No problem, Fluttershy. It's what friends do." She sighed too and turned towards her own house. "So much for making a good impression of other life-forms," she muttered to herself. "What spooked the manticores though? I'll have to look up any sources of pale green light. And beeping objects."

The bookworm unicorn picked up the pace with a new resolve. She was determined to get to the bottom of this, even if it killed her. "Well maybe not that far," she chuckled as she reached the literal tree-house's door. "Spike? Where are you? I need you to send a letter to the princess."

Spike groaned and rolled over. "I ate too much ice-cream. Sorry Twi."

Twilight snorted with disapproval and looked him over. "This is why I don't let you eat as much of it as you want. C'mon, into bed."

The baby dragon picked himself up and wandered over to his basket, groaning and clutching his belly.

Twilight's horn flared up again as she began to write her letter to the princess.

Dear Princess Celestia,

Today, myself and Fluttershy discovered something... unnerving - to say the least - in the Everfree Forest. What, exactly, we don't know. But we do know that it made us all run away in sheer terror. Just a heads up if we have an epidemic on our hooves.

Your faithful student.

Twilight Sparkle.

She sighed contentedly as the quill's scratching came to a stop. "Spike? Could you send this off please?"

Spike groaned and rolled over again.

"Maybe not then. Don't worry, we'll do it tomorrow." Twilight smiled at him and rubbed her hooves together nervously. "I hope... whatever it was doesn't come to Ponyville. Who knows what would happen..."

***

As Fluttershy reached her home, she turned back to the trees. A cold wind blew across the trees and pushed some of her mane aside.

It felt as if something was calling her, wanting her to go back into the dark, free-willed forest.

"N-no," she whispered to the air. "I don't want to go back in there-"

As if on cue, a low whine could be heard, just inside the tree line.

Fluttershy bit her lip and sent her ears back. "Oh... but what if something's hurt?"

She danced on her hooves in indecisiveness. "I really shouldn't..." she thought. "But something sounds hurt. I can't just leave it... can I?"

"No," she bravely told herself. "Oh but... what if that thing's still there- no! I will go and find the poor creature. Nothing's going to stop me. I help my friends and they help me."

She trotted forwards, to the edge of the forest, and froze again.

"Ohhhh Fluttershy... what are you doing?" she murmured and hung her head. "You'e no hero. That's Rainbow Dash and Applejack. And Twilight and Rarity and Pinkie Pie. I'm just a coward. A useless, shaky... c-coward." her voice broke on the last word, as did her morale.

She sat and wept for a few moments at her own cowardliness. Then she remembered something her mother told her, all those many years ago:

Fluttershy, my darling. You are what you choose to be.

She thought about this for a while, as the sun warmed her neck.

"I choose... to be brave." she whispered and smiled to herself. "Thanks mom."

She took a deep breath and plunged back into the dark trees, searching for the one who made the low whine.

Fluttershy's Giant - Part Four

Fluttershy's Giant

-

Part Four

DOG's one good eye flickered back to life as it heard the tell-tale beeping sound of it's repair systems at work. It let out a creaking sound as it moved it's arm.

Several things shrieked in fear and ran away, away from DOG's outstretched hand, and away from a group of equine based creatures.

"Run," the first one said. They all darted off as far away as they could from the unknown creature and it's creaky joints.

DOG tried to call them back, but it's voice came out as a grinding, metallic sound, making them run faster.

It hung it's head sadly and adjusted it's most recent eye, blinking at it's surroundings.

A forest of sorts. A dark forest. It detected heat signatures of several creatures walking towards it. Probably the same creatures from before. The hybrid things, not the equine things.

One of them, a lion with bat wings, and a tail of a scorpion, leapt at DOG's eye. It swiped the creature away harmlessly, but still managed to make it squeal in fear and pain.

The hurt thing let out a low whine.

DOG imitated this. Being a robot had it's advantages. And it's mission was to gain knowledge about everything in the universe. It didn't exactly know how it knew this was it's mission, yet it knew what it's mission was.

"H-hello?" it heard a small voice call out. "Is anypony hurt?"

The timidness in the voice threatened to overwhelm the owner of the voice. DOG could tell it was thinking of turning around and running.

"Are you alright?" the voice asked again.

DOG replied with a low whine again, much like an actual dog would.

"Let me know where you are, so I can help you!" the timid voice shouted, louder than before.

DOG shut it's eyes in the hopes that the owner of the voice would not run when she (it assumed it was she, from the tone of the voice) found it and the creature it had hurt.

"Oh you poor dear..." the voice said quietly. "What did this to you- wait a minute..." the voice paused. "This is where that... thing was..."

DOG heard the tremble of fear in the owner's voice and wanted nothing more than to open it's eyes.

It let out another whine and opened one eye, very, very slowly, just in time to see one of the things, like the hurt thing, jumping towards her.

***

Fluttershy gazed down at the hurt manticore. "Oh you poor dear..." she said. "What did this to you- wait a minute... his is where that... thing was..."

She felt fear overtake her again and she backed away a few steps.

When a green light shone out of a small opening in the boulder in front of her.

"That's not a boulder..." she squeaked and backed up against a tree.

She shivered with absolute terror as a large metallic object moved towards her, and flicked a manticore away from her. The pegasus yelped in fear as another manticore leapt towards her, slobbering and drooling with delight.

The metal thing moved quickly, and swiped it away from her again.

The manticores yelped and ran away.

"Hopefully, that's the last manticore I have to see today," she thought and raised her head from her hooves.

The eye blinked at her and the light faded.

"You... saved m-me..." she murmured.

The boulder-head thing nodded.

Fluttershy felt a tad safer than before, but was still wary of the thing. "Um... thank you..." she whispered.

The head moved up, revealing it's large body.

"Ahhh!" Fluttershy squealed again as it rose up.

It raised itself on it's legs. It's impossibly large legs that made it the same height as the trees, if not slightly taller. It looked down and saw the tiny, four legged thing down below.

Fluttershy stared up at it, eyes filled with wonder and fear. "H....hello? M-my n-name is-"

She shrieked and leapt back when it's face was suddenly next to hers.

"Oh..." she began to feel a tingling in her loins and fought desperately to not wet herself, so she sat down on her haunches and rested against the tree.

The giant did the same.

The earth rocked as it fell back on what she assumed was it's rear.

"Heh."

Was that a chuckle that escaped her? It was. She fell back against the tree and laughed as much as she could.

The giant tilted it's head.

Fluttershy finished laughing and did the same as they watched each other.

[Ha... ha... ha.]

Her eyes widened when she heard the low rumble of it's voice.

She took a deep breath and decided to introduce herself, deciding this thing wasn't nasty. "My name's Fluttershy. What's yours?"

The giant pointed to it's chest and wiped the dirt off.

"Delta Oh Gamma... DOG." Fluttershy read. "DOG's your name?"

The giant nodded.

"Well, I'm Fluttershy. I already said that didn't I?" she giggled and stared up at the giant.

It blinked slowly and tilted it's head again.

"Can you talk?" Fluttershy asked as she sat by it's foot.

It nodded. [Yes.]

Fluttershy smiled at it. "Well, DOG, it's nice to meet you."

It smiled back and looked at the hurt manticore.

Fluttershy gasped. "Oh I completely forgot about you!" she cried and rushed over to it. She looked up at the giant and scolded him. "Did you hurt him like this?"

DOG nodded apologetically.

She snorted disapprovingly. "Well, he'll be fine. You only winded him. It's not like you killed him." she smiled reassuringly at him.

He reached a finger out and stroked the manticore's fur.

[Killed.]

"Yes. Kill. It's an awful thing, and sometimes other animals have to kill each other. It's not very nice, I know, but it's nature. It's really quite fascinating. Nature, not killing, of course. If you want I could teach you about it? I mean... if that's OK with you?"

DOG nodded eagerly.

[Fluttershy... teach... DOG.]

"Yes. I will." she said and smiled up at him. her eyes drifted downwards to his finger, still stroking the manticore. "Could... could you pick me up?"

His sort of eyebrows raised as he held his hand out.

"I've always been afraid of heights, but with solid ground under my hooves... I think it'll be safer." the pegasus smiled at him again, and climbed into his open palm.

Up they went, Fluttershy giving a yelp of surprise as she cowered in his palm, covering her face with her forelegs.

[Fluttershy. Scared?]

"Y-yes. A bit. B-but I'm f-fine." she whispered and peeked out from her hooves, gasping at the sight before her. "It does feel safer with ground beneath my hooves. Not cloud. Actual ground." "Thanks DOG."

DOG smiled and raised her up a bit.

"I can see my friends from here. Over there." She pointed towards Ponyville. "That's my home over there."

The giant called DOG moved in that direction, bounding through the trees, the tip of his head just poking out the canopy. [Home.]

"Wait, wait, waaaait!" she cried, bringing him to a halt immediately. "We can't go see them." she explained. "They might be scared of you. You did give us a fright earlier."

He hung his head and walked slowly back.

At seeing his hurt expression, she smiled and decided to give him some words of comfort. "It's alright. Someponies can't be as brave as me," she giggled. Suddenly, she was filled with a desire to hug the large, metallic finger in front of her.

DOG's sensors flickered over this act with interest.

She released his finger and jumped back on his palm. "Oh, sorry. Are we not good enough friends for hugging yet?"

[Friends...]

"Yes. Friends. Don't you have any friends?"

DOG looked up at the sky. He squinted as he focused on something, or tried to.

[No.]

Fluttershy tapped his finger again. "DOG?"

His head lowered as he set her down, with a sad look in his pale green eyes.

"Are you OK?"

He nodded and stroked her mane.

"Awww. You're just a big, friendly giant aren't you?" Fluttershy said and nuzzled his finger. "I have to go now. I'll be back later." she said and waved goodbye.

[No.]

"No?" she asked and turned back around.

[No go. Fluttershy friend.]

"I have to go. Sorry DOG, I will come back. I promi-"

A hand slammed down in front of her.

[No go. Fluttershy stay with DOG. Friends.]

"Now DOG," Fluttershy stated, and warmed up her dreaded stare. She baulked for a moment in which she wondered if the Stare would even work on giant robots or not. "I have to go. Don't be a meanie."

He removed his hand reluctantly.

"Thank you. I'll be back soon. I go, you stay. No following," she said in his voice.

A loud grumble from her stomach made him tilt his head.

"Heh. I haven't had any breakfast yet. And I am quite hungry." She thought for a moment, suddenly smiling as her face lit up with an idea. "I know... later, I'll come back and we'll have a picnic. OK?" she smiled up at him.

DOG nodded and smiled down at her.

"Well, I'll be back soon. DOG. Be good. Don't crush anything, or hurt anypony else. OK?"

He nodded a final time and sat down, making the trees shake with a huge rumble.

Fluttershy stumbled and grasped his finger again. "OK... I'm going now. Bye."

[Bye.]

She smiled and waved goodbye, trotting back to her small cottage, admiring her bravery. "Maybe I'm a different Fluttershy. But a different, nice one," she added, recalling how she acted when "New Fluttershy" had come to visit, making her friends cry and all that. The thought of her coming back made Real Fluttershy sick. "I wonder how my friends will find him."

She froze and felt her knees wobble with anxiety. "They'll think he's a monster... Well, he is. Sort of. But he's nice. Oh... I don't know..." she murmured.

"They're your friends, Fluttershy. They'll understand."

"But what if they just see him as a monster? I'll lose my new friend, or my old friends. Ohhhh." she moaned and dragged herself home, sick with worry.

***

DOG thought about his encounter with Fluttershy.

[Friend.]

The word sounded nice to him. He laid his head down and thought about his ''friend''. She was nice.

A low whine from the wounded manticore caught his attention.

[Sorry.]

The creature whimpered as he stroked it with a finger. He stroked it's fur and traced it's wings. So fragile. So easy to... kill.

[No. Bad word.]

He remembered what Fluttershy said about killing.

It's an awful thing, and sometimes other animals have to kill each other. It's not very nice, I know, but it's nature.

[Nature. Fluttershy teach DOG. Data acquired: Friendship.]

He sat back and picked up the manticore, cradling it in his arms.

He never noticed it stop breathing through his metal skin.

Fluttershy's Giant - Part Five

Fluttershy's Giant

-

Part Five

Fluttershy sighed and closed the door to her small cottage.

"What to do? What to do..." she thought as she paced about her living room. "I can't really show my friends... they'll hate him. But will they? They are my friends after all... but Applejack and Rarity might not appreciate him scaring their sisters. Ohhh. I don't know."

She danced about on her hooves and whinnied with anxiety.

*Knock* "Fluttershy? You in? I wanna talk to you about something," came Rainbow Dash's voice.

Fluttershy yelped and jumped when she heard the knock. "Oh, Dash, you startled me!"

"Sorry, Flutters. You alright?" Rainbow asked as she flicked her rainbow mane out her eyes.

"Yes. Just fine. Can I ask what you're doing here so early?"

Rainbow nodded. "Yeah, I wanted to ask you if we were still on four our pony-pet-play-date? With Angel and Tank?"

"Oh," Fluttershy completely forgot about that. "Was that today? I'm sorry, I forgot..." she mumbled.

"Psh'aw, Fluttershy, we all forget things sometimes. Remember when Twilight forgot to send the princess a report?" Rainbow laughed and nudged her friend.

"Hmm. Yeah." Fluttershy smiled. Then, as if a light came on in an oven, she had an idea. "Hey, Rainbow..."

The cyan pegasus looked at her and nodded her head. "hmm?"

"Do you think I could... borrow a few of those Daring Do books you love so much? I mean, if you want to. You don't have to if you don't want to."

Rainbow's jaw fell agape. "You like Daring Do?" she cried incredulously.

Fluttershy nodded. "Well, I thought I might read some to a... friend of mine. He's fairly new in the forest, and I don't think he's ready to meet the rest of the ponies in Ponyville. he's very shy. Almost a baby," she sputtered.

"Really? A friend you say? A friend as in friend or..." she lowered her eyelids and licked her lips. "Or a friend?"

"Oh goodness no!" Fluttershy squealed and blushed.

"Heh. I'm just messin' with ya 'Shy. So who is he?" the rainbow maned mare laughed.

Fluttershy blushed again. "He's... a dog," she mumbled.

"Just a dog? He got a name?"

"Well, I don't think he likes being called anything else. So I just call him Dog."

"Dog? What a weird name." Rainbow snorted and flicked her mane again. "So where does ''Dog'' live?" She made air quotes with her wings for added measure, with a slight grin.

Fluttershy squeaked. "In the um... Everfree." she whispered and hid in her mane.

"What? Fluttershy, you know anything that live in the Everfree, minus Zecora, is evil right?" Rainbow sputtered.

"Oh but he's not. he's like a baby. He just needs to be taught what's right and wrong. That's all." "I hope."

Rainbow tapped her chin. "if you say so. Sure you can borrow a few books. I'll fly over and get them for ya."

"Oh you don't have to do that now, but I thought... later... perhaps..." Fluttershy trailed off as Dash sped off towards her cloud house. She came back almost instantly. A rather large collection of books in her forelegs.

"Here ya go, Flutters. Don't let anything chew them." she warned and dropped the books on the table with a loud (for Fluttershy's) bang.

Fluttershy gazed at the books and smiled. "I think he'll love them, Dashie."

Rainbow watched her carefully. "You haven't used my nickname in years. Why the sudden change?" she asked suspiciously.

"Oh, no reason. It's just a nice name," the butter yellow pegasus smiled and placed as many books as she could carry in her saddlebag, ready for her trip back to her giant. "Shall we get on with our play-date? If you still want to that is."

Rainbow smiled. "Still the same old Fluttershy. Just with a mysterious new friend. I wonder if Twi knows about him." "Sure, Flutters. I'll pick up Tank and meet you at the park, 'K?"

"OK," Fluttershy replied and smiled. "Come on, Angel Bunny," she said to a rather annoyed looking rabbit by her leg.

He sighed and hopped onto her back.

She nuzzled him and trotted outside, to see Rainbow tilting her head at the chicken coop.

"Fluttershy... what the heck happened?"

"What happened with w- Oh... my..."

Rainbow Dash turned to her friend. "You mean you don't know?"

Fluttershy shook her head and let her lower lip tremble. "Was this DOG? Did he do this on purpose? No. Of course not, Fluttershy." "I... I guess Elizabeak laid an egg?" she ventured, wincing at the obvious falseness of her lie.

Dash snorted and rose into the air, landing in the wreckage. "Explain how an ''egg'' does this." she said and kicked a plank of wood away.

"Um... it was..." She fought for a word, then remembered one of her favourite authors when she was a filly. "Big?"

Rainbow stared at her friend. "What happened? Tell me, maybe I could go get some help."

"No, it's alright. I was planning on getting a new coop anyway." Fluttershy said in her namesake. "Now um... let's get going on our play-date... can we? Please?"

Dash held a hoof up. "Alright, alright. But you gotta explain soon. Did Dog do this? Did he hurt you?"

Fluttershy shook her head vigourosuly. "No!" she shouted, slightly startling her friend.

Dash was taken aback a bit at this. "OK, OK, whatever you say, Flutters. But you tell me if he hurts you. You tell any one of us, you hear?"

Fluttershy nodded. I won't have to. Because he won't. Will he? No of course he won't. He's nice.

"Right. Well, I'll get Applejack to help clean this up after our play-date. 'K?"

"OK," Fluttershy nodded as they trotted off towards the park.

Rainbow flew up ahead to fetch Tank, and Fluttershy smiled as the sound of a propeller filled the sky.

"Ready?"

"Ready."

They sat and talked for a bit while the pets whizzed about on the park.

***

When their play-date ended, Fluttershy waved Rainbow Dash home and began her own journey home. On the way, she began to get excited about reading to DOG and seeing his reaction.

"Oh he'll love those books," she murmured as she skipped along. "I know he will."

Angel coughed and pointed to his stomach.

"Oh of course, feed you and my friends first, then go read to DOG. That OK Angel?"

The rabbit huffed and threw his paws in the air.

Fluttershy smiled, oblivious to his ''I don't care, just feed me, mare'' gesture, and began pouring some rabbit food into a small bowl.

She rushed about, giving the other animals their dinner as she did, and picked up one of the 'Do' books.

"Daring Do And The Moonstone," she read and scanned her eyes over the blurb. "Daring Do goes on another of her adventures to find the legendary Moonstone to help her sick mother."

She flicked through the first few pages and found herself wanting to read more. "No. Better save it for DOG." she said and gazed out the window.

"I wonder how he's doing." she murmured as she picked up her saddlebag and strapped it on. "I hope he likes these stories."

"Of course he will," she told herself as she trotted outside, and back into the Everfree. Back to her giant friend.

Fluttershy's Giant - Part Six

Fluttershy's Giant

-

Part Six

DOG turned when he heard Fluttershy call his name.

"I got something for you," she said, hopping forwards with a smile on her face.

He nodded his head and placed the manticore down.

[Fixed.]

Fluttershy trotted over to the manticore and inspected him. She looked up, eyes full of fear and misunderstanding. "He's... dead," she whispered and backed away from the giant.

DOG frowned and prodded the manticore.

[Dead?] His voice resonated through the forest.

Fluttershy nodded and backed even further away.

The metal giant prodded the manticore's corpse again and picked it up. He began to shake it wildly, flinging it's decesed body all over the place.

[Wake up. Wake up, wake up, wake-]

"He's dead!" Fluttershy squealed and ran up to him, trying to get him to calm down.

DOG dropped the corpse and backed away from her, looking at his giant hands with fear and disgust."

[Monster. I... killed...]

"No! It was an accident, I'm sure," Fluttershy cried and petted his giant, metal foot.

He looked at her sadly and huddled his knees to his chest.

Fluttershy glanced around and felt a bead of sweat run down her face. "I um.... brought you some books... do you like reading?" she said quietly.

He tilted his head at her and inadvertently looked at the manticore again. He buried his face in his hands and shook violently.

"DOG?" Fluttershy asked and peered up at him.

His vision flickered and a reticule formed around the manticore.

[No.]

He shook his head and looked down at her.

"It... was an accident, wasn't it?" she asked, on the verge of tears. "Oh please say it was, oh please say it was."

He nodded.

She breathed a sigh of relief and smiled up at him. "Then it's alright. Sometimes accidents happen," she assured him. Then she leant over and nuzzled the top of his foot.

He smiled and picked her up.

"Ahh!" she squealed and clutched his finger. When she realized she was safe, she stood up shakily and smiled at him. "Th-thanks, DOG, but you startled me."

[Sorry.]

She smiled and nuzzled his finger. "So do you like books?"

He nodded. [Books. Stories. Knowledge.]

"Well, if you could put me down, I'd read you some," she said with a shaky voice, still trying to smile as bravely as she could.

He nodded again and gently placed her on the ground and hunkered down.

She smoothed down her mane and picked up her saddlebag after dropping it when she saw the manticore. Speaking of which...

"We should bury the poor dear," she murmured, gazing at the lifeless form of the manticore who tried to eat her. Some level of her was glad it was dead before she was, but she was still terribly sad. It probably had a family of it's own. "You know... just to be nice."

DOG tilted his head.

"Bury. Place him in the earth. It helps them find their happy hunting ground." Fluttershy explained sadly. "Sometimes things die, and we have to bury them. Even if they tried to eat us."

The giant sat and watched as she began to dig a hole for the manticore with her bare hooves. She took a deep breath and looked up at him. "You could help you know. I mean, if you wanted to."

DOG nodded and used his finger as a scoop as he improved Fluttershy's digging skills tenfold.

***

After a few words and a moment of silence, Fluttershy smiled up at DOG. "At least you're learning," she said.

DOG nodded and lay down on the ground, picking up the pegasus and putting her on his chest. In the middle of the 'O'.

"Thank you. Now this story is about a pegasus. She's called Daring Do. In this story, she's trying to find a magical stone for her sick mother. She's kind of a superhero," Fluttershy explained as she hunkered down on his chest.

He raised his head and frowned.

[Superhero?]

"Yes. She does super things because she's a hero. My friend Rainbow Dash is kind of a hero. We all are. Sort of." Fluttershy giggled.

[DOG is a superhero.]

"Yes. If you want, you can be." she giggled again.

He grinned and lay his head back down.

"Daring Do And The Moonstone..." Fluttershy read and began the story, beaming as he listened.

***

Applebloom watched Fluttershy as she trotted back into the forest with a large grin on her face and a bulging saddlebag.

"What's she up to?" the filly wondered. "An' why the heck is she goin' back in that place? Has she forgotten already?" she shook her head and shivered. The memory of those pale green lights still terrified her and she fought for control of her young bladder.

"Maybe ah should get Sweetie 'n Scootaloo and investigate." she murmured as she watched her foalsitter disappear into the dark woods. "Yeah..."

She cantered off to find the other two crusaders and (possibly) rescue their foalsitter.

***

"Fluttershy's doing what?" Sweetie Belle squeaked on the doorstep.

Applebloom sighed and straightened her bow. "Ah told you, she's going back into the Everfree. She had her bag with her and it was big. Bigger than usual. We gotta go save her!"

Sweetie scratched her head. "What do you mean save?"

"That giant thing's still in there, remember? The eyes..."

Both girls shivered in memory.

"Where's Scootaloo?" Applebloom asked.

"I think she's helping Miss Cheerilee out with something at the school," Sweetie replied.

"Alright, let's go get her and then go save Fluttershy."

"Rarity!" Sweetie shouted through the boutique.

"Hmm?" came Rarity's voice from somewhere upstairs.

"I'm going out with Applebloom and Scootaloo. I'll be back later!"

"That's nice dear. try not to get any dirt in your mane or coat. See you soon," Rarity called.

The fillies left the  store and galloped to the school, where they saw Scootaloo sitting outside on a bench.

"Oh hi girls. What's up?" the orange filly asked and hopped towards them.

"We're goin' ta look for Fluttershy. You comin'?" Applebloom asked bluntly.

Scootaloo nodded. "Sure. Where is she?"

"The Everfree," Sweetie said.

Scootaloo froze. "What? Why?" she sputtered and backed away.

Applebloom rushed to her side. "It's alright, we'll be there too. And Fluttershy'll be there, when we find her."

"Yeah, we don't have to be scared," Sweetie piped up.

Scootaloo puffed her chest out and flexed her wings. "Who said I was scared?" she said bravely.

Applebloom sighed and shook her head with a grin. "Oh, nopony. C'mon, girls."

The Cutie Mark Crusaders reached Fluttershy's cottage again and gaped at the ex-chicken coop with shock and horror. "Ah didn't realize it was so bad lookin'," Applebloom murmured.

"Bad looking? I'll say. This place was totalled last night," Scootaloo retorted as she prodded a plank of wood out the way.

"Wanna help build it?" Sweetie asked hopefully, her voice breaking with fear. "Instead of going back into the forest, we could just help build the coop again?"

Applebloom shook her head. "And let Fluttershy get eaten by that giant?"

"Oh yeah," Sweetie's tail drooped.

They crept up to the edge of the forest and shivered, cowering in fear.

"W-well? Scootal-loo first. Sh-she's the bravest," Sweetie Belle whispered.

Scootaloo gulped. "J-just like R-Rainb-bow D-Dash," she murmured and entered the forest, dragging her friends in behind her.

***

Fluttershy looked up from the book when she heard a twig snap.

"What was that?"

DOG sat up, cupping her in his hands.

"It's alright DOG, I'm fine," she said as soothingly as possible, while still trying to keep a calm head about things.

He rose to his feet and looked around.

"The tracks lead this way," a familiar voice said.

"Oh! It's the girls from before. It's definitely fine now, DOG," Fluttershy told him and breathed a sigh of relief.

DOG growled and set her down again, then went clanking off in between some dark trees. and hunkered down. And there he waited, watching the pegasus and her friends with as little noise as possible.

"Fluttershy!" Applebloom cried and jumped forwards. "We found you! Girls! She's over here!"

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo popped out the bushes next and rushed forwards.

"What are you three doing here?" the butter yellow pegasus asked, bewildered at the fact they'd found her and not seen DOG, and amazed they were here.

"Rescuing you of course!" Sweetie cried happily as she buried her face in Fluttershy's pink mane. "Now come on! We have to go!"

"What do you mean?" Fluttershy asked and pulled away from them. "I never needed rescuing."

"Ah."

"Applebloooom!" the pegasus and unicorn whined at the earth pony.

"Oops. Ah guess she didn't then," Applebloom murmured and turned red.

They glared at her and turned back to their foalsitter. "So what're you doing here in the forest, all alone then?" Scootaloo asked suspiciously.

"Oh I'm not alone, I've got DOG." Fluttershy said and instantly stuck a hoof in her mouth.

"Who's Dog?" Sweetie asked and giggled. "Is he your boyfriend?"

Fluttershy squealed and turned bright red. "No! At least I think not. He's just a friend, really. Oh I must stop talking." She quickly glanced over to where DOG was hiding and turned back, just as fast, with the small hope none of them had seen him. Applebloom had.

"It's... it's..." she mumbled.

"Now girls, it's really nothing to be scared of!" Fluttershy wailed as DOG came into full view, towering over the four ponies.

Scootaloo froze in terror as DOG stared down at them. "G-g-g-giant..." she stammered.

DOG suddenly lowered himself to their level and smiled, revealing his metal teeth.

Fluttershy fluttered in front of him and tried to calm the girls down. "Girls, he's really friendly. Honest. Please just don't-"

The fillies broke into tears and wailed in sheer terror.

"Cry," Fluttershy whispered and covered her ears. "Oh... pl...please stop," she gingerly mumbled as she felt her own tears brimming in her eyes. She glanced up at DOG imploringly and saw him reach a finger out.

The fillies shrieked and jumped back.

"No, no! He wants to meet you," Fluttershy cried and flapped over to them, landing on DOG's finger. She leant down and nuzzled it's metallic surface. "See?"

Sweetie gingerly tip-toed forwards bravely.

"That's it. He's friendly. I promise," Fluttershy assured her.

She gulped and extended a hoof, gently grazing the surface of his finger. "He's really f-friendly?" she whispered.

Fluttershy nodded and fluttered down to her side. "Yes."

DOG wiggled the end of his finger and nudged the filly.

She giggled as he tickled her. "Quit it!" she cried.

He grinned and tipped her on her back, tickling her without mercy.

"Ahahahahahahaha!" Sweetie Belle cried happily. "Girls help! He's... tickling me!" she yelled to her friends.

Scootaloo and Applebloom also crept towards the metal giant. The ''friendly'', metal giant.

"What is he?" Applebloom asked Fluttershy.

"I don't think he remembers," Fluttershy said and gazed up at DOG. "He's like a child."

Scootaloo jumped up on his finger as he leaned in closer. "He's awesome. He's our very own giant robot! We're like, the luckiest kids in Equestria!" she cried happily.

Fluttershy frowned. "Oh I don't think we should do anything with him. I was just reading him a story before," she told them.

"Really? Which story?" Applebloom asked as she petted DOG's finger.

"One of Rainbow's Daring Do books. They're really quite good," Fluttershy replied with a smile. "And he likes them very much. He likes the idea of being a superhero."

Scootaloo hopped off his finger. "Well of course they are-"

"Because Rainbow Dash likes 'em?" Applebloom chuckled.

Scootaloo scowled. "Well yeah," she muttered.

DOG blinked at them and smiled.

[Hello.]

The girls leapt back when they heard his voice and hid behind Fluttershy.

"He t-t-t-talks?" Sweetie stuttered.

Fluttershy nodded. "Oh yes. He can't quite form sentences yet, but he's getting there. Oh!" she cried and slapped her forehead. "I almost forgot, how rude of me. Girls, this is DOG. DOG, this is Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Applebloom." she smiled as she introduced them.

[Scootaloo. Sweetie Belle. Applebloom.]

The giant smiled as he said their names.

The girls nodded and smiled, albeit still quite scared of him.

"H-howdy DOG." Applebloom murmured.

"Hey, Fluttershy, don't you think Twilight should see him?" Scootaloo asked.

Fluttershy nodded. "I was first just getting to know him. I'll show Twilight soon though. Now come on, girls. The Everfree is no place for you."

"Awww," the girls grumbled as she led them away.

[Wait.]

DOG stood up and held his hand on the ground, palm up.

The girls looked at Fluttershy.

She sighed and nodded.

The crusaders giggled as they hopped onto his hand, their foalsitter in tow.

"Up we go!" Applebloom cried happily.

DOG grinned and rose his hand into the air.

"Whoa!" Sweetie cried as she stumbled.

"Careful," Fluttershy warned, and quickly grabbed her before she could fall off.

"Thanks Fluttershy."

All four of the ponies felt the wind on their faces as DOG moved through the trees. Away from Ponyville.

Fluttershy noticed this but said nothing. "Maybe he's just taking us on an adventure," she thought.

"So what does DOG eat, 'Shy?" Applebloom asked.

Fluttershy furrowed her brow. "I... don't know. Do you even eat, DOG?" He shook his head in response.

The crusaders frowned. "Well you gotta eat somethin'!" cried Applebloom. "Everypony's got ta eat."

Scootaloo coughed. "Well, Applebloom, in case you hadn't noticed, he isn't a pony. He's a giant robot."

Fluttershy smiled a little as they started to bicker. "Now girls. Please."

"Sorry Fluttershy," they responded, and hung their heads in shame.

The butter coloured pegasus remembered something. Something very important. "By the way, girls. You mustn't tell anypony about this. Not Rarity, not Rainbow Dash, not Applejack, not nopony. OK?" she asked and loomed over them.

"Sure Fluttershy," they mumbled and turned back into the wind. "Why?"

"Something bad might happen to DOG if anypony knows about him. They won't listen to him, they'll think he's a monster, like we all did, before they meet him."

Silence fell upon them as they felt the wind in their manes.

Sweetie forced some courage to come up and break the awkward tension. "It's great up here," she said joyfully. "Is this what it feels like to fly?"

Scootaloo hung her head. "I wish I could always come up here." she murmured sadly and flexed her abnormally small wings.

Fluttershy nuzzled her. "Oh it's not so bad being a weak flyer." she said soothingly. "I wasn't always a good flyer, and I'm just fine. You'll grow into it. Trust me."

"Thanks Flutters. But I wanna fly all the time!" Scootaloo whined.

Fluttershy laughed and nuzzled her again. "You will. Someday."

They shook for a second as DOG came to a halt.

"What is it DOG?"

He lowered his gaze to the ponies in his palm and narrowed his eyes.

[Fire.]

Fluttershy gasped as she noticed a forest fire up ahead.

Very faint cries of "Help! Somepony help us!" could be heard, along with the smell of smoke and wood charring.

"DOG, we have to help in anyway we can!" she said to the giant.

He nodded and covered them up as he charged into the inferno.

Fluttershy's Giant - Part Seven

Fluttershy's Giant

-

Part Seven

Twilight gaped and took deep breaths.

"Her chicken coop was... gone?" she whispered.

Rainbow Dash nodded. "Yeah. Gone. Just splinters and a few broken bits of wood."

The mares shuffled nervously. "Twilight, do you know what happened?" Dash asked carefully.

Twilight shook her head at first. "No, I don't see what could have... Last night... something fell out of the sky... this morning, Fluttershy and I went to go look for the crusaders who disappeared in the early hours. We.... found something... those eyes...." she whispered and stroked her tail worryingly.

Dash shifted awkwardly. "Um. What did it look like?"

"Huge. Giant. Metal," Twilight whimpered.

Dash patted her on the head. "Hey, it's alright now."

Twilight looked up and smiled. "Sorry. It's just-"

"Fire! Fire in the Everfree!" a cry went up outside. "Get some water! If it spreads too quickly... get some water! There's a fire! Move it ponies!"

Both unicorn and pegasus jumped up and dashed to the door. They flung it open and spotted the fire brigade was screaming through the small town towards Fluttershy's.

Twilight shivered. "Let's go see if we can help."

Rainbow Dash nodded and helped her up. "Easy," she muttered.

Twilight smiled again as they galloped off towards the forest.

***

The ponies coughed and sputtered and fought for air as the smoke hit them.

DOG reached up and held them above the flames and the smoke.

"Thank you, DOG," Fluttershy coughed. "At least it's not a dragon causing the smoke..." she thought. She trembled and closed her eyes. "What if it's a dragon causing the smoke?"

The giant nodded and placed them on his shoulder.

"Help! Somepony help us!" a voice screamed through the flames.

DOG lowered his head, taking care not to let the ponies slip, and watched as a trio of figures stumbled around in the forest.

"Don't worry! We'll save you!" Scootaloo shouted bravely.

The mare shouting looked around for the unseen voice. "Where are you?!" she screamed, becoming frantic.

"Up here!" Applebloom shouted as she slid down DOG's arm and into his hand.

The mare squinted. As far as she could tell through the smoke, there was a small, yellow filly floating in mid-air, just in front of her.

"My husband! He's trapped under a tree!" the mare coughed and pointed over to a large tree. A struggling stallion had his hind leg caught under it.

Applebloom nodded. "DOG! Help that poor guy!"

DOG growled in response and set her down temporarily.

The mare gasped as she saw the giant, with two other fillies and a mare on his shoulder. "Wh-what?" she whispered and backed away in fear.

Fluttershy flapepd down and tried to hush her as the giant reached a hand out and lifted up the tree trapping her husband.

"He's friendly, really-"

"Monster!" The mare screamed and fled. "A monster!" she wailed as she charged through the forest, disappearing into the dark woods, away from the ponies and the giant.

DOG's eyes dimmed momentarily.

[Monster...]

"No! She's just scared. You didn't do anything wrong!" Sweetie assured him, her voice cracking at the ''no''.

Scootaloo snorted. "Maybe we should kick her flank to teach her not to yell at our friend."

Fluttershy scowled. "That's not very nice," she scolded, in a motherly fashion.

"Sorry, 'Shy," the filly murmured. "But she wasn't very nice calling DOG a monster."

"True. But she didn't know any better. She was just scared." Fluttershy counter-argued.

"Help..." the stallion whispered.

Fluttershy flapped down to him in DOG's palm. "Are you alright?" she asked.

He smiled gratefully. "I'm fine. Just... leg hurts."

The pegasus nodded and turned back to DOG. "We need to get him to Ponyville. He needs help."

DOG nodded and picked up all the ponies. His long strides helped them reach the town in no time, just as Twilight and Rainbow Dash reached Fluttershy's house, and encountered a wailing mare, screaming about a monster.

***

"Slow down. What monster?" Dash said, irritatedly.

The mare huffed and panted. "A g-g-giant in the w-woods. It had some f-fillies w-with it. It must have t-t-taken them p-p-prisoner, or... or brainwashed them..." she whispered, then bolted upright. "Oh Celestia... I left my husband there... the monster will eat him!" she squealed.

Twilight patted her on the back as she collapsed to the floor and wailed.  "It's alright. We'll get him home safely. C'mon Rainbow. Fly up and see if you can spot anything strange."

Dash saluted and flew into the air. "I can see the smoke. It looks pretty bad, Twi."

The unicorn looked down at the mare before her. "Wait here, we'll go and-"

"Twilight, Twilight, you've got to help!" Applebloom cried as she, and the other four ponies sprung out the forest. The poor stallion was fighting for every breath as he rested on Fluttershy's back.

Fluttershy coughed delicately and shook the soot out of her hair. "Um, please... we sort of... need help."

Her friends gaped at her disbelievingly.

"Since when does Fluttershy rescue ponies?" Dash exclaimed.

Fluttershy blushed and tried to hide behind her mane. "Um... I was... helping an animal friend. The fire happened... and I tried to help?" she murmured.

The crusaders hopped forwards. "She sure was." Scootaloo said. "We helped too."

Twilight frowned at them. "Do your sisters know you're here?"

Applebloom and Sweetie Belle hung their heads. "Uhh... no?"

"And since when does Scoots go off into the forest?" Dash asked and gently cuffed the orange filly on the head.

"Sorry, Dash." Scootaloo mumbled.

Fluttershy winced as she inched closer to the forest. "Well, I should go back now... nice seeing you two-"

"You!" the grief stricken mare shirked and pointed an accusing hoof at the butter pegasus. "You were with the monster!"

Twilight and Rainbow Dash blinked at Fluttershy.

"Fluttershy... tell us about this monster." Twilight said slowly.

Fluttershy's ears went back. "I... don't know what you're talking about." she lied. Her poker-face was worse than Applejack's (if that was even possible). "Honestly, I don't-"

Dash flew right in her face and scrutinized her eyes.

"Eep!" Fluttershy squeaked and dove behind the fillies.

Twilight tapped Dash's leg. "Ease off, Rainbow. If she says she doesn't know anything, she doesn't know anything."

Rainbow snorted. "Hmmph. Fine."

The mare started in surprise. "You mean you're just going to let that monster roam free?"

Her husband coughed and rose, unsteadily, to his feet. "There was no monster, love. It must have been the smoke," he wheezed and winked at Fluttershy.

The meek pegasus's cheeks turned slightly red as the stallion put a hoof around his wife and steered them both towards the hospital. The fire brigade ponies assisted them into the truck.  "Thank you," he called out to her. "I owe you my life. Thank you."

"Well... if it's alright, I should go back to my friend," Fluttershy whispered, shakily and shuffled towards the forest again. "He might be afraid, or hurt, or... something might have happened. So I'll just uh... be going now."

Her friends nodded. "Come on girls, let's get you home. You're all covered in soot," Twilight said.

The fillies moaned in complaint. "Do we have to?" Applebloom whined.

The mares nodded.

They hung their heads in defeat, waved goodbye to Fluttershy, and trotted ahead of the two mares.

Dash leaned close to Twilight. "We're following her right?" she whispered.

"Oh yeah." Twilight whispered back as they stopped following the crusaders. "Definitely." They held back to make sure the fillies were going home for sure, then quickly changed direction and picked up on Flutterhsy's trail.

***

Fluttershy slipped into the forest once more. "DOG?" she called and looked around fpr her giant.

The giant reached down a hand and scooped her up.

"Ahh!" she cried and clutched his finger. "Don't do that!" she giggled.

[DOG is a hero now?]

"Yes. I suppose you are." Shesmiled up at him and nuzzled his finger as it curled towards her. "Could you take me back to the clearing? I need to get Rainbow's books back."

He nodded and placed her on his shoulder, then set off at an impossibly long stride.

All the while, Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash gasped in horror at the giant scooping up their friend and wandering off with her. They didn't hear her words of encouragement to the giant, only her small shriek as he picked her up.

"What... is it?" Rainbow murmured as she watched the giant thunder off into the dark woods.

Twilight shook her head in fear. "It can't be... not possible..." she whispered and began stroking her mane. "It's the monster we found the other night... oh by Celestia... Celestia!" she suddenly cried, making Dash jump. "We have to tell the princess there's a giant alien in the forest. And it's got Fluttershy!"

Dash nodded and flapped up into the air. "Let's go then!" she yelled.

Twilight's horn lit up and cast a purple glow over the both of them, whisking them away to Ponyville.

Fluttershy's Giant - Part Eight

Fluttershy's Giant

-

Part Eight

Princess Celestia narrowed her eyes as she read Twilight's letter. "Monster in the woods... kidnapped Fluttershy..." she murmured and paled. "What monster dares threaten any of my subjects and friends?"

She got up from her golden throne and paced about the room. "What source of devilry is this?" she wondered. "One of Discord's vile creations? A new stage of evolution from Chrysalis? Sombre's final plan?"

The princess decided to send some soldiers down to Ponyville and make sure nopony else gets kidnapped. "Guard?" she called.

The golden clad guard bustled in. "Yes, ma'am?" he asked and saluted.

"Find me Shining Armour. Tell him to assemble the guard forces and head down to Ponyville," the princess said as calmly as possible. "Let's see how this monster fairs against Equestrian might."

The guard nodded. "At once, ma'am."

He scurried out and went to find the captain.

Celestia sat back on her throne. "I'd better send Twilight a letter regarding this... monster and her friend," she murmured and levitated a quill towards her. "Dear Twilight..."

***

"Thank you for notifying me of this incident. Do not worry, your friend will be brought home safely. You have my sincerest apologies I have not taken further action. Soldiers will be arriving shortly after this letter will be sent. Your brother will be among them. Your mentor and friend, Princess Celestia."

Twilight finished reading the letter aloud to her friends, minus Fluttershy.

"Oh it's just simply awful," Rarity murmured. "A monster would kidnap our friend - who always sees the good in ponies, or whatever it is."

"It's no pony, I can tell you that," Dash snorted and paced in the air, flying backwards and forwards over her friends' heads. "It's huge. Like, a thousand feet tall."

Applejack frowned. "Ah'm sure it's not that big, Rainbow, but you an' Twi did say it was awful big."

"And it's got these two glowing eyes," Dash continued and placed her hooves over her eyes. "It's eye alone was as big as one of us. Maybe even Big Mac!"

"Poor Fluttershy. I wonder what she'd thinking right now," Rarity sobbed, rather over-dramatically. "Oh woe is our dear friend."

"I bet that big ol' meanie took her 'cause he wants to eat her!" Pinkie Pie added to the conversation. "I bet he'll make her into cupcakes, or something, and gobble her up! I wonder what Fluttershy cupcakes would taste like..." she trailed off, lost in her own random, little world.

Twilight shook her head. "I don't think he wants to eat her, Pinkie, I think he just took her.. to..." she scratched her head. "I don't know what he wants with her. But at least some soldiers are coming. And Shining Armour. That's something." She smiled bravely and stifled a sob for her friend.

Rainbow Dash slumped down and let her wings droop. "Poor Flutters... I hope she's alright."

Applejack nudged her. "She'll be fine. Say, where's Applebloom and her friends?"

***

"Wee-ee!" Fluttershy cried as DOG held her up in the sky.

The giant smiled as he bounded through the meadow. They'd cleared the forest a while ago, and were currently venturing through unknown territory. And loving the time they spent together.

"I never thought I'd be so high up again." Fluttershy said and gazed down at the distant ground, over the edge of his finger.

[Scared?]

"Yes, but I feel safe with your hand underneath me." she told him and kissed the tip of his finger. "Ooh! Let's go over there!" she cried and pointed to a large hill.

DOG nodded and turned in that direction. His giant legs carried them far in such a short time. The pegasus in his palm glanced behind her and tried to peer round his steel body at the forest far behind.

"We're so far away from home." she murmured.

[Home...]

DOG stopped and stared up at the sky.

Fluttershy yelped at the sudden stop. "DOG?"

He looked down and blinked at her, indicating he was listening.

"Do you miss your home?"

[...Yes]

"Where do you come from?"

He raised a giant arm and pointed to the sky.

She followed his gaze and his arm up to the heavens. "Is it nice?"

The giant frowned.

"Can you remember?"

He shook his head sadly and pointed to the dent in his head. Then he looked back down at her.

A few moments of silence passed as she squeezed his  finger, and he curled said finger into his palm and stroked her mane.

"You could live with me," Fluttershy murmured. Her cheeks immediately turned bright pink as she fought to hide herself from his gaze. "I mean, if you wanted to. I'm just saying, it would be nice. You're such a good friend..." she stammered and slowly turned as red as the apples of Applejack's flank.

DOG smiled and pushed some of her mane out her eyes. [Fluttershy. Friend. DOG stay with friend]

She beamed up at him and kissed his finger again. Her eyes wandered down to a cheer and a couple of chattering voices.

"Fluttershy!" the voice called out.

"Girls?" she squeaked and squinted down at them. Sure enough, the Cutie Mark Crusaders had followed them through the forest and were charging towards them through the meadow. "Didn't Twilight and Rainbow Dash take you three home?"

Applebloom nodded. "Yeah, but we escaped to come play with y'all again. Howdy DOG," she said, and beamed up at the giant.

He smiled back and lowered himself down, spreading his hand on the ground and helping the fillies onto his palm.

Scootaloo held on for dear life as they were raised up. "Wow, DOG, you sure can make us go high," she murmured as she gazed down at the ground below, and shot a hateful glare at her own wings.

Sweetie nudged Applebloom. "I think somepony's chicken," she giggled.

Scootaloo scowled. "Am not!"

"Am too!"

"Am not!

"Am too!"

"Girls," Fluttershy said sternly and silenced them immediately. Her face softened up as she hugged them, though. "I'm glad to see you. But-"

"We're glad to see you too, 'Shy!" Sweetie beamed.

"But," Fluttershy repeated before they could interrupt again. "You really should have stayed home. What if somepony followed you? What would they think of DOG? That mare in the fire thought he was a monster..." she murmured and gazed up at him. "I don't want ponies thinking he's bad. He's not!"

DOG turned his head away. [Monster.]

"No!" Applebloom cried. "You're not a monster! Yer just a... a, um... giant," she said hopefully.

He looked down at her.

"She's right, DOG," Fluttershy told him and nuzzled his finger again. "You want to hear something my mother told me?"

DOG nodded.

"You are what you choose to be."

The girls looked at the pegasus with a strange affinity for her.

"I'm scared of a lot of things, but I choose to be brave. I chose to be brave and come see you the first time we met. Do you remember how scared I was?"

The giant nodded again.

Fluttershy continued. "And the girls, they chose to be brave."

The crusaders nodded as one. "We did..."

"And you can choose to be whoever you want." Fluttershy told the giant. "You could be a hero, and save ponies. Like you did that mare and stallion in the fire."

[Superhero.]

"Yes. A superhero. Like Daring Do. Or Rainbow Dash. Or Twilight or anypony else."

He beamed down at her and curled his finger to stroke her mane again.

She nuzzled him and kissed his giant finger once more.

The crusaders ''awwed'' quietly as they watched them.

Fluttershy blushed and rested her cheek against his metallic finger. "So what do you want to do now, girls? You really should  go back home, now though."

Applebloom shook her head. "They'll just make us sit at home with our hooves up our-"

"Applebloom!" Fluttershy cried, shocked at the almost profanity from such a young filly.

The earth pony filly turned scarlet and her bow drooped. "Uh... ah meant... head in our hooves."

The pegasus scowled at her with cheeks of the rosy pink variety. "That's because they don't want anything to happen to you."

"Ah know, ah know," Applebloom muttered. "But we are big ponies. We can take care of ourselves."

Fluttershy spread her wings and hugged the three fillies.

Scootaloo looked up at DOG as she released them. "So... can we go play?" she asked hopefully.

The foalsitter looked up at DOG and smiled. "I suppose. But be careful."

DOG smiled as he lowered his hand and the three fillies scampered off. Fluttershy glided off with grace. The giant smiled as he strode after the fillies as they charged towards the lake, and the small cluster of trees.

"He's so friendly. I hope my friends could see him now, and see he's not a monster," she thought and trotted after them.

***

"Careful, girls," Fluttershy called out as they climbed on a large rock jutting out above the lake.

They waved their hooves and clambered up.

The pegasus sighed and nestled down on the grass, gazing up at the giant as he hunkered down next to her.

"Aren't you going to play, DOG?" Fluttershy asked him.

He stared ahead with a blank expression.

"Probably just thinking," she thought and let the subject die for now.

"Hey Fluttershy, lookit this!" Scootaloo cried.

"I'm watching," she called back with a large smile.

"Stand back guys, this is for professionals only," the orange filly told her friends and grinned mischievously. She took a running jump and - "Banzai!" - leapt off the edge of the rock, diving into the lake head first.

Her purple mane plastered to her skin as she resurfaced. "C-c-c'mon in g-g-guys. The w-w-waters f-f-fine," she said through chattering teeth.

Applebloom and Sweetie Belle jumped in after her and splashed in the water.

"C-C-Celestia, the water's f-f-freezing!" Sweetie Belle cried.

Fluttershy snorted in laughter and covered her face up, deeply embarrassed.

The girls splashed each other while the foalsitter and the giant watched.

"Aren't you goin' ta come in, 'Shy?" Applebloom asked.

Fluttershy shook her head. "No, I'm fine." she said and lay her head down and closed her eyes.

"A'ight. How about you, DOG?"

DOG looked down at her and blinked. Then he got up, without a word, and walked away.

"What the? What did ah say?" the earth pony murmured to her friends as she tread water.

Fluttershy started when she heard the heavy footfalls of the giant walk away from them. "DOG?"

A sudden pounding started up.

*Thud thud thud thud* "What- AHHH!" Fluttershy squealed as DOG charged overhead.

[Banzai!]

He leapt in the air, making the fillies in the water flail out the way.

"Ahhh! Swim!" Scootaloo cried as DOG began to fall.

*FWOOOOOOSH!*

The water roared out the lake, making a tidal wave rise up before Fluttershy. The butter pegasus froze in fear as she watched the water descend.

"Wooo!" Scootaloo cried like she'd been licking too much salt. "That. Was. Awesoooome!"

She held onto the treetop for dear life and laughed like a madpony with her friends.

Fluttershy twitched and shook the seaweed off her and out her mane.

"Hey, Fluttershy?" Appelbloom called down.

"Yeah?"

"You're all we-"

"Yeah?"

The filly took to laughing her head off as the foalsitter began to rinse her hair out, grumbling away to herself.

DOG sat in the middle of the lake and glanced around. Most of the water had been lifted out and splashed around the trees and countryside.

The yellow pegasus glared at him and let the smile spread across her face. She fell back, kicking and waving her legs in the air in laughter.

The fillies slid down the tree and dropped to the ground, then rushed over to their foalsitter and huddled around her.

DOG smiled and wiggled Fluttershy around with his finger.

"Ahahaha!" she cried. "Stop it!" she wailed and tried to fight him off.

The fillies joined in and began tickling her too.

***

Meanwhile, Shining Armour, his sister, and her friends watched the fillies scamper away from the trees and defend the pegasus flailing on the ground.

"She must be hurt." Rarity whispered.

Rainbow Dash snorted and spread her wings. "And they've got the crusaders," she growled and fluttered into the air. "Just say the word, and I'll go get them."

"You can't get all of 'em. Besides, ah want to get mah own sister. Rares wants to do the same for Sweetie." Applejack growled.

Rarity nodded. "Yes. Such an uncouth giant causing a ruckus in such a peaceful place."

"Why that big, fat, meanie giant," Pinkie muttered and let her mane droop. "Nopony hurts my friends."

Twilight nodded and turned to her brother. "Shiny, can we rescue them now?"

Shining Armour nodded and raised a hoof. "Get ready," he whispered to his company of soldiers. "We're going to rescue the fillies and the pegasus. Do not attack the monster until they are clear. Understand?"

"Sir, yes, sir," the soldiers responded and flexed their muscles, spread their wings and warmed up their horns.

"Twily, you and your friends get the girls clear, then we'll move in," the captain told his sister.

Twilight nodded and turned to her friends. "C'mon girls."

They bounded out the forest and charged towards the giant.

"AJ!" Applebloom cried and jumped towards her sister. "Ah'm so glad yer here, y'all can meet-"

"Get behind me, Applebloom." Applejack warned her sister and hoisted her on her back. "An' not a single word till ya'll are home, ya hear?"

"Sweetie. Here. Now," Rarity commanded her own sister.

Dash swooped downwards and scooped up Scootaloo. "Hold on, squirt."

The fillies glanced around in confusion.

Twilight and Pinkie Pie grabbed Fluttershy and helped her up. "C'mon Fluttershy! It's alright, we're here now. The monster's not gonna hurt ya anymore," Pinkie cried.

Fluttershy glanced around with wide eyes. "What- No! You don't understand! What monster?" she whispered and stared up at DOG, who looked down with worried eyes and a hurt expression.

"Now, Shining!" Twilight yelled.

Shining Armour and his soldiers leapt forwards. "Fire!" he shouted.

The unicorn archers charged their horns up and fired a series of multicoloured beams at the giant.

DOG reared back in surprise as the beams harmlessly hit him, merely darkening his steel body.

"Wait..." Fluttershy murmured as her friends carted her back towards the trees.

The fillies struggled away from their sisters and Rainbow Dash and tried to run towards DOG.

"Get back here!" AJ shouted and dove on them. "Twi! Help me!"

Twilight cast her magic around them and levitated them back to their sister's. "Stay put." she told them. The fillies watched in despair as the attack began on their friend.

"Fire!" Shining yelled again.

Another volley of beams.

The giant's eyes widened in surprise and he stretched a hand out to stop them.

The earth pony guards rose their legs and tried to buck him away.

"Pegasi!"

The skies darkened as several squadrons of pegasi guards descended, circling around the giant's head and cracking thunderclouds as they went.

DOG frowned and tried to swipe them away, knocking a few of their flanks and making them crash into the ground.

"Fall back!" the captain roared and fired a magenta ball of energy at the monster. It hit it's target square on, knocking the giant on it's back and sending him sprawling into the lake.

"Wait!" Fluttershy cried as she struggled free of Pinkie and charged through the soldiers.

DOG looked up with scared eyes and into those of his friend. [Fluttershy...]

He reached a hand out and scooped her up.

"Run!" she yelled as he covered her up.

"Stop!" Twilight bellowed to the troops. "It's got Fluttershy!"

DOG stood up to his full height and charged off towards Ponyville, leaving the confusion and horrible misunderstanding behind him, Fluttershy still crouched in his hands.

Fluttershy's Giant - Part Nine

Fluttershy's Giant

-

Part Nine

Shining Armour held a hoof up and signalled for the pegasi to follow the giant. "Follow him, but don't attack. Fluttershy is still there."

The pegasi soldiers saluted and tore off through the sky at the monster and his captive.

Applebloom leapt out of her sister's grasp. "What are y'all doing?!" she yelled. "Don't cha know he's not dangerous?"

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo jumped forwards too. "Yeah! He's awesome! Just leave him alone!" Sweetie shouted, furious with her elders.

Rarity used her magic to pinch Sweetie's ear.  "That is enough, Sweetie Belle, come with me. You are going straight to our parents house until this whole affair is over."

Scootaloo nodded. "Yeah, he's really, really cool, you would like him, Rainbow Dash!"

Dash snorted and grabbed the scruff of Scootaloo's neck. "After he kidnapped Fluttershy? Twice?"

"He never kidnapped nopony!" Applebloom cried.

"That's enough." Applejack snarled and slammed her hoof down. "You had us all worried sick, you're just lucky ah didn't tell Big Mac about this."

"I think we should have told him though. I think we should have told everypony." Twilight murmured.

"Oh Twilight, you mustn't beat yourself up for this, nopony knew that a monster was in the woods." Rarity told her as she forced Sweetie Belle onto her back.

Twilight''s ear twitched.

"Twilight, Twilight!" Shining Armour cried as he caught up to them.

"Oh, hello, Shiny. What is it?" she asked and nuzzled him.

He nuzzled back. "I just wanted to say sorry we didn't get your friend in time."

The mares sniffed and stiffened. "You did your best, Shiny. Let's just hope she's safe for now," his sister told him and rested her head on his neck.

"I mean it, Twily. I'm so sorry we couldn't help her."

Twilight's body shook as she rested against her brother.

Shining felt a wetness on his neck from where she was crying. This made him angry. Nothing makes his baby sister cry. "But I will find her. We need to get to Ponyville. Do you think you could-"

A flash of magenta light and they were in Ponyville town square, just outside Madame Mayor's office.

"Bring us here?" Shining finished. He grinned at his sister and threw a hoof around her neck, bringing her into a loving, sibling embrace.

Twilight hugged back and sniffed. "I should... write a letter to the princess..." she murmured.

"Yes, we'll help," Rarity said. "After we get these three somewhere safe."

The fillies glared at their elders. "We are safe. Just don't hurt him," Scootaloo grumbled, rubbing the back of her neck where Dash had grabbed her.

Applejack scowled and nudged Applebloom towards the farm.

Rarity did the same with Sweetie, frog-marching her to Carousel Boutique.

Rainbow Dash glared at Scootaloo and flipped her onto her back. "Tank will have to watch you while I go save Flutters." she grumbled. The orange pegasus scowled and hung her head.

"He really is awesome..." she murmured.

Twilight looked up at her brother. "Well, I'll go write to Celestia now. Pinkie, what are you going to do?"

Pinkie blinked. "Get ready for the ''We rescued Fluttershy'' party. What else?" she said, as if it were a no-brainer. Which it kind of was. It was Pinkie Pie after all.

Shining chuckled grimly. "You have some strange friends, Twily. When this is over, remind me to buy you all a drink."

His sister smiled and nodded, then she turned and headed for her tree-house. She swung the door open and stepped inside, smelling that familiar, oak smell that came with living in a tree.

"Twilight! Guess who's here?" Spike cried as she stepped inside and closed the door.

"Who?" she asked. She hadn't gone more than three hooves into her home when she spotted the wings, the horn, the beauty, grace and poise of her beloved mentor. "Princess Celestia! What a surprise."

Celestia smiled. "Yes. If only it was for a happier cause," she sighed. "I arrived shortly after Shining Armour did. How did it go? Did you save your friend?"

Twilight felt tears in her eyes again. "No," she said, simply and bluntly.

The princess spread her wings and embraced the unicorn. "Shhh. Tell me what happened."

"Shining attacked... we got the fillies... but Fluttershy..." Twilight choked a sob back. "The giant picked her up... and... ran off with her."

Celestia placed a hoof on her student's face. "Listen. I promise; nothing will happen to her. We'll get her back, Twilight."

Twilight buried her face in the long, rainbow-pastel coloured mane. "I know you will, princess. I'm just so scared for her."

"So am I, Twilight. As are all your friends. But you must stay strong. For her sake. Do not let this monster get to you. Speaking of which." Celestia pulled Twilight away from her and gazed into her purple eyes. "Tell me about it."

Her student shivered. "O-OK," she murmured and took deep breaths. "It's huge. As tall as the trees in the Everfree at least. It's eyes glow, like two burning balls of fire..." Twilight trailed off, shivering in memory of the giant's face. "It had... rows of teeth." she murmured.

Celestia nodded. "As tall as the trees, eyes like the sun, rows of... sharp?" It came out like a question. "Teeth."

Twilight nodded. "Yeah. They looked like they could eat through metal."

"Alright. And it has Fluttershy."

The student confirmed again. "Yes."

The princess embraced the lavender unicorn again. "Then we shall have to find her."

***

Fluttershy could hear her heart pounding in the darkness in DOG's hands. "Why didn't they listen? Why won't they understand?" she wailed.

DOG thundered along, terrified for his little friends. The fillies were gone, but he could still save Fluttershy from whoever these mean ponies were.

The pegasus's head peeped out from his hands and glanced around. "This doesn't look like any part of the Everfree..." she whispered. "DOG?"

The giant didn't hear her, and continued to charge through the trees. And straight off the edge of the sudden cliff.

Shining halted his troops. "Whoa, there's a cliff!" he yelled.

The earth ponies and unicorns halted immediately, whereas the pegasi continued to fly straight, swooping up in an arc and gazed at the metal monster as it fell.

Fluttershy screamed as the fell. DOG clutched her to his chest and shut his eyes. Suddenly, they stopped falling, and started rising.

"You can fly?" she whispered as she opened her eyes.

DOG looked down. They were indeed flying.

"You can fly!"

The giant smiled as he rose into the air, pegasus still in his hands.

"Throw your arms in the air, like Rainbow Dash!" Fluttershy cried as they rose past the cliff side.

DOG obeyed and thrust his arms in front of him as he soared through the air.

Pegasi flew past him, bucking at him and trying to wrench Fluttershy out of his fingers. He held her close to him and narrowed his eyes to small, red pinpricks.

Red filled his vision as a cross-hair appeared above the nearest pegasus.

[No... No.]

"What is it, DOG?" Fluttershy asked.

[Not monster. Hero.]

Shining nodded to his unicorns. "Fire. Aim for his back." he commanded.

The unicorns charged beams together, and fired upon the giant's back.

DOG cried out in pain and he felt the thrusters in his feet fail. He crashed to the ground in a fiery blaze. Fluttershy screamed again as they crashed into the dirt.

Then darkness.

And silence.

***

Shining coughed as the dust cloud hit him. "Is it dead?" he asked.

A couple of pegasi landed on it's back and tapped it with their hooves. "Can't tell, sir. Oh captain..." one murmured.

The captain rushed forwards. "What? What is it- oh..."

Fluttershy's unmoving body was a few feet away from the giant's hand.

"Oh I am sorry, Fluttershy..." Shining murmured and blinked back tears.

DOG stirred and opened his eyes. Right at Shining Armour. And Fluttershy.

[No!]

Shining jumped back. "It's alive!" he cried.

The unicorns lowered their horns while their captain got clear.

DOG reached a finger out and turned her body over. [No!] He repeated and buried his face in his hands.

"Now!" Shining yelled and fired his own energy beam at the giant's back.

The robot felt somethin dark stir inside him. Stricken with grief at the loss of his friend, he roared. A deep, grinding metallic sound that struck fear in the hearts of the pony attackers.

Shining baulked and his beam failed as the giant turned around.

His eyes were dark, with a red pupil. He raised his right arm and the hand changed into something much, much worse.

*Boom*

A thundering sound roared as the cannon fired.

"Retreat! Fall back! Shining bellowed as he saw the dirt fly up, and several ponies get hit by the blast radius.

The soldiers didn't need telling twice as the giant's left hand turned into something else. A light green cannon-shaped thing that fired green lightning bolts out.

DOG's head sank into his neckline, and three more weapons formed out of his back, each one spewing a laser and incinerating the trees and scorching the earth around him.

Rainbow Dash noticed all of this and swooped down to Fluttershy's side.

"Flutters! Oh Flutters... why didn't we listen?" she murmured and felt for a pulse. The giant thundered off behind her, firing everything at the retreating ponies.

Fluttershy coughed and opened her eyes. "Dash? What happened-"

Rainbow hugged her immensely. "Oh thank Celestia you're awake. I heard you cry out when he started flying. You were happy for him."

"Well... yes. He's my friend." the butter pegasus glanced around. "Where is he?"

The Columbian blue pegasus pointed behind her, at the giant robot death machine.

Fluttershy jumped up and winced at her broken leg. "Oh... my..." she whispered.

"Ouch, Flutters. We'd better get you to a hospital." Dash winced. "I'll take you, c'mon-"

"No. We have to stop... uhhh.... DOG before he hurts somepony. Or Celestia banishes him to the moon."

"Dog? That's Dog?" Dash started in surprise.

Fluttershy nodded. "He's my friend, Rainbow. I didn't tell anypony except the crusaders because... I was afraid this would happen," she murmured and limped forwards. "And it did," she snapped.

Her friend looked miserable as she scowled at her. "Listen, Fluttershy, we're sorry. We all are. But you need to get to a hospital before that gets infected."

The timid pegasus stared at her defiantly, then lowered her head. "I guess you're right. Help me get there then, then tell Celestia not to hurt him. Please."

"You got it, 'Shy. C'mon. Easy, girl."

The two friends lifted into the air, the blue supporting the yellow with her forelegs, her own wings beating powerfully. The yellow's wings feebly trying to flutter, like a butterfly in high winds as they slowly made their way to Ponyville.

***

DOG roared again as his weapons opened fire upon the ponies. Green lightning bolts and red lasers cut through the trees and smashed any and all who were caught in their path.

The soldiers scattered and fled like cockroaches under his might, hiding behind the trees and weeping like foals.

The giant's eyes narrowed as they locked onto the blue's of Shining Armour. [You hurt Fluttershy!]

Shining panicked and cast a shield around himself. "I'm sorry! We thought-"

DOG smashed down on the magenta bubble with his cannon arm, driving into the ground. The unicorn inside grunted as the pain shot through his horn.

The giant raised his cannon again and slammed down, harder than before. Shining's shield flickered momentarily as he sank to his knees. "I'm sorry..."

[You killed her!]

DOG roared in anger at the bubble and placed his foot on it, driving it further into the ground. It took all of Shining's strength, and the thought of his beautiful wife and amazing, wonderful sister to keep from passing out and letting the foot crush him. "S...sorry..."

The foot was raised and the leg was drawn back. He kicked the bubble through the trees, it's inhabitant spiralling out of control inside. The bubble landed just outside of Fluttershy's cottage.

The bubble deactivated and the captain crawled forwards. "Got to warn Celestia..." he murmured and limped off.

The giant glared after the bubble and stormed off, continuing his rampage. Ponies scattered this way and that, bit's of charred armour lay in the dirt as they'd discarded the heavy bits of protection. Not that it would do much good against the cannons.

"Run! Back to Ponyville! We've got to find the princess!" one soldier shouted in a panicked frenzy.

[Ponyville]

"No you idiot! It'll follow us!"

"Too late!"

DOG turned. Towards Ponyville.

"We can only hope to be faster than it now," the guards murmured amongst themselves as they ran for the town.

***

Shining pushed the door to the library open. "Twily... where's... Celestia?"

"I'm here, Shining Armour," Celestia said and cupped him in her wings.

"Couldn't stop it," the captain coughed as she lay him down.

Twilight hugged her big brother. "What do you mean? What's..." she stopped when he looked at her and took her hoof in his.

Celestia nuzzled him. "You tried your best. Now I shall fight for my subjects and my friends."

Shining nodded and closed his eyes.

"Shiny... Shining? Shining Armour!" Twilight yelled and shook him.

He opened one eye. "I'm not dying, Twily. I just need to rest," he chuckled, and hacked out a cough.

"Oh."

"Oh boy. He really sure knows how to pack a punch," he said on his final cough.

Celestia got up, spread her wings and walked out the door. "Now it is time to end this."

"Princess!" Rainbow Dash cried as she landed in front of the alicorn. "It's alright! He's not dangerous, he just thought Fluttershy was dead, but she's fine," she panted.

The princess narrowed her eyes. "Many ponies have been hurt today, Rainbow Dash."

"Please, princess..." Fluttershy whispered as she limped forwards. "Hurt me for not telling anypony, but please, just don't hurt him. He's my friend."

Dash stood next to her friend and helped her stay upright. "I'm with Flutters. He's not evil, he just thought Fluttershy was dead. So he flipped out and started... doing that." She gestured to the beaten down captain.

Fluttershy nodded. "Let me talk to him. Please."

Celestia sighed, unable to say no to such a timid and gentle creature such as Fluttershy. "Very well. But if you fail, I must do what is necessary." she said with a soft, yet stern voice. Like a mother scolding her foals for doing something bad.

"I... understand," the butter pegasus murmured and shivered.

DOG's roar made the princess and blue pegasus jump. A strange fog had settled upon Ponyville now, frightening most of the inhabitants out of their wits.

The giant's thunder footsteps resonated across the foggy town.

Fluttershy flapped towards them and bumped into his foot. "DOG!"

DOG looked down and locked onto her eyes with his red pinpricks. He lowered his cannon at her.

"Please, DOG, stop this. You don't want to be a monster do you? Choose to be a hero. Please. For me."

The end of the cannon glowed as the shot warmed up.

Fluttershy shut her eyes. "Choose."

DOG blinked. Choose

Memories of the fillies and his pegasus flooded back to him. They were laughing, smiling, enjoying his company. Friends. Friendship. Nature. Killing...

The cannon stopped glowing.

Fluttershy opened her eyes. "DOG?" she breathed.

DOG's cannons turned back into hands, and the laser gun-tentacle things on his back retracted. His eyes became the pale green light bulbs once more as he looked around.

[Fluttershy?]

"Yes. I'm OK." she said and approached his foot. "It's alright, you didn't hurt anypony. Too badly." she murmured.

He took a step backwards as the fog dissipated, revealing all the ponies watching him with fear. He raised his hands to his face in horror as he realized what happened.

[Fluttershy...]

The giant reached down one hand and stroked her mane with his finger.

"I know you're sorry," Fluttershy wept and hugged his finger tightly, grunting in pain as her foot hurt. "I'm sorry too."

Celestia stepped forwards with all of Fluttershy's friends. "Fluttershy..." Twilight whispered.

Fluttershy turned around, tears streaming down her face. "He's fine, he just -ahh!" she cried as he scooped her up and cradled her. She smiled up at him and patted his hand. "It's alright, DOG." she turned back to the ponies below. "He was just scared."

The princess gazed up at the giant. "What is his name?"

"DOG, your highness." Fluttershy called down as she flapped up to his shoulder and pecked his cheek.

Celestia sighed. "Many ponies were hurt today, DOG. I hope you understand this."

DOG nodded. This pony was bigger than the rest. She sounded like Fluttershy. Kind.

Shining Armour hobbled forwards and gazed up at the giant.

Their eyes locked.

[Sorry.]

"Me too." the captain said and huddled with his sister.

Celestia couldn't help but smile.

Suddenly, DOG's chest opened up, revealing a glowing orb of light. His eyes widened in fear. So did the ponies'.

[Fluttershy?]

"I don't know, DOG. What's happening?"

The orb started pulsing, and a holographic image projected out.

100

99

98

97...

DOG's eyes widened even further as he realized he'd taken too much damage in the battle. His war-form must have absorbed alot, but the sudden change back to normal must have deactivated most of the fail-safes.

"DOG? What's happening?" Fluttershy whispered as she looked at the red numbers counting down.

84

83

82...

He looked down and gazed at the ponies.

"What is it?" Twilight asked as he set Fluttershy down.

She limped backwards. "I don't know."

DOG pointed to his chest, at the glowing ball of energy, then made a motion with his hands. [Boom.]

Fluttershy started and tried to fly up to him. "No! We can stop it, can't we?"

He shook his head.

55

54

53

52...

"But... but..."

She burst into tears. "So what? You're just going to... leave me?"

He reached down and stroked her mane once more. [You stay. I go. No following.]

"...I love you." Fluttershy whispered and hugged his finger to his face. He smiled and brushed her mane out her eyes.

[I love you too.]

All her friends had appeared now. The crusaders jumped with joy at seeing their friend not being sent to the moon or something.

"DOG! You're OK-" Applebloom cried and hopped forwards.

Applejack stopped her and shook her head without a word.

DOG smiled at the three fillies as they watched him. [Goodbye]

The large engines on his feet roared as he lifted up into the sky. His arms pushed out in front of him, like Rainbow Dash.

25

24

23

23...

Celestia and her little ponies watched as the giant disappeared into the sky.

15

14

13

12...

You are, who you choose to be.

DOG closed his eyes.

8

7

6

5

4

He opened them again [Superhero]

3

2

1

The ponies gasped as the sky lit up, as bright as the sun, possibly even more so as the heavens lit up in a fiery inferno. The small dot of the giant in the sky vanished against the brilliant light.

Celestia put her wing around Fluttershy, cuddling the grief stricken pony.

Fluttershy wept loudly as the light faded.

Applejack removed her hat and cuddled Applebloom, who wept just as loudly into her big sister's forelegs.

Rarity used a handkerchief to blow her and Sweetie Belle's noses and nuzzled her own sister.

Pinkie Pie's mane drooped. "No party will help this," she murmured and teared up, bawling her eyes out as she held onto Twilight.

Rainbow Dash flicked her mane out her eyes and turned away.

"Rainbow... are you crying?" Twilight sniffed as she wiped her own tears away.

"No. Got something in my..." Dash never finished. Scootaloo leapt onto her and hugged her neck, burying her face in the rainbow mane. Her hero hugged back and sobbed.

Celestia wiped a tear from her eye and gazed up at the sky. "He will be remembered," she told them. "A statue, honouring his bravery and his friendship will be erected here in Ponyville. I will let Fluttershy choose where to put it."

Fluttershy sniffed and hugged the princess. "Here," she whispered. "Right here."

"Then it will happen, my little pony," Celestia smiled and nuzzled her. "Come."

"Wait." the butter pegasus said and walked forwards.

A small, dark object was falling towards them: A screw.

Fluttershy pinked it up and cradled it. "My giant." she whispered and kissed it. "I will never forget you."

This was the final straw. All of the ponies around her burst into tears. They didn't know he would come back. But she did. She could feel it.

Fluttershy's Giant - Epilogue

Fluttershy's Giant

-

Epilogue

Several months after DOG had ''left'', Fluttershy gazed out her window at the night sky again before settling down to bed. "Goodnight Angel."

Angel yawned and waved a paw at her, then nestled down in his basket and began snoring.

The pegasus lay awake, watching the stars.

*Beep*

She leapt up out of bed and stared at the box on her bedside.

The screw inside stayed a screw, unmoving, and unbeeping.

"I must have dreamt it," she murmured and lay her head back down. Almost as soon as she had done so, she heard a noise and bolted upright again.

*Thud*

*Beep*

Fluttershy leant over and peered at the box. Which was missing. Her eyes snapped open immediately as she peered over the edge of the bed, and saw the box on it's side.

*Beep, tap*

She turned her eyes to the window and smiled.

The screw as upright and tapping against the window.

*Beep*

The pegasus got out of bed and carefully opened the window, allowing her piece of the giant to leave.

"See you later," she whispered and waved goodbye as the screw rolled off to the rest of itself.

The blue light flashed as it rolled through the grass, and down to Ponyville.

It passed it's statue on the way out of town. It stopped and beeped at the bronze version of itself, smack in the middle of Ponyville. Then it carried on it's journey.

It had a long way to go.

***

Far, far away, in the frozen tundra of the north, past the Crystal Kingdom.

*Beep*

*Beep*

*Beep*

Several body parts hopped, dragged, or any other way they could, moved towards the source of the beeping.

DOG, or more specifically, his head, opened his eyes and smiled.

The End.