Five years, six months after meteor...

The kettle sat quietly on the electric stove. Pinkie Pie narrowed her eyes at it.

Smiling, Fluttershy said softly, “A watched pot never boils, Pinkie.”

Pinkie Pie frowned and turned away. “How will I know if it’s boiling if I don’t watch it?”

Fluttershy licked her hoof and turned the page in the book she was reading. “It will whistle, just like last time,” she explained, “It’s the same kettle we’ve used before.”

“Oooooh, I know,” Pinkie Pie pouted. Her chair rocked side to side as she wiggled impatiently.

Frowning now, the pegasus lowered her book slightly and asked, “Is something bothering you, Pinkie Pie?” Fluttershy had noticed Pinkie’s behavior change ever since the snow outside had become rain a few days ago. The piled snow was taking its time melting, however, so they remained trapped inside.

Pinkie Pie frowned back. “I’ve been cooped up too long!” she cried out and rocked her chair further, “I need to go oooouuuuttttt!”

Placing her book on the side table beside her, Fluttershy rose and peered out her window. The snow was just over the sill. She turned back to Pinkie Pie with a smile and said, “Tomorrow, alright?”

The pink pony nodded but continued to rock. It’s going to be a long day, thought Fluttershy with a sigh.

As Fluttershy had said, the following morning the door to her cottage was pushed open for the first time in months. Pinkie Pie rushed outside even though a cold rain still fell. The pegasus followed her love outside and peered up into the sky.

Deep gray clouds rolled overhead, but sunlight peeked through them in a few scattered spots. It was not the endless gray it had been before. Fluttershy sighed in relief. A part of her had dreaded the returning rain and its dark clouds, but it appeared to her that spring would come soon.

While she mused, Pinkie Pie hopped around the yard, seemingly overflowing with joy. She sang, “Outside, outside, finally outside!” Her hops continued over the bridge and off towards Ponyville.

Fluttershy started to call after her but stopped. She didn’t want to slow Pinkie Pie any more then she already had all winter. I’ll find her in Ponyville again, she thought as she started off at her own pace.

The ground was hard underfoot, taking its time defrosting. The cold rain rolled off her raincoat and left her teeth chattering. Winter wasn’t giving up without a fight.

Her eyes scanned left and right as she walked. Nothing could have grown while the snow covered the land, but she still held out hope that something had. Starting on the trail to Ponyville she thought she saw something peeking out of the grown. Closer inspection revealed it to simply be a faded piece of green construction paper. “How strange,” she said aloud as she examined it.

The paper only held her attention for a few moments before her chattering teeth reminded her of her true goal: Ponyville. Fluttershy turned back onto the path and continued towards the town she hadn’t seen in months. Would everypony remember me? she wondered.

Inside, she knew they would. Her friends would never forget the one who helped them all recover after the meteor’s arrival. Even though it had caused a lot of pain to her friends, Fluttershy was almost grateful for the disaster. It had brought her closer to everypony and gave her a place in life that she had always wanted.

As she entered the park area just outside Ponyville, Fluttershy couldn’t keep her eyes off the looming buildings in the distance. It was still early so no lights yet signaled ponies rising yet.

An idea came to her then. A song everypony knows…

Her voice rose up slowly through the rain:

Lights began to wink on slowly in the homes she saw ahead. Fluttershy increased her pace.

Shutters gently swung open and sleepy heads poked out, picking up the chorus as Fluttershy continued.

Fluttershy smiled ear to ear as Ponyville woke and waved and sang. Just as she thought, everypony remembered her and welcomed spring with her.

Though she wanted to say good morning to everypony, Fluttershy quickened her pace towards Sugar Cube Corner, where she thought she would find Pinkie Pie. The shop had been Pinkie’s home for years before she had made the decision to move in with Fluttershy over the winter. Now she needed to tell the Cakes and get her things, something Fluttershy was sure the hyperactive pony was not doing.

Fluttershy found Mr. Cake outside checking the building for damage from the snow. She smiled and waved and received a wave and smile back. Stepping inside, she found Mrs. Cake wiping down the front counter. Fluttershy greeted her and asked, “Has Pinkie Pie come here yet?”

Nodding, Mrs. Cake pointed to the stairs. “She bounded up to her room just a moment ago. I heard singing outside, was that you?” she asked. Fluttershy blushed and nodded. Mrs. Cake smiled and replied, “It was beautiful.”

“Thank you,” Fluttershy blushed as she started up the stairs. She entered the long hallway that ran through the center of Sugar Cube Corner’s second floor. It had been months since she had visited Pinkie Pie’s room, and it took her a moment to remember which door was her friend’s. Fluttershy raised her hoof to knock, stopped herself, and walked in instead.

Her dear friend’s room was exactly how she remembered it. The Cakes must have been keeping it dusted for Pinkie Pie all winter, thought Fluttershy. Everything in the room looked pristine.

Pinkie Pie herself sat on her bed snuggling a small, green creature. Smiling, Fluttershy started over. “Hello, Gummy!” she greeted the tiny alligator. Gummy kept his big purple eyes on his owner, Pinkie Pie. “I think he missed you,” Fluttershy said.

“Of course he did!” Pinkie Pie replied and played airplane with her pet. “He’s going to love his new home!” She stopped suddenly. Her eyes met Fluttershy’s. “If that’s alright with you… ?”

Still smiling, Fluttershy nodded her agreement, sending Pinkie Pie into another game of airplane with Gummy. She rushed around the room with the alligator wrapped around her front hooves. The sight made Fluttershy giggle in amusement.

There was nowhere else in the world she would rather have been.

Moving Pinkie Pie into her house was a greater feat than Fluttershy had first realized. The party pony seemed to have an unlimited amount of stuff stashed all over Sugar Cube Corner. The days turned into a week, then two.

Finally, Fluttershy approached Pinkie Pie outside the earth pony’s previous home for a conversation. The rain was getting lighter by the day so the ponies decided to go on a walk, after much prompting by Fluttershy.

The situation was delicate, so Fluttershy kept the topics light for a time before saying, “Pinkie Pie, we need to talk about your stuff.”

The pink pony turned her attention away from Lyra and Bon Bon’s game of softball to Fluttershy. “What about my stuff? Did we forget something?”

“That’s the thing,” Fluttershy continued, “We still have a lot to go, and my cottage isn’t getting any bigger… I just don’t think we’ll have enough room for everything.”

“Don’t be silly!” said Pinkie Pie with a wave of her hoof. “Of course it will all fit! It fit in Sugar Cube Corner just fine!”

“But Sugar Cube Corner has a basement, and an attic, and you had an entire room to yourself, Pinkie… ” Fluttershy pressed. “You have to share the cottage with me, and Angel, and Gummy. It isn’t just you anymore.”

Pinkie Pie frowned. “But if I don’t take my stuff with me, what will happen to it?”

Seeing her plan working, Fluttershy went in for the metaphorical kill. “We can have a garage sale so everypony in Ponyville can enjoy the stuff you don’t need anymore. That way, everyone is happy!”

The frown on Pinkie Pie’s face turned to a pout, but she nodded. “You’re right, Fluttershy. I would rather everypony be happy then only be happy myself.”

Fluttershy wrapped her front legs around Pinkie Pie in a big hug. “I knew you’d understand!” she said and nuzzled the earth pony’s ear. Blushing, Pinkie Pie returned the hug and nuzzled back.

“Hey, what’s that?” Pinkie Pie asked suddenly. Fluttershy stepped away from her and followed her pointing hoof with her eyes. She was pointing towards an alley.

“I don’t see anything?” Fluttershy replied.

“Huh,” Pinkie Pie said with a scratch of her head. “I could have sworn I saw something.” The pink pony began walking towards the alley.

Brow furrowed, Fluttershy followed.

Within Fluttershy’s mind…

Skadi levitated a small, stone statue forward a space on a checkered board. “Go fish,” she said to the pitch black pony sitting across from her.

Othershy frowned. “Having fun?” she asked before moving a piece herself.

“We’re supposed to be having fun?” responded Skadi, countering Othershy’s move with one of her own.

The shadow pony fell backwards without a sound and stared at the infinite gray void above her. “I don’t know what we’re supposed to be doing, honestly.”

“Waiting, I believe,” Skadi said. The alicorn walked around the board and laid beside the other pony. When Othershy didn’t reply, Skadi continued, “Waiting for our chance.”

“That could be years!” screamed Othershy. “Can’t we put ourselves to sleep until that chance arrives?”

“And what if we miss it while we sleep?” countered the alicorn. “What if she dies while we’re blissfully oblivious?”

Othershy shot Skadi a glare. “We aren’t real. We wouldn’t die, we would just cease to exist.”

“Is that not dying?” Skadi reached out to stroke Othershy’s mane. The shadow pony recoiled from her hoof, rolling on her side away from the alicorn.

“A pony does not cease to exist just because their body no longer functions,” Othershy recounted softly. “Their legacy, their spirit, lives on in others. Twilight taught Fluttershy that a long time ago.”

“I suppose I am a representation of that, then?” the alicorn asked.

“I don’t even know what I am, what makes you think I know what you are?” the shadow pony spat.

Sternly, Skadi began, “Othershy-”

Her words were cut off as the gray void around them shook violently.

Skadi jolted to her feet and yelled, “It’s happening! We have to-”

Her words were cut off again, this time by bright yellow chains suddenly wrapping themselves around her body head to toe. She fell onto her side and struggled in vain as they tightened.

Othershy bolted towards the alicorn but found herself floating. The void was pulling her up. She screamed as loud as she could.

“FLUTTERSHY!”

She jolted awake. Light and colors assaulted her eyes. She slammed them shut again as fast as she opened them. Numbness filled her body. She was lying on her stomach on a bed of hay.

“Where in the underworld am I?” Othershy groaned. It was clear to her instantly that Fluttershy had left her body to her again, but it wasn’t in the same condition as before. What the hell happened to you, Fluttershy?

But her owner did not answer, in her mind or the real world. A heavy smell of medicine was in the air. Othershy opened her eyes again slowly. The rainbow of color she saw was from jars filled with liquids and plants of all kinds arranged on shelves along a wall. She could see them through an open doorway. Tilting her head around, she could see she was in somepony’s room, on somepony’s bed. It all looked and smelled familiar but her mind was moving so slow.

Somepony must have drugged Fluttershy, she thought. She must have switched with me to give herself a fighting chance. The idea that Fluttershy was out of commission, even temporarily, brought purpose to Othershy’s limbs. She could finally escape Ponyville and no pony could stop her.

Heaving herself up, she strained to get to her knees. Nausea assaulted her suddenly and she had to keep still till it passed. “I am getting out of here,” she encouraged herself quietly. With a burst of motion Othershy got to her knees.

And suddenly felt off balance. She toppled off the bed to her left, slamming her side into the ground. Pain jolted through her like nothing she had ever experienced. She cried out and wrapped her legs around herself unconsciously. That’s when she realized what had caused her unbalance.

Her right hoof felt her left wing on her back.

Her left hoof felt nothing.

The pain suddenly an afterthought, Othershy felt her back for her right wing. Her hoof pressed against a wound and she cried out in pain again. The wing was gone, severed cleanly.

What sort of sick… what… why…

The sound of a door opening in other room jerked Othershy’s head that direction. Another pony was there. Another living pony was there.

Or Fluttershy is making me think there is, Othershy thought suddenly. This could all be some sort of trick, some new game.

But her wing was gone, and something told her that not even Fluttershy was insane enough to cut off her own wing to get her way. The pony walking into the house-

“Fluttershy? Are you up?”

Feminine. Slightly deep. It had been so long since her ears had heard another pony speak that it took Othershy a moment to understand it. But it had happened. The other pony had spoken.

But it wasn’t a pony.

Zecora stopped walking as she entered the doorway. Othershy recalled the zebra with a mohawk, but now her hair was down like how she wore it on nightmare night. It partially covered the right side of her face. Her turquoise eye widened when she saw Othershy on the ground.

“No, no, no!” Zecora scolded, “You must rest! Return to your bed!”

But Othershy got to her hooves and backed away from the zebra. “What did you do to her? What do you want?” she growled.

Zecora suddenly seemed flustered. “Her? I’m trying to help you… ”

“You can help me by getting out of my way!” Othershy said and approached the doorway.

Looking unsure, Zecora nevertheless sidestepped out of the pony’s way.

As Othershy passed, she glared into Zecora’s visible eye and said, “Leave us alone.” The zebra shrank away from the glare. She’s not how I remember her…

But Othershy pushed the thought away. The door to Zecora’s hut was open and she took it. The sky was overcast but no rain fell. The pony didn’t know if that was normal or not, having not paid any attention to Fluttershy’s life in some time.

I don’t have much time; she could be back any minute.

Othershy took a moment to orient herself. The Everfree Forest was south of Ponyville, which meant she was already halfway to freedom. All she had to do was keep going south. And when Fluttershy wakes, I’ll convince her that Ponyville is south. We’ll keep going until-

A noise behind her spun her around. It was Zecora. The zebra was hiding partially behind the wall, staring at Othershy through the open doorway. Othershy glared at her but she only shrank back a little.

“Whatever… ” the pony sighed. There was nothing Zecora could do to stop her. Turning back to the path, Othershy started south. It took her a minute to get her balance right before she could trot. The effort reminded her of her lost wing.

It doesn’t matter, she told herself. I’d sacrifice both her wings for a chance to escape this hell.

The path she was on would lead her right out of Everfree Forest towards Dodge City. Or what’s left of it, that is. Othershy had no idea the scope of the meteor’s damage beyond Ponyville. If anything was left, she would scavenge what she could and continue south. From there she’d-

Othershy woke with a start. She was lying on her stomach, face in the dirt. It felt like she had fallen there. By the light around her it appeared a few hours had passed.

She was facing north.

Getting to her hooves, the pony shook the dirt off herself. She lifted a hoof and felt her head. It didn’t feel like anything had hit her. She was running along the path one moment and had fainted the next. Did Zecora drug me?

Further up the path was the zebra in question. Again, she hid half of herself behind a tree and watched Othershy intently. “What did you do to me?!” Othershy screamed at Zecora.

Zecora’s eye went wide with fear. “I… I didn’t do anything!” she said, shaking, “You just fell suddenly… then you turned yourself around on the ground… ”

Othershy’s scowl deepened. If that was true, then…

“Don’t come any closer, got it?” she said. Zecora nodded her understanding, a little too enthusiastically. The zebra was starting to get on the pony’s nerves.

Turning south, Othershy started off again. She mentally checked her to-do list of locations to hit and things she would need to find. A saddle bag is first. There should be one in-

Othershy woke with dirt against her face. It was getting darker now. A light rain had started. She screamed in rage. “ZECORA!” she yelled and got to her hooves, turning left and right in search of the zebra.

But Zecora hadn’t moved an inch. She was still standing half hidden by a tree, staring intently at the screaming pony. “It happened again… ” she said softly.

“It couldn’t have,” said Othershy, anger rising. “Only she could do that to me, and she’s-”

Clink

Othershy froze. For a moment, just for a fraction of a second, she could hear Skadi’s chains. But I haven’t chained Skadi since…

The pony shot off suddenly, headed north. Zecora scrambled to keep up with her. Othershy took a fork heading back towards Fluttershy’s cottage. Behind her, Zecora kept pace.

The sound of thunder could be heard from the north. A stray thought, a thunderstorm is coming.

Using her front legs, Othershy kicked in the cottage’s front door. It slammed open and came off its top hinge. “FLUTTERSHY!”

The living room was dark and quiet. Othershy stormed in and marched into every room on the first floor. She found nothing. As she reentered the living room from the kitchen she noticed Zecora had stopped at the home’s entryway.

You aren’t down here, so you must be up there! Othershy thought. She ascended the stairs to Fluttershy’s room. Every candle was out, leaving the room completely dark. But Othershy knew the room’s layout by heart. Her hooves brought her to the edge of the bed.

The eyes were starting to adjust to the darkness. The blankets on the bed covered something pony-sized. Othershy stared at the blankets. She took a deep breath to try and calm herself somewhat. It didn’t work. “What do you want?” she asked.

Fluttershy stirred slightly on the bed but didn’t respond. A bolt of lightning outside the cottage lit the room up for a half-second. Othershy saw her shadow extend over the empty bed.

“Well?” Othershy asked again. “Why did you do this to us? Why did you bring me here? TELL ME!”

The blankets stirred again. Fluttershy extended a hoof out from under the blankets, pushing something. It was a small, aged photograph of Pinkie Pie.

“What… in the… ” Othershy bit back her outrage. “You want Pinkie Pie? Fine, I’ll go bring her here and smash her over your fucking head!” She turned and started towards the stairs, stomping her hooves.

Zecora, just far enough up the stairs to peer into the room, nearly fell trying to get off the stairs and out of Othershy’s way. The pony just scoffed at her as she made her way through the living room.

“Pinkie Pie is… ”

Othershy stopped. “What did you say?” she asked Zecora.

Gulping, Zecora said again, “Pinkie Pie is gone.”

Othershy turned all the way around to face the zebra. “What do you mean, she’s gone? Fluttershy wouldn’t let anything happen to her. She’s obsessed with her.”

Zecora looked incredibly confused and slightly scared. “But… you’re Fluttershy… ”

“I AM NOT FLUTTERSHY!” Othershy exploded at her, taking an involuntary step towards Zecora in anger.

If the pony wasn’t in her way, it looked as if Zecora would have bolted out the front door right then and there. Instead, her knees buckled and her visible eye started to tear up.

Othershy bit down to prevent more obscenities from coming forth from her. Of course she thinks I’m Fluttershy, she realized. I LOOK like I am!

“Just… call me, Shy, alright?” she said as calmly as she could. “It’s all very complicated and I don’t have time to explain it to you right now.” Zecora nodded slowly but stayed on the floor. With a sigh, Shy asked, “Where is Pinkie Pie?”

“Froggy Bottom Bog… ” Zecora answered softly. “It took her there… ” Another bolt of lightning struck outside. The living room lit up for only a moment, but it was enough for Shy to see Zecora wince from it.

“What took her?” Shy asked with a frown.

“The thing that attacked you and ripped your wing off… if I hadn’t been there to help, you would have bled out… ” said Zecora, rising to her hooves.

And why exactly were you there? Shy wanted to ask but didn’t. Instead, she turned and headed out of the cottage. She now knew where she had to go and what she had to find, and that was enough for her.

But Zecora rushed out after her. “You can’t go there!” she screamed, “That thing will kill you this time!”

“Whatever it is,” Shy said over her shoulder, “I’m sure it’s not as bad as you think it is. Fluttershy probably rolled over as soon as she saw it. With all the muscles she’s gotten over the years, it shouldn’t be a problem.”

Zecora trotted along beside Shy, looking nervous. She did not speak up again, however, and Shy enjoyed the silence. The path they took to the bog was fast, cutting through Everfree Forest in a nearly-straight line, eliminating the need for light which neither pony nor zebra had.

The only reason Shy knew they had entered the Bog was the sudden stickiness of the ground. Even after the meteor, the bog had retained its bogginess. With the snow and rain it most likely resembles the Bog of old already, she thought.

She turned to Zecora. “Alright,” she said, “Where is she?”

It was difficult to make out, but Shy saw Zecora point with a hoof. “The center of the bog. Please, let’s come back when it’s brighter… ”

As if on cue, the clouds above them parted. The full moon lit up Froggy Bottom Bog. Lightning rippled silently across the clouds, as if threatening to close them as quickly as they had opened.

Seeing her chance, Shy scanned the bog. There, on a small dry patch of land in the middle of the murky water, was the abomination once known as Pinkie Pie. She stood on all four hooves facing to the left. The fabric Fluttershy had wrapped her in was torn and dirty, revealing pink bone. No other creatures were visible. At the pony’s feet were small objects Shy couldn’t make out from that distance.

The clouds were beginning to close again. Shy stepped a hoof into the bog water.

The water a yard in front of her exploded upwards. A creature within the filthy water roared as it reared up. “BY THE NIGHT!” Shy screamed in terror. The creature towered over her, its body blocking the moon’s fading light. All she could see was its black silhouette and long, sharp claws catching the moonlight.

Zecora bit down on Shy’s tail and yanked her backwards. The motion saved Shy from getting smashed by the descending form of the creature. Both pony and zebra almost lost their footing as the ground shook. “RUN!” Zecora screamed at the still stunned pony.

Without wasting time with a response, Shy turned and ran back up the path. Zecora followed close behind. The roar behind her drowned out the next peel of thunder.

There came a point during their run that Zecora took the lead. The zebra led Shy back to her hut on the other side of Everfree Forest. Shy didn’t mind, preferring to focus her thoughts on what had just occurred over which direction she should run.

As soon as Zecora slammed the door to her hut behind them Shy was upon her. The pony tackled the zebra to the ground and pinned her neck with a hoof. “Move and I’ll kill you!” Shy threatened.

The hut was lit only by a few fireflies trapped in jars along the wall. Shy stared into Zecora’s visible eye and saw the zebra’s fear. Her black and white hair had fallen away from her face when she fell, though in the weak light Shy couldn’t quite see what it had hid. Even though she was whimpering, Zecora still brought a hoof up to cover her face when she realized her hair wasn’t.

“I was going to let you do as you please,” explained Shy, “Because, frankly, you’ve become nothing more than a quivering foal. You also say you fixed her up after… she was attacked. But now you’re going to explain what in the lower hells is going on!”

Zecora wouldn’t meet Shy’s eyes. In a shaking voice, she explained, “I came back to Ponyville because I… I wanted to see if there was anything left… ”

Liar. “Tell me about the monster. Do you know what it is? Where it came from?” Shy asked.

It was hard to for the zebra but she shook her head. “I just arrived and saw… Fluttershy. She saw me and started walking over, and that’s when it attacked her… she was holding Pinkie Pie and it grabbed her and rushed off… ”

“After ripping off Fluttershy’s wing?” As Zecora started to nod Shy pressed down with her hoof and yelled, “Why are you lying to me?!”

“I’m not! That’s what happened!” Zecora started struggling. Shy leaned on her more and kicked forward with her back leg into the zebra’s stomach. She curled up and ceased her struggling.

Shy leaned down and whispered into Zecora’s ear, “Is this part of her game? You can tell me. Is she setting this all up? Is she using you to get to me?”

Tears rolled down Zecora’s face. She whimpered and choked on her words.

“SPIT IT OUT!” Shy screamed inches from the zebra’s face.

The zebra broke down into sobs, crying out, “I don’t know what you’re talking about! Please, Fluttershy, stop!”

“DON’T CALL ME THAT!” Shy screamed and slammed her front hoof down. She missed Zecora’s neck by an inch, making a divot in the dirt. Zecora simply tried to make herself smaller and kept wimping for her to stop.

She doesn’t know anything… this isn’t a game... Shy stepped away from Zecora. Fluttershy won’t fight back, so she’s forcing me to instead. The pony started laughing softly. I can’t run. I’m trapped in this town from hell with a coward zebra. She won’t even let me talk to Skadi. Her laughter got louder and louder.

Zecora crawled around the laughing pony towards her room as quietly as she could. Shy fell to her knees, tears pouring from her eyes, lungs burning from laughter. She heard Zecora close the door to her room and lock it. As soon as she did, Shy fell to the floor.

There, her laughter turned to sobs until she succumbed to sleep.

Darkness as far as the eye could see.

“Oh my, it’s so dreary in here. It could use a pony’s touch!”

Shy turned around in the darkness. Fluttershy stood a few yards away, a teapot resting on a tiny portable stove beside her. Smiling, Fluttershy continued, “A nice carpet and some windows to let the sun in… that’s what we need!”

“There’s no floor, or walls,” responded Shy in a monotone. “What are you doing here?”

A cushion appeared under Fluttershy and she sat down on it. “Someone has to watch your home while you’re away,” she said.

Shy’s upper lip curled. “Where’s Skadi? What did you do to her?”

The most convincing confused eyes stared back at Shy. “Who?”

“Listen to me you little twit,” Shy began, approaching Fluttershy menacingly, “Pinkie Pie is gone. A monster took her away and there’s nothing we can do about it.”

Waving a hoof, a cushion appeared across from Fluttershy. “Come, sit, enjoy some tea,” the pony said. “Though it will take a moment to-”

The mini-stove and teapot flew away as Shy bucked it. She turned and put her face inches from Fluttershy’s. “You are not Rarity, to speak like that. You are not Applejack, to rough it in the woods. You are Fluttershy. This is beyond you.”

Without a moment’s hesitation the pegasus replied, “I AM Fluttershy.” She leaned in and her tone grew bold. “I healed the town when they were hurt. I drew water from the Everfree Forest when they were thirsty. And if I could, I would protect them from that thing. But I can’t. Only you,” she raised her hoof at Shy, “Only you can.”

In a quiet voice, Shy explained, “That thing is going to rip us to shreds-”

Fluttershy leaned in and blew into Shy’s ear, sending a shiver down the other pony’s back. “How do you know if you’ve never tried?” she asked softly. “Besides, you haven’t even used your newest asset.”

With that, Fluttershy lifted her hoof and pushed Shy backwards. The other pony flew into the air, her scream ripping through the silence.

The strangest sound Shy had ever heard awaited her as she jolted awake. Her eyes roved the hut until she found the window. Sunlight illuminated the rainclouds outside but failed to penetrate them completely. On the window sill a bird stood looking in at her.

It was the first bird Shy had ever seen, though she instantly recalled what it was. “A blue jay… ” she said to no pony. The bird tilted its head at her before taking flight. It was out of sight in moments. Nature is returning…

She got her hooves under her and stood. It looked to be about midday. The door to Zecora’s room remained shut. Some “asset”, she thought. Shy walked to the closed door and pressed her ear to it. No sound came from inside, but a strange smell leaked out from under the door.

“Zecora?” she called while knocking lightly. “You in there?”

A squeak from a bedframe.

“Zecora,” Shy called louder. “I’m… ” going to stab you in the heart “sorry about last night. I wasn’t… ” going completely insane “feeling well. I feel a lot better now. You can come out.”

A quiet voice responded, “… Fluttershy?”

Shy slammed her front hooves against the door and bit her lip. In the nicest voice she could manage, “Not… Fluttershy, dear. It’s ‘Shy’.”

“… go away… ” came the quiet reply.

Listen to me, you piece of… “I know I can be a little… physical… and I’m sorry for that… but I need your help if I’m going to get Pinkie Pie back.” Shy tried to remember if the window inside Zecora’s room was open or not.

The reply came quicker this time. “I don’t want to help you,” said the zebra, “You should just give up… ”

“I can’t do that, sweetheart,” Shy said loudly as she moved quietly to the front door. “I need to get Pinkie Pie back for Fluttershy so she can come back. Don’t you want her to come back? She’s nicer than I am… ” She used her back hooves to slowly open the door and slip outside.

Zecora took a moment before saying something too softly for Shy to hear from outside. The pony was around the side of the hut in a flash. Though the hut’s window’s remained, they were black and dirty. Shy backed herself away from the hut and dug in her hooves. Gritting her teeth, she charged and leaped sideways. Her body smashed through the window into Zecora’s room.

The zebra was lying on her bed under her blankets. As soon as the window shattered she let out a scream, telling Shy exactly where she was. The pony shook herself off and jumped onto the bed.

“It’s alright, IT’S ALRIGHT, DAMNIT!” Shy ripped the blankets off of Zecora and pinned her down, wrapping her legs around her from behind. The zebra struggled like a mad cow. The pony pinned Zecora’s legs down with her own until the zebra stopped moving.

They laid there gasping for air for a time, both out of breath. Finally, Shy said, “There, see? Look how happy we are now that we’re together.” Zecora started whimpering. Shy resisted the urge to bite her neck till she bled out. “I’m not going to hurt you, see?” the pony said, leaning her head over the zebra’s shoulder and nuzzling her softly. Zecora stopped whimpering and her body relaxed somewhat. “There, see… mama’s got you… ” Shy had to grit her teeth to get the words out.

Slowly, Shy released her front left leg from around Zecora and stroked the zebra’s mane. Zecora let her. Shy kept speaking softly, “You’re going to help me, Zecora.” The zebra tensed up at the words. “Hey, hey, easy now… as long as I’m here, you’ll be alright… ” The tension slowly went out of Zecora. “Good girl… I’m strong, I’ll protect you… you just need to help me… ”

“... how?” Zecora asked quietly. Had she been able to see Shy’s evil grin right then, the zebra would have regretted ever asking.

“First, we need to find out what the monster is,” Shy explained, loosening her wrap on Zecora. “And then find out how to kill it so it never bothers us again.” A shiver went through Zecora while Shy spoke. The pony realized she was breathing onto the zebra’s neck. The thought of Zecora getting pleasure from her disgusted her, and she released the zebra fully from her embrace.

Zecora turned around and stared into Shy’s eyes. There was something in those eyes that captured Shy for only a moment before she realized she was looking into both the zebra’s eyes. The right side of Zecora’s face was badly burned, her eye peeking out from charred flesh. All the doubt in Shy’s mind that Zecora wasn’t real vanished. Fluttershy would never do this to another pony…

Zecora noticed Shy’s wide eyes and quickly turned away again. Shy wanted to ask what had happened to her but kept quiet. There will be time for that later, she decided. “Come on, the day is wasting,” she spoke, and got off the bed. “We’ll clean up here and head to the bog.”

“The bog?!” said a shocked Zecora. “But, but-”

Shy brought up a hoof to silence the zebra. “We need to figure out what it is before we can find out how to kill it, remember?” The pony looked down at the broken glass and sighed. “Where’s your broom?”

A hoof came up to block the rain from getting into her eyes. Zecora did the same beside her. When is this damn rain going to end… Shy thought. They laid side by side in the cover of some trees near the center of the bog. Neither wanted to get much closer.

So far, however, their prey eluded them. Shy heard Zecora’s stomach growl for the third time that day. The pony sighed, “We’ve been out here for hours. Whatever that thing is, it’s probably nocturnal.”

“And territorial,” Zecora added softly.

“Yes, and territorial… ” Shy stared at the motionless corpse of Pinkie Pie. It stared at nothing.

Zecora’s stomach growled again.

With a sigh of frustration, Shy started crawling backwards. She favored her shoulder where she hit the window. “We’ll get some food from Fluttershy’s house and head into town.”

“There’s food at my house, and it’s closer,” said Zecora, crawling after Shy. “I could make us something-”

Shy’s glare cut her off. “And where did you get that food from?” Eye widening, the zebra looked as if she would bolt any moment. But Shy just shook her head and continued crawling through the trees back to the path. She’s keeping something secret, but if I force her to tell me what it is I may lose her help…

As soon as she could, Shy stood up and started trotting. Though her legs were now covered in mud, she didn’t want to waste another second. Zecora hurried along after her, staying quiet. The zebra was quickly learning not to speak too often.

A book fell to the floor with a loud thud. “Careful, curse it!” Shy scolded Zecora. “These books are fragile as it is!”

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” the zebra apologized again and again as she lifted the book with her hooves and cradled it.

“Just be more careful…” Shy said again and went back to reading. The book opened in front of her was a bestiary on the many creatures that used to roam Equestria. She had flipped through it until she got to swamp creatures, but the section was smaller than she expected.

“Too small to be a hydra,” she said aloud. “Swamp trolls don’t come this far north… none of these creatures sound like the thing we saw.”

Zecora gently placed the book she had beside Shy and said, “We couldn’t see it well… ”

“True… what’s this one?” Shy asked, turning to the new book. The cover depicted multiple dragons circling a white and blue sphere.

Zecora gulped down her fear before softly explaining, “I thought it might be a swamp dragon… ”

Shy ran a hoof over the book’s cover. “Maybe,” she said. “I’ll look through it.” The book was too thick for her to quickly flip it open with her nose, making her snort in frustration. Her hooves still had drying mud on them and it pained her to turn the pages with them. For the thousandth time she wished Fluttershy had been born a unicorn. “Then we could just zap the stupid thing… ”

On the other side of the library already, Zecora looked over when she heard Shy speak. Shy waved her off. “Keep looking for bestiaries. One of them has to be what we saw.”

“And then we’ll kill it…?” asked Zecora in a moment of courage.

Snorting, Shy replied, “I’ll kill it. You’ll most likely be hiding behind a tree.” She grimaced when some mud stuck to a page as she flipped it.

Being on the other side of the room seemed to grant Zecora more courage. She asked, “Why are you trying to get Pinkie Pie back? For… Fluttershy?”

“Yes, for Fluttershy. So that she’ll leave me alone,” Shy said monotonously, focusing on reading. The swamp dragon hunts mainly at night… “Did what we saw have wings?”

Zecora scratched her head with a hoof. The hair in front of her burn parted slightly, revealing the scar. “I don’t think so… it just looked big.” When Shy went back to the book, the zebra continued her questions, “Why do you want Fluttershy to leave you alone?”

“Because she wants to stay in these ruins with her dead friends and I don’t,” responded Shy automatically. “And she won’t let me leave.”

“So… ” Zecora paused and frowned. “You want to leave with Fluttershy?”

Shy slammed the book closed. “I did want that, yes! But not anymore!” She pushed the book away with her front hooves and stood. The sunset sent long shadows through the library. They calmed the pony. “It’s getting late, you should go home.”

The zebra had started slinking towards the door during Shy’s outburst but stopped when she stood. “What about you?”

“I’m staying here until I find out what in the abyss that thing in the swamp is,” the pony said. She walked over to the bookshelves and scanned them. Fluttershy had done her best to fix and maintain the wood, but the books themselves had suffered under the meteor blast. The ever changing weather patterns had also aged the books faster than normal. Several looked like they would crumble at the touch.

I wouldn’t have to reread all these if Fluttershy just told me what was in them…

A shuffling sound turned Shy around. Zecora was standing exactly where she had been when Shy told her to leave. Stamping down her anger, Shy asked, “What is it? Why are you still here?”

“I… I want to help you more… ” Zecora stumbled over her words. She gently poked her saddle bag lying beside her. “We brought a lot of food… we could sleep here tonight and-”

“Zecora,” Shy said as calmly as she could manage. “You have five seconds to exit this building and go home. Come back tomorrow.”

Zecora started shaking. “But I, I just-”

“Five,” the pony said, walking towards Zecora. “Four.”

Surprisingly, the zebra stood her ground. She continued to stammer, however, and Shy realized that Zecora was simply too scared to move.

“Sweet Celestia, save me,” Shy sighed. She walked around Zecora until the zebra was between her and the door. Rolling her eyes, Shy started pushing Zecora towards the door. The zebra quietly let herself be pushed, whimpering only once. Shy was suddenly glad they had left the door open.

Once the zebra was outside, Shy stepped back into the library. “Come back tomorrow morning, and don’t be late!” she told Zecora before slamming the door shut. Ear to the door, Shy waited until she heard Zecora trot away before letting out a sigh of relief. What an annoyance…

“I think she’s sweet.”

Shy nearly jumped out of her skin. She recognized the voice a moment later and turned. Fluttershy stood next to the saddle bag of food, staring down inside. “She packed a lot for you even though she was the hungry one, you know.”

“Unless you’re here to impart the knowledge of these books to me, go away!” Shy seethed. Her hooffalls echoed around the library as she walked towards a shelf. “I want to figure out what that monster is as soon as I can.”

Smiling sweetly, Fluttershy fell back into her rump. “I would tell you, but…”

“But what?” the half winged pony asked. “But it would ruin the little game you set up? You want to see me squirm?!” In a fit of rage, Shy swept the bookshelf before her clean of books. They tumbled unto the floor with pages from a few flying into the air.

The outburst didn’t faze Fluttershy in the slightest. “But,” she said, taking a slightly bruised apple out of the saddlebag and looking it over, “That monster isn’t in any of these books.”

“Not…? Of course it has to be here, somewhere!” Shy yelled. “Monsters don’t simply come into being!” Not ones from our time, anyways…

Images and thoughts suddenly flew through her mind. Fluttershy had read every book in the library, some more than once. All the knowledge she had acquired opened wide for Shy to see. Only one book seemed to suggest the monster she had seen.

“Dark magic… ” she breathed out the words. “It was outlawed a thousand years ago.”

But Fluttershy just shook her head slowly. “Who is left to enforce it? Celestia and her royal guards from Canterlot are gone. Only here, in Ponyville, is it safe anymore. The effects of the meteor on Equestria must have been too much for some ponies.”

Dark magic, monsters, Equestria… A smile crept across Shy’s lips. She stalked around Fluttershy. “This is another one of your games, isn’t it?”

The sigh and downcast expression Fluttershy put on would have convinced any other pony. “I’ve never played ‘games’ with you, Shy,” she sighed out.

“This is all too perfect for you: a monster enters Ponyville and takes away your beloved corpse.” Shy kicked a book in front of her towards Fluttershy.

The pegasus side-stepped the missile easily. “I asked for your help because you’re the only pony left with the capacity to-”

“To what?! Feel anything other than ‘love and kindness’?” Shy yelled and kicked another book. This one never came close to Fluttershy, and the pegasus didn’t move an inch.

Fluttershy’s narrowed gaze betrayed her sweet voice. “You’re the only pony who could hurt another living being. No pony in Ponyville could ever hurt anypony, even a monster.”

“So it’s not that you won’t, it’s that you can’t?” Shy replied bitterly. “Did you ever realize that I really have no incentive to help you at all? You’ve lost the one thing you love most in your life and you can’t ever get it back-”

This time, Fluttershy’s raised voice cut Shy off. “Pinkie Pie means more to me than you will ever know! I would do anything for her!”

“Except what she needs you to do,” said Shy quietly. She turned and started towards the stairs to the second floor. “Excuse me but this conversation is boring me to sleep.”

“You want freedom, don’t you?”

Shy stopped dead in her tracks.

“Get Pinkie Pie back and I’ll give you your freedom.” Fluttershy proposed.

“Freedom from… what? Your mind?” came Shy’s questions. Freedom… a chill ran down her spine at the thought.

“Freedom to come and go as you please. You would no longer be confined,” the yellow pony explained.

“You’ll give me the body? Our body? Forever?” Shy couldn’t help a tremble from creeping into her voice. To have full control of Fluttershy’s body and mind meant she could find a way to escape. Or even simply be able to trot out of Ponyville…

“Freedom, forever,” Fluttershy reiterated.

Even through the torture of watching Fluttershy descend into madness, being betrayed again and again, a small glimmer of hope sparked in the back of Shy’s thoughts. All she had to do to finally be free was kill one creature.

“Deal.”

The morning seemed to never want to appear to Shy. She lay on her back on what was once Twilight Sparkle’s bed, staring at the patched up ceiling above her. Thoughts of freedom sought to float into her mind but she denied them. Closing her eyes, she focused completely on her goal.

The monster.

It was a completely new species, most likely created within the past few years with dark magic. That much she knew. The how and why were unimportant to her. Even its reasons for taking Pinkie Pie, while only speculations, were pushed aside and replaced with darker thoughts of death.

These thoughts came almost as easily. Fluttershy had taken all those dark and terrible things, like death and pain, and locked them away into Othershy. Now, Shy was thankful to have them. They helped her envision a plan, one Fluttershy had read about while consuming the library of its knowledge. One only Zecora could help her with…

Always with the damn coincidences…

Eventually morning did come, and Shy rose from the well-maintained mattress rested, even though sleep had only come sporadically. Breakfast came in the form of some stale bread and a carrot and nothing to wash it down with. Shy just sighed away her displeasure. She was getting used to the feeling already.

Her eyes scanned the library as she ate. Inside her mind she sought out the location of the book Fluttershy had read long ago. It was during one of the pony’s darker moments where she buried herself in stories of strange magic and occult rituals. None of the practices mentioned were performed anymore, at least not in Equestria. They’re still passed on, however. Chomping down the last bit of carrot, Shy stood and walked to where she thought the book was.

She was still scanning the shelves when Zecora arrived. On her back was a light saddlebag. Her hair stuck to her face wetly but still managed to cover the scars on the right side. ”I brought some more food,” she said quietly as she entered, shaking from the cold rain.

Shy scanned the zebra a moment before waving her off. “Put it with the other one. And don’t bring anymore until we finish what we have.”

Zecora nodded and did as she was told, tracking mud inside. Sighing, Shy went back to scanning the shelves. Seeing the pony busy, Zecora went to the other side of the library and started scanning the books around her as well.

It didn’t take long for Shy to find what she was after. Licking her lips and cringing as she did so, the pony used her mouth to pull out the tome and place it on the floor gently. She had cleaned her hooves on Twilight’s blanket the night before and was now able to turn pages without regret.

“Perfect,” she said softly to herself. She looked back over her shoulder and shouted to the zebra, “Zecora! Come here!” Zecora was quick to comply, trotting the distance and sitting herself before Shy like a trained dog, though some fear showed in her eyes. Shy enjoyed the sight. “What potion making supplies do you have at your hut?”

“Potion making…?” The question visibly took Zecora off guard. “Almost nothing… some herbs and flowers for healing wounds, but nothing else… ”

Taking a deep breath, Shy asked her next question carefully. “Have you ever worked with Dragon Star?”

Zecora’s visible eye grew wide. “Once… why? What could you ever want-”

“I need you to get some for me and make me a Thousands Potion,” Shy stated.

But Zecora was shaking her head before Shy even finished. “No… no, no…” The zebra started to back away from Shy, her body shaking.

Knowing she had to stomp down any resistance as soon as she could, Shy pursued. “It’s the only way to fight what’s in that swamp. I’m strong, but with that potion-”

“You’ll die!” Zecora screamed. “That potion kills three in four who drink it! It is a blasphemy upon everything we stand for-”

“Yet they still teach you how to make it!” Shy screamed back. “I’ve read all about your kind and your ways. I know you learn how to make Thousands in case it is needed one day. Now you will make it again!”

Knees shaking, Zecora shook her head again. Her words came out no louder than a whisper, “I won’t kill you… ”

Shy walked right up to Zecora, almost touching noses. “I was never alive to begin with. I’m nothing more than a figment of Fluttershy’s insane imagination.” Up came her hooves to push Zecora backwards. The zebra fell onto her rump, surprised.

“You will make me the potion,” Shy stated again. “Whether you want to or not.”

Tears started to stream down Zecora’s right cheek. She bit her lower lip and stared down at the floor. “I don’t want to… ”

“I DON’T CARE!” Shy’s hoof whipped across Zecora’s face, knocking the zebra to the floor. The pony grit her teeth and calmed herself but the damage was done. Zecora curled up into a ball and started sobbing.

I need her, dammit all! I can’t be so forceful!

“Zecora,” Shy reached down and touched the zebra’s front leg. Zecora recoiled. Shy’s anger rose and fell. “Zecora… I’m sorry…” Front legs wrapped around her head, back legs curled up, Zecora continued to cry. With a sigh, Shy sat. “I need that potion, it’s the only way I can stop this.” She reached out again and this time Zecora didn’t recoil. “After this is over, I won’t hurt you anymore… no one will ever again…” Shy leaned down and wrapped her front legs around the zebra in a hug.

Zecora turned and returned the embrace, a move that Shy wasn’t expecting. The pony was pulled to the floor beside the zebra. Though she wished it would end, Shy suffered through the hug.

Zecora’s nod felt more like a nuzzle. “I’ll make it… for you…”

Shy sighed. “The sooner you do, the sooner this will all be over,” she said aloud, but inside she thought, And when it’s over, I’ll bury you beside the beast.

“Abandoned? They abandoned the entire city?” Shy’s hoof slowly lifted off the map. Underneath, in large print, was Dodge City. “It was vital for trade, how could they just abandon it?”

Zecora was filling her saddlebags with supplies nearby, her cloak already donned. The two of them were inside Fluttershy’s cottage. Shy had insisted Zecora use Fluttershy’s food instead of her own, but she had really only wanted access to the old map and Zecora’s modern knowledge.

“Dodge City was the vital for trade between Ponyville and cities past the Badlands,” the zebra explained. “The meteor destroyed Ponyville and set fire to half of Dodge City. They had no choice but to migrate to Appleloosa.”

“Which is also abandoned,” said the shocked pony.

Zecora walked over and sat beside Shy. She drew a line with her hoof across the map. “When Appleloosa became too crowded, everyone went west to Los Pegasus.” The zebra became morose a moment. “Many ponies died during the journey…”

“You were there? In Appleloosa?” Shy pressed.

Slowly, Zecora nodded. “After I had seen what happened to Ponyville I fled south to Dodge City, and then to Appleloosa, and then on to Los Pegasus.” A distant look came over the zebra. Shy could imagine the memories weren’t something she remembered often.

“What happened in Los Pegasus?” asked Shy impatiently.

Zecora stared into space, staring into the past. Shy repeated herself but the zebra wouldn’t respond. Looking into her eye, Shy saw fear creeping in. Enough of this… “Zecora!”

The zebra jumped in fright and fell backwards away from Shy. She started gasping, holding her chest as if her heart was trying to burst from it. Gradually she realized where she was and relaxed. “I… I don’t want to talk about Los Pegasus… ”

Though she wanted to know what had caused Zecora to become the zebra she was today, Shy relented. “Where will you go to get the Dragon Star?” she asked instead.

As Zecora got to her hooves, she pointed to the map again. “Though it’s thought of as abandoned, there are still ponies living in Appleloosa. It serves as a new central hub for trade between Los Pegasus and Baltimare… or it used to until Baltimare stopped sending traders… ”

Shy waved her front legs in the air. “Whatever. How long will it take for you to travel there and back?”

Zecora scratched her head. Her hair slightly parted from her face. Shy couldn’t stop herself from staring at the zebra’s scar. “It will only take two days to get there. The problem is the Dragon Star… it’s expensive, and I may have to wait there some time before any comes through… ”

“I can alleviate one of your worries, at least,” said Shy. She turned and walked to the corner of the living room. There, she pulled the small carpet away, revealing a small hatch in the floor. With her teeth she opened it up and lifted out a sack. Once it was on the floor she kicked it over. Bits poured out of it.

Zecora’s stunned expression made her smile. “Take as much as you can carry.”

There weren’t enough bits in the world to stop Shy from trying to walk out of Ponyville with Zecora. Again, as before, Fluttershy knocked the pony out from the inside and turned her around. When she woke up, Zecora was still there patiently waiting in the rain. Shy just sighed. “Well? Get going! The faster you get it the faster this will all be over!”

Zecora was galloping before Shy finished, hooves splashing water behind her. Shy waited until the zebra was out of sight before turning back for Ponyville.

The past days had gone by in a blur to Shy, but now that blur had stopped. She would have days, perhaps weeks, to herself in Ponyville with nothing to do. The cold rain sent a shiver down her back. The pony hadn’t bothered with a coat. Maybe I’ll come down with flu and die…

Or maybe, Fluttershy’s voice said within her mind, you’ll go read a book.

Shy found herself walking towards the library. It came as no shock to her that Fluttershy could compel her to do as she wished. Shy was nothing but the other pony’s puppet.

For now…

After the past days there the library was starting to feel to Shy like her home. Once inside again, Fluttershy stopped her mental pushing and fell silent. She must think I like it here or something, thought Shy.

An evil thought came over her right than. Fluttershy had read every book, but that didn’t mean she enjoyed every one. Shy searched the shelves until she found the one she was after: a childrens book of fantasy tales. With a knowing hoof she flipped through it until she found the story she was after.

She read it aloud, feeling Fluttershy cring in her mind. “The Armor of Demons... ” The short story detailed how a village had been attacked by an escaped demon from the underworld. After the attack, only a young colt had survived. In the name of revenge he had forged himself a suit of armor from the remains of his village, and also from the bones of his fellow ponies. He slew the demon, but the demon’s blood cursed the armor, forcing the colt to wear it till he died.

While she had begun the story as a way to harm Fluttershy, Shy found herself enthralled. The story was purely fantasy, of course, but one detail stock in her mind.

“No bite, or claw, could pierce his armor...”