The Tamer’s Affliction.

Fluttershy

“Okay… let’s try this again. We go from step to step, from side to side… Good… like that…” Pause, shifting through the work. She gave a small smile. “Wonderful!”

A small growl of merit left him and it filled her heart with joy. Fluttershy watched as the giant bear, an ursa minor to be exact, took its first steps upon the world. The ursa major, its mother, also watched with pride as her cub carefully albeit clumsily took massive steps out of her cave.

The caretaker, simply known as ‘The Tamer’ to the populace, happily viewed the progress of the newborn cub. While normally it was the duty of the mother to help the cubs, unfortunately this one had a small struggle upon its birth and so, the mother sought the ‘Tamer’ to assist in her son’s first steps.

Despite the sheer and overwhelming size differences between the pegasus and the two bears, with one being as big as a house while the other… a small hill, the level of intelligence between them is not as vast or grand, especially since Fluttershy understood them very much like she would understand a native pony.

“Good… now one paw in front of the other,” she lightly added, “Try not to do quickly or you’ll fall again.” A whine of agreement left the cub, though he did as he was instructed and slowly allowed his front left forepaw slowly move down before his other paw. Once settled, he gave a small nod, then moved his other paws in the same manner. A few steps, light enough not to leave a print on the ground, and he moved to and fro, towards the Tamer and then back to his mother. Both females watched in amusement as the cub began to slowly adjust himself to the pace.

After moments, the cub seemed to bound in place, lightly hopping on the ground and causing light tremors as he happily got used to being on all fours. His mother growled in approval while Fluttershy let out a small ‘yay!’ at his accomplishments.

Her pointed ears suddenly perked up when she heard the distant sound of her name being called. “Fluttershy?” It was a near high pitched call that only a few animals could pick up. The bears heard it and knew immediately what it meant. The sign that left her was of tiredness and disappointment then anything. The two ursulines picked it up and gave the ‘Tamer’ a small growl of pity.

A small sad smile appeared on her face. “It’s okay. It's just my parents. Maybe they… want something else, nothing like before.” While that was a lie, it was hopefully the truth that she sought. It pained her heart whenever the situation came up. She looked up at the mother ursa and flew up to her giant head, patting the larger than herself nose. “It’s okay, Momma Bear, I’ll be back to help little ‘Junior’ here.” She swallowed some saliva and felt the sadden eyes of the mother landing on her. A small, comforting groan left her. Fluttershy nodded. “I know… but for now, take him and go back to the cave. I’ll let them know you can’t leave him yet.”

Feeling assured by her words, the Ursine mother gave the threshal/pegasus hybrid a small lick. A small lick being literally her whole body being covered in bear saliva. She giggled at the affection, not worried at all by her situation. The youngest gave a small cry of worry, though it was thwarted by his mother. Fluttershy quickly flew downward to rub his head. “Don’t worry, junior. I’ll be back soon before you know and we'll get you roaming again in no time!”

“Fluttershy!” The call came again. She hesitated and gave a small wave goodbye to the two ursines before she quickly flew away. In her upset state, she didn’t give another prolonged look at them, hoping and praying that they would not be used once more.

Momma bear didn’t need to be hurt again, especially with her cub just being born.

She flew fast but not with anticipation. Instead, she flew with the need to hopefully hear something good or something normal from her family instead of the usual ‘business.’

The hybrid felt heavier and heavier upon seeing her home nearing the edge of the forest. At the doors, it was her parents, her threshal father and her pegasus mother.

Her father was Shade Wind, where she got his wings and his ears from. Her mother, Whisper Shy, was where she got her color and her kindness from.

But if there was one she didn’t wish to inherit from there… was their job. At her approach both parents quickly greeted their daughter with quick hugs.

While she hated what her parents did, their love for her was so rich and genuine that it always pained her that she could never feel warm when they came to her. They always involve work when they come to visit, work that she did not like and did not wish to think about.

But… they were family and she knew she couldn’t turn her back on family, right? She pulled away and tried her best to give her parents a warm smile.

“Hello mother, father. What brings you here?”

She knew why, though she prayed it wasn’t for the wrong reason.

Her mother tried to give her a reassuring smile but her father gave a disgruntled sigh. “My dearest daughter,” Inwardly, Fluttershy winced. She hated those words. “It comes with a heavy heart that we ask for your… help once more for work.”

Fluttershy gave a small frown and although she was normally obedient to her loving parents, she hated when they asked for her help for their job’. Almost immediately she took a few steps back and shook her head. “No.”

While this would shake her parents before, both knew this was an immediate and reasonable response. However her father actually nodded. “I understand my dear and that is why… with much talking with your mother and I, including the Guild, that if you do one more job, we will never ask for another assignment.” He then pulled under his wing a scroll.

Fluttershy looked at it, though still unsure what it meant though he gave an assured nod. “This is a signed and documented form saying that after this assignment, this final one, that we, your mother and I, as well as the Guild, will never seek your aid again.” He paused and gave her a small smile. “I know that you hated doing this and I hate knowing that I made you… dislike us because of it, but my dear Fluttershy, I ask that you help us one last time to do a final assignment.”

Instead of answering, she flipped open the scroll and read it thoroughly. While some things did say that she had earned a great stipend for all her amazing work, she was still declining any and all money from her previous jobs. (That blood money went to her parents.) As she read on, she did see that if she were to complete this final assignment, a particularly high asset, she would be able to ‘retire’(not likely) and the Guild would never use her or her services again. Her parents even signed the bottom to give their own agreement as well.

Sighing with much disappointment but with some mental relief, she gave the document back to her father and gave them an even look. “Who is the target?” Before they could respond, she quickly added, “I can’t send in any of the 'ursas’, they are still recovering from the guard who thought they were wild ‘animal attacks.’ And the momma can’t leave her cub again.”

Shade Wind gave a nod in understanding. “Worry not, my dearest daughter. This is a single target and close range is the goal.”

So, it was a personal assassination mission, meaning low key with her animals, small and able to get in and out without anypony or any creature getting injured. Nodding begrudgingly, she accepted.

“Okay, so very close without collateral. Who is the target?”

Her mother pulled a photo from under wing and hoofed it over to her. Fluttershy looked at it and a powerful shiver shook her body until she fully analyzed it. At first, the center picture showed the Princess herself, Celestia. However, next to her was the circled target, a white unicorn she knew, as Raven Inkwell.

“While Celestia is part of the equation, we need Raven dead, my dear.”

She looked up from the photo towards her parents with confusion etched across her face.

Fluttershy had her targets picked carefully throughout the lands because of how they may influence certain things, plans or actions for the Guild. She was used to assassinate targets by using her animals. Her animals included Snakes, bears, star-creatures, rabbits and so on in which they would have them kill, poison, maim or do some other unmentionables that she didn’t like to think about. Her targets could be far and wide and she would be able to complete her job because no creature suspects an animal killing them. At least… not intentionally.

Her last target had her attack a small industrial area which housed a group that needed to be taken out. They were inside of a warehouse with guards. They were going to go all stealth but it was magically guarded and heavy safety measures.

In order to bypass this, they needed something big. So… she had to ask her ‘Ursa Major’ to attack, make it look like it was a complete random accident. She was attacked but managed to complete the task before they could really damage her.

But this target seemed different, seemed… odd. She never asked for details why, on any of the missions, she just knew it was for the ‘betterment’ for the guild. On rare instances, betterment for Equestria too.

Curiosity had her now. “Why her?”

Surprised she would ask, her mother shifted uneasily, a show of sadness consumed her as looked towards her husband. A frown crossed Shade Wind. “I know you never ask unless you really want to understand why it’s necessary. This is for Equestria.” He paused and then his frown morphed into something more akin to anger and pain. “She is responsible for the collapse of the Pegasi school in Canterlot

Fluttershy’s heart stopped as the information was relayed to her. The Pegasi school, a school built for them in Canterlot to teach them more than just weather and flight … collapsed due to failed regulations and improper planning. It was approved by Celestia herself or at least… a pony close to Celestia.

… Her older brother, Hollow Breeze and 22 other pegasi perished in the collapse. While it is extremely difficult to crush anyone under a weight of clouds, the school in Canterlot wasn't made of clouds and was made quickly, ineffectively and cheaply. Apparently, the company that was told to build this was a cheap one because nobles didn’t want to share a piece of ‘their’ land to the pegasi. However, Celestia being the kind hearted alicorn that she was, signed it off without their consent. There was protest and even arguments, but it was built.

However, in the first week after the school’s opening, a section of concrete and stone, which pegasi rarely use for building, collapsed and crushed students and teachers… including her brother.

The incident was instantly blamed on the company and even had many of them jailed, but the plans and architecture was purposely made flawed and even sabotaged to a degree by outside sources. There was a demand for blood by pegasi in cloudsdale and even protests that no weather would be cleaned nor created, unless the ones responsible came out.

Celestia in her effort to secure peace, tried to negotiate and failed. For almost an entire year, no weather was produced by pegasi around or near Canterlot. A few local areas suffered from dried out crops or harsh conditions, effectively driving up the market for food and other items. Soon the elite within started to blame one another for false accusations and racial profiling amongst them.

All of this because of the school and even to this day, no one else was to blame…

… until now.

A look that never came to her face, suddenly appeared. Determination, hate, rage, pain, anguish and the need for vengeance.

Calmly but a bit unevenly, she spoke to her parents. “She was the one that approved the school without guidelines?”

Fluttershy was in no way dark or evil or even mean like the elite memebers of the Guilt was, but once in a while, she would look like and become the literal force of nature that she could command. It even scarred her parents sometimes. Her father has fought in wars, battled enemies and even stared down a dragon.

But that was nothing to what his daughter could do if she ever had you in her list. She never killed any creature outright but if she sent one of her animals to come for you, it would be wise to pray for it be quick. Some she has sent have been… gruesome and excruciating.

Her father nodded and leaned over to place a gentle hoof on her shoulder. “That is why this is your last one, my daughter. This one is to make sure that somepony like her cannot get away with this because of bigotry. Raven Inkwell has hidden her hate for non-unicorns well for years of having to pander to what she calls ‘mud-walkers’ and ‘bird-brains,” A small hiss left him at those names, he gave her a glare that was meant for that unicorn. “-we now have proof that not only does she neglect other non-unicorns but in ‘Celestia’s’ name, she has made it clear she wants only unicorns to be the sole ruler. She is under Prince Blueblood's command and his focus is to get rid of Celestia and replace her with some powerful pony but under the unicorn’s rule.”

Fluttershy blinked at that. “Another… alicorn or unicorn?” She asked.

Her mother answered, “This unicorn, according to our spies, tells us that she has the potential to ascend as an alicorn and possibly take over Celestia if she retires or is indisposed. Blueblood is trying to influence her now as we speak but… we can worry about them later.” A pause and her face softened. “Not that you will have to deal with it after this, Fluttershy.”

While her mother’s words were a comfort to hear, it still burned her to know these ‘Unicorn Purests’ still existed in Canterlot. Any and all doubt left her and she knew that her parents loved her enough that they would honor their word and she would never have to do a job like this again.

But what if it was not enough?

Her father gave a small nod. “Once you do this, it will be done.”

Standing much firmer, she spoke evenly. “When am I going to act?”

Two days later, a special ball was assembled in honor of those who had tragically passed in the school. Princess Celestia, Princess Luna and a few other important guests like Blueblood and other representatives of other species.

Raven Inkwell was just behind, taking notes and looked very sour. She saw a bunch of ‘bird-brains’ and ‘mud-walkers’ about. Two of them so happened to be the mayor of Ponyville and the mayor Cloudsdale. Both were here to seek or more like demand answers to what has been a year long debate on who is at fault for the school while also showing willingness to cooperate with setting things back in order to allow peaceful trade once more.

‘You'll never get the truth, you filthy useless ponies,’ Raven mentally thought. With her back somewhat near the wall, she would never suspect an attack from the stairs especially with two alicorns in front and guards near the top. So… she would never look up or down since her eyes remained on her notes and the front.

That is where Fluttershy had come in. Or at least, part of her plan. She was not near them but she was present and from afar. Near the corner to the side of the stairs where she could keep Raven Inkwell in her sights.

The pegasi/thestral hybrid had decided that if this mare was to die, it would be the slowest and most painful one.

A black star spider was within Fluttershy’s mane, waiting for orders. While normal star spiders were harmless, black star spiders were the opposite and quite venomous. A single bite held enough poison to kill a dozen ponies. The unique thing about their poison is that it took almost 24 hours to kill a pony.

It was a soft gentle bite, barely noticeable and very difficult to tell what it was. Over the course of 24 hours, the bite slowly turns to something akin to a fever, with sweating, cold shakes, dehydration and even coughs. Then the burning starts around the 22nd or 23rd hour, where your whole body is slowly cooking inside. By hour 24, you literally burn up because the venom burns the magic in your body. It literally uses your magic to burn you inside out.

And there is no cure. Not even Celestia herself could cure it.

With that, she turned her head lightly and whispered. “Okay… after the unicorn in white.”

The black star spider nodded and crawled down her leg and began its slow stealth walk towards the mare of choice. It would be something no one would see since the focus was on the Princess and not her assistance.

As the spider went to bite its victim, Fluttershy had time to reflect on her choices and what they could mean. Ever since her youth, her parents knew of her ability to speak with animals and many creatures alike as if they were ponies. Commanding them and controlling them. They influenced her to become this… ‘assassin’ for many years. She hated knowing what she did but she knew that despite the evil deeds, her parents cared and loved her.
She would do all this for them and Equestria.

Her sharp eyes saw the Black Star Spider had successfully made its way to its target and was on the mare’s leg. A moment later, it bit down and a small barely visible wince left Raven Inkwell before she refocused back on the front. The spider was successful and made its way back.

Once it came back and nestled into her mane, the Tamer gave a sigh of content and small remorse. Sje turned away and walked out into the night. “For Equestria… for my brother…”

Author's Notes:

So this one was inspired by the Halloween episode of Fluttershy actually partaking in it for once. A sort of mix of her bat like nature mixed with her control over animals and perhap... something darker.
Let me know what you think!