When Fluttershy got back to Liponite, he was spread out flat, moaning. "What happened?" She cantered over, waving a hoof in front of his face to try and get his eyes to focus. "What's wrong?"

He rolled over, holding all four paws to his belly. "I'm starvinggg....." He groaned, "Wasn't one of your friends bringing a meal?"

"Oh yeah!" Fluttershy looked out towards the forest. "I wonder what's keeping her? You stay put. I'll be right back."

"Yeah, like I can go somewhere else."

"Applejack!" Fluttershy trotted over to the ginger filly, who was standing on the barn porch, looking up at the sky. "Applejack, what's keeping your from making any-"

Applejack stuffed one hoof in Fluttershy's mouth, jerking her head up to the sky. "Quiet. They'll hear you."

Fluttershy looked up, scanning the clouds. Suddenly she saw what Applejack was worried about. Two griffons were flying just below the clouds, decked out in full battle armor and goggles. The one was talking to the other, waving its talons and swinging its head. They were almost directly overhead, but other, larger patrols were scattered in the clouds.

"Is it... Gilda?" Fluttershy whispered, pushing Applejack's hoof away.

"I don't know." Applejack replied. "But it's not good. Quick, come inside." She pushed Fluttershy through the door, and into the barn.

"Whoa!" Fluttershy tripped over her hooves and face-planted into the hay. When she opened her eyes, she was met by Twilight's muzzle in her face, for the second time that day. And just like before, she screamed.

Twilight Sparkle backpedalled, falling into a sitting position on the hay. As Fluttershy's eyes adjusted to the dark, she could make out Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Spike all sitting with Twilight. Applejack shut the door and trotted up to stand beside the other ponies.

"Fluttershy, I know your sensitive and all, but we have to get rid of that dragon!" Rainbow Dash stepped forward, shouldering Twilight aside. "He's made the griffons patrol the sky! I can't clear the clouds!"

"Because the clouds are here, my apples can't grow, Rarity's fashion colors are invisible, Twilight's finding it hard to study, and Pinkie can't throw any good parties!"

"I. Need. PARTIES!" Pinkie shouted.

"I need fashion!"

"I need books!"

"I need apples!"

"I need to fly!"

Fluttershy backed up towards the door. "I can't speed up his healing, guys. There's nothing I can do!"

"You can do anything you want, Fluttershy." Princess Luna was sitting up on the beams, looking out through the tiny window at the cloudy sky. "You can leave him alone instead of taking care of him. You could just leave him in the forest to heal on his own." Her black coat shone as she moved, looking down at Fluttershy. "Or..." She jumped down onto the top of the hay pile. "... I do hate to say this, but we've been pushed to our limits..."

"Before I explain the last choice, I need you to understand - this isn't just Ponyville. All of Equestria is covered in clouds. Cloudsdale itself has a Pegasus brigade that's currently keeping them out of danger, but our crops are dying. Since Cloudsdale can't plant seeds, our food will run out. You have to know that this isn't something I enjoy saying... but we may have to kill him."

Fluttershy pushed up against the door. They looked so imposing, Luna glaring down from the top, Spike watching just below her, looking uncertain, the others at the base, standing and glaring. She spun and pushed the door open, cantering back to the forest, mane and tail flying like banners, tears sparkling moments before they hit the ground.