Rainbow again found Ponyville to be different than what she remembered. At this time, the sun was beginning to go down and she noticed most of the homes were lit up with internal lighting. Fewer ponies walked the streets in the afternoon and guards seemed to be stationed around the forest. Rainbow couldn’t see the point of all the guards, but she ignored it as a difference of her world and this one.

She caught sight of Ponyville Medical and decided to find her double there. It’s only logical that she’d find her before visiting hours are over. Rainbow went into a shallow dive and flapped her wings while descending toward the Ponyville hospital. It took her a short while to get there and land safely near the entrance. Rainbow looked at the double doors of the hospital and smirked as she walked toward them. She went through the right door and pushed it open with a hoof and walked inside.

Her nostrils were immediately assaulted by the clean and sterile smell of the hospital. Rainbow took in her surroundings and smiled when she saw that over to her left was Applejack and Pinkie Pie in the waiting area. To Rainbow’s left was a hallway to staff offices and presumably where paper work is filled out for medications. In front of Rainbow was the front desk where the nurse will ok you to visit a patient or tell you to leave.

“May I help you?” asked the nurse at the desk.

Rainbow pointed at the two mares sitting down. “I’m with them.”

“Oh, well there’s a limit to how many ponies can see Twilight Sparkle so you’ll have to wait your turn while your friends are done.” She replied with a warm smile.

Rainbow nodded and turned to her left toward the two mares that are smiling at her.

“Hey guys what’s up?” asked Rainbow with a smile.

“Howdy Big. Ya’ll visitin’ Twi?” inquired Applejack.

“Nah, I’m waiting on my slow poke sister. She’s here right?” replied Rainbow.

“Eeyup.” responded Applejack.

“Oh Big!” Pinkie exclaimed hopping in her seat. “You haven’t met Fluttershy yet. I told her about, you know, and she said she wanted to meet you.” Pinkie smiled happily.

“I was planning on visiting her a while ago, but decided to find her mom first.” Rainbow stated, sitting to Applejack’s right. Applejack was to the right of Pinkie so Pinkie needed to lean forward to see Rainbow.

“Really? Why the hay would yah want tah meet her?” Applejack inquired with a questioning gaze.

“Because I wanted to see if she was the same Barricade that I knew. Apparently she is, but there was a major difference with her rank. She was Captain and now she’s admiral.” stated Rainbow Dash.

“Well, ah don’t rightly know much about different dimensions and such but ah believe yah need to keep an open mind.”

“Yeah, I’m doing that.” responded Rainbow. “But problem is I really don’t know what’s what anymore. But this isn’t exactly going to be the worst of it. This is confusing, but the stuff I’m going to have to deal with later is just going to drive me insane.” Rainbow rolled her eyes.

“Hey Big?” started Pinkie with a questioning gaze.

“Yeah?” responded Rainbow.

“Can you eat meat? I’ve heard from a lot of friends of mine some scary big pony with a rainbow mane and was apparently Rainbow’s sister, walked into the kitchen while drunk and beat the snot out of a griffon to get her order.”

“Pinkie that’s the most ridiculous-” Applejack got cut off mid-sentence.

“Eeyup! That was me.” answered Big.

“WHAT?!” shouted Applejack in Big’s ear.

“Ow…” she rubbed her ear with her left hoof.

“Sorry.” Applejack whispered sheepishly.

“Nah, it’s ok.” she then started whispering so the nurse couldn’t hear them. “I did that to test out my new body and see if I could handle it. Also the drunken thing was Puppet Master’s idea, so I did that and it was pretty awesome.” she then stopped whispering and talked normally. “Oh, I’ve been meaning to ask this... why are there guards all over Ponyville?” Big asked confused.

“Uh, since when haven’t they?” replied Pinkie. “The Everfree is a scary place and we need guards to keep Ponyville monster free.” reasoned Pinkie seriously.

“Oh I guess that makes sense.” stated Big. “My world didn’t have this problem with the Everfree. It was usually whoever went inside it that was eaten by any wildlife.”

“Really? I wish I was from your world then.” Pinkie said cheerfully.

“Yeah, but the griffons invaded. At one point a few tribes united under one flag and attacked Equestria, after Celestia and Luna had to fight off an army of evil dark creatures known as the corruption.”

“Whooooooooaaaaaaa tell us more.” Pinkie said with awe.

Big smiled. “How much?”

“Everything!”

“Hehehe, ok then. This is going to take a while.” Big stood up and moved in front of Applejack and Pinkie Pie. The nurse who was currently confused with the chatter she was over hearing perked her ears up to listen. “It all started one sunny day in Equestria. I was flying around in the sky trying to find any clouds that went stray and kicked them. Then I saw something running out of Sugarcube Corner-”

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“-then he started talking and I thought I must have heard something because he never talked before, and-” Big continued while Pinkie looked behind Big and saw Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash heading into the lobby.

“Hiya Rainbow!” Pinkie exclaimed, waving her hoof and cutting Big off from her story telling.

Big turned around and looked in the direction Pinkie was waving and smiled when she saw Rainbow and Fluttershy heading their direction. Fluttershy seemed apprehensive toward Big but pushed onwards with Rainbow. Big was happy to see Rainbow without a combed mane.

“'Sup Big. I thought you’d be here earlier but I guess you were somewhere else. Where were you by the way?”

“She was at Cloudsdale, talking to Fluttershy’s mom!” Pinkie answered for Big.

“Uh, yeah that.” Big rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. “Yeah, that’s true. But I saw the Princess there and I found out you guys had a civil war recently.”

“Hey Big, yah up fer meetin' the leader of our little group? Twi’ll understand if ah let yah go first.” asked Applejack.

“Nah, I want to talk to Fluttershy.” Big replied looking at Fluttershy.

Fluttershy has yet to say anything and was watching Big with a scrutinizing gaze. Fluttershy was analyzing Big’s character, just like her own mother. Her eyes seemed unimpressed as they traveled around Big and finished at Big’s eyes. Big felt like Fluttershy was reading her soul and tried to defuse the situation by joking around.

“Uh, you like what you see?” Big grinned slyly.

*SMACK!*

*GASP*

Fluttershy’s friends collectively gasped when her hoof went straight across Big’s face and the impact echoed throughout the room. Big kept her gaze to the right where Fluttershy’s hoof moved it as she analyzed the situation. Her wings were fully extended from her reaction to the hoof hitting her in the face. And when she realized what happened her rage built up inside of her and was almost ready to burst out before Puppet Master intervened.

“Calm down Rainbow Dash. There are times for violence and times for passiveness. Now is not the time to get mad.”

“SHE HIT ME!”

“And you trust me. Don’t get mad. Look at her, and analyze her posture.”

Big slowly moved her head back into position and glared at Fluttershy. I silent battle raged between them and Big took the moment to glance from Fluttershy’s eyes to her wings and hooves. Fluttershy had a scowl of her own. A small frown, but her eyes detailed the untold aggression she felt toward Big. Big analyzed it over and over again and began to realize what happened. This Fluttershy, not only was no longer passive and easy to take advantage of, but she was also possibly more aggressive toward any sign of intimidation or mocking.

Big thought back on the punch and realized that even though she couldn’t remember the details all that much she remembered seeing the hoof shoot up so fast, she could only move her wings fast enough to actually do anything about it. She recognized that technique as it was what some of the trainees were using when they spared each other. Big then moved her tongue around her mouth and felt the loose tooth that Fluttershy almost knocked out and pushed it back into position painfully. It then healed quickly, as Big’s Terrarian regeneration powers kicked in.

Big looked back at Fluttershy and gave her a blank stare. She ran through the things she could say to Fluttershy, but came up empty hooved. She then thought of communicating using her body and her posture relaxed. The tension in the room lifted as Fluttershy did the same and her hateful expression softened but her eyes remained judgmental. Big heard the nurse let go of her breath a long with two of the other mares to her left.

“That was intense.” Rainbow Dash commented.

“Ah’ll say.” agreed Applejack.

“I don’t think it’s over.” stated Pinkie eyeing Big and Fluttershy.

The room stayed quiet and watched the two stare at each other for a few minutes.

“See Rainbow? You didn’t need to fight. In fact I think you’re calmer right now.” started Puppet Master.

“Yeah, but I’m kinda worried she might hit me again.”

“If she does you can hit her back. Because next time she’d be just asking for it. Hell I’ll even hold her hooves.”

“Who are you talking to?” Fluttershy demanded suddenly while still holding her disapproving gaze.

“Should I tell her?”

“Go ahead.”

“Puppet Master.” Big stated cautiously.

Fluttershy looked at Big suspiciously.

“Is he what kept you from hitting me back?” Fluttershy eyed Big suspiciously.

“Yeah…”

“Who did you side with during the civil war?” Fluttershy asked curiously but remained in a passive aggressive state.

“…The Red Rose Empire.” replied Big.

“The what?” asked Fluttershy with a curious look but her expression never softened.

“An empire that rules nations from other dimensions. It’s being led by a being that’s ten times as powerful as Celestia, and I’m his thane.” Big admitted.

“Then what’s your mission here.” asked Fluttershy suspiciously.

“Training.” Big held her neutral look toward Fluttershy.

Fluttershy raised an eyebrow. “What for?”

“Because I’m going to be doing this more often than I’d like, and I’d have to be ready to deal with any threats that I come into contact with… basically I’m a new recruit and I’m being watched and told what to do and I have to figure out how to do it. I’m staying with my other self and learning more about the differences in pony personalities. Funny story though, you were my best friend.” Big smiled at Fluttershy.

“What happened?” asked Fluttershy.

“Hmm?”

“You said were. That means in the past…” she got closer. “What happened?” she asked more forcefully.

Big got in her face, their snouts only an inch away. “I died. And I never saw you again.”

“I think you’re lying.” Fluttershy bumped her nose against Big’s. “I don’t like liars.”

Big rolled her eyes and disengaged with Fluttershy. She looked at her double and started to ignore Fluttershy. “Ok let’s go to Twilight’s room. I’d like to meet-”

*SMACK*

“DON’T IGNORE ME!” Fluttershy bellowed after whacking Big on the back of her head.

Big turned around instantly and glared at Fluttershy with the most intense stare of complete rage. Her friends held their breath again and decided it would be best to back up and stay away from them. Rainbow looked at Fluttershy with worry knowing that if Big chooses to fight her, she could likely be hospitalized if Big doesn’t control her anger. It was a scary situation and most ponies weren’t used to two ponies going at each other like this. Fluttershy would do this in school, and she wouldn’t be picked on anymore, but now with a pony going up against her hoof to hoof, anything can happen. Puppet Master felt the unstoppable torrent of rage rising up in Big after she’d been hit twice. Big was always a reactive pony and her aggressiveness when she reacts could get her in trouble.

“You going to apologize?” asked Big with malice in her voice.

“…No.” stated Fluttershy without fear and aggressively.

Big smiled sinisterly. “Goooooooooood...” she whispered to Fluttershy maliciously.

“Make sure the doctors are able to get to her in time.”

Big threw her hoof at Fluttershy and she reacted by trying to deflect the incoming attack. Adrenaline pumped through their veins, and Fluttershy was able to successfully block it with her right hoof and used her left hoof to carry a punch through Big’s jaw. Big saw this and used her skilled wings to move her out of danger by quickly flying back and then charging forward faster than Fluttershy could react to it. Big thrust her hoof into Fluttershy’s skull with all her might and Fluttershy was sent flying back, and slammed into the wall behind her.

“GOD DAMMIT RAINBOW STOP THIS FIGHT RIGHT NOW!” shouted Puppet Master.

Rainbow’s heart sank deeper than the bottom of the ocean. She looked at her hoof and saw the small amount of Fluttershy’s blood on her hoof. Her heart sank even deeper. Fluttershy pried herself from the wall and glared at Big ready for an attack that will never come. Fluttershy was momentarily confused when she saw Big looking at her hoof with an expression of horror on her face.

Fluttershy thought she already knew who Big was. What she was. And what category to place her in. Fluttershy immediately placed Big to be a bully, even though her other friends said otherwise. But when she saw her pained and horrified expression and she began to feel doubt. But regardless of that doubt, the amount of rage she felt in the heat of battle kept her from making the decision to stop. She wanted an eye for an eye, so she will get one.

Fluttershy charged Big again while Big was staring absent mindedly at her hoof with her pained expression on her face. Fluttershy swung her hoof at Big once again while using her momentum to charge the attack with kinetic energy. Only to have a hand grasp her hoof out of midair.

*GASP*

The collective gasps from her friends and the nurse, brought her out of her rage as she realized who was watching the fight. But the hand around her hoof that kept her suspended in air became instantly a more pressing concern and she trailed the hand to the arm and then to the body. She saw a radiating suit of bipedal armor with wings standing there looking into her soul for answers it already knew. Its head slowly swiveled towards Big as it let Fluttershy hang limply in the air and only her hoof supported her weight.

Fluttershy followed its eyes and saw Big begin to tear up, slowly sinking to the floor while her sobs got louder and louder until it went into full blown crying. The strange bipedal creature looked back at Fluttershy and gently placed her back on the ground.

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I had enough of this fight. I watched as Fluttershy got to her hooves and charged Rainbow Dash. I quickly used Rainbow’s current state of shock to control her body to releasing me in front of her and to her right, so I can catch the charging angry pegasus. I appeared in front of them both and I ignored the gasps of everypony present, as my hand wrapped around Fluttershy’s hoof and stole all the momentum that went with it. Fluttershy lurched forward because of the momentum her body carried and then looked at her friends and then to me. She trailed my hand to my body and looked deep into my eyes and her judging stare became one of awe without her knowing.

Looking back at Big, I watched her emotions take hold of the situation and teach her a lesson that could never be taught faster than actually being told how to deal with.

Controlling your anger.

This was a perfect time to teach Big on how to control her anger so she doesn’t do something she’d regret. I put together Fluttershy’s character already, and I sent Big on a mission to find her to create a situation like this. Of course it wall all trial and error so I had no idea if it would work but I assumed since Fluttershy and Big’s predicted personalities would collide they’d do something like this. I could only hope that they’d fight.

Big crumpled to the floor in a bout of sobs and remorse. I looked back at Fluttershy and placed her gently down and she grasped her hoof I was holding as the presence from my magical armor dissipated around it. I looked back to Big and took a few steps to my left so I’d be next to her prone form. I knelt down and began to slowly stroke her mane as she balled into her hooves.

“Rainbow Dash.” I ordered calmly, as the ponies flinched at my voice that they didn’t expect. “Remember this moment. I won’t be able to teach it to you again.”

“E-excuse me mister.” Applejack started.

She had somehow gotten closer to use without me knowing. She was now just a meter away from Big’s left side and she looked apprehensive.

“Yes, Applejack?” I replied just as calmly as I did too Big.

“Y-you wouldn’t h-happen to be Puppet Master would yah?” She asked, avoiding eye contact and trying to ignore Big’s sobs.

I noticed Rainbow Dash was actually resisting the urge to rush to Big’s side. I looked in her direction and she stiffened with a look of fear on her features. I looked back at Applejack and smiled, but the message was lost due to my headgear.

“Yes, I am. I know Big told you a lot about me, I listened to that.” I admitted.

“It’s not polite tah mare tah mare talk.” Applejack replied dryly.

“At the time, I shared her body and the only way to make me stop listening is to make Big go deaf.” I reasoned truthfully.

Applejack nodded. “Yeah, ah can tell yah ain’t tellin’ no lie. Why did’ya need to be in Rainbow in tha first place?” she asked.

“Because there wasn’t much of an option. I can watch her react to different situations and instantly give her some advice with how to deal with them in a tight spot. There was no better way to train her than being with her the whole way. It’s only when situations like this…” I pointed to Big and listened to her sobs as they began to subside. “…arise, I have to personally intervene.”

“Ah get’cha. So yah going to stay now that we know yer here?”

“…” I thought about it for a little while. “Maybe. I’m honestly not sure.”

“Well, ah got a place at the barn ya’ll can take.”

“That’s unnecessary. I don’t require sleep and I doubt standing in a barn all night will be enjoyable. But thank you for the offer.”

Big’s sobs finally stopped and she kept her head buried in her hooves. I looked down at her and began stroking her mane again after I absentmindedly stopped. I smiled softly and I felt a small amount of pity. She noticed the smile because of our connection and rolled her head to the right so she’d be facing to the left and away from me.

“Big. Time to get up now.” I calmly ordered, and she responded with a groan.

“M-Mister P-Puppet M-Master sir.” came Fluttershy’s meek voice from my right.

I looked over to her and I saw her shaking in fear.

“Y-you’re not going to hurt me are you?” She whimpered.

“Why would I hurt you?” I asked curiously.

“B-because I hit Big.”

“No, I won’t hurt you because of that. I’d like to punish you, but I can’t fault you for teaching her a lesson that I couldn’t do myself, without losing her trust.”

“An’ what lessons that?” asked Applejack curiously.

I looked back at Big. “The reason violence wasn’t the answer, and it never will be.”

“That’s going pretty far tah teach her that.” Applejack stated, glaring at me.

“Yeah dude, that’s pretty low.” growled Rainbow Dash from behind Applejack.

“Hey, we need to go places and I need to teach Rainbow as much as I can before real challenges come up. Stuff that she’ll need to be prepared for, and understand how to deal with them. We both will be moving around separately at one point and I don’t want a repeat process of what happened today.” I replied sternly to them.

“I-I’m sorry.” Big squeaked.

My voice softened. “Don’t be. You regret what you did, and you learned from this. That’s all that matters.”

I slid my arm under Big’s chest and helped her to her hooves. She didn’t resist my efforts and she cooperated by sitting up straight and looking me in the eye. I brought her head to my chest and rested my head on top of hers.

“You’ve done better than I thought you would on your first try. I’m proud of you Rainbow Dash. Remember that.” I told her.

Surprisingly I could still feel some of her emotions, only they were dulled by the current separation of our souls but I still felt that feeling of love I actually watched develop inside her. And right now it was strongest, because I was comforting her. I lifted my head up and saw the stares everypony including the nurse was giving me and Rainbow. Their faces expressed adoration for our moment together as I comforted Big.

“Ya’ll ‘er a bunch of sweethearts together.” Applejack cooed.

“Hush you we’re having a moment.” I replied and their smiles widened.

I waited a minute for Big to be done and she pulled back. I let go and leaned out of the hug.

“Let’s be together again.” I stated cryptically and held out my hand.

She put her hoof in my hand and did nothing, just simply enjoying my presence.

“No Rainbow, you need to bring me back into your body.” I whispered.

“Nah, I think I’ll just hold your hand for a little while.” she suggested playfully.

“UGH!” I groaned and some of the mares laughed. Fluttershy was still unsure of herself so she didn’t express happiness. “Ok you can hold my hand for five straight hours later, if you pull me in now.” I compromised.

“Ok.”

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Big watched as Puppet Master’s form disappeared and his soul absorbed back into her body. She smiled to herself when she felt him back inside her where he was closer than flesh. Big looked back at her new friends and smiled.

“I think I had enough excitement for one day.” she stated with her drooped ears and sad smile.

“I’ll meet you back at home ok?” asked Rainbow Dash affectionately.

Big turned to Fluttershy and gave her a soft smile.

“I forgive you.” she walked around her bleeding friend and out the door.

Fluttershy wiped her nose and found it was still bleeding.

“Um, help?”

“I’ll get it.” replied the nurse as she pulls out a first aid kit.

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Big laid in Rainbow Dash’s bed with the lights off and the windows closed. She was under the covers and was content with just staring at the ceiling with a blank mind. She almost didn’t even notice when the door opened and a new weight was added to her left.

“You want to talk?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“No, I think I’ll just think about it.”

“You should get some sleep. You’ll feel better in the morning.” Rainbow rolled over to face away from Big but scooted closer to her.

Big ignored her and opted to face away from Rainbow Dash and just look at the opposite wall. Slowly but surely she found the position comfortable and she found rest.

Author's Notes:

OH DAMN BROS!

Flutterkiller...do you guys like this new fluttershy? or do you hate her to a bitter end.

If you want me...I can add her to the main character list ;P