Ranger
Chapter 129: Flutter
By Wanderer D
Applejack and the others marched behind Twilight, Alejandra and Tala. It was a sight to see. Although the griffon's newness to her body was obvious to see in Ponyville, it was a completely different matter in the Everfree.
She didn't fly, but she had the predator's prowl to a science, and she wasn't the only one. Twilight's movements were not those of previous care-free (or even stressful visits). Gone were the wide-eyes, slightly fearful looks of before… now replaced with a wary air of anticipation.
Among the trees and underbrush, black vines slithered, but did not attack. But even this small reprieve didn't do much to encourage the group.
"I can't believe Twilight is doing this," Fluttershy whispered.
"How so, darling?" Rarity asked, voice also low. "It seems natural that after some training to fight… what we saw… well, that she'd act differently in situations like these."
"I know." Fluttershy sighed. "But I'm now more worried about what state she's in… right now were hunting these vines and the Tree of Harmony but… what will happen after that?"
Applejack glanced over at her. "What do you mean? Ah don't get it. She just wants to get this done with, and Ah sure don't blame her."
"Yes," Fluttershy said, "but what happens when there is no fight to fight?"
"Then we take her home," Rainbow Dash said firmly. She glanced at the others. "Twilight is not the first soldier to go home. So when this is over, we make sure she feels welcome and we make sure that she knows that we're there to talk to her."
"And I have just the perfect cupcakes for that!" Pinkie added with a grin.
The group stopped when they reached the edge of a bubbling lake, eyeing it doubtfully.
"Well that's not ominous," Alejandra said leaning down to watch a bubble inflate and pop. "Are we sure the gases aren't toxic?"
"We've been here before, they aren't," Twilight replied, studying the area. "I guess we have to cross… we can use the rocks on the surface to do that," she added, jumping on top of them.
Immediately the supposed 'rocks' shook and Twilight jumped back, as a huge alligator-like creature emerged from the water, roaring at them.
"A cragadile!" Rarity screeched, "run!"
The group scattered, but the reptile had already chosen its victims, chasing after Twilight and Spike, who found themselves against a tree.
"What do we do now?!" Spike gasped.
"Stand behind me," Twilight ordered.
A shot echoed in the forest, and the cragadile roared as its side was suddenly showered in blood.
"No!" Fluttershy's voice followed. "It's an innocent creature!"
"Get out of the way!" Alejandra shouted. "It's about to eat our friend!"
Twilight rolled her eyes. Her horn flashed, and the cragadile was suddenly catapulted over the forest with a surprised, and very un-cragadile-like squawk. Besides her, Spike blinked when he heard a distant splash.
Behind the area where the huge beast had been, Fluttershy was hovering, forelegs open right in front of Alejandra, who was holstering her gun and glaring at the pegasus.
"What the funk were you flamboyantly thinking, you flaggegasting piece of furniture stamp! I could have shot your furnacing face off! Of all the frakking scattering things to do, that's high up there with eating a lit dynamite stick!"
"Alejandra, calm down," Twilight ordered.
"Foam you, Twilight! She jumped right in front of my gun! If I hadn't been paying attention, your friend would be dead!"
Fluttershy had paled at that, but she didn't back down. She landed and glared at Alejandra. "And what gives you the right to decide who lives and dies? We entered its territory! Twilight stepped on its tail! It doesn't deserve to die for that!"
Alejandra seemed surprised by the intensity of Fluttershy's argument, but rather than backing down, she leaned forth, snarling angrily. "So what? We just let it eat Twilight? I can see how your fanning logic works. We save the dangerous, instinct-driven creature and lose our friend, who happens to be one of two remaining princesses in this fudgelike world!"
"Fudgelike?" Pinkie asked. "Oooh! I like fudge!"
Fluttershy's eyes had gone wide and she stammered, but shook her head stubbornly. "This… this is Equestria! It's not your world! We don't go around killing for pleasure! We don't enjoy watching innocents die!"
Alejandra's claws dug trenches in the soft ground. Her feathers and fur bristled, and the others noticed worriedly that both Twilight and Tala flanked Fluttershy, facing Alejandra, who had gone deadly quiet. The griffon had closed her eyes, and was shaking, a deep, low belly-growl slowly escaping her beak.
With slow motions she turned and walked past the others, reaching the edge of the lake, and jumping across with a leonine leap, aided by open wings. She didn't stop.
Fluttershy sighed.
"You have no idea, how close you were to death," Tala said softly.
"I knew she could kill me when I flew in front of her weapon," Fluttershy retorted.
"No." Tala flew closer and landed on Fluttershy's nose. "She wouldn't have shot you. She might be just a Squaddie, but I heard that she was trained by one of the best gunfighters in XCOM. I don't mean then. I meant when you opened your mouth and said what you last said."
"Tala…" Twilight said, "Please catch up to Alejandra. I trust, of anyone here, you can talk her down from doing something sensational."
"What's wrong with sensational?" Rarity asked.
Twilight blinked. "No, I meant… stupendous. Superfluous. Skeptical..." she sighed. "Spam. The sounding spell is affecting my friendly speech." She glared at Tala. "You know what I mean. Go stop her before she does something we might all regret."
"I'll go with you," Rainbow Dash said suddenly, surprising the others. "I…" she trailed off looking down at Fluttershy and sighing while shaking her head. "I don't want to be part of this conversation."
Tala nodded and flew off, Rainbow in tow, while Twilight turned to face Fluttershy, who was smiling at her. "Aww, it's nice that Rain—"
"Stop it." Twilight took a deep breath and opened her mouth to say something, then she seemed to think about it, and closed it. After two more attempts, she slowly released a breath. "Fluttershy… I love you as much as I love everypony else here. I'm happy to be back here and to be surrounded by all of you. But what you just said was beyond cruel."
Fluttershy's hoof went to cover her mouth and her eyes widened, just as Applejack spoke up. "Now, hold on, Twilight… Ah understand defending your friend, but, she was—"
"Doing what she was trained to do," Twilight interrupted. She shook her head and her ears folded back. "I-I know it's hard. That I'm different… that I have friends who are nothing like who we know here. But they're not monsters without remorse, and neither am I."
"We never said you were, darling," Rarity said, "And we… understand that it's hard, with the combat and the bloody battles, but you have to see that your friend was about to kill that cragadile."
"I know, and that is why you girls don't get it," Twilight replied, "even if we know that there's other ways, and ignoring the fact that you can't just… dismiss your training without knowing these alternatives… we're soldiers… she more than I.
"Before she joined XCOM, she was a guerrilla fighter… monsters that you don't know will kill you if you don't kill them first. It's not malice, in her case it's years of ingrained survival instinct." Twilight reached up and brushed Fluttershy's mane carefully. "I know that you don't want the cragadile hurt. Neither do I.
"Neither would she, if it wasn't attacking. When the threat is gone, there is no reason for her to fight, but Fluttershy… what made you think it was okay to accuse her of enjoying killing and watching others die?"
"I…" Fluttershy let the sentence die, eyes watering at the frustration and hurt she felt. "I just couldn't let her kill him, Twilight."
"Of course not," Twilight said, smiling a little, "You're you. I wouldn't expect any less. But what I do expect from now on, is just to remember that Alejandra doesn't know your ways. She doesn't know that you can communicate with most animals… and more importantly, remember that her mission is to protect me… she won't take risks without knowing that there are other solutions."
Fluttershy looked down. "Okay. I'm sorry, Twilight, I didn't intend to hurt her."
Twilight took a deep breath. "With how different our worlds are, I'm surprised it took this long… and Fluttershy?" she added, "What you did? Jumping in front of her gun? That was very brave… but if she had shot, you wouldn't be here… please, next time don't do that?"
Fluttershy nodded, just as Applejack stepped forth. "Twilight, Ah understand the point you're tryin' to make, but don't you think maybe with the danger you were in, it might be better for you to wait this one out? After all, this time the cragadile was controlled but—"
Twilight interrupted her by raising her hoof. "First, no. And second, what exactly did you do to protect me this time around?"
"Ah was about t—"
"More to the point," Twilight observed, "I took care of the giant lizard. I know where you're coming from, Applejack, but I'm not the same Twilight Sparkle that flinched when throwing a hoofball."
Applejack considered her for a moment, before chuckling. "Ah guess you're not, after all. But you understand why Ah say that, right, Twilight?"
Twilight nodded. "Yes, but remember what I said earlier: The reason we've been able to achieve all we have, is because we've worked together, and because of our bonds and friendship. If Equestria is to be saved… then we're doing it together."
"Well, I for one need a massage," Rarity said walking past them, "and that will not happen here."
"Oooh! I wonder if the Tree of Harmony plays music?" Pinkie asked, hopping after the unicorn.
Twilight, Applejack and Fluttershy looked at each other and giggled, turning around to follow after the others.
Things were different, but their friendship was still as strong as ever.
o.0.o End Chapter 129 o.0.o
Well we've certainly ripped up and thrown away the old script haven't we. Its going to be interesting to see what effects Twilight's continued close association with XCOM have on future events. This has "butterfly effect" scrawled all over it. Imagine if by the time Tirek gets loose he has a pack of reapers after him instead of Discord... one thing's for sure, Starlight's going to have a much harder sell with this twilight.
I’m sorry, but frakk you fluttershy. Just... keep your mouth shut about something you know nothing of. You already had this kind of talk with RD. seems you learned nothing from it.
Step one: Get Fluttershy to chat with Human Fluttershy about ethics/morals/animal care.
Step two: Get Rainbow Dash to chat with Human Rainbow Dash about drinking habits.
Step three: UNLEASH THE ORBITAL RAINBOW CANNON!!!
Twilight's lecture barely brushed the greatest offense. Fluttershy needs to check her preconceived biases and not think of all warriors as blood lusting cretins. It's like she has a higher opinion of ravenous beasts- Oh wait, she does. Seriously, "beyond cruel" scarcely begins to describe it.
Fluttershy is secretly the most brave pony ever.
Edit: that doesn't make her right
9005912
Nah, the lecture was pretty spot on. It pointed out the faults in Fluttershy's actions, gave clear and sound reasoning as to why Alejandra is how she is, and bridged the gap in Flutters understanding a bit. It wasn't harsh or strongly worded because Flutters shuts down in the face of those things and Twilight needs her thinking and moving.
Also, please keep in mind that this is Equestria, where most of the local fauna has near human sentience or greater, and killing anything is an unthinkable taboo on a cultural level. Especially for the local wildlife expert with the power to literally hold a conversation with any animal.
Bottom line: Flutters does need to open her mind a bit and lose the preconcieved notion that all humans are mindless killers. However, she's an overly sensitive individual with an anti-violent upbringing and background, who also suffers from severe social anxiety, bordering on total sociophobia. It ain't exactly gonna happen overnight.
9005969
No, she is the most thoughtless and entitled pony ever. Believing that she is morally superior to those who don't share her beliefs.
Fluttershy finally got that talking-to. Here's hoping it sticks.
And go, Twilight! Don't take "you're too important" for an answer!
Good Point, Twilight. Now, get the Mission done!
okay you either have discord talk with fluttershy or fucking angel bunny and tell her Alejandra was right. honestly we saw how that thing acted int he show, it wouldn't have stopped just because. i'm all for being against meaningless slaughter, but basic self defense? someone needs to put some sense into her.
Fluttershy needs to take off those blinders, she's going to make enemies if she continues to persist in her prejudices...
9006215
i'm with you on this one.
9006125
It is possible that sociophobia is what fuels the antiviolent behavior. Curiosly, that sociophobes are among weapon abolishment (not just regulation) proponents. From examples that I know personally, it is because they afraid that anyone may become a monster if you give them a gun. As if weapons are source of evil... Remove guns, and disgrunted student had came into school with an axe and bottle of gasoline with same level of lethality.
Well things heated up rapidly.
Fluttershy still don't understand the situation they are in and seems to have forgotten her conversation with Rainbow. But then again it's Fluttershy, the mare who had to have the same lesson repeated time and time again until it stuck in her.
Anyway nice work on Twilight moderating the situation and affirming her position.
That was an interesting situation. Nobody was completely wrong, but Fluttershy definitely messed up with her comment about killing for enjoyment.
Oh, and AJ, she was as wrong here as she was in canon. Silly Apple horse.
The censoring spell doesn't allow "stupid"? That's a slippery heap of shingles.
In any case, good to see Twilight calmly show Fluttershy some shades of gray. And it's inexpressibly good to see her shoot down Applejack's boneheaded suggestion. I have a good feeling about this... and a bad feeling about that good feeling.
9006393
And even then it never sticks since the writers don't know how else to handle Fluttershy. Just like they have no clue what to do with AJ so every episode focusing on her is either repeating the same things over and over and/or just terrible.
9006601
If she were evil, XCOM wouldn't have raised her. Or put a stop to it sooner.
9006137
Doesn't everyone feel like that? At least a little?
Fluttershy was obviously out of line, but Alejandra didn't exactly try to understand her side either. It makes sense to attack a creature reflexively but once you're told not to, or that you were wrong for doing so, it's less black and white.
9006125
That, and part of the blame for this event goes for Twilight for not properly briefing her team on the capabilities of its members. Alejandro is currently in XCOM mode, which is "shoot anything that looks dangerous." Which makes perfect sense, because not doing so leads to dead team members back home, something she and Twilight are intimately familiar with. But this is Equestria, where almost anything can be reasoned with to some degree. As team leader it's Twilight's job to make sure her team knows this and what the protocol for "big beastie with lots of teeth pops up from out of nowhere" is "let Fluttershy talk it down." As it stands, Alejandro just did what she was trained to do with the knowledge she had, and she can't be faulted for that.
Fluttershy, darling, I love you, really I do, but it's times like this you remind me of why you can be one of the most infuriating of the girls. As always, the lives of wild animals and monsters takes precedence over the lives of her friends, and she continues to fail to understand that XCOM doesn't kill because they're ax-crazy murderers, but because the fucking aliens won't stop until they're all dead. She'd probably get herself killed the instant she found herself on a battlefield by stepping in front of a soldier's gun so it won't hurt a poor helpless Muton.
9006731
I'd say that's the biggest sticking point.
XCOM spoilers.
You know, the Ethereal's master plan is to get human bodies. Sunset is an alien with a human body. That's a parallelogram that would be interesting to explore.
9006125
Sure, but that doesn't run counter to my main point.
I don't think Twilight needed to be harsh about it, just that she didn't get to the heart of the issue very well, but they're not flawless. There's a whole song about that.
It's like this though: Imagine that you're a devout member of a religion with great respect for life. You pray for forgiveness for every deer you kill to feed your family and are thankful for its sacrifice. One day a raging bear comes to your village and decides to go for the hut your family is in. Not wanting your loved ones to die, you start throwing spears at the bear, when suddenly a bleeding heart environmentalist leaps on you and calls you a murderer. Turns out the bear belongs to an endangered species and is the last surviving male. Thankfully, the bear runs away, but the environmentalist lectures you about killing for sport, even though that's strictly against the core of your beliefs.
It's not an apples to apples comparison to what happens in the chapter, but it's not so far off. There have been many societies that would have no problem with Alejandra ridding the world of, in their eyes, such vile complete fool. It's all really a miscommunication, but it's a doozy.
Another thing, Fluttershy has demonstrated an understanding that animals will act out of fear and instinct. Why can't she extend that understanding to the more evolved species? Does she think they should know better? But how does she expect them to know better if they're not taught to, which leads into...
9006731
You bring up a very valid point. It doesn't absolve Fluttershy of anything, but Twilight really should have laid that out there. The rules of engagement are not something that are universally agreed upon.
9005969
People down voting your comment- Clearly an emotional reaction. I didn't disagree with you one wit when I read it earlier. No matter how valid or invalid her reasons, it takes guts to jump in front of a weapon. Although, bravery and foolishness can go hand-in-hand. When Alejandra said how she nearly killed Fluttershy on accident, Fluttershy didn't feel so good, which shows that she didn't think through her actions.
9006683
People have to have some level of confidence to maintain sanity and be able to take action, so yes.
Yet another stupid plot device deftly dodged. Seriously, it’s like they all forgot that she is one of the key parts of getting The Elements to work, and figured they would save the day with 5/6th of their superweapon constructed. I still don’t know what they were thinking...
Let’s all take a moment of thanks that XCOM didn’t send in one of the more sensational Reapers. Or even Giest for that matter (lord know we don’t need two Discords that are like opposite magnetic forces.
9041013
That and the fact that Geist's head would have exploded the second he touched the portal. Psionics and magic, and all that jazz
9006778
Either dead from blocking the shot, or by finding the Muton's chainsaw bayonet sticking out of her belly through her back.
9006778
Is it wrong that I want pony Flutters to meet human Flutters just so the latter can smack her for being a naive idiot?
I know this chapter is going to physically hurt me, but I hope that PETA girl going to get schooled on her sensibilities
9466156
Short answer: Yes.
Long answer: Yes, but it still sounds like a good idea.
Twilight has grown and matured
Twilight is not longer naive, she still has a heart of gold but her mind is not suppressed by it any longer!
Fluttershy has a child naive nature, kindness should not be blind...