Chapter 1

Fluttershy walked the streets of PonyVille, feeling more like an outcast in the backwater city than she had in CloudsDale. Barely able to fly, and ridiculed by those she was supposed to trust, she'd run, hiding in the small city in a house by the Everfree Forest. She lived completely alone, ignoring the animals that came to her abode and even capturing some. She'd learnt that inflicting pain made her feel better.

She hid behind her pink hair, cursing the colour of her hair as she approached a stall. She wasn't well known in PonyVille, and some of the ponies were nice enough, but there were some who were convinced she was a pushover.

She glanced over at the asparagus and reached into her bag for the few bits she needed. She looked down at the few coins in her hand and saw the unicorn in her peripheral vision before they tried to break in front of her. With a well place hand the unicorn tripped and fell face down across Fluttershy's shoes.

Fluttershy picked up her asparagus, dropped down the bits and turned away, leaving the unicorn in a daze. She was no one's pushover and she was never going to be again. She may have been bullied as a filly and abused, but she was not going to let that direct her life. No one walked all over her. Not anymore.

Fluttershy hid her face behind her hair again as she tucked the asparagus into her bag. An unamused laugh rang out beside her and she paused, looking up and watching as a girl with straight pink hair leant over a stall and glared another girl in the face. She had the serious look of an angry person and Fluttershy studied her for a moment before flicking her useless wings and walking forward.

"Hey!" The stall owner cried in surprise and Fluttershy turned her head when she saw the crazed look in the girl's face. She grinned, and pulled the woman closer.

"I am only going to be civil one, last, time." She lowered the woman and raised her head, "Two bits is too much, I'm only paying one bit." She put the coin down, "Either way, I'm taking those tomatoes."

Fluttershy frowned, were tomatoes really that important? Even Fluttershy wouldn't get that violent over a few of the red fruits. Fluttershy shrugged and started walking again, why was it even her problem? She didn't need them.

She heard the defiance and then the angry growl of the pink girl. Fluttershy turned around and stepped over before the pink girl pulled out a knife. She leant casually on the frame of the stall, looking between the two women. The girl with pink hair met Fluttershy's eyes for a moment, her blue eyes studying Fluttershy within moments. She turned her attention back to the unicorn who denied what it was that the girl needed.

"She's right, you know." Fluttershy crossed her arms, "Two bits is way too much." Fluttershy looked away, "I'm sure you wouldn't want to piss her off further, given how dangerous she is."

The girl glanced at Fluttershy again, her eyes detecting the hint of warning in Fluttershy's voice. Fluttershy may not be known, but Pinkamina sure was. She swallowed and looked back at the woman, "I'm going to leave my coin here. I'm going to walk away. You are not going to argue with me and be grateful that I don't slit your throat and take my coin with me."

Fluttershy looked away, studying the people as they ventured past and the few concerned glances in their direction. No one was brave enough to stop them. Fluttershy smirked as Pinkamina released the woman and Fluttershy pushed off the stall.

She didn't expect a thanks, and started off in her own direction, studying everything around her and trailing her useless wings behind her. She glanced at a shop front, and saw Pinkamina following her in the reflection. She swung around and stopped, her green eyes meeting Pinkamina's.

"Why did you help me?" Pinkamina asked coldly, her chin low and blue eyes holding Fluttershy's.

"And let you slash a woman's throat in front of children?" Fluttershy crossed her arms, "Getting your tomatoes is one thing, going to jail for it is another."

Pinkamina raised her head as Fluttershy heard steps behind her, "What is-" the voice went quiet for a moment, "Fluttershy?"

She didn't bother turning to the voice, she knew who it was, "Hello again, Rainbow Dash." She kept her eye contact with Pinkamina.

Pinkamina looked between the two Pegasus, and Fluttershy's jaw tensed, "Who is she?"

"Someone I knew from school." Fluttershy said, trying to ignore the feeling that Rainbow Dash was watching her with the intensity she had when they were in school together. Something didn't feel right and Fluttershy stepped to the side, turning and watching both girls closely.

Pinkamina stood her ground, but Rainbow Dash was working her way closer, "It's been a while." Rainbow Dash said slowly as Fluttershy edged back, feeling boxed in with the dangerous girl in pink to her side and the bully in blue to her other.

"Yes, and I was hoping it would be longer." Fluttershy snarled, flicking her wings, "I was also hoping that Pinkamina and I could finish our conversation."

Rainbow Dash laughed softly, "Well? Finish it up."

"Fuck off, Rainbow Dash." Pinkamina finally snarled, "This doesn't involve you and it never will."

Rainbow Dash met Pinkamina's eyes for a moment, then grinned at both girls, "It will soon." She met Fluttershy's eyes and flapped her wings, "It will soon." Then she soared above them, reminding Fluttershy how useless her wings were.

Fluttershy looked up at Pinkamina, "Where were we?" Fluttershy asked as Pinkamina shrugged.

"I don't know, but I wanted her gone." Pinkamina shoved her hands in her pockets and walked past Fluttershy, "You live this way?"

Fluttershy walked beside her, her arms still crossed over her chest, "Yes." She stared straight down the street as she watched the world from behind her hair. She felt safer behind it for a reason that Fluttershy had never understood.

"How far out?" Pinkamina didn't really seem interested but Fluttershy answered as she pulled a cigarette out of her bag.

"Just outside the Everfree." She lit it and Pinkamina glanced at her sideways before turning down another street. Fluttershy didn't farewell her, but took a drag on her cigarette instead and walked calmly past the town's edge and to her home. She walked the path slowly, checking her mailbox and then made it to her front door.

Holding her almost finished cigarette between her lips, she unlocked her front door and pushed it open, taking her last drag before spitting it to her side. She breathed out the smoke as she stepped in, closing and locking the door behind her.

A small white bunny sat in it's cage, biting on the bars and tapping it's foot. Fluttershy had been slowly starving it, feeding it regularly at first, then giving it less and less and teasing it with the food it was supposed to be eating. Fluttershy sat before it, taking out her bundle of asparagus and taking a bite of the stalk.

She heard a soft squeak as she made a soft moan noise and knew she had the rabbit's attention. It stared at her as she chewed and swallowed, then she turned to it. It was watching her and slipped it's front paw through the bars, reaching for her asparagus. Fluttershy laughed as the skinny bunny teared up, "I told you last night was it." She took another bite and savoured it slowly. Again the bunny squeaked and it's tears fell, but Fluttershy only laughed.