Pearls of Destiny
By Afrony; aka Equestria's Candy-Maned Mare!
It was a sunny morning in Ponyville. Everypony was happy, working hard and having the fun they have all day,
everyday. While everypony was working, always with a smile in their faces, the element of kindness, the sweetest pony,
Fluttershy, was happily, but shyly trotting, until she saw a museum. A museum about foals. Yeah, foals! But these weren't simple foals, these were Ponyville's last decade's most popular foals! The little ponies that made important discoveries for Equestria and/or did something unforgettable. As the honey-hearted Fluttershy loves fillies and colts as much she loves animals, she'd love to go!
"...Historic Foal Museum? Is it about foals? Oh, Celestia! It might be so cute! I should go right now!"
Then, the beautiful pegasus was trotting to check out the museum. It was big and with a golden coloration on the walls. The ceiling was silver, and the decoration was all made of gems. It was one of the finest museums in Ponyville. There was lots of ponies wanting to see the bestest foals of Ponyville and lots parents to see if their sons' or daughters' photos were stamped on this gallery.
Fluttershy, shy as always, was softly trotting, looking at everywhere, to see if one of the mane six would,
probably be there. But no. None of her friends was there. Now, she had to leave the shyness aside and have no fear of appear.
The journey was about to start. In front of everypony, there was a red-coated and cherry-pink-maned mare. Up her head, she had a white hat with little diamonds around. Her cutie mark was a map. She is named Fruitish. She was the guide for all mares, stallions, fillies and colts on this museum.
"Hello, everypony!" Said the guide, after making a oriental greeting. "My name is Fruitish. I hope you all enjoy this tour. If you have a question about something, don't be afraid to ask me!"
After the guide's little speech, everypony did a "ok" sign with their heads. Fluttershy was on the last queue,
still on her normal mood: Shy.
"Okay, so, let's go! Follow me!" Said Fruitish, commanding the ponies.
They passed by lots of walls, saw lots of photos, very big photos. These pics registrated every foal's biggest discovery so far. Lots of parents were in hope to see if their sons or daughters were on this gallery, because if they were, all his or her barriers would break. Everypony that appears on this gallery, when grows up, turns into a famous and loved-by-everypony pony.
"This is Starla. In 1994, she discovered the Poison Serious, a plant that was the opposite of the Poison Jokes,
this plant was the cure of Poison Jokes' effects." Said Fruitish, talking about a filly named Starla.
Later, they passed by lots of walls, saw lots of pretty and cute foals' pics. For Fluttershy, they all were cute,
but there still wasn't a foal that really caught her attention. So, she thought if go to this museum would be really all that great.
The pegasus thought there would be nopony a little different and cuter than the others, until she saw a photo of a soft blue-coated unicorn. She had a long, curvy and white mane, along with big purple eyes. Her cutie mark was an orange inside an eye.
When the shy pony saw her, got delighted by her cuteness. It was the only foal Fluttershy was really interested in. When she saw her, got curious, and left shyness aside.
"And who's that cutie?" Asked Fluttershy, pointing to the little unicorn with her hoof.
After her question, everypony gasped and seemed surprised. Fruitish thought she was the only pony without know who was that filly. Then, she jumped and blocked the pony's photo using her body, hooves and head. And seemed they were was hiding something about that filly. After a fixed look on Fluttershy's eyes, the guide gave the shy mare a cold answer.
"NOPONY! THAT'S NOPONY!"
Fluttershy got scared, and was wondering why all that rudeness. Everything she wanted to know was, at least,
that unicorn's name. She seemed so cute! And this pegasus has an appreciation for cuteness. After it all, she got confused.
"...Uh?"
"You don't REALLY deserve to know her." Said Fruitish, still with a fixed look to Fluttershy.
"But I..."
"Come on, everypony! Let's forget what happened! We'll see now the filly that discovered the rainbow apples!"
And, when everypony trotted away, the yellow pegasus was afraid to follow them. The way they treated her...
It surely made poor Flutters get depressed. She thought they were crazy. What's wrong about a cute filly? What were they hiding about her? She even didn't knew her name...
...Until she heard a very thin voice on her ears.
"Pssh! Miss, miss!"
"U-Uh?" Said Fluttershy, scared.
"Miss! Don't be afraid!"
"...A-Are you... Talking to... Me?"
"Yes, I am! Please come here!"
"...Who are... Who are YOU?"
"Don't be scared! I just wanna talk to you!"
"Where... Are you? Whoever in Equestria you are?"
"Follow my voice! You'll find me soon."
Then, the little pony followed that mysterious and thin voice. She passed through lots of places and followed lots of directions. It was getting darker and darker. That museum was bigger than she thought. She was getting really scared. That place was big like a castle! She heard many weird noises, but it didn't impessed Fluttershy to find this somepony. It might be a new friend.
"You're almost there, open this door and you'll find me." Said the voice. This was the last direction given to Fluttershy.
Then, the pegasus swallowed the fear. She opened the door with her right hoof, but couldn't see anything. It was,
like, the darkest place she've ever came on that museum. She didn't knew where she was, where was she trotting on,
almost crying of fear, she needed an answer right now.
"WHERE AM I? WHY IS IT SO DARK?"
Then, after the shy pony's question, all lights were turned on. The lights weren't lamps, but torches with fire.
The pegasus looked around, and she saw where she was. The pony was on an old, dirty, almost destroyed place.
Looks liked a decade ago's basement. That was an abandoned place, full of cobwebs and dirt. The poor pony was disgusted by all that oddity, until she saw a dusty cage with... Guess who? The foal which nopony wanted to tell her about! She was stuck on that cage, with a shy face, like Flutters'.
"Hello..." Said the foal, after Fluttershy found her.
The yellow pegasus when saw that little filly, was amazed. She couldn't believe that precious pony she was interested in, was in front of her eyes. But, still being Fluttershy, was a little confused. She also couldn't understand why was she stuck on that cage, on that abandoned place. Who did it to her? Did this somepony wanted her to die? What did she done wrong?
"Hey... Are you that... Foal I saw on the museum?" Said Fluttershy, confused but amazed.
"Yes. Yes I am." Said the little filly.
Fluttershy was so happy. She wanted to know everything about that filly, and now she've finally had a chance, she started filling her with questions, itty-bitty by itty-bitty.
"Oh my, I can't believe I'm seeing that cute filly from the museum! What's your name?"
"My name is Prodigy."
"Prodigy? What a sweet name! My name is Fluttershy!"
"Thanks! Your name is sweet, too! Just like your element, kindness."
"My... Element? How do you know I represent the element of kindness?"
"By your face. I can recognize ponies' elements by looking at their faces. It's a talent."
"Talent?"
"My mom told me I'm special. She recognized it because I was already born with my cutie mark."
"...How? How can a pony birth with a cutie mark?"
"I have a long and mysterious story. Nopony but me and my family could have the capacity of understand."
"Okay... But, why are you stuck on a cage, on this terrible place?"
"I'm here since a decade ago. It was all an accident."
"DECADE?... Accident?"
"Look, as I'm an unicorn, I can make magics. But ten years ago, I was a begginer at magics. I was trying to make a rainbow. But I was really clumsy and excited, then, I, accidentaly made a black hole in Ponyville's sky, then,
everypony and everything in Ponyville have been sucked by it. I tried to stop it, but I couldn't, 'cause I wasn't strong enough. Then, the hole grew a lot and sucked almost all Equestria. So, the only pony able to stop it was Princess Celestia. She used her magic, and then, stopped my disaster. After the hole was gone, the princess was gone and the ponies came back to Ponyville. They were happy because they were alive and saved, but were all mad at me. But I was like, a baby! I had no guilty! The Ponyville population tried to kill me, thinking I was an evil element. The citzens weren't too nice as they are today. My parents tried to stop them, but they couldn't.
They taken me to a weird place like this, and tried to rip my horn off with a knife, with the intention of making me unable of realising magics again. But I was the most powerful foal of that period, so my horn was strong like a rock. So, they had another punishment for me: Lock me on a cage unable of being destroyed by my magic and put this cage on an abandoned place. The museum guide, Fruitish, suggested on the Historic Foal Museum's basement; where we are right now. So, they locked me on this cage, threw me on this basement and left me here to die since ten years ago. But before, they took a photo of me and put it on the museum. Because they thought I was a historic foal... For evil. And here I am."
After Prodigy's words, Fluttershy's eyes were fillied with tears, one even fell on the floor. She was horrified.
How could Ponyville ponies be so cruel?
"Oh my Celestia! How cruel!"
"I know."
"...And, why did you wanted talk to me?"
"As you know, I can recognize ponies' elements by looking at their faces. I saw yours, because I have a deep vision. And my hearing is deep, too. So, I heard you wanted to know about me. So, I thought you might be a nice pony. And I was right. So, I choose you to do me a favor."
"What favor?"
"Set me free."
Fluttershy gasped. She was insecure if this would be good or bad. She doesn't like to infringe something like a law, but she also doesn't likes to see innocent foals being condemned to death undeservedly.
"How? I... I don't know if it's good or bad... I'm... Not sure!"
"Listen, Fluttershy. If you set me free, I can be happy again. But, if you leave me here, one life will be condemned to eternal misery. MY life will be condemned to eternal misery! I don't eat, I don't drink water and I don't see my parents since forever! I don't even know if they're still alive! I can be powerful, but I'm feeling that if I don't do something about it soon, I'll die. And now I have you. There's nopony like you here in Ponyville. You even represents kindness. I'm trusting you! I will never find somepony with a honey heart like yours! My life is in your hooves! Please help me!"
"Well... But... Alright then. I don't really wanna see you die."
Prodigy finally could smile once again. "REALLY?"
"Really. But how can I open this cage's grids?"
"OH MY! I'VE NEVER BEEN SO HAPPY BEFORE! ...I mean... This grid is unable to be opened or destroyed with my magic. But it can be opened with yours!"
"I... Have magic? But... I'm a pegasus!"
"Your kindness is your magic. Just touch the grids and I'll find freedom."
"Okay..."
Then, the insecure and sweet pegasus, feeling really sorry for her new little friend, did what she ordered.
With her left hoof, stroked the cage's grids. Then, some little pink and yellow sparkles appeared, around her magic hoof, after it, the cage opened.
"Wow! I didn't knew I could do it!" Said Fluttershy, surprised.
Prodigy, when saw she was finally free, was amazed. The first thing she did was jump off the cage. Then, she still didn't believe on what was happening. After ten years of lonliness and misery, she could finally be happy, as a normal filly.
"I'm... I'm free?"
"Yes you are!" Fluttershy replied.
"Oh my..." Said Prodigy, surprised. "I'm free... I'M FINALLY FREE!"
Fluttershy was happy. She, along with her kindness, once again, made somepony smile after a long time of sadness.
She was kinda proud of herself, but was paying more attention to Prodigy, partying after realize she was in freedom.
"You are happy, aren't you?"
"SURE I AM!" Prodigy replied, while bouncing. "Thank you very much, Fluttershy! You are amazing!"
After these words, the little filly hugged the big pony's hoof. Fluttershy was feeling really, but really nice for her joy.
"Now you finally can find your parents, huh?"
"Yes! Yes!" Replied Prodigy. "Now I finally can eat, drink, smile..."
Fluttershy giggled. As much she loves animals, one of her loves is make foals happy. She thought everything was fine. She thought everything Prodigy was gonna say were kiddy stuff. Until she heard something she've never heard a filly say.
"...And have my revenge."
"...Revenge?" Asked Fluttershy.
"Yeah, revenge." Said Prodigy, looking at Fluttershy with a fixed look.
Fluttershy was confused. "Uh... What do you exactly..."
"DIDN'T YOU THOUGHT I WAS GONNA LET THEM SURVIVE AFTER WHAT THEY DID TO ME, DID YOU?" Screamed the filly,
interrupting the shy pony.
"Um... I t-think you are right for being angry... But... Fillies, usually, don't have thoughts like these."
Replied Fluttershy, giving three steps back, scared of Prodigy.
Prodigy felt Fluttershy's fear. Secretly, she was enjoying it.
"I'm not like them." Said Prodigy, giving three steps forward. "I'm not a simple foal! I'M PRODIGY! I CAN DO WHATEVER I WANT BECAUSE I'M THE MOST POWERFUL FILLY IN PONYVILLE."
Fluttershy was twitching. What happened to that little and cute filly that only wanted feel the freedom's taste again? Why was her screaming? Why was her wanting to forgive cruelty with more cruelty?
"Look, Fluttershy. I don't need you anymore. Everything I did was fool you for you to set me free and let me have my revenge. Now, I'M FURIOUS AND UNSTOPPABLE! SO, DISSAPPEAR FROM MY WAY!"
Then, the little and sweet filly turned into a monster. Her eyes became white and shiny, then, she started to levitate, spreading a white and shiny wind, that became an explosion. Then, the filly dissappeared, leaving Fluttershy in extreme guilty and confusion.
"What... Just... Happened? That sweet filly turned into a monster...?"
Then, Fluttershy run away from that creepy place. She needed to get out that museum as soon as possible. Looks like Ponyville was about to be doomed, but she couldn't let it happen. And all because of her extreme kindness and compassion.
After a long road, she finally quit that weird museum. But, it was too late. Ponyville turned into Darkville.
Clouds became black, the blue sky became red, trees lost their leafs. It was a disaster. Everypony was in panic.
Ponies running, screaming, and desperate. Fluttershy was lost in guilty, almost crying, until she saw her best friends,
runniing.
"Fluttershy?... FLUTTERSHY!" Screamed Twilight, when saw the yellow pegasus.
"Girls! Girls!" Said Fluttershy, when saw the girls coming.
"Fluttershy, there's something wrong with Ponyville!" Said Rainbow Dash.
"I know..." Replied the shy pony.
"Darling! Are you okay?" Asked Rarity.
"I'm fine..." Replied Fluttershy, lowering her voice.
"Why are you worried? Is there something wrong? Although all this madness is happening?" Asked Pinkie Pie.
"No, there's not..." Replied Fluttershy, squeaking.
"Sugarcube, what's going on?" Asked Applejack, looking at Fluttershy's face.
Fluttershy twitched, then, she saw Prodigy was coming back, by the same way she dissappeared. Then, she was been striked by panic. So, she couldn't handle it anymore.
"...THAT! THAT IS GOING ON!" Screamed Fluttershy, pointing to Prodigy with her hoof.
After Prodigy's entrance, she appeared, with a very angry face, making everypony gasp. They still reminded her.
And, then, the ponies realized what was going on. It was Prodigy's magic. So, everypony thought the end was near,
because that terrible filly, also known as The Dark Element, was back to Ponyville.
"Hello, ponies. REMEMBER ME?"
Nopony could even say a word. The terror was almost destroying them inside. Some of them tried to run, but when Prodigy realized it, she did a spell that made all the runaway ponies get their hooves fixed on the floor.
"You silly ponies thought that I was gone, huh? Thought that lock me on a cage would kill me, huh? HUH? I knew it. You left me to die, innocently! But now, the dead ponies will be YOU."
Too much twitch, but no words. Prodigy was Ponyville's last decade's biggest "threat". But now, she was a real threat, and nopony could do anything about it. Because 99,9% of Ponyville's citzens weren't strong enough to stop her.
"Oh my... It's a... Filly?" Asked Pinkie Pie.
"Not a simple filly!" Replied Fluttershy.
Prodigy made a bolt fall from the sky, silencing everypony, that were whispering stuff. The little filly,
after hear nothing but the silence, gave the ponies a creepy smile.
"Listen to me, jerks. Keep screaming. Because, Ponyville is now CURSED!"
After the darkness dominated Ponyville, ponies were crying, due to Prodigy's curse. Everypony but the mane six were crying. Fluttershy's five best friends were confused. Fluttershy was worried, scared, guilty and depressed.
Because everything was her fault.
"Also... You almost killed me. So, you will die. YOU ALL WILL DIE! Even YOU!" Said Prodigy, pointing to the pony that set her free, the poor Fluttershy.
After these words, Fluttershy cried. She couldn't believe that little pony was an evil element. And she gave that element the freedom! And she was going to kill everypony! Even Fluttershy herself! It was a real sign of betrayal.
It was the biggest mistake Fluttershy've ever made.
"Tomorrow, you ALL will be gone. ONLY I WILL SURVIVE... See you tomorrow... Ponies."
Then, the possessed-by-hatred filly dissappeared. The ponies heard her warning. She was gonna destroy Ponyville and everypony but her tomorrow. So, everypony was aboard the death.
"WHAT IN EQUESTRIA JUST HAPPENED?" Asked Twilight Sparkle, despered.
Fluttershy couldn't help. Lots of tears fell from her beautiful eyes; she had to close them. When sadness dominated her poor heart, she run away, trying to hide from everypony, awakening curiousity on her best friends.
"What's wrong with Fluttershy?" Asked Rainbow Dash.
"I don't know but we must know. Come on, girls!" Said Twilight Sparkle.
So, the other ponies trotted around Ponyville, trying to find Fluttershy. They saw her still running and crying,
then, the ponies saw her flying to a tree and hide on it's leafs.
"Poor Fluttershy... Let's talk to her now!" Said Twilight, trotting with the other ponies toward the tree.
"Fluttershy?" Called Twilight, but had no answer.
"Fluttershy?" Called Pinkie Pie, but her answer was nothing but the silence.
"Fluttershy, darling?" Called Rarity, another pony with no answer.
"FLUTTERSHY! QUIT FROM THIS TREE!" Screamed Rainbow Dash. But nothing happened.
"Okay, girls. Leave it to me." Said Applejack.
Then, Applejack kicked the tree, as she usually does when she's applebucking, making the tree shake, and then,
Fluttershy fell from it.
"A-ha! Got'cha!" Said Rainbow Dash.
When Fluttershy realized she fell from the tree, she tried to run away once again, but Twilight did a spell that made her float in the air, making her unable of run away. Then, the adorkable pony gave the shy pony four steps forward.
"Fluttershy, stop running! Please, tell us what's going on."
The yellow pony, filled with so much guilty, was feeling like a monster. But saw there was no way. She had to tell her friends what happened.
"Okay... But put me back to the ground, Twilight!"
After Twilight put Fluttershy back to the ground as she requested, the pink-maned pegasus was still sad, but she couldn't handle it anymore. As much she was trying to hide it, she was wishing she could apologize. So, she understand the second option was the best.
"This... Is all my fault."
"WHAT? HOW?" Asked the other girls, in panic.
Fluttershy realized she had so much to tell. So, she told everything for the girls. The museum part, Prodigy's calling, her history, her freedom, and her revenge announcing. It was incredibly unbelievable that kindness could make a big mistake like this. After Fluttershy's confission, the girls were sorry for her.
"Oh Fluttershy, that's terrible! Can we do something for you?" Asked Pinkie Pie.
"Yes we can!" Said Twilight Sparkle. "If you has to fix it, we'll go with you."
This made Fluttershy feel afflicted. She knew she ruined Equestria with her honey heart. And, to fix this mess there might be a very long, creepy and dangerous journey. She didn't wanted her friends to pay for what they haven't done.
"Oh girls, you don't really need..."
"Yes we need!" Said Dash.
"No... It's better you stay..." Warned Fluttershy.
"Fluttershy, we'd never leave a friend of us alone." Said Twilight.
"Please... Stay..." Requested the shy pony, feeling bad.
"No, no and no!" Said Applejack, stubbornly.
Then, the ponies were trying to be stubborn and force Fluttershy to accept they on her journey. But the yellow pegasus wasn't liking this idea.
"No... Don't go... DON'T GO!"
When the others heard Fluttershy was ordering them to do not go, they were surprised. Usually that pony is always quiet and always say yes... But they couldn't see what Fluttershy said was for their own good.
"Girls, please don't go with me! You don't have NOTHING to do with it! If I destroyed Equestria, I SHOULD fix it myself! ...It's for your own good... Believe me..."
Everypony thought about it, and then, listened to her. But Rainbow Dash couldn't obey the shy pony without make a silly comment.
"But you're always scared of everything! What if a dragon appears?"
"I don't fear dragons anymore!" Replied Fluttershy, a little offended.
The situation in Ponyville was getting worse. Prodigy's doom was dominating all Equestria. Fluttershy had to do something now or else it would be the end.
"Girls! I'm serious! I should go on this journey ALONE. Stay in Ponyville and find shelter until I come back!"
"...Okay!" The other ponies said, running away.
While everypony was running like crazy, Twilight looked back, still running and said something nopony wished for their future heroine.
"...Good luck, Fluttershy!"
Before loosing Twilight by view, she shy pony smiled, seeing there was somepony that trusted her, there was somepony that believed her, even though she's all shy and scared, and after she did that terrible mistake,
there still was somepony that wished her luck.
"Thanks, Twilight! Don't worry! I'll fix it soon..."
Before Fluttershy go on her journey, the guilty invaded her young heart once again, making a little tear fall from her turquoise eye, representing how sad, but confident she was.
"...Somehow."
To be continued...