Trowel (Garden Anon) Pt. 7

>The hospital lobby bustles with the chatter of ponys, phones ringing, and beeping machines
>You sit at a table in the cafeteria sipping your bitter pony coffee.
>You stare in the empty room at the bouquet of flowers and cupcakes that Pinkie gave to you.
>Twilight would love them, you know it.
>If she’d only wake up to appreciate them herself.
>You’ve been here for a little less than two weeks now, and still no news on when Twilight may recover.
>If at all.
>Nurse Redheart comes in to see you.
>”Anonymous? We’re about through with our tests if you’d like to come back upstairs.”
>It’s been a couple of hours since they took her.
Oh, thank you very much.
>Nurse Redheart has been very understanding in you wanting to know everything that’s going on.
>You head towards the elevator with the cupcakes and flowers from Pinkie.
>You know Twilight will appreciate them; they’re daisies. She insisted on something more extravagant and colorful, but you told her it wasn’t necessary.
>The door dings and you go to her room, counting each door number until you reach 306.
>You enter; trying to make as little noise as possible. You don’t want to be the reason she wakes up.
>Well…you do, but not by a silly accident.
>She’s still connected to her various apparatus’; you’re starting to get more used to seeing her like this, but it still turns your stomach a little.
Hey, Twilight…I’m back…
>Her machines beep.
Heh…I missed you too…
>You sit down to your regular seat.
>The room is still, save for the beeps.
>You look at her limp body; hoses exiting all over her stitched and battered body.
>Things could have been a lot worse…
>You always think about what might have happened.
Twilight…
>No response.
There’s just some things I want to say to you…in case…
>You look away from her.
I mean…
>Even in her immobile state, you’re shy around her.
Never mind. I just hope that you wake up soon.
>The telephone beeps; you answer it.
>A nurse informs you that Spike would be coming up shortly.
That’s fine, send him up.
>Maybe a little company is what you need.
>You intertwine your fingers and lean you head on the bed next to you to pass the time with her.
>It’s the closest thing the two of you have to cuddling now, but you try to enjoy it as much as you can.
I wish you could hear me…I wish you would wake up so I could hold you…
>You stare at the floor from your askew angle, talking to an unconscious girl.
Everything is hard when you aren’t here. There’s so many things I want to talk about, but I don’t have anybody.
>The door cracks open and Spike comes in.
>”Hey, Anonymous…how is she?”
I don’t know, but the nurses said she’s doing normal…just have to keep waiting I guess.
>You hate taking your own advice, but you don’t have a choice.
>Spike plops down on a bench and looks at the two of you, your head still resting on Twilight’s bed.
>He eyes the box of baked goods.
Oh, Pinkie gave me those, you’re welcome to them…she always put too much frosting on them for my taste.
>Pounds of frosting.
>Spike happily takes one in each hand.
>”Thanks!”
>You always think its funny watch a dragon eat sugary foods…it’s not what you expected when you first met him.
>He scarfs them down and goes back for more.
>At least this silly display cheers you up a little bit.
>After his fourth one, he holds his stomach.
>”Oh man…I don’t feel s-“
>An eruption of firey gas erupts from his mouth, causing him to drop his cupcakes on the floor…landing in a plop.
>”Remind me to write a letter to Celestia that she owes me cupcakes.”
>You chuckle,
Will do…
>Spike reads the letter sent to his magic mouth as he reaches for another pastry.
>”Dear Spike…blah blah blah…hope as is well…yadda yadda yadda…”
>As he prepares for another bite, he loses his grip and your eyes watch the pink-crowned baked good make its final journey to the floor to join its friends.
>You pick your head up.
Spike, you can’t keep doing that…we have to keep this room clean.
>He removes the paper from obstructing his face.
>”Anon…they…they found her…”
>You knees buckle even in your seated position. Your heart changes rhythm and you feel sick…like finally meeting the monster of your childhood fear.
W-what…what does it say…?
>He looks gravely at you.
>”The Princess has requested your presence. Celestia wants you to go to the castle.”
>You instantly reply,
No. No…I…I can’t do that. I can’t face Fluttershy again…
>Spike is surprised. It doesn't appear that anyone has ever turned down a royal summons before.
>”Are you kidding, Anonymous!? You HAVE to! The Princess already requested it!”
Well she can fucking unrequest it!
>You’re shocked at your own words.
>You cup your mouth to stop from saying anything else.
>Spike’s mouth is agape.
I’m…I’m sorry…
>”Anon…”
I’ll go.
>You rise from your familiar chair and look down on Twilight.
I’ll be back, don’t worry.
>You kneel down and rub noses with her one last time…an attempts to keep things normal before you go to see her assailant.
>It’s something you’re more than reluctant to do.
>You look at Spike.
Don’t tell her where I am if she wakes up…
>On the train ride, you stare out the window at the gray haze forming in the sky. Rainbow Dash told you there was going to be another big storm again; apparently Celestia was planning a hot summer.
>All of Twilight’s friends are shocked when they heard about Fluttersy’s attempts to kill the Element of Magic.
>They argued with you in Twilight’s room at the hospital…it was uncomfortable and didn’t seem appropriate.
>Applejack and Dash of course gave you some guff and furiously defended their friend, but Rarity and Pinkie seemed to think that there was always something a little off about the pegasus.
>A few raindrops start to splat onto the train window, refracting the light…blurring the lines of what you see, and what’s really there.
>Just like when you met Fluttershy months ago;
>She wasn’t shy.
>She wasn’t desperate for affection.
>She was cold and decisive. She had been setting you up from the moment you took up the shears.
>The train stopped in a rush of steam; you departed and headed inside the lavish pony palace .
>You enter the grand hallways as the rain becomes heavier, hitting the stained glass windows.
>You kneel before the alicorn.
Princess…
>Celestia gets right to the point.
>”Anonymous the human; my royal guards have located Fluttershy and taken her back here.”
>So that’s it then…it’s over?
>Celestia looks at you with a neutral uneasiness.
>”Anonymous, I must be straight with you. As the ruler of Equestria, I naturally have a love for all living beings in this world. No matter what they are, everything deserves respect and compassion.”
>The Princess looks at the rainy windows decorated with Equestrian history.
>”I must apologize for my actions earlier. I should not have judged you without hearing you out. You are not a bad creature.”
>At least you are less tense about that now.
But…what about Fluttershy? Doesn’t she deserve respect and compassion?
>What are you doing? Sticking up for her?
>Celestia looks to you.
>”I have looked into her more. Fluttershy seems to be…incredibly unbalanced to say the least. She is the embodiment of kindness, and an integral part of the harmony of Equestria. But her crimes are absolutely unforgivable. I’m sorry, Anonymous…but it must be this way.”
>Celestia walks to a window and peers into a large courtyard with a wooden structure in the middle of it.
>Her voice is starting to become less compassionate with every second she speaks of Fluttershy.
>”She hasn’t told anyone about what she did. While I do believe what you said, I feel I need to hear it from Fluttershy’s perspective.”
>She turns to you.
>”That is why I want you to find out for me.”
>You gulp hard.
M-me…? But wh-why?
>Celestia knows she has requested a difficult task of you.
>”Anonymous, you have already endured so much; I cannot ask any more of you. But I know Fluttershy will only be honest with you.”
>So you’re an interrogator now. Cool.
S-so what am I supposed to do? Just talk to her? That’s it? And then I can go back to the hospital and stay with Twilight?
>”Yes. This is something that must be done.”
>You head is swimming with complicated feelings.
>After accepting, not that you had a choice, a guard takes you to the basement that you remember rather well.
>The same arid stench, the same stone floors, the familiar chill…
>You never wanted to be here again.
>”She’s right down there; second to the end.”
>The guard points you to the cell you were in.
>Your slow footsteps echo in the dungeon…slowly inching towards Fluttershy.
>You take a deep breath before standing in front of the cell door.
>The cell is black with shadows.
>But a tiny voice emerges after a few moments.
>”…I…I just knew you’d come back for m-me…”
>In an instant the pegasus lunges toward the door, clutching the bars the best can with her immobile arms.
>Her shackles rattle against the metal.
>”…m-my wonderful…boyfriend…”
>Her words still chill you.
>You can faintly make out bruises and cuts all over her face, apparently the guards must have roughed her up.
>”Oh, Anonymous…I’m so glad you came back for me. I knew I did the right thing when I killed Twilight for you…f-for us. Now no one can come between us and we can finally be in love…t-together.”
>I guess she just admitted it? You look at the guard to see if your task was completed.
>He makes a circular “keep going” motion with his hoof.
>You don’t know what to say to her. Even if you weren’t in these circumstances, you wouldn’t have a single word for Fluttershy.
>She looks at your through the cold steel bars.
>”Y-yes, honey?”
>You keep looking away from her; it fills you with grief and anger to look at her in the cell.
>And maybe, a little joy.
Why? Why did you do this?
>Still not looking at her, but you know her brain is confused by the question.
>”Well because…uhm…I l-love you. I wanted us to be happy together. D-don’t you want me to be happy, too? She would never love you like I would.”
>Her voice is less happy now.
>”She had to die. I just couldn’t let someone try to take all the l-love I had worked so very hard for away. She didn’t love you like I do.”
>Fluttershy still doesn’t know Twilight is still alive. You don’t know if she is either to be honest.
>Anon shut up.
Well, that’s all I need to know. Goodbye, Fluttershy.
>You have nothing to say to her.
>You visually check with the guard; Fluttershy’s psychotic confession will suffice.
>You and your escort start to walk away, but hear a loud clanking behind you.
>Fluttershy cries echo in the stone halls.
>She screams for you to return.
>You stop dead in your tracks.
>You look back.
>You can faintly make out Fluttershy smashing her skull against the thick metal bars.
>Her face is being soaked by blood trickling down from her head.
>”ANONYMOUS! COME BACK AND LOVE ME!”
>You heart twists in its confusion for having sympathy for this deranged creature.
I’m sorry…
>You and the guard walk out of the dungeon with a general sense of unease.
>You and the guard report back to Celestia staring out of the same window overlooking the courtyard.
>”So it’s true then. Fluttershy is indeed too unstable to be released into the world.”
So..what does this mean?
>Celestia looks to you.
>”It means that your task is complete. You may return to Ponyville now.”
>You somehow feel like it was all too easy.
So…that’s it? Fluttershy is going to be kept here forever?
>The Princess’ gaze returns to the exterior of the castle, the rain has gotten heavier since you were here last.
>”No. Tomorrow the execution will go on as planned. Fluttershy will be beheaded.”
>Your heart drops. You had forgotten the punishment for murder.
>The Princess gives you a look that chills your soul.
>”You’re welcome to watch it, Anonymous.”
>Her words seem to echo in your mind.
Y-yeah…
>On the train you contemplate going. Would it be right?
>You feel you’ve seen enough blood for one lifetime.
>Besides, will there be others there?
>You’d go if more people were going.
>Jesus, listen to yourself. You sound about as cold as Fluttershy.
>No. That’s not possible.
>She was practically killing herself over you.
>When you return that night to the hospital, Nurse Redheart tells you that Twilight has still been unresponsive.
>As you sit next to your still unconscious girlfriend, your head propped on her bed.
I wish you were awake. I don’t know what to do. You’re always good at giving me advice.
>Twilight’s machines beep in your response.
>Maybe deep down you do want to go…to put this all behind you once and for all.
>You look at Twilight’s healing scars; her coat still faintly stained red.
>It’s Fluttershy’s fault this happened.
>It’s Fluttershy’s fault Twilight isn’t awake.
>You feel tears of anger slide down your cheeks.
>You need to stop; you need closure after this horrible ordeal.
>You bend down and kiss Twilight before going to sleep.