The Fang That Cuts the Deepest (Anon, Flutter, Scitwi)

>Another day, another clean up on some mutts at the local shelter.
>If you didn’t get caught writing “Bald Jerk” on Cranky Doodle’s desk, you wouldn’t be in this place.
>Scrubbing unloved dogs and cats, wasting your time with this shit.
>It’s your third day and you already want to leave.
>Well, there is one thing that’s actually keeping you here instead of picking up litter from the side of the freeway, and it’s the girls.
>There is one that has been somewhat interesting to you, but she seems too… dull.
>”Careful with his ear, Minuette. It’s still sensitive after the fight Ringo went through a couple of days ago.” Fluttershy reminds her about the latest stray from the street.
>It has been a rough time for that dog, at least the poor bastard finally has a home.
>”Here, let me help.” Fluttershy kneels down and helps Minuette, scrubbing around the wounded ear. “That should do it. Go ahead and give him a rinse, okay?”
>Minuette nods and goes back to what she was doing.
>Fluttershy really has a great heart, it makes you wonder if she cares about the animals more than people. You start to wonder if she would risk her life for them.
>Some time has passed, and before you know it, the clock hit six o’clock.
>You begin to put your gloves into the bucket, satisfied that you’re done scrubbing the kennels for today.
>With a grin on your face and ready to head home to play the newest Gran Motorsport, you head for the front desk and look for the sign-out sheet.
>Before you do, Fluttershy is panicking in the corner of the desk.
>”What am I going to do?” She groans to herself. “Twilight is going to be very upset that I couldn’t help her.”
>She looks up and sees that you’re watching her freaking out on some friendship issue.
>”Uh, s-sorry about that. Did you sign out yet?”
“I haven’t. I know that this isn’t my problem but, what’s going on with you and Twilight?”
>She sighs, thinking over the layout of what was supposed to happen.
>”I was meant to leave right now, but the person that was supposed to watch over the shop for the rest of the day never arrived.” She covers her face, ready to break down. “Now I let my best friend down and she won’t be able to get her project done!”
>Man, seeing her so worked up like this is actually getting to you.
>It’s really hard to tell if she’s faking it or not.
>You hate to do this, but somewhere inside of your bitter heart, you want to help her.
>May as well scratch her back, maybe she’ll return the favor later on.
“I’ll do it.”
>She drops her and and instantly looks at you with clear hope in her eyes.
>”You will?!” She grabs your hand and shakes it. “Thank you! You don’t know how much this means to me.”
>She runs to the coat rack and grabs a dark green sweater hanging on the coat rack.
>”All you have to do is watch over the animals, make sure that they’re all relaxed and that whoever is left is making sure that they are doing their work, okay?’”
>She grabs her backpack from under the desk, and freezes for a moment, clearly remembering something last minute.
>”I almost forgot!” She digs into her backpack and pulls out a key covered in pink paw prints on a white background. “In case if I don’t come back later tonight, I want you to close up, okay?”
>She lays it in the palm of your hand and closes it by pushing your fingers inward.
“Sure.”
>She give you a big smile and begins to head out for the door, sloppily putting on the backpack first and then the sweater.
>”Good luck, Anon!” She pulls the door and stops when her sweater gets stuck on the handle. “Shoot!” She fixes it and slams the door shut, leaving you with a key, a handful of hormone-fueled teenagers, and a shop filled with various animals.
>What could possibly go wrong?

>Meanwhile…

>You follow Twilight into the forest, giving her warnings of anything coming across or could be hiding behind these trees.
>”Thanks for helping me out, Fluttershy. I was afraid that you wouldn’t make it, what with all of the last minute arrangements and how busy you can be at the rescue center.”
“It was rough, but it worked out well in the end.”
>”I didn’t think that Carrot Top would actually made it.” She happily comments.
>You tug on the scruff of your sweater, afraid to tell her the truth.
>”Did she make it?” She highlights.
“N-no, she didn’t.” You mumble out.
>”So, who is taking care of the shelter?” She worryingly asks.
“I left it to Anon.”
>She sighs, slapping her forehead with her left hand.
>”There wasn’t anyone else that could take over? Maybe someone who is more qualified?” She waives around her other arm containing the map, clearly expressing how upset she is from the unfortunate last second arrangements.
“He was the only one that volunteered on short notice.”
>”For your sake, let’s hope he keeps the place under control.”

>Meanwhile…

>You can’t believe that this place is going along so smoothly.
>The animals are fine, everyone is doing their shit, and you’re just sitting back and looking pretty at the main desk.
>Looking at the clock, it’s 6:36. Just another hour and a half and you could lock up the place if Fluttershy doesn’t make it back in time.
>You would be helping out or do your homework, but you’re too busy playing some shitty mobile app game that helps you pass the time.
>”You do know that this is unfair, right?”
>You look up and see that it’s Lightning Dust, a failed soccer player of your team, trying to give you trouble.
“What is? That I am watching over the store, while Fluttershy is taking care of business?”
>”That, and you are doing absolutely nothing on helping us out.”
“Why would I? You guys seem to have it under control. I think that you’re just being salty.”
>She slams her hand on the desk, trying to show some authority over you.
>”I’ve been here for weeks and she decides to give you the key to the store?! Some new guy that just appeared three days ago?!”
“Hey, better me than you.”
>”What is that supposed to mean?”
“We all know how you tried to go for the team captain by trying to slip us Rainbow Dash by switching out her cleats with a worn out pair. Even I wouldn’t trust the likes of you.”
>She marches away and slams the door shut.
>You definitely showed her, back to more important matters.
>You unlock your phone and continue playing your game. At least you don’t have to cheat like her to enjoy something.

>Meanwhile…

>You and Twilight finally finish hiking up a set of rocks, looking how far off you two are away from the town, slowly fading away in the setting sun.
>”Pretty nice, huh?”
“Yeah, I used to come over here.”
>”Why? You’re afraid of some folklore?”
“Twilight, there are some things that shouldn’t be messed with.”
>”Come on, Fluttershy. Everything can be explained with some investigation.”
“But Twilight, this is different.”
>”Oh come on now. A cave that is meant to be cursed about people never coming back as themselves? What a load of fiction.”
>She stops in front of an entrance of the cave.
”It’s more than a fairytale at the school, it’s real!”
>”Then you don’t mind if I go on ahead and prove that if it’s real?”
>She begins to walk forward, but you stop her by grabbing her hand.
“I promised you to show you where the cave is, but this is a bit too far.”
>She begins to struggle, trying to shuffle you away from her arm.
>You tighten your grip, keeping yourself centered on the grass below you.
>”You’re being irrational! It’s just a myth!”
”It’s not!”
>She grabs your hand and pries it off.
>She grabs your hand and pries it off.
>It works, catching you off guard and causing you to fall down.
>”Give me a minute to check, it won’t be long.” She brushes her clothes to clean away the dust from the scuffle.
>You waste no time on getting back up and rush over to stop her once more at the entrance of the cave.
>It becomes a small fight where you try to grab her while she’s trying to push you away.
>”Stop, Fluttershy!”
“NO!”
>You keep at it for a few more moments until a distinct sound comes from the cave.
>It’s a very loud sound, almost as you’re standing by a roaring waterfall, followed by some screeching from different sources.
“Oh, my…”
>Before either of you two know it, a swarm of bats come rushing out, some even hitting you.
>You try to sway them away from your face, stumbling away from the cave itself.
>It’s difficult to see where Twilight is, or even where you’re going yourself.
>Not only are the bats shrieking, but you could even hear Twilight screaming in the distance.
>You panic, worried on where you’re going to--
>You make one misstep and fall down the rocky trail from earlier, getting scrape while rolling down.
>You cough out some of the dust and groan in pain from the scrapes and bruises, hoping that it isn’t so bad.
>You look at the town and begin to start wandering back, moving your arms closer to yourself so you can rub most of the pain away.
>The bats are still flying out of the cave, but at least you aren't caught in the flood of them fleeing from it.
>You aren’t sure on where Twilight went off to, but what should matter the most is that you must get back home before it’s too late.