FS - TheyStillBloom

> Equestria.
> Day? Yes.
> It's midday infact.
> You were up late, securing the perimeter.
> You peer out of the window.
> The garden seems clear, flowers are blooming.
> No snares triggered.
> No unearthed ground.
> You ready yourself quickly.
> Heading downstairs you perform your circuit of the house, checking the window bars.
> All secure.
> Bars you built into the front of the fireplace are solid too.
> Good.
> You beat her to that one.
> Surprised it took her so long to remember she had wings.
> No knock at the door.
> There isn't even a implement she's dropped through the letter box that she failed to unlock your deadbolts with.
> You are Anonymous.
> Nothing happened last night.
> And that's got you worried.

> You open your door carefully, keeping your foot wedged in place to kick it shut at a moments notice.
> Your head pokes out of the door and peers around, swiftly taking cover as a p0ny shape passes the gate at the end of your garden.
> Brain catches up with the image.
> It was Rose and Daisy, Rose waving then looking puzzled as you dove for cover.
> Ok.
> Looks clear.
> No packages on the doorstep either...
> This is starting to get to you now.
> You've lived for so long under seige, the sudden silence frightens you more than any unexpected plan could.
> Is there something you overlooked?
> What did you miss?
> Fluttershy isn't due out of town for...
> ...you check the schedule...
> ...nope. Two weeks.
> Marked with smiley faces and a little stickfigure anon dancing the hustle.
> Emergency?
> Some threat to Equestria?
> Maybe she's ill...
> For some reason, you don't like that idea.
> Whatever it is, you need to take the initiative.
> Recon.
> Move out, Anon.

> Your cottage is close to p0nyville, but you take a roundabout path.
> Variety in movement patterns has kept you out of more pit traps and snares than you care to mention.
> By the time you pass the Carousel boutique, you've reached your stride.
> Rarity is standing outside of it, talking to a pair of tittering p0nies.
> She notices you and waves a hoof in greeting "Yoohoo! oh Anon! It's so good to see you out again, darling. How nice that you're feeling better."
> Your stony faced response consists of a flurry of precision military-like hand gestures.
> Rarity blinks once, mouth hanging open and wearing an expression of curious befuddlement.
> You point to your eyes, then make a fluttering motion with your hands at the side of your face while smiling sweetly.
> Straight back to the game-face.
>  "oookay. Girls? I don't think he is feeling better after all." Rarity herds the two p0nies into her shop and the sign flips to closed.
> You belly crawl away, wondering when she'll finish that order for a gilly suit.

> The bush gives a good vantage point to keep an overwatch on sugarcube corner.
> Business as usual there.
> Pinkie is working had, bouncing around an smiling happy as ever.
> The cakes are present.
> Customers come and go.
> "You ok mister?" Asks a filly that passes your hide
"Don't blow my cover, kid."
> She just looks at you for a moment, then walks away slowly with no sudden movements.
> It looks clear.
> You sprint from the bush, but notice movement to your left.
"RAAAAGH!"
> Your sudden jinking and scream seems to drive off your assailant.
> Head down, arm up covering your face you cross the distance in good time, quick enough to afford a glance back.
> Just to the side of your bush, an old grey coated, glasses wearing stallion is writhing on the floor.
> He's clutching at his chest with one hoof and scrambling for a spilled bottle of pills with the other.
> Next to him that filly has her head buried in the side of her mother, crying while she looks down and asks "...are you ok, Mr Waddle?"
> looks like you had a close call.
> Back to the wall of sugarcube corner, you sidle along, open the door, then slip in.

> "Hi there! welcome to SugarCube Corner! I'm superhappy to see you...Anon? it is you! I thought you were... still... er... Poorly?"
> Pinkie was head down and tail up behind the counter, rummaging for some item when she heard the bell on the door.
"Poorly? Pinkie. I'm fine."
> You glance at your reflection in the glass of a cabinet.
> Ok, a little pale.
> Beard has got kinda scraggly.
"See? It's all good."
> You open your arms and present the glory that is Anonymous.
> "Okie...dokie then. Soooo. What can I getcha?"
"I need to know what she's up to, Pinkie."
> "Who?" Pinkie asks with an innocent look.
> She holds it for a moment, but you keep the stare locked on.
> You lean in.
> Closer...
> ...and closer.
> You're just about to break it, when suddenly her eyes dart left and right.
"AH HAH!"
> You leap into the air and point an accusatory finger right at the end of tip of her nose.
> "eep!" She leaps back, panicked.
"I knew it! You know something Pinkie... Don't hold out. I need intel... Intel on Fluttershy's movements."
> You lean in again, cradling her head, and tracing her cheek with a dirty, unclipped fingernail.
"She's planning something Pinkie... I can feel it in the air."
> You push your face right up to hers, scrunching both your noses.
"In...my...water."
> "Aaare you still taking your tablets, Anon?"

"Can't... supply was compromised."
> Three days ago you left the lid off the bottle.
> Stupid elementary error.
> Bush league stuff.
> She could have trained a mouse or a bluebird to bypass security and add something to them.
> Note to self : But more mousetraps. possibly cheesewire for the letterbox.
> "...we could go to Twilight if you want? Maybe see if she can make some more?" Pinkie is smiling a wide, nervous smile.
> You keep ahold of her head, stroking the mane thoughtfully and forcefully.
> "You *ow* need *ouch* to replenish... umn... supplies?" She's biting her bottom lip, hoping you'll go for it.
> Is it a trap?
> Is she compromised?
> Is Twilight compromised?
> No.
> Not Twilight.
> She always looked out for you.
> So has Pinkie.
> She just wants you to smile.
> You gotta trust somep0ny, Anon.
> Otherwise, you might go mad.
> You give Pinkie the widest smile you can but for some reason she looks like you've just threatened to eat her.
"I think you might be right, Pinkie."

> The library is a haven.
> You always feel relaxed here.
> Especially in the basement.
> No windows.
> One entrance.
> Sealed and secured.
> You look around the room, humming to yourself as you sit on the table and overhear Twilight talking to Pinkie.
> "...Three days? that's not good... the withdrawal alone will be amplifying symptoms massively..."
> "How bad does it, y'know, get?" asks Pinkie in a hushed tone. " I mean, It can't be THAT bad, right?"
> "Pinkie... Spike told me he saw him earlier. He was crawling down mainstreet wearing a blanket covered in leaves and twigs."
> "...he coulda been playing hide and seek..."
> *sigh* "Spike asked him that. He said fu...umn. something rude and threatened to skin him for being a quadruped collaborator and traitor to his biped brethren."
> They both turn slowly to look at me, not aware I'm listening or staring right at them.
> I give them a little wave and a smile to show I'm doing A-ok.
> They return the wave smile, nervously and give little waves of their own.
"Don't worry girls, she'll never get in here."

> "That's right Anon." Chirps Twilight before whispering again to Pinkie. "...I'll run up a batch of pills, you make sure no one disturbs us."
> Pinkie gives a serious salute and heads up the stairs.
> I return the salute.
> Good to have another soldier in the squad.
> Twilight approaches, slowly.
> "Don't worry Anon. It won't take long. I still have Zecora's recipie around here...Where is it?"
> She pats my hand with a hoof and looks about.
"...you let it out of your sight?... how do you know it hasn't been altered? She could have snuck in here and..."
> Twilight looks back at you, a pained, worried expression on her face.
> She knows.
> You can tell she knows what it's like.
> How it feels to be hunted.
> "Anon... it was written on... er. Special paper. From Canterlot. It can't be changed..." She gives a big, worried grin.
"...but if she had magic of her own... she's used it in the past."
> "no no no. She's a pegasus. Only a Unicorn could do something so... um... magicish... you believe me, right?"
.
.
"Yeah. I trust you Twilight."
> She gives a sad smile and turns away.
> For the next hour, she works away at her alchemy desk while you patrol the room.
> Just to be sure.

-----

"How... bad was I this time?"
> You're sitting in the library, not too sure how you got there.
> It's comfy chair, you're holding a cooling hot chocolate and feeling slightly shaky.
> Your mind is a lot clearer though.
> Pinkie and Twilight share a worried glance while you take a sip.
> "Ooh... not too bad." Pinkie is smiling, but that mare can't lie to save her life.
> "No one got hurt, Anon. Mr Waddle had a little fright. That's all.".
"Did I try to build anything?"
> "ooh, only a hide. Nothing dangerous." Twilight replies, her voice soothing and expression gentle.
"...this time."
> "I went by your house for you. You're going to need new chairs. They're all broke up and stuck to the windows again." Pinkie brought you fresh clothes.
"...fortifying?.. could have been worse, I suppose."
> "Are you going to be ok, Anon?" Asks Pinkie.
> You give the little bottle a rattle.
"Yeah. I'll be fine."
> "...are you sure you don't want to go and visit? Y'know. Just so you can..." Twilight tip-toes around the subject, not wanting to mention her name.
"No. I'm feeling better. I'm... going to go home now."
> They know you're lying, but they say nothing.
> Just share a worried, sad look with each other.

-----

> You walk to the cottage alone.
> It's a glorious, moonlit night.
> No lights can be seen through the windows.
> Chicken run is empty, the wire gone and the roost boarded up.
> The garden is overrun, wild flowers growing everywhere.
> There's so many of them, so different, vibrant, unrestrained and glorious.
> The garden has flowers nearly all year round.
> You carefully pick through the garden, and find the little blossom tree.
> It's yellow blossoms are in bloom and the fallen carpet a small, raised patch of ground.
> You slowly, painfully sit down beneath it close your eyes.
"Your flowers are looking nice tonight."
"...what? can't I just visit sometimes?"
"... ok, ok, I give in."
"I... did it again. Broke our chairs. Yeah, I know. 'again'."
"No, just embarrassed myself in town. Gave some poor old guy a fright. Mostly just public humiliation."
"What do you mean 'thought you'd be used to it by now'? heh, cheeky mare."
"Pinkie. Yeah. She's the best. Talked me down. Took me to Twilight."
"Yeah, I forgot to take them."
"No... not on purpose..."
"...oh, all right. Maybe I did."
"I know. I can't keep doing that. It's not good for me."
"...why? I don't know."
"...your right. I do. Can't lie to you, can I?"
"Sometimes... I just need to think you're still there."
"I know, you always will be... I know. just sometimes... I start to forget."
"Then the hurt is just as bad... just as fresh as... well, you know."
"...that's when I need to remember how we used to be."
"...I...I promise. I'll try."
"I miss you Fluttershy."