no_vampires_plz | Magical Mystery Cure, part 4

Twilight has been lying on her bed staring out the window for... well, Spike's not sure how long it's been. Too long, is what it's been. He has to do something to cheer her up.

"Come on, Twilight. You'll figure out a way to fix this." He gently lays a claw on the unicorn's shoulder. "These are your friends."

Twilight is silent for a long moment before she responds.

"You're right, Spike." She slides off of the bed and trots over to the mantelpiece, where an old photograph of Twilight and her six pony friends stands. "They mean more to me than anything. My friends..."

My friends...

Just thinking about them--everything they've done for her, everything they've done for each other--gives her a warm feeling inside. One that spreads through her whole body, radiating out of her like light, like magic...

"Twilight? Are you all right?" asks Spike, but Twilight barely hears him.

Everything they've done for me. Everything they've done for each other.

"I've got it!" Twilight's head snaps up. "I know what to do!"

"You do?"

Twilight grabs a jeweled chest off of a nearby shelf--the same jeweled chest that the Elements of Harmony were stored in back in Canterlot. "I may not be able to remind them of who they are," she says as she gallops down the stairs, "but I can show them what they mean to each other." She tosses five of the Elements into the chest and settles the tiara of the Element of Magic onto her own head. "They'll find the part of themselves that's been lost so they can help the friends they care about so much! Come on, Spike!"

Armed with magical artifacts and a newfound sense of hope, the unicorn and the dragon set out into the rainy afternoon.

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Sometimes, when she can't seem to make anypony smile, a pony can get discouraged. And sometimes, when she's discouraged enough for long enough, she can decide to just give up. If she can't make others happy, maybe she can at least go back to where she was happy, once upon a time.

Or that's what Fluttershy feels like, anyway. She tried to cheer up Ponyville, really she did, but nothing's worked. So she makes her way to the balloonist's stand with a few things packed, ready to head back to Cloudsdale.

"Fluttershy, wait!"

That would be Twilight, dodging around grumpy townsfolk to reach the pegasus before her departure.

"Oh. Hey, Twilight."

It's not that Fluttershy doesn't want to see you, Twi, but... she was kind of hoping none of her friends would know about her leaving until she was gone.

It's a good thing Twilight got here when she did, then.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm moving back to Cloudsdale," Fluttershy admits. "I don't know what's wrong, but... I can't seem to make anypony laugh." She demonstrates with a whoopee cushion, which just sort of sadly deflates when she presses on it. Not funny at all.

Twilight and Spike exchange a Look.

"Before you go," says Twilight, "I was wondering if you might be willing to help Rainbow Dash. She's really struggling with her animals."

Animals?

"But... I don't really know anything about animals." They're hardly related to laughter at all, mostly.

"But you do know something about Rainbow Dash," prompts Twilight.

Well... yes, she supposes she does. "I know that she's a true friend," she says slowly, gaining some confidence as she speaks. "And I'll do anything I can to help her."

* * * * * *

Things seem relatively calm at ~~Fluttershy~~ Rainbow Dash's cottage as they approach. But when Twilight raises a hoof to knock on the door, a loud BANG rattles the whole house, accompanied by a host of angry and alarmed animal noises.

"Rainbow Dash!" Twilight shoves the door open. This is clearly no time for polite niceties.

"I'm in here!"

The animals are running around like mad, just like they were the last time Twilight visited. But there's something else going on. A number of creatures are circled around a cast-iron stewpot in the middle of the room, holding forks and spoons and looking at the contents hungrily.

Those contents consist of one rainbow pegasus, struggling desperately against the ropes holding her in place.

"Help! I'm trapped!"

That's not good!

"Hurry, Twilight! Can't you do some kind of spell to get her out?"

"No," says Twilight firmly. "Fluttershy, you're the only one who can help. Rainbow Dash needs you."

And more importantly, Fluttershy needs to help Rainbow Dash.

Needs... her? Well...

Fluttershy doesn't really have any idea what to do here, but nothing good will happen if she doesn't try. She carefully makes her way into the cottage, tentatively calling out, "Um... hello? Little... woodland creatures?"

They don't seem to be paying any attention to her. Maybe a more personal approach? She tries to get the attention of one of the rampaging critters, a mouse, and it does seem to be listening as she continues. "I know that you're all very upset, and feel like giving Rainbow Dash a hard time, but we'd all really appreciate it if you'd calm down and uh... maybe... rest for a bit?" By the end, almost all of the animals are gathered around her. Including a rather large bear.

Twilight and Spike exchange another look--this one excited and hopeful. They're listening to her! It's working!

...That's one intimidating bear. Do those eat ponies, or is that...

Hang on, eat! That could be it! "Oh, uh..." Fluttershy dashes away to find a bowl of salad, and quickly returns. "Look! Here's some nice, juicy leaves for you to munch on!" She sets the bowl on the floor, where it's immediately set upon by some of the animals. For the others... "And some crunchy, munchy acorns, too!" These are similarly enjoyed.

Not all of the critters have left Rainbow Dash alone, though. Fluttershy hurries over toward the stewpot, where a few still seem to be chanting. "Ah, wouldn't you like to take a break and have a little snack?" As it happens, they seem amenable to that suggestion.

"Aw, look at that! You were all just cranky because you were hungry!" A white rabbit hops over to give her a hug, and several birds chime in their agreement. "Oh, you are very welcome, little friends." Something's a bit odd about that, but Fluttershy doesn't have time to figure it out right away, as the bear snatches her up... to kiss her forehead. That's when she realizes:

"Goodness! It's like I can understand them!" That realization seems to spread through her whole body, radiating out of her like light. "I- I feel strange, like... like this is what I'm meant to do. Like this is who I am!" She launches herself into the air, the glow in her heart peaking as she declares, "My destiny!"

It's now or never. Twilight pulls Fluttershy's Element necklace out of the chest and clasps it around the pegasus's neck. The butterfly-shaped gem shifts from sky blue to a brilliant, glowing pink.

At first, Fluttershy is startled. Why would Twilight be doing that? But she doesn't have long to wonder, because as soon as the necklace settles in place she has the strangest feeling. It's a bit like deja vu, and a bit like the spell Twilight used to bring her back when they first faced Discord, and a bit like waking up out of a very vivid dream, but not quite like any of those.

(It is, in fact, her true self being re-written over her changed destiny.)

It's over in a moment, and Fluttershy collapses to the floor. "Wha... what happened?"

"Fluttershy, look! Your cutie mark!"

Fluttershy looks, and sure enough, there on her flank is a familiar trio of butterflies.

"It worked! It worked!" Twilight jumps in an excited circle around Fluttershy. "Oh, I'm so happy you're back to normal! Now we need your help..."

Magical Mystery Cure, part 4

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