Chapter Text
Flurry Heart leaned against the window of her bedroom. Dark storm clouds hung over the skies, even though no storm was scheduled. But Flurry’s eyes remained on the road. When the carriage arrived, she dashed out of her room and down the palace steps, and caught her aunts in the entrance hall. Her Aunt Twilight stood tall as ever, and at her side stood Fluttershy, who looked as though she’d gotten a few more wrinkles under her eyes. They both looked tired. There was more to it than just exhaustion though. Something was deeply wrong in Equestria, and the Princesses of Friendship and Kindness bore all the burden of seeing it through these dark times. The burden must’ve been especially hard on Fluttershy, who wasn’t even an Alicorn.
Flurry’s brow furrowed with concern as she studied the lines in Fluttershy’s face. Seeing her aunt so worn down tore at her heart. Fluttershy noticed her staring and smiled at her and held her front hooves out. Suddenly feeling like a little filly again, Flurry flapped her wings and flew into her embrace.
“Have you been a good girl?” Fluttershy asked in a soft voice.
That irked Flurry. She was full grown mare now. But seeing her scowl just made Fluttershy giggle. “This is serious, Auntie…”
“Of course it is,” Twilight said, drawing closer and putting a hoof on Flurry’s shoulder. “And this time, it’s not the sort of problem we can just use our magic to blast away. Ponies are out there spreading discord and hate. You must be scared, Flurry.”
“Yeah right,” Flurry shot back. She wasn’t scared of anything. She was tough. She’d cracked some skulls in her time on the streets. And caused some real trouble. As she thought about all that, she felt Fluttershy’s gaze on her, and she felt stricken by shame. Flurry lowered her head. But Fluttershy put her hoof under her chin and lifted her up again, and made her look her in the eye.
“What’s wrong, sweetie?”
“I… I caused a lot of trouble…”
“Oh, is that all? But that’s all in the past now.” Fluttershy beamed at her and hugged her tighter.
After all the vandalism and the fighting, Flurry could hardly believe her aunt was still okay being around her. And hugging her. Just like when she had been a filly.
“It was just a few broken windows, sweetie,” Fluttershy said. “Nopony got hurt.”
“Actually, she hurt a lot of ponies,” Twilight said. “And it wasn’t just windows. There was the vandalism of the Spike the Great statue too…”
“Well, okay, but nopony was seriously hurt.”
“Eh…” Twilight grimaced and shook her hoof. “She sent a few to the hospital.”
“Okay. Well, all of them recovered.”
Tears welling up, Flurry pressed her snout against her aunt’s shoulder. “You really still like me?”
“Of course! We’re family and I love you, Flurry.”
“Y-You never gave up on me…”
Flurry felt her Auntie Twilight’s hoof on her shoulder.
“There’s nothing you could do that would make her give up on you. She’s always believed anyone can reform, and she’s dealt with beings more frustrating than you could ever be, all without losing her patience.”
Fluttershy lidded her eyes halfway and gave Twilight a look. “I’ve been patient a lot with you too, Twi.”
“Hey now…” Twilight scoffed. “I’m the patient one. The bards all say so and they couldn’t be wrong.”
Fluttershy giggled. “Right. Those songs about how you helped me with my shyness… But they never mention how annoying you can get when you’re Twilighting.”
“Are you the one who leaked that verb to them?”
Flurry found her heart warmed by her aunts’ banter. But she wondered why they had come to the Crystal Empire now, when things were so dire. It couldn’t have been for a social visit.
Before she could ask, another pony stepped down the stairs. Her light blue mane, coiffed into fancy curls, was unmistakable. And her Cutie Mark of a chess piece also showed who she was. Cozy Glow. A pony so rotten and psychopathic that even the best ponies in Equestria had thought her beyond redemption. And also the best friend Flurry had ever known.
Cozy was already garbed in guard pony armor, and she carried a second set bundled on her back for Flurry, which she roughly threw to the ground once she reached the bottom of the stairs.
“Cozy, could I talk to you a moment?” Twilight said.
“Fine, professor,” Cozy replied irritably.
Flurry watched Twilight and Cozy head off to another room, wondering all the while what was going on, and why her aunts were here in the first place. Still enveloped in her Auntie Fluttershy’s wings, she gazed up at her questioningly.
Still smiling, Fluttershy pet her head to give her reassurance. But the tired look in her eyes had returned. “Sweetie, your Auntie Twilight and I need you and Cozy to help us with something really important…”