Heartfinder (MLP Fan Fiction)

A Butter What?

It wasn’t until she woke up the third time from the dream, that she realized that Northern Lights had the belt. Every time Blooming Rose nodded off in the thick tree branch she was hiding in, she would have the nightmare of losing Cutedrop to the shadowy figures then falling through the cloud, except now with a twist. Instead of just seeing Cutedrop, she also saw the entire race of Batwings, wings tied, preparing to jump into a bottomless gorge. When she raced to stop them, all she heard was Cutedrop’s screams as the shadowy figures closed in. When she ran to help Cutedrop, all she could see was Northern Lights’ face as he jumped first. She had taken to choosing falling off the clouds herself rather than having to face either consequence.

And now that was her reality. Without the belt, even if she by some miracle lasted long enough to gather the other five hearts, she could never complete either spell without the belt. How long would it be until Cutedrop died? A few months at most, at least by the Empress’ expectations. Why should Blooming Rose even continue on this silly little quest? She should be at home, spending what little time Cutedrop had left with her. Why had she even thought that she could ever do this anyway? She wasn’t like Northern Lights, she wasn’t royalty trying to help her people; she didn’t have any powers; in fact, she couldn’t even fly. Even if she had the faintest idea where the next heart would be, she would never be able to get it and get out alive.

Why did I ever leave? It’s not like I’m anything special. I tried this quest thing already, it is obvious that I’m not the pony the Batwings were waiting for, or the pony that Cutedrop is waiting for. I’m not even who I thought I was. I don’t belong here, I am supposed to be somewhere else in the Equestria, being a good little nothing pony with the rest. I didn’t even do that right.

A rustle in the branches above shook her from her thoughts. “Northern Lights?” she asked hopefully. “Is that you?” After a pause, she bowed her head down, “Of course not. No one ever comes back after I mess up. Why didn’t I remember that?” Her back tingled as someone flew just above her ear.

“Northern Lights?” she called up. “That isn’t funny.” She saw only some branches being tossed in the air, just where he should be. “Northern Lights? Is that you?”

"Just the wind," said a coy voice right behind her left ear.

She flicked her head up, only to see open air. "What...Who are you?"

"A nightmare," it answered by her left foot.

She twisted to look at her haunter, facing nothing. "Are you invisible?"

"Almost,” it called from by her right shoulder.

"What are you doing here?" she said as she turned to the new source.

"What nightmares do," it said from above.

"Which is?"

"What do you think?"

"To scare?" she answered.

"To haunt." it replied.

"I don't like where this is going."

"Then my job is almost done."

"What?"

"All that's left is this," it said with a kick to Blooming Rose's leg. It stunned her enough that she didn’t have time to react and grab the branch with her horseshoes, making her fall backward out of the tree. As she fell, Blooming Rose got her first look of her attacker, a dark silhouette with large butterfly-shaped wings standing relaxed on the tree branch. The surprise ran out as she made impact with the forest floor, knocking out her breath and senses. When the blackness veiling her eyes departed, the electric blue attacker was backing away from Blooming Rose’s now glowing necklace.

"I've been attacked by a butterfly?" she asked dazed. "Well, not so much fly."

"Stop your gabber. You are coming with me," the Butterwhat said as it tied her hooves to a long rope, carefully avoiding her throat, just giving her enough stretch to make a step. Though Blooming Rose tried to resist, her limbs were so heavy that she gave up.

"Where are you taking me?" she pushed through her dreamlike state.

"To my leader."

“Can we…” ,she paused to yawn, “…sleep first?"

"We sleep when I say sleep Nothing Pony."

"If you get to know what I am, then what Butter are you?"

"What?"

"A Butterwhat. That must be embarrassing."

She swung a hoof at Blooming Rose’s stomach, stopping suddenly as if remembering something.

"What's wrong, Butterwhat?"

"Stop it or else."

“Or else what?” she asked dreamily.

The Butterwhat just scowled at Blooming Rose, then turned away to dig in a pocket on her army green vest.

“Whoooaaah. You can fit, like your entire leg in there, man,” Blooming Rose said. The Butterwhat stopped her search just long enough to scowl again at Blooming Rose, then quickly turned back to her vest. Finding what she was looking for after stuffing her hoof up to the knee in the small square pocket, she quickly stuffed it into Blooming Rose’s mouth and snatched her leg away as soon as she made contact. When Blooming Rose’s necklace did nothing to stop her, the Butterwhat tapped several places on her neck, causing her muscles to automatically swallow.

“Hey,” Blooming Rose said. “That wasn’t nice.”

“Be quiet,” the Butterwhat answered. “That was only an antidote to the drug I gave you when you were knocked out, with a small amount of relaxation chemical.” She smiled sickly. “Besides, it is going to get a lot worse.”