Fluttervile

Chapters

"... on the wall."
"... take your clothes off."
Ben Dover
Into the void
His first time
The mane introduction
Ray of sunshine
Butterflies
Bed, bath, and not so far away
The Flood
"... poor bastard."
Desirable
Black and purple
Ever so beautiful.
... though I walk the valley of the shadow of death...
Traditions of the horn
"... the giant fell."
That awkward time in life
The start of something...
"... Fairest of them all?"
With these hands and a name
"... the giant fell."
A flower for you
Child assembly required
Carry on
Then there was five, then...
Now whole
"... the acient fell."

"... on the wall."

Chapter one:

"... on the wall."

warm, slow spring days held the inhabitants of equestria in bliss with soft breezes. the day was fine with many ponies walking about their business in ponyville. picnics and play dates where held through out the day. the sky was clear, the sun was bright, and the air was crisp. birds sung high and joy laughed loudly. why would anypony want to spend the day inside? only one pony did, along with a small dragon, spending the day experimenting with the forces of magic. loud clacking and grunting came from within the tree house from open windows.

"you ready spike?"

two small purple claws gripped the side of a frameless mirror, four feet high and two feet wide. ten feet from a purple unicorn with a dark blue mane with purple and pink stripes running down the middle stood the young dragon tightly closing his eyes, bracing himself. with fierce concentration, the purple unicorn counted down with her horn glowing a dark red. the air popped and sizzled with energy as the unicorn's eyes narrowed, focusing on the tilted mirror.

"three...two...one!" a crimson beam crackled angrily as it flew at the mirror, flowing over the reflective surface, rippling towards the dragon. the light dissipated into the purple dragon as he snaked his head around the mirror, his green spikes on top of his head flaring. she blinked at the still mirror. nothing happened to the mirror held up by spike.

"is that it?" looking towards the unicorn questioning the experiment.

"I didn't feel a thing." spike eyed the front of the mirror. not a single sign of disturbance marred the reflective surface.

"let's try another mirror," the unicorn said dismissively as she levitated a quill and scribbled down notes into a journal.

"sure thing twilight." spike carefully laid the mirror down to the side grabbing a wider one that was held with a frame. over the next hour mirror after mirror, wide, skinny, short, and tall, was hit with crimson beams that yielded no results. notes cluttered the journal as each failure was written with more and more frustration. twilight sat down in frustration finally giving up. she took a deep breath to calm herself down but was meet with more failure.

"damn it! this stupid spell is suppose to show us other worlds but it's useless!" she laid down on the floor, closing her eyes in dismay. spike shuffled around placing down a mirror a little wider and taller then himself. a small gasp came from spike as he passed an upright mirror.

"um, well..." spike stepped out from behind the mirror pile. twilight opened her eyes, looking at the young dragon in wonder. spike walked forward with his arms outstretched examining his body. his scales where no longer purple but a deep crimson that reflected the light off at low angles casting a circle of red light around him. it skirted along the ground nearly a foot in diameter, dark in the middle and becoming lighter as it expanded out.

" the energy must have absorbed into your scale's pigment. it should wear off eventually." twilight looked spike over with a raised eyebrow. it was very interesting seeing how the experiment was a failure.

"this is actually cool." the now crimson dragon admired himself slowly caressing his scales. twilight simply nodded her head as she turned to the door.

"let's go get lunch somewhere." spike walked off towards the door as twilight gave the last mirror a dirty look. it was seven foot tall and five foot across leaning against the wall without a frame, the largest mirror of the bunch. planting her hooves and her horn glowing once again she shot a crimson beam off in anger at the last mirror. when the light hit a chorus of shattering glass rocked the library. twilight and spike watched in fear as the mirror levitated, shaking violently, the glass somehow still intact. crimson electricity surged through the mirror as wind blasted from the center, throwing open the windows and the door. the mirror appeared to dissolve into a void, the reflective surface jutting outward and a blood red tunnel grew in the void.

"twilig..." spike was silenced as many things happened at once. a deafening roar that threaten to burst ear drums blasted through the air. slapping wind tore at hair and skin, knocking off books and scattering papers. rocking ground shook the library throwing even more objects to the ground from selves and walls. the library groaned as if it was to collapse in onto it's self but it held in the endeavor.

"ahhhh!" the roar died off and a yell built from inside the vortex, coming closer. then the yell flew through the mirror belonging to a large body that slammed into the floor with a loud thud. the mirror vibrated violently and shattered into large fragments, the pieces flying out windows and the door. the vortex snapped out of existence suddenly and everything grew still. twilight and spike stared at the mass on the ground laying still in shock. nothing happened for a minute but then the body moved shifting it's self. spike ducked behind twilight closing his eyes she stared rooted into the floor wide eyed at the thing.

"ow..." a low groan came from the pile of flesh and cloth as it brought it's head about. spike poked his face out from behind twilight eyeing the strange thing.

"stupid apartment, I knew they didn't fix the floor. probably in the damn neighbor's living room." a deep voice muttered to itself as its head picked up, dark brown eyes contacted twilight's royal purple. their gazes locked both in wide eyed bewilderment and neither moved a muscle. complete silence filled the room.

"um... I don't think this is the neighbor's room." their stares held each other in complete mystery, no one making a move. twilight's jaw suddenly worked once again and spoke on it's own accord.

"no...it's a library." spike walked out from behind twilight as she finished her sentence. he stood beside twilight no longer afraid of the stranger but intrigued.

"and our house." spike added as he moved more into the line of sight.

"... and they talk. I must have hit my head really hard." the stranger got up still holding twilight's eyes. curiosity got the better of him and spike slowly crept up to it reaching out for a single touch. twilight finally broke eye contact and quikly grabbed spike clutching him to her chest.

"are you crazy? it could be dangerous." twilight squeezed spike tightly but he didn't mind as he was more interested in the large creature. it looked at twilight with mild disbelief.

"HE is not dangerous at all as long as you are not to him." he stared down twilight in soft irritation.

"uh, sorry I was just worried about him." twilight eased on her death grip and spike shuffled forward. he tilted his head back to meet the eyes of the large...he.

"wow! you're tall," spike said in awe. then a low grumbling noise came from all three breaking the award silence. spike looked at him with a slight blush.

"we where about to go eat. would you like to come with us?" spike smiled broadly but was answered with a blank expression. twilight quikly interrupted spike before any other answer could be made.

" I don't think that's a good idea. all the other ponies might get frighten with such a giant creature." twilight walk over to spike with her horn lighting up, magically closing the door and windows. he looked at twilight with a blank glare.

"do I frighten you?" he said with a mild bite of venom. twilight lowered her head in embarrassment mumbling something about strange things suddenly roaming the town. looking for a change of subject she then scanned the room in it's disheveled state. twilight levitated a broom and dust pan to spike trying to clean up the mess.

"let's get started spike." books littered the ground along with broken glass from mirrors and picture frames. loose paper and quills were scattered across the ground and ink jars tipped over staining surfaces. he stood in spot as twilight and spike cleaned the library in just under ten minutes. twilight levitated books back into place, papers in stacks, and quells in bundles. spike swept up glass into piles off to the side and wiped up ink. the entire time he stared at the ground around his feet with looks of confusion. spike stopped swiping and looked up at him.

"um, are you ok?" giving spike no answer he just continued to stare at the ground without word. twilight watched him with her mind racing.

he's most likely scared. he's in a new world, suddenly ripped from his, thrown into ours by force. he seems so confused. so... lost. and it's all my fault. I didn't mean for this to happen it was an accident. I intend to fix this mess with all my power.

she turned to spike whispering instructions into his ear and he walked off and out of sight. he looked up from the ground and watched twilight.

"secrets don't make friends." he said idly at twilight as she returned her gaze at him.

"I was only telling him to get ready to get some food." twilight moved from her spot and slowly walked towards him. a floor board raised slightly from the rest had caught twilight's hoof sending her fumbling at him. she quickly corrected her self and stood up right fast but brought her muzzle into his clothed crotch. he gave twilight a strange look as she simply held here face there. then it dinged on twilight on the anatomy of different creatures and she jerked back blushing brightly. spike had walked in, unaware, and watched trying to hold back his laughter.

"sorry, I didn't me to! it was an accident." twilight sputtered and backed up fast from him. he stood there still giving twilight a strange look but it became a blank slate again. spike manage to get himself under control and walked to twilight, holding a small leather pouch that jingled with each step. twilight turned to spike, her face still slightly red.

"good, now..." twilight began but was quickly interrupted by a loud crack. a table leg snapped off from an end table, sending a flower pot into the air soaring right at the large being. the pot was aimed for his chest but was stopped mid flight with a swift pluck out of the air. he brought the pot to his face and examined the flower as both twilight and spike stared slack-jawed. spike was the first to recover and fidgeted with excitement.

"I'm going for lunch." spike rushed out the door, his foot steps receding into the distance. leaving twilight and the new strange creature, spike rushed off nearly unable to contain his excitement of twilights failed yet successful experiment that brought a foreign creature. he wondered what all he was capable of doing after seeing such an amazing catch. spike wondered if he could juggle as he ran off down the path to a boutique.

"Rarity is not going to believe this!" his feet pattered down the road and quickly headed to a friend of twilight's and his crush that no one could possibly know about, after all it was his best kept secret. after that he thought about getting the rest of the gang and not to mention the food as his stomach growled loudly again.

"mirror, mirror..."

"when you're lost there's nowhere to go but forward. one step at a time - and the way will show itself."

"... take your clothes off."

Chapter two:

"... take your clothes off."

"where is it?"

"I can't see."

"ow! off ma hoof!"

two mares huddled around a window while one floated by a sky light left slightly ajar. the white unicorn with her purple mane wrestled with the orange earth pony pulling her blond mane out of its pony tail. a cyan Pegasus hovered in the air, blowing her rainbow mane out of her eyes for a clear view. unable to see inside the three then crept to the front and piled up by the door, leaning heavily against it, listening to what was happening. inside twilight sat across from...

"... a human. it has been over three hundred years since the last one crossed over but she went back after a week or so." twilight had several books open in front of her as she poured over the little information on humans she had. he sat there lost in his own thoughts.

this is just a dream. a very annoying dream filled with talking mythical creatures.

twilight read on and occasionally glanced up at the human. she was on the physical anatomy section on humans but it was incomplete as it was started on the last human to come to equestria, who suddenly found a way back home. the page had a drawing of a male with lines pointed at various parts of the body, blanks ending with measurement units.

I need to finish this work or I may never get another chance. it might be difficult to get him to agree but I need to try. I mean, all I'm going to do is examine him and it won't be long. I'll have to get him to take off those...

twilight hadn't realize she was staring at the human, looking him up and down. he caught her out the corner of his eye and meet her stare. twilight looked into his eyes for a moment until she came back down remembering what she was doing. she snapped back down to her book and mumbled an apology. at that moment, the door swung open from the combined weight of eaves-droppers as three mares landed in a heap of tangled hoofs and manes.

"um, hey twi." the orange earth pony nervously said on top of the other two, her hat sat slightly askew to the right. the human's eyes darted over to the three new pony intruders. the cyan Pegasus gave the white unicorn under her a goofy grin and was meet with the role of sapphire eyes.

"come on in." twilight said without a glance up and scanned the tomes. the human at the time just ignored the pony pile and stood to stretch. the trio eyed the human as he presented himself.

he was mildly tan with broad shoulders that held thick arms with large hands and long strong fingers. his chest and stomach were also thick and wide with muscle under a mild layer of fat that didn't form into roles but a smooth ride all the way down. thick long legs carried the large human, halving his height at the waist and brining him to a total of six feet tall. fairly dense hair coated his arms and legs and an inch thick above the jaw line from sideburn to sideburn. More hair rested below his wide flat nose, thick with a line an inch away from the middle to the left a few centimeters wide that grew no hair. a small triangle of hair sat below his lips that didn't connect to the rest of his facial hair. shoulder length light brown hair in loose curls draped over his smooth neck. large, thick eyebrows rested over his dark brown eyes but the left one had a hint of gray throughout the brown iris and the white surrounding. a black sleeveless shirt hid under a white and pink flowery button up shirt. denim shorts that stopped a little past the knees with frayed endings held up by a plain brown belt. he had white ankle socks and kaki slip-on shoes that were large enough for a foal to fit in.

great. more ponies. as if this nightmare wasn't bad enough. can something kill me and get this over with? i would really like to wake up now.

"so who is this?" the cyan Pegasus asked in the middle raising her head up shoving rainbow hair into the orange pony's mouth.

"this is ...um? I don't know, I never asked." twilight finally looked up from her pile of tomes. the human sat down on the little chair, groaning under his weight. he stretched out his legs, crossing them. he folded his arms across his chest, glancing at the purple unicorn. a look of annoyance flashed across his face.

"you kidnap and lock me inside your home, then you sexually assault me, all without asking my name?" all the ponies stared at the human with various expressions. the orange mare had a look of interest after spitting out multi colored hair. the cyan Pegasus perked up with the mention of depraved acts and grinned. the white unicorn gazed with sympathy. twilight stared blatantly at him waiting for his name. he sighed in defeat and simply answered.

"it's Dolorem. Dolorem Pati." he went from eye to eye, waiting for something to happen when finally the pony pile quivered and the white unicorn crawled out from under it, shaking out her purple mane.

"well hello, Mr. Pati. I am rarity. it is a pleasure to meet you.." dolorem leaned forward placing his face in his hands shaking his head. it was becoming to much as everything became more and more alive.

it's all so detailed and vivid. I want to wake up so bad but...

"are you ok Mr. pati?" rarity tilted her head, staring at him with worry. he looked up and released a large sigh.

"I want to wake up but the longer this drags on, the less hope I have." it seems as this was never going to end and he needed to find someway to realize this. twilight perked up at this.

there isn't much on external physical anatomy in any of these books. looks like I'm going to have to fix that.

"well I can assure you that this is not a dream." twilight spoke in a matter of fact tone coming out from her thoughts. the remaining pony pile finally untangled itself as accidental wing fanning caused deep blushing.

"I pulled you here through the mirror with a spell meant to be a window to view other worlds." twilight was nearly erupting into a lecture when a crimson dragon pushed past the two red-faced ponies, blocking the doorway interrupting her.

"I brought lunch." spike carried a paper bag in each claw setting them on the table. different aromas emitted from the contents with in causing twilight's stomach to growl loudly. she smiled nervously as everyone gave her funny looks.

"I didn't know what you eat so I just got a bunch of different stuff with some of twilight's bits." spike spoke as he emptied the bags of food. hay fries to cupcakes piled together on the table. dolorem looked up at the crimson dragon. he needed to test this reality against his own.

"are you a dragon or a lizard?" dolorem stared intently at the dragon causing him to shift uncomfortably.

"dragon." spike spoke slowly at the sudden interrogation. it was quiet except for a slight rustling as the Pegasus playfully bumped the earth pony with a wide grin. the earth pony just shook her head as the white unicorn looked at the two with a raised eyebrow. twilight looked from spike to dolorem as the questioning went on.

"are you related to spyro?" dolorem raised both eyebrows boring down at spike. he need to know how the crimson dragon would react.

this is it. it might be a stupid question but my mind will know.

"who?" spike looked puzzled not understanding or knowing who he was being asked about. dolorem got up and stood there. he sighed a deep lengthy moan and shrugged his shoulders.

"no smart ass remark. great, this isn't a dream." twilight rolled her eyes.

I've explained this scientifically to him. this is real and he needs to accept that. but for know it's time to complete the dimensions on the human body.

no matter what the situation, twilight always was focused on learning new things. she shook her head and raised her voice.

"I said that already." twilight walked over to a box set off to the side. she keep it out in case of a surprise opportunity to complete missing information in books. although this was the only chance she ever got to use it she wasn't going to miss it.

"now I need everyone else to go. I have a physical to perform." twilight's horn glowed as measuring tape, a magnifying glass, and other objects levitated from the box. this caught everyone off guard as twilight floated different examining tools onto the table. dolorem didn't understand at first what she meant but then he saw the book with a picture of a faceless human spread eagle on the page. twilight tried to look nonchalant as she organized the tools on the table and the other ponies and spike looked back and forth between twilight and dolorem in surprise. dolorem watched the unicorn with a small amount of horror on his face.

"wait, what?" dolorem stared at the unicorn in shock, his face twitching slightly. everyone else knew not to try to get between twilight and something she really wanted to study.

"well I guess we'll be goin' now." the orange pony bid the two farewell as she tried to push away the cyan Pegasus from nibbling on her ear as her hat fell to the floor. no one caught this as the white unicorn accidently stepped on the hat and levitated it back onto the pony without looking, placing it on a rainbow mane. the other pony quickly snatched off her hat and placed it on her own head. spike only nodded and went to turn to the door as he bumped into the unicorn and blushed. all of them had finally gotten themselves ready.

"well it was a delight to meet you, Mr. Pati. I hope we can spend more time together later." the white unicorn pushed the others away. dolorem kept staring at twilight never hearing a word. all the other ponies and spike went to the door to leave. the cyan pony looked back with a devious grin, raising an eyebrow at twilight. she ignored her with a red face knowing she would be teased later at every possible moment.

"so spike, why are ya red?" the orange pony asked walking out with the other ponies. as if the dragon's crimson scales just appeared the three ponies looked at spike and examined his new coat color. spike kept walking and simply answered, "oh, it's twilights' fault."

"well it looks cool." the cyan Pegasus said hovering above the group as the door closed by a magical force. twilight faced dolorem with a solemn expression. he stared back, wide-eyed, unable to believe that anyone he just met besides a doctor would say such a thing. he wasn't a virgin but he would have liked some romance at least.

"alright, let's get started. take your clothes off."

"It's only awkward if you let it be."

Ben Dover

Chapter three:

"Ben Dover."

spike stood in the middle of a large crowd of ponies at Sugarcube Corner, recanting the events of earlier that day. he was the center of attention as he told the story of the foreign giant. spike spoke and acted out everything from the experiment to the flower pot. the crowd would oh and ah as the story continued. spike explained at great length and detail of the human, about his clothes and the way he looked, and the crowd was at awe. everypony was in a daze listening when spike's stomach growled louder. Mrs. Cake shoved a green cupcake into his claw telling him to go on. he took a bite of the sweet treat and continued his story. spike went on for nearly a hour and held everyponies attention with ease. it was not everyday a human came to the world of equestria, especially a small town like Ponyville. he answered the many questions to the best of his knowledge but was never asked why he was red. eveypony knew that spike was often used as a test subject and simply dismissed it as one of twilight's experiments. he finished his story with the bit about twilight telling everyone to leave, but left out the sexual nature of the situation causing everyone to being excused, the crowd murmured amongst themselves dispersing from the dragon.

"spike!" a white unicorn filly with a pink and purple mane walked towards the dragon. she had been in the back of the crowd waiting to get a chance to talk to spike.

"hey sweetie belle." spike quickly ate the last of his cupcake. the unicorn was bursting with excitement wanting to meet the human. an orange Pegasus with a light violet mane and yellow earth pony filly with a red mane came up behind spike quietly unnoticed by him.

"where is scootaloo and applebloom?" spoke wiped his mouth clean paying no attention to his surrounding. the orange Pegasus slowly crept up behind and stalked spike ready to pounce.

"right here!" scootaloo tackled spike, as he yelled in surprise, to the ground pinning him as prey. she grinned broadly and held spike down. sweetie belle walked up besides the two and stood there giggling. scootaloo held him down and asked.

"so is he still there with twilight?" she stared into the dragon's eyes' beaming with excitement, the other two leaned forward listening.

"yes." spike said breathlessly with the Pegasus on his chest, trying to squirm out from under the filly. scootaloo just got off him and clustered around the other two fillies and they whispered to one another. spike watched them from the ground catching his breath.

"let's go!" the group broke from the huddle spinning towards the door all of the skipping with excitement. applebloom rushed out the door followed by scootaloo. sweetie belle apologized to spike and ran off with the others. spike sat there dusting himself off.

"hey spike!" spike jumped up and cringed throwing his arms up to protect himself. a pink earth pony with a fluffy pink mane appeared seemingly out of no where.

"oh, hi Pinkie Pie." spike lowered his arms but still half expected to get pounced again.

"do you know if he likes parties? I hope he likes parties. I mean what pony wouldn't like to party? oh wait he's not a pony but still he should like to party." Pinkie ranted on about throwing a party for the human and asked a question after question about his preferences. spike told her he really had no idea and took a guess and some of the questions. then Pinkie became serious and asked spike.

"what did his smile look like?" spike thought hard trying to remember.

"um well he never smiled." Pinkie zoomed out the shop leaving spike alone.

"there are no foreign lands. it is the traveler only who is foreign."

"please? this is a once in a life time opportunity." twilight chased dolorem with tools levitating in the air. dolorem skirted around the table away from her.

"why are you so intent on taking my clothes off." dolorem stopped on the other side of the table placing it between the two.

"stop being so difficult!" twilight and dolorem were at a stand off staring each other down far from one another. he just glared at twilight and she returned his with one of her own.

"no." he said with fierce determination.

"why not? I don't wear clothes." twilight just turned her body demonstrating with a wiggle of her flank, dolorem notice for the first time the purple star on ether side of her flank. he just gave her a stare of daggers.

"you have a fur coat and a tail. I don't." dolorem stretched his arms out in his own demonstration. they both continued their stand off when twilight had a light bulb.

all I have to do his get him more comfortable. then I'll be able to have my way.

"then let's go to my bed." twilight turned and marched off. dolorem balked and tittered.

"what?" dolorem looked at twilight wide eyed. twilight just looked at him with confusion.

"it's in the back where no one can see. why else woul..." it dinged on twilight why dolorem was shocked and she blushed furiously.

"there isn't going to be any... rutting." twilight mumbled into the floor boards. dolorem had no idea what that meant but gave up. he just wanted to get this over with.

"fine." he said and slowly walked to twilight. she suddenly became excited and jumped at the chance before he could change his mind.

"really?" she said with a great amount of joy.

"yes so you won't attack me and try ripping them off." twilight practically skipped to the back. dolorem followed suit in a less enthusiastic manner to the bed in the back with twilight. twilight stood near the bed waiting for him as he just stood in place slightly away from her. twilight became more and more impatient waiting for him to start. dolorem just sighed and striped down to his plain gray boxers throwing his clothes on the floor. twilight looked at him in annoyance tapping her hoof, but then something caught her eye. he had a hairy chest and stomach but at his belly button a scar cut through the forest. it was a high angle, foot long, jagged crescent that went to the left.

"fine." he slipped off the last piece of clothing. twilight stared open mouthed at below dolorem's waist. she began to blush very deeply.

I guess that's what I bumped into...

"well... um. I guess your not like colts." twilight couldn't pry her eyes away from him. her blush seemed to grow even deeper. she went into a kind of daze and stared intently.

"yeah we kind of just hang out there." dolorem said flatly. at that time the front door burst open and three fillies charged in. dolorem quickly dived under the blankets of twilights bed. twilight snapped out of it and turned to the sudden intrusion.

"hey twilight." the three fillies chorused together. scootaloo found the pile of clothes immediately searching through them joined by the other two. the wanted to see the human but were distracted by his clothes laying on the ground in the open.

"is this his clothes? so cool!" scootaloo poked her head through the top of the button up shirt as it hung loosely around her neck. sweetie belle sat in one of his slip on shoes, with room for her to nearly be able to lay down in, while applebloom put on his shorts nearly swallowed by the gapping waist and her legs barely sticking out. the girls were in wonder by the shear size of the garments and twilight tried using her body to block off dolorem.

"girls you shouldn't be here right now." twilight talked near frantically and levitated the boxers, under shirt, and shoes, after dumbing out sweetie bell from her prospective bed, to dolorem. as he quickly redressed, the girls finally caught sight of him, the blanket slipped off showing his naked figure. scootaloo watched wide eyed as he caught the blanket before it slipped all the way down in waist. she knew a little about sex from rainbow dash and thought this was the reason he was naked in twilight's bed, spike did say he wore clothes to cover himself up.

"oh ok so I'll just take this and go!" the words flew out of scootaloo's mouth so fast twilight had to stop and think about what she said as she grabbed the button up shirt in her teeth and ran. sweetie belle ran after her followed by applebloom but applebloom tripped over the shorts tumbling out of them. twilight quickly levitated the shorts to dolorem, starting to chase after the girls.

"girls come back!" applebloom finally made it out the door without further impediment. dolorem walked out from behind the bed minus the button up and simply stared at the receding fillies. the black sleeveless under shirt made dolorem look even bigger and reveled a patch of raised skin, warped and discolored on his right arm near the shoulder.

"so who where they?" dolorem asked twilight returning his gaze to her. she stood there fidgeting.

"that's just the cutie mark crusaders. don't worry I'll get it back." twilight ran out leaving dolorem alone. he just sat back down on twilights bed his face in a confused glaze. he just laid back resting his eyes thinking about what the hey fries tasted like. after a little time he got back up and examined the library. he went through the house giving himself a tour, stopping at something in particular. he was walking by a book shelf when something caught his eye. it was wedged between two book shelves, shiny and reflective. it was jagged and quite large, embedded deeply between the shelves. dolorem just continued his tour leaving whatever it was in place. he made his was back to the table with food piled on top. he examined the food noticing the similarities between the morsels of his world. his stomach growled loudly, he was about to eat when he was pulled through and was starving. he shifted through the food and organized it into groups, from sweets to veggies and things he did not know.

a lot of things here are so similar. I really guess this isn't a dream and I'm stuck here. I guess it isn't so bad, a hell of a lot better then home that's for sure. but still I am the only human here. doesn't seem like much of a change though.

after wards dolorem want back to twilight's bed and became very tired. it had been a long day, well morning as the clock had just strike noon. the clock on the wall dinged loudly and was somewhat soothing as dolorem laid his head down on twilight's pillow. his eye lids felt heavy as he rested on the soft bed. his mind began to wonder on thoughts of a pony, staring at him while he was naked, looking hungry. he began to slip into darkness, soft and relaxing. soon he was fast asleep and snoring softly. spike came in the door and ran to his bed to get something. he noticed dolorem asleep treading softly to his bed and grabbed a small leather poach.

I have to pay back Mrs. Cake for the cupcake.

spike slowly walked out the door and headed back to Sugarcube Corner. dolorem shifted slightly in his sleep, dreams of ponies trying to force themselves on him littered his mind.

"let sleeping dogs lie... well in this case a giant."

Into the void

Chapter four:

"Into the void."

it had started out as a normal day in my apartment, rotting and pitiful. last year the floor above collapsed due to water seepage, sending a bathtub into my living room, damaging the floor. the land lord said he would repair all damages for of charge but the contractor looked shady and when I walked across the floor it groaned loudly. I lived by a beach, that is all I really care to share, the rest was dilapidated. everything was dull and boring even in this large city of concert and asphalt. everyday was clock work, nothing ever changed besides the break ins and muggings. you couldn't walk the street without fear riding besides you. except me. no one ever bothered me even though I wasn't the largest person around I was still big enough to detour the thugs and muggers. I worked at a bakery, not something you think a guy like me would be doing. it kept me busy and paid the bills for a year and a half. I had just got off my shift and was walking home, never drove a car as it would take over an hour to get home, the roads always pack even late into the night. back ally rats and dogs watched me walk by, contemplating the possible outcome. I never paid any attention because I know they were cowards. I arrived home at the ten story complex without incident like any other night. I climbed the stairs to my seventh floor room, passing screaming, music, and silence.

Why do I even bother? It's not like anything is ever...

I unlocked the door stepping in and quickly locked it back. the room was a simple square with the "kitchen" to the right, a stove and microwave, my bed in the far left corner, with a TV at the end resting on a plain wooden table, and the bathroom in the far right without a door.

It was... something. at least I had a place to go at night and sleep. I wasn't huddled next to a fire with other homeless people wondering where my next meal would be.

a large frameless mirror rest against the wall, seven foot tall and five feet wide, it sat there dusty and lackluster. that was until it moved. I was getting dressed after taking a shower and had placed a microwavable pizza in the microwave when I heard a buzzing sound. I just finished redressing when I walked towards the mirror, it was buzzing loud and fast. it vibrated slightly shaking off the dust and I reach my hand out lightly brushing my finger tips along the reflective surface. the mirror went still and silent and I watched as nothing happened.

That was strange. I guess the train passed by, but I didn't hear it though.

I shrugged my shoulders and turned to walk off when I was shot. well it felt like being shot as I was suddenly thrown forward into the dirty and stained carpet floor. all the wind had been knocked out of me and I tried to catch my breath when a loud noise filled the room. I flipped around towards the mirror as it screamed at me in a high pitch screech and imploded into a blood red vortex, the world seemed to bend and warp around the mirror. I was suddenly being pulled forward into the tunnel as I franticly reached for anything to hold onto. nothing was in reach in this bear apartment but also nothing else was pulled into the vortex, I was the only thing moving as I was picked up by an unknown force and hurled into the mirror. I felt pressure and heard a loud pop flying through the air helpless.

now it was silent. a silence that was louder then anything I have experienced in my life. I tumbled through a void screaming and flailing but I couldn't even hear my self, a noiseless vacuum held me. there was no color besides the mirror, which was quickly vanishing from sight, it's red vortex swirling around thrashing. I felt weightless and started to slowly stop, floating in nothingness. as I tried to move but it was like being in honey, slow and inching. I looked all around in a panic searching for anything but I only saw a sea of void. then a sudden force pulled me forward, hurtling me towards another red vertex. I was swallowed by red light and electricity as I flew towards another mirror, one that looked the same as the one I had. I started yelling as a saw a floor on the other side of the mirror. I believe this is the way I die.

back in the apartment the mirror shook violently and exploded sending large fragments out through the wall. all these noises were common so no one would ever come to check on the source. not at least until the microwave exploded, not having a timer to stop it's self or the room a circuit box to flip the current, the carpet was set ablaze. panic erupted and people flew down the stairs not caring about anyone in their way trying to save themselves. the fire department rushed to the blazing floor and manage to quell the fire but not before it spread out ward to the floors above and below . the fire destroyed several floors wiping out everything. the building was deemed unsuitable to live in, not that it was before. all that was left was rooms empty of belongings, all except the outline of a frameless mirror. waiting patiently and silently. no one would ever wonder past the third floor seeing how it was impossible to due to the fact the floor above collapsed into the stairs. only children on dares and the homeless would ever entre this place again until it was demolished or worn down by nature. but maybe there was a chance for the seventh floor.

"It's not the fall that kills you, it's the landing."

Author's Note

This chapter really as important as what you think. It was meant for some small Intel on the background of Dolo's life and living situation before equestria. I hoped it would be more for understanding Dolo a little before more of him is shown.

His first time

Chapter five:

"His first time."

twilight had lost the girls in town and spent nearly a hour searching for them before giving up. she was heading back home hanging her head down in defeat when a pink blur tackled her to the ground. it was a pink earth pony with a fluffy pink mane on top of twilight speaking a million miles per hour. twilight was wide eyed as she was surprised by the sudden attack.

"hey twi! so do you know if he likes to party? what's his favorite flavor of cake? do you think he wants to party now? oh, got to go see ya!" just a soon she appeared she was gone leaving twilight to pick her self up. twilight looked off in the direction the pink mare had gone but she was no where to be seen.

"uh ok pinkie pie..." twilight resumed walking home and to dolorem. it was strange having someone else besides spike staying at her home. she didn't mind seeing how she was the reason he was here in the first place. this was also a great opportunity to learn about humans seeing not much was known about them even in canterlot. twilight thought about what she was going to do when she blushed as she remembered when he stood before her completely naked.

the drawing in the book didn't show any features like that at all. I guess I'll just have to fix that too. that also means I need to get a better look and...

twilight was so deep in thought that she almost ran strait into the door of the library. twilight shook her head clear when she walked in and locked the door with her magic as she walked over to the table inspecting the food. a couple of cupcakes, half of the hay fries, an apple, and some of the other fruits and vegetables had been eaten.

At least I know now it won't be hard to feed him.

slow steady breathing could be heard from the back and twilight went to find the source. she found the large human neatly laid out. dolorem slept on twilights bed, above the blankets, on his back. twilight crept over to him as quite as possible looking him over. his chest raised and lowered slowly as he breathed deeply and his eyes hid behind resting eyelids. the left eyelid had a faint white horizontal line near the top. twilight carefully climbed on the bed leaning forward to inspect the mar and gently placed her hoof on his chest. twilight noticed how firm yet soft his chest was and slowly explored his broad torso.

Some more details to add to the journal...

she looked at his chest and slowly moved her sight upward. his neck was smooth, shaved, his jaw was square and well defined under the thick facial hair. his lips were large but thin and in good health over white, slightly crooked teeth. his breath smelled like the assorted food on the table but underneath was a sharp fresh scent of a tropical breeze. it was strange that his breath smelt like that but she liked it and she brought her mouth closer and deeply inhaled enjoying the scent and stared into his dark brown eyes. it took twilight a couple of seconds to realized that with his eyes open he was...

"eek!" twilight squealed in shock and fell backwards off the bed as dolorem sat up. twilight stood up real fast blushing furiously.

what was I thinking?! It's just that his breath smelt so...

"trying to take advantage of me while I sleep?" dolorem stared down at twilight with a raised eyebrow.

was she... smelling my breath? she was really close, close enough to...

twilight was a bright red and dolorem just sat there watching her stutter, trying to explain herself. she calmed down and took a deep breath.

"I couldn't get back you shirt, the girls were to fast. I'm sorry but I'm sure they will get board of it soon and bring it back. in the mean time I was wondering if we could finish that... physical." twilight just watched the ground not wanting to make eye contact. dolorem shook his head at the unicorn.

I don't think this is about finishing the book anymore...

"Can't wait to get me undressed again can you?" twilight was about to comment when a loud bang sounded and confetti exploded every where.

"Surprise!!!" Pinkie Pie jumped out from behind the bed startling both of them. she jumped up and down on the bed singing songs as dolorem watched her in shock.

What the hell is that? where the hell did it come from?

"come on lets eat some cake." the pink pony rushed past both confused species to the front. streamers and other party decorations where placed everywhere. Cakes and all manner of other sweets replaced the half eaten food that once sat on the table. a large white banner was strung across the front above the door with welcome written in different shades of pink.

"Pinkie... when... how..." twilight looked all around unable to comprehend the feat by the pink pony. dolorem followed her and examined everything also. Pinkie had finish singing her song and spun towards twilight. she just smiled and giggled as dolorem looked at everything amazed.

"while you where molesting him of course!" she did a cart wheel to a large yellow cake cutting a piece and walking towards dolorem. twilight again became red as pinkie trotted over to him with the cake on a plate held in her mouth.

"Ann tes es or ta ewman." pinkie spoke with the plate in her mouth presenting it to dolorem. he stood in place gaping at the pink pony. she just raised an eyebrow and set the plate down.

"not hungry? that's ok their well be plenty for later for you to enjoy. oh I know how about a hug?" pinkie stood on her hind legs and leaned towards dolorem. he seemed to snap out of it and flinched when pinkie came at him with her arms spread wide and backed up quickly. pinkie looked confused at him.

"are you ok dolo? first you didn't want any cake and now you don't want a hug." twilight walked up to pinkie trying to calm her down before she pounced dolorem for a hug.

"It's ok pinkie, he's just having really long day. why don't you go and let him get some rest ok?" twilight hoped she would leave but not out of annoyance. she wanted to finally get him alone without any further interruptions.

"ok we'll have the party another time." she zoomed around the room and every sweet and streamer was gone, even the half eaten food was placed on the table again. she walked out the door and suddenly turned.

"It's not what you think. that is totally not going to happen." twilight looked at pinkie and notice she wasn't looking at either one of them but up towards the ceiling.

"um, pinkie? who are you talking to?" twilight looked at where pinkie was but saw nothing. pinkie walked backwards to the door still looking up.

"oh they know, they know." she left closing the door behind, or in front of her actually. twilight just sighed not knowing what to do and walked off to her bed.

the book can wait I need to relax.

dolorem was still very confused about pinkie pie but finally gave up trying to understand her. he shook his head and watched twilight get in bed.

"so where am I going to sleep?" twilight laid there and had to think. she didn't have a guest room or any spare beds and spike's bed was way to small. that left only one place she could think of.

"well I guess you could share with me." twilight avoided eye contact and whispered lowly trying not to blush again. dolorem thought it over and decided why not.

"as long as I don't wake up with you trying to smell my hair." he walked over to twilight's bed and laid down on the right side. twilight used her magic to cover them up with the blanket. outside it was getting dark and spike still hadn't return. twilight was about to get back up when she heard the door open and close.

"twilight I'm home." spike walked over to his bed and replaced the small pouch. he then noticed both of them in bed together and scratched his head.

"oh do I need to go? cause I can..." twilight sat up and interrupted spike.

" we don't have anywhere else for him to sleep, unless you want to share your bed with him?" spike just looked away and climbed into his own bed. In a matter minutes everyone fell asleep, smooth peaceful breathing broken by an snore from spike time to time. several hours past by softly and without any interruptions until dolorem received a hoof to the face. he learned that twilight was a kicker and also flipped around in her sleep as she was now laying the other way. dolorem rubbed the mark from the hoof strait to the forehead and got out of bed. it was still dark out side but he couldn't go back to sleep. instead he went to the book shelves and scanned them over. he read the tittles of many and saw a lot of similarities but he did see some books that were about subjects known only in this world. after some time of looking through he picked a book at random and sat down on the couch. he opened the book to a random page and was greeted by the rear end of a female pony with her tail lifted out of the way. he closed the book and looked at the front he neglected to read earlier. it was a book about female pony anatomy of unicorns, Pegasus, and earth ponies.

why not? she's basically doing the same thing to me.

dolorem began from the front and sat there reading. the sun had just peaked over the land when he closed the book completely finished. he stood and stretched placing the book down on the couch walking away. he went to the door, opened it, and stepped outside. it was cool the breeze nice and crisp, the start of nature began to sound. he started to walk down the path.

I've no idea where I 'm going but I need a walk.

dolorem only walked a few feet when he exploded with yellow feathers and pink hair. a basket full of herbs spilled onto the ground. he tipped over and smashed into the ground with the ball of yellow clutching onto his chest. he blinked his eyes and his sight came back into focus. a yellow mare's face was buried into his chest dazed. she looked up into dark brown eyes with her mountain meadow green eyes. she jumped up and squealed raising into the air. dolorem continued to lay on the ground watching the Pegasus floating.

"I'm so s-sorry! I didn't mean too!" the yellow Pegasus with a pink mane apologized over and over in a quite tone as dolorem stood up, dusting him self off. he looked at the hovering Pegasus with a raised eyebrow. she landed gently and looked at the scattered herbs. she began to pick them up still apologizing.

"I-It's fine, here let me help." dolorem stooped back down and gathered the herbs also. he stared at the mare as she had stopped apologizing and focused on the herbs. he stopped gathering still holding herbs and was distracted.

for a pony she's really pretty. a gentle face that just looking at calms me down. she reminds me of an angel. soft, long hair, I wonder what it feels like...

the mare picked up the last of the herbs and looked at dolorem. the locked eyes again and she blushed. dolorem slowly placed the herbs back into the basket.

"Here..." the mare held out her hoofs as he slowly placed the herbs in them. neither could pry their eyes away from each other and they kept still.

"I-I'm Fluttershy..." she whispered still in a trance.

"I'm Dolorem..." he meet her tone and was also in a trance. finally he stood up and she started to hover.

"I-I have to go. I have a sick bunny to take care of." she still locked gaze with dolorem. he stood their watching her go.

"Ok, it was nice meeting you." she finally broke eye contact and flew off, leaving dolorem noticing the butterflies on both sides of her flank. for the first time since he came to equestria his lips turned up into a small smile. it was warm and nice, something he hadn't felt since a long time. he stood there watching her fly off into the distance with his smile still holding. finally he decided to go back inside deep in thought. spike was up cooking breakfast when dolorem came in and saw the smile stuck on his face.

so he can smile.

dolorem walked over to the couch, his smile finally fading, he grabbed the book and went to replace it along the shelf. spike made the plates and set the table as twilight walked over rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. her mane was all over the place and her coat frizzy. she sat down and began to eat joined by spike.

"I made you some too, dolorem." spike pushed a plate to the side. dolorem walked dover and sat down to eat. it was fried hay fries and salad. he didn't care as he started on the greens lost in thought. twilight woke up some more and looked at dolorem. she noticed something in his hair.

"um, hey? there's something in your hair." dolorem snapped out of it and ran his hand through his hair. he pulled back clutching a soft yellow feather. it felt like it was made of air.

it's soft and so light, kind of like her. I wonder if she likes...

Dolorem slipped the feather in his pocket and continued eating. twilight just shrugged her shoulders and also continued to eat. the meal was eaten in silence again as the sun climbed in the morning sky warming the land.

"All angels come to us disguised, their wings often on the back of the ones least likely."

The mane introduction

Chapter six:

"The mane introduction."

dolorem sat there chasing a leaf around his plate lost in thought. twilight couldn't help but notice this and cleared her throat.

"are you ok?" twilight looked at dolorem with concern, as he was deep in his mind.

I wish I could follow him in there. see what it's like. see how he really feels towards...

"um, yeah. I'm fine..." he answered her but his face set back to how it was. twilight felt bad and knew he was troubled.

"look I know you upset and it's my fault. But I promise you I'll do anything to get you back." twilight spoke fierce and determined breaking dolorem from his thoughts. dolorem felt the heart behind her words and couldn't help for the second time and smiled. twilight was relieved to see this and returned one of her own..

"thanks I appreciate that, but trust me this isn't that bad compared to before I came here. It's more... fresh and clean here. I actually like it somewhat." dolorem kept his smile while he spoke and this made twilight smile even more. they locked eyes once again but this time no one pulled back in embracement. they both seemed to become more peaceful as they stared into each others eyes. twilight even began to shiver inside as thoughts ran through her head. they were interrupted by a loud belch and green fire. both of them looked at spike as he covered his mouth.

"sorry." he began to gather up the dishes and cleaning the table.

" no problem that was actually a good one." dolorem looked at spike slightly amazed. spike just grinned broadly and took the dishes to be cleaned. twilight left the table and walked to the measurement tools laying out to the side. she began levitating them back into the box when dolorem spoke up.

"I think your going to need those if your going to finish that examination." twilight stopped and quickly turned to him. she stared at him in disbelief.

Is he serious?

" are you serious?" she couldn't hide the fact she was in total disbelief. instead of answering her he walked to her bed and began undressing again. twilight levitated all the tools to her and followed him. dolorem was once again in his boxers in front of twilight's bed. spike was about to round the corner when a knock at the door sounded off. dolorem covered himself up with the blanket and twilight set down the tools and walked to the door groaning. spike opened the door and three fillies stood before him.

"hey spike. we were wonderin' if the human was 'ere?" applebloom was in front of the other two with a white and pink flowery sleeve around her body like a tube.

"yeah come in." all three of the girls walked in, sweetie belle carried the shirt with her magic over head and scootaloo also had on a sleeve like applebloom. the stopped in the middle of the room in front of twilight. she just looked from girl to girl.

"what's up girls?" all three stepped forward presenting dolorem's button up shirt they had ran off with. both sleeves were obviously missing from the shirt but it looked undamaged else where. the three chuckled nervously at twilight when sweetie belle spoke up.

"we didn't mean to rip it but it got caught on a bush and tore. we tried our luck at Cutie Mark Crusaders Seammares but it didn't work, we only manage to take the other sleeve off." dolorem had decided to redress to meet the little thieves. when they saw him all of them went wide eyed and their mouth dropped, sweetie belle lost focus and dropped the shirt. he looked at each of them with a slight chuckle.

"so the little thieves came back?" all three girls gulped real loud and backed up shaking. he grabbed his shirt from off the ground and examined it up close. He ran it over with a skeptical eye.

"not bad." he put the button up shirt back on but left it unbutton. the girls stared at him in confusion. scootaloo stepped up to him.

"really?" dolorem just nodded his head at the girls. they smiled ear to ear. applebloom spoke up.

"do ya think we could get our cutie marks this way?" dolorem stared at them very bewildered. twilight saw his confusion and stepped up.

"I can explain later but for now I think you owe him something." she glared at the girls who just blinked. then sweetie belle spoke.

"oh we'll send you the bill." twilight glared at the trio. they hung their head's in shame. all three talked together.

"ok. we're sorry." dolorem just grinned and started to laugh. his laugh was rough but it was warm and came from deep within his chest. everyone else also began to laugh along with him. dolorem just shook and looked at the fillies.

"keep the sleeves I don't need them." they lite up and rushed dolorem hugging his legs. he flinched and refrained from lashing out, his face scrunched in near pain but not quite. twilight saw this and remembered when pinkie pie had tried to hug him.

why does he do that? It's like he fears the act of hugging but why?

"ok girls we have something to do. why don't you take spike and go have some fun." spike snapped towards twilight with glee.

"you mean I get a day off?" he hopped from foot to foot. twilight smiled and nodded her head. the three fillies and spike rushed out the door giggling. twilight closed the door with her magic and locked it. she turned around to say something to dolorem but he was gone.

"over here." his voiced echoed from the back. twilight looked at her bed and saw dolorem setting down complete naked. twilight bit her lip and trotted over to him.

"ready?" dolorem laid down on his back letting twilight finally have her chance.

"Don't worry, it only seems kinky the first time."

twilight scribbled down notes into the book of human anatomy on her bed. her tongue poked out the side of her mouth as she wrote down the measurements and sketched details. dolorem laid back on the couch reading a book over bedroom spells. he flipped the page examining the detailed information on the spells as twilight hummed to her self finishing the last of the drawing. she closed the book with a satisfied thump, placing it on the bed and walked off. she wondered towards dolorem still humming tonelessly.

" so what are you reading?" twilight sounded up beat. dolorem lifted up the book showing her the front cover. twilight read the tittle and chuckled nervously.

"I thought I had that put up to where to one could find it." dolorem glanced up and smirked at twilight. she blushed slightly and rubbed her head.

"so have you tried any of these?" dolorem asked as he continued to read on. twilight shook her head in response and climbed onto the couch next to him.

"so did you find anything in particular that you liked?" twilight leaned against dolorem heavily looking at the book with him. the page was on a spell that heighten stimulation for one or both participants. dolorem looked at twilight with a raised eye brow.

"why? are you interested in trying some of them?" twilight quickly got off of him mumbling about just being curious. he just shook his head and kept on reading. she was about to go on about just wondering about human interest when there was a knock at the door. twilight got off the couch and walked to the door opening it to reveal five bouncing mares eager to have more time with the human. twilight saw each of them grinning and nearly jumping.

"hey girls, what's up?" twilight stood there looking at them with fake surprise. the cyan Pegasus pushed her way to the front.

"you know damn well why we're here." she looked at twilight with beady eyes. twilight chuckled and stepped aside. the ponies all walked in and spotted dolorem on the couch. he was still flipping through the book and had not bothered to look up. he spoke out loud to no one in particular.

" you know there is a spell in here that causes males to have an erection for three days strait and have a nearly insatiable appetite for sex?" he said this with out a glance up and in a laid back tone. all the ponies stared at him wide eyed. dolorem looked up and acted surprise.

"oh sorry didn't know anypony else was here." dolorem mentally stepped back at his own comment.

Did I seriously just say anypony?

"don't mind him, he's just trying to embarrass me." twilight rolled her eyes and trotted to him levitation the book out of his hands and placing it on the very top of the book self.

I guess she's smarter then she looks.

"I was still reading that." twilight ignored him and turned to the other ponies.

"I know almost all of you have met him but he doesn't know your names. this is rainbow dash, rarity, applejack, and pinkie pie" each pony stepped up respectively as they were introduced except a yellow Pegasus that hid behind the rest. rainbow dash "accidently" knocked over appplejack, reviling her. applejack glared at rainbow dash as she shrugged her shoulders.

"oh and this is..." dolorem stood up and interrupted twilight.

"fluttershy. I know, we met the other morning." dolorem smiled as he looked at fluttershy who returned his with one of her own. they looked into each other's eyes still smiling at each other. twilight notice them and quickly spoke up.

"well I finally got him alone and undressed." twilight smirked as everyone turned to her.

let's see how he likes it.

dolorem chuckled and was about to reply when he noticed rarity was staring at him. he looked at her and notice she was looking at his right arm near the shoulder.

"a fire." rarity looked up quickly into his eyes about to apologize for staring. When yet again she was distracted by the slightly different color of his left eye. dolorem looked back into her sapphire eyes and she snapped out of it again.

"I'm sorry I was just wondering how you got them." dolorem just smiled and walked over to the couch to sit down.

"would you like a story time?" all the ponies looked to one another and decided to follow him. he sat down and they did the same in front of him. twilight sat the closes, right next to rarity, rainbow dash leaned close to applejack, placing her wing around her causing her to blush but she didn't pull away. pinkie pie decided to hop up on the other side of the couch and dolorem just looked at her with a raised eye brow. fluttershy hid in the back of the group. dolorem leaned forward, the ponies did too, bringing out his right arm. he lightly ran his fingers over the warped skin.

"I was sleeping in a shelter when it caught on fire. someone was trying to light a fire in the fireplace but it hadn't been used in years and was a rat's nest. they ran all over the shelter, scattering in different directions, setting cots and curtains ablaze. I was in the very back when I heard the chaos. the fire climbed the curtains to the ceiling and was eating away at the support beams. I was nearly out when I felt the urge to turn around and when I did I saw a child alone in the back. she was so young and afraid, calling out for her mom. I rushed back to her and grabbed ahold of her. she was so frighten that she didn't care, she just wanted her mother. I held her to my chest and started to head back when the ceiling began to collapse. her mother ran back in calling her name and when she saw me she couldn't be more relieved. I was nearly to her when a beam fell and it would have killed me hadn't it caught on the wall first. I had to think fast and tossed the child to her mother. the last thing I saw was her wrapping her arms around her daughter when everything went black. It was only a few seconds but it was an intense pain the brought me back. the beam was burning and the fire leaped to my arm. the shelter groaned loudly and I know I was going to be burned or buried alive. I pushed against the beam with all my strength but it wouldn't give. the fire seared my flesh and I remained pinned, I thought I was going to die. but at that moment a fire fighter rushed in with an axe and spot me. he ran over and started to chop away at the higher end of the beam when another fell. the second one smashed into mine and knocked it free but it landed on the fire fighter. I got up and stumbled towards him but it was to late. I barely had enough strength to walk out the door, let alone drag him out too. I was rushed to the hospital but I didn't feel any pain. the fire burned so deep that it killed the nerves around that area. I never was able to find out the name of the man who died trying to save me. I never got to thank him." dolorem talked slowly, his eyes glazed over with the past. fluttershy looked about ready to cry especially at the bit with the rats. applejack looked solemn as rainbow dash stared at the ground. rarity looked at him with large eyes while pinkie wanted to give him a hug but reframed from so. twilight simply nodded but inside she was touched deeply. dolorem just brushed the scar lightly again. then the door burst open as spike and the crusaders came rushing in, startling everyone. spike ran up to twilight out of breath.

"letter... from... Celestia." spike spoke between deep breaths holding out a scroll in his hand. twilight grabbed it and open it quickly reading. she looked up at dolorem with large eyes.

"she wants to meet you." dolorem looked at twilight confused.

who wants to meet me? with the way she looks, they seem very important.

everyone looked at dolorem in amazement. it wasn't everyday that Princess Celestia wanted to meet someone.

Scars are a reminder of the past. Not of pain but of what we have endured and what we can endure. I for one hope mine never fade because then I'll forget what I am capable of.

Ray of sunshine

"Chapter seven"

"Ray of sunshine."

"SPIKE! CLEAN! NOW!" twilight read the rest of the letter and paled, starting to breath heavily, spike ran around the room cleaning messes that no one else could spot. twilight began her own frantic work of organizing and straitening every little thing. rarity walked over to the letter twilight had dropped and read it.

"Now?! She's coming now?! I am in no way presentable to be graced by her highness!" she began her own crazed ranting and started to check her self out in a mirror. she brushed down every hair and fixed any flaw she could spot on her self. when she was satisfied she moved onto the other ponies. she didn't give them a choice as she pulled hair and cleaned dirt. after she was done pinning down rainbow dash, combing through he wild mane, she ran off to the bathroom. dolorem sat on the couch confused and was lifted into the air as twilight levitated the couch so that spike could clean under it. in less then five minutes the entire library was spotless and perfect from top to bottom, as twilight then went to work on her and spike to be presentable. she was taking deep breaths to calm her self down when several hoof beats and swishing of wings could be heard out side. the door was thrown open and bright light erupted from the entrance. the light blinded everyone, dolorem squinted seeing the out line of large wings and a horn. the light died down and revealed a very regal looking mare except she was as tall as dolorem. she had a white coat that shined, a blue, green, and pink mane that flowed long and free, and a long spiraling white horn that sprouted out from in front a golden crown. a golden sun rested on both sides of her flank, that seemed to glow. her large wings rustled slightly as she tucked them back to her sides, her pale magenta eyes sizing dolorem.

she sure knows how to make an entrance.

dolorem turned to the others but noticed they where all bowing to the majestic pony. he looked back at her with a raised eye brow unsure about what to do. he was confused about what was happening.

"Hello Twilight." she turned her eyes to twilight and spoke smooth with silk that held power behind it. twilight stood back up, facing her. she shook slightly, her nerves wired.

"Hello Princesses Celestia." the rest of the group stood once again and dolorem decided it would be a good idea to get up also. he straitened himself and smoothed out his clothes. Celestia once again watched dolorem, her eyes piercing.

"I can only stay for a moment as I have important business to attend to in Saddle Arabia. I was hearing rumors about a new creature in Ponyville and as I thought my pupil was the reason behind this. I know that it was not meant on purpose but my duties require me to see to this human. I welcome you Dolorem Pati to Ponyville and further more to Equestria." she turned and left closing the door with her magic and the rustling of wings sounded again. rarity returned from the restroom, glowing herself. she walked gracefully with her head held high.

"hello your majesty, I.." she stopped and noticed that at everyone was staring at her but no royalty was present. she searched around near frantic trying to find the princess.

"But... she... I..." rarity laid down starting a horrible wail and nearly in tears, hitting her hoofs on the ground in a tantrum. everyone turned and started to laugh. she soon stopped, still pouting about not being seen the princess, facing dolorem.

"I'm sorry I acted that way. but it's not every day you meet royalty." rainbow dash rolled her eyes and spoke.

"we're friends with twilight, her student. we have got to meet her plenty times before and we well get plenty of times again." rarity just shook her head and turned to the door.

"well I have some dresses to finish so I have to go. it was nice seeing you again dolorem. good bye twilight." she opened the door with magic and walked out. the cutie mark crusaders just ran off with a wave of their hoof's.

"I better get back to Sugarcube Corner. we'll have that party later." pinkie was still set on giving dolorem a welcome to Ponyville party and left followed by rainbow dash.

"I better be going too. see ya." she started to leave when applejack yanked her tail sending her to the ground with a surprised grunt.

"it was nice an' all but I have some work to finish. see yall later." she stepped over rainbow dash and flicked her tail in her face. rainbow dash grinned wickedly and jumped after her, a loud thud could be heard outside. fluttershy stood there staring at dolorem who was watching the two ponies outside wrestle with each other. twilight finally relaxed and breathed deeply.

that wasn't all that bad. now I can... wait fluttershy is still here.

twilight turned to fluttershy who was watching dolorem, oblivious to everything else.

he was so kind when I flew into him. most ponies would get mad and yell at me but he was so nice and gentle. even if he's not a pony he is very...

dolorem looked at twilight who was staring at fluttershy. he moved his eyes and was met by fluttershy's dark green eyes. the held each other until twilight noticed dolorem was staring back and she spoke loudly.

" SO fluttershy, have you got anything else you have to do today?" both dolorem and fluttershy jumped and looked at twilight. flutter shy blushed slightly while dolorem looked at her weird.

"oh y-yes. I need to get back to my animals. I'll see you later." fluttershy looked at dolorem as she spook the last part. dolorem smiled and she blushed slightly, turning out the door. when she was all the way out, twilight used her magic to slam the door shut. she walked away from the door to her bed laying down even though it was still light outside. dolorem sat there quietly as spike finally spoke up.

"so, have you ever played chess?" dolorem turned to spike smirking.

"never." spike rushed to get the chess board as dolorem went to seat at the table. twilight was still laying on the bed but wide awake. she was lost in thought, fuming

why did I do that? I don't know what came over me, its just that... I know he has a choice but I saw him first and if she thinks...

twilight sat up shaking her head feeling bad for thinking like that. she got up and decided to see what the guys were doing. she walked over to see spike in complete determination. spike had no pawns and no rooks, while dolorem had only lost two pawns. spike wasn't to sure if this was his first time playing or not. spike moved his queen and dolorem took it with a bishop. spike moved his bishop placing dolorem in check if he moved any piece away and he was also unable to take spike's bishop. spike sat back and smirked but nearly fell out of his seat when dolorem said.

"check mate." spike scanned the board seeing if this was true. when spike moved his bishop it left his king open and dolorem's rooks and queen lined up trapping it with no other pieces able to intercept. spike begrudgingly tipped his king over in defeat. twilight snickered and came closer.

"nice." she got close to dolorem examining the board. it was no doubt that dolorem had the game in the bag when she saw that he had plenty of times to end it but he decided to prolong it. twilight turned and levitated a list and a pouch of bits to spike who was putting away the board.

"spike I need you to do some shopping for me please." spike grabbed the items out the air and walked to the door.

"ok I'll be back in a bit." he walked out and closed the door. twilight looked at dolorem nervously rubbing her right leg with the other. he wasn't paying attention and was staring off, looking at nothing in particular. she finally got the courage to speak up.

"look I'm sorry for the way I acted I guess I was just... jealous." dolorem didn't face her and kept looking off. twilight watched him with slight pain inside her. she dropped her head and turned to leave. dolorem finally spoke.

"why would you be jealous?" twilight stopped but didn't turn around, she stared at the ground. she kept silent, her heart started to ache

I can't help but feel...

dolorem stood and faced twilight. she felt his eyes boring into her and she began to shake. she was on the verge of tears, feeling horrible.

"you have nothing to feel bad about and I don't know why you should be jealous." his faced was blank as twilight turned around looking at him. she wanted to cry, not out from guilt but joy. this one sentence spoken turned her fears away. she smiled and nodded her head. he smiled back but then something flashed across his face, pain. twilight missed this as she turned to the kitchen to find something to eat.

It's already begun I can feel it.

he walked over to twilight, placing a hand on her shoulder and she stopped in place. she looked back at him with glossy eyes and her heart beat quickened. her stomach fluttered and she felt light headed.

"I think I should find somewhere else to stay..." twilight heart stopped and she stuttered. dolorem didn't make eye contact and moved his hand slowly from her.

"wha-what? what do you mean?" she turned and backed up a couple of steps, her eyes wide with shock.

"I mean until you can find away to send me back. I would only get in your way." he still couldn't meet her stare. twilight tried to regain her posture but couldn't.

"but you're fine here and you're not in the way. you don't have to leave you're just ok... you... don't have to go... I want you to... stay..." the last part had been whispered nearly inaudibly but dolorem heard every word.

"please? I can't be sleeping in your bed every night and there isn't enough room here." dolorem only slightly locked eyes before staring at the ground.

"o-ok... I guess I can help..." she felt like breaking down but didn't, not in front of him. they sat at the table discussing options for over a hour, the entire time dolorem couldn't lift his face to twilight.

I know this is hurting her and I don't want it to happen but...

spike came back with a bag full of the items that twilight needed and set them on the table next to her. twilight barely notice as she felt numb all over. spike was saying something to her but it sounded distant. she was staring down at the table lost in a storm.

"...hen he was running. and then...um twilight? twilight?" twilight snapped out of it looking around. dolorem had left the table and was on the couch with a book open in his lap. he wasn't reading it though, he sat there staring at the page of the book he pulled at random. he closed the book and read the cover. Interspecies: Love and Relationships.

how ironic.

he set the book down next to him and twilight turned to spike.

"sorry spike what was that?" she looked at spike and listen to him, as he started his story again, half heartedly. as spike finished his story a knock came at the door.

"twilight?" the door inched open and fluttershy poked her head through. everyone looked at her as she came in.

"oh hey fluttershy. what's up?" twilight looked at her feeling guilty inside, dolorem watched her with a ting of sadness in his eyes.

"we-well I was wondering if I could ask dolorem if he would help me with moving some stuff in my house? I mean that's if you don't mind or if he doesn't mind." before twilight could talk dolorem walked over to her.

"no problem. I needed to go out and do something any way. let's go." dolorem walked past fluttershy with out a look back.

"ok, well see you later twilight." she left with a soft pull of the door and twilight stood there as spike went around doing his chores. She went to her bed telling spike that she was exhausted and needed to sleep. The bed felt oddly more empty even if it had been one night. Outside dolorem and fluttershy walked side by side to her cottage. Fluttershy's mind was racing.

Wow, I didn't think he would agree so fast. I'm so excited I can't wait until we get there.

Dolorem's mind was set at a snail's paste, the look of twilight's hurt nearly flooding her eyes. He didn't pay attention to the beautiful land scape he walked in, keeping close to fluttershy. Once in a while she would fan out her wings to stretch them and they would bush against dolorem. This snapped him out of his thoughts as he looked at her. She met his eyes and blushed.

“I'm sorry I didn't mean...”

“It's ok. They are really soft, I don't mind.” they smiled at each other and dolorem forget his worries. They continued walking even closer together.

“Hell is not a pit of fire. Hell is waking up alone, covered in sweat, never knowing if they well come back.”

Butterflies

Chapter eight:

“Butterflies”

Fluttershy and Dolorem made it to her cottage in a few minutes, not a single other pony was out along the way. Inside a grunting could be heard and the scrapping of clay.

“OK just a little more to the left.” fluttershy hovered in the air directing dolorem as he held a large plain clay vase, a white rabbit glared at him from afar. He didn't struggle much under the weight of the vase but it was wide and it's smooth surface was hard to hold on to. She waved her hooves signaling him to place it down and he was only happy to oblige. He set it down, giving a sigh of relief. He was glad he came because he knew she would never be able to move that by herself. He leaned slightly on the vase and wiped his forehead.

“Alright what else?” he looked at her as she lowered her head and landed softly.

“Well that was it.” she moved to him, looking at him.

“and for all your hard work I wanted you to stay for dinner. If that's ok with you.” she watched dolorem as he raised an eyebrow.

“but it's only noon.” fluttershy looked around nervously.

“oh ok that's fine we can...” dolorem hushed her and looked deeply into her eyes. She went silent and stared back.

“ok let's go eat.” she nodded her head and walked off to the kitchen followed by dolorem. They sat down at the table and he noticed it had already been set up before hand. the rabbit rolled his eyes and hopped away.

She had this all planned out.

He looked at her smiling and she blushed.

“I wanted you to have a nice meal. I know spike cooks but twilight never has him buy different things to cook. So I wanted to show you other things that we eat. And I really hope you like it.” dolorem kept smiling and nodded. They began eating and when dolorem reached for a role in a basket fluttershy caught sight of his palm left. A long thin line ran across his palm, white on the inside and red along the edges. Dolorem brought his hand back and continued to eat. Fluttershy look at dolorem.

“you never finished your story. That's if you don't mind.” he looked up at her with a small smile that held a little pain.

“I have lived in a lot of different places in my world, nearly all around it. I was living in a twenty story building on the very top. It would have been a nice view but all you could see was more buildings all around. It was a noisy day with the business going on along the ground. Even the few birds that where there sang but then everything went quiet. I noticed it when the bird that had been singing on a wire near my window suddenly stopped and flew off. I didn't think much of it until I heard that every bird had stopped and was flying off. Then a loud rumble built into the air and everything shook violently. It was an earthquake, a very powerful one, ripping apart everything. The building I was living in was hit directly by a split in the ground. The floor in my room cracked down the middle and pulled apart several feet. I could hear screaming below me and the grinding of the concert as it fell apart. I was thrown around in my room and nearly into the rip. Finally everything stopped moving and I could stand again. The ground below was in chaos, people screamed and cried to one another, holes sunk deeply. I had to drop onto the floors below if I was going to get out, I made my way dropping down the split into other people's room. I was halfway down when I heard a scream. Even though I heard screaming the entire time this was near me. I stopped my decent and searched for the source when I found her. It was a young woman and she was leaning off the ledge of the side out the window. I walked to her when a loud snap hit the air. She was reaching for a cat that was stuck below her when the floor gave out. She screamed as she fell and reached for anything to hold on to. She was able to grab a metal cable and I rushed to her. When I got to her the cable snapped and she began to fall so I dived and grabbed for it. The only part I could grab was a thin metal wire that was in it and I held on. She was flailing around and I tried to calm her down. The wire was cutting into my palm with her weight and bleeding a lot. I was about to pull her up when it snapped. Everything slowed down as I watched her fall. She looked me strait in the eye as she fell, she didn't have the breath to scream and fell silently. I watched her until dust and debris hid her from me, I let go of the wire and let it follow her down. the cat had made it's way to safety and began climbing down on it's own. I continued my way down, her eyes burned into mine. I hadn't realize how deep the cut was until I was at the hospital and was told by doctors that I wouldn't have full function of that hand anymore. I had to retain my hand and finally proved them wrong after a year. The scar will never go away and I don't think her eyes well either.” dolorem flexed his hand, remembering the pain he endured. He heard a sniffling and turned to fluttershy. She had her face down and tears fell from her eyes. Dolorem got up, walked over to her and placed his hand under her chin, pulling her face up to him. He smiled a kind, warm smile.

“it's ok don't cry. There is nothing to be sad about.” she smiled closing her eyes and pushing her muzzle into his hand. Slowly he pulled his hand away and she tried following him, to keep her face in his hand. She opened her eyes as he rested his hand by his side and they locked eyes again. They walked into her living room and sat on the couch. They sat down and fluttershy spoke.

“so what do you like to do?” he looked at her and smiled. They sat there for over an hour talking to each other. They talked about their likes, interest, and hobbies. They would have sat there well into the night when the white rabbit came hopping in angrily. Fluttershy looked up at the fuming bunny.

“oh I'm sorry angel. I'm coming. Excuse me I need to feed my animals.” she got up and went to her stores of different animal food. Dolorem decided to follow her and help.

“it's ok you don't need...” dolorem placed a finger on her lips and shushed her. They continued to feed her assorted animals. After they finished fluttershy looked out the window and saw that it was starting to become dark. She looked over to dolorem, watching him pet a deer.

He's so nice to the animals too. Always so gentle and kind, but it's getting late. I wonder if he's going back to twilight's house tonight.

Dolorem looked up to see fluttershy watching him. He smiled and walked over to her. They watched each other until fluttershy turned away. She was looking out the window again wishing the sun would stay in the sky. Dolorem followed her gaze to the window.

“I have to find a place to sleep tonight. So I'll see you later.” fluttershy jumped in front of him smiling largely.

“you can stay here tonight. I mean that's if you want to.” she blushed and lowered her head. Dolorem smiled and nodded.

“where will I sleep?” fluttershy looked around nervously. She didn't know what to do but she had to think of something fast.

“well I don't have a guest room or any other beds so... I guess you could sleep... with... me.” she looked into his eyes blushing brightly. His face was blank and his eyes the same. Then he melted in her gaze, he couldn't say no to those dark green eyes. He smiled and spoke, softly and warm.

“that sounds fine.” he stared deeply into her eyes. She walked towards him and nudged him to her bed. He followed without hesitation, as fluttershy laid down. She wiggled under the covers as he slipped in. They both laid on their sides gazing into each others eyes.

She's so...

he's so...

Fluttershy's eyes began to sag against her will and she soon drifted to sleep. Dolorem laid there not taking his eyes off her, watching as her chest raised and fell slowly. Her breathing was so quiet that you had to really listen for it but dolorem was so close he had no problem. Soon he fell asleep and slept soundly. He had only had a nap for a few hours and was awoken by twilight on accident, he was dragged under by the blissful sleep that he needed. He was sleeping so well he never felt it when fluttershy moved closer to him. The moon sat high in the night sky and most where asleep at this hour. Except for twilight. She could no longer sleep and sat in bed next to her swirling mind.

I was hoping he would come back tonight. I guess he found somewhere else to stay the night. I wonder if he's still over...

she dropped back onto her bed staring at the ceiling. It had only been barely two days but it felt so much longer. She couldn't help the way she felt and she hated herself for the way she had acted even though dolorem had forgiven her. Finally unable to bare it any longer she left and went for a walk. She held her head down the entire time wanting the cool night air to blow her mind clear. She didn't have a destination in mind but she ended up in front of fluttershy's cottage. She knew she would be asleep at this hour so she crept to an open window peering inside. What she saw made her want to cry as loud as possible. Fluttershy had her wing wrapped around dolorem and her mane entwined in his left hand. His other arm was wrapped around her midsection holding her tightly. They where so close each of their bodies pressed against each other and their breathing matched one another. Twilight backed away slowly and turned homeward, tears running down her face. Dolorem had shifted in his sleep, while twilight was watching, waking up. His left eye twitched rapidly and he blinked both out from sleep. His eye may not be useful for much but for some reason when he was being watched it would twitch and itch badly. He peered through fluttershy's feathers in time to see a distraught twilight leaving. he noticed that he was... hugging her and he was ok, he didn't have anything to fear. He carefully untangled himself from fluttershy and got out of bed. He walked out the cottage to see twilight sitting down in the middle of the road. Twilight wasn't able to make it very far before she broke down, her tears flooding her eyes. She sat down in place and didn't care about anything else for the moment. She never heard dolorem walk up behind her. Suddenly she felt her head lift behind her closed eyes and when she opened them her face was being held gently by a large warm hand and a sad, hurt face. He pulled twilight close to him and wrapped his arms around her tightly. he didn't feel any of the fears from contact like this and he was going to use it while he could. She pressed herself to him as close as possible and cried even more. He just held her, letting her cry into his chest and when she was done he made her look at him.

“you shouldn't cry. Their is no reason to.” it seemed no matter what he said it instantly made her feel better. She smiled at him and he returned one but it held pain hidden behind it. He lifted her into his arms and walked back to the tree house. He held her tightly in his arms and she dug her head into his chest, listening to his heartbeat. She felt safe and warm as he carried her through the night. He walked inside the house and laid her down on her bed, covering her up. he sat down and ran his hand through her mane until she fell asleep once again. When she did he stood up and whispered.

“good night.”

“good night.” she muttered back but he heard her as he walked back to the door. He paused with his hand on the door, listening for her soft sleeping breath. He then left and headed back to the cottage. When he walked in he saw fluttershy sprawled out with a look of worry as if she was looking for something. He lightly laid back down and drifted slowly to sleep.

Maybe one of these night's I'll get a full night of rest.

When he woke up that morning, birds singing and the light patter of rain on the roof, he found himself and fluttershy exactly the same way from when he awoke earlier. He softly ran his fingerings through her silky pink mane and with his other arm he traced the yellow feathers of her wing. Fluttershy mumbled in her sleep and sighed contently, enjoying the sensation. Soon she woke up and opened her sleepy eyes slightly. She watched dolorem play with her hair and feathers, staring at her sides as they rose and fell. He looked up into her eyes and she smiled, blinking away the fog. Then she sat up and stretched with a small yawn.

Wow she looks even cuter when half awake... but so did...

this thought popped into his head from no where and made him mentally cringe. He didn't show any reaction on the outside, he didn't want to worry fluttershy.

“so what do you want to do today, seeing how we are stuck inside?” she yawned again and it was a high squeaking yawn that made her blush and dolorem chuckle. The rain had picked up slightly but would still soak you in a matter of seconds. He shrugged his shoulders and said.

“what ever you want to do.” the smiled at each other and she laid back down, together they listened to the rain and looked into each others eyes.

“oh I got an idea.” she got up and flew into the living room, Dolorem got at of bed and followed her. When he found her she was placing a record onto a player and lowered the needle. She turned and smiled at dolorem as the music played.

“I've got everything I need except for someone to hold. I'm not one of those who think being with someone is the answer to everything. I'm just tired of being alone.”

Bed, bath, and not so far away

Chapter nine:

“Bed, bath, and not so far away.”

The rain couldn't dampen the joy inside the cottage. An upbeat yet slow waltz flowed from the record player and two bodies held each other. Fluttershy stood on her hind legs, placing her right hoof onto dolorem shoulder and her left rested in his hand. Dolorem's other hand was placed on her back right below her wing. They danced slowly, rarity would have clicked her tongue and shook her head at the two's fumbling but neither cared as they enjoyed holding each other. They danced in a circle in the middle of the room, laughing and smiling. They kept dancing even after the needle played through the entire record, a light scratching in the air. Spinning and twirling, the two gazed into each others eyes. They could have danced forever but angel hopped in demanding to be fed. Fluttershy reluctantly let go of dolorem, his fingers slid from her, and she went to feed her animals. This time he didn't help her but looked outside a window. He watched the gray cloudy sky as fluttershy quickly finished with the animals. They were sleepy and less demanding today with the lazy weather. She quietly walked back into the living room and watched him. he leaned on the window ledge, gazing silently outside. Suddenly she had an idea and grabbed a pillow of the couch and chucked it at him, hitting him in the back of the head. He turned around slowly, squinting at her. She immediately backed away feeling sorry. Dolorem bent over and picked up the pillow, staring at fluttershy still. He smiled and throw the pillow back at her, hitting her in the chest. They both started laughing and continued to toss pillows at one another, closing in on each other. Finally dolorem forgot the pillows and started to tickle her. She couldn't resist, laughing loudly as he crouched over her. She tried pushing him off and he let her, she landed on top of his chest. She began attacking back but using her wings also, the tips of her feathers brushing over him. He squirmed around careful not to toss her off, laughing. Soon she stopped and kept sitting on his chest, smiling. He smiled back and let her rest on him. She laid down on him and placed her head against his neck, her muzzle brushing his ear. They laid there silently listening to each other breath. Dolorem held fluttershy and stood up, cradling her in his arms. He walked over to the couch and gentle placed her down as he keeled above her. She was laying right between his legs and his face near hers. Fluttershy started to breath faster and her heart quickened as dolorem closed the gap. He watched her as she batted her eyes. He stopped an inch away and suddenly cringed away, fluttershy gasped and quickly sat up as he shot of the couch.

“are you ok?” she looked at dolorem with worry as he backed away from her.

“I-it's nothing. I'm sorry I just need to go.” he made his way to the door and fluttershy rushed up behind him.

“was it something I did? I'm sorry, I didn't mean too. Please stay.” she pleaded to him wondering what was wrong. He stopped and turned, a bitter sweet smile on his face.

“you did nothing at all. I just need to go. I'm sorry but please don't be mad it's just something I need to do.” fluttershy simply nodded as he turned and walked out the door into the rain. When the door close she felt so alone and stood there until angel hopped up besides her nudging her leg, he my have been a stubborn hard head but he never liked to see fluttershy unhappy. Outside dolorem stalked away soaked by cool rain. He walked away from the cottage and veered away from the tree house into town. He made to the center and sat down at a bench. He felt the water run down his skin, cool. The rain pattered all around and splashed. He sat there watching droplets of water fall off his fingers as hoof steps quietly came forward. Twilight was looking out her window as she saw dolorem walked out into the rain to town. She levitated an umbrella and walked out the door. Now she stood behind dolorem with the rain running down the slick surface of the umbrella.

“you need to get out of the rain... come hom-back to the library...” dolorem said nothing and stared at his fingers still. After a while the rain stopped falling on dolorem as an umbrella hovered over him, twilight standing besides him. He looked up at her with pain in his eyes but nothing on his face, emotionless.

“Princess Celestia sent me a letter saying that she commissioned a house to be built for you until you returned home.” in actuality twilight paid the contractors to build him a home. It cost a lot of bits but being the student to the princess had large benefits. Dolorem finally spoke.

“thank you...” it was all he said, all he could say.

“I always liked walking in the rain, no one can see me crying.”

Back at the library dolorem sat at the table with a towel draped over his broad shoulders. Twilight moved about the room hanging a thin rope from two shelves. Once finished she walked over to him. He was scratching at the table top deep in thought.

“you need to get out of those clothes.” twilight spoke to him with a caring tone. Dolorem turned to her with a small smirk.

“couldn't wait to get me naked again could you?” this time twilight didn't blush and smiled back at him. He stood up and shook his head while twilight turned and went to the back. He decided to search his pockets. From his left he pulled out a wide metal wristband that stretched to fit and shrunk to stay. He placed it on the table and continued his search in his right. He pulled out a damp, air light, yellow feather and held it in his palm. He stared at the feather as twilight walked up to him.

“she really likes you. You should be with her...” dolorem looked at twilight as she smiled at him. His heart slowing down to a near stop, thumbing loudly in his ears.

“but what about what you want?” her smiled disappeared and she spoke softly.

“I want you to be happy.” dolorem felt as if he had been whipped and held closely at the same time. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly.

“and I want you to be happy... and to remember not to let everything pass you by.” twilight hugged him back and breathed deeply. Like before whatever he said lifted the world from her shoulders.

“you need a bath.” she pulled away crinkling her nose. He lifted up his arm to smell himself while twilight shook her head grinning. He started to peel off the still damp clothes, placing them on the table. Once again he stood bare skin in front of twilight, her heart betraying her. Her heartbeat quickened and her breathing turned shallow. Dolorem wasn't paying any attention, as her eyes took in the details, turning his back to her. The last time he was without clothes she never mange to see his back. Long thin lines where engraved into the flesh, overlapping and weaving into one or another. Dolorem wrapped the towel around his waist and turned to twilight, seeing the trouble in her eyes.

“my back?” she nodded her head for a lost of words and he walked to her bad to lay down. Twilight quickly levitated his clothes onto the rope to dry and made her way to him. He had grabbed a pillow and laid the other way on his stomach, twilight climbed onto the bed facing the other way with him. He sighed and turned his to her.

“He was running in the woods at night all lone. I had went for walk along the edges when I heard the screaming. I rushed into the woods searching everywhere for who ever had screamed, when I heard someone crashing through the undergrowth. It was a small boy, no older then ten, frighten and hurt. When he saw me he ran strait for me yelling about something I couldn't make out. At that moment a large blur burst from the side taking the boy to the ground. He was kicking and screaming with a feral tiger digging his claws into his back. And before I could move it was over, the boy lay still and blood dripped from the tiger's fangs. I was living in a small village that survived off of hunting and we all carried knifes. I drew the knife and rushed the beast but it had became scared when shouting came closer and closer. It ran off forgetting about it's pray, the little boy, leaving me standing over the body. The shouting stumbled through the trees and I found my self being tied and led off. The village blamed me for killing the boy and punished me. My arms where tied to two post, spreading them from my body. They cut off the back off my shirt and poured water on me. Three men lined up ten feet away, each holding leather whips. I was giving fifty lashes from each man, one after the other, less then a second apart. It took everything I had to not black out from the pain. When they finished I was left tied to the post for over a week, given little food and water. The flies smelt the blood that coated my back and laid eggs into the torn flesh. I could feel the maggots eat away at the putrid tissue. The sun was harsh and unforgiving, burning and parching my skin. I would have died soon. The maggots actually help save me, they ate away the infection in the wounds. A man had arrived from a city far away and saw me tied. He asked the village chief why I was being punished and they told him what had happen. He asked for my knife and left with it. He returned the next day with great news for me. He explained to the chief that he had tested the knife for blood and no human blood had ever touched the blade. And further more when he had seen the boys body which had been take to the city to be examined they told him a large animal had killed the boy and not me. That it was claws and teeth that tore into his flesh and not my blade. After some more discussion I was finally cut down. I didn't remember being taken to the city hospital but I woke up there days later. The doctors couldn't believe I was still alive when I arrived and how I had remained alive. I never returned to the village but I would always remember the pain. The heat. The maggots.” twilight looked at dolorem, the memories burned into his eyes. Then she smile and spoke.

“well I'm glade you lived because if you hadn't... I wouldn't have got to meet.. you.” dolorem looked at twilight with a soft smile. Inside it felt as she held a whip and lashed him with her words. His heart picked up but he manage to control his breathing. Twilight sat up and stretched.

“but seriously you need that bath, you smell. Bad.” he chuckled as she jumped off the bed motioning for him to follow her. She led him to a large bath tub by pony standards but he wouldn't be able to lay out all the way. She used he magic to turn the levers and water poured from the spout, within minutes the tub was full. Steam rose from the water, dancing off the surface. Dolorem dropped the towel and slowly lowered himself into the water. He sighed in content as his muscles relaxed. He began to scrub his skin with a brush that hung from the side of the tub. He cleaned nearly all his body and reached to get his back. Twilight, had never left, levitated the brush from his hand.

“here. Let me.” she leaned over the edge of the tub and instead of using her magic she held the brush in her right hoof, gently scrubbing his back. With her other hoof she grazed her hoof tip across the scars. Dolorem closed his eyes and breathed deeply then he reached around grabbing twilight on her side lifting her into the tub as he scooted forward. She help him by climbing in as he pulled her to him, the water slightly under her hips as she stood on her hind legs. The water and the steam dampened her fur quickly as she pressed her self into his back scrubbing his shoulders. As the brush past over his shoulder again he grabbed it from twilight with his right hand and turned to her.

“your turn.” he softly pushed her on to her back, laying her on the slight incline of the tub. He slowly ran the brush in circles on her chest going down bit but bit. When he reached the bottom of her rib cage he began to scrub her front legs from the outside in. twilight had her eyes closed and greatly enjoyed his touch, wishing he hadn't switch to her front legs. He then brought the brush upward to her neck in slow, smooth motions causing her to tilt her head up higher. He grabbed her with his left hand and turned her around, standing her up. He then began brushing the outsides of her hind legs, never moving to the inside but teetering close at the edges. He worked his way up to the stars on her right flank and brushed in circular motions. He spent a few minutes on that side before moving to the other. Doing the same on her left flank he moved up to top of her tail, inching to the middle of her back. Twilight gasped, closing her eyes tightly, and arching her back as he scrubbed back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth. neither of them paid any attention to anything else, occupied in each others touch, certainly not when the door opened and a crimson dragon walked in with a towel.

~everywhere I go the mares always know that spike has a...~ spike stopped singing his song as he watched huge eyed. Twilight was mid moan as dolorem had himself raised on one knee right behind her but not touching. Twilight's tail had snaked it's way around dolorem's waist trying to pull him closer. Spike turned, rolling his eyes.

“you could at least lock the door!” he stomped out slamming the door behind him. They continued as if nothing happened. Dolorem poured water over twilight's mane, with a small pitcher from outside the tub, running his fingers through her hair. Twilight couldn't stand it any more and her legs buckled under her, dolorem quickly grabbed her and held her to his chest. They sat there together until the water became cold. Finally getting out twilight barely had the strength to stand and dolorem just grabbed her after wrapping himself with the towel again. He walked with her in his arms back to her bed and laid her down under the covers. She immediately fell asleep, as she had been drifting away in his arms. Dolorem walk into the living room where spike was busy poking at a dust bunny. He walked over to him and spoke.

“what's wrong spike?” he looked up with resentment in his eyes.

“every since you came here twilight has been obsessed with you.” dolorem was slightly taken aback, he hadn't thought about how this was affecting the young dragon. He smiled at him.

“I know and I’m sorry spike. You'll have twilight back to the way she was soon and don't worry you'll be having the same affect on girls soon.” spike looked at dolorem with a raised eye brow and started to laugh. They both laughed with each other, spike's feelings no longer ill towards dolorem. Both were tired and went to bed, dolorem grabbed his boxers, now dry, and slipped them on. Spike crawled into his bed as dolorem laid on the couch. Nightmares wracked dolorem's mind. The sight of blood splashing across his face vanished as he shot up wide awake. Outside the sun had not awakened it's self and was covered in it's own blanket of silk night. he sat there breathing slowly to get himself under control when twilight stepped from the shadows.

“you didn't have to sleep on the couch.” she moved near him just to feel his warmth she missed through the night.

“I could have but you were so tired I didn't want to move you and wake you up. And a kick to the head would have been better to take up to.” twilight didn't understand the last part but she smiled and sat on the couch next to him. They sat together and waited for the sun to peak into the window bringing warmth and light back to the land.

It had only been three days, three chaotic, emotional, and tiring days. Everything was happening so fast for dolorem, speeding along with him in tow. Already two hearts weighed onto his and he knew one had to be let go if not both. He didn't have the chance to stop it from starting but how long had it been since he felt... dolorem spent that day with twilight and the night with fluttershy, heartache tore through him threatening to rip him to pieces. On the sixth day as he walked the town with spike a letter was delivered to him by a gray crossed eye Pegasus. It was a notice that the house was finished and the last payment was made in full from twilight. That had made him slightly upset that she lied to him and spent so much of her money for him. Spike was eager to see the new house and both of them walked at a brisk pace to it. The house was built a stone's throw from the road to Canterlot. It was a plain wooden house with a slate red roof, a window left of the door and a window on the side of the house towards Canterlot. They both walked inside to examine it more. It was fairly large inside, to the left the living room, a big couch with a small, low table in front of it, the right the dinning room and an open kitchen. In the far left was the door to the bedroom, a very large bed on sturdy wooden beams, the far right a complete bathroom with an even larger tub then twilight's that he could lay down with room to spare. He may have not had much but now he had something of his own again, a place to call home. That night he had his first full night's rest free from nightmares and flying hooves. He awoke on the seventh day fully rested but his mind in chaos. He was ripped between two, yellow or purple. Feather or horn. And if he could ever admit to it, love or love.

“I can't be running back and forth forever between grief and high delight. Often do I confuse what I wish for with what is.”

The Flood

Chapter ten:

“The Flood.”

No matter how much pain it caused him he would not stay long with either twilight or fluttershy. He spent the rest of the month trying to stay away from either of them. Dolorem spent most of his time locked inside his house, avoiding the blissfully painful moments that were sure to come. He would leave to find work for bits but mostly to busy him self from the cravings of the heart. He needed work, a hobby would be nice too, and he found it at Sweetapple acres.

“Now what we do is simple. From the mornin' to sun down we work the fields. It's apple buckin season an' we need to hurry before winter roles in so we can sale them.” applejack spoke in her rich country accent as she walked the dirt path between two orchids with dolorem. She trotted up to a tree and turned to him.

“now it's as easy as pie. You brace your self with ya front legs and buck out the tree with ya back ones.” she gave the apple tree a quick firm hit and the bright red fruit fell down around. Dolorem just looked at her with a raised eye brow as if waiting for something. Applejack stared back until it clicked.

“oh yeah that's right.” she scratched her head in thought. Dolorem examined the trees with his own thoughts. They looked like any apple tree his seen but a little shorter, he decided he could climb them and that's what he did. He walked up to the tree as applejack watched and began scaling the side. She tipped her hat and laughed as his sat on a thick branch.

“well I'll be, pretty resourceful aren’t ya? I'll be back to get you for lunch in the mean time ya might need this.” she pulled a shoulder bag from her saddle bag and tossed it up to him. As she walked away she spoke over her shoulder.

“and the buckets are over yonder for when ya sack is full.” you nodded in the direction of a stack of large empty buckets used to move the mass of apples. Dolorem out on the bag, it's pouch hanging in the front, and went to work. He was slower the Applejack or Big Mac, who he met as he walked up to the front porch of the apple house, having to pick each one by hand and moving through the branches. He started to learn what to do and what not to do and became fast able to finish each tree in just five minutes. Some of the smaller trees he found out he could actually shake the apples free. He worked for some time filling up the buckets, he just poured his current load into the bucket when the small red maned filly ran up. She came smiling and giggling to dolorem as he looked up.

“ya look funny climbing up and down dem trees.” Applebloom giggled some more and dolorem smiled a little. Something caught her attention as she looked off to the side but then an apple flew through the air hitting her in the rump. She jumped and squealed in shock, looking all around. She glared at dolorem as he was watching something interesting the other direction. She picked up the apple that just hit her and chucked it at him. Dolorem never turned and snapped his arm back catching the apple that was aimed for his head. She looked in amazement as he put the apple into the bucket and turned smirking at her. At that time applejack came trotting up.

“now Applebloom don't be botherin' mister dolorem. Get to the house and was up lunch is ready.” Applebloom was still gaping at dolorem as he took off his bag and placed it over the apple buckets. Back at the apple house dolorem met the dozing Granny Applesmith in her rocking chair. They went inside to the kitchen where an assortment of apple morsels were set. Everyone, save granny, began to eat and have conversations.

“so dolorem how was it?” he looked up from his hot and gooey apple pie to applejack.

“it's fine, not that bad once I figured an easier way to do it.” Applebloom stopped eating her deep fried apple slices and spoke.

“sis you should ove' seen him catch this apple ah lobbed at him. It was going real fast and he just plucked it out the air like if it was still on the tree.” applejack turned to applebloom with a slightly angry face.

“and why was you throwin' apples at em'?” applebloom look down grinning nervously and embarrassed. Then granny smith came hobbling in and looked at dolorem with surprise.

“is that that bear of that lass fluttershy?” she stared at dolorem with cloudy eyes. Applejack grinned and shook her head, dolorem flinched on the inside hearing the name of the yellow Pegasus. Applejack walked over to granny smith and led her to dolorem speaking loudly.

“no granny, this is the HUMAN that twilight brought. His name is DOLOREM.” granny smith looked over him again and she smiled.

“it don't feel humid to me and of course you can role him on in just don't bust anythin'.” she sat down and began to eat the softer foods. Applejack sighed and went to sit back down. They continued to eat and when they finished applejack, big mac, and dolorem went back to work. Applebloom led granny smith back to her rocking chair and told applejack she was going with the other cutie mark crusaders. Dolorem walked to where he had been, placing the sack on him, and began working once more. He had been working for over an hour when he heard laughter over the hill. He climbed down from the tree he was working on and went to find who it was. When he got over the hill he spotted two mares rolling around in the field. Rainbow dash was standing over applejack nuzzling her mouth on her neck causing her to giggle. Applejack pushed her off and jumped on top of her. They stared into each others eyes before applejack leaned in and kissed rainbow dash. Dolorem turned and walked off, seeing this had brought pain to him. He saw what he could not do and it hurt him. He went strait back to work and felt as if his body was running on it's own, lost in his mind. Before he knew it the sun was starting to set and applejack had come to find him.

“ah there you are. It's about quietin' time so come on, you did great work today.” every basket had been filled and dolorem slipped down from the tree next to applejack. After he was given his bits he started the trail back home. His body ached and was covered in sweat, walking in his house he fell into bed still in his clothes. He had troubled dreams as the scene of the two mares mocked him. He was tossing and turning when a knock at the door awoke him. The sun had set an hour ago and the night brought blissful sleep... to others. He got up gruelingly and made his way to the door. He opened it to fine a yellow Pegasus staring at him with a small smile. He smiled back and stepped to the side letting her in but on the inside his lungs didn't want to work and his stomach dropped. She looked around the house for the first time inspecting it. She turned to dolorem as he walked up to her.

“I haven’t seen you in a while and I was starting to worry if you were alright.” she looked at him with big glossy eyes. It was true, he hadn't gone near her or her cottage for over a week and the same went for twilight. He smiled at her and spoke.

“I'm sorry I’ve been busy. Working around town and helping applejack.” it was truth and lie as today had been the first day he helped applejack. She nodded her head and smiled. Dolorem went to set on the couch and fluttershy followed.

“so what have you been doing?” he asked as she sat down.

“well angel just got over being sick again and is doing fine now. All the animals are getting ready to hibernate for the upcoming winter, so I'll be mostly alone.” she gazed into his eyes as she spoke softly. Then she crawled into his lap still watching him.

I could never do this before. But with him I feel like I could do anything, no longer being so shy.

Dolorem smiled and ran his fingers through her mane. He kept going until his right arm seized up from the work earlier that day. Fluttershy flew up and watch him clutch his arm in pain.

“oh no are you ok? Here let me.” she hovered next to his right arm and landed softly on the couch, pushing his hand away. She began to work her hoof in circles massaging the cramp away.

“oh my you arm is full of knots. And I bet the rest of you too. You need a full massage.” she pulled away and his arm no longer hurt as he looked at her.

“well if you insist.” she nodded and looked around for somewhere for him to lay.

“let's try my bed.” he led her to the door of his room and opened it. They walked in and she turned to him with a slight blush that grew.

“you''ll need to... take off your... clothes.” dolorem looked at her and smiled. This was the second pony that told him to undress and he did but only to his boxers. He tossed his clothes to the side, having worn them constantly and washing them nearly everyday they were battered and ripping, climbing onto his bed, laying on his stomach. Fluttershy hovered above him as he laid down and gently lowered herself on him. She straddled her legs on either side of his waist and examined the scars of his back.

How does one being endure so much pain? Why would anyone hurt someone like him.

She began her work with deep smooth strides into his flesh causing him to breath out deeply. She massaged every inch of his back working out years of strain and knots. Dolorem just melted at her touch and was converted to senseless mumbles of delight. Fluttershy giggle at him as she worked his shoulders and arms. As she finished with his back she hovered in the air.

“now flip over.” he did as he was told he flipped over like a limp doll. As he settled him self fluttershy lowered her self again, straddling his waist again but a little lower. She began her heavenly touch on his chest and his eyes fluttered behind closed lids. She worked her way down to his stomach and the crescent scar. She finished but than began brushing her hoof on the scar. Dolorem opened his eyes and tilted her head up to see what she was doing. She didn't even have to ask and he began his story.

“I didn't think I had anything to live for and I didn't. I had no home and no family or friends. Nothing to call my own. I lived off rotten food from trash and rags in alleyways. Life was meaningless to me and left me in a place I didn't know. I no longer cared where I was and what was going to happen to me. I fight others like me for molded bread and dirty water. I was in a pit with no way out but one. I had contemplated it for weeks and held it in my hand, cold and jagged. I thought why not. What was there for me? I wouldn't me missed and no longer had to struggle. Each night it called to me and each morning I woke up, in filth and hunger. I was sitting on a bench in a park at noon. Everyone going on with there lives without a glance to me. I pulled it out from my pocket, ashort, rusted yet sharp and my freedom. I took it in my right hand and started from my belly button. It was quick with the curving motion, I laid on the ground blood pouring from my stomach. The blade was long enough to peel back my skin but not to puncture my organs. It was a minute before anyone decided to see what had happen to me, a minute that felt like an eternity. They began yelling for help, for someone to rescue me but I didn't want it. I wanted to slip into the cold, dark sleep. I was rushed to the hospital where I should have died. Where I wanted to die. But the person who found me also gave me the blood the kept me anchored to the land of the living. I never met my savior but with that act the did more then stop my death. I wanted to live now and rise my self back from the depths I once wallowed in. sometimes when I think I have nothing to live for I rub the scar and remember the sacrifice someone made for me.” fluttershy was in tears unable to control her self.

How could someone like him ever be placed to think such things? Why couldn't he just been born here and never deal with the evil of his world?

She hated the world he came from, unable to understand it's sorrows. She trembled on top of dolorem and he held her close until she stopped. When she did he smiled at her and brushed her hair from her face. He then sat up and placed her on her stomach.

“now you need to relax.” he returned the favor and massaged her front legs, inside and out. He slowly moved to her shoulders, he may not be as good as her but she enjoyed it very much, then to her sides avoiding her middle back and wings. He worked his way down to her flank and paid more attention to the butterflies on both sides making her let out small sighs, when done there he went to her hind legs on the outside and brushing his fingers on the inside. Then he went to her back and slowly moved to her wings. Fluttershy began to whine as she arched her back and when he got to the fold of her wing to her body she gasped loudly. She fanned her wings and they stretched out all the way as he worked at the base of her wings. Then he pressed deeply under the wing into the soft flesh causing her to squirm and buck wildly in pure pleasure. He continued as she breathed heavily and could take it no longer. She let out a loud moan that was followed by more and more and when she finally stopped dolorem pulled his hands away. She laid there still breathing hard and fast as dolorem watched her wings span out unable to fold back in on their own accord. He laid down beside her and she had a smile loosely across her face. Soon she closed her eyes and faded into sweet sleep. Dolorem grabbed the blanket and covered them both as he went to follow her. The hours past and soon the sun shone over the edge of night. Dolorem would have slept longer but something was messing with his feet. He was laying on his back and he propped himself up with his elbows to see pinkie pie holding his left foot. She looked up and smiled and before dolorem could say anything she spoke.

“wow they are so awesome. Ponies don't have toes except for spike but he's not pony he's a dragon and he won't let me play with his toes cause his ticklish. Your not ticklish so I didn't think you would mind.” she played with each toe on his left foot and moved her head to his right. Once again he was about to speak when she suddenly put all his toes from his right foot in her mouth and sucked gently while still playing with his others. Dolorem was in shock and at a loss for words when she pulled away running her tongue between his toes before leaving them alone completely.

“thanks dolo I got to go see ya later.” she trotted out as fluttershy woke up.

She blinked sleepily and spoke.

“was that pinkie pie? She as a kind of toe fetish.” dolorem took part of the blanket and wiped his foot dry.

“no kidding.”

I didn't think a foot could be violated.

Both of them got out of bed and went to the living room. Outside it was bright, warm, and a slight breeze. They ate breakfast, salad and biscuits, and talked for a little bit. It was decided they would go into town today and dolorem got dressed. He pulled out a small wooden box from out under the bed and opened. The metal wristband and a yellow feather laid inside. He grabbed the feather and placed it in his pocket. They made their way into town and happened to meet everyone else also. They all decided to go eat in the town square and sat together enjoying a small brunch. It was a fine calm day with nothing much happening. Then the air went quiet and still. Everyone looked around confused when a black cloud came from no where. He was headed strait for Ponyville. As it came closer the cloud was smoke tinted with a toxic green aura. A buzzing followed the mass and many pale blue dots appeared from the wall of black. Then fangs, glistening with hunger, flashed as the cloud descended upon Ponyville.

“Sometimes pain is like a storm that comes from no where. The clearest summer could end in a down pour, could end in lightning and thunder.”

"... poor bastard."

Chapter eleven”

“... poor bastard.”

A short, skinny man with gray hair and a plain brown suit sat in the lobby of a hospital. He waited, pushing his large frame glasses high on his narrow crooked nose. His withered face and dull green eyes scanned the room of sick and injured people. Then an ER nurse walked over to him with files in his hands.

“Mr. Loma?” the man sitting down stood up and smoothed his suit.

“Please, Monte is fine.” he held out his hand to shake the other mans but the files were placed there instead.

“this is all we have on one Dolorem Pati. The poor bastard has a medical file a mile long. Now if you will excuse me I have patents to see to. Good day Mr. Loma.” the man turned and left him with a large stack of papers and folders in hand. He walked out the door back to his car heading for his office. The trip was fast since he had a special pass for the barriers around the block of the burned apartment. The fire may or may not have damaged a gas line as the city officials told the public and they barricaded it off. It was only yesterday when it was an inferno. He parked across the street from the blackened building, turning off the engine, grabbing the files. He pulled out the medical file first and shook his head in pity.

“that man was right, I’ve never seen a file this long outside of wife abuse. A hand that recovered fully and functional from being nearly severed off. He was in a fire before this too. Tied to post and whipped, who the hell does that? Oh ok that makes sense. Here we go, a suicide attempt.” he read the file skipping over some and when he read the last one he grew specious. Monte Loma was a detective for the fire department and it was his job to determine if the fire was an accident or not. It was starting to look like it wasn't. He placed down the file and swapped it for a police report on the fire, climbing out of the car. He walked to the building when he was stopped by a police woman.

“sir I need you... oh hi Monte.” she walked up to him calmly.

“hello. Just going over the reports. Now can you tell me was a body ever recovered?” they walked slowly together around the building, examining the chard skeleton of the apartment.

“no it's believed that when parts of the interior collapsed he was caught underneath and the city can't bring in the heavy equipment because some endangered bird made it's nest on the site.”

“now that seems cruel. Not giving a man a proper burial because of one fragile bird. Now was any other person killed in the fire?”

“from the records no. he was the only one but there was some major injuries. What do you think happened?” they stopped at the front door or what was left of it.

“on his medical record he has a past suicide attempt and I need to try and determine if this was an accident or another one. Is the building safe to enter?”

“the fire department said you have the green light. I hope you find out the truth.” the officer walked away and Monte went inside. The stench of chard... everything filled his nose as he made his way to the stairs. They had all been cleared of debris and he had a clear path to the very top. He climbed for a time and nearly had a heart attack when the stairs of the sixth floor groaned and shifted slightly. He made it to the seventh floor and to the door from which the fire spread from. He entered the room and scanned it. The fire originated from the kitchen, a melted lump that was once a microwave sat on the floor. He pulled out a handkerchief and tipped it over to what was once the door. He pried it open to find the remnants of the last meal.

“it seems that this was an accident after all.” he talked to himself as he examined the rest of the room. Nothing much was spared from the devouring flames but what caught his eye was a faint out line. He guessed it was seven feet tall and five feet wide what ever it was. Then he heard it. It was distant but not travel wise. He followed it to what had been the bed and he flipped it over. Underneath was a large jagged mirror fragment and he bent to pick it up. He stood up looking at it, his fingers tingling, turning it to him. Monte nearly screamed and dropped the mirror fragment from what he saw. It was not his own reflection but someone else. The man in the file is what he saw. He slowly looked back at it. It was him alright, the exact same person from the picture. But what made it even more strange was the fact that he was moving. It wasn't a drawing on the mirror or anything else, it was like he was staring at the man in his hands. It saw his face and right shoulder, he was screaming but nothing came from the mirror. His eyes darted all around with panic as if he was looking for a way out. Monte set down the fragment his mind whirling. He couldn't understand what he just saw and he back a few steps away. He watched as dolorem continued to fight for a way out when he noticed two large rips in the wall. Monte was a smart man and could piece things together quick. They had to be the other fragments of the mirror and they had to have the rest of the body on them. He knew he had to find them and restore them, but would it bring out the man in the mirror? Only one way to find out. Monte grabbed the mirror piece and headed back down to his car. When he got there he carefully placed it in the trunk driving off tot he direction the rips were made.

“Not every puzzle is intended to be solved. Some are in place to test your limits. I prefer not to.”

Desirable

Chapter twelve:

“Desirable”

The black cloud dropped and flooded the streets of Ponyville, casting an artificial night that the sun peaked through. All six ponies, spike, and dolorem stood near some houses in town square. Dolorem watched as it approached until hot pain flared in him he dropped to a knee clutching his chest and groaning loudly. Fluttershy and Twilight both turned to him, fluttershy next to him and twilight in front.

“Dolo!?” fluttershy placed a hoof on his arm, his face contorted in pain.

“are you ok?” twilight watched him as he looked up at her and yelled.

“move!” he pitched forward and pushed twilight to the side as a neon green beam hit him in the chest, throwing him into the building behind them. He slid down the wall on to the ground not moving. Everyone turned to see what the beam came from and it stepped out the darkness. It appeared to be a black pony but with more of a black shell than fur. Eyes without pupils, pale blue, and long white fangs, a dark blue shell with blue steel near translucent wings that sprouted out. Fish fin like mane and tail. It's legs however were normal except from the fact that holes riddled them and can be seen all the way trough. A black horn sat on top of it's head that formed out from the shell. It hissed and green ooze frothed from it's mouth.

“Changelings!” the cloud erupted, dissipating, leaving behind a swarm of the vile creatures. The town plunged into chaos as ponies ran in terror and the changelings fell on them. Some fight but most fled being chased. The one in front of the group was shot with a purple beam and twilight turned to the rest.

“come on we have to stop them!” everyone but fluttershy rushed in different directions. Screaming and destruction came from all around and fluttershy stood next to dolorem's motionless body. She was shaking him, pleading for him to get up. Finally he shifted and rose his head, fluttershy sighed in relief. She was about to speak but then he raised his hand, balling it to a fist and shot it out. A cracking and loud thump came behind a startled fluttershy as a changeling hit the ground. Dolorem got up to his feet looking all around. He spotted a wooden pole about as tall as him holding up a flower pot and grabbed it, the pot crashing into the ground. He walked in front of fluttershy holding out the pole.

“this would be better if I had a Khakkhara.” then from atop the clock tower a loud hiss pierced the air. It was another changeling but much large like the princess. The shell on her back was tinted green with large insect like wings and the rest of her shell was a black like a night that held no moon or stars. Her long mane with holes at the ends was a dark cerulean. She had normal eyes, harlequin, filled with hunger. On top her head a bundle of short stems ending in small round pods sat behind her long horn that was punched with holes like her mane and legs.

“Now my children!” she called from atop the tower and a large group of changelings stop their rampaging while other continued. They swarmed to dolorem who set down the pole and grabbed a small round wooden table the also sat in front of the house. He crouched behind it in front of fluttershy holding it forward as they dove. As a whole the collective could overwhelm anyone but individually they were not very smart and it showed as they rammed into the table one after the other. The table was holding them back but hooves and horns were breaking it apart and it wouldn't last long. Then a loud explosion blew the diving swarm apart with small boxing gloves soaring through the air.

“Party cannon beotch!” pinkie pie wheeled a large pink and blue cannon around shooting more gloves. It would be comical had their lives not been in danger. Dolorem throw the table away, torn nearly to pieces, and picked up the pole as more changelings advanced towards him. Then they came at him and muscle memory and instinct kicked in. with jabs, thrust, swipes, and swings he tossed the changelings aside. They regrouped and rushed him but dolorem was quicker and barreled down the middle sending them apart. Once finished with them he ran back to fluttershy who was ducking by the house, he picked her up and ran around the houses. On the other side he found twilight squaring off with the large changeling.

“out of my way girl!” she look near deranged as she glared at twilight.

“what do you want Chrysalis?” she gave a heated glare back. The changeling laughed a blood chilling screech.

“that's Queen Chrysalis to you girl and it's none of you business!” her horn glowed and a brilliant green aura shot out at twilight, who jumped to the side and the beam hitting the ground she once stood. When twilight moved chrysalis caught sight of dolorem and grinned with glee.

“come to me human!” she charged dolorem who, setting down fluttershy, braced himself with the pole behind him. As she neared he brought up the pole and smacked her with a solid whack sending her airborne. She flipped into the air and hissed. Changelings heard the pain and hatred in her voice and rushed to her. Dolorem walked away from fluttershy after placing her behind a bush. An even larger mass from before dove at dolorem and he braced himself for it. They swamped over him and he disappeared from view. The held together the ones on the outside pushing to the middle to get to him. Then with the swishing of something soaring in the air dolorem appeared again. He had thrashed and swung so fast that it seemed the mass of changelings exploded off of him. He stood holding out the pole with cuts and bites on him, more changelings rushed him and he turned to face them. He was smashing the pole into them sending them left and right as he backed towards a house. He never knew about the changelings that chipped away at the edges of the wall of the house he neared. The wall teetered and started to fall at dolorem, he didn't notice it before he could move. At that moment he was slammed forward into the changelings tossing them around and a loud thump came from behind him. Dolorem got up to see fluttershy pinned beneath the wall that was moments away from crushing him. Luckily it had caught on a stone pillar in front of the house not falling all the way, but fluttershy didn't move. Dolorem dropped the pole and ran to her. The pillar snapped and the wall began to fall once more but dolorem got to it in time and held the wall from crushing fluttershy. Changelings attacked him, biting and scratching, as he slowly pushed the wall up, it's weight not allowing him to move a hand to protect himself. He trembled under the wall but did not falter, pushing it higher and higher. Fluttershy was free but she still didn't move and dolorem's muscles screamed. The changelings continued their onslaught until they were ripped away. Applejack was bucking them off dolorem sending them flying with sicking cracks. Rarity rushed over to fluttershy and used her magic to drag her to safety. Several changelings poked their head over the wall but dolorem had pushed it upward and it fell over crushing them. Rarity brought fluttershy to the clock tower and dolorem ran to them. his back was turned as he stood over fluttershy and Chrysalis made her move. She dove at dolorem and rarity tried to yell at him but before she could he snapped around and grabbed her out of her dive. His hand wrapped around her throat and he brought his knee into her rib cage sending her to the ground. He grabbed her tail and dragged her through the dirt. He started to spin around and around lifting her off the ground until he let go and she flew into the air. She tumbled in the air and bounced of the clock tower crushing off some of it's edge. She manage to gain control and roared in pure fury.

“I WANT HIM NOW!” every changeling took off to the sky and once again dive bombed dolorem. Instead of piling on him they grabbed him and took to the air, even Chrysalis held onto him. The gained height and rainbow dash rocketed to them. Dolorem thrashed around and kicked out as hard as he could. His foot connected to right under and behind Chrysalis jaw and dazed her causing her to lose her death grip on him. They were high above the tower as he fell and at the time the royal guard appeared fighting any changelings left behind. Dolorem fell strait down and would have smashed into the ground had rainbow dash not ram into him sending him at the clock tower. He hit a beam nearly snapping it and slid off the side falling again. Rainbow dash zoomed for him but she would never make it in time. He fell fast and nothing else could stop him, moments before impact a light rose plain stopped him. It slowly set him down before blinking out of excistance. Rainbow dash stopped looking for who had summoned the plain. She spotted a white unicorn with a blue mane and tail stripped with light and dark blue. A dark blue shield with a purple star was on both sides of his flank. His light blue eyes met with rainbow dash's red wine colored ones.

“Shining Armor? What are you doing here?” rainbow dash called down but an ear slitting shriek cut her off. The guard had chased off the rest of the changelings and they swarmed around a beaten Chrysalis in the air. Her eyes burned with pure madness as she glared at Princess Celestai on the ground who had arrived behind the royal guard. She turned with another defeated shriek and took off with her hoard. As the town ponies watch her shrink in the distance they began to cheer. Dolorem stumbled around the tower supported by rainbow dash. Celestai caught sight of him and watched him with a cold glare. She took flight and was followed by her guard all except Shining Armor. Dolorem made his way to a still unconscious fluttershy with the help of rainbow dash. He keeled down and ran his hand along her side and she finally came too, lifting her head and a smile smile on her lips. Dolorem released a sigh of relief as all the others came over along with Shining Armor.

“I didn't have a chance to warn you so I had to get you out the way.” fluttershy spoke softly still weak. Dolorem hushed her and brushed the hair out her eyes.

“Shining!” twilight ran to the white unicorn hugging him. He hugged her back and smiled.

“I'm glade you are all safe. We saw them approaching but we thought they were heading for Canterlot. We came as quickly as possible.” he turned to dolorem eying him. Twilight sighed in relief.

“well I'm glade you did. We needed all the help we could get.” she walked over to fluttershy and looked her over.

“we need to get you to the hospital. And we need to start gathering anyone else who was hurt too.” she looked around the town serving the damage. It wasn't too bad but hard work would be need to repair the destruction. After gathering all the wounded with the help of Shining Armor they were sent to be treated. The injuries were not server but still needed to be checked and fluttershy had to stay for some time. Dolorem spent each day and night with guilt besides her bed blaming himself for her getting hurt, holding her feather from his pocket when ever he was gone. After a week she was free to go but she was still a little weak so dolorem carried her to his house.

“but my animals...” she tried fighting him but he wouldn't let her leave.

“twilight has spike taking care of them since you have been in the hospital.” at fluttershy's cottage spike was ready to pull out every crimson scale from his body with frustration. It wasn't that it was a difficult task it was the fact the Angel was an asshole as he was told many times by the dragon. Fluttershy reluctantly laid back down in dolorem's bed as he made a meal for her. For another week he sat besides her taking care of her, feeding her and bathing her but nothing like what had happened with twilight. The entire time dolorem was burden by guilt still blaming himself as she almost died trying to save him. He would never forgive himself if she had.

“You may hold the world on your shoulders and with your arms, crushing you into grief and despair, but with love can you shrug off your burden and hold the world in your hand.”

Two weeks after the changelings attacked the town had been repaired, the damages focused more on the center never going to the out skirts. Soon everyone was back to their normal routine even fluttershy. She made it back to her cottage and her animals missed her terribly, spike on the other hand didn't look back as he walked out the door. They knew she was still recovering and with winter very near they became almost non demanding. The season had rolled into fall and the animals left one by one to holes and caves for hibernation. Angel was the only one who stayed with her and helped her. Dolorem was there everyday to check up on her but never staying long. It pained him to see wince as she would reach for things or stand up and he couldn't bare it. One day he took Angel to the side and spoke to him.

“now I need you to help fluttershy as much as possible. She doesn't need to being staining her self. Do you understand?” angel rolled his eyes and gave dolorem a look that said what do you think I've been doing. Dolorem left and walked back home, it hadn't been touched by the changelings. On the way there he ran into applejack.

“oh hey Dolorem I was just comin' to find ya. We are havin' a little get together at the barn and I was going to invite you and the rest of the gals. So what do ya say?” dolorem smiled and nodded.

“sure sounds fine. I could use a little... fun.” applejack nodded her head and head to twilight's tree house.

“alrighty then. The party is at eight so don't be late now.” dolorem continued walking home to get clean. At his house he looked at himself in a mirror in the restroom. He had trouble trusting the mirror at first but when it didn't try to suck him in he was fine. His clothes were in a horrible state, the changelings ripped and tore at it. He decided he needed new ones and grabbed his bits and headed to rarity's.

“Of course I'll make you new clothes!” rarity was jumping with joy when dolorem had ask her if he could buy some clothes. She ran around the shop gathering the necessary supplies and dolorem stood in the middle.

“now I have never made clothes for a human so I well need to take precise measurements. Now take off those horrid rags.” rarity spoke as she unfurled a length of measuring tape.

Great, why don't we just invite the other three who haven’t seen me naked, get it all out of the way.

Dolorem striped down all the way sitting his clothes in a pile next to him and rarity turned to him. Her mouth slightly dropped as she stared at him but she shook her head and walked to him in a professional manner.

She looked like what they did... wait fluttershy has never seen me naked.

Rarity levitated the measuring tape to him taking notes with a quell and pad next to her, she would give him directions on how to move so she could get more detailed measurements. At the time a small filly came down stairs.

“hey rarity, can I go with the girls today? Applebloom said they are having a party at the barn and I wanted...” she made her way down and stopped staring wide eye at the two. Rarity wasn't paying attention to what was happening until dolorem quickly turned around covering him self. She gave him a puzzled look and turned to the direction he was pointing. She gave a little yell and quickly levitated some cloth to cover dolorem up.

“oh course you can, you should leave right away!” sweetie belle walked to the door fast and left, running to Sweetapple acres. Rarity turned to dolorem with a nervous smile, blushing.

“sorry I forgot she was here.” dolorem just shook his head and dropped the cloth.

“let's get this over with.” rarity nodded her head and went back to work. When she finished measuring him she told him to come back in two hours so he redressed and left. He walked around town for a bit until he saw a traveling pony selling wares. He walked up to the cart that held many different items and was greeted by a male green earth pony with a blond mane. He had an image of a road leading to bits on his flank. His blue eyes where warm and kind.

“well hello there. Something you see that you like?” his voice was smooth and quite charming. Dolorem smiled and looked at the cart until something caught his eye. He grabbed it, a leather bundle that held tools inside, examining it closer.

“now that is a wood sculpting kit and very high quality. You can make all sorts of carving with this set. It come complete with every tool to shape and detail your art work.” his sales pitch wasn't to bad and dolorem still needed to find him self a hobby.

“how much?” dolorem turned to the pony with the tools in hand.

“twenty bits.” dolorem wasn't sure if he was getting ripped off or not but he bought it anyway. He went home and grabbed a large chunk of wood that was sitting behind his house from a tree that had fell over. He set it on the table in the living room and moved both to the middle of the room. He opened the kit and a little instruction manual was inside. He read it and learned which tool was and what it was used for. He grabbed the starting tool and began to work. Soon a pile of wood shaving surrounded him and he set down the tools. It was time to head back to rarity's and he steeped back from the carving. It was a very crude attempt at the head of a pony but it was his first time so he didn't fret much. He made his way back to the boutique and walked in. rarity came down from up stairs with a large smile.

“good you back just in time come have a look.” rarity led him to a her work shop. She levitated him the new clothes as he striped down again. Once finished he stood in front of a mirror to see him self. She made everything he needed, black boxers is what he had put on first and they felt great. His shorts were the same length as his others and didn't need a belt at all. A soft white shirt was under a sleeveless button up vest that had a breast pocket on the left. The shorts and vest where a bright green with yellow trim that looked almost golden. She even made a pair of leather sandals that were very comfortable, showing off his rather hairy feet, and a leather brown belt like his old one that was for show. He really liked it a lot and it went well with his tanned skin and brown hair and eyes. He turned to rarity when he was done finishing admiring her work.

“this looks great. Thank you so much rarity.”

“not a problem at all. And besides I couldn't let you run around in those rags any longer.” dolorem went to his clothes and pulled out the bag that held his bits. Rarity shook her head.

“no no. for you free.” dolorem tried to argue with her but she wouldn't budge so he left thanking her again. It was getting close to eight so he went home to take a bath and get ready. As he was walking out the door he stopped and turned back to the pile of his old clothes. He dug around until he found what he was looking for, a yellow feather. He placed it in the breast pocket and left. He made it all the way to the front of Sweetapple acres when he found fluttershy. He walked up to her slowly and she smiled at him.

“wow I really like your new clothes.” dolorem was smiling as he stopped in front of her.

“rarity made them for me. My old ones were falling apart.” the kept smiling at each other and gazed into the others eyes.

“Dolorem I...” fluttershy was about to say something else when a loud voice interrupted her. Applejack was walking to them.

“hey yall two come on in. the party is about to start.” fluttershy moved first walking to applejack and dolorem followed. All three made it to the barn where loud music had just picked up and played.

~If it hadn't been for Cotton-Mane Joe

I'd been married long time ago

Where did you come from where did you go

Where did you come from Cotton-Mane Joe...~

Dolorem stopped and listened to the song.

Cotton-mane Joe? Are you serious?

Dolorem walked the rest of the way in and sat at a table that had a white cloth hanging over the sides with fluttershy off to the side. A lot of the town ponies where here even the Cutie Mark Crusaders, who were sitting in a corner whispering to each other and looking at dolorem. He had a good idea about what they were talking about. The rest of the party goes made it and a lot of them were dancing to the music. Dolorem sat there next to fluttershy and was staring at her, as she was watching everyone dance, when he felt something hit his foot. He looked under the table to find three fillies who knew they have been caught. Dolorem knew why they were there and gave them stern looks as they back away out from under the table. He stood up and turned to fluttershy.

“come on let's dance.” she looked at him unsure and nodded her head. The song was a slightly fast one and they two grabbed each other like they had when they danced alone. Dolorem had to show her how to do the dance first but she learned it quickly and soon they were two-stepping around everyone. Some stopped to watch them dance and when the song finished and they stopped everyone cheered. Fluttershy looked around nervous but dolorem just smiled at her. Applejack walked up to them.

“now that was some mighty fine dancin'. You wouldn' happen to know how to play an instrument would ya?” dolorem looked at the band and then back to applejack.

“got a guitar?” applejack nodded and called to a pony to bring one. It was big mac who brought a brown guitar on his back and gave it to dolorem. He walked up to the band and turned to face everyone else as they went silent. Fluttershy sat closer to dolorem to watch. Dolorem tuned the guitar and spoke.

“this is a song that actual helped me once upon a time.” he started a slow upbeat tune.

~Well I won't back down, no I won't back down

You could stand me up at the gates of hell

But I won't back down~

Dolorem played a song of man that had died in his world long before he was born but his song helped him in rough times as he sang it to him self. Dolorem sung well although he wouldn't be famous for it everyone else enjoyed his voice.

~Gonna stand my ground, won't be turned around

And I'll keep this world from draggin' me down

Gonna stand my ground and I won't back down~

Fluttershy rocked along with the music, she never new he could sing. She loved his voice and watched him in front of everyone as his song came to an end. The entire time dolorem's eye were on fluttershy as he sang, to him it felt as if she was the only one in the room.

~Hey baby there ain't no easy way out

Hey I will stand my ground

You can stand me up at the gates of hell

And I won't back down~

Dolorem finished the song and placed his hand on the strings to stop them as everyone cheered. He set down the guitar and walked back to fluttershy, sitting down with her again. The band picked back up again and the party kept on going. Dolorem and fluttershy danced some more together and he even dance with applejack, pinkie pie, and twilight. It was past midnight as everyone started to go back home. Angel would be fine tonight by himself so fluttershy went with dolorem to his house. They walked in and dolorem's sore attempt of a sculpture met them. Dolorem just tossed a towel over it and led fluttershy to his bed room. Dolorem striped down to his boxers and slid into bed with fluttershy.

“did you have fun?” she asked watching him.

“yes, did you?” she nodded her head and they laid there until they fell asleep. It was a cool peaceful night that became longer with each day closer to winter. Out side in the sky above with the moon and stars sat a single cloud. On the cloud a large pitch black queen sat, glaring at the red slate colored roof. Her eyes crazed and her mouth wet as she licked her lips.

“Sleep now human. Soon you shall miss that and more.” she grinned a wicked, toxic smile and pawed at the cloud. Below shadows moved with fangs and pale blue eyes as they closed in on the house. Then the thunder boomed deafeningly.

“I'd be willing to die today if it meant I could have your love tomorrow.”

Black and purple

Chapter thirteen:

“Black and purple.”

A flash of blinding light and the crack of an invisible whip. A storm spewed into the sky, a last minute shower before winter, the clouds frothed and churned. Fluttershy bolted strait up with the boom of thunder, breathing fast and her heart beating hard. Torrents of rain poured down slapping the land in strides. Fluttershy began to shake as another flash of lightning danced across the sky followed by a loud clap. Two large hands wrapped around her yellow coat pulling her to warmth and safety. Dolorem held fluttershy closely as she trembled in his arms. He rocked her in his arms as another bang filled the air. The rain beat against the walls and windows without any sign of letting up. Soon fluttershy calmed down, her breathing regular and her heart normal. The lightening and thunder continued but fluttershy no longer jumped. Dolorem let her go and she turned to face him, smiling. Light flashed showing her illuminating her face more, cast half in shadow. Inside the house it was silent but it was broken with a loud grumbling noise from fluttershy.

“I forgot to eat.” she giggled as dolorem smiled and shook his head getting out of bed. He lit a lamp and walked out the bedroom door to the kitchen. He was about to grab a bowl of fruit when a glint caught his eye from outside the window. He slowly walked to the window that was next to the door and looked out side. He couldn't see much of anything as he squinted his eyes still scanning the darkness. He was able to make out some movement outside as he moved his face closer to the window. He saw something come closer and closer when the lightening flashed and...

“dolo?” dolorem spun around and fluttershy was looking at him.

“oh I'm sorry I didn't mean to startle you.” she walked up to him and he smiled stepping away from the window. They went to the kitchen once again but before they could eat anything a loud bang sounded. Then it came again faster from the door. Dolorem walked to the door and opened it. Twilight stood in the rain with her hair plastered down and soaked. Her facial expression was troubled and she spoke.

“spikes missing!” dolorem backed up so she could come in and he went to his room. Fluttershy grabbed a towel from the bathroom and wrapped twilight in it.

“what do you mean?” twilight grabbed the edges of the towel tightly and shivered.

“I heard a loud bang in the library and woke up but I thought it was the storm so I went back to sleep. I woke up again later and looked over to spike's bed to check on him. He wasn't in bed so I called out. When he didn't answer I started to look around the house but he was nowhere to be found.” dolorem walked back in the living room fully dressed and went to the door.

“fluttershy watch over her please.” she nodded her head and dolorem turned to leave but twilight called out.

“I saw someone going towards the school.” dolorem nodded and left, fluttershy had twilight follow her to the bedroom as she dried off. Outside the rain was still falling in waves and dolorem was soaked in seconds. He started to jog to the school as the cold rain hit his skin. The storm clouds had blocked out the sky and it was near pitch black as dolorem came closer to the school house. He slowed down to a walk and stopped completely in front of the door. It was slightly open and rain had made it's way partly inside. Dolorem pushed open the door slowly as it creaked. He walked inside and the door closed behind him suddenly. In the middle of the room surrounded by up turned desk, thrown around in an obvious sign of a fight, laid a small dragon. His scales had started to slowly fade back to it's natural purple and they shined with the water still on them. Dolorem slowly moved to spike as the floor boards groaned. He was now standing over spike and he keeled next to him. Large patches of scale were missing and others were cracked, trickles of blood ran down his sides. Dolorem softly turned spike over and saw his face. His left eye was nearly swollen shut and his lip was busted. He let out a moan, letting dolorem know that he was alive. Dolorem softly scooped up spike and he let out another moan. He walked out the door, cradling spike in the crook of his left arm, back into the rain. He walked slowly back to his home and the rain picked up more along with a gusting wind. Along the road a rustling could be heard, different from everything else. Then a black body moved out from a bush and stood in front of dolorem. A single changeling blocked the road as dolorem stopped, staring each other down. Dolorem gently set down spike against a tree stump, the rain cleaning off his blood. The changeling hiss and ran at dolorem, who stood on the road again. He brought up his foot with his leg strait out and going above his waist. As the changeling neared he brought his heel down and connected with the changelings with a sicking snap. The changeling slid past dolorem motionless. Dolorem walked back to spike and picked him up, walking off again. He neared his house and light shined through the windows, twilight and fluttershy back in the living room. Entering the door twilight turned quickly to it. Dolorem shut the door behind him and twilight rushed forward to the unconscious dragon in his arms.

“wha...” she couldn't speak as she saw his face and scales. Dolorem walked past her to the couch and set him down softly. Twilight and fluttershy came over to spike.

“changelings.” twilight was in tears as she looked over spike and fluttershy rushed to find a blanket as he shivered. Dolorem walked back to the door looking back.

“stay here.” he walked out the door into the freezing rain. Fluttershy brought over a blanket and covered spike.

“where is dolorem?” twilight could only motion to the door as tears ran down her face. Fluttershy walked over to the window to see dolorem walking off once again.

Please be safe...

Fluttershy walked back to spike and started to treat his wounds, twilight sat down near them still at a lost for words. Outside dolorem walked back to the school. The rain once again picked up even harder and dolorem could only see a few feet in front of him but he knew where he was going. Soon he was back to the spot the changeling had been left unmoving but it was no were to be seen. Then a faint glint of green caught dolorem's eye and he saw a small blood trail leading into the bushes as it was being washed away. He quickly followed it into the bush were he pulled back the leaves to find the changeling. It had dragged it's self into the bushes and lines of green blood trickled down it's head from the top. It hissed at dolorem but it was weak. Dolorem grabbed the changeling by a leg and dragged it out from under the bush, weakly kicking and twisting to get free. He held him out by his side but not close enough so it could attack. He walked back to his home where twilight was gently holding spike. Dolorem came closer to his house, the light glowed through the windows, the changeling hissed and thrashed wildly. He walked in with his struggling burden and fluttershy turned to him. He went to his wood sculpting tools that sat by the covered wood and grabbed them, fluttershy became worried.

“what are you doing?” dolorem didn't answer and walked to his bedroom door. He turned to fluttershy as he grabbed a chair along the way.

“I would cover your ears...” he went in and closed the door behind him. Twilight wasn't paying attention to what was going on and fluttershy slowly walked to the door. She gently pressed her head to the door to listen and she heard a muffled growl. Inside dolorem tied to changeling to the chair with his belt and the tool kit was laid open on the bed. He held a clamp in his hand and squeezed on the changeling's tongue, pulling. He let go and spoke to it.

“why did you attack spike?” the changeling hissed at dolorem and he quickly clamped back down on it's tongue, pulling firmly. The changeling whined loudly and looked at dolorem pleadingly. he reached for a a sharp tool and pushed it itto the side of it's tongue drawing out more blood and moans.

“what do you wa...” the door swung open and fluttershy stood there with horror in her eyes.

“what are you doing?!” she rushed forward as dolorem let go of the changeling's tongue and she pushed him away standing between the two. She breathed heavily and tears built up in her eyes.

“why would you do this? It may not be a nice creature but it doesn't deserve this.” she unbuckled the belt and the changeling ducked behind her, shivering in fear of dolorem and blood running out it's mouth. Dolorem stood there with the tools still in hand and held his head down. Fluttershy walked past him with the changeling hiding behind her as they walked out to the living room. She went to the door and opened it, the changeling darted out the door into the torrential down pour, dolorem walked back into the living after her. He placed the tools next to the wood sculpture and sat down on the floor. Fluttershy closed the door and turned on dolorem.

“how could you? That was horrid and plain evil. I can't believe that you would do something like that. Where is the gentle giant I fe...” she couldn't talk anymore as tears rolled down her eyes and she walked to twilight who was confused with what was happening. Everyone sat in silence until the rain slowly died and the sun rose. When the rain was gone and the sun shined in the widows spike finally came to. He opened his right eye, his other eye swollen entirely shut, and spoke with a dried rough voice.

“twilight?” twilight had dozed off but shot wide awake and smiled in relief.

“ho-how do you feel?” she lightly brushed her hoof across his forehead and spike tried sitting up but was pushed down gently by fluttershy.

“you need to rest spike.” fluttershy spoke softly and twilight nodded. Dolorem stood off to the side watching them.

“let's get you home spike.” twilight stood up and went to levitated spike but dolorem walked forward and gently picked up spike.

“I'll carry him come on.” he turned to the door with spike and the blanket in his arms. Twilight opened the door and fluttershy stood there unable to look at dolorem. They left, leaving fluttershy alone, heading back to the tree house. Spike was still hazy and dipped in and out of consciousness. They arrived at the tree house and twilight opened the door for them. Dolorem went to spike's bed and laid him down softly, he opened his eyes looking at him.

“did you save me?” spike asked dolorem as he pulled away, he nodded as twilight walked up. She hushed spike and spoke softly.

“we'll talk later spike just rest.” spike closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. Twilight and dolorem went to the living room as spike mumbled in his sleep. Twilight went to the book selves and used her magic to pull off a very large book from the top. She lowered it onto the table in front of the couch and went to sit. She opened the book and it turned out to be hollow and inside was a glass bottle with amber liquid sloshing around. She undid the glass stopper and took a large drink of the contents. Dolorem watched in silence as she placed the bottle down looking at him.

“I keep it hidden from spike and never let him see me drink it. I only drink when I'm extremely stressed and need to relax so I think this calls for it.” she tipped the glass towards dolorem and he walked forward to her. He grabbed the bottle and sat next to her on the couch taking a smaller drink then hers. They handed the bottle between each other taking drinks in silence until half a hour later the glass was empty. Twilight face was flushed and dolorem looked still fine but swayed a little.

“I-I can't thank you enough for finding spike. He means the world to me, I hatched him and I'm practically his mother. I felt so helpless when I couldn't find him and I didn't know what to do. I could only think about getting to you, I knew you would help. Spike likes you a lot. And I...” she spoke slowly and slurred only a little, tears welled up in her eyes. She suddenly buried her face into dolorem chest and cried as he held her.

“I don't know what I'd do with out him. Or y...” a shuffling noise came into the room and twilight sat up, stopping what she was going to say. Spike came into the living room walking stiffly and slowly. Twilight got off the couch and went to spike.

“what are you doing out of bed you need to be...”

“she said she won't stop until she haves you alone. I just remembered this but she wasn't talking to me.” spike looked at dolorem who looked back at him. Spike stumbled slightly and twilight held him up.

“she was talking to her self I think. I really couldn't tell. I was under hooves and there was a lot of hissing.” twilight looked at both of them not fully understanding with her fuzzy mind what spike was saying. Dolorem stood up and walked to spike.

“what exactly did she say?” he lowered him self down in front of spike, looking into his eyes.

“she said that she needed you. That she couldn't stand it any longer and would do anything for you.” spike swallowed as he was hearing her say the word in front of him again. Dolorem stood up and ran his hand through his hair. Twilight looked worried and went to a scroll and quell. She used her magic and started to scribble down something on the scroll quickly.

“I need to tell Celestai about this. She well know what to do.” she wrote her letter and when she was finished she rolled it up. Spike walked forward and took it from her.

“here I got it.” he let out a green fire and it consumed the letter turning it to dust that flew out the window into the sky. Moments later spike hiccuped and another letter appeared from green flames. Twilight quickly grabbed the letter with her magic unrolling it reading. She set down the letter looking at the other two with wide eyes.

“she wants to see me now...” she rushed to the bathroom, dropping the letter. Dolorem walked forward and grabbed the letter reading it. Just like twilight said she wanted her and her alone but what really caught his eye was the last line separate from the rest. It read “Do not bring the human.” he placed the letter on the table as spike shuffled back to his bed. Twilight ran back out to the living room and stopped in front of dolorem.

“can you please stay with spike? I'll be back soon.” dolorem nodded and twilight's horn shined brightly with white. With a loud pop she was gone and dolorem stared at the spot she once stood. After a bit he walked away and sat back down on the couch. He sat there for some time when there was a knock at the door. He stood up and went to the door, opening it slowly. Rarity stood in front of him with a look of worry all over her face.

“where is he? Is he ok? Can I see him? Well he...” dolorem interrupted her frantic talking.

“he's fine, he's asleep.” rarity brushed past dolorem heading to spike. Dolorem was about to close the door when rainbow dash and applejack ran up. He just stepped to the side and let them in. they stopped in the living room as dolorem closed the door and went to the couch.

“so how is he?” applejack stood by rainbow dash, both looking at dolorem as he sat down.

“a bit worse for wear, but he'll be ok. They weren't trying to kill him just to send a massage.” applejack nodded her head and rainbow dash stepped forward.

“so what are we going to do? We need to find them and... and...” applejack placed her hoof on her shoulder to calm her down. Rainbow dash hung her head down and a silent sobbing could be heard. Rarity stood next to spike running her hoof across his forehead gently.

“you poor thing. Why would anyone do such a thing to such a sweet dragon?” spike's eyes fluttered open and he was staring into sapphire eyes. Rarity smiled at him as he shifted to sit up.

“Am I dreaming?” rarity leaned forward and kissed spike on his nose.

“get some rest sweetie. Everything well be fine.” she kissed spike on the cheek and walked away as he placed his hand on the cheek she just kissed.

“well I hope I don't wake up.” he laid back down and watched her walk away. Rarity went back into the living room and started to cry. Applejack went to her and hugged her.

“it's gonna be ok darlin' trust me.” rarity just nodded and wiped her eyes. She turned to dolorem with a daggers in her eyes.

“who did this?” dolorem stared back and the three ponies waited. He sighed and told them the story.

“A child who suffers pain will smile more then those who know no evil and face it unprepared.”

twilight appeared with another pop, teleporting to Celestai's study. She was aiming for the royal chambers but another force directed her here. She looked around confused when Celestai walked out from the shadow.

“sorry twilight but I needed you here directly.” twilight nodded her head, she still felt fuzy, and went to her mentor. Both walked to a podium that a small book rested on. Celestai opened the book and a drawing of human was on the page.

“when I received your letter my fears were confirmed. Do you know about the human that came into our world three hundred years ago? Twilight nodded, trying to hid the achool on her breath, as Celestai turned the page to another drawing, one of Chrysalis and the human.

“when the human crossed over it had been only three days when they met. It was by chance but it changed Chrysalis forever. She feeds off of love as you know but a human's is much different. She became addicted to it and kidnapped the human after two weeks of being here. She used her power to trick her and invoke her love. After some time the human was able to break free of her magic and took her life. I am surprised that she didn't act sooner when the human you brought over arrived but now she will do anything to get to him. You are all in danger if you keep him close. I warn you twilight, stay away from him. he will bring despair.” twilight listened in silence as Celestai turned the page to yet another drawing of Chrysalis standing over the dead human, pure rage in her eyes. Twilight understood that dolorem was in danger but she couldn't tell him. She didn't think she could bring her self to tell him that he was the reason they attacked Ponyville. Celestai closed the book and turned to twilight.

“now we have some more things to discus, come with me.” twilight followed her with a heavy mind and heart.

“I wish that I had other choices then to harm the ones in love.”

Ever so beautiful.

Chapter 14:

“Ever so beautiful.”

Dolorem and the three ponies sat in the living room for some time talking to each other as spike finally was strong enough to make it in there with them. He was rushed by the ponies as he entered the room each of them looking him over. They all talked at once asking how he felt and if there was anything he needed. As he was about to ask for some gems a bright flash and a pop interrupted him. Twilight materialized with a white light and stumbled slightly as the alcohol still buzzed in her head. Everyone watched twilight, her face fallen, as she walked to her bed.

“What's wrong sugar cube?” applejack looked at her with worry. The rest watched along as twilight stopped.

“I-I need to get some rest that's all.” she continued to her bed as everyone watched her in silence. When she was gone they quietly talked to one another.

“I wonder what she talked about with Celestai?” rarity spoke as she had a hoof wrapped around spike, he looked like he was in bliss so close to her.

“well I have weather duty so I need to go. I'll see you guys later.” rainbow dash walked to the door and the other two ponies also excused their self.

“I need to leave too. I have more orders to fill.” rarity let go of spike and he looked at her sadly as she walked away.

“you get some rest now spike, ya hear.” applejack followed the other two out the door and closed it. Spike picked him self up and twilight called out.

“spike could you come here, just you please?” spike looked at dolorem with a raised eye brow and dolorem just shrugged his shoulders. Spike went to twilight as dolorem sat on the couch thinking to him self. Spike walked over to twilight as she sat on her bed. She nodded at him and he climbed up.

“Is he still over there?” she motioned to the living room and spike nodded. She sighed heavily and looked down.

“Celestai told me something... important you should know. But you can not tell him at all do you understand me?” spike looked at her nervously and nodded. Twilight looked off to the living room and back at spike.

“she told me...” twilight told spike all that she was told and when she was finishing the front door was closed. She looked up quick uneasily and then at spike. Dolorem walked away from the library to home. As he went inside the house it was empty. He stood there in silence feeling the cold air of the house. Out side the clouds grew and the sun light dimmed. He went to his bed room and opened the door to find it also empty. He gathered all of the wood sculpting tools and went back out side. He headed to the back of the house to a pile of wood he gathered and shifted through it. He pulled out an ten foot long piece of wood. He pulled out some tools from the wrap and began cutting off bumps and branching twigs. When he was finished he gathered the wood and tools and went back inside. He set the wood up with clamps and began to work. For several hours he cut, carved, shaped, and sanded. He set done his tools and left his house, heading to Sweetapple acres. The sky became gray and the air was cool. Winter approached fast and soon it would snow. He made his way to the large house of the apple family. Applebloom was setting out side on the porch messing with her large red bow in her mane. She looked up at dolorem and smiled.

“hey dolo, watcha doin' here?” he stopped on front of her and smiled slightly.

“is applejack home?” she nodded and yelled out for her sister, Applejack walked out the front door moments later.

“what do... oh hey dolorem. What can I do ya for?” dolorem looked at applejack and spoke.

“do you have some metal I could buy from you?” applejack scratched her head in thought.

“Ah think we have some spare metal by the barn. Go ahead and take what you need or it will rust sitin' there. No need to pay me for any thing, just go on back.” she smiled at dolorem and he nodded his head walking off. Applejack walked back inside and applebloom followed dolorem. She caught up to him as he made his way to the barn.

“so what do ya need metal for?” they reached the scrap pile and dolorem began his search.

“I'm making something.” he flipped over some large sheets, to thin for what he needed, digging deeper carefully.

“like for a present?” applebloom watched him pick up small pieces and toss them aside.

“you could say that...” she smiled and hopped next to him.

“can ah help? Maybe I could get a cutie mark for this.” dolorem nodded his head at the first part but looked up confused at the second.

“what is a cutie mark?” applebloom looked at him weirdly.

“well it's that picture on someponies flanks. It shows others what they are good at. Me and the other cursaders are still lookin' for ours so we try all different sorts of things.” she searched through the pile with dolorem as he simply nodded his head. Then a thought dinged on the small filly.

“um what am ah lookin' for?” dolorem stopped and looked up describing the pieces he needed and using his hands to demonstrate.

“rings about this thick, four of them, and an even larger ring like this, preferably with a point on it.” she nodded her head and they both went back to searching. In ten minutes they found all what was needed and applebloom smiled largely. She looked back and sighed disappointed when she saw a blank flank. Dolorem noticed and spoke.

“hey don't worry. Your time well come and besides look at me, I'll never get one.” applebloom smiled a little and dolorem gathered the metal.

“thank you applebloom for all your help. I need to be going now, bye.” he walked with her back to the house and left.

“your welcome and come by again sometime.” she waved at him and he nodded heading back home. He could her applejack calling for her sister to get inside because it was getting cold. She was right, the temperature dropped considerably since he arrived at Sweetapple acres. He could see his breath and feel his skin covered in goose bumps. On they way back home a flask of yellow caught his eye in the distance, causing his heart to ache. He made it back home and went inside, the sun started to dip below the horizon. He began his work once again and continued long into the night by lamp light. That night his sleep was troubled with terrors and cold sweats. He woke at noon, the air in the house cool and still. Something felt... off to dolorem as he got out of bed. He slowly opened his door and looked into the living room. It was empty and silent, a slight breeze rustled the wood shaving still on the floor. He went in the living room and notice that the window looking at the road was open so he went to close it. He slid it down with a small thump and his eye started to twitch. He spun around suddenly and gasped. He was no longer in his living room or even his house. All he saw was empty space for miles. A mist covered the floor, he was unable to see his feet, and a soft dull light illuminated the area around him, for about twenty feet, out of nowhere. He looked all around him and found nothing, he was about to yell out when he saw it... her. A dark sapphire coat with a light cobalt mane in a dark blue translucent aura that blew as if there was wind. Her horn stood proud in front of a black crown. On her flank, her cutie mark as applebloom told him what it was, sat a white crescent moon surrounded by very dark blue spots. Her soft blue eyes locked into dolorem's and she motioned with a hoof off to the side. He hesitantly turned his head and saw an opening in the air. He turned back to the majestic pony who had made her way to him, a little shorter then Celestai but still radiating with royalty like her. She nodded her head and he slowly walked to the opening. He looked inside to see twilight being held tightly in... his arms. They sat in front of a fire place with the windows fogged over, snow fell just out side. He looked quickly at the pony next to him and she motioned for him to look back. He did and watched closely. He never remembered holding twilight in front of a lite fire place and slowly it dawned on him.

“is this her dream?” he nodded and her horn gleamed for a second and the opening shimmered. He turned back to it to see him self again but this time he was dancing with fluttershy. They where in a ball room spinning in each others arms. Dolorem looked back up with confusion. His mind was swirling along with the plains around him.

“my sister does not trust you but I know your suffering. Do not let your bindings shape your path. You and only you can chose what you do. Until next time Dolorem Pati, sleep well.” everything spun around dolorem as he suddenly was falling but slowly like in water. Deeper and deeper he fell as the royal pony faded from view and the mist of the ground swallowed him. As the darkness completely engulfed him the feeling of falling became more intense. Dolorem shot up in bed breathing hard, wide eyed. He slowly got out of bed and made his way into the living room. The window was closed and no breeze flowed along the ground. It was cold, cold enough to see his breath. He went to the door and opened it. The sky was gray with nearly no light from the sun shining through and everything was silent. He looked up to the sky as the wind ruffled his hair and then he saw it. It was tiny, a spec, white and soft. A single snow flake, the first of winter, fell slowly and gentle. Soon it was followed by more and they all piled on the land into a fluffy blank blanket. He held out his hand and the first flake landed in his palm and quickly melt. Before it was gone he saw it's shape. It didn't look like other snow flakes he had seen before, it looked oddly shaped and strange as if someone didn't know what one looked like and tried to make one. Still he smiled softly, winter had always been his favorite time of the year as it was peaceful and quiet. He went back inside and dressed, leaving once again. He walked to the library slowly, enjoying the cold air on his skin with the snow flakes dropping slowly onto him. He stopped in front of the door and knocked. He waited a minute before it opened and twilight stood there.

“Hey...” she smiled softly and looked into his eyes. He smiled back and spoke.

“Hi. I was wondering... uh... how spike was... and if... uh... you like to...” dolorem trailed off unable to finish. Twilight just patiently waited for him to talk and still smiled softly. Dolorem swallowed hard.

“how about just see if spike is alright.” she nodded her head and stepped aside. Dolorem walked in and spike was setting on the couch with a steaming cup in hand. He looked up and his face brightened.

“hey dolorem. Want some cocoa?” he held out his cup showing the brown liquid held with in. dolorem shook his head walking over and sat down next to him.

“so how you feeling?”

“a lot better and thanks for saving me.” dolorem nodded as he looked spike over. The swelling of his eye had gone down and his lip was healing. His patches of missing scales and cracked ones were wrapped in bandages and ointment. Seeing spike like that made dolorem's shoulders heavy. Twilight walked up and spoke.

“was there anything else you came over for?” dolorem looked at her but didn't make eye contact. He was about to say something when the door flew open. Rainbow dash rushed inside a little frantic and red faced.

“twilight we need your help! Um and just you, it's kinda personal.” twilight looked at her with a raised eye brow and spoke.

“oh ok sure. Spike stay here and you two just wait I guess. I'll be back soon.” she headed out with rainbow dash and closed the door. Spike and dolorem looked at each other in wonder. Dolorem's face became serious and he turned to spike. He stared into his eyes with cold, hard determination.

“now spike I need you to tell me something.” spike shifted uncomfortably only guessing what was to come next.

“what did Celestai say.” spike shook and gulped loudly under dolorem's gaze. He couldn't tell him what she said, twilight made him promise but he deserved to know the truth. Spike would have wanted to know had it been him.

“Never let your fears decide your fate.”

A week later dolorem sat in his house working again on the crude head of a pony. He left the library and went home where he spent the entire week inside. No one had came to visit him until that day. A knock sounded at the door and dolorem covered the head and went to open it. Rainbow dash stood there and grinned.

“so you gona let me in? It's freezing out here.” dolorem chuckled and stepped aside as she walked in. she noticed the covered sculpture and poked at the shavings on the ground. Dolorem sat down on the couch and eyed her. She swayed back and forth as she looked around the house.

“nice place.” she turned to dolorem and walked to the couch. She hopped up on the other side and looked at dolorem. He smiled and spoke.

“so what was that problem you needed help with?” rainbow dash looked down and her face grew red. She shifted and mumbled.

“well I was with applejack and... um... something got stuck.” dolorem tried to suppress his laughter and looked at her as she blushed deeper. He couldn't help it and started to laugh but not very loud. Rainbow dash looked up and smiled nervously, starting to laugh her self. They laughed for a bit and stopped looking at each other.

“yeah it was really embarrassing but I knew twilight could fix it. She's good at a lot of stuff.” dolorem nodded in agreement. They talked to each other for several hours about different things. Soon she got off the couch and stretched.

“I got somethings to take care of so see ya later dolo.” she walked to the door and dolorem watched her go.

“later dash.” she left and closed the door, dolorem sat there in silence for a while before going back to work on the wood sculpture. As he worked he would glance at a long, leather wrapped bundle that was set against the wall. The top was larger then the rest of it and a single thin rope held it together. He stopped after awhile and stood to stretch, watching the bundle. He went to his room and grabbed a blank paper to write on. After he finished, tucking the paper under his vest, he turned to the door to leave. He opened the door and was meet by a strong gust of wind, snow blew into the house and he pushed his way outside. The snow was piling up high and the wind constantly shaped the coat of white. He made his way to the library with some difficulty as visibility was low with the flurry. Soon he was knocking again at the door and it was open by spike. He told him to come in and he pushed the door closed against the wind. Dolorem shook the snow off him and turned to spike. His scales where growing back and healing, not to mention also nearly fully back to purple, his eye and lip back to normal. Spike smiled and walked to the kitchen, yelling out.

“twilight, dolorem is here.” he disappeared as twilight appeared. She walked in and smiled happily.

“hey, I haven't seen you for awhile. What's going on?” dolorem shrugged at her and spoke.

“nothing much just... uh... seeing how spike was.” twilight nodded her head and looked at him with a raised eye brow.

Why won't he just say what's on his mind?

Twilight smiled as she turned away and began setting plates on the table.

“we where about to have lunch. Care to join?” at the mention of lunch dolorem's stomach growled loudly. He didn't eat anything since he woke up, twilight giggled and set a plate for him. They sat down as spike came in with lunch, deep fried hey fries and salad. They ate and talked to each other as they enjoyed the food. When they finished it was twilight who gathered the dishes.

“I got it spike.” spike nodded and was happy to sit back. Twilight levitated the dishes and left the room, dolorem leaned forward to spike.

“spike can you send letters to others besides Celestai?” spike looked at dolorem confused.

“um well yeah. It's hard to explain but if I know who it is and think about them I can send them a letter. Why?” dolorem pulled the letter from under his vest and held it towards spike. He spoke calmly and in a low voice.

“send this to chrysalis.” spike's eye became large and wide as he stared at dolorem in disbelief. Dolorem's face was stone and he pressed the letter into spike's hand. Spike was about to question dolorem but his stare stopped him. He grabbed the letter shaking and took a deep breath, releasing green flame. The fire engulfed the letter and it crumbled to ashes, flowing into the air and out a skylight.

“Sometimes the worse feeling other than not knowing what well happen is knowing what well happen.”

... though I walk the valley of the shadow of death...

Chapter fifteen:

“... though I walk the valley of the shadow of death...”

A couple of days after the letter was sent dolorem paced around his house slowly and methodically. Twilight had walked in seconds after the letter left and looked at the two. Dolorem sat back as spike looked like he was going to be sick. Twilight became worried as she walked over to spike.

“Spike are you ok?” she placed a hoof on his head to feel his temperature. Spike just stood up to leave.

“I just feel a little dizzy. I'm gona lay down.” he walked to his bed as twilight watched him. Dolorem stood up and walked to the door but twilight spoke up and stopped him.

“Are you ok?” dolorem stopped with his hand on the door and he turned his head to her. He smiled and nodded but twilight didn't believe him. He opened the door and left, closing it as twilight quickly went to her bed. Spike was laying down with his eyes closed but completely awake and twilight looked over him to see if he was ok. Satisfied he would be fine she left and ran out the door. The ground was hidden under a foot of snow and the sky was cold and gray. Dolorem hadn't gone that far and twilight was moving fast to him. He heard the crushing of snow behind him and he turned to see twilight making her way to him. He stopped and watched her but a rock was unseen and she tripped over it. She was pitched forward and dolorem throw out his arms to catch her, falling backwards into the snow. He laid in the snow with twilight on his chest grinning.

“Sorry.” dolorem just chuckled and shook his head. The snow was cold and melted against the bodies of the two as they continued to lay there. Twilight started to shake from the cold and dolorem softly pushed her off.

“come on.” he started walking off to his house and she followed. Along the way twilight had an idea and used her magic to gather some snow. Dolorem was walking when suddenly the back of his head exploded in a white fluff. He stopped and turned to twilight who was looking of to the side whistling to her self. Dolorem gathered some snow him self as she kept walking and pact it together. Twilight past under a tree as a snow ball hit the trunk behind her. She looked at dolorem and laughed.

“you missed.” dolorem just shrugged and turned, walking away as he pointed up. Twilight was confused and looked up in time to see a large pile of snow falling. The snow hit twilight and she was no longer seen, dolorem laughed as he kept walking. She dug her self out and looked at dolorem with squinted eyes. She ran at him and jumped, tackling him into the ground. The rolled around laughing and throw more snow at each other. Soon they where both wet and cold so they hurried to dolorem's house. They entered the house, cold and silent, dolorem began to undress. He had his back turned to twilight and she watched as he peeled of the damp clothes down to his boxers. He laid out his clothes to dry and headed to his room, coming back out seconds later with a blanket. He sat on the couch and motioned for twilight to join him. She got up on the other side but let out a small yell as dolorem grabbed her and wrapped her in the blanket with him. He didn't say a word as she looked at him and he held her close. Their body heat warmed and dried each other as they sat there together. Twilight pressed her back into dolorem's chest and shifted her self so that she sat right in his lap with her legs on his. Dolorem was the first to break the silence.

“It must be hard trying to let go, cause I know it is for me.” twilight didn't understand at first but then dolorem pulled twilight even closer, if that was even possible. She began to breath a little faster along with her heart beat. She could feel dolorem's breath, warm with the tropical scent that hid underneath, creeping down her neck. Dolorem's arms were around her chest and she placed her hooves on them. She could feel dolorem's heart beat hard in her back and shivered as his breath continued to dance on her skin under the damp fur. It suddenly came to dolorem.

The only thing missing is the fire place.

He remembered twilight's dream that he was showed by Celestai's sister but then his heart sunk as he remembered the other dream. Twilight could feel the shift in dolorem and turned her head to look at him. He smiled but his eyes were filled with pain. Twilight didn't understand but dolorem knew. He knew why he could never be with either one of them. He had to stop before... a knock at the door sounded. Twilight got off of dolorem and he headed to the door. He opened the door and rainbow dash stood there. She grinned as she looked at dolorem who was still only in his boxers

“oh you did most of the work for me. You won't mind if I take a peak before hand would you?” rainbow dash moved as if to push down dolorem but twilight spoke rather loudly.

“hey dash, what brings you here?” twilight sat on the couch wrapped again in the blanket, only her head sticking out. Rainbow dash stepped back noticing her for the first time and blushed. Dolorem looked startled as he let her in and closed the door.

“hey twilight, I was just coming over to for a bit.” she looked at the ground still embarrassed. Twilight just raised her eye brow and nodded trying not to laugh. Dolorem just shook his head as went to the bathroom. Rainbow dash looked up and spoke.

“so you two a thing?” twilight was caught off guard and stared at rainbow dash.

“No...” twilight looked sadly at the ground but rainbow dash didn't notice as she was thinking about something. Dolorem came back into the living room and looked at the two ponies. The cyan Pegasus turned to dolorem grinning wickedly.

“so if you humans wear clothes all the time does that mean the we're naked? How to you feel about that?” both looked at her in surprise and she went on.

“it must be pretty exciting being around naked girls the entire time uh? All it takes is a little breeze and well... What do you think about this?” dash turned around and lifted her rump in the air and gave it a wiggle. Twilight went wide eyed and dolorem just stared. The Pegasus turned back around pleased at dolorem's face. Twilight untangled her self from the blanket and got off the couch, heading for the door. She excused her self and left, leaving the two. Rainbow dash looked at the door and back to dolorem confused.

“what's with her?” dolorem shrugged his shoulders but inside he felt hurt. Then he remembered something he need from the rainbow maned Pegasus.

“could you do me a favor?” she looked at him and grinned.

“and what's in it for me?” watching dolorem she flew to the couch and sprawled out on in it, her legs spread apart. Dolorem just continued to look into her red wine eyes.

“I found a way back home.” dash tried take to the air but fell off the couch.

“no way! twilight found a way to send you back?” the fact was she hadn't but after her visit with the princess she knew she need to start. He lied to her and kept on lying.

“yes. Look I don't know how your weather duties work but I need something to happen if I'm going to get back.” she nodded and waited for him to go on.

“we need to be alone. It's in the Everfree and a blizzard needs to be raging so that no one can get in.” rainbow dash felt unsure about this but she agreed. Dolorem went over the rest of the conditions for the storm and when he finished dash went to leave. He stopped her before she left and spoke.

“no one can know about this. Don't even mention it around twilight.” she nodded and left, the house was quiet with dolorem standing in the middle of the living room. He looked again at the corner with the wrapped bundle. Soon he would leave but not back home or to anyone's home. This would be how he stopped it from happening before either of them was hurt by him. He was torn between the two and couldn't decide. But then again it was made to be that way. In the end it wouldn't matter, he would fall with or without them. It was better this way, they wouldn't be hurt, not physically anyway, and they could continue on. If it meant never seeing his home again. If it meant never seeing them again. He could live with that or in this case... die. Out side the true night had begun and the snow fell from a high.

“Snow falling soundlessly in the middle of the night will always fill my heart with bitter sweet clarity.”

The next day began like any other with light snow fall and gray skies. Dolorem was no where to be found but everyone else, with the exception of fluttershy and rainbow dash was at the library. They sat together talking to each other over hot cups of cocoa. They stayed well into the evening and as time crept on spike became more and more frigidity. Twilight noticed his behavior and went to him.

“spike are you ok?” spike nearly jumped out of his scales turning to the purple unicorn.

“I'm sorry but he asked me to!” twilight was confused but then the door swung open and two Pegasuses came in. Rainbow dash, followed by fluttershy, stared at twilight with confusion to match hers.

“shouldn't you be... you know that one thing? That's the whole reason I started the blizzard.” twilight became even more confused as the wind out side picked up. Ponyville was hit by cast off from a blizzard that whipped the Everfree forest.

“what are you...” the door burst open letting in the fierce wind. A gray, blond mane, crossed eye Pegasus tumbled in. rarity used her magic to close the door and checked her hair to see if it was still in place. Applejack helped the dizzy pony up, while pinkie pie chugged her cocoa. The gray mare pulled out two letters from her saddle bag and handed one to fluttershy and one to twilight.

“this is for you and one for you. Good bye.” she turned and opened the door, the wind picked up even more and she struggled to close the door. Both the mares opened the letters and read identical words.

Please come to my house. I wouldn't ask like this if it wasn't important.

Twilight turned to spike again with a stern look. He try to smile but he was to nervous.

“Spike, What's going on?” he wrunged his hands together and spoke.

“um well... you see...dolorem asked me to send a letter to Chrysalis...” everyone was shocked at hearing this and pinkie spit out her cocoa, spraying applejack.

“WHAT?” twilight was getting real mad and spike flinched.

“I did get a look at it though. It said something about the Everfree forest.” spike couldn't look at twilight any more. applejack was wiping her self off as rainbow dash walked up.

“he told me that you found a way to get him back home. That's why I was confuse to see you here. He said you both needed to be alone and that's why you needed the blizzard.” fluttershy rushed to the door and rarity called out to her.

“dear where are you going? It's horrid out there.” fluttershy stopped and turned.

“the letter said to go to his house. He might still be there.” twilight also walked to the door with her.

“then let's go.” they nodded to each other and throw open the door, cold wind whipped them and the door was forced shut with magic. The other ponies were confused and rainbow dash turned to the orange mare.

“hey you missed a spot.” she leaned forward and licked some cocoa that was above her right cutie mark. Applejack blushed and rarity just shook her head with a small smile. Pinkie had her tongue out and waving at it.

“ah hrunt may toong.” everyone laughed at the pink pony, everyone but spike. He felt horrible and was worried about dolorem. Out side the two fought their way to the house with the red slate colored roof. They pushed open the door and forced it close, inside was silent and still. Fluttershy went to dolorem's room as twilight looked around the living room. She didn't find anything but then a soft voice called out to her.

“twilight I found another letter.” she rushed into the room where the yellow Pegasus was reading a letter on the bed. She finished and backed away with tears in her eyes, twilight went to the letter and read.

By the time you read this I will be gone. I am sorry but this is the only way. It was my fault spike was hurt so I do this for him. And for the both of you. I do it to protect you all. To stop this from happening again. It has to be this way so you remain safe. She will get what she wants and you both can continue your lives.

The purple unicorn looked in disbelief as she read the letter again and again. Fluttershy finally was able to speak again.

“what does he mean ''she will get what she wants''?” out side the sun was setting and the little light it provided was gone. Large foot prints were swept away by the wind, erasing the existence of the one that walked there. Twilight spoke after a silence.

“Chrysalis. She wants him...” fluttershy ran for the door and left the house. Twilight couldn't move and she began to cry her self. The winds were to strong for flight so fluttershy had to trudge through the snow to the Everfree forest. Twilight sat down and stared at the floor.

She will never let him go.

Yellow feathers were flung high into the sky as the wings they belong to held tight to the body of the Pegasus. She fought the blinding snow in the wind and on the ground with tears that froze on her face.

I need to find him. I have to stop him.

She carried on and the weather became even worse. Soon twilight was able to stand and she knew she had to follow fluttershy, to help him. She rushed out side and closed the door with magic, facing the same fight as fluttershy. The blizzard would rage for hours and in the end no one knew what would happen.

“What if the storm ends and I never see you again?”

Dolorem had little trouble with the blizzard since he had made his way nearly all the way to the Everfree forest before it started. He had on the clothes rarity had made for him, his only ones mind you, and carried the wrapped bundle. Snow covered the entire forest and muted out nearly all detail as he made his way around the trees. He was heading for a clearing he found on a map in twilight's library, past the house of a pony named Zecora. The wind picked up fast and harsh, blowing snow into his face. The entire forest was silent beside the screaming of the wind and nothing moved unless the wind made it so. The blizzard reached it's peak and the sun was gone, dolorem could see barely five feet in front of him. He committed the way to memory and continued with the cold numbing his skin. Soon he couldn't feel much of anything but it didn't matter to him. Then he reached the clearing. It was bare and large enough to build a house with a big yard. He walked to the middle of it and waited with the wind and cold. Then she came. Chrysalis stepped from the shadows in front of dolorem and a sickening smile was on her lips.

“oh you poor thing you must be freezing. Come here and I'll take you somewhere warm and safe.” she stepped forward one step and spread her wings as if to embrace him. Dolorem just looked at her with a blank face and she hid the impatiens that was building in her.

“look you have a visitor.” behind dolorem soft steps came up to him.

“dolo.” dolorem turned slowly to face... fluttershy. She stared at him and he couldn't believe she was there.

“she is who you most desire but does she desire you? Do you really think that you would find someone for you in this land? I know what she feels for you and it is not the same that is in your heart.” Chrysalis watched with delight at the two. Fluttershy stepped forward a bit and spoke again.

“she's right. I though that I did but I don't. You were something new and I was excited to have you but... now I see that you are nothing special. You're just some poor fool that twilight brought from another place and in time we would forget about you as if you were never here. Even twilight felt the same and that's why she just let me have you, like you were a toy she was tired of.” dolorem breathed heavily in total heart brake while fluttershy looked disinterested. He felt used and fake, the entire world sat on his chest, like he had never matter.

“you never mattered to me, why would you? You weren’t a stallion, I could never have a life with you. You were just a play thing to interest me until something new came along. I know what she wants for you and she should just go with her. Twilight was wrong about her, she is the only one who would ever want you. If you left no one would notice just like back in your world. You are pathetic and no one would ever love a warped thing like you. So just leave.” dolorem couldn't breath any more and his heart beat so fast it threaten to explode. Chrysalis grinned with wicked glee at the total destruction of the man before him and fluttershy became furious. She yelled at him.

“JUST GO! NO ONE WANTS YOU! I DON'T LOVE YOU ANYMORE!” dolorem could breath again as he thought about her last words. Suddenly he brought the bundle around and it cracked fluttershy on the side of the head with a ringing sound. She yelped and slid across the ground, motionless. Nothing happened and she didn't move. Then her skin crawled and a green light shone over her body. A changeling lay on the ground where fluttershy once was and more melted from out the shadows around the clearing. Dolorem breathed heavily and slowly turned to Chrysalis.

“you almost had me... but you forgot one thing...” the pitch black queen yelled in anger and the grunts advanced. Several would lung at dolorem but he didn't move, rooted in place. As they slowly enclosed him he undid the knot on the bundle. The rope and leather wrapping fell besides him and reviled a staff. It was eight feet tall in total and the wood was tan and about as thick as a bit was wide. On top, clamped and embedded into the wood, sat the metal head piece. The large metal ring was worked into the wood and two smaller rings hung on both sides of the staff. The point of the large ring sat at the very top and all the metal had been cleaned and polished to it's cold gray color. He held it in front of him and waited. The first changeling attached coming at him from the front. Dolorem swiped it aside as another came at him from behind, he brought it behind him and slapped it back. Each move of the staff would make the rings clank against each other sending off a low dinging. The changelings went at him in larger groups and he fought still. The would bite and scratch and he would knock them away with a ringing. He moved faster and faster throwing them all around the clearing. He spun the staff on his back as he leaned forward and it hit several of them away. Chrysalis grew inpatient and roared. The changelings back away slowly, hissing angrily, into the edge of the clearing. She stepped forward and spoke unable to contain the anger in her voice.

“now why do you have to be difficult? Please just set it down and come with me. I promise you would be well cared for and you get to spend it all with the one you desire the most in this world.” she calmed down as she spoke at the end and walked forward, a green fire engulfed her. Fluttershy walked to dolorem and his heart skipped a beat.

“Isn't this what you want? To be with me for ever. If you come with me you could. You wouldn't age and we would stay the same for all of time. Just you and me, eternally.” dolorem let is grip slacken on the staff. He knew it was a trick but he couldn't help it, this was something he wanted. Fluttershy saw him loss focus and pounced. In mid air she was engulfed in flames again and returned to her menacing state. She pushed dolorem to the ground and his weapon flew from his hand. She pinned him down and smiled cruelly.

“just come with me and I will give you all that your heart desires. And in return I simply want to feel the love you have.” dolorem sneered at her and brought his legs up, stiffening his body, sending her over him. She yelled as she hit the ground and popped right back up. Dolorem got to his feet and faced her. His staff lay in the snow ten feet from his left and she snarled at him.

“if you will not come with me by choice then I will drag you kicking and screaming!” she charged at him and he dropped to a knee. As she closed in he brought his hands together and come up with his palms outward, hitting her at the back of the jaw and sending her to the ground. He took this chance to dive for his staff as she jumped back up and charged again. He spun around while rising and caught her just in time. The pointed tip of the large ring cut the pods off her head before bouncing off her horn. She barreled past him and screamed in pain, green blood trickled down her head. She would lunge, bite, and stomp dolorem. He would return with swings, butts, and bashes of the staff and it's metal head piece. Back and forth they drew blood from each other and it painted the white snow. The blizzard blew harshly and the temperature dropped well below zero. The two fought each other for what seemed like hours deep in the woods. They pushed each other out of the clearing and the changelings followed. They kept their distance but longed to rush in for their queen. They hissed with the ringing of metal and roars of fury. They fought through the trees until they reached a small drop, only three feet lower then where they stood. Dolorem rushed Chrysalis and pushed her over the edge. He was about to follow but several changelings dropped from the tree tops in his way. He backed up from them throwing his staff in the air and ran past them. They snapped at him but he jumped over the ledge grabbing the staff mid air and brought it above his head. Time slowed down. The hissings became drawn out and the wind only rustled slightly. Dolorem dropped to Chrysalis slowly and the staff came down the same. She had stood up and bared her fangs at him with her horn lighting up in a violent green aura. The head piece of the staff was nearly touching her head and her horn glowed even more brightly. A loud bang and force brought the world back to speed as green flashed through the air. Dolorem soared back wards over the ledge he just jumped from and skidded on his back on the ground, only a short piece of the staff remained in his right hand. The blast singed him and his clothes as smoke rose from off him. A horrid scream of agony came from Chrysalis as she thrashed her head around. Smoking shards of what had been her horn scattered around her in ruins. She jumped back up the ledge breathing heavily and yelling in complete rage.

“NOW, my children!” several changelings stood behind dolorem and he tried to turn to them but was to weak to. They didn't even look at him however, none of them did, they all ignored him. Each and every single one stared at Chrysalis unmoving. She snapped around looking at them.

“what are you doing? I said get him now!” they didn't listen. Then they slowly walked away from her still facing her. Dolorem took his chance and stood weakly, heading back for the clearing. She didn't pay attention as she was being deserted by her hoard. She became frantic.

“My babies! What are you doing? Come back!” they all slipped into the shadows and were gone. She roared in anger and charged forward. Dolorem had stumbled back into the clearing but couldn't go no more and collapsed onto his back in the middle. Chrysalis burst through the trees and leaped at him. There was nothing he could do but raise the wood piece he still held. The end was jagged and she flew through the air at him. She fell on it, piercing her chest, and she stood above him. She snarled and lunged forward with her teeth and he pushed the stick up forward. Her head flew back and she let out a high pitch screech. It had hit her heart and she fell to his left. As she hit the ground dolorem went with her but stopped with a snap of the stick. He never knew that the other side was jagged too, he held the middle of the staff since the top and bottom had been blown away, and he never felt it go into him. It was in his stomach to the left side and blood seeped around the edges. He pulled it out, a grave mistake as now it bleed even more and faster, turning to Chrysalis. She was on her side and was facing him, her eyes boring into him. Green blood wept from the stick in her chest on to the snow along with his red blood. With some difficulty he reached into his right pocket and pulled out a yellow feather. It clung to the blood on his hand and he held it tightly. He looked back up into the sky that no trees blocked from him. It was gray and... calm. The blizzard worked it's self out and everything began to settle. The wind started to slow down and the snow fell more softly. He bled heavily and he lost track of time. He wasn't sure any more on how long he laid there and his blood pooled from his side. He could feel it in the back of his throat so he coughed and it sent blood onto his lips and chin. He turned his head again to her and the blood trickled out his mouth. His vision started to fade around the edges and he felt cold. Not the numbing cold of the air but an empty cold, hollow. He could feel his heart slowly beating each second a minute, each second less of a beat. His mind floated in a haze and he tried to speak but only more blood flowed from his mouth. His chest rose and fell slightly, less and less each time. He watched the snow fall gently onto her and it started to pile.

It was more then I could ask for. As long as I was dead it would have been fine. Now they can be in peace. Winter had always been my favorite time of the year. It is so much more clean here. Even with the taint of green and red blood, the snow is so... pure... and soft... so........... beautiful......

dolorem's eyes fluttered shut and he drifted into the dark.

“It doesn't matter what you did in life, the choices you made and the things you've done, because in the end we all fall asleep in a cold, bitter sweet embrace.”

Fluttershy fought hard against the blizzard and had made it to the edge of the Everfree forest. She paused there, fearful. She shook her head and set off determined, she had to be strong for him. He showed her how to be and she would not stop. Twilight was not far behind and she saw fluttershy go into the forest, she picked up the pace to catch up. Fluttershy made her way strait, she really had no other idea where to go. After about ten minutes she heard it. The ringing of metal. She didn't know if that was him or not but she didn't have anything else to go on. She followed it the best she could but the wind road in her ears and the snow blinded her. Twilight finally made it into the forest and went strait also. She had magic on her side and she used a spell to detect heat. She saw a red glow in front of her some distance that could only be fluttershy. Way off in the distance she saw multiple glows of red. She pressed on heading for them along with fluttershy who had guessed correctly from the sounds. Luckily the blizzard started to die down but then a flash of green sparked in the air followed by a scream. Both still apart went as fast as they could to the source. The twilight stopped as she saw with her spell a mass of red leaving. She wasn't sure what it meant but another scream ripped through the air and she could see a big glow not that much further. With the flash of green and first scream fluttershy worried but after the second one she was nearly panicking as she rushed through the snow as fast as possible. In five minutes she spotted a clearing and she ran as fast she she could. The blizzard had worn it's self out and the wind was not as fierce and the snow gently fell. The yellow mare burst through the trees and spotted a mix a red and green blood all around in the snow, two bodies lay motionless. She rushed to the green vest and brown hair that laid beside the black lump. A large pool of blood was to the human's left. She rushed forward and turned his face to her. Blood ran down the side of his face and was on his lips and chin. As she held his head his eyes opened but they were distant and unfocused. Fluttershy began sobbing and pleaded with him not to leave her. Twilight made her way into the clearing and her heart nearly stopped. Chrysalis lay dead with a staff piece jammed into her chest and fluttershy held dolorem on the verge of death's door. She ran forward with her mind in chaos. Every second that past was one that dolorem slipped further and further away. She wouldn't be able to teleport him to a hospital and even if she could it would be to late. The she remembered her studies of things of dark matters. Forbid magic. She turned to fluttershy and spoke.

“do you trust me?” she looked up with tears running down her face confused.

“then you have to let him go.” fluttershy didn't understand nor did she want to ever let him go. But she did. She backed away as the purple unicorn stepped forward. Her horn glowed with dark purple aura and Chrysalis's body moved. The shaft slipped out from her body and her blood poured freely but it didn't touch the ground instead it snaked it's way through the air into the hole in dolorem's stomach. Dolorem didn't have enough blood any more and Chrysalis's blood was stopped with the stick. Using her blood and changing it to match what little blood that remained in his body, she filled his veins once again. As the last of the green blood slipped into dolorem the hole started to close but not completely healed only enough to stop the bleeding. For a moment nothing happened. Dolorem's body was cold and lifeless. Then twilight sent a jolt through him and he twitched. It wasn't sure if it was from the jolt or not but he didn't move again and twilight and fluttershy became near frantic. Then he moved. It was subtle but both mares eyes watched for anything. His chest rose all the way up and fell back down only to repeat it's self. Heat flared through out his body as his breath misted in the air. His fingers twitched, something yellow poked out from them, and his eyes fluttered open. Then his heart thumped. Again. Again. It thumped over and over again making the blood flow through his body. Fluttershy rushed forward and looked into his eyes, they were glazed over but they slowly focused. Twilight walked up slowly next to fluttershy who was coxing dolorem back. Both couldn't believe he was back and were glad beyond belief. But it was short lived. His fingers stopped moving, hiding the yellow again, and his chest fell down and failed to rise again. His heart slowed once again until it no longer moved. The blood in his veins flowed to a stop and the heat dissipated from his body. His eyes closed and he moved no more. No mist came from his mouth. Fluttershy began shaking him frantically pleading for him to come back. Twilight just stared. She had failed, she wasn't able to save his life. Fluttershy cried loudly into the air holding dolorem's head to her chest. The sky was it's gray and the wind it's cold chill. The snow fell ever so softly. Ever so gently. Pure. Beautiful.

“From the moment you came into my life you showed me what was right. You are the reason why I believe in fairy tales.”

Two weeks had past and the weather became very mild. Deep in the Everfree sat a stone in the ground, in the middle of a clearing. The ground had been frozen and it took big mac with his plow to tear up the frozen dirt. He was able to do it and with in hours applejack and him had made a pit for a grave. They lowered a simple wooden casket into the ground and shoveled the dirt back in it once again. A blank tomb stone was set in the ground at the front. The next day a yellow mare sat in front of the grave confused. She sat there thinking about what had happened two weeks before. All the blood was gone but when she closed her eyes she could see it as if it was still there. Shards of horn, metal and wood had been gathered and returned to their owners. But it didn't matter any more. What use were they now? They would be horrid reminders of something cruel and evil. A fight between two that ended more lives. The changelings had left and no one ever saw them. They had simply disappeared but no one complained. They wanted to thank the one responsible but found they were unable to. Many gifts and flowers piled by the house with a red slate colored roof. The door was never opened since then. Inside some spider webs formed in corners and dust coated everything. The wood shavings still showered around the covered sculpture. Food rotted and smelled horrendous, filling the house. With out a window to flow out, it lingered in the air. Some would visit the house with hope but leave sadden. Others would visit the grave site if they were brave enough to go into the Everfree forest. But today fluttershy was alone as she wondered in her thoughts. She still couldn't understand.

“Why?” she spoke to her self but was answered by another. They talked as they walked slowly behind her, stopping a few inches from her.

“Because everyone deserves a proper funeral. Everyone deserves a final resting place. I don't blame her for she did. It's what she was, her nature and that is next to impossible to change. She was driven mad by a different kind of lust. A lust that was her down fall in the end. The view of evil here are far different then ours. But maybe you well understand one day.” fluttershy looked up and smiled at dolorem. He was sweating despite the cold and out of breath. He should have been resting in bed but he kept arguing until he was finally let outside. It was his idea to bury Chrysalis and would have done it him self but that's where fluttershy put her hoof down. She was able to talk applejack and big mac into it, all though they were hesitant and didn't want to be near her body even if she was dead, and they went right to work. The freezing cold preserved her body just the way she had died minus the stick. After the hole was dug and a casket was made twilight helped place her in it with magic they lowered the body down into the hole and twilight found the first piece of Chrysalis horn. Before they covered her back up with dirt twilight gathered all the horn fragments and placed them down with her. Applejack asked why and she said that if it was her she would want to be buried whole. The only thing never found was the pods from atop her head but they didn't noticed they where missing. A blank tomb stone was placed and they left. Dolorem examined it and pulled out a hammer and chisel. He knelled down with some pain but manged through it. He chipped away at the stone and after ten minutes he pulled back looking over his work. He carved in her name fairly well and that was enough. If anyone who found they would know she lay here. But soon time would forget her along with everyone else. She would be in history books and studied in class. Foals would wonder how she was in real life and probably play games involving her and the changelings. But for know dolorem sat down and watched the grave. Fluttershy looked at him tenderly. They were so close to losing him. When the spell didn't work and he faded away a second time, fluttershy lost all hope but then something happened. She felt a pull from inside her, as if something was taken from her though not important, and dolorem's eyes snapped open. He breathed once again and his heart hammered in his chest. The blood surged through his veins and his chest raised and fell rapidly. Fluttershy was overjoyed and spoke soothing words to him, calming him. Twilight stared in total and utter disbelief. She was at a lost of words and dumb struck. Tears of pure joy ran down fluttershy's face as she held dolorem tight. Twilight used her magic to send a note to the hospital. They rushed as fast as possible and made it there in half an hour. They surrounded dolorem pushing back fluttershy, she tried fighting them but twilight held her back. She calmed her down as the levitated dolorem with them and rushed back to the hospital. They had poor understanding of humans so twilight had to come help they after she walked fluttershy to the library. She made her way there as the rest gathered around fluttershy. They asked her what happen but she was barely able to talk and it was applejack who got everyone to back away as she led her to the couch to lay down. At the hospital twilight directed the doctors on what to do but he was mostly fine. The black magic had healed the most fatal wounds and all that was left was flesh wounds in need of cleaning and bandaging. He was released the next day but fluttershy absolutely refused him when he said he wanted to go back home. She held a one sided argument by her self on why he was going to stay with her at the cottage until he was back to full health. She didn't even pause for a moment and when dolorem tried to interrupt her she gave him the Stare. She peered into his eyes, ripping apart any form of argument he had, and he felt as if she was boring into his very soul. He didn't say a single thing and let her continue. She went on again about how she was going to take care for him no matter how long it took. The rest of the gang were to scared to argue with fluttershy and they simply nodded in agreement. Dolorem was set up in fluttershy's bed still wearing the same clothes. She helped him out of them and was able to smell how bad he was. She got the bath water ready and told dolorem she would be back shortly. She made her way to rarity's boutique with dolorem's shredded and burnt clothes. She wouldn't let her fix the clothes for free and shoved them and some bits into her hooves. This was so unlike the shy and timid fluttershy of before, so she didn't argue. Rarity deemed the clothes a lost cause and throw them away. She began work on a whole knew set for dolorem with the same measurements as before. When fluttershy got back to the cottage she didn't find dolorem in bed. He tried to make his way to the tub him self and was panting on the floor besides it. Fluttershy hovered in the air in front of him with her arms crossed. Dolorem tried to smile at her but winched in pain when he went to pick him self up. Angel stood to the side shaking his head. Fluttershy agreed with him and went to dolorem. She helped him up off the floor onto a chair by the wall. All that he was wearing was the black boxers and he tried to get them off him self. He couldn't lift him self up to slid them off so fluttershy pushed away his hands. She tugged at them and couldn't get them off, so she used her teeth to help. Dolorem went wide eyed as she pulled them down with her teeth and finally they were off. For the first time she saw him completely naked but he was covered in blood so it ruined the effect. She helped him up and into the bath water. It was hot and steam rose from it's surface. A faint hint of lavender came with the steam. Fluttershy gently pushed dolorem down and began scrubbing his chest with a soft brush. She washed away dried blood, green and red, and softly brushed the area he had been stabbed. It was highly sensitive and slightly white around the entrance. Dolorem gasped slightly as she touched it but she was gentle. She traded the brush for a wet rag and went to his face. She started at his neck and worked her way up. She washed way the blood on his chin and up to his lips. She leaned very close as she wiped away the blood from his lips. Dolorem could smell the wet blood from the rag, the lavender from the water, and the sweet scent of her breath. She was so close that her nose brushed against his but she didn't pull away. They stared into each others eyes until a loud thump startled them. Angel, being the selfish asshole he is, wanted her to finish so she could feed him. Fluttershy moved on to dolorem's forehead with the rag and continued. Angel rolled his eyes and hopped away. She pulled him forward and went to work on his back. She washed away the blood from there also. It seemed to be everywhere on him, blood on every part of his body. When she finished she went back to his front. She pushed him back again and went to his waist. The water became cloudy with sweat and blood but she cleaned anyways. She went first on the outside of each leg then half way up the inside. After that then she went the rest of the way. As she was moving her hoof back and forth on his inner thigh she brushed past something. Dolorem blushed but fluttershy didn't. She knew she would have to clean here and she continued. Finally he was cleaned so she drained the water but kept him inside the tub. She then filled a small bucket with fresh water and poured it over him multiple times. She started the hot water once again and filled the tub. She told him to lay back and relax now. She was going to take care of some things and she would be back. He nodded and laid back as she left to feed angel. After that she went back to rarity's. She entered the shop to see the clothes still in a pile and was confused. She found rarity who explained that the clothes were beyond repair so she just had to make new ones. Fluttershy just nodded and left once again, returning to the cottage. Along the way she ran into rainbow dash who was just walking through the snow with no real destination. She stopped to talk to her.

“hey dash, what's the matter?” the cyan Pegasus never heard the yellow Pegasus come up and jumped slightly.

“oh hey shy. And nothing...” she looked off to the side, fluttershy could see plainly that something was bothering her. She placed a hoof on her shoulder, brushing the rainbow mane out of the way. Dash just sighed and spoke.

“me and applejack had an argument. I really screwed things up and I don't know what to do.” she looked as if tears were going to form in her eyes but she just blinked furiously. Fluttershy nodded and hugged her.

“It's ok dash. If you really love each other then it will work out. You'll find that you love each other no matter your... differences.” fluttershy her self seemed to realize something with her own words. Rainbow dash looked up with a smile.

“thanks fluttershy. I think I need to go found somepony and try to make this up.” she hugged back and took off into the air. Fluttershy continued on to her cottage on foot and made it home without any more stops. She entered the cottage to see dolorem with a towel wrapped around him trying to walk to the kitchen. She became mad and stomped to him. He tried smiling at her but she just pushed him back to the bed repeatedly. He tried not to fall over but she wasn't helping with her firm shoves and angry eyes. She shoved him hard onto the bed and he landed nearly with his head on the pillows. He winced as he had hit his wound on the bed and fluttershy flipped him over roughly onto his back. Dolorem was shocked at the way she was behaving. She grabbed the blanket and tucked it underneath him, pinning his arms to his side. She stepped back and spoke firmly.

“don't you dare get out of this bed. If you need anything I will do it for you. Do you understand?” she gave him the Stare again. He felt as if her eyes were burning into his and she was going to beat him if he didn't listen to her. He nodded his head and she turned to leave when he spoke.

“you look cute when your angry.” she snapped around and glared at him while he chuckled. She turned again and was blushing as she went to get him something to eat. Dolorem worked out his arms and waited for her to return. Fluttershy prepared some food for him but not much, he need to eat light at first. When she came back she rolled her eyes as she saw him with his arms above the blankets. He grinned and shrugged but that caused him to flinch from pain. She placed the food to the side and sat next to him and started to feed him.

“you know I can still feed my self?” she gave him a stern look and he backed down and let her feed him. She spoke as she pushed apple slices into his mouth.

“I all ready have one hard head in this house, I don't need another.” dolorem swallowed and chuckled, letting her continue to feed him. He finished all the food and she grabbed a small towel, wiping his mouth clean. She leaned forward, gently brushing his lips with the towel and could smell his breath. She could smell the apples but underneath was the tropical scent that always hid. Dolorem grabbed her, pulling her close to his chest. He just smiled and held her. She gently wrapped her arms around him and buried her face into his neck. Then she began to cry, she couldn't help it and she held him tightly. Dolorem just ran his hand through her pink mane and rocked her. Fluttershy never wanted to lose him again so she held on to him and cried. Soon she stopped and they looked at each other. Dolorem used his hand to gently wipe away her tears and smiled. She smiled back and laid back down on his chest. Soon they fell asleep in each others arms and outside the snow drifted down softly with the night. That night fluttershy had dreams of warmth and safety in strong arms but dolorem's dreams were far different. Blistering cold wind and floods of green and red blood that mixed together. Dolorem was caught in it's torrents and was thrown around. He tried to reach out for anything to hold on to but nothing was there. He could feel something pull him and he come to a whirlpool. He skirted along the edges and started to be sucked into the center. He could see what waited for him. Black bodies with white fangs, changelings, moved back and forth hungrily snapping for him. Then he stopped and he looked up. Fluttershy held his hand on a ledge that had not been there before. He smiled in relief but she looked back at him with a blank face. Dolorem was confused but then Chrysalis appeared behind her. She smiled grimly and spoke.

“didn't she tell you before? You don't matter to her.” he looked back at fluttershy in fear and she let go, Chrysalis laughed cruelly and it echoed through out the air. Dolorem was sucked in faster to the middle and the changelings pulled and tugged at him. They dragged him under the water and the last thing he saw was fluttershy's eyes, bored and disinterested. Then the darkness consumed him and he floated in nothingness. That's when he saw it. A bright blue light that shone above him. He tried to reach for it but he couldn't move as he sunk faster. The light rushed for him and engulfed him, bathing him with sapphire glow. He stopped sinking and he was standing in mist. He looked up to see the same royal blue pony from before. She stepped to him and spoke.

“with Chrysalis death my sister feels more at ease, she can now trust you. But what does this hold in-store for you? Chrysalis may be gone but time still holds many challenges for you. I wish to see you happy, dolorem, but many things can happen. It is up to you on how you handle them but remember... even with the triumph of evil the heart can still be hurt. Your bindings still anchor you to either world and follows without hesitation. When they are gone you shall be free but at what cost? When it ends what will you be left with? I cation you to chose carefully because it may rip you from what you hold most dear... or worse. When you wake tomorrow a summons waits for you from Celestai. Now sleep and be free from nightmares.” everything fade from dolorem but her. She stayed in focus until everything was gone. Then dolorem woke up. A yellow wing was wrapped around him and the sun shine dimly. Then there was a knock at the door. Dolorem looked at fluttershy but she was still asleep so he gently shook her. She came to slowly and was about to asked him what was wrong when the knock came again. She got and walked to the door sleepily. She opened it and a familiar gray Pegasus stood there with a letter in her mouth. She gave it to fluttershy and left before she could thank her. She closed the door and turned. Dolorem spoke up.

“it's for me.” fluttershy looked up at him confused then looked at the letter. He was right, it was addressed for him but for this cottage. She gave him the letter and he opened it.

To a Dolorem Pati. Her royal highness, Princess Celestai, has wished to speak with you over the matter concerning the late Queen Chrysalis. A royal guard, Pegasus drawn carriage will arrive for you at noon. Please be ready to leave at said time.

He gave the letter to fluttershy and she read it. She looked up with panic.

“but you're in no condition to be out of bed, you still need rest. And you clothes... oh no your clothes! I'll be right back.” she ran for the door and left. She flew quickly to rarity's bouquet and rushed inside. She called out for rarity and she came down the stairs with heavy eyes and a steaming cup levitation near her mouth.

“oh hi fluttershy. What's the matter dear?” she spoke and sipped on her drink. Fluttershy was near frantic.

“Celestai summoned dolorem to come to her at noon and he has no clothes!” this was like a slap to the face for rarity as she dropped her cup and brown liquid spilled onto the ground. She ran around the shop gathering everything she needed. She spoke as she work quickly.

“let me worry about the clothes, you just go get him ready dear. I'll bring them before noon.” she had only two and a half hours but she could work wonders still. Fluttershy left and flew back quickly. She ran into the cottage to find dolorem not in bed but she heard the sloshing of water. Dolorem had manage to make his way into the tub and started a bath. He was still clean from last night but it never hurt to take another in the morning. Fluttershy went in quickly and dolorem spoke.

“I know you're going to get mad but...” he was interrupted with a bucket full of water was poured on him. Fluttershy didn't give him time to react and pushed his head under water and back up again. He spit out water from his mouth as she combed through his wet hair. She told him to get out and she started to dry him off. She led him to the living room still naked and sat him on the couch. she began fixing his hair and pulled it back into a pony tail. Then she went to grab bandages to re wrap his wounds. As she did this rarity came bursting through the door with a bundle of wrapped paper. She opened it and handed dolorem a pair of black boxers, he put them on with some difficulty. She pulled out a plain velvet red shirt and used her magic to put it on him. Next she pulled out shorts that ended half way between the knee and ankle, with golden yellow trim. He put this on him self as she pulled out a matching vest like his green one with golden yellow trim also. But this vest didn't end with the last button at the waist like the other one. It continued about eight inches below his waist and split off from the last button almost like a very short skirt that didn't close in the front. On the shoulders were golden yellow pads that had short strings that dangled from it. A folded collar sat around his neck from the vest and had two golden yellow buttons that matched the six running down his vest. She pulled out tan sandals and he put them on as she took out the last couple of things from the bundle. The first was a pair of red wrist bands with the same trim as his clothes and the other was a scarf. It was a cloth scarf that was golden yellow with red trim. Rarity used her magic to tuck it under his collar and it hung evenly past the front of his shouldered about seven inches. Rarity stepped back pleased with her work then out side the swishing of wings was heard and a loud thump. A knock came from the door and fluttershy answered it. A royal guard stood there and motioned for dolorem. He walked slowly forward and made his way outside. The snow lightly covered everything still and the wind was gentle. As he walked out the door rarity suddenly remembered something. She went back to the paper bundle and levitated a hat from inside. She placed it with her magic on dolorem's head. A perfect fit, a soft red velvet fedora with a golden yellow band and trim. Fluttershy helped him in the carriage and once he was sited she fanned out a wing. She used he mouth to pull out a seven inch feather and gave it to him.

“Here. To replace the one you lost.” the one from before had fell from his hand on the way to the hospital despite the blood sticking to it. He held it carefully and smiled at her. She backed away as the carriage started to take off. He looked back as they took off into the sky and fluttershy fought the urge to follow. As they shrunk into the distance dolorem turned back around looking at the feather. He then placed it between the band and the hat on his right side, sticking back. The air was even colder up high and stung his eyes but soon Canterlot came into view. It was grand and large, much different then Ponyville. A sudden jolt pitched dolorem onto the floor of the carriage and that's where he remained until they stopped moving. He pulled him self up with a groan and found him self in a court yard. He stumble out out of the carriage and was met by a familiar blue pony. He stared at her as the carriage took to the air leaving them. She approached him slowly.

“Welcome, Dolorem Pati. It is a pleasure to finally meet you in person. I am Princess Luna, sister to Princess Celestai. She awaits for you in her study, please follow me.” She turned and slowly walked away. Dolorem followed her and she slowed enough for him to keep in step with her. They walked side by side into a large room that was even more grand than the city. There sat Celestai on a mound of cushions reading letters and when she noticed the two she left the letters and walked to them.

“Hello, Dolorem Pati. How are you?” they stopped in front of each other in the middle of the study. Dolorem looked into her purple eyes and spoke with a flat tone.

“taking in account that I died I'd say pretty well.” Celestai gave him a blank look while Luna had a smirk. Celestai turned around and walked out to a balcony.

“Come we have much to talk about.” dolorem followed but Luna stayed behind. He walked out onto the balcony and had a view of the beautiful city. Celestai spoke while looking over the city.

“Now tell me Dolorem... what do you know of names?” the sun hung high in the sky but the clouds blocked the warmth. They both looked out over the city as the snow began to fall. Hours later dolorem returned to the cottage exhausted even though he had only talked to the Princess. His mind hang on her words that nearly mirrored her sister. He walked into fluttershy's house to find her asleep on her bed. He walked quietly to the bath room and went to the mirror. As he looked into it he stumbled back frighten with a small yell. His reflection was not quite him. He had black skin and green eyes. He slowly looked back at the mirror and found him self as normal. He calmed him self and walked back to the bed where fluttershy still lay. He watched her sleep peacefully and thought to him self. Just maybe it had past and that with his death it had sufficed, despite the words of the royal sisters, maybe he could finally live his life. He gently laid down besides her and drifted to sleep. Out side the snow fell softly and the wind blew lightly. The winter was calm and ever so peaceful.

“Evil is never truly destroyed. It simply over time forms into something else. Something more monstrous. Something more... vile.”

Traditions of the horn

Chapter sixteen:

“Traditions of the horn.”

“Happy birthday!” a chorus of voices chimed together in the living room of a house with a red slate colored roof. Six ponies and a dragon formed a half circle around a human sitting down at a table with a large blue and green cake. They sang a song together as the human blew the candles out on top the cake and they cheered. Pinkie pie bounced around the house as twilight used her magic to cut the cake with a knife. A month after dolorem healed completely he was approached by twilight. She wanted to learn the workings of his world, so they started with basic things. Twilight and dolorem worked together to aline the times and date of the two worlds and found out that they mirrored each other. When they finished dolorem noticed his birthday was in some time. Twilight made a note of the date in her head and made a plan with pinkie pie. It wouldn't be for awhile but twilight liked to be prepared. It had been a total of seven months from when dolorem arrived in equestria and after his death it had been peaceful. Since that moment fluttershy and dolorem have become closer, she would spend nearly every day with him. Winter drew on cold and dark with lasting snow. When winter wrap up came along dolorem was still bedridden by fluttershy and he missed it all. As the weather warmed and spring rolled in, fluttershy had to return to her animals that awoke from hibernation. She would take care of here animals but it would take long and she wouldn't have much time for dolorem. As her animals came back dolorem left. He had not step foot in his house for some time and when he stepped in the first thing he noticed was the smell. The rotten food became horrendous and the smell absorbed into nearly everything. Still sore, dolorem went to work on cleaning the house. Cob webs and dust settled over a majority of everything and the cold, still air gave dolorem goose bumps. He took off his hat and vest placing them on a hook out of the way. He left open the door and opened the two windows so that the fresh air from outside would air out the house and everything in it. He even swept up the wood shavings from the carving and uncovered it. Some how the wood became wet and some rot infected it so he placed it outside with the rest of the wood pile. As he was cleaning the living room he found a note from rainbow dash. All the presents that were left for him were at her house and he could ask for them at any time. He had been wondering about her since the library with twilight. He placed the note on the table and went to his room. He went to open the door but it wouldn't budge so he pressed harder. He backed away from the door examining it when with a soft click it open slightly. He stretched out his arm and slowly pushed it open then he was attacked. A black body with dim blue eyes hurdled through the air and he fell back as it he raised his arms to shield him self. He closed his eyes tightly waiting for fangs to sink into his flesh but it never came. He slowly opened his eyes and saw his room, dark and empty. He stood up and looked all around but found nothing. He shook his head and walked inside, starting to clean. It took several hours to clean the entire house, no cob webs, dust, or foul odor. He sat down on the couch tired from the work. He was still having shortness of breath and his heart worked hard just from walking into town from his home. A slight ache ran in his head so he closed his eyes and rested his head on the back of the couch. He meant just to rest his eyes but soon he drifted off to sleep on the couch. At the tree house with twilight and spike, they were doing some spring cleaning them selves. Twilight was dusting some shelves when she noticed something wedge in between two of them. She could see it was small and shining. She used her magic to push the shelves aside a little and found a mirror shard stuck into the wall. She pulled it out and looked it over, it seemed so familiar. She was examining it closely when spike walked up.

“oh hey another mirror piece.” twilight turned to spike confused.

“another?” spike just stared at her and answered.

“yeah I found one a couple of weeks ago in the dirt after the snow melted. Here I'll go get it.” spike turned and left, going to his bed and pulling out another mirror shard from underneath. As he walked closer to twilight both pieces began to vibrate and flew from their grasp. The pieces collided in the air and shone brightly. Twilight and spike watched silently in surprise as the light dimmed and the pieces slowly lowered down onto the floor. They slowly moved towards the mirror pieces to see what had happen. The shards were now one, large and a whole piece that had no crack along where they met. Twilight used her magic and closely examined it. She levitated it to the table and spike spoke up.

“wow, what happened? They like fused together.” the purple unicorn suddenly turned and started to pull books from the shelves. She spoke fast as she ran around the library.

“I thought that mirror looked familiar. It's from the one that was the portal, it has the same magic in it. Do you know what this means?” spike tried to speak up but apparently it was a rhetorical question as twilight continued.

“It means that if we collect all the pieces it might reopen and...” she trailed off and stopped, thinking.

… and he can leave...

spike understood what she was saying and smiled.

“that's great I'll go tell dolorem.” spike turned and went to the door, leaving. Twilight was still lost in her thoughts all alone still standing in the same place. Spike walked at a fast pace to dolorem's house and made it there fast. He knocked on the door but there was no answer. After he knocked again and there was still no answer so he opened the door and walked inside calling out.

“dolorem?” he looked around the room and found him asleep on the couch. He walked over to him and called out his name again but he didn't stir. Spike jumped up onto the couch next to him and began shaking him.

“hey dolo wake up.” spike kept on shaking him and he finally moved his head. Dolorem opened his eyes but they were bleary and all he saw was green. It frightened him and he lashed out grabbing a hold of what ever it was. Spike let out a startled yell and dolorem's eyes cleared. He was holding spike by the green spikes on top of his head. He placed him down on the floor and spike rubbed his head.

“ow! What was that for?” dolorem was calming him self down and spoke.

“sorry I was... uh... having a bad dream and you spooked me.” spike stopped rubbing his head and smiled again.

“that's fine but I got some great news. Twilight thinks she found a way for you to get back home.” dolorem looked at spike with a raised eye brow.

“come on I'll show you it's at the library.” spike turned and left, dolorem followed soon after. They made their way back to the library where twilight had several books in front of her opened. They walked in and she looked up from them smiling, hiding the sadness underneath. Spike ran forward and pointed to the mirror fragment on the table.

“I found this mirror piece a couple of weeks ago and then today twilight found another one between two book shelves. And then when we started to bring them closer they flew in the air and fused together.” spoke pointed to the spot the other shard was and dolorem remembered it from before. He saw it but didn't think anything of it and now the way home lay in front of him. You would think that he would be happy, finally being able to go home after so long but he didn't want to. That would mean leaving... her. Dolorem gently brushed a finger over the reflective surface and felt a slight tingling sensation. He pulled away from it and twilight spoke.

“I have been going through some books and from what I can tell... if we gather all the pieces together then you could return home.” twilight tried smiling as she spoke so she could seem happy but inside she felt sad. Dolorem looked at her and felt a twinge of pain him self. Then a knock at the door gathered their attention. It opened slowly and an orange pony started to come in.

“hey twi, ah was in the field when ah found this thiiiiiiiiinnnng!!!” she started to slid forward, a mirror shard was tied carefully on her back and it pulled her with it to the other piece. The jagged edges cut the rope holding it and applejack fell forward on her face stopping. This time the smaller piece flew through the air while the bigger one just floated. With bright light they met and fused together and softly lowered back down onto the table. Applejack stood up and looked at it with surprise.

“what in tarnations was that?” spike walked up to her and explained what they them selves had found out not to long ago. Applejack nodded her head and understood.

“well if ah see any more ah'ma find you so you can get and it not try to drag me again.” dolorem just watched the mirror as it laid on the table still and now even bigger, closer to being complete. Just thinking about leaving made him sick to his stomach, he thought about his world. What did he have there that he didn't here. He could live without all the technology of his world, he had been fine so far without it, and he didn't need meat, even though he did crave it from time to time. An all veggie diet had really done well for his body and made him healthier then he had ever been before, minus him dieing of course. Here he had somepony to... twilight nudged him and he looked at her. She smiled at him and he smiled back. No, he didn't want to leave but before he could say anything she turned and walked away. He was watching her when suddenly everything blacked out and there was a hissing. Where twilight once was a changeling staring him down. It jumped at dolorem and he feel back as it closed in on him. Dolorem let out a shout and closed his eyes. He began thrashing around as it's hooves started to touch him. He started yelling louder and he could hear someone calling out to him.

“.... what's wrong?! Answer me!” dolorem opened his eyes to find twilight and applejack looking at him with extreme concern holding him down trying to stop him from thrashing about. He was breathing heavily, his heart was racing, and his eyes looking around everywhere frantically. He finally calmed down and laid his head down on the ground, closing his eyes.

“spike get some water and rags.” spike had watched in terror as dolorem fell yelling and he quickly ran to the bathroom. He came back with the rags and water handing them to twilight. She took a rag wetting it and placing it on dolorem's forehead.

“sugarcube are you alright?” applejack was very worried for dolorem and he just nodded his head. Twilight wiped his forehead and spoke.

“what happened? What's wrong?” dolorem just breathed deeply and didn't answer, she decided not to push it and let him rest. Soon he got back up to his feet shaking and tried to leave but stumbled. Applejack was beside him quickly had helped him stand up. She turned to twilight as she led him to the door.

“ah'ma take him home. You just stay here and keep on finding away to get him back to his world.” they walked out the door slowly and twilight just watched. She was worried about him. What had caused that? For know she would keep going through her books and hope to find an answer. Applejack walked along besides dolorem slowly as they made their way back to his home. They made it with out him falling over and she led him to his bed, where he laid down.

“ok now you get some rest ya here?” dolorem nodded his head as she turned to leave. He tried thanking her but nothing would come out, he was to tired to even speak. She left his house, quietly closing the doors and headed back to the library to tell twilight that he was fine and resting. Dolorem fell asleep and into troubling dreams. Over time dolorem would have more of these “episodes” and they would become more lucid. Soon it would be close to his birthday and he would sit in front of a cake as he was sung to. They would cut the cake and eat it as they handed him presents. From applejack he got a pair of leather work gloves. Rarity made him a pair of leather moccasins that matched nearly anything he wore. Rainbow dash brought all the gifts that she had stashed at her house he never came to get. It was many different things from get well cards to simple flower pots. Pinkie pie got him a mini canon that shot out streamers that left your legs tied, which he had fun using on spike. Spike gave him a mustache kit, which dolorem found hilarious due to the fact he had never seen anyone else with one yet but he was sure there was since they made them. Fluttershy handed him a small, long box. He opened it and pulled out a silver necklace. He undid the clasp and felt something hit his chest. It was a silver coin and etched into it was a feather that laid across the bottom with a heart resting on top it. It was finely made and on the back was engraved a date. Dolorem looked up at here with a questioning face. Fluttershy smiled and spoke.

“the day you came into our world.” this elicited some aw's from rarity and a roll of the eye with a chuckle from rainbow dash. Then twilight past dolorem a book with a blank cover. He looked it over and opened it to the first page which read, “A “Very” detailed book of the sexual anatomy of Ponies, Unicorns, and Pegasus.”. Dolorem closed the book quickly as spike was trying to look at it had gave twilight an amused look.

“really?” she just nodded her head smirking and dolorem shook his. They then started with some of the birthday games that pinkie pie had set up. They played for over an hour having fun when dolorem stopped. He could feel it now, he felt weightless, his stomach would drop, and the edges of his vision would blur. Everything in front of him would stretch out away from him turning a few feet into miles. He excused him self from a game of pin the tail and ran to the bathroom. The floor started to froth and when he opened the door it flew open and a bright light blinded him. He stumbled in and closed the door. He slid down onto the floor, his back against the door, breathing heavily as his heart threaten to explode. Twilight was worried and excused her self to check on him. She walked to the door and spoke softly trying to listen inside.

“are you ok?” inside dolorem was watching as a forest spewed before him and went on for miles. It the sky was blood red and the trees oozed something that smelled like copper and he could taste it. Shadows began to take shape, warping into bodies. Changelings crept forward to him hissing and spitting. He fought to scream out loud and rode it out. Soon everything began to fade and slowly the world came back then he could hear someone calling out to him.

“what's going on?” twilight was trying to open the door but it wouldn't budge. Dolorem got to his feet and opened the door. Twilight had a look of worry and he tried to smile. He was covered in sweat and he spoke.

“nothing, I just needed a breather.” he walked past her back into the living room. She followed him still worried but she nodded. They went back to the party to find pinkie chugging a bottle of Jack Apple Daniels. The other ponies called her name out cheering her on. Soon it was empty and she lowered the bottle letting out a loud burp. Dolorem smiled and shook his head. They continued to party and spike was sent away as the party became more adult themed. It was getting late and the party was being wrapped up. They said their good byes and left, all but twilight. After dolorem separated from fluttershy and their hug she walked up to him.

“what is happening to you?” dolorem sighed and looked at her.

“nothing...” twilight didn't believe him. She saw that he had been losing weight fast and his skin was becoming pale. Dark bags where under his eyes and his left eye constantly twitched. She said good bye and left, dolorem stood by the door breathing deeply. Soon he went to his bed and laid down, sleep not coming to him any time soon. He tossed and turned all through out the night until morning came. He decided that today he would go into town and he went to his closet. Over the time he had been in Ponyville, rarity made him more clothes and he bought some from her. He still had the red and gold outfit and she remade the green one, the one he would wear today. After getting dressed and pulling his hair back into a pony tail he left his house. It was a warm day with few clouds in the sky and a nice breeze. In town he browsed the shops and as he was looking walking twilight came over to him. He smiled at her as she came up to him. Other ponies went about there business in the town happily.

“hey, how are you today?” she smiled brightly at him.

“good, I was...” he didn't have time to prepare for it this time. It hit him at full force and tore him down. The entire world flashed and changed. The ground became dried, cracked dirt and the sky blood red. The buildings around him became cages of bone and flesh that leaked blood. The ponies around him turned into withering, walking corpse. In front of him where twilight once stood was Celestai. Her mouth was covered in blood and she looked deranged as she stared him down. She opened her mouth and let out a blood chilling screech. Dolorem panicked and fell down, backing away from her. Twilight was startled as dolorem dropped down backing away in fear. The other ponies watched as he started to yell.

“Get away from me!” he stood up quickly and turned around, running away. Twilight called out to him but all he heard was another screech. Dolorem didn't know where he was going he just knew he had to run. Twilight chased after him and they headed to the Everfree forest. Dolorem snaked between the trees and stomped through the foliage. Soon twilight lost him in the forest, she looked everywhere for him. He stumbled through the trees as changelings hung around the edges of shadows watching him. The trees turned into giant bones hollowed out and filled with flesh as sounds of screaming coming from all around. He went deeper into the forest until he came upon a clearing. In the middle was a tomb stone and dolorem rushed forward using his hands to dig. He tore away the dirt at a frantic pace and he dug until he had a hole all the way down to a plain wooden coffin. He used his fist to punch through the covered and tore back the splinters. The smell it him and it was of putrid flesh that was decaying. With the light of the sun he could see her face. Her eyes were gone and barely any flesh remained in her skull. Then she spoke.

“have you finally come to me? Are you here to be with me forever?” dolorem stumbled back from the hole as she raised from the ground. Slowly as she came from the ground her flesh reformed onto her bones. She walked to dolorem as he crawled back wards away from her.

“all you have to do is close you eyes and I'll take you away from this nightmare. Come with me...” dolorem's vision began to fade and soon he was past out. Twilight searched everywhere in the forest for over thirty minutes until she came to the clearing. It was empty but someone dug a hole in Chrysalis grave and her skull lay on the ground. She looked all around but there was no sign of dolorem but she did find some drag marks. When she followed them she came upon a house. Zecora's house. She knocked on the door and a zebra answered the door. She had golden rings around her neck and matching earrings. She smiled and let her in but before twilight could speak she did.

“do not fear, he is near.” she lead her to a back room where dolorem lay still. She went to him trying to wake him, but he wouldn't. He was cold and covered in sweat but something else too. All over him his veins were visible because they were black. They webbed all over his skin and grew darker as they went to his chest.

“what's wrong with him?” the zebra brought a wet rag and placed it on his forehead.

“it is the changeling blood in his vein, it acts like a drug that brings him pain. It is a poison to his mind, and now he quickly runs out of time.” twilight couldn't believe it, she only prolonged his death. Zecora told her that she found him holding the skull, frothing at the mouth. She dragged him back and began a brew.

“what is it?” they stood by a large caldron that had a gray liquid bubbling. Zecora ladled some into a small bowl.

“to free him from the shadow, he must drink from this brew of the hollow.” she explained that it would rid his mind of the hallucinations and clear the blackness of his veins. She dipped it in to his mouth slowly, holding his head. It was all gone but nothing happened. Then he stirred and his eyes fluttered open. First he saw Zecora until she moved back and twilight took her place. He tried to speak but his throat wouldn't work. Twilight placed her hoof on his mouth to stop him.

“it's ok just rest.” dolorem closed his eyes and fell right back to sleep. She used her magic to levitate him out the door and to go back to his home. As she was leaving she thanked Zecora and the zebra left her with a warning. She said she did not know how long it would last and if it would help for long, so that she needed to keep a close eye on him. She got him home and laid him in bed and after checking that he was fine she left. Over the next week dolorem was finally able to rest and return back to full health, his skin was back to it's tan color, the bags under his eyes gone, and his appetite back. The girls were planing a trip to the beach that would take some time by train to reach. Summer was coming in hot and a trip to the ocean would be great. They invited dolorem and he said he would go but he was worried. His vision would flicker between the “two worlds” at random moments but they never last long. They packed and left in a few days, no one else knew what happened to dolorem and he wanted it to stay that way. Soon they where on a train with all the girls and spike. Very excited and happy they couldn't wait, twilight kept an eye on dolorem the whole time. Fluttershy sat next to him and they smiled at each other as dolorem held her. They made it to the beach town late and they checked into a hotel for the night. Applejack and rainbow dash roomed together, rarity and pinkie pie in another. Twilight and spike had a room to their selves and so did dolorem and fluttershy next to theirs. The morning came and the sun warmed the air fast. They had breakfast in the hotel and got ready for the beach. It was bright, hot, and windy. A great day for the cold water and hot sand as they swam. For hours they would swim, splash, and play in the ocean and on the sand. It was a great day until it happened again. Dolorem and fluttershy were walking along some rocks when everything started to flicker. Dolorem tried to contain him self as he walked into something large and hairy.

“hey watch it!” a large blue fur minotaur faced dolorem looking at him angrily. Dolorem pushed him back and he fell, that's when dolorem came back to reality. Fluttershy was a little scared and tried apologizing for dolorem. The minotaur got up and stood in his face. He had a foot on him and his horns shined brightly in the sun. another minotaur, larger then the first stood behind him.

“look I'm sorry I didn't...” a large fist connected to dolorem's face and he stumbled back. He straitened him self and watched the minotaur.

“I'm not going to fight you, it was an accident.” the other minotaur circled around behind him so he couldn't run off. Fluttershy was frightened and she tried to go to dolorem but was cut off by the larger minotaur. The smaller one went at him again and he wouldn't fight. He pushed him against a boulder and started hitting him in the stomach. Fluttershy was screaming at him to stop but was cut off when the larger one grabbed her by the throat. That's when dolorem caught the fist heading for his face. He twisted it behind the minotaur with a loud snap and he bellowed in pain. It was cut off as dolorem spun around and throw his elbow into his throat, sending him head first into the rock. The larger minotaur raised a fist at fluttershy but it was held still with a large tanned hand. Dolorem grabed him by a horn with his other arm and lifted him above his head, slamming him into the ground. Before he could get up dolorem was on top of him pinning him down with his knees and started punching him in the face. As his left fist connected and went to rise the other one was already coming down. His hits were all over it's face from his mouth, rattling his teeth, to his horns. He picked up speed faster and faster as blood started to splash on his face. Dolorem wouldn't stop, he was about to hurt fluttershy and no one will ever hurt her. He kept beating in his face and started hitting him with both hands together until there was another crack. As his fist came down on to the Minotaur’s left horn it snapped off sending shards out ward. No sounds were coming from the minotaur any more as his head was going side to side. Fluttershy was yelling at dolorem to stop but he couldn't hear her, the only thing he could hear was the flesh of the minotaur being beaten in by his fist. He kept wailing into the still minotaur until a sudden blast knocked him off. Several unicorn's with badges stood in front of them.

“ok break it up!” they separated dolorem and fluttershy from the unconscious minotaur on the ground and the other one standing up. Dolorem's knuckles were cut open and bleeding, fluttershy tried to stop the blood from pouring out. Dolorem was taken into custody along with the still conscious minotaur while the other was sent to the hospital. He was placed into a small room with a steel bar door next to the other beaten minotaur, it was cold and hard with the concert floors and bed. Over night the minotaur was released into the care of other ones that had came from somewhere and in the morning dolorem was visited by fluttershy. She had been crying through out the night getting no rest and dolorem could see it in her eyes. He pushed his hand through the bars and she placed her face on it closing her eyes, peaceful for the first time since they took him away. Soon a guard came to them and spoke.

“we're letting you go but there is something you need to know. The one bull you put in the hospital is dead but since his people took him back home over seas and he died there you won't be charged with his death. Apparently he was apart of some rich family in the Mino lands and they want to speak to you.” he unlocked the door and dolorem walked out, fluttershy wrapped her arms around him and he held her tightly. They were led out the station and were met by a group of minotaurs. Each one stared down dolorem, tall and rippling with muscle, but never moved. Dolorem walked forward, standing up strait, and was met by the largest of them. She had three feet over dolorem and he had to look up to met her eyes, steel gray and just as cold. Her large arms were crossed over her dark blue broad chest, after looking him over she spoke.

“my son died in the night. Now while we won't let the law here punish you doesn't mean you are free of sin. We demand retribution on the grounds of our land. What do you say?” she glared at dolorem and he turned his head to look at the shivering yellow Pegasus, her eyes wide. He turned back and nodded, the she-taur huffed out her nose and spoke again.

“then at this time tomorrow a boat will be waiting for you at the dock. Make sure you are there.” she turned and left, the group followed her in step soon gone. Dolorem watched them as fluttershy was about to have a panic attack. Dolorem would be leaving and she feared he wouldn't come back. The rest of the gang met them back at the hotel. As dolorem showered, fluttershy told them of the proposal at the station. Dolorem was wrapping his knuckles in the bathroom when twilight walked in. she closed the door behind her and looked at him sadly.

“I-I couldn't say this in front of fluttershy but... the Minotaur’s follow old traditions on matter of murder. And those traditions are to the death...” dolorem watched him self in the mirror and spoke.

“you think I'm a murderer?” twilight tried to correct her self but was cut off.

“you're right... I am one. He wouldn't be the first one I killed with my hands...” he stared into his own eyes of his reflection while twilight was lost for words. He turned and opened the door walking past her. He made his way to the door and went to leave, fluttershy quickly followed him. The rest of them watched him with sad eyes as they left back to their room. Inside dolorem walked over to the far wall and placed his head against it. Fluttershy watched his with concern and jumped when he suddenly punched the wall, reopening his right knuckles. She rushed to get more bandages as he watched the blood trickle down his hand onto the floor. A hole was left in the wall and blood was splattered around it. She came back with the supplies and pushed him to set on the bed. She took his hand and began cleaning it, he spoke.

“she was right... I am a horrible person.” she looked up at dolorem, stopping from cleaning his hand, he just watched as more blood ran freely.

“what are you talking about? Who?” dolorem sighed as she started cleaning his wound again and grabbed more bandages.

“my mo-mother. She told me about how horrible of a person I was and would never be... normal. She was right... especially when I killed my father.” she stopped again but continued to wrap his hand.

“he- he would beat me so bad. I would black out and wake up hours later bleeding and bruised. No one would help me, no matter how loud I screamed. That's how my eye got like this. He beat me at lest once a week and as time went on of course I grew and despite the meager food I grew large. Big enough to defend my self. He tried finding new was to hurt me and one night he got drunk. I was sleeping when suddenly I felt pain and tried opening my eyes. My left eye wouldn't open and blood poured from it, he had stabbed a small knife into my eye. I throw him off my as he yelled at me asking if I liked it. I...i couldn't stop my self... his blood soaked my hands but that isn't what killed him. After throwing him out the window into the front yard I jumped out after him and... I wrapped my fingers around his throat. He was kicking and beating his hands on my chest but I held on so tight. Then he stopped moving but I didn't stop... I kept slamming his head into the ground and blood was pouring out. When I finally stopped my mom pushed me away and held him in her arms, crying. She said I was a monster, that he loved me and how could I do such a thing. I ran covered in his blood while mine dripped from my eye and I became the animal she said I was. I am a horrible person. I don't deserve to live. I am a monster. I am...” tear ran down his face and fluttershy yelled at him. Tear ran down her face as well.

“No you're not! You fought to keep your self alive and you did the same the other day. You did it to protect me. You're not a monster, you're not a murderer.” dolorem looked at her and she reached out holding him tightly knocking him on to the bed. They cried together in each other arms and soon they stopped. Both were exhausted and fell asleep. Then the morning came. Dolorem woke up and changed into the green vest and shorts and left a sleeping fluttershy. He past the rooms of the others still asleep and made his way to the dock. He waited, watching the calm waters gently wash the sand. The sun slightly lit up the dark sky and the wind was blowing softly. Then it came it, was a small but wide boat with a platform in the front. As it slowly drifted into the dock a minotaur stood at the front with arms crossed. They docked and dolorem started to walk forward when he heard and shout.

“Dolorem!” he turned to find fluttershy flying through the air as fast as possible, when she reached him she landed in his arms. They hugged each other tightly and she began to cry again. They let go of each other reluctantly and he turned to the boat. The same female minotaur waited with cold eyes as he approached and stepped onto the boat. The drifted out of the port and began to sail off, fluttershy fought every urge to fly after him as he shrunk into the distance. She waited through out the day, the others would wait with her until it became late. No matter what they tried she wouldn't leave. Soon the night became day and back to night. Hours turned into days that became weeks. They stopped trying to force her to leave and ending up bringing her a tent and food. One of them would stay with her for some time while the others went back to Ponyville. They would change places as time went on and soon it was rainbow dash with her. Fluttershy would hardly sleep or eat, she was made to eat most the time, staring at the horizon over the sea. At night she would cry her self to sleep and talked less and less. A month past when something finally came. Rainbow dash was flying in the air stretching her wings when see saw a boat gliding through the water. She rushed to the tent set on the dock and got fluttershy. They waited impatiently as the boat grew larger. It drifted slowly into the port and they could see someone standing in the middle of the platform. It was dolorem and he stood still looking down at his feet. His clothes were rags that barely covered him any more and something hung from his neck. It was a tip of an ivory horn and seven golden rings were punched through it along the curve. Both hands were bandaged but the left more so. The wrapping on it was soaked in blood at the bottom and in his right hand hung the necklace, the chain broken and the coin dangling down. The boat docked and a minotaur walked forward placing a hand on dolorem's shoulder. In a flash the minotaur was flying back and skidded across the deck, dolorem was turned to him with his leg out. The other minotaur that had been sailing the boat stood still, never blinking at his fallen brethren. The dizzy minotaur stood but didn't move at dolorem who turned around and walked off the boat. As his feet hit the dock fluttershy rushed forward and stopped in front of him but he kept walking forward past her. His eyes were fogged over and his mouth hanged slightly open, rainbow dash stepped forward but he past her too. He kept walking on and fluttershy went after him.

“dolorem? Dolorem answer me please!” she flew to him and placed a hoof on his shoulder, stopping him. He fell down, just collapsed on spot, and curled into a ball. He stared into the planks of the dock, his breath sending off sand in front of him that lightly coated the planks. Fluttershy circled around him until she was in his face speaking to him.

“please talk to me...” tears ran down her face as she took his in her hooves and staring into his eyes. Then he came back, his eyes snapped into focus and he looked at her as if he woke up for the first time in his life.

“Fluttershy...” she smiled at him and he tried but his face muscles weren't working. Both the Pegasus helped him to his feet and slowly led him away from the dock, the boat had started floating off and was in the distance. They made it back to the hotel they stayed in before and payed for a room. Taking him inside they sat him down on the bed and stood back. rainbow dash left and flew back to Ponyville as fast as she could fly. Dolorem sat there staring at his bandaged hands in silence. Then he spoke slowly and thoughtfully.

“she was right I am a monster... I am nothing but a murderer.” fluttershy watched him as he ripped off hie bandages, first his right then his left, both knuckles split more then before. On his left hand where his pinky once was there was a stub down nearly to the bottom. Little blood ran down his hands until he started to rip into the flesh on his knuckles and the stub, reopening the wounds. Fluttershy was scared as she watched him so she jumped on him trying to stop him. She pushed him down on the bed and pinned his hands to his sides, he just continued talking.

“I deserve to die... what kind of monster like me should be allowed to live? She spoke the truth when she told me about the horrid person I am. All I do is hurt others and kill.” fluttershy couldn't take it and started yelling at him.

“no you don't! You're not a murderer or a monster. You're a-a gently giant, kind and loving, you only fought to defend your self.” dolorem started to breath heavily.

“no... I had to be punished. I was sent to a pit where his family was. I had to... slaughter them. Seven of them, a ring for each, from the mother to a small child. he did this to me, he bite off my finger and I strangled him to death, each and everyone of their blood is on my hands. I am a monster...” fluttershy became angry as tears ran down her face even more.

“just stop it! If you are as evil as you say you are... something so vile doesn't deserve love but you do. And I know you do because I LOVE you!” dolorem breath caught in his chest and he sat up pushing her off. Tears were in his eyes now too.

“no... you're lying. No one loves me and no one ever could. How-who would show a monster love and not hate? Since I've been here I have caused nothing but pain and now death. No one could ever love me.” fluttershy stood before him breathing just as fast.

“I'm not... I do love you. When we first met I wasn't sure but with what we've done and been through I know. I know that I love you because you deserve love and I couldn't stand to be with out you.” dolorem stared into her eyes and fell to his knees, his face falling into his hands. He cried into his hands and she wrapped her arms and wings around him with tears still running down her face, speaking soothing words of love. Dolorem took his face from his hands and stared into her mountain meadow green eyes, holding her back and never wanting to let go. They laid down on the ground, she on top of his chest, holding each other still as the tears went away. Breathing slowed and hearts beat loud yet calmly. After some time dolorem spoke.

“can you say it again? I... I've never had anyone tell me... that they love me.” she looked into his dark brown eyes and smiled. In his hand the coin necklace was weaved around his fingers of his right hand with blood dripping down it.

“I love you dolorem.” several things happened, a pull from inside and a new sensation he never felt before. A soft warmth that spread out wards from his chest to the rest of his body. Leaving him tingling around the edges. He could close his eyes and never wake up again, the only reason he ever would be is so that he could see her. No dream or impersonation could ever be enough. He felt no more pain and no more exhaustion. All he felt was a new feeling that he never truly felt before. It left him full inside, filling the hollow space of his soul. He could stay like this indefinitely. Why would he want to leave or stop? The storm from the flickers and the nightmares were pushed out from his mind and replaced with every moment he had spend with her. The soft yellow angel with velvet hair of pink. In her hooves, in her wings, he could forget both worlds as if they never existed in the first place. He soaked in her heat and every touch of her fur on his skin that showed under the ripped clothing. The scent of her breath in his face, sweet and warm. Her feathers would brush against his skin and her hair on his face. After just a moment of taking in every detail, every beautiful sight of her, he spoke.

“I love you too fluttershy...” he smiled and she could feel her heart go faster. Words she wanted to hear for the longest time and what they did to him they did the same to her. She lifted her face and slowly moved closer to his. Time slowed and everything else stopped for them. She could see every detail of his face. From the gray tinted eye, the weariness in his eyes that faded away, the space in his mustache, the calm breathing and the tropical scent from soft lips, and could feel the quick beating of his heart. Then it happened. Her lips met his and they pressed softly. Both of theirs eyes closed as they kissed even deeper. They felt electricity between the touching of flesh and an explosion of heat. Each others breath was taken in by the other and they couldn't get enough of it. Two hearts beat hard as they joined together, all pain burned out from love and passion. The kiss kept going on for what was an entirety for the two and it couldn't be better. Time kicked back on and lungs pleaded for air so they finally broke the kiss. They opened their eyes slowly to stare into one another. Soon they went strait back for another. And another. And another. Each kiss held much love and passion that had begged to be released for the longest time, now it flooded the minds of the two and took total control. They held each other so tightly it seemed as if they would meld into each other, so not only their hearts would be one but so their bodies too. Lips pressed against the others and tongues explored the outside. Soon they parted lips and went between mouth to mouth wrapping and twisting around the other, both giving control to the other and taking it. They savored the taste of the others wet and hot mouth, exploring every inch of it. Tongues danced around the other and along teeth, feeling every detail. Even if they had till the end of time it wouldn't be enough for them. His hands began running through her hair, weaving his fingers into her locks, her hooves rubbed his chest, going along every muscle. Pulling each other closer trying to shove their tongue down the others throat and control being lost by every second. They would had never stop but fluttershy felt more then just sweat from their bodies on her and her hair. She slowly pulled away both breathing heavily and noticing the blood. The wounds of dolorem's hands were still bleeding and the blood was all through her hair and on her body. She got off of him and went to the bath room to get something to stop the bleeding and to bandage his wounds. She came back and dolorem had pulled him self up to a sitting position leaning against the bed. She brought a wet towel and cleaned the blood after that she carefully wrapped his pinky and knuckles tightly. When she was done she gently took both hands and kissed them softly. He took her muzzle in his hands and brought her face to his, kissing her again. When the separate she went to the bath room and ran the water, hot and steaming. As she washed the blood off her, dolorem stood up and began taking off his ruined clothes. He was now naked and he slipped under the covers of the bed as fluttershy was finishing her bath. She walked back in to the room after drying her self off, still damp her hair clung to the side of her face and down her chest. Her body slightly shined from the moisture as he watched her come to him. She crawled into the bed and moved closely to him. As the sun disappeared from the sky he brought her close to him as much as possible. They kissed more and more into the night until they fell asleep with their lips still slightly touching, their arms wrapped together in between them and her hoof in his hand. They soaked in the warmth from the other and fell into deep, peaceful sleep. They would have never woke up again but they would have missed each other to much so when the sun peaked over the horizon they came up from dreams of what could be. Fluttershy changed his bandages and dolorem watched her full of love. As he sat on the edge of the bed the door swung open and a rainbow maned mare fell in with bag in tow. Rainbow dash stood up and brought the bag over dumping it on the floor in front of the two, clothing spewed onto the floor. She looked up and took and deep breath.

“hey you two got some clothes for ya. Flying with that was a bit of a hassle but no probs for me. So I see it's hanging down well.” she grinned wickedly and fluttershy just shook her head. She gave him a kiss on the cheek and went to the clothes sorting them out. Dash gave dolorem a raised eye brow and kept on talking.

“so the others well be here by tomorrow but I wanted to know... what the hell happened?” the warmth ebbed from his body and the horror he forgot began to creep back into his mind, burning into the back of his eyes. He felt as if he was slipping back into a crushing darkness but before he could disappear completely he was pulled back. Fluttershy pushed her head under his into his neck flooding him back with warmth and burning the ivy vines of morbid remembrance. He smiled and kissed her, rainbow dash looked off to the side feeling embarrassed just by standing there. He told her that it would be easier to tell her with the rest of the group but for now he would like to get something to eat. He dressed into blue boxers, a plain white shirt and black shorts with gray sandals, rainbow dash didn't have much of a fashion sense but at least he had clothes. He found his necklace on the floor, still bloody and broken, he grabbed it and placed it on the counter in the bath room to be cleaned later. They left the hotel and found a restaurant for lunch, dolorem enjoying a simple salad. He finally ate something fulfilling since he left to the minotaur lands. Over there he ate nothing but a gruel from rotted ingredients. It would sicken him and make...

“dolorem are you ok?” fluttershy placed a hoof on his right arm bringing him back. He didn't notice that he was squeezing his silverware tightly opening up some of the wounds. He started to breath again, something else he forgot to do, and then smiled.

“yeah...” she was still worried about him but she smiled knowing that he was safe with her. They continued eating and dolorem didn't slip away or flicker from reality. Once finished they went to where it all began, back to the boulders. Dolorem looked all around the area remembering that day as if it just happened moments ago. He wasn't going to fight but he would never let anyone ever hurt fluttershy, never let anyone harm his fluttershy... ever. He closed his eyes and took deep breaths, opening them again. But this time he didn't come back. Instead the sky became blood red, the sea a stew of blood and floating bits of flesh, and a rotting minotaur stood in front of him. The boulders were rib cages that contained a slithering mass of changelings, hissing and fighting to be let free. The sand frothed and spindles of black slithered from underneath wrapping around dolorem's leg going upward. The rotting minotaur started walking to dolorem and the cages melted away with the changelings rushing forward crawling over the dead beast. as they closed in on him the tendrils constricted his chest stopping him from breathing. He began to panic in his paralyzed state but then a soft glow appeared. Blinding white light burned away the darkness that bind him and repealed the evil before him. A figure bathed in white light hovered in front of him with it's wings fanning out banishing all else. Then slowly the light dimmed and the white took color, yellow and pink. The world came back to dolorem and fluttershy hoovered before him smiling. He was breathing again and could move, the sky blue, the water pure, and nothing but his... love in front of him. It was her who could bring him back from the darkness and keep him away from madness. He smiled had held out his arms as she lowered into them and held her tightly. Leaving the beach they headed back to the hotel, the sun was hanging low in the sky with night approaching fast. In side they relaxed and had small talk but avoided anything that would bring up his “fits” so nothing would happen. It got late and a storm kicked up, rainbow dash face hoofed.

“damn I forgot about that. Looks like I'm stuck here tonight.” rain showered down out side and thunder rumbled lowly. Dolorem stripped down to his blue boxers and got under the covers, rainbow dash looked around confused.

“so where am I gona sleep?” fluttershy walked over to her and pulled her to the bed. Pointing to the right side of dolorem, who was laying in the middle of the bed, she laid on his left.

“in the bed with us, it well be fine. There isn't room on the floor and I couldn't let you sleep down there any way.” dash's face went red and she climbed into the bed with them. All three laid under the blanket with little room to spare. With the night and the gentle patter of rain they soon all fell asleep. The storm was mostly calm and stopped some time after mid night, peaceful and silent. No night terrors haunted a mind that night and morning came with out trouble. Dolorem slept peacefully and was half awake with his eyes closed when he felt some pressure on his chest. He felt the presence softly shift forward running a muzzle along his neck. He smiled and chuckled softly as he felt nibbling on his neck until it stopped, then he felt warmth close to his face. Suddenly lips were pressed against his, letting them aggressively attack his and a tongue probing deeply into his throat. When the invader left his mouth he opened his eyes to find wine colored eyes. At first he was confused but then it came to him. On his chest rainbow dash quickly placed her hoof on his mouth.

“sorry but I couldn't help my self. Don't worry I won't say anything.” she got off him and stretched on the floor. Dolorem sat up as fluttershy walked in going to him. She hopped up onto the bed and wrapped her hooves around his neck, he went to hug her but she pulled back and he felt something hit his chest. He looked down to see the coin necklace, polished and gleaming brightly. He looked up and smiled forgetting what just happened moments ago. He traced his finger along the feather and heart etched into the silver coin. He got up and began to dress when there was a knock at the door. Fluttershy went to open it while rainbow dash sprawled out on the floor huffing in boredom. The rest of the girls came in with anxious faces but when they saw dolorem smiles brightened the room. Pinkie pie was the first to run forward hugging him tightly then the rest did the same. He was pinned by them all but he didn't mind because he was glade to see them too. They backed off and began asking questions about everything, it was fluttershy who got them to calm down so dolorem could have a chance. Twilight spoke up alone and asked the two words everyone else wanted to know.

“what happened?” the four mares stared at him waiting. Dolorem began to slip away but fluttershy knew and held his hand helping him stay. He took a deep breath and told his story of the minotaur lands. The entire time fluttershy held on tight so he wouldn't get lost in his fragmented psyche. He told them of the horror. Of the blood. Of the death. He showed them the horn with the rings that had made it all the way here with him. Rainbow dash had sat up with them to listen and even she felt bad. Rarity couldn't stand to hear any more of the gruesome account and excused her self to go out side. Applejack went to rainbow dash side and leaned into her, the cyan Pegasus began to feel guilty. Pinkie pie and twilight just sat there listening while fluttershy kept holding onto him. He recalled every detail, smell, and feeling while this other world hanged around the edges held back by his yellow angel. He could feel it wanting to flood his mind and change the world in front of him but it wouldn't happen as long as he felt the soft touch of his guardian. For once in his life someone else protected him and made sure he was safe. Soon he was done and could feel the dark edges fade away. It had been to long since he and been home and he wanted to sleep in his own bed. They pack what little things they had and returned for the train but they forgot two things. The horn with the rings and the tent on the dock, both sat alone and forgotten. After some time Ponyville came into sight and dolorem felt relieved as he spotted the red slate colored roof on the distance. As they left the train everyone went their separate way except fluttershy, she was going to go with dolorem. He expected his house to be like before but it was spotless and fresh in side. It was still early afternoon but that didn't stop dolorem from falling into bed. He enjoyed finally being able to lay in his own bed and he did so on his stomach. He closed his eyes and felt some pressure on the bed. Fluttershy walked on either side of him and lowered her self on his back with her left hoof she rubbed up and down his left side and with her right she brushed away the lose curls hanging around his neck. She began to softly kiss his neck and play with his hair. He chuckled and pressed into her lips along his neck. He carefully flipped around and she was laying on his chest, smiling at each other. They began to kiss deeply, her legs straddling his hips and squeezing, pushing her self into his chest. He ran his still bandaged hands along her back causing her to suck in her breath as he rubbed under the joint of her wing. Soon she began to take off his shirt and moving back and forth on top of him. Both breathed heavily and their hearts beat fast. Dolorem took off his shorts and....

“Hey, no no no!” pinkie pie stood out side the house were inside...

“don't ignore me! Sorry but this is not a clop so you'll have to go. In the mean time I have a video to make. You wouldn't happen to know a good spot to get in would you?”

The window that faced the road to Canterlot.

“thanks I might send you a copy."

"With the adhearnt absence of light, darkness over comes. The same could be said with love, which is more then just the contact of flesh. Love can burn out the darkness that plague our mind, darkness that casts us into a bottomless void. And when you are trapped in the shadows love comes in on wings of warmth and protection. Some go an entire life time with out love but find it in another. When in the end, when you die all alone in the dark, you will end up in the arms of those who loved you the most. Even if it seemed they never did."

"... the giant fell."

Chapter seventeen:

“... the giant fell.”

the next morning two bodies lay next to one another wrapped together in a warm, loving embrace. A large hand under the base of two soft yellow wings pulled the body even closer causing a contented sigh to be released. A muzzle was pushed under a large chin covered in hair, both smiling in sleep. The sun was barley peaking over the horizon and lighting the land. Birds flew with the wind singing. It was building up to be a beautiful day but to one it wouldn't be as beautiful as the one in his arms. She may not have been human but to him it didn't matter, he finally found something he had been missing his whole life. He found the one thing he never experienced from another living soul. And it was love. Not the physical contact of love but the state of it. It filled his once hollow heart that only Knew pain and loneliness. He promised him self that he would do one thing no matter what. He would love and protect her until the day he died. And he wouldn't have it any other way. They slowly woke up to the sight of the others eyes. Last night had been something of passion and lust, held back by fear. Now there was no fear except the fear of losing the other forever. They would get out of bed and eat a late breakfast, she would have to leave so she could take care of her animals but would be back soon. He would sit alone changing the bandages and getting dressed. After some time there was a knock at the door and when dolorem answered it he was a little surprised, but not very much, to see a cyan mare. She looked tired and sad, dolorem stepped aside to let her in. she walked over to the couch and sat down as tears started to run down her face. Dolorem went over to her sitting down.

“what's that matter rainbow dash?” he placed his hand on her back as she sniffled and looked up.

“I-I had to tell applejack that I kissed you. I felt guilty about it when I saw her and I couldn't take it. I told her last night and she blew up on me. She was yelling so loud big mac came in to make sure nothing had happened, she even woke up applebloom and she was really scared. I just flew off home and cried my self to sleep... I really fucked up. Look I'm sorry I did that, I do a lot of things on impulse. Can you forgive me?” dolorem took at deep breath and shook his head. Dash look like she was ready to break down when he did that but he spoke.

“there's nothing to apologize to me about. If anything it was a complement. I am sorry that you two fought.” she felt relived and managed a small smile. Dolorem hugged her and pated her back, rainbow dash had her face in his neck when she noticed something. She pulled back looking at the spot and asked.

“what's that?” she lightly touched it with her hoof an dolorem moved his hand to feel the place she was touching. She hadn't moved her hoof and he placed his hand over it, she shivered slightly and slowly moved it away. Dolorem hadn't noticed this and circled the spot with his fingers.

“oh this... it's from... fluttershy.” his face grew red as he covered the bite mark with his hand looking off to the side. Dash smiled and giggled.

“didn't know she was like that.” she raised an eye brow and chuckled. Then she remembered something.

“you didn't happen to lock the windows last night did you?” dolorem looked at her confused and shook his head. She got up grinning and turned to leave.

“well I'm going to go see pinkie pie real quick. So ya later... and thanks.” she walked out side and took to the air flying fast. Dolorem was still confused and just shrugged his shoulders. He walked around his house and found his wood carving tools, so he went to the back of the house and grabbed a large section that was part of a tree trunk. He took it inside and set it down, pulling a chair in front of it he went to work. His hands were still sore so it was slow work but by the time fluttershy had come back he had the outside of it cleared of bark and began carving. He covered it before see could see it and stood to met her. She jumped into his arms and kissed him, he kissed her back and held her tight. Most of the days would be like this. Waking up in each others arms even if there was no night of passion and lust. Fluttershy leaving to take care of her animals and dolorem working on his sculpture. They would go in town and visit the rest. They would all plan to do things together and have fun. It had passed a year since dolorem had arrived and a large party was thrown. Summer past into fall then into winter until it was spring again. Everything was... perfect. And on a beautiful day in spring many ponies gathered in a large meadow. Princess Celestai stood before dolorem and fluttershy on a platform in front of the an audience.

“We gather here today to witness the union of two souls. They may be of different worlds but love knows no bounds. Many trails have been overcome before this day and each one, each day, have brought them closer and closer. Now I asked you, Dolorem Pati, do you take Fluttershy to be your wife in sickness and in health, for better or worse, till death do you part?” dolorem stood facing fluttershy in an elegant black tux made by rarity. Fluttershy wore a stunningly beautiful bright white wedding dress also made by rarity and stood facing him. He smiled, his heart racing, and spoke.

“I do.” Celestai nodded her head and spoke to fluttershy.

“And do you Fluttershy take Dolorem Pati to be your husband in sickness and in health, for better or worse, till death do you part?” fluttershy couldn't be any more happier as the words left her lips.

“I do.” Celestai held her head high and spoke.

“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.” fluttershy raised up on her hind legs and dolorem grabbed her and pulled her close. He kissed her deeply and the audience exploded in cheers, rarity was crying hard ever so happy. In the air a loud boom sounded and a rainboom colored the sky. Celestai smiled for the two as they separate with the crowd still going. After wards at the party everyone enjoyed them selves and the newly wed took the first dance. It would continue far into the night and would be a memory that would ever fade for the two. The next day they packed for a honey moon but something wasn't done with dolorem just yet. He was at home alone, wearing denim shorts and a white shirt with brown sandals, getting ready when he happened to look out the window and saw fluttershy. She looked like she was crying and headed for the Everfree. He felt a pressure in his chest and ran out the door to find her. She landed somewhere deep in the forest and he rushed in after her. But the thing was, fluttershy was walking back to his house when she saw him running for the forest. He looked worried so she took to the air to follow him. He slipped into the forest and she landed at the edge a couple minutes after. In side the woods dolorem was searching everywhere for fluttershy and went deep in. he saw a flash of yellow and he ran for it coming upon a deep gouge in the earth. He dropped into it but found nothing and the pressure in his chest disappeared. then he heard something behind him.

“honey what's wrong?” she glided down into the hole with him as he turned around. She was worried he was having another one of those episodes.

“I thought I saw...” he looked around confused and turned to look behind him. There was nothing but dirt and a steep slope out of the hole. He turned back to her and shook his head. He looked up at her and smiled but it was replaced with shock as he dived for her and pinned her to the ground, shielding her with his body. Over head something large sailed over them and smacked into the slope. He looked up behind him to find a pile of wood and vines then he looked in front of him on top of the edge of the hole. They looked like wolves but made from wood, vines, and other natural things. Their eyes glowed green and they all stared at the two in the hole. Dolorem slowly got up pulling fluttershy behind him. Then one howled into the sky and the others moved slowly into the hole. Dolorem backed up with fluttershy to the slope, he pushed her up it and then made his way up it too. As he turned to get out one of them jumped at him and the pile on the ground started to build together but was knocked apart again as the one flew into it. Dolorem pulled him self up in time and both of them ran. The hunt started.

“Timber wolves!” fluttershy spoke as they ran. Dolorem would have enjoyed the comedy of the name but they were running away from danger. Then he was pitched forward as something heavy landed on top of him. A timber wolf sunk it's fangs into his shoulder and shook back and forth. Dolorem used his other arm to grab the wolf's head and smashed it into the ground, it released him dazed then he smacked it in the face with his elbow sending it tumbling off him. Fluttershy didn't know what to do but he stood up and they started running again. They came to a part of the woods where the trees were not so thick and stopped, blood stained the white shirt on dolorem. He turned to fluttershy breathing heavily.

“fly.” she looked at him scared.

“I'm not leaving yo...” she was cut off as he grabbed her and tossed her into the air. A brown blur tackled him down and sunk it's fangs into his right arm. He kicked it off him and yelled out to fluttershy.

“Go! Now!” she finally left, soaring through the air, going to get help. Down below more timber wolves closed in on dolorem. He broke a low hanging branch and used it to bat them away, scattering them into pieces. The would claw and bite him and he would keep swinging away. Soon he stood breathing hard with piles of wood around him until they started to reform. He ran from them as they neared completion and started after him. He ran, weaving through the trees, trying to keep as far away as possible. A tree root caught his foot pitching him forward, dropping the branch, and that's when the stuck. They were on him in an instant biting him. One had his right foot, another his left forearm, and one his rightt shoulder pulling in different directions and shaking their head violently. He reached for the branch just inches from his fingers unable to grab it. He jerked forward and grabbed it, slamming it down on the jaw at his shoulder. After that one released him he did the same to the other two and stood up. Blood dripped from his wounds and he faced them. Several more came from the bushes and advanced towards him they jumped him and he bashed them into pieces. Fluttershy was racing back only able to find applejack and twilight who were not so far behind. More circled dolorem and he was dog piled again, thrashing under them. Then a sudden force busted a few of them into pieces. Applejack bucked and kicked them off dolorem while twilight and fluttershy rushed in to get him. All the timber wolves laid in pieces and the four waited. Soon the piles stirred but this time not into individuals. All the pieces clumped together into a very large timber wolf. It was at least fifteen feet high at the shoulder and every inch rabid. It let out a bone chilling howl and the four ran for it. It bounded after them gaining on them fast. The trees became thicker and caused them to split away from one another but the timber wolf chased dolorem only. He ran faster and he heard running water until he had to stop. He came onto a cliff edge, a river lay below at about forty feet with rocks sticking out like daggers, and was trapped as the body of twisted wood neared. It stood some distance away from him but not enough for him to find away out. It growled staring him down and hunched down. Then it pounced, flying through the air. Dolorem had only a split second to react and he dove forward, the timber wolf missing him by less then an inch. It flipped around digging it claws into the ground as it hung over the edge. It's weight and momentum pushed it over the ledge and sent it down into the river below. He went to the edge to see the wolf in shattered pieces not forming as the three ponies ran to him. They stood a little from him and sighed in relief. He turned smiling but stopped when there was a loud crack as the ground between them broke apart and... the giant fell. Time slowed and he looked up at fluttershy, she watched wide eyed as he fell out of sight. He fell with the cliff edge as fluttershy took to the air. She dove after him and reached him as he was half way down to the river, wrapping her arms around him. He saw the fear and tears in her eyes and he... smiled. He pried her arms from him and pushed her away, she tumbled in the air and had to stop to regain control. Time started again as she saw him disappeared into the water and into the rocks. She flew down and began searching frantically calling out his name, she couldn't stand the thought of losing him again. Applejack made her way down as twilight ran to get help. She came back later with a search party, fluttershy and applejack combing the river bed for him. Night came and the forest was silent save for the calling out of dolorem's name. It was rainbow dash who found him, flying above the river and scanning every inch. He was pulling him self out the water and collapsing onto the ground. She landed down by him after calling out to the others. His clothes were ripped up and bloody and he was breathing hard, soaking wet. The others made their way to them and fluttershy pushed her way to him. She held on to him crying in relief. Besides the bites and clawing he was fine but exhausted. They brought him to the hospital to treat his wounds and was out the next day. A week later they tried again for a homey moon and this time they stayed together. They planed a trip to a mountain town and spent two weeks there together. They couldn't be happier until it happened but it's not what you would expect.

“I have something for you.” in a plain white shirt and khaki shorts dolorem hid something behind his back as they had finished packing to return home. She tried peaking behind him but he moved as she looked. He quickly pulled out a bouquet of flowers, red, blue, and yellow flowers. She leaned forward and kissed him then lowered her nose to smell them. Sweet and fragrant, the blue one especially. They gathered their stuff and made way for the train, it was going to be a two day trip. They were settled into a sleeper car with a large window to watch out side and the flowers sat above them on the luggage rack. They watched the land slide by them as they started the trip back home. They talked and held each other until it became dark out side. Sleeping in each others arms they slept peacefully into the night. When the woke up fluttershy let out a yawn, a very startling yawn. It was a deep yawn and she blushed looking at him.

“sorry...” both of them cringed as she spoke. It was a deep voice, a deep manly voice that was even deeper then dolorem's. She went wide eyed as dolorem just stared at her.

“oh no! Quick let me see the flowers!” he grabbed the flower from above and showed her them. She shifted through them and pulled out an odd looking blue flower.

“oh no, it's poison joke!” dolorem looked at her confused.

“what?” she placed it down next to her.

“it's a flower that if you touch it... it plays a joke on you.” dolorem looked at her then his face cracked into a large grin. He tried controlling his laughter but couldn't help it and began uncontrollably. She looked at him with a raised eye brow as he calmed down.

“come here, I'm sorry.” he pulled her close to him and she moved in for a kiss but he started laughing again.

“I'm sorry I...” he kept laughing and she rolled her eyes smiling and pulling away. Then she grabbed the flower and shoved it in his face. He stopped dead and looked at her.

“no you just didn't.” she turned away from him smugly as he grabbed the flower. He examined it a little closer and tossed it out the window of the sleeper car. It smacked an azure mare unicorn with a pale blue mane in the face. She had a cutie mark of a wand with a sparkling blue trail behind it, she wore a purple cape and hat with stars on it. She quickly disappeared into the distance as dolorem turned to a yellow mare who had her back to him. He pushed her down on the bed and began kissing her. She couldn't be mad and giggled as she kissed back. She kept quiet and he kept trying to get her to sing. The day was calm and peaceful. Night came again and it was spent sleeping with dolorem on the floor in his boxers. The sun just barely peaked over the horizon and dolorem woke up. He stood up from the floor and stretched but it felt strange and that's when he saw his chest.

“WHAT THE HELL!?” fluttershy shot up rubbing her eyes as she looked at... a woman. Brown lose curls and smooth tan skin. Long slender arms and legs with wide hips and a… large chest. A beautiful and graceful face that was smooth and soft. Every scar was in the same place and the missing pinkie still gone. he... she... dolorem looked all over the body he now stood in as the boxers fell off, being to big. He looked down wide eyed.

“WHERE'S MY..."

“cock-a-doodle-doo! Morning folks, we'll be in Ponyville in about an hour.” the conductors voice rang over the intercom as fluttershy stared at dolorem. She began laughing uncontrollably in her deep manly voice. He pulled up the boxers and grabbed the blanket to cover him self. He took deep breaths to calm down and fluttershy began to calm down too. She walked over to... him and tried to comfort him.

“well you do look very pretty.” he stared at her as she started laughing again and he couldn't help but laugh too. He dressed into his clothes from before but had to tie the shirt behind his back and bunch up the shorts with a belt. The train came to a stop as they gathered their bags, five ponies waited for the two at the platform. Fluttershy stepped off first and was greeted by the girls.

“now fluttershy you have to tell me everything darling.” rarity hugged her as she just nodded then the big question was asked by twilight.

“so where's...” a loud sigh interrupted her and a lovely woman walked off the train wearing clothes to large for her and holding two suitcases. Everyone watched in wonder at this familiar looking human. It was applejack that spoke.

“umm Dolorem?” he just walked right past them with out eye contact.

“mhm...” pinkie pie rushed up behind him wrapping her hooves around him and causing the suit cases to drop. She groped his breast and jiggled them up and down.

“oh what are this?” dolorem pushed her off, picking up the bags and rushed off.

“I just want to get home.” dolorem's silky voice tried to remain calm as rainbow dash broke down laughing. Twilight turned to fluttershy and asked.

“poison joke?”

“yup.” she answered in the deep manly voice that sent rainbow dash into a fit. They made it to dolorem's home and fluttershy started the bath. Dolorem was looking at him self in the mirror.

“you know I could get use to this.” she turned around and gave him a strange look.

“but I miss something so let's figure this out. How do we fix this?” she tossed in some stuff into the water and spoke.

“a bubble bath.” he looked at her skeptically as she got into the steaming, bubbling water. He slid in with her and the hot water felt as if it was washing something else away. He went under the water and stayed there for a minute. When he came back up he was... a man again. He grabbed his chest to make sure it was flat then reached under the water and sighed in relief. He leaned back and looked at fluttershy with a grin.

“all better?” she smiled and spoke.

“yup.” it was her normal soft silky voice and they continued with their bath. Everything was fine and happy.

"Sometimes we have to laugh at our selves to let us now that we are ok."

That awkward time in life

Chapter eighteen:

“That awkward time in life.”

Spring and summer past with out indecent and the two souls enjoyed it. Only one thing weighed heavily on a mind and it was at a park. It was a beautiful summer day and it was cooling down as fall was rolling in, the wind blew softly and the days a little shorter. Dolorem and fluttershy had a picnic and watched the other families as they enjoyed the last of the hot summer days. Dolorem noticed something different today about his love. A look of longing as she stared at... foals. They ran around playing and laughing, having a much fun as possible. He could see the how much she wanted one, a child of her own to love and care for. As they packed up he turned to her and asked the one question that lingered on his mind.

“fluttershy... do you want children?” she stopped and looked at him with a small smile.

“I would but... I don't think it's possible. If it was it would have happened by now.” she turned away from him and he felt a small twinge of sadness. He knew what he had to do and waited a week as fall finally came in. they had moved into the cottage together after a small “argument” and he moved in. he knew he couldn't take her away from her animals and his home wasn't suited to handle them. He know used it for his wood carving and one time when spike needed some time alone. He hit a major growth spurt and was now just under dolorem's chin. His face elongated and his shoulder broaden. Almost all his baby fat was gone and he was sleek and some what toned. He was hitting his teen years and was being flooded with hormones but for know he was fine. Fluttershy was busy tending to her animals when dolorem , dressing into a black shirt and white, gray, and black stripped shorts, slipped out and headed for the library. He knocked on the door and a loud argument was going on inside.

“... well I'm sorry I'm not perfect for you!” the door flew open and spike rushed past dolorem with his head down. He went inside to find twilight rubbing her forehead. She looked up and smiled.

“sorry we were having a little discussion about his “habits” and he over reacted.” she walked to her bed and laid down, dolorem followed her back there and sat beside her.

“I needed to ask you something.” she turned around to face him and he laid down next to her just to met her eyes. Her royal purple gazed into his soft brown ones, she couldn't help it as her heart raced.

“I was wondering if it was possible to have children.” twilight blushed and started to mumble.

“well I don't know. You're married to fluttershy and I have to deal with spike and...” dolorem just stared at her and she stopped, sitting up.

“I do have some books over cross breeding but from what I remember yes. But you need magic so it will take and some one has to be there to... make sure it works.” dolorem sat up next to her and smiled.

“so would you help? I can tell that fluttershy want's kids so bad but I can't give her them. It would mean so much to me.” she looked into his eyes and thought hard. She nodded and smiled but still felt a little embarrassed as she thought about when it would happen. The talked for a little bit more and made plans for after he told fluttershy and if she agreed. Dolorem left thanking her and went out side. He heard some commotion in town and went to find what was happening. He found a cart with it's contents spilled onto the ground with a frightened pony, the same one who sold him the wood sculpting kit, in front of an angry dragon.

“what's wrong with you? You should pay more attention where you're going!” spike stepped to the pony and he fell back wards. Dolorem rushed forward and placed a hand on spike's shoulder, he turned around quickly and pushed him away.

“don't touch me!” dolorem looked at him with no anger and tried to calm him down. This didn't help at all and just caused him to stutter in rage. Soon he wasn't speaking at all and just roaring and spitting in rage.

“spike please calm down!” he turned around away from him and slapped him across the lags with his tail, knocking him down. He stood up quickly as spike grabbed a near by cart and flipped it over. Dolorem rushed over and grabbed his shoulder, forcing spike to face him. He growled and lashed out with his left claw. Dolorem turned and twisted his right arm, pinning it behind him trying to control him. Spike used his tail to pull dolorem's feet from under and sending them both to the ground. They rolled around on the ground trying to pin the other. Twilight heard the commotion out side and went to find the disturbance. She found two large bodies on the ground wrestling each other. Spike was under dolorem and he used both legs to send him flying into the air. As dolorem hit the ground spike jumped up and rushed him, clawing at him. Dolorem grabbed his hands before he could actual to any damage and tried pushing him off. Spike managed to get his right claw free and he darted it down. Blood splashed into spikes face as he yanked and pulled his hand back. Spike claw was holding onto dolorem's rip cage and was holding the second to last rib bone. He pulled hard and with a loud snap half the rib bone was pulled out his chest. Then spike came to. He saw the blood, the rib bone, and the look of pain on dolorem's face. He got off him and dropped the bone, staring at his bloody hands. Twilight rushed forward to dolorem and pushed down on the wound. Spike turn and ran, he had to get away as fast as possible. Dolorem was rushed to the hospital, he was alive enough to crack a joke.

“I should rent a room here.” he had to stay at the hospital until winter started, spike was still missing and the snow was piling. Twilight looked all over for him worried and never giving up. While at the hospital he told fluttershy the good news.

“so we can have children, I asked but there is something you do need to know.” she listened to every word and after he was done she answered him.

“ok. Let's do it... I mean after you're out and ok.” dolorem smiled and hugged her gently so not to hurt him self. When dolorem was released he immediately got ready to leave. Fluttershy having spent every day and night with him was sleeping in her bed, he left a note explaining that he was going to find spike. He had one idea where he was going, a place he told him he like to explore. Dolorem made his way to the mountains in the distance. It was a long hike and he was short of breath still in the cold air and snow but he found it. A small cave in the side of the rock. He slowly made his way inside to find who he had been looking for. Spike was in a horrible state, filthy and starved. He was so weak and tired he couldn't move away as dolorem picked him up. He held him in his arms like a very large child. wasn't he in a way? He made his way back into Ponyville to find all the girls getting ready to leave, most likely to look for him. Twilight rushed forward as she saw an unconscious spike in dolorem's arms and tears flooded her eyes. Spike was taken to the hospital and placed in the same room dolorem was in. fluttershy was a little angry that he left by him self to find spike but was glad they were both safe, everyone had been worried for the purple dragon. The next day spike came to and found twilight in the room with him. He couldn't apologize enough for what he put her through and he asked about dolorem. Twilight was about to answer when the door to the room opened and said human with his wife walked in. spike couldn't look into dolorem's eyes and played with the blankets. Twilight stepped away and motioned for fluttershy to follow and give the two some alone time. When the door closed spike looked up finally and cried. He felt horrible for what he did and cried into his hands. Dolorem walked up besides the bed and placed a hand on his shoulder. Spike looked up with eye filled with sorrow.

“I-I'm so sorry... I didn't mean to, I was so mad. So angry. I couldn't stop my self...” he cried even harder and dolorem pulled him to him. He hugged him tightly and spike hugged him back.

“don't worry guy. I know you didn't mean to.” he let spike cry into his chest until he was done, he felt better now. Twilight and fluttershy came back in a couple minutes later as the two were talking about something privet, speaking low. Twilight went over to spike and hugged him as dolorem stood up went to fluttershy with a smile. They left the two and went back home to relax, fluttershy still a little mad at dolorem for leaving. The next week was spent waiting for spike to get out the hospital and dolorem took him to his house. Spike was nervous and waited for what dolorem was going to say but he didn't say anything. He just sat down and motioned for spike to do the same, crossing his legs over one another and resting his hands on his knees.

“I'm going to teach you something to help with anger, stress, and sadness. Cross your legs like this and place your hands palm up on your knees opened.” with some difficulty spike managed to copy dolorem a few feet in front of him.

“now breath in... and breath out, take deep breaths and hold them for a few seconds, releasing. Close your eyes and clear your thoughts. This is meditation.” spike followed his instructions the best he could, fidgeting and twitching. Soon spike got the hang of it.

“to control your emotions and to guide your self. In ten minutes one can learn more of them selves then one could wondering the world. It teaches one to find the inner peace and to collect the mind.” they sat there for an hour in silence, breathing deeply and calmly. Dolorem stood up and spike tried to. His legs cramped up from non use and he had to lay out on the floor to stretch them out. Dolorem sat down on the couch and spoke.

“I want you to know that you can stay here any time you need to. Just keep it clean and don't destroy it.” spike nodded his head and dolorem stood back up to leave. Spike spoke up and stopped him.

“thank you...” dolorem smiled and left heading back to the cottage as the snow lightly covered the ground. He walked inside to a... nice surprise. All the animals were gone and fluttershy lay in the middle of the floor alone. She laid out wearing stripped green socks that went nearly all the way up her legs, ending with lace. She also had a red bow in her hair and a white lace band around her neck. She watched dolorem almost lazily and she looked... dolorem didn't know what to think since all the ponies didn't wear clothes, it seemed... sexy. He raised an eye brow and walked to her as she got up and headed to the bed. As she walked she swung her hips from side to side, a nice little show for dolorem. He grinned largely and started to take off his clothes. The night sky approached fast and the stars came out. The moon shined brightly and lit up the snow, it glowed with an opal white. The wind was soft as the snow fell down just as so. The night was cold and calm.

“hey dolorem, you home?” a rainbow maned mare hovered out side the door of the cottage with the sun dimly in the sky. Dolorem opened the door but forgot one important thing. He was still naked and rainbow dash grinned as she stared. Dolorem was confused until he noticed him self but didn't cover him self.

“if you're done molesting me with your eyes you can tell me what you need.” she looked up still grinning.

“I was wondering if you would come up to my house and... well you'll see.” he nodded his head and dressed into brown shirt with khaki shorts, fluttershy woke up and he told her where he was going. She smiled as he left still wearing the same stuff from last night and went back to bed. Dolorem and rainbow dash walked to the ground below her cloud house and he began to wonder how he would get up there, that was until he saw a hot air balloon. He climbed in as she flew up and he ascended. He stopped at level with a wall that was opened to revile the inside. Inside was a box full of clothing and she landed next to it.

“I know I've done some stuff but this is serious. I need your advice on some things.” she looked embarrassed but kept eye contact. Dolorem just nodded and she turned to the box, pulling out some black material. She ducked behind a curtain and changed. Stepping out dolorem was a little surprised. She was in black lace from the neck down except her wings and tail.

“how does this look?” she slowly walked to dolorem in a seductive way. She flew around to the other side of the balloon and landed on the edge.

“I was wondering since we don't wear clothes how this would seem to you.” she lead forward and he lead back until he fell out the balloon. He should have fell past the clouds into the ground but he didn't, he landed on the soft cloud with a bounce. He looked around confused.

“how?” rainbow dash looked at him and shrugged, then a pink blur erupted out from the floor.

“because fuck physics!” pinkie pie landed in the middle of the room wearing white lace and leather around her neck, back, and legs. Dolorem got up and tested the floor until he was satisfied. Then he smiled and spoke.

“I guess so. Fuck physics.” they laughed and dolorem sat on the couch as the two tried on different suits of lace and leather, rainbow dash asking for his input. He returned later that day very... excited and practically tossed fluttershy onto the bed. Winter rolled on into the spring and summer. Back to fall and winter. It hit two and a half years that dolorem had been their and today was a sad day. Spike was growing and he became to big for Ponyville

“I'm going to miss you.” twilight hugged spike's neck tightly with tears flooding her eyes. Everyone stood around them with sad and watery eyes. Each got to say their good byes until he reached dolorem. Spike now had wings and stood four feet above him.

“thank you for everything. Good bye.” he smiled but dolorem shook his head.

“don't say good bye. That mean you're going away for good. Say see you later...” he smiled and hugged the large dragon. Spike took to the air and far into the distance. Twilight watched with a heavy heart but inside she knew she did good. She taught him well.

“However painful the process of leaving home, for parents and for children, the really frightening thing for both would be the prospect of the child never leaving home.”

The start of something...

Chapter nineteen:

“The start of something...”

“congratulations fluttershy, you're pregnant!” a doctor stood in front of the two parents to be with a large smile that matched theirs. They couldn't be happier and they had all of it to thank twilight. It had been very awkward but after a few drinks and some massaging they all went to bed. In the morning twilight left with a smile, she hadn't gone “uncared” for that night and they waited some time to go to the doctors. After hearing the wonderful news they went to tell the others but pinkie pie already had a baby shower ready. They were given many gifts for the baby to come and congratulations. It was the most perfect time but how long would it last? I'm sorry to write this but it was bound to come. This is where evil becomes more... vile

“Having a baby is a life changer. It gives you a whole other perspective on why you wake up every day.”

fluttershy had been pregnant for two months and was barely showing anything at all. It was a warm spring day and the two were going on a little walk through the Everfree forest, it had become peaceful. They past by the grave in the clearing and had to stop by the ledge where he had broken her horn. Fluttershy had started early with morning sickness, more like every part of the day sickness, and had to rest. Dolorem pulled out a tea kettle from a nap sack he brought along and started a little fire to get the tea going. Making sure she was fine he left to search for some other stuff to add to the brew. Fluttershy was sitting down and rubbing her stomach when see saw a strange flower. It look familiar, odd, that was black from the bottom and slowly faded into a mid night blue to the tips of it's petals. It's scent is what drew her attention, a sickly sweet with a slightly sour tint. She stood up and walked to it, admiring it. She plucked the flower from it's bush, thorns surrounded the dark green bush, walking back she smelt it some more. It was intoxicating and made her feel relaxed and no longer sick. She sat back down with the flower and waited for her husband to come back. As she waited see felt like she needed to do something so she looked at the flower. Then she plucked off a petal and... ate it. It was the sweetest thing she ever had eaten with a slight tangy flavor also. Dolorem came back with some mint as the tea was almost done and added it in. fluttershy placed the flower besides her and took the tea cup offered to her. They sat next to each other and enjoyed the tea in peace. After some time when fluttershy had rested they made their way back home, the flower left on the ground. When they arrived at the cottage fluttershy was hit with a wave of nausea and had to lay down. He got her something light to eat and tucked her into bed. He took care of her animals as she rested and when he finished he went into town. She tossed and turned in her sleep and something was moving inside her. Something unnatural and it crept from the pit of her stomach, seeping outward. Into her veins and flowed along with the blood to the heart, settling into it, going up wards to her head. Like vines it wrapped around her mind into the crevasses. Then it sank down and slumbered leaving the yellow mare in peace. She could sleep in peace but now something set in her and took away something sweet and precocious from two to-be's.

“To lose a child is to lose a piece of your self.”

It was now four months into fluttershy's pregnancy and she still showed even more. But something was happening inside her. She became irritable, which everyone took for her pregnancy, and easy to anger. Dolorem didn't care he loved her and he took care of her. They had times they were happy like always but she would get sick or angry. Under her coat her skin darken a small tint, nothing noticeable at the moment. No one knew what was going on inside her, the growth that leeched more and more from her. Soon nothing would be untainted but it would still be some time before anything showed on the surface.

“... and that's why I need to be the squirt's god parent. Who else should teach him or her to fly? They will be the best flier of all equestria besides me.” rainbow dash and dolorem sat in the living room while fluttershy slept. Dolorem just smiled at her and then twilight came in. she looked a little nervous as she walked up to the two.

“sup twi?” dash was sprawled out on the couch next to dolorem with a hind leg propped up on dolorem's shoulder. Twilight looked around the room and spoke.

“have you... have you noticed anything strange with fluttershy like her behavior or the way she looks?” the two on the couch looked at her confused.

“well she is pregnant so what do you expect.” rainbow dash spoke and dolorem nodded in agreement. Twilight sighed.

“ok... just keep an eye on her.” she turned and left, going home. She had noticed something strange going on in the Everfree. Animals were becoming rabid and looked dark and unhealthy. She noticed some of these signs in fluttershy but she was sure it was just the pregnancy... she hope it was. Along the way something caught her eye near some. She went to investigate it and found a mirror shard. But what was surprising was there was two, one in a tree the other in the ground. How the two have never been found before by anyone and both being in the same place was a mystery. When she used her magic to pull them out they melded like the ones before and she took it home. She uncovered the large mirror fragment that she put away in the back and brought over the other piece. They fused with a bright light and she looked it over. It was nearly complete with only one small shard missing from the top left corner. She gazed into it and felt the magic with in. she covered it again and left it be, she would tell dolorem about it later... maybe.

“If we had no secrets from our family and friends, we could live easier.”

"... Fairest of them all?"

Chapter twenty:

“... Fairest of them all?”

After turning in his report, Monte Loma went home for the night. Opening his trunk he carefully brought the large mirror piece inside. Setting it down in his living room he went around and closed and locked all doors and windows. He examined it more closely with out touching it. He could see the man inside but his body was obscured, only flesh visible and no clothes could be seen.. He could see him from the neck up and the rest was in mist. After taking in everything he could he covered it up and went to bed. Dolorem's eyes weighed heavily in Monte's mind and it was all he could think of. He didn't understand what this was and what had happened to the man. The next day he got ready to go back to the burnt apartment, the investigation had been completed and filed as an accident but he still needed to find something. He needed to find the rest of the mirror, something compelled him to. He walked around the building until he found where dolorem's room was. He could barely see the two slits where something cut through and he turned to follow them. A building that was under construction when the fire broke out, stopped until it was safe, stood behind it. He made his way to it and into the construction site. Going up into the hollow shell of the building to be he was nervous. What exactly waited for him up there? What would be in this mirror piece. He reached the top floor, no walls and only support beams. He searched around the concert until he found it. Stuck into a beam he carefully pried it out and was prepared this time for what was “in” the mirror. Hiding behind a thin layer of mist was the other shoulder, arms, and torso of a man. He quickly made his way back down holding the mirror carefully. He sped home and brought it inside going into the living room. As he stepped in he could feel something different and the large fragment flew from his hand and the other one flew to meet it. A blinding light shone through out the house and Monte had to cover his eyes. The light dimmed down and he could see again as it softly lowered onto the ground. It leaned it's self against a wall with the bottom still jagged, Monte stared at it in awe. he didn't know what had happened, the pieces just seemed to fuse together like... magic. He was an intelligent man and wasn't superstitious but this he couldn't explain it logically. He moved to it slowly and examined it once again. He could see dolorem and he was more complete but he was still missing from the waist down. Still confused and lost, not knowing how to get out. Monte covered the mirror and went to a cabinet, pulling out a large bottle of scotch. He drank strait from the bottle with his mind in chaos. Could he save this man from his prison or was he going insane? He didn't know but something struck his mind. He needed to go to the police station and see if he could find anything else about him.

“ok here you go but you only have an hour.” the police chief left Monte in a room alone with a large, nearly out dated computer. He searched the archives for more information on dolorem. Most of what he found was his medical records and he was sad to see such a hard life. He found out all the places he lived around the world, he got around. Only living blood relative was his mother, married to some rich man and forgetting all about him. He found nothing much else, just the sad story that was his life. If he completed the mirror, bringing him back. Would it help him at all? It might. Being stuck in a mirror sounds horrible so he had to save him. Monte's time was up and he left to go back home. He needed to rest and try to understand what was happening. The next day he awoke to hear a strange noise from the living room. He walked in to find the mirror vibrating loudly and he walked over to it. He uncovered it and looked at dolorem. At first he didn't see anything different but then it changed. A large portion of the mist behind him cleared and he saw light. Sunlight and a... town. He couldn't make out much of the town. The mist still covered most of dolorem and the top left corner of the mirror. He was excited about this because maybe it meant he was getting closer to bringing him back. Monte covered the mirror and went to get dressed. He left going back once again to the burnt building and construction site, looking up. He had to find out where the other piece was but there was no other buildings close by. So he made his way back into the blackened building. A couple of homeless people took shelter inside and watched as Monte passed them going up the stairs. The smell still lingered and ash was everywhere. He had to slowly make his way up the stairs since they were still threatening to collapse. Finally making it to the seventh floor he entered the room. As he stepped in something caught his eye. It was black but not like the burnt walls. Then it moved slowly standing up. It resembled a dog maybe or a small horse, he couldn't tell. Then it whipped around and hissed with white fangs bared. Monte fell back wards waiting for it to attack but it didn't. It was gone. He stood back up and dusting him self off, shaking his head. Maybe he was going mad. He slowly made his way to the two slits in the wall and looked out the left one. He could see the building under construction from it and nothing else. So he looked through the second and saw nothing. Nothing but sky until he focused into the distance. A large sky scrapper was far off and he knew that's where he needed to go.

“Who is the...”

“Not until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves.”

With these hands and a name

Chapter twenty one:

“With these hands and a name.”

A loud commotion was going on in the town of Ponyville, singled out in one spot particular. All the animals that lived in the cottage ran in fear, away from the screaming. Don't get me wrong, the couple loved each other more then life it's self and for one it was life to him. It was what saved him from despair and grief. But had he known. Had he only knew, would it have helped at all? No one knew but twilight was suspicious. Fluttershy was due in less then two months and the doctor said the baby looked healthy... he couldn't be any more wrong. More then just death can happen but what did happen no one knew... and they wouldn't before it was to late. Twilight noticed the foul sensation coming from the Everfree, deep within. She was finding rabid and dead animals, she couldn't tell fluttershy because she had enough to handle right now. The purple unicorn searched in the forest but found nothing, she didn't understand what was going on. A plague? Some kind of magic she did not know of? She poured over her books and found nothing, not even in Canterlot. She had one pony left to go and it was Zecora. She made her to the house inside the forest with no problem at all. But that was the problem. Nothing. No sound, no movement, and not a single thing happening. It unsettled twilight very much so and she hurried to the zebra's house. She reached it and knocked on the door but there was no answer. She tried again but still... no answer. She pressed her head to the door to listen, silence. Then she heard something being dragged on the floor so she slowly pushed the door open. It creaked as it made it's way to the door stop and inside was dark. No lights, no warmth, and no Zecora. Twilight stepped it and immediately felt something was wrong. It made her hair raise and her skin crawl. It made her feel like running, like she was in danger. The same feeling she was getting around fluttershy but not as strong. She looked around the house and found nothing, no pony at all. The only thing she found was a cauldron frothing with vile black icor. It smelt rotten like... death. Then she heard it, over the bubbling of the brew and the crackling of the fire. The same dragging sound in the back where Zecora room was. Twilight slowly made her way to the curtain that acted as a door and pushed it to the side. What she saw made her gasp out loud and feel sick inside. It was Zecora but something was dreadfully wrong. She dragged her back legs behind her with her tail in the dirt. Her coat had large patches of fut missing and the skin underneath was a near rotting black that looked extremely painful. Her breathing was low and rugged, her chest rapidly moving. A low moan came from her dried cracked lips and it sent shivers down twilight's spine. But what really caught twilight off guard was her eyes. Under them was heavy black bags, puffy and draining a dark liquid. Her eyes... there was little hint of her turquoises in them. A sickly yellow filled most of what her color originally was and the white of her eyes also had changed. Bloodshot, painfully, but as the veins went out ward the tips became black and started to leach out. Her pupils were large, light would be to painful to bare. Zecora slowly shifted her body to the invader of her house and locked eyes with her. If twilight felt like running before, it was even worse now. She began dragging her self to twilight, slowly but going faster, while letting out an awful moan. Twilight fell back as she watched Zecora near, their eyes locking once again. Back in Ponyville any one passing by the cottage would be a little worried with all the yelling but no one came by. One voice was loud and angry with out knowing why. She just screamed and hollered at the man in the living room with her. Her belly was big with the child she bared. Underneath her thinning coat her skin and darkened even more and it started to show, making her normally bright yellow coat look dirty. Even her soft, silky hair had lost it's luster and fullness. Her joints began to ache more then from just the pregnancy and her muscles were sore. She felt heavy, not just from the baby but from something more. Under her eyes were dark bags that were slightly swollen. Her eyes had become a little blood shot and a yellow tint in her mountain meadow green eyes was forming. She didn't know what else was happening to her besides the pregnancy but she knew she was angry and needed to let it out. It was her poor husband that was the outlet of her anger and he took it all. He knew she was in pain from the child to be soon in this world and he let her deal it out all on him. It was his fault, right? He noticed the changes in her appearance too, he didn't know much about how ponies here became during pregnancy but he guessed this was it. He tried all manor of things to make her feel better and they work... for a little while. Nothing ever helped her out for long and she would become moody and mad again. Most of her friends tried to stay away from her, they still loved her but she was becoming nasty with her choice of words about them. One time pinkie ran off crying when she stopped to talk to fluttershy while dolorem was out. She didn't say anything to the others, she just believed fluttershy was having a difficult time and needed to be left alone.

“I said get away from me!” fluttershy backed away from dolorem who was trying to calm her down. She had another one of her explosions and wouldn't stop running through out the house. Dolorem tried to settle her down but it just made it worse. He just wished there was something he could do to help her but he was at a loss. Ever time he tried getting closer to her she would dart away.

“please fluttershy you need to relax. You could hurt your self or the baby.” she just gave dolorem a dirty look.

“oh now you think I'm a bad parent? You have done nothing! All you do is sit there and watch me suffer and then you go and fuck rainbow dash and twilight!” dolorem tossed up his hands.

“what are you talking about? That never happened and it wasn't my idea when you let her in the bed when we were trying to get you pregnant.” fluttershy just huffed angrily as she stared down dolorem.

“just go away! Leave me alone!” she shouted the last part so loud the windows vibrated and dolorem flinched. He moved to her fast and tried to hold. He needed to calm her down before anything happened... but it did. Fluttershy suddenly lurched when he grabbed her and began to dry heave. Then a foul smelling black liquid spewed from her mouth onto the floor. Dolorem held her and moved her hair out the way. When he pulled his hand back he had a large clump of her hair in his hand. He looked at her frighted.

“you need to get to the hospital now!” she jerked away from him and stared him down. Her eye became even more blood shot and the yellow started to eat away at her original eye color. Dolorem tried grabbing her again but she took to the air uneasily and turned around fast, clipping dolorem with her hoof. She flew out the door as he held his hand a little above his right eye, her hoof cut deeply into his eye brow and blood was streaming out. He went to the bathroom and quickly bandaged it. When he was done he ran out side to look for fluttershy but she was no where to be seen. So he just picked a direction and left. He headed to Sweetapple acres at a jog, in only a red shirt and gray shorts, hoping she had headed that way... but she didn't.

“Baby, when I'm yellin' at you,

It's not your fault,

It's not your fault, yeah and

Baby cause I'm crazy for you,

It's not your fault

It's not your fault, yeah and,

Maybe I'm a little confused,

It's not your fault

It's not your fault, yeah and

Baby, it's a wonderful news.

It's not your fault,

It's not your fault, yeah”

Fluttershy was heading towards rarity's but not aiming to go there specificity, just anywhere away from dolorem. Dolorem ran down the dirt path to the large house where big mac was sitting on the porch resting, his left arm was in a sling from an accident a week ago. Dolorem rushed up to the house as big mag looked up.

“well hi-ya dolorem. What can I do ya for?” dolorem stopped in front of him breathing a little bit fast.

“did fluttershy come her? Have you seen her at all?” big mac just shook his head and spoke.

“nope. Haven' seen her in awhile now but aj is around back. You should ask her.” dolorem nodded and went around the house and found the orange cowpony hammering away at some spike in a large wooden block. She heard dolorem approaching and turned around, greeting him with a smile. Before she could speak he did.

“have you seen fluttershy?” applejack thought hard and then shook her head.

“can't say ah have, well not since her last umm... little fit.” dolorem ran a hand through his hair and sighed deeply. Applejack noticed the bandage on his eye brow and was a little concerned.

“now sugarcube, what's the matter?” dolorem's shoulders fell and he answered.

“she just ran off. We were having a fight and she got really angry and took off.” applejack nodded and stepped forward.

“did she do that to you?” dolorem just looked at her.

“I need to find her.” she nodded again and tried to be reassuring.

“if ah see her, ah'll try to keep her here and send applebloom to get you. Ok sugarcube?” dolorem nodded and turned to leave. He needed to look else where for her. He just felt like she was in trouble and he needed to help her, even if she didn't want it. At the moment fluttershy was flying over rarity's but had to land, she was tired and needed to rest. She felt strange inside like something was moving and it was not the child. She could feel it wrapped around her heart, threatening to squeeze it till it popped. Her mind was the same but it felt heavier and clouded. Her lungs were having a hard time taking in air and she sat there gasping. She couldn't catch her breath and soon everything was fading. Then everything went black and she fainted. At that time rarity had been busy with some dresses and was deep into her work. She had a large order from this rich mare in Canterlot and had to finish them quickly. She let sweetie belle sleep in since it was not a school day and she needed the peace and quiet. The young filly got out of bed and dragged her self down stairs to eat a late breakfast. Today her and the girls were going out fishing to try and find their cutie marks. As she munch through her hay cereal she happened to look up and out the window. It was a fine, sunny day, great for fishing. She was lost in thought when she saw a yellow Pegasus trying to land carefully on the ground just a little bit away. She noticed it was fluttershy and she saw her belly. She wondered what it would be like to have kids when she saw her collapse. She watched her and when she didn't move she got worried and went to find rarity. Rarity was placing a gem carefully on a silk dress as sweetie belle barged in.

“rarity fl...” rarity held up a hoof to silence her.

“not now darling I'm almost done.” sweetie tried again.

“pip pip pip pip, not yet.” sweetie was getting mad and yelled.

“fluttershy is outside and she just collapsed on the ground!” rarity quickly turned around worried.

“why didn't you say so?” she rushed by sweetie and outside.

“I was trying to but... oh never mind.” she followed rarity and they found fluttershy still unconscious. Rarity brought her inside and told sweetie to find dolorem. When she left, fluttershy came to. Rarity was looking over her and smiled.

“you gave us a scare darling. Are you alright?” fluttershy sat up and looked around confused. Then it was like she remembered. She suddenly became made and pushed her self away from rarity.

“don't touch me!” rarity back away shocked at her sudden flare. She tried calming her down but it didn't help.

“please darling calm down, sweetie belle went to find dolorem. It's going to be alright.” this just angered her even more.

“why do you care? No one asked for your help.” fluttershy stared down rarity who was even more so shocked.

“now that was uncalled f...” fluttershy yelled at her.

“shut up! You pig! You snob! No one cares about your dresses or what you do! It's ugly and pitiful!” she reached for the nearest dress and began ripping it apart while rarity watched in horror. Then it happened again and fluttershy puked more black and looked even worse then before. She pushed rarity to the side and ran out the door, leaving. Mean while sweetie belle was looking for dolorem and found him in town. She rushed over to him and got his attention.

“dolorem! You need to come quick, we have fluttershy and she doesn't look to good.” dolorem ran off with out her and she followed him when they got back they found rarity staring at the black puddle, lost in thought.

“rarity? Where did she go?” dolorem stood at the door way watching rarity, she didn't look up or move.

“she just started saying hateful things and ripped apart a dress then she puked and left. I don't know what's gotten into her but...” dolorem turned and left, heading to sugarcube corner. But fluttershy wasn't heading there, she was flying the other way and had to stop again to rest. And that's where she met rainbow dash. She was just walking alone bored when she saw the yellow Pegasus land so she went to met.

“hey flu...” fluttershy vomited the black foul liquid again and rainbow dash stared at her.

“shut up you whore!” after she was done she looked up and yelled, dash backed up shocked at her.

“wow fluttershy what's...” fluttershy screamed.

“he is my husband and not your little fuck toy! You stay away from him!” fluttershy took off while rainbow dash was reeling with what had just happened. Fluttershy made her way to Sweetapple acres while dolorem was talking to pinkie pie.

“... nope, she hasn't been her at all. Sorry.” even Mr. and Mrs. Cake hadn't seen her so dolorem left. He wondered around town asking anypony if they had seen fluttershy but none of them had. Then applebloom came running as fast as she possibly could. She stopped in front of dolorem frantic.

“she was at the barn. I need to find a doctor quick.” she left in a hurry and dolorem took off fast. Fluttershy had made her way to the apple house and found big mac asleep on the porch. She went around back and found applejack hammering away on the last spike, still sharp and sticking out. She turned when she heard someone behind her and saw fluttershy. She set down the hammer as she came closer.

“hey sugarcube your husband was lookin' for ya. He seemed awfully worried, is something going on between you two?” before she could answer she puked yet again this time it had a hint of copper. Applejack immediately became worried.

“fluttershy! Don't worry ah'll get applebloom to find dolorem. Applebloom... wow!” she ducked as fluttershy had grabbed the hammer and swung at her. She began swinging madly trying to crush in applejack's skull but she was to fast. Applejack was scared as the last swing came to close so she turned and bucked... and she heard a sickening snap. She spun around to see fluttershy's left wing broken and hanging useless to her side.

“oh no, oh no, oh no! Ah'm sorry, don't worry ah'll...”she had moved close to fluttershy who was crying with her head down when she suddenly shot up. She pushed applejack back and she fell into the spike, screaming as it burst out her stomach. Fluttershy took off as big mac and applebloom ran around the corner. Bic mac went to his sister as applebloom ran off to town to get help. Now dolorem was running in as he found big mac trying to help applejack. Soon the doctors came and rushed her to the hospital where everyone but fluttershy and twilight was at. Outside it was becoming dark and fluttershy was no where to be seen. A pony in a white coat came out the operating room with a sigh. Everyone rushed forward for the news.

“she fine, we got her stable. She won't be going anywhere for the next few weeks but she'll recovery nicely. Another couple inches to the right and she would have been paralyzed for life, she was lucky. She being moved to her room, come back tomorrow and you can visit her.” with that he turned and left they could see applejack being wheeled into a room down the hall. It was rainbow dash who spoke up.

“I saw fluttershy earlier... what's going on with her?” everyone turned to dolorem who was staring at where they just placed applejack. He walked forward and to her room. Inside she was connected to different machines and her heart monitor beeped regularly. He slowly walked to her and placed a hand on her head. This woke her up and she looked at dolorem weakly.

“was it her?” she couldn't talk and simply nodded her head.

“hey you ca...” a doctor stood at the door way but dolorem just rushed past him and past the others. He ran out side, looking all around. He wouldn't rest that night, he would scour every inch of Ponyville and the surrounding areas but it never occurred to him to look back home. Fluttershy made her way back tot he cottage, her wing dragging besides her useless. Angel would be the only one home... poor angel.

“Give me your suffering. Give me your pain. Let me take from you all that weighs down on you. My only wish is to see you free from despair... even if it cost me my life.”

As if waking up, Zecora came to and collapsed, twilight stood up shaking.

“twilight... please... the potion.” to weak to even speak in her rhyme she pleaded to twilight. The unicorn rushed to the cauldron and ladled some into a small bowl. She had to fight Zecora for her to drink it but she did. As twilight brought the bowl away she begged for more and after three trips she was sated. Passing out in twilight's hooves she was peaceful finally. Twilight moved her into her bed and waited. Waiting for hours until she finally came to, weak. Still not in her rhyme she told twilight of a flower, black that faded to a blue, and what it had done to her. At that moment she knew, this is what is wrong with fluttershy. After making sure Zecora was fine she rushed back to Ponyville, the night had set quickly, and made her way home. She took the recipe from Zecora and had to start her own at the tree house. It was a long process and the sun had just started to peak over the horizon. Dolorem decided to check the cottage... and it would change his life forever. He opened the door and noticed the floor first. Nearly all of it was soaked in the black vomit of fluttershy. Then he saw angel. A lump of fur and blood, he had been stomped to death. Dolorem went inside to find fluttershy sobbing on the floor in the living room. He slowly went to her and she turned. Her eyes were completely blood shot, black instead of red, and the yellow washed out all the green of her eyes. Heavy, swollen bags under her eyes. A trickle of blood ran out her mouth, tainted with black. Almost all her fur was so thin he could see the skin underneath, each vein popped out black and purple. In her hoof she held a small knife, repeatedly stabbing her now useless legs that dragged behind her. Bones stuck out her broken wing. She stared at dolorem as if she didn't know him but then it came back. She just growled and he ran forward, he had to get her to a hospital. That's when she struck. She sank the small knife into he left eye and it seared with pain but he held on. He held her tightly as she thrashed weakly in his grasp, blood pouring down his face and the bone of her wing stabbing him in the chest. He held on to her, he didn't know what else to do... but then he did. She struggled as hard as she could and he raised his right hand. Past the stomach that held their baby, past her chest that he would touch so softly and to her neck that he kissed so tenderly. She twisted around, facing him as his fingers wrapped around her throat. She beat her hooves on his chest as he stared into her angry eyes. His fingers squeezed tightly and he could feel her heart beat. Pumping so fast it began to slow, she began to wither around less and less. He could feel her life slipping through his fingers. Her eyes became wide as he stared into them and she tried one last time to push him away. Then she died... her life was gone. Her soul was free. Dolorem just started breathing heavily as he brought her closer, holding her tight. He didn't cry, he couldn't. His mind still hadn't register what had happened, what he had done.. For a few minutes he sat there holding her. Then the door flew open and twilight rushed in with doctors... but it was to late. She watched dolorem with his hand still wrapped around her throat and her lifeless body in his arms. She slowly walked forward and dolorem turned to her, still in a fog.

“we... could have saved her...” then it hit dolorem like a tsunami. His fingers unwrapped from her throat and he looked at her, tears flooding down his face. He cried hard and shook.

“what-what have I done?” he cried out into the air as the doctors rushed forward and pried him off her.

“the baby might still be alive!” rushing her body to the hospital they operated. Dolorem looked at his hands, the hands of a murderer, and cried even hard, screaming into the air. The child was alive but not the one that was meant to. The doctors were horrified as they extracted the infant. It's fur was black and it's body withered. Gender indistinguishable and... it had no eyes. It let out a horrifying wail as it took it's first breath of stolen air. It would haunt the doctors for the rest of their days. Fluttershy's funeral was the next day, twilight planed it and fast so that no one could see her body. After dolorem was released from the hospital he made his way to the funereal, still in the same clothes, the same bloody clothes. Twilight explained what had happened to fluttershy, what made her the way she was in the end and no one knew who to feel more badly for. Her or dolorem. He never said a word, he never turned to anyone. not until everyone had left, all but him and twilight. she wached him silently then he spoke.

"do you know what my name means? for the longest time I thought it was physical but now I know it's emotional too. it has defined my whole life, every aspect of my being. it's not a name but words in latin. to suffer pain. and I have, it's all I've known. and now it took from me the only one who ever showed me the difference in life. how to finally know what love was. dolorem pati. to suffer pain... dolorem pati..." He just stared at the casket which held his wife, the wife he killed. She was buried north of dolorem's old house and that's where he stayed so that each day he could see her grave. After the funereal he went back to the hospital to get his child. It just made it's horrible wailing as he brought it home and that night... he lost the last piece of sanity he had. He killed it, drowned it in the bathtub. It was not their child, it was the thing that killed their child. He didn't bury the child, he burned it in a pit out side. Then he went to the Everfree. He went back tot he grave in the clearing, his world had shattered into the blood red sky. He dug up the grave in the ground. Chrysalis skull had been replaced and the wood patched but her tore it away. He grabbed her rotted corpse as it began to “re-flesh” and become whole.

“my sweet darling you've come back to me.”

“just give me her...I'll do anything, just bring her back to me...” twilight had been in the forest. she found the black flowers and with her magic see destroyed every last one. not a single spore was left, nothing to tie them to thos world any more. she was leaving when she saw dolorem digging up the grave. twilight watched dolorem speak to the corpse of Chrysalis, pleading it to bring back fluttershy to him. Lighting up her horn she hit dolorem with a spell and it brought him back, if only for a while. He dropped her corpse and cried as she walked over to him. She hugged him tightly as he wept and made him come with her. She brought him to the tree house where he finally stopped crying. She had to do something for him. She was in pain with the lost of her dear friend but not like him. She was his world, the only thing that kept him anchored to this one and now he was losing control again. The only thing she wanted to do was make him happy... make him feel good. She led him to the back. And the next morning they woke up and he hadn't slipped away, although he always teetered at the edge. Twilight received a letter from Celestai, so was leaving and for how long she didn't know but it would be a long time. Everyone was trying to cope with fluttershy's death and twilight was now leaving. As they said their good bye she watched one last time as the destroyed human sank in the distance. Now it was rarity, pinkie pie, rainbow dash, applejack and dolorem. But to dolorem the world was empty, cold, and alone. He would be locked in his house for over a week, still in the same clothes, still bloody. His fragile psyche had been obliterated and he spent every moment in the “flicker”, the spell twilight cast didn't last long and now he was left to the horrors in his mind. It was only a matter of time before...

“I have loved to the point of madness. That which is called, that which to me is the only sensible way to love.”

Author's Note

the lyrics are from not you fault by awolnation. I thought it would go good for that part.

"... the giant fell."

Chapter twenty two:

“... the giant fell.”

Three months. Three months in which he stayed in the “flicker" and let it wash over him. He lived in the nightmare that was his mind, he deserved it. He relived ever moment, every damned memory. He watched as he killed her over and over and over. Changelings would drag him through the forest to Chrysalis and she would taunt him, becoming his lost love and forcing him to kill her. He was nearing the end as his mind crumbled, unable to distinguish the two worlds. Everything he was fell apart and could no longer be a whole. He would have moments of clarity in which he suffered under a sea of grief and despair. Rarity would try her best to clean him up, he would just set in his living room and not ever move. Applejack, after fully recovering, would speak to him but he never heard a word. Pinkie pie tried all sorts of colorful treats, sweets, and games but nothing ever changed on his face and soon she was forced to feed him because he wouldn't on his own. Rainbow dash tried to get him to move but he would just fall, he didn't even have the will to stand. He was withering fast but soon it wouldn't matter. During a single bitter sweet moment of clarity he knew what he was going to do. He got the strength from his pain and left his house in the same clothes still. His mind led him down the path of glass to a forest of trees made of flesh. Changelings followed and cheered in victory as he made his way through the Everfree. His knew where to go and the changelings helped carry him along. Soon he made it, to the very spot he fell. The cliff in which under him was the raging river with the jagged rocks. He pulled out something from his waist he tied to it and placed it around his neck. Then he leaned forward... and the giant fell.

“Sometimes I think about killing my self because I have nothing to live for... but then I think, I have nothing to die for either.”

“... and then he was gone!” rainbow dash was napping in a tree when she woke up to here the end of some wild story of some fillies. She dropped down next to them yawning.

“what you guys talking about?” it was some fillies that just moved into town, a gray one with a red mane stepped up.

“have you seen the giant before? He looks awesome and I never seen one like him before. But I was with some other of my friends in the Everfree, I know right really dangerous, and we saw him. He walked up to this cliff and the only thing below was a river and it was waaaaaaaay down there. Then he put something around his neck and... he jump. We rushed forward from where we were but he was gone! He just vanished.” this worried rainbow dash and she took off into the air, living the foals in awe. She rushed to the cliff dolorem fell from when he was chased by the timber wolf and she found... nothing. Until she looked at a tree stump, tied around it was a rope that snapped and the frayed end dangled off the cliff edge. She slowly walked to it and looked down into the raging water with dagger like rocks. She held her breath until she heard someone else. She looked further over it and saw close to the cliff wall on a smaller ledge was dolorem, a rope around his neck. He looked dazed with his eyes open. The only way he had survived was because the rope swung when he dropped and snapped while he was over the ledge, saving him. She flew down scared but saw he was fine, just laying there. When dolorem fell he had another moment of clarity and sweet release. Then the roped snapped and he landed heavily on the smaller hidden ledge. He laid there and stayed in this world, watching the sky until he saw a rainbow mane lean over the cliff edge. She landed next to him and took his head in her hooves and... cried.

“why? Why would you try to kill your self?” she shook as she held him weeping. He answered her with the horrid clarity of his mind.

“why not?” she looked down at him after moving slightly away. Then her eyes became more focused.

“because we lost twilight when she left. Then we lost fluttershy, I cried every night for two weeks strait but I know it's nothing compared to the pain you felt. And now you were going to... I can't... lose you too...” she cried harder unable to take it any more and dolorem sat up in her arms.

“tell me why... tell me what I have left to live for... I have lost everything.” she pulled her arms away and stared at him.

“because... I know I did a lot of things on impulse, I screwed it up with applejack because of that but she said she still loves me as a friend and want to stay like that. And even though I did something to you I did respect what you and fluttershy... had. but I knew something. That I loved you, more then I thought. I knew while you were with her you would be safe but know... you're killing your self and it's doing the same to me too. I don't wait to lose you too... I couldn't handle it.” she cried in small sobs as she spoke and dolorem was silent as he stared into her wine colored eyes.

“I don't know if you feel the same or even can after losing her but I want you to know... that I”m here for you and I want to help you through this...” he was still silent but then he cried him self. It was true he needed some one to help him, he would have continued to spiraled down if not. She leaned forward and hugged him tightly and he held her back, both crying. After some difficulty dolorem climbed over the cliff edge, taking off the rope he tossed it over and both made their way out the forest. He returned home and found something he forgot. Her feather, taken out of the hat and placed gently on the living room table. The silver coin necklace with a feather on the bottom and a heart resting on top of it etched into the coin and on the back was the date he came to equestria engraved. Then something he hadn't seen in a long time, something fluttershy did for them both. It was the metal wrist band that shifted to move over your hand and shrink to fit in place. And on the metal plate was another date. The day they got married. Rainbow dash watched dolorem as he looked over the painful remainders with tears running down his face. He went to his room and pulled out a box, placing them inside and closing it. He sat there running his hand over it as tears fell on it. In the living room dash found something covered and she went over it, slowly pulling it off. She gasped at what she found. It was fluttershy, a wooden bust of her. It captured every detail of her face, her fur, and her hair. It was so well made it seemed real, but to dolorem it would never be enough. He walked in as she was viewing his art work with watery eyes. It made her cry as it reminded her of how they lost some one so beautiful, someone how never deserved to die. Dolorem walked over and ran his hand gently over her hair and down to her face. He held his hand there and he thought he felt warmth with in the wood, but it was only his tortured mind.

“it's so... beautiful.” rainbow dash walked over and brushed it with her hoof. He breathed deeply as he remembered all the hard, secretive work he put into it. It was meant to be a one year anniversary gift but not it was a painfull work of art of someone lost forever. They both stared at the bust for some time before he finally covered it. It was time. He needed help and rainbow dash was there for him. But before he could do anything he had to go to her. And he did. He slowly walked to her grave, the tomb stone setting there as to remind him for the rest of his days. Her date of birth. Her date of death. Her name. Fluttershy Pati. And at the top carved in was butterflies, her cutie mark. He fell to his knees and slowly reached out his hand and touched the cold stone. Taking a deep breath and closing his eyes, rainbow dash walked besides had placed her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes too, the wind blew. But it was different, not only cool and soft. It carried a silky touch that ran under his chin as if pulling his face up and rainbow dash's too. They opened their eyes and looked into the sky, seeing a faint glimpse of something yellow with pink soaring in the air. As if all at once every butterfly took to the air, swirling like a soft storm of vivid colors. That's when he knew. He could feel the weight of the world slip off his shoulders and feel the slight warmth of dash's head still there. He could feel the darkness ease out his mind, out his heart. He could live again. He knew with that touch of the wind that she was telling him something. Telling him to not fall, to raise back up. To move on with his life. It would be hard, it was for her too. He cried again but... in joy. Rainbow dash held him and he held her back. It would be ok. He could survive this. He stood after they let go of each other and one last time placed his hand on her grave. She took one final thing from him now. It was the darkness that he would slip into and now he could be peaceful. They left back to his house and now... now he could began his life again. He cleaned him self and his house, no longer dull. He could eat, drink, and move. Everyone noticed him coming back to life, like he had died again and now revived once again. And true to her word rainbow dash was there for every step of the painful journey. The others were overjoyed. Rarity cried with joy and applejack laughed happily. It seemed that pinkie pie would never stop hugging him but he didn't care because he could finally smile again. Then it reached a year. A year of recovery and he sat at her grave but he was happy. He sat there and recalled every good memory and relished the time they had together. As night came rainbow dash came for him, to find him smiling. They left and headed back home. Now they were together, fluttershy wanted him to move on and felt like she was the best choice, they switched from his house to hers even though he needed a hot air balloon to get up there. He felt happy but deep inside his heart still belonged to fluttershy, his first love in his life ever and rainbow dash understood but they loved each other regardless. They would live a happy life but still dolorem pati, a name. A curse. It would still direct his life but in a time later. For now after three years the two would get married, even twilight showed up and couldn't be any more happy for them. But could she tell dolorem what had happened? She couldn't. Not now.

“You have been in my life for so long it's all I remember... but for now don't cry because it is over, smile because it happened and know that I will always be in your heart.”

A flower for you

Chapter twenty three:

“A flower for you.”

“so naught nurse or sexy librarian?” rainbow dash held up a lace nurse outfit and a silk librarian one. She waited to try something different tonight and had bought several outfits from a secret story in Canterlot. It had been six years since her death and he was living a good life now. With rainbow dash he experienced life like before. Now he was sitting back on a cloud couch as she switch the costumes over her form one to the other. Dolorem chuckled and raised an eye brow.

“you a librarian?” she thought about it and tossed the silk librarian outfit aside, walking behind a section of wall to change. She came back out moments later with the tight white lace nurse outfit on. She slowly and seductively walked to dolorem.

“now tell me what's been hurting?” she bat her eyes at him and he couldn't help it any more. He began laughing and she rolled her eyes.

“come on, you promised! You said you would play along.” dolorem calmed down but was still smirking.

“ok, I will... umm, well nurse. It hurts here... and here... and here.” as he talked he pointed to is forehead and she slowly made her way and lightly kissed the spot. Then he pointed at the tip of his nose and she kissed there but also a small nibble. Then he pointed at his lips but she didn't kiss him. She went to the ends of his lips and bit all the way to the other side before finally kissing him. They kissed deeply and she pulled away to look into his... eye. The left one had been damaged badly and now it stayed slightly cracked open a few millimeters, no longer useful. Above his right eye on the brow was a cut in it with a scar. His physical body had healed and mostly his mental... but still he felt the pain of the past. With rainbow dash the pain slowly faded away and she made him feel alive once again. Especially now. She leaned in for another kiss but he moved his head and she ended up kissing the couch. He turned her around and pushed her down, moving close to her ears. He whispered into her ear.

“I think someone needs to have their temperature checked.” he began to back away from her, moving to behind her. He was running his hands over her back when he heard something besides the light moans from her. He ignored it but then it happened again and this time rainbow dash heard it too. She sat up and called out.

“Pinkie!” then suddenly a pink mare popped out from beneath the floor. She was grinning broadly with something familiar in her hand... a camcorder. Dolorem stared at her confused. What was she doing with a... then it hit him. He turned to rainbow dash with a serious face.

“when you asked me about if the windows were locked, why?” she looked off nervously laughing and pinkie spoke up.

“oh don't worry, I have like hundreds of videos of a bunch of different ponies, griffins, minotaurs, and all other kinds.” this didn't surprise him at all and he just shook his head. Pinkie pie giggled and disappeared back under the clouds but he had a feeling she wasn't gone. Dash chuckled and rolled her eyes, turning to dolorem.

“I think I still need my temperature checked.” dolorem smiled and pushed her down. It was a warm spring day with a light breeze and the sun shining brightly. Everyone below was enjoying the nice day, some more then others. Later in the afternoon the two were laying on the floor and rainbow dash's costume was still on. She turned on her side to dolorem.

“so I think I'm all better.” she climbed onto his chest staring into his eye. He smiled and chuckled.

“you're the nurse so tell me. Do I look alright?” she grinned and kissed him, nodding her head. They laid together for some time until he asked a question that had changed his life before, even though it was for the worst. He took a deep breath and looked at her, her wine colored eyes staring back sleepily.

“baby I was wondering... well...” she waited for him to continue as he took another deep breath. His heart had picked up faster and he felt light.

“what do you think about having children?” that woke her up and she sat up on his chest. She thought to her self and then smiled.

“well don't tell any one but yeah I have. I always wanted to have a foal of my own and teach them to fly.” dolorem smiled and his heart slowed down. He pulled her down to him and hugged her tightly. They made plans to visit the hospital later on to get a check up for rainbow dash. After waiting some time in the doctors office a male unicorn with a brown coat and gray mane wearing a white coat came in with medical charts. They sat up eager to her the news but he sighed as he sat down in front of them.

“I'm sorry to inform you but you are unable to get pregnant.” they both stared at him and rainbow dash's heart dropped.

“from years of your vigorous training, flying, and accidents. It placed a lot of stress on your body and now... you're unable to become pregnant. I'm sorry.” her heart sunk even more and she felt hollow inside. She couldn't believe this was happening and tears rolled down her eyes. She felt useless. Having a child was something she had wanted but she felt that dolorem wanted one more then she did. And now she couldn't give him what he wanted. She felt useless. She began crying even more and shook. Dolorem hugged her and placed his hand under her chin, bringing her face up. He looked into her eyes and smiled. His smiled said it all to her. That it didn't matter and he still loved her no matter what. She took a deep breath to calm her self down and smiled a small smile. They went to the cloud home and dolorem prepared dinner for them. Rainbow dash sat on the couch with her heart still heavy with the news but then she had an idea. As dolorem was setting the table she walked up behind him. He was busy humming to him self and she spoke.

“what about adopting?” he stopped his humming and turned to her. He didn't even need to answer as he just smiled. After dinner they spent that night talking about the options and soon it would happen. They found them selves at an adoption center watching foals running around playing. They were happy and bright. A mare with a red coat and green mane was going through everything with them and now they were watching the kids. It was just after lunch and they were all out side playing, laughing and smiling. It was hard deciding until they saw him. He was much younger then the rest and all by him self by a tree. He had a yellow coat and a messy black mane, almost like rainbow dash. When he sat down he stretched out his wings that were a little to big for him and yawned. The mare that was helping them noticed they were watching him and spoke.

“that little guy is the youngest here, four years old. His parents died in a fire at their home but the poor boy was lucky enough not to be home at the time. He's a little confused still and keeps to him self. He does understand though, that his parents are gone and he's here waiting for someone to take him away. He's such a nice boy just scared. He doesn't know what's going to happen.” dolorem was turned and listening to her but rainbow dash was still watching the little colt. She just fell in love with the small child and he was staring back with his bright aqua eyes. She walked slowly to him and he started to get nervous and pulled his wings around him, hiding his face. She stopped and chuckled as she watched him. She put her face at the hole where he ducked his head.

“hey there. Don't worry I just want to talk.” she pulled back with a warm smile as he slowly peaked his head out from his wings. Dolorem watched rainbow dash light up as she was talking to the small colt.

“I'm rainbow dash. What's your name?” he looked up at her and smiled a little. He was still nervous but he liked her. With her wine colored eyed that showed kindness he felt... safe. He tucked his wings behind him, they rested covering up his side from being to big for them. He would grow into them and they wouldn't be a problem. For now he looked adorable with his over sized wings.

“my name is Rivet Orchid. Whats your na... oh never mind.” he smiled a little embarrassed but rainbow dash loved it. They talked some more and she found out that he liked the color azure, she was surprised he knew that word, and his favorite food was watermelon. As they were talking dolorem made his way to them. As he stopped next to rainbow dash, little rivet looked up with his eyes wide and his mouth dropping. Dolorem dropped to a knee and smiled at the small colt. He was scared at such a large creature he never seen before and the scars on his face. He was so big and hairy but... his smile was so kind and warm like the rainbow maned mare next to him. Rainbow dash looked at dolorem and then back to rivet.

“rivet this is my husband, dolorem.” rivet managed to close his mouth but his eyes were still wide. Then he smiled as he looked up to dolorem's kind face.

“hi I'm ri... oh wait you already know my name.” dolorem just chuckled and rivet felt happy. He really liked them both and they all started to talking to each other. It was getting close to dinner and all the children had to go inside. Rivet left a little sad and hoped he could see them again.

“he's the one.” rainbow dash said to the mare who had been helping them. She was determined to take this child right now but there was a matter of paper work and after it was all done the red mare spoke.

“ok now it will be a week before you can take him home and I'm sure he can't wait either.” they had told rivet that they wished to adopt him and he couldn't smile harder. He spent nearly the entire night wondering how his new life would be. Mean while the two parents to be spent the whole week getting his room ready in the cloud house. Rainbow dash sculpted the cloud with ease but dolorem not so much. He was struggling to shape the bed at the moment.

“stupid... ass hole... stay still!” dash looked over and grinned at him as he was becoming more and more frustrated with the cloud. She flew over to him and placed her hooves on his hands. She guided his hands as they shaped the bed and finally it was done. He stepped back looking over their work and smiled at her. She giggled and went back to the wall. They finished the room with one day to spare and went to visit the excited colt. He ran to them and tripped over his wings , skidding through the grass. He sat up spitting out dirt and grass as rainbow dash come over to him.

“are you ok?” she started picking out the grass in his messy mane as he spit out a clump of grass. He looked up and smiled with bits and pieces still in his teeth,

“yeah it happens all the time.” she smiled at him as dolorem walked up grinning. They were allowed to take him out for lunch that day and he had so much fun. When they brought him back he was sad they had to leave again but he knew that tomorrow he would begin his new life with them. When the sun rose and breakfast was inhaled he ran to gather what little stuff he had. He had a small little pouch with bits of metal inside and a tiny screw driver. He carefully tucked it under wing so it wouldn't fall out and waited. Not long after he saw a familiar rainbow mane and giant. He rushed forward with a large smile and tripped over his wings again. He slid to a stop in front of them looking with a smile still. Rainbow dash picked him up and hugged him tightly and he hugged back. Then him and dolorem hugged and he tried to get his hooves around his neck but it was to big. Rainbow dash even started to cry a little with joy and they took him home. Dolorem had to use the balloon to get up to the house and rainbow dash had rivet climb onto her back and hang on. Now they were all in the cloud house and they took rivet to his room. He looked all around with a goofy grin and turned to hug his new parents. They were all happy and now they lived their life. Over the next couple of days he got to meet the three mares that had been waiting to see him. They all met at sugarcube corner and it was rarity who met him first.

“he is so... adorable!” she looked at his messy black mane and his soft yellow coat. She couldn't stand how cute it was to her about his over sized wings.

“I'm rarity and you are simply the cutest thing ever.” rivet blushed as she spoke on about how cute he was. Applejack walked up and tipped her hat.

“well howdy there sugarcube, I'm applejack. And if you ever need anything ah'll try my best to help you.” then he suddenly exploded in a pink poof. Pinkie pie was cradling him and spinning around. Every one had no idea where she just came from as she spun around with rivet who was shocked.

“ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh! He is sooooooooooo cute, I could just eat him.” she sat him down softly and he was a little dizzy. Rainbow dash came forward to see if he was ok but he was just grinning as his eyes rolled around in his head.

“that's pinkie pie. Just be careful with her or you might end up fat with all the sweets she'll try to shove down your throat.” as if on cue pinkie spun around with a try full of cupcakes and lowered them to rivet. He grinned and grabbed a blue one with purple frosting.

“I don't think that's a bad thing.” he took a large bite of the cupcake and the frosting was all over his mouth as he enjoyed it. They all spent the day getting to know each other and having fun as pinkie had set up some games for him to play. It was getting late and rivet started to yawn. Everyone said their good byes as rainbow dash had him climbed on her back. The three walked back home and rainbow dash spoke to him.

“did you enjoy today?” he didn't answered but instead he let out a small snore and shifted on her back. Dolorem looked at him and smiled. Instead of flying they got into the balloon and rode it up to the house. Rainbow dash gently laid him down into the bed and dolorem covered him. They both watched him as he slept. They went to their room quietly.

“I'm glade we have him.” dash spoke to dolorem as they slid into bed. Dolorem hugged her and closed his eyes.

“me too sweetheart.” they both fell asleep happy. Over the next couple of months they enjoyed ever aspect of parenthood. He attained school in Ponyville and made many friends. Dolorem even wrote to twilight and she read the letter with a heavy heart.

I can't tell him now. Especially since he had a son.

A year later they were at home about to eat dinner when rivet jumped on dolorem's back trying to gnaw at his head but only getting a mouth full of hair.

“I'm gona eat your brains!” dolorem laughed as he reached for him and pretending he couldn't get him.. they just got back from watching a movie about zombies and rivet was scared but he liked the movie. Rainbow dash walked by chuckling.

“ok boys settle down it's dinner time.” dolorem grabbed rivet and brought him in front of him. Rivet hugged him and dolorem held him tightly. They enjoyed dinner and while rainbow dash was reading a letter from her job, rivet pulled out a small pouch and began tinkering with the metal pieces with in. dolorem leaned over and watched him as he was screwing two pieces together. He raised an eye brow and swallowed his food.

“what you got there?” rivet looked up and smiled, showing his large farther. It was orangish yellow little plates and rods on a small half circle but he couldn't really tell what it was.

“I haven't finished it yet but I'm almost done.” he want back to tinkering with it and then he placed it on the table. Then it moved and the rods spun around and went under neath it. It lifted up and the front opened as a small nut popped out like a head. It looked like... a spider and it took off. They both watched it as it headed to rainbow dash who was still busy reading her letter. It wasn't until it latched onto the paper and peaked over the top did she see it, when she did she screamed and fell back wards on the floor. Dolorem and rivet laughed hard as she hovered in the air looking for the spider. It was on the table flipped over with it's legs moving in the air trying to get up. She poked it with her hoof and the legs and head went back into the half circle. She looked up at the two still laughing and grinned shaking her head. Rivet went over and placed it back into his pouch as rainbow dash stared at his flank. It was blank, she thought it wouldn't be since he made that but maybe it wasn't his cutie mark. It wouldn't be until after his fifth birthday did he discovered it. Dolorem had taken rivet to his house on the ground while rainbow dash was busy with weather duty. He was cleaning up as rivet was out side looking around. He noticed a sun flower that was a little taller then him. He reached up to smell it but fell forward and landed on the flower. He quickly got up and looked at the flower. It was bent at the middle as it laid on the ground. He felt like he was going to get in trouble and quickly pulled out his pouch and began putting pieces together. Inside dolorem heard a thump and went to look out side to find rivet. He found him as he was placing a small metal clamp on the bottom of a sun flower. He turned around with a worried face.

“I didn't mean to! I fell over trying to smell it and it...” he turned back to the flower as he was screwing two rods together at a joint. Dolorem smiled, shaking his head as he went to him.

“hey don't worry, it's just a flower.” he tried calming him down as he placed another clamp at the top of the stalk under the flower head. He tapped the joint of the little device and it slowly raised. It was standing up again with the help of the device and he felt better now. Dolorem was smiling when he noticed something happening to rivet. His flank rippled and now there was a picture there.

“hey champ look.” dolorem tapped the new cutie mark and rivet turned his head. Now he was smiling even more as he saw his flank. It was a daisy and you could see that it was made out of metal and screws, at the bottom if the stem instead of roots was a little metal spring. They went back home to the cloud house and rivet couldn't wait to show his mom. Dash came home after lunch and rivet nearly tackled her.

“mom, mom, mom, look!” it felled rainbow dash's heart with joy when he said that and he turned to show her his cutie mark. She looked at it with disbelief. They sat down and he told her how it happened and she was nearly as happy as he was. The next day after dash told the others, pinkie throw a large party for rivet. He had a blast and got to show off his talent. Every loved the little metal flower that opened when it was in light and closed when it was in the dark. They went home that night as rivet had a stomach ache from to much sweets but he had the time of his life. They put him to bed and went to theirs, it had been a long but great day. Life was good for them all. In a couple of years rivet grew into his wings and rainbow dash taught him to fly. He loved it but was sad because he had to watch his father who had to stay on the ground, not able to soar with him and his mother. Dolorem didn't mind, he loved the fact he was having fun and able to fly free. Down the road rivet wanted to fix that problem, so in secret and using his wings as a modal he made a set identical to his but he knew they were to small even though they worked. He placed them away and would began calculating on what it would take to make his father a pair of wing. It may not have anything to do with flowers but he was confident he could do it. He wanted to fly next to his father, he wanted to fly with his family.

“You don't need to be blood to be family and it is a child who knows this more than anyone else.”

Child assembly required

Chapter twenty four:

“Child assembly required.”

“mom! Have you seen my tools?” rivet called out for his mom as he he looked under the cushions of the couch. Now he was seventeen and taller than his mother, he was still growing. His messy black mane was long and singe from a “don't worry about that explosion” in his room. He tied his tail at the top and bottom to keep it out of the way from his work but it was hard since it was really poofy almost like pinkie pie's but not curly. He would have to braid it before going to fly because it would catch in the wind but he was fast at it. His yellow coat was often dirty with oil and dirt but when clean it was bright and gleaming. He still had his large wings but they weren't hindering, they were powerful and strong. He was looking under the couch as rainbow dash called out.

“ask your dad.” she was cooking breakfast as rivet walked in.

“dad!” there was no answer as he looked around. With out missing a beat or turning rainbow dash spoke.

“he's at the shop.” rivet nodded his head and went to the door to leave. The “shop” was dolorem's old house, it was to small to be their home so since he still carved from time to time and rivet had his “mech-flowers” he turned it into a shop for them. He took to the air and glided to the shop where dolorem was inside carving a chair. He had started taking orders from other for bits and was doing well. Rivet landed in front of the house and walked in, dolorem had his back to the door by the window by the front door and with out turning he spoke.

“by the couch.” rivet blinked then it dinged on him. He walked over to the couch and on the table was his tools like his father said. Dolorem was sanding the chair as rivet walked over to the part that was his work station. It was table by the window that faced the road to Canterlot covered in oil and scratches. A shelf was above him that held other metal pieces, small and large, with out looking up he started searching for a piece. When he couldn't find it he looked up and searched again but it wasn't there. He turned to dolorem but before he could say anything dolorem did.

“by the shelf over next to the kitchen.” rivet walked over to the shelf and began searching. He found it, a long metal rod with a socket at the top, pulling it down it caught a towel over something and took it off. The towel fell on his head and he took it off, looking up. Then he saw it. A beautiful wooden bust of a mare, it had been treated with chemicals and other solutions to make it last for nearly a life time. He couldn't take his eyes off it, so life like and so beautiful.

“dad... is this...” dolorem turned and saw what he was looking at as he said the last word.

“... fluttershy?” dolorem slowly stood and made his way to him and her. He stopped and reached out his, gently running his hand over it. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, rivet could see the pain flash across his face. He knew about her from his a picture he found at home and after asking his mom. It hurt her to talk about it but she didn't tell him what she was other then her friend. Dolorem took it off the shelf and went to the living room to set it on the table.

“yes...” rivet followed him and looked again at the bust. Dolorem had a small smile.

“before I married your mom I was married to her. After I lost her it was your mom who saved me. I would have killed my self from the grief. That's something you should never think. No matter what you feel. No matter the darkness of the moment love and hope is always possible... never think about killing your self. You leave behind more pain then you think you're getting rid of.” rivet listened to him and would remember this words but know there was something else he wanted to know.

“how did she die?” he could see the reaction in his eyes, they got some what watery like he was going to cry but he didn't.

“I killed her...” this stuck rivet, he didn't understand. Why didn't he ever know this? One day dolorem would tell him the entire story but for know he didn't want to weigh his mind with his darkness. He walked back to his work as rivet continued to stare at the beautiful sculpture. Then he went back to his work but his heart wasn't into it, he wanted to know that story. After awhile rainbow dash walked in.

“hey you guys what are you...” she saw fluttershy and stopped. It still struck her, so beautiful and life like. Dolorem stood up and went to her.

“why don't we go out to the park today?” she looked up to him and nodded as rivet came over. He was going to go home real quick to wash up and would meet them there. As they watched him take off rainbow dash turned to her husband.

“did you tell him?” dolorem just watched as his son left.

“no... in time.” she nodded and they continued to the park. It was beautiful summer day, bright and hot. They sat under a tree in the shade as they waited for rivet and he came soon. His coat was clean and his mane was still it's mess. His tail was horribly poofy, bigger then pinkie pie's tail. Dolorem and rainbow tried not to laugh as he walked up.

“hey fuzz butt.” dolorem spoke as rainbow dash laughed hard. Rivet rolled his eyes sitting with them and started to braid his tail. He did a hunter braid but all they way to the bottom except for three inches that looked like a fuzzy ball at the end. They sat together and told jokes and funny stories until a blond mailmare flew to them.

“For a Mrs. pati.” she pulled out a letter and gave it to her. She took off as dash opened it. She sighed as she tucked the letter away.

“I got to go. There is some trouble at the rainbow factory and their to stupid to figure it out them selves. Sorry guys I'll see you at dinner.” she hugged them both and took off. They watched her leave and continued with his story.

“... and I woke up and she was licking my toes!” rivet laughed hard, he couldn't believe pinkie pie was that crazy. They were still laughing when they heard a scream. Ponies were running away back into town. Dolorem shot up and looked at from where they were running from. A loud roar ripped through the air and they both saw it. It was a lion but twice as large as the ones dolorem knew and it's claws were even bigger. He could see the muscle rippling in the front of it's body. Then over it's large mane a goat head popped up but it was attached to it's body, a little below the shoulder blades. Half way on it's body turned into that of a goat and it's hind legs too. Then at the end was it's tail, a long scaly rope with a menacing snake's head with hateful red eyes. A chimaera. It roared again and slowly moved forward, looking down. Then dolorem saw her. A small foal crawling on her back in terror. She was pink with a blue mane and in pure terror. He did what came natural. He ran for her as the chimaera closed in. rivet even ran too. Dolorem turned just as he reached her and snatched her into his arms when a large clawed paw came down. Rivet followed dolorem as he ran away from the beast. He sat down the frighten foal and rivet stopped next to them.

“take her to town.” rivet nodded and scooped up the foal, taking to the air. Dolorem turned to see the chimaera barreling down on him. He turned to face it and waited. Dolorem dived to the side as it leaped at him. They played a game of cat and mouse, it would charge and he would jump to the side. Rivet touched down in town and gently placed the foal down. Others rushed to him.

“rivet what's going on darling?” rarity came up to him as he was about to take off again.

“I don't know what it is but something attacked ponies in the park! Dad still there, I need to go back. Get help.” he took off and flew fast to the park. Rarity rushed away as the foals parents ran to her. In the park the game turned deadly. As dolorem dived side ways the chimaera snapped it's razor teeth at him. He caught his left leg and pulled him closer. It began shaking it's head side to side violently and tossed him aside. Dolorem hit the ground hard and wasn't moving, his leg horribly mangled. Rivet watched as the beast had him in it's mouth. He dived down at full speed as it tossed his father and he switched in air, slamming his hooves into the lions head. It fell over with the lion head confused and that's when the goat took over. It got back up, the lion head dangling down unconscious, and started to hop around. The snake head shot out and snapped at rivet as he took off, missing him by an inch. It bounced up and down trying to reach rivet in the air. He flew away and to his father. He landed next to him and shook him. He opened his eyes and rivet was relieved until he was pounced. A few feet from dolorem the chimaera pinned rivet to the ground, the lion woke up and was back in control. Then it lashed out with it's razor teeth and latched onto his right wing. Rivet let out a scream of pain and dolorem dragged him self up. The snake noticed him and lashed out, sinking his fangs into his shoulder. He could feel the poison burning through his body. Dolorem gouged out it's right eye and it whipped back hissing in pain. Dolorem stood up shaking and rushed to them. The lion head pulled back and with a sicking snap and tearing of flesh rivet's right wing was torn away. He blacked out from pain as the chimaera went for him again but dolorem was there. He grabbed it's maw and stopped it. It tried shaking from side to side to free it's self but he held on. The beast got free from his hold and opened it's mouth to sink the deadly teeth into him. With his left hand he grabbed it's top jaw and with his other the bottom jaw, stopping them from closing. The teeth cut into his hands as he pried the maw apart. He pushed down with all his strength on the bottom jaw, harder and harder. Then the jaw snapped and it pulled back as a gurgling roar of pain came from the beast's throat. It fell back onto it's side and dolorem fell with it by the goat head. The snake wrapped around him and was about to sink it's fangs into him once again but he caught it. He opened it's mouth and slammed the fangs into the eye of the goat, it let out a high pitch scream as it convulsed with the poison quickly killing it. He twisted the snakes head and it loosened it's death grip on him. Untangling him self he crawled to his son. He could feel the venom burning in his veins as his world faded. He reached out for his son but blacked out. He could feel his heart beat slower and slower until...

“mom I'm ok.” rainbow dash was fussing over rivet in the hospital. She flew as fast as she could to find her family in the hospital when she was told about the attack. Dolorem was still in surgery and rivet was already in his room. Both were in shock as they saw his right wing or the lacking of. He actual could accept it more then his mother, she knew he would never fly again. Never be a true Pegasus. All that was left was a stub and it pained him greatly. He had to lay on his left side and dash sat in front of him. She almost lost both of them today and she was in tears. After some hours a doctor finally came to her and asked out into the hall. The moment of truth.

“we were able to stabilize him but he lost a lot of blood and there is a couple of things you need to know... his leg was badly damaged and we... had to amputate below the knee. With the poison we gave him an anti venom, it's a lot harder to fight a chimaera's venom but we were to late. He's... in a coma and we don't know when he'll wake up. I'm sorry but they're lucky to be alive.” her heart felt heavy and her knees weak. But she had to be strong for them both. The doctor led her to his room and she went in. many tubes and machines were connected to him as he laid there. She went to his side and laid her head on his chest, crying hard. She looked at his leg. It was more then half the length of the other, she couldn't tell with it covered in bandages and the blankets. His breathing was shallow and his skin pale. She kissed him on the forehead and left, going back to her son.

“how's dad?” rivet asked her as soon as she stepped into the room. She tried to look not so pained.

“he's... sleeping.” rivet let out a sigh of relief. She wasn't lying completely. A week later rivet was released but rainbow dash wouldn't let him see dolorem. She forced him out the hospital and to the shop. She was going to keep him on the ground for know and for good reason. then it finally hit him. He wouldn't fly again. He was no longer whole. Everyone would come to visit him and try to make him feel better. It was hard for rainbow dash but even harder for him. The foal they saved and her parents came to see him too. He laid in the bed as rainbow dash tried to sleep on the couch. He became a little drawn in, still in shock. After another week he talked to his mom.

“I want to see dad.” rainbow dash looked up with tired red eyes. She had been crying her self to sleep since dolorem was in the hospital. She couldn't fight him and just nodded. He rushed to the hospital, passed doctors into his room. He saw him sleeping and made his way to him.

“dad? Dad wake up.” he shook him slightly but he didn't wake. He did it again a little harder but still nothing. He didn't understand and he looked him over. Then he couldn't breath. He saw how his left leg was shorter then the other. He finally breathed again and cried. Now his father was like him, not whole. He wouldn't ever be able to walk again. He felt a hoof on his shoulder as rainbow dash tried to comfort him. Taking him back to the shop she told him that he was in a coma and they wouldn't know when he would wake. Rivet was sitting at his table, tinkering with random pieces. Then it hit him. He reached behind the table and pulled out something large, wrapped in cloth. Unraveling it he looked to the couch, his mother asleep. He pulled out the metal wings he made a couple of years ago. He knew know they would never give his father the joy of flight. They would have to be three times his height and even though they were made of light weight metal it would still be to heavy. Maybe he could fly again. His wings had grown but it was matter of shifting the metal feathers and adding more length. It took a month of secretive work that involved very precise measurements. Rainbow dash had left to got shop for food as rivet was finishing the last part of the wing. Fitting tightly on the stub that was his wing, the shoulder plate moved smoothly with his body. A leather strap ran across his chest and under his left arm helping it stay in place. It wasn't his true talent but he did it. He made a wing, a completely functionally wing. It matched his other but was a golden bronze that shinned brightly in the sun. he went for a test flight and after all that time of being grounded he once again enjoyed the sensation of the wind blowing through his mane. Rainbow dash was walking to the shop and went inside. She couldn't find rivet anywhere. She stepped back out side scanning the area when she heard a voice call out.

“mom! Look up!” she was confused and she looked up to see rivet... flying. The sun reflected off the golden bronze wing and cast a glow around him... like an angel. He landed a little clumsily next to her, he still had to get use to it, and she broke down into tears and dropped the bags of food. He hugged her tightly and spoke soothingly to her.

“see mom I told you I was ok.” she cried more and pulled back smiling. He helped he gather the food and they went inside. She made lunch as rivet gathered his tools. They ate and she couldn't help but stare at the glowing wing. After they finished he stood up.

“I'm going to see dad.” she nodded as he left. He flew to the hospital and made his way into his father's room. Every time he came in it flooded him with pain and sadness. He went over and uncovered his... leg. He took detailed measurements from the hip and waist all the way to the bottom of his right leg. After he kissed him on the cheek he left, he needed to get to work. It was eight months in since the attack and dolorem still hadn't waken. Rivet worked hard and had made many prototypes, he had to make it perfect. But he still couldn't get it right. He was beginning to give up hope and today he felt like seeing his father. He flew there perfectly, it took a lot of hard training and physical exhaustion but he could fly even better then before. He walked into his father's room and like always felt a near crushing sadness. He went over and kissed him on the cheek like always and moved a chair to the end of the bed. He laid his head down on his right leg with his face away from his dad as tears ran down.

“you know that looks good on you.” it was low raspy voice and rivet turned. Dolorem had his eye open and was watching his son. Rivet couldn't believe it, he thought he was dreaming so before he could wake up he rushed forward and hugged his father tightly. Dolorem weakly hugged him back as rivet cried into his shoulder.

“you heal fast. How long have I been out?” rivet pulled back with a sad face.

“it's been eight months, you were in a coma.” dolorem tried to think but his mind was still cloudy. He tried pulling him self up with difficultly.

“I cant breath.” he sat up with rugged shallow breathing and tried to calm him self with his eyes closed tightly. Finally he was breathing normally had he reached his hand down to his left leg. He began to slowly move his hand down his leg. He groaned loudly.

“ghaa, my leg is killing me.” his hand went over the stump and landed on the bed. He slowly opened his eye to see the missing limb. He couldn't breath again as he stared at the stump. Then he started to breath again and he sighed.

“well looks like we're both missing a piece of our self but you fixed your self didn't ya.” rivet felt his heart drop as dolorem stared at his stump. He looked up and smiled.

“hey why don't you tell your mom I'm ok.” he nodded and turned to leave.

“and tell them I'm hungry.” rivet smiled at that. After telling the doctor that his father was awake and hungry he went to find his mom. She was picking at her food when rivet came in.

“mom. He's awake.” she shot up and rushed up to him with large hopeful eyes. They made their way to the hospital where dolorem was draining a bowl of soup. He put down his bowl as rainbow dash came in with rivet. He smiled as her eyes flooded with tears. She ran forward had pulled him to her tightly. She didn't want to let go and cried even harder with joy. After a couple of days he was cleared to go home and left in a wheel chair. He was still in denial, they would find him on floor when he would try to get up for something. Every morning would start with pain and trying to remember why he wouldn't feel his left foot. After eight months in a coma he had restrengthen his body. The entire process was hard on rainbow dash and rivet but harder still for dolorem. In secret rivet still worked on the leg but still made no progress. Then rainbow dash had worked and worried her self sick and had to stay in bed. All of them in the cloud house, rivet know took care of them both. Her stomach would be in knots for days and she couldn't get get out of bed. Dolorem tried his hardest to make it easier on rivet until one day.

“hey mom, dad wake up.” rivet opened the curtain that covered the window and flooded the room with light. They covered their eyes and dash managed to sit up. She had gotten a little better and dolorem felt a little less pain but not much.

“I have something to show you.” they both dragged them selves out of bed, dolorem into his wheel chair, and went to him by the window.

“ok what is it, I...” rainbow dash stopped dead as she looked out the window with dolorem. She had been bed ridden for a months and had missed the ground some what. What they saw now silenced them. What they saw was... flowers. Different kinds of wild flowers in dirt that floated by the window of the cloud house. They were in a short green tinted metal cylinder with small tubes running from the top to the bottom. A fan was in the middle sucking in air and pushing it out, keeping them aloft. They bounced gently in the air so... beautiful. Rainbow dash began to cry and dolorem smiled. It was a gift so beautiful for them by their son. They hugged him tightly and thanked him so much. every day rainbow would water them and by passing Pegasus noticed them. One day a purple Pegasus with a dark blue mane with different colored purple strips stopped by like others before asking about the flying flowers. She also had a cutie mark of a cloud with a pint brush with a tip covered in a rainbow of colors. Dolorem went to the door and was a little shocked as she looked so familiar, the difference was her man was curly.

“hey I'm Marble Cloud and I was coming to ask about the... flowers?” dolorem turned in his chair and called out.

“rivet you have another fan!” then a loud explosion sounded from his room.

“don't worry about that explosion, I'll be right down!” moments later he came down with oil all over his face and his mane singe and smoking. He came to the door and stopped staring at the mare. They were about the same age and he couldn't take his eyes off her. She was so beautiful.

“hey I'm marble cloud. Did you make those flowers?” he tried speaking but nothing came out by incoherent mumbles. Dolorem elbowed him and he came to.

“yeah, I'm rivet orchid pati. What's you na... what never mind.” she giggled as dolorem wheeled off to find rainbow dash. He whispered yelled for her.

“sweetheart come her!” rainbow dash came to him and was about to ask him what was wrong but he shushed her and pointed at the two by the door. They smiled as she left and he turned with a goofy grin.

“hey there player, so what happened?” he snapped out and smiled a little embarrassed.

“oh well she's an artist. She sculpts and paints clouds and she was wondering... if I would make her some of the flowers.” they grinned at him as he went to his room. Dash turned to her husband.

“his growing so fast.” he hugged and kissed her. Rivet went down to the shop and began working. After a week he finished and after delivering them he went to his parents.

“hey mom, dad? Marble cloud is opening her art gallery and she invited us. Do you want to go?” the two looked at each other and smiled, nodding their head. Rivet flew while his parents took the hot air balloon, they watched the sun shine brightly off his golden bronze wing. Their heart's filled with joy. They made it to a cloud platform and watched in awe. Beautiful cloud sculptures of all manner of things that were painted expertly. Then the flowers. Just like the ones out side the window at their house. But there was hundreds of them floating around every where and they were just as beautiful as the art work all around. Marble came soaring down and hugged rivet.

“they love it! It's a big hit. Thank you so much.” he blushed deeply and slowly wrapped a hoof around her. She showed them around and she stood close to rivet. His parents smiled as they watched the two. They left but with out rivet, they knew he would be safe. But what they didn't know a month later both rivet and marble called them to the living room.

“we have something to tell you...” rainbow dash was confused but dolorem got the idea.

“I got marble pregnant...” there was a moment of silence and rainbow dash was shocked. Dolorem spoke.

“so what are you planing to do?” rivet looked into his eye and spoke calmly.

“I'm going to take care of them.” marble smiled and placed a hoof on his shoulder. Dolorem smiled as rainbow dash was settling down. A couple of months later they were at the wedding and even though they were young, his parents couldn't be any more proud. With the help of applejack they converted the shop into a house again and built another room onto it. And soon enough it was a girl, a beautiful Pegasus that was a yellow, purple maned bundle of joy. Everyone was happy, rainbow dash and dolorem lived in the cloud house while rivet and is family in his old house, the shop.

“grandpa!” the yellow, purple maned foal, diamond brush, jump into dolorem's lap, he was wearing a green shirt and brown shorts, in the wheel chair in the cloud living room. He hugged her and spoke.

“so how's my favorite granddaughter?” she giggled and smiled.

“I'm your only granddaughter silly.” she grew so fast and was so pretty now four years old. She jumped down bouncing.

“daddy has something to show you.” he wheeled after and into the balloon to the ground below. They went to the house and inside. Rivet stood by a table with something covered and a big smile. Rainbow dash and marble stood to the side and it look like dash had been crying.

“hey dad!” dolorem rolled over to him and hugged him, before he could speak rivet continued.

“I want to you to close your eyes.” dolorem was confused but did as he was told. He felt something going on with his left leg and something wrapped tightly half way up his leg like a band. Rivet pulled away and dolorem slowly opened his eyes. A golden bronze. A prosthetic leg. Dolorem was stunned and in disbelief. Then he stood, wobbly. He took his first step with two leg for the first time in years and... cried. Diamond came up to him.

“grandpa, why are you crying?” he looked at her and picked her up, hugging her.

“because I'm so happy.” he set her down and grabbed rivet, holding him tightly. Rainbow dash was next and tears flooded her face, her husband could walk again. His son gave him something as great as the joy of having him in his life. It was freedom. It would be hard work to walk again like before but in time he was even running with his granddaughter as she was practicing to fly. But unfortunately things were going to well.

“And from you my son, from you, you have shown me life. You have given me love and for that I watch you leave. You will go far from here and far in life. Know always that I love you and always you shall be welcomed home.”

Carry on

Chapter twenty five:

“Carry on.”

Diamond leaned over and kissed her mother good bye while rivet sat next to her and cried. Rainbow dash watched in tear as dolorem hugged her. Marble cloud laid peacefully in the hospital bed as she hugged her daughter. Applejack had a hoof on rarity's shoulder as she sobbed and pinkie was quiet.

“dad could you take diamond home?” dolorem nodded and walked forward as she gave her mother one last hug. Everyone left with him and left the two alone. Rivet cried into his hooves and marble spoke smoothly.

“don't fret my love. I'm only leaving for awhile and it will be a blink of an eye when I see you again. But here it will be many years and I want you to spend them with our daughter and our family. Don't cry.” she pulled him to her and held him.

“please don't leave me.” he laid beside her and cried. Finally he calmed down and he held her tightly as they fell asleep. He would wake up much later but she wouldn't. The doctors would have to pull him away from her still warm body and he would weep. It grew on her heart and finally took her away. There was nothing that could be done. He didn't understand. Why did she have to be taken away? He would do anything, give his life to her, anything to have her back. He had to stay strong for their daughter and he had to raise her so that she would know her mother loved her with every part of her being. Dolorem understood his pain and he used it in a carving. He wouldn't let rivet see it, maybe later in life. It was a wooden bust of marble and like the one of fluttershy, it captured every detail of her. He hid it with the other after treating it so it would last and got ready fro the funeral.

“daddy, I miss mommy.” rivet was brushing his daughter's mane and stopped with a sad smile.

“I know sweetie, so do I.” he hugged her and continued to get her ready. She went peacefully in his arms, no longer having to suffer. It would hurt for a long time but he would move on and raise their beautiful daughter. Many ponies made it to the funeral, she was buried next to fluttershy and it was rivet who asked his dad if they could, giving their condolences they looked at her opened casket. He felt numb as he watched them lower her body in the casket into the ground. They planed on spending their life together but things happened, dolorem knew. That night after tucking diamond into bed rivet would cry himself to sleep. He didn't understand and he wanted to but he knew his daughter needed him more then ever right now. With time the pain slowly faded away and he could live his life with his daughter. They spent more time with his parents and diamond understood her mother was gone. She was now six and growing fast. Life was ok again but rivet still felt the pain. He would visit the cloud platform that still had her painted sculptures and his floating flowers. There was a plaque that read “The beauty of two worlds: The art work of Marble Cloud and the flying garden of Rivet Orchid Pati” in black letters. It made his heart ache when he came here but it reminded him of all the great memories they shared together. He would be fine. It was now a year since her death he could wake up peaceful. His parents and his daughter got him through the entire deal and he was stronger for it. But still more was to come.

“grandpa can we have ice cream?” diamond sat at the table in the cloud house rubbing her eyes. Dolorem turned to her and chuckled.

“but it's breakfast time.” she gave him puppy dog eyes and he smiled.

“don't tell your father.” he gave her a small bowl of vanilla ice cream and she giggle. Rivet was walking in as she finished the last of it.

“really dad?” dolorem just smiled and shrugged.

“she's my granddaughter. I have to spoil her.” rivet smiled and rolled his eyes. He walked to his grinning daughter who was trying to hid the bowl.

“come on sweetie time to go home. Give grandma and grandpa a hug good bye.” she hopped to dolorem and into his arms, hugging him tightly. Then she went to find rainbow dash. Dolorem turned to his son as she left.

“how you holding up champ?” rivet looked a little said and sighed.

“ok. It gets a little better each day but still...” diamond rushed into the room with a big smile and a lollipop in her mouth.

“ohk dadth wef cans got.” rivet smiled and shook his head. Dolorem stopped him before he left.

“hey why don't you get her settled and come back here. It's about time you knew something.” he nodded and they left. It was getting cold in this late fall day. They went inside and the house was a little cold.

“ok sweetie I need you to stay here. Grandpa needs me real quick, will you be ok all alone?” she nodded her head so fast he thought it was going to break off. He chuckled and hugged her before leaving. She was excited to have the house all to her self even if just for a little while. Rivet flew back to the cloud home and passed his mom in the air, she was going for food. Inside dolorem was sitting on the couch as rivet came in. he sat on the couch with him and dolorem turned to him with a solemn face.

“it's about time I told you how I came here and about... fluttershy.” rivet listen intently, he always wanted to know. And so with a deep breath and a heavy heart he told his son of his haunted past. Rivet couldn't believe the horrors he lived through and by the end in the late afternoon he felt like crying. Crying for his father's pain. Now he understood his father's scared body.

“I know it's hard. I've been through more then you can imagine but know it doesn't matter. I have your mother and I have you with your beautiful daughter.” rivet nodded and hugged his father, heading back home. As he drew closer he noticed smoke coming from the chimney that was added on. he flew faster. Scared. He rushed in to find his daughter holding a stick with marshmallows at the end into the fire. She turned and smiled at him.

“sweetie you can't start fires with out someone here. It's dangerous.” she looked sad as she pulled away from the fire, she didn't mean to make her father mad. He walked up to her and hugged her.

“it's ok. I just want you to be safe.” he smiled and grabbed some marshmallows for him self. They both had fun roasting them and soon it was night. He tucked her into bed and kissed her good night. He went to his bed and soon fell asleep. The fire crackled softly in the fire place. At the cloud house dolorem was sitting in the living room examining his leg. His son gave him the ability to walk again and he couldn't believe it still. Rainbow dash came into the living room sitting close to him.

“I'm so proud of him. He... fixed you both and even after marble's death he's still so strong.” he smiled at her and the kissed. They sat back relaxing and dolorem looked out the window. He saw black, not from the night because the sun was still slightly over the horizon, and it was coming from... dolorem shot up and to the hot air balloon. Rainbow dash was confused until she looked out the window.

“Daddy!” diamond was shaking her father frantically and he woke.

“sweetie what's...” he smelt the smoke and he jumped out of bed. He pulled her behind him and made his way out his room. The living room was in flames and they couldn't go that way. He backed up as the fire was spreading fast and then suddenly the roof collapsed. They were trapped in the hall way and rivet covered them with his wings.

“baby don't look.” dolorem ran hard and fast with rainbow dash in the air. The went as fast as possible to the burning house with fire fighter ponies already there. Several ran up to stop them.

“sir please step back.” dolorem was breathing hard.

“where's my son and his daughter?” the pony didn't answered and dolorem pushed him inside and ran to the door. He had to ram it open and inside was an inferno. He searched frantically for them and saw something behind the collapsed part of the roof. It was them and they weren't moving. He rushed forward and grabbed the beam that blocked they way. He used all his strength and finally moved it out the way. He went to them as the smoke was choking him. He pulled rivet onto his back and diamond in his arms. Out side rainbow dash was in panic as she waited. Then she saw them dolorem came out with the flames flaring behind him. The fire fighter ponies rushed forward and grabbed the two from him. But it was to late, the smoke had got them before the fire. Dash held them and cried while dolorem stood with her unable to believe it. He failed. He couldn't save them in time. They would pull rainbow dash away as they took their bodies and dolorem would hold her. They lost their family. After wards rainbow dash would spend every day at “The beauty of two worlds”. And dolorem would work. Now he had four. Four beautifully made wood and preserved sculptures of the ones he lost. His heart beat painfully in his chest. He would hold and love rainbow dash as they went through the many pictures of their past. The first day he came home. First day of school. His cutie mark. him sitting in side half a watermelon that he ate all by him self. When he got married. Diamond brush's birth. Every memory the captured to hold onto in the physical world but it wouldn't be enough. Rainbow dash wanted her baby back. She wanted her granddaughter. She held onto dolorem and sobbed with him. Soon they would get ready for the funeral. They would stand again, for the third time, at the graves near the black husk that was a home. They would watch as their love ones were lowered into the ground, lost to them forever. Rivet gave him a leg and dolorem gave him a curse. The curse of his name. They would go home to a silent dinner and neither of them would eat. They wouldn't sleep that night, just spend it in each others arms. It was said time heals all wounds but to rainbow dash she felt there wasn't enough time in the world. She was thankful she still had her husband. She still wanted her baby and his but she couldn't. So she held on to him tightly. She couldn't imagine losing him too. Twilight received a letter and cried. He lost another love one. Now he had rainbow dash and she hoped it would save him. Even she thought the same. What would rainbow dash do if she lost him. Let us find out.

“We commit this child and this man to your keeping, oh lord. Their bodies have been taken from the shadow of far night. They have been released from all darkness and pain. The child and the man have gone beyond our world, they are forever eternal and ever lasting.

Ashes to ashes.

Dust to dust.

Why? Why are the innocent punished? why the sacrifice? Why the pain? There aren’t any promises, nothing is certain. All that is some get called and some get saved. She won't ever know the hardship and grief of those of us left behind. We commit these bodies to the void with a sad heart. But with in each seed there is a promise of a flower. And with in each death, no matter how small, there's always a new life. A new beginning.”

Author's Note

That at the end is from Alien 3 and I thought it fit perfectly for it.

Then there was five, then...

Chapter twenty six:

“Then there was five, then...”

Dolorem should have known. Before him everyone grew old as time wore on but him... he looked like he aged only a few years since he first came here. He saw how rainbow dash became tired as her body began to fail. She started to have wrinkles and it got to the point to where she couldn't even fly any more. And now he stood in front of a doctor with anger. It wasn't his fault but he needed someone to yell at.

“what do you mean I have to watch her die?” the doctor backed away from him a bit, he understood it was hard to see someone you love pass on. Dolorem watched it four times already. And now... rainbow dash was leaving him. They stood out side her room and he had tears in his eyes.

“we've ran every test we could on the both of you, magical and medical. It's just her time to go... as for you we don't know. We can't figure out why you age so much more slowly.” dolorem couldn't believe it. He would have to watch her die. He calmed him self down and went into her room. She looked at him with a sad smile but he couldn't return it. He pulled a chair next to her bed and cried into his hands. He was losing her... and there was nothing he could do.

“sweet heart come here.” she spoke softly in her aged voice. He looked up and then crawled in bed with her. He held her but not to tight.

“I'm sorry you have to go through this but I love you. And I want you to know I'll be waiting for you. But I want you to promise me something.” he looked into her tired wine colored eyes.

“no matter what... I don't want you to kill your self. I want to see you on your own time. Promise me.” he watched her and he knew he had to.

“I promise. I love you so much rainbow dash.” they hugged each other as his tears finally stopped.

“I love you too.” they laid down and she drifted to sleep. He couldn't, he listened to the rhythmatic beeping of her heart monitor. He listened as it beeped until... a long drawled out tone filled his ears. A doctor slowly came in and went to turn off the machines. He left dolorem who was holding rainbow dash to him. After some time he let her go and walked out the room where three other mares were waiting.

“she's... gone.” he looked at them. They too had grown old but their bodies were not as worn as hers. rarity began to cry as applejack lowered her hat to her chest and dipped her head. Pinkie just smiled with tears, she knew she was at rest. Dolorem left the hospital and went home. He shifted through pictures of the family he once had. He sat on the cloud bed that had held the warmth of their bodies. Now it was cold. And all he could do was cry.

“The soul would have no rainbow had the eyes no tears.”

The next day they held her funeral. Even twilight was there and she brought some one with her that was a bit younger then her. Dolorem was in front of her coffin on his knees, resting his head on the wooden case. He stood and placed his hand on the coffin, to be near her one last time. His heart was heavy with grief and something pushed at the edges of his mind. But it never came. It left years ago with some one else. He would keep his promise to her. He would live... but he hoped not for long. He watched as ponies walked by and placed flowers on the coffin. He saw the cutie mark crusaders, all grown up with their lives. He quietly watched everyone pass by her coffin with sad faces.

“do we tell him?” a purple unicorn stallion with a mane of brown lose curls stood next to twilight, the same one that came with her. She shook her head glumly.

“no but go to him.” he nodded and slowly made his way to dolorem. He watched as they lowered her body, another lost to him forever, and everyone started to slowly leave. The purple stallion stopped besides him and reached out. He hugged him tightly. Dolorem didn't know who he was, tears running down his face, but he was to numb to care. He pulled away and watched him with his sad brown eyes. Twilight told him of this human. He always wanted to meet him but not under these circumstances. He turned and went back to twilight, she had tears in her eyes. They turned and left, dolorem was the only one there as he stared at the grave that held his love. He hoped he would see her soon, he didn't know what he would do with his life now. He thought about the one who hugged him. He didn't know him but something felt familiar about him. Twilight never went to him, she couldn't. now he lost his wife... for the second time. Maybe she could tell him but she didn't know when. He had enough to deal with and she didn't know what he would do if he knew. For know she and the stallion would keep it to them selves. No matter how painful it was to her. The stallion looked back one more time as they loaded into the Pegasus carriage. He may not have been responsive but he knew. He wounder. He trusted twilight, he had to. Because he didn't have a choice. Dolorem stay late into the day at her grave. She was now covered with dirt and... gone. He cried more and for some reason he thought about that stallion. His hug.

“Oh dry the glistening tear that dews that marshall cheek. Thy loving children here in them thy comfort seek. With sympathetic care, their arms around thee creep. For oh they cannot bear to see their father weep.”

Now he was alone. The others were there for him but now... he lost his entire family. He lived every day hoping it was his last, never making it so. He didn't know what to do any more. He was all alone in a world that once held so much love. So much warmth. No it was a cold empty husk... like him. The days dragged on painfully slow and he stayed the same. He never seemed to age, except from the stress. He didn't know how much longer he could make it. But he couldn't brake his promise. Besides the house, the pictures, and the memories, it was all he had left of her. It was the only thing that kept him in this world. He sat by him self in the living room of the cloud house that he once called home.

“Without a family, man alone in the world, trembles with the cold.”

Life would not get any better for dolorem. His name would haunt him for his unnatural, unexplainable long life. Some years later he know stood at rarity's funeral with sweetie belle and her family. It was later followed by applejack's then big mac's and he stood with applebloom and her family also. One day he received a letter. Twilight was dying. He made his way to Canterlot, to her place in the palace. She lay in her bed with shallow breathing. The same stallion from before stood besides her. He went to her side and she smiled. Again he could not return her smile, it would be a lie.

“thank you for coming. Before I go I wanted to show you something.” she nodded at the stallion and he turned to something covered. He pulled it back to revile a mirror, seven feet tall and five feet wide. Complete. Whole.

“you can go home.” he turned to her with tears. She worked for years after she left and finally found the rest of the mirror. But she couldn't tell him, he had a happy life. But know he had nothing. She offered him a chance to go home.

“this is my home.” she looked at him surprise but she understood. She held out a hoof and he placed it in his hand.

“dolorem...”

“twilight...” and with that her last breath left her lips and... she was gone. In her will she wanted to be buried with the rest. The graves that held friends and family. Dolorem watched again as another was lowered in the ground, gone forever. And soon after that it was pinkie pie. Dolorem sat with her in the hospital crying, it seemed that was all he did lately. Even on her death bed she looked like she could zoom across a mountain... but she couldn't not any more. She had dolorem come closer and she spoke.

“I know it's hard on you and you feel it's got even worse but I want you to do something for me... smile. It's been so long since you smile. A smile makes the world go around and right know yours is frozen with grief so please. Smile.” with that she was gone, a smile had her lips. The smile that never seemed to go away. But he couldn't smile. He couldn't ever smile in this life again. It would be hollow and a lie... like him. And now he stood at a funeral again and they lowered her body into the ground. Pinkie pie. Applejack. Rarity. Twilight. Rainbow dash. Rivet. Marble. Diamond. Fluttershy. He was alone and they were all here in front of him gone. He couldn't take it any more. He moved away. Princess Celestai gave him a place at the palace and a job. He would spend how ever long his life was there. Celestai would watch him and knew his pain. The pain of watching everyone else fade away while you were forced to stay behind with the grief. The pain of remembering. Luna would visit his dreams... if he had any. His sleeping mind was a black void that held nothing. It was his escape as nothing followed him there, not even his memories. Time went on, leaving him behind. Celestai had other pupils come and go, he never met them and never knew how many it was. He didn't care, he didn't want to. And one day Celestai came to him

“I am sorry to tell you this but... spike is dying. He lays at his finally resting grounds in the mountains. Go to him.” and so he did. He made the trip to the large cave that held an enormous dragon. The purple of his scales was dull and his green spikes drooped. His eyes were fogged over and his breathing shallow.

“dolorem?” he turned his head and sniffed, he was blind. He laughed as he met him.

“there's no way. But I can smell you.” dolorem went to his large head and placed a hand on his snout.

“yeah it's me guy.” spike smiled, he didn't know if it was real or not but he was happy.

“I missed you and everyone else. I'm glade I got to see you one last time.” even spike knew as he laid his head down. Dolorem stayed with him until... he stopped breathing. With his last breath went the last soul he ever knew. The last one that lived a mortal life... unlike him. Dolorem took a claw that fell out from his hand and went to Ponyville. He passed “The beauty of two worlds” and the spot that a blackened house once stood. He buried spike's claw with the graves of his past. Know they were all here. He went back to Canterlot. And waited. And waited. He forgot time, it didn't matter to him any more. Time stretched on until it finally left him with hands that started to wrinkle and a body that grew tired. Dolorem didn't know how old he was, he never kept track. What was the poin?. To other humans he look like he was in his late fifties but he was beyond that. But still he was no closer to dieing from his age. He still had to suffer by the sands of time.

“I don't grow old. I grow experienced. And with the passing of time you see it at the ending coming closer. I see it as just another adventure into the unknown.”

Now whole

Chapter twenty seven:

“Now whole."

Monte made his way to the sky scrapper in the distance. He knew he had to go there. He knew the other mirror fragment was there. He sped home and loaded the mirror in the back seat. Now he sped down town but unfortunately there was a cop. Red and blue light flashed behind him in the mid day and he pulled over with a groan. The cop slowly walked up to his window as he rolled it down.

“now tell me. What were you thinking?” the cop leaned down and talked to Monte. He noticed some ketchup in his large bushy mustache. He knew he would never believe him so he had to lie.

“I'm sorry officer but I had an art gallery to get to. The piece in the back was due ten minutes ago.” the officer squinted at him and them looked in the back seat where the mirror was.

“stay here I'll be right back.” he turned and left getting back into his car. Monte sat there drumming his fingers on the steering wheel huffing. The officer came back with his gun drawn.

“Sir get out the vehicle now!” Monte was confused but he didn't want to get shot so he complied. He got out with his hands up and the officer rushed him, cuffing him.

“Your under arrest for murder.” this was a huge surprise for Monte, he couldn't even kill a fly that buzzed around his head, he didn't like killing. Monte was taken to the station and his car impounded. The officers were puzzled as they looked at the mirror, they never seen anything like it. Monte had to stay over night and finally in the morning he was led to an integration room by the chief him self.

“now I'm sorry this happened. It was a communication error. For some reason they mistaken you for Monte Rissell.” Monte was ferrous at them and started yelling.

“I was forced to sleep in a concrete cell over night because I was “mistaken” for a man that has been dead over one hundred years!” after some discussion he agreed to not sue and was released. He made it back to his car with the mirror replaced in the back. He quickly made his way back to the sky scrapper but stayed under the speed limit. It was under renovation and had been cleared of everyone. Unfortunately the electricity was cut off so he had to struggle under the size and weight of the mirror and climb flight after flight of stairs. Good thing it was early in the morning. He made it, covered in sweat and exhausted, he lost count of how many floors he made it up he just knew it was to much. When he was down below he saw that a window had been shattered near the top and he knew that was the floor he need to go to. He set the mirror down carefully and rested. He was getting to old for this he thought but soon all his hard work of the few short days would pay off. It was the after noon and the sun was high and hot. Since the air conditioners were off it was boiling in the building. Then he could smell it. It was horrible like something had died. He got off the ground and looked around, he saw the busted window. He looked along the path it would have traveled and gasped. He found the mirror piece but it was covered in blood. A man was impaled and stuck to the wall by it. By the look of his clothes he was a construction worker and by now someone was missing him. As he neared him the smell got worse and made him dizzy. Making sure not to touch the body he wiggled the mirror shard out of him. The guy fell down to the floor with a squishy pop that sickened Monte. He would deal with him later but for now he went to the larger mirror. As he approached the larger one floated into the air and the one in his hand softly moved from his grasp and slowly made it's way to the mirror. With a blinding light like before and the smell of blood being cooked Monte waited. In front of him the mirror, whole and complete, floated with a white light glowing around it. He slowly went to it and saw dolorem. He was complete and no blood was on the mirror. Still covered by the mist the rest behind him was gone. He slowly reached his hand out but then it pulsed. The pulse slightly pushed Monte and then... Dolorem was gone. All he saw was the strange town but then the mirror started to crumble. It landed in a pile of ash at his feet. It was gone. He thought that maybe he had gone mad and he left. At a pay phone he made an anonymous call to the plice about the dead men and went home. He sat in his living room with a bottle of scotch and his mind in chaos. He failed. He tried so hard to save that man. Or did he? His life her was one of hell. So did he set him free? Monte didn't know and he never would. He would spend the rest of his life wondering what happened. Just like the man who visited the grave of his past every year, he visited the building that was once the man's home before he disappeared. Monte wished that every day that he could have saved him. He just wanted to know what happened to him but he wouldn't. Monte failed. He would see his last day with another bottle of scotch and never wake up again, the end of his mortal life. He would find him self standing in a plane of mist and in the distance see...

“Sometimes there are no words. No witty quotes to neatly sum up what happened that day. Sometimes you do everything right, everything exactly right and still feel like you failed. Did it need to end that way? Could something have been done to prevent the tragedy in the first place? Some times the day... just...

Ends.”

"... the acient fell."

Chapter twenty eight:

“... the ancient fell.”

Dolorem sat in the chambers of Celestai as she tutored her current pupil, he never kept count on how many have gone by. He was shifting through some papers over city construction of a new water fountain.

I wish I could be a statue in a fountain. It sounds silly I know but if I was no one would question why I cried.

This is how most of his days were. Doing the work Celestai assigned to him and speaking to him self in his own mind.

Of course I do. How else would I have an intelligent conversation?

Celestai sat on a cushion in front of her student. The unicorn was a male. Red with a bright yellow mane that was tied in a pony tail. His cutie mark was of a flaming star. His dark blue eyes watched his teacher as she spoke.

“...now Flaring Soul tell me. What do you think about the extension of mortal life?” he looked excited as she asked him.

“I think it's great! I mean image it, all the things you can do. All the things you can learn. I would do just about anything to live forever.” dolorem stopped. He thought he was thinking to him self as he looked up at the two.

“It's not about living forever. It's about living forever with your self.” they stopped and turned to him. He was right, Celestai knew this was true. The things she wished she could undo. The words she wish she could keep back. Flaring looked at dolorem with confusion then he understood.

“Because what you did to become immortal could haunt you for the rest of you never ending life.” Celestai nodded and wrapped up their lesson. She dismissed him and went to dolorem.

Why do we go through life knowing that in the end it didn't matter. We will be forgotten in the sands of time... some of us stuck.

Celestai cleared her throat as she stood in front of him and he looked up.

The pain we suffer and live with. Never is the end in sight.

“Today Flaring soul is going with others to the Everfree to study it. I would like for you to accompany him.”

Everyone as a place they fear to tread. Mine is closer then others. It is my mind and I fear it because not of the unknown but because I know what it is capable of.

He nodded and went to his room. He got ready and dressed in a red vest and shorts that had golden yellow trim. It had to be restored from when rarity made it for him and he wore every piece she made of it. The hat, wrist bands, and the scarf.

Beauty is skin deep. And I for one would peel back the skin of my brethren and let them do the same to me so to show the world that underneath we are the same.

All that was missing was the feather. He left looking like the day he died and came to meet Celestai but older. He walked with a cane, simple wooded cane topped with the head of a wolf, his prosthetic after all this time was starting to go out. He tried taking care of it the best he could but time eventually took everything from him. With a slight limp he made his way to the spot that him and Flaring would wait for the Pegasus carriage. Other unicorns came too and they all loaded onto the carriage. Dolorem towered them all and they looked up at the ancient being before them.

Few are the giants of the soul who actually feel that every race are their family circle.

The flew into the sky over the land and they came to “The beauty of two worlds”. Dolorem silently watched it go by as others tended to it.

If you love a flower, don't pick it up. Because if you pick it up it dies and it ceases to be what you love. So if you love a flower, let it be. Love is not about possession. Love is about appreciation.

They landed on the out skirts of the Everfree and went in side.

Oh how in my mind I run through the forest away from the hungry wolf, my memories.

They made their way to a clearing with a worn tomb stone.

Do I not defeat my enemies when I make them my friend?

Flaring soul stood with dolorem the entire time and now they came to a cliff. Below a raging river with dagger like rocks.

Why do we fall? So we can get back up.

“... I mean imagine falling down that.” dolorem didn't hear a word soul said. He didn't hear a sound at all. Every thing was quiet. In Canterlot Celestai was in dolorem's room and she stood in front of an air tight glass case. It brought a tear to her eye. Ten beautifully made, life like, wooden bust. Seven looked like the day he met them, six mares and a dragon. The other three of the day before they died. Each surviving the passage of time. To wake up every day and to see the pain of your past was a horrible deed. Then she found a box and inside she found more painful mementos. Feathers from his beloved fliers, a sliver coin necklace, a feather laying cross the bottom with a heart resting on top etched into it and on the back a date was engraved, and a metal wrist band. On it was a metal plate and on that was even more dates engraved. She didn't know what they were of but dolorem knew them in his heart, forever and always. The day he met fluttershy. Their marriage. The day he killed her along with the day the monster of the child was born. The day he married rainbow dash. Bringing rivet home for the first time. His cutie mark. The day his son was married to marble. His granddaughter's birth. The death of marble. The death of rivet and his daughter. The death of rainbow dash. Then the deaths of rarity, applejack, twilight, pinkie pie and spike. Every day he would look at the sculptures and then at the dates. Dolorem stood near the edge of the cliff and heard nothing. Felt nothing. And then a pulse. He didn't know where it came from, not from this world. Then he felt something. It was pain. It flared across his heart and he clutched his chest. He turned around as Flaring watched him in panic. Then the ancient fell. He watched as flaring looked over the ledge. He was falling fast but then he was carried away, white wings enveloped him. He was standing at the shore now and watched as the group he had came with made their way down. They gathered around something at the water edge and when one moved he saw... him self.

“what?” he stopped. It was not his voice but it was. It was younger. He started to breath hard but found out he didn't need to any more. His hands shook as he brought them up. No wrinkles and no scars, even his pinkie was there. He could see with both eyes, even closed his right one. He looked all over his body, no scars and his left leg was complete once again. He was young and he was... whole.

“he's dead. Inform the princess.” dolorem looked up at them as they dragged his body from the river, old and... dead.

“what? I'm dead?”

“yes dolorem.” he snapped around and was now in a plane of mist. He was standing in front of Princess Celestai and Luna. He was confused and couldn't understand what was happening.

“where am I?” he looked at them but they didn't answer.

“Home.” he stopped breathing, it didn't mater since he didn't need to breath any more. A voice he knew only life times ago. Soft as silk like the feathers. Slowly turning he saw her. Like the day they first met. A white glow behind her. Fluttershy. She had a warm soft smile and another walked for the glow. Rainbow dash. Young and healthy. She also had the same warm smile. Both watched him with loving, caring eyes. He feel to his knees, at the pure beauty and glory as they walked to him. He cried and they wrapped their wings around him and their arms too. He held them both as the tears ran down his face. Then others came from the light. Everyone he should have died with. Every one that should have outlived him. They were there and welcomed him in loving embrace. Rivet, marble, and diamond all smiled at him. The four other mares waved for him. A dragon hopped up and down with a large grin. Even the stallion that was with twilight when she died. The pure love and joy flooded him and his eyes. His heart swelled and his mind was finally at ease. Then for the first time in time that was never kept he... smiled. He was home. He stood and Celestai stepped forward.

“I asked you many life times ago what you knew of names. Before you told me of yours I already knew. And now you are free. Free from the chains of your name and the crawl of time. Now you can walk from the shadows and into the arms of your beloved.” she smiled and Luna came forward also.

“now let your mind be free of the nightmares of past so that you can forever be in peace with love.” with both of the Pegasus by his side he walked to the bright light where the rest waited for him. Then he saw something. He stopped for a moment to see what it was, far in the distance. It was a man and he felt... gratitude for some reason for him. And now he walked into the light with his family.

“... and done.” a brown unicorn with a dark blue mane that had different purple strips in it stood back from the grave stone. It was placed with many others in a field in Ponyville. For some reason he wanted to be the one to engrave the tomb stone of an ancient giant who had passed. He had a cutie mark of a chisel and a knife. Carving and sculpting was his life... It was in his half human blood.

“And my star, angle ain't that the truth, dimmed and flickered out of existence. One day I would meet my star, angel ain't that the truth, as the day ended for me. I would leave this world and you know what happened to me? My star, angel ain't that truth, stood before me and welcomed me into her arms.”