The song of love.

Chapter 23. Roommate.

Soft just sighed while he walked back to home.

"... How did I get myself into this?" He said while turning his head and watching the huge pony walking just behind him.

Flaming obviously didn't like being in hospitals. (For Celestia's sake, who likes it?) Therefore, the staff got forced to search him another place to stay while he fully recovered, for he almost destroyed the hospital twice in a single night trying to escape. Suddenly, a nurse came to the head doctor and told him to give him bid with a doctor from the hospital. That way, they wouldn't have to be paying him visits to check on him daily.

To make things worse, the doctor found Soft to be suitable for the job, something not too pleasing for him. It all came for a rumor about him giving bid to one of his former patients. But, anything for the well-being of everypony, he thought.

"Now I regret my decision." He mumbled as he looked at many ponies in the street watching him curiously and the black colossus behind him.

As they both finally got to Soft's house, he suddenly noted something important and redundant:

Flaming was way too big to enter through the door, and not to mention the windows.

"How could I forget about this!?" Soft said while frantically running toward his house, Flaming following calmly from behind.

Soft just started to inspect his house while trying to find a way to get Flaming inside, with no success. Soft just sighed as he realized what just happened.

"Sorry, Flaming. But I can't get you in my house. You're kinda too big for... Flaming?" Soft asked. As he turned around, he also realized that Flaming wasn't there. Stopping to think for a moment, a loud crash could be heard from the inside of the house. Soft ran to the other side of his house, only to see a huge hole on his wall and Flaming watching the inside of his house.

"The hay!?" Soft shouted as he passed through the hole on his wall.

Flaming just stood in there, examining the room in which he just burst into. It was Soft's living. He started to feel more relaxed in there. He just sighed in relief as he took seat on the floor and then laid his head on his hooves. A few moments later, he just started to breath lightly, almost like if he were sleeping.

Soft turned to see the huge hole on his wall, sighing as he knew that he might have to pay for the reparations on it. Walking inside his kitchen, he took out a glass and poured some water onto it. He started to relax as he felt the water passing through his throat.

"Mister Soft! You okay!?" Soft heard the little voice of Sweetie Belle coming from his living. "Mister SoAAGGGHHHH! A NEIGHFILIM!"

Soft turned around and started to run toward his living, seeing Flaming still laying on the floor, but with the head up, watching at the street with a puzzled look.

Soft just sighed again and looked at the street, just to make sure that Sweetie Belle had run away. Sure, she wasn't there anymore. For some weird reason, he just assumed that this would be a rather large day.

"A what, did you say?" Rarity asked with curiosity, actually leaving her work apart to hear at her sister's fears.

"A neighfilim! It was on mister Soft's house! What if it killed him!? What if he injured him!?"

"Oh, come on, Sweetie. I'm sure it's nothing too bad." Rarity joked while getting up, thinking that her sister just saw something else. Suddenly, her tail was pulled to gain her attention again.

"It is! It was an authentic neighfilim! He was like... HUGE!" Sweetie Belle said, lifting her hooves to prove her point.

"Oh, Sweetie. There are no ponies that big, except for Celestia."

"He was! Well.... he IS! And he's on mister Soft's house! What if he's hurt!? WHAT IF HE'S DEAD!?"

Rarity just huffed. Knowing her sister, she just wouldn't stop until she knew the truth.

"Oh, for Celestia's sake! I'm going to go there and see by myself!"

Sweetie was about to complaint, but her sister was already out of the house. As nervous as she already was, she couldn't help but to run behind her.

Soft's house was finally on sight. Rarity hurried her pace, getting more excited at every moment. She actually wanted to see him. It has been only more than a week, and she could already feel something for him. He was so caring, so kind, so handsome.

Rarity started to think how many things she could do with him, at the same time she also remembered the things she did with him last night. The mere thought just gave her creeps, for she wanted more. That cursed potion really took its toll in her.

Finally reaching the door, she lifted a hoof to knock, only to be interrupted by her little sister, who just shook her head in fright. Rarity just huffed again and knocked on the door a couple times. However, nopony answered. Trying the door knob, she soon noticed the door was unlocked. Opening it, she soon caught sight of the huge hole on the living's wall, along with the huge object in the center of the room.

"What's this?" Rarity made her way through the living to inspect better the hole. Suddenly a little voice called her.

"Rarity?" Sweetie called for her weakly.

"What is it, dear?" Rarity answered, not bothering to turn to see the frightened expression on her sister's face.

"Rarity!"

"Oh, now what is..." Rarity turned around to see her sister, being instantly startled by the huge object just in front of her. Inspecting it closer, the object had fur, and it seemed to have some kind of tail which seemed like a raging flame. Turning her head up, she finally noticed what her sister called a neighfilim. And she was right. "...... huge." Rarity's eyes just rolled to the back of her head as she soon became unconscious.

Flaming just looked puzzled at the white mare in front of him, wondering why she just fell asleep. Suddenly, he started to feel some light hits against his backside. Turning around, he saw the second mare hitting him with a broom.

"Leave my sister alone," she gave another hit, "you foul," another hit "evil," yet another hit "mean!" Suddenly, the broom was stopped by the big hoof of the huge pony, taking away the broom from her. Sweetie just could stare at his red eyes before she felt something else: the gravity pulling her to the ground.

Soon, Flaming just turned his head to the unconscious mare in the room. Suddenly, a third voice entered the room.

"What's going on in here!?" Soft entered running through the hole, holding some bags with apples. Leaving them in the floor next to Flaming, Soft almost instantly reached for the mares. Flaming wasted no time in picking an apple from the bags.

"Flaming, what happened?" Soft turned to the giant pony, who shrugged in confusion while devouring his third apple in a single bite. Soft just sighed while lighting his horn and carrying the two unconscious mare to his room.

Rarity awoke first. Turning her head around, she caught sight of Soft sitting at the bed's end.

"Oh, Soft." Rarity called for him, instantly gaining his attention. "I just had a terrible nightmare."

"How so?"

"I dreamed of a giant pony standing in front of me. He seemed..."

"Huge? Black fur, red mane, almost like if it were on fire?"

"Yes. He was exactly like... how did you know!?" Rarity suddenly lifted herself from the bed, staring at him. Soft merely grinned at the confused mare.

"... Follow me."

Back downstairs, Rarity soon caught sight of the huge pony laying in the floor of the living. As soon as Flaming heard her, an ear perked up and he only opened one eye, turning it to look at Rarity.

"Flaming, I'd like to introduce you to Miss Rarity." Soft said while pointing with a hoof to Rarity. As he finished, he turned to Rarity, now pointing to him. "Miss Rarity, this is Flaming Shadow."

Flaming slowly stood up until his head almost reached the ceiling. Giving him a better look, Rarity soon saw that he was twice, maybe even triple her size. Lifting a hoof, she offered a courteous greeting.

"... Charmed." Rarity managed to say, still amazed by his height.

"... Likely." Flaming said in his deep and strong voice as he took the smaller hoof on his and shook it with delicacy, almost like if it were a vase. Rarity got surprised when he even lowered his head to kiss her hoof.

"Oh, my. He's a total gentlecolt." Rarity said while giggling.

"Yeah. When he's not trying to break out from the hospital. No offense." Flaming just shook his head while letting go of Rarity and returning to his place in the living. However, Rarity turned to Soft.

"What do you mean when he's not?"

"Well... last day, he got into the hospital due to a serious wound on his leg. He seems very normal to me, though. Still, he lost a lot of blood, so they wanted to keep him in the hospital to keep an eye on him. However, he attempted twice to escape, breaking several medical equipment on his rush. Finally, somepony over there heard about a rumor that I let one of my former patients sleep with me, so the doctor decided that it should be me the one who takes care of him." Soft just turned to the seemingly sleepy form of Flaming, who just turned his head to look at him. Soft just sighed and sat in the floor. "... Sometimes, I wonder how I got to this point."

"What point, Soft?"

"The point where I'm taking care of a former soldier, along with having a marefriend who is actually a foal, almost having my lower part crushed..." Soft said, glancing to her, who just blushed while trying to fake a smile.

"And don't forget about Fluttershy. Just to remind you." She said grinning, returning the offense to him.

"Yeah, that too." Soft's head just sank lower 'till it almost hit the floor.

"However..." Rarity said to have Soft's attention once more. "... There's something that bothers me."

"What is it?"

"Did you say... former soldier?"

Flaming's eyes suddenly shot open, turning instantly to the pair of ponies.

"Yeah. Flaming's a soldier of some kind. Have you heard of the recent rumors about a war in the far south?"

"... No. I can't say I have."

"Well... they're true."

Rarity just blinked a couple times before turning toward Flaming, who seemed to be thinking about something.

"What's true?" Said a young voice from the stairs.

Rarity and Soft turned to the upper part or the stairs, looking at Sweetie Belle, who had just awaken from her nap.

"Oh. Umm... about him" Rarity said while pointing toward the living, where Flaming still laid in there, seemingly asleep. Sweetie Belle just eyed him with fear.

"What about him?" Sweetie asked nervously. Suddenly, Rarity composed herself while walking toward Flaming.

"Sweetie Belle, this one here is Flaming. He's a friend of Soft."

Sweetie Belle turned her head toward Soft, who just nodded in confirmation to Rarity's statement. Losing part of her nervousness, she started to approach to the huge pony. Flaming perked an ear toward her, before opening an eye lazily and looking at her.

"H-Hello, mister Flaming." Sweetie greet him. Suddenly, Flaming lifted his head, reaching instantly the same eye level than hers. Not bothering to even talk, he just made a reverence with his head. After that, his head returned to the same place between his forehooves.

Seeing his reaction, Sweetie started to scan him with her eyes, soon realizing the wings of the pony.

"Oh, my gosh! You wings!" Flaming's head shot up at Sweetie's statement, instantly turning it toward his wings. Not seeing anything weird with them, he just turned his head, a confused expression reflecting on it. "They're... they're... like the ones of a bat!" Flaming half closed his eyes, while his face showed annoyance. Once again, his head returned to its resting spot. However, Sweetie's voice almost immediately was heard once again.

"Are you a vampony? A mutant? Oh, oh, oh! I know! I know! You're some kind of test!? How did you got those wings? They look so awesome!" Sweetie said while inspecting closer his wings.

"He's a thestral, or as us mere mortals know them, bat ponies." Soft stated, trying to relax Flaming.

"Oh! I've heard about bat ponies! But i didn't know they actually existed!" Sweetie said still in admiration for Soft's newest friend.

Soft just sighed while he saw Sweetie jumping up and down, circling Flaming, who just covered his ears in annoyance.

"Welcome to my world!" Soft said to Flaming.

As the day got closer to its end, Rarity and Sweetie Belle decided that it was time to leave.

"Well, Soft. As much as I'd like to stay in here all night, I have work to do tomorrow." Rarity said while finishing her cup of tea.

"Yeah. You might don't want to be late for a sudden injury related to an 'accident' with your lower parts, right?" Soft asked, instantly making the mare blush.

"What are you talking about?" Sweetie asked, curiosity filling her.

"Oh, Rarity wanted me to take out a spider from her room yesterday. But the chair I used broke, so my hoof got twisted and I couldn't walk right. Luckily, the pain was gone after a couple hours." Soft said with the most straight face he could, though in his mind, he was laughing at the red face of Rarity.

"Oh, that makes sense."

"Sweetie Belle, dear. It's time to go." Rarity said, glaring at Soft for the embarrassment.

Sweetie just nodded while lifting herself from the table.

"Good night, mister Flaming!" She said to Flaming, who was inspecting the brownish liquid on his cup. Turning to her, he just nodded, then returned to smelling the tea. Sweetie Belle just giggled before turning to Soft. "Good night, mister Soft."

"Good night, Swe-" Soft was interrupted by the sudden action of Sweetie's lips on his. It had been just a peck, but it still got Soft shocked.

Rarity just looked wide-eyed and mouth opened to her sister, who happily trotted out of the house. Almost instantly, she ran behind her sister.

Soft just blinked a couple times before shrugging the recent event off of his mind. However, as he turned to Flaming, he saw the giant pony staring at him like if he had done something supernatural.

"What?" Soft finally asked. Flaming pointed to the door and then turned again to Soft.

"Yeah. That was my marefriend." Flaming then put a serious face, lifting his hoof to make to heights a small one and a bigger one, empathizing the bigger one.

"What about Rarity?" Soft asked, gaining an annoyed look from Flaming.

"She likes you..."

"Oh, that. Yeah. I noted it." Flaming then stood up, instantly making Soft feel tiny. Then, Flaming gave two hits in the ground. Soft confused, just stared at him, making Flaming to hit the floor twice again.

"Umm... two what?" Flaming then pointed again at the door, Soft finally connected the dots.

"Two marefriends!?" Flaming nodded while using a serious face.

"... You kidding me, right? I can't have two marefriends! Sweetie shouldn't be my marefriend, even! She's just a foal!" Flaming almost instantly turned toward him. "She IS a foal, but some potion she took a few days ago turned her into a mare, so she could be with me."

Flaming just stretched a hoof, instantly taking Soft's neck on it. Soft just tried to get off, but Flaming wouldn't budge.

"She did all of that so she could be with you... and you deny her?"

"I'm not denying her! I'm just being patient!"

"Patient?"

"Of course! Do you think I would let a filly date me? I'm being patient, so when she grow up, she can finally have a chance!"

Flaming just let him go, and turned to walk away from him. Reaching his place on the living, he just returned to his sleep-like position. Soft just walked toward the outside to take a trip through the park.

However, his mind started to get uneasy as multiple questions about what Flaming told him wandered around his head. Was he really being unfair with Sweetie Belle? What if he wasn't? Could it be considered cheating when she wasn't his marefriend really?

Was he really a jerk for the reasons he wasn't returning Sweetie's affections?

Flaming still laid on his place on the living, even when Soft got out hours ago. It was ten o'clock.

Suddenly, the front door opened, revealing Soft, who seemed to be lost on his own thoughts. Suddenly noting Flaming's gaze on him, he turned his head to watch him in the eye.

"Thank you." Flaming just gave him a puzzled look as to what he was meaning. "I've been reflecting on what you said. And you're right. But I've already made a promise. I promised Sweetie's father that I would wait 'till she becomes an adult. Meanwhile, I'll remain like this, but I won't eye another mare." Soft said with a confident smile as he lifted a hoof, saluting like a royal guard would.

Flaming stood up and saluted him too.

"Thank you for clearing my sight. You're a good friend." Flaming stretched a hoof, putting it on Soft's shoulder.

"Good friend."

That night, Soft slept like never before. He woke up the next morning feeling like a new pony. In fact, he smiled as he trotted to his job, he smiled as fourteen ponies with flu showed up on his office, he even smiled as the news of Fluttershy going out of the hospital came to his ears.

He even considered the option of showing up in the exit to congratulate her for her quick recovery. Unfortunately, a last minute call prevented him from doing so. She was no more the mare who raped him. She was just a mare, a shy and beautiful mare who was frightened of her own shadow. Soft chuckled at the only thought of it.

Later that day, he returned home. When he opened the door, he dropped a bag full of apples for Flaming. He was big, so he had a big stomach, too. Turning on his radio, he sat back on his chair, with a good book to read as he listened to the relaxing music.

Knock knock knock

Soft's ears perked as the sound of weak knocks hit on his door. Getting up, he walked toward the door.

Knock Knock Knock

Suddenly, the knocking became louder. Soft guessed that there were two ponies outside. The first ones seemed to be careful, but the next ones seemed to be desperate. However, it had been a good day, so it couldn't be that bad.

Opening the door, he instantly greeted the two ponies who stood by his door.

"Good evening have all of-" Suddenly, a white hoof made its way to Soft's face. It possessed such a strength, which caused him to be sent backwards six feet, with pure brute force. Opening his eyes, a white mare with indigo mane looked at him with an angry expression. Behind her stood a pale mare with a pink mane, who tried to use her own mane to hide from him. Though the hit confused him a few minutes, his mind finally connected the dots.

"Good evening, miss Rarity. Good evening, miss Fluttershy." He said as he stood up shakily.

As he finally composed himself, Soft noted the uncomfortable silence which feel upon the room they were in.

"Umm... what's up?"

Rarity couldn't be redder as he stepped in front of Soft with a glare that caused Soft to shrink under her.

"...you ..."

"Me... what?"

"You!"

"Umm... miss Fluttershy? Do you know what's going on in-"

"Don't talk to her!!"

Soft turned his head toward Fluttershy, who seemed like if she didn't want to be in there. Turning back to Rarity, who was boiling in anger for pony-knows-what reason, he just became more confused.

"Alright. What's is going on?" Soft asked as he composed himself.

"Um... I wanted to talk to you, Soft." Both, Rarity and Soft turned to Fluttershy, who spoke quietly to gain both attention.

"... Alright, speak." Soft said, giving the pale mare his complete attention.

"... Umm... I... I wanted to say that I'm sorry for... raping... you..." Fluttershy once again tried to hide behind her mane.

"... Is that all?" Soft asked pokerfaced. Shrugging, he just walked toward the pale mare, smiling. "It's okay. We all make dumb things in our lives."

"Umm... Soft?"

"It's dust in the wind. It's gone!"

"Soft?"

"There's nothing to forgive."

"Can't you see that she's trying to tell you something important?" Rarity suddenly interrupted Soft on his speech.

"Yeah, I can see that! But what happened in that cave is all forgiven and forgotten!"

"Soft?"

"She's trying to tell you!"

"Tell me what? There's nothing to-"

"Just listen, for Celestia's sa-" Suddenly, Rarity was interrupted by a huge hoof on her mouth. Soft turned to Flaming, who was seeing Fluttershy seriously. Turning toward her, Soft finally noticed that she was shaking beyond words.

"... I'm... I'm..." Fluttershy tried to say something, but her fear was huge, almost like the pony standing in front of her. Taking a deep breath, she finally gathered the strength to say what she was saying. "... I'm pregnant."

Soft just stood in there pokerfaced.

"So...?" Soft asked. Suddenly, Flaming's hoof couldn't hold longer the white mare.

"It's yours!"

Soft's eyes couldn't be more open. His jaw almost fell to the ground as he turned to Fluttershy, expecting something else. Instead, Fluttershy nodded weakly.

Soft's mind just found two words.

"... oh, Rats."