The Legend Of The Lonely Ladybug

Revelations

Below the closed window Faith laid relaxed on his back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. It was night time but the pegasus had not fallen asleep yet.

After the mares left him to his apartment the stallion had been forced to reconsider his options after learning that Twilight was supervising his whereabouts. How she were to pull it off for a full cycle of day and night left a lot for assumption. Faith already suspected that she knew he had something to hide which acted as her motivation.

The mares had been kind from the start and it was all thanks to them that Faith now had his apartment, a surprising act of generosity unlike any that he had been given before by anyone. None had gone through such an effort from what he remembered, something that he found himself admiring.

But was it a good enough reason for him to reveal his troubling background?

Wrestling with the question, Faith's eyelids drooped, eventually closing as he crossed the border of thought and entered the reign of dreams.

Outside dark blue clouds blotted the sky, Luna's moon only just starting to peek from behind their obscuring shroud. Amidst this a flying silhouette approached. What turned out to be an owl ended up on a branch, it’s gaze pointed to Faith's apartment not very far from where the tree that it perched on grew.

"Our mental connection is working perfectly," Twilight's voice said, "If you see him doing anything out of the ordinary let me know."

"Who," the bird hooted to itself, two large eyes glowing an eerie magenta hue.

***

Sunlight illuminated the apartment as morning arrived. After exiting the bathroom Faith moved over to the window and opened it. The pegasus rested on his elbows as he watched below at the street where ponies were passing the house. Leaving the window and finding a comfortable spot, Faith got down on the floor, crossing his back legs and falling into a trance-like state, listening something that only he seemed to be hearing.

Some distance away from the apartment a family of small mice ran between four yellow hooves.

"Be careful, little ones! This is a busy street," Fluttershy spoke to them, seeing some stallions carry heavy boxes out of a building nearby in awareness regarding the potential risk for the tiny rodents that the town square posed. A bumblebee caught her attention as it flew above her head. A smile spread on Fluttershy's face. She loved all wildlife but flying insects were among her most fascinating sources of interest.

Because of her distraction she was greatly startled by a loud "whooooooosh" coming from Rainbow Dash who landed next to her, coming to a screeching halt like a speeding fighter jet on an aircraft carrier only way quicker. Fluttershy's teeth rattled simultaneously while her hooves trembled.

“Hi, Fluttershy," Dash greeted her friend determinedly.

Fluttershy lowered her face. “You startled me again, Rainbow!”

“Alright! I’ll try to be gentler in my approach next time," Rainbow gave an underwhelmed promise before looking at the street and the ponies going about their business. “So, what’s up?" Rainbow eventually asked, seemingly curious about what her friend was up to, "Doing anything of importance?”

Fluttershy returned an awkward stare. “Just looking after the little ones," she said and glanced down on the mice zig-zagging between her legs to make sure the pack remained together, "The town square can be dangerous for them.”

Just as she finished her sentence Fluttershy's eyes shrank when a careless pony loudly tipped over a box containing something heavy. Another pony was heard shouting angrily at the one who dropped the box. The mare dropped to the ground to form a curled up ball. After a moment had passed Fluttershy managed to speak to her cyan friend again. “So, what are you doing here, Rainbow?”

The pegasus stroked her multicolored mane as she continued to search her surroundings expectingly. ”Pinkie Pie asked me to help her with something. Can’t really see her around here.”

“Ah, there you are, Dashie!" a loud cheery voice abruptly exclaimed right next to her, " How great that you could make it," Pinkie added, having appeared out of nowhere only a few inches behind her friend. This time it was Rainbow's turn to get completely caught off-guard, jumping in the air while holding her beating chest. She began hyperventilating as cold sweat rolled down her forehead.

“And they say that I’m good at making surprise entries!”, Rainbow exhaled loudly.

“You got to help me," Pinkie spoke anxiously as she clung against Rainbow to bounce them both up and down, "Twilight asked me to get a photograph of Faith as soon as possible so we can start searching for his family. But the photographer I hired for Faith’s party refuses to come back!”

Rainbow was listening and rubbed her mane in confusion after released from the grip of her ecstatic friend.

“Why do you need me in that, Pinkie?", she asked doubtfully, "Can’t you just operate a camera yourself? It’s not like that’s hard to do."

Pinkie hadn't stopped bouncing in place, intense like a rubber ball as the cotton candy mane kept swaying up and down with her movement.

"That’s just it! Faith refuses to leave his apartment and won’t let me in," she continued anxiously, "I need you to be my assistant.”

Rainbow stared silently at the earth pony, not certain about what her own role in Pinkie's plan would be.

***

Inside the apartment Faith remained in his meditative pose until a knocking sound came from the window. The pegasus ignored it, focused at his trance. After a moment a new knocking followed which finally made him open his eyes and look to the window’s direction to see nothing behind it.

Was another pegasus playing tricks on him? Now on suspicious mood, he got up and walked over to take a gander.

A surprise waited him.

Pinkie Pie elevated to view, gravitating outside the window with a large tripod camera in possession. The earth pony grinned, the remote switch ready in the other hoof. “Say cupcake,” the mare uttered.

Faith covered his face in futility, blinded by the flash sent by the camera. She had taken a picture of him.

“Are you done yet?!”, Rainbow was heard from underneath Pinkie, panting as she struggled to support both of them outside the window.

The pony standing on her shoulders took another photograph of Faith who had backed deeper in the apartment. “Yup, that one will be framed to my wall," Pinkie snickered joyfully, "I'll place it between Big Macintosh and Dumpster Dan."

Taking it as a "yes", Rainbow exhaled tiredly, exhausted from carrying her friend and the camera. As the pegasus fell from uner her Pinkie lagged behind, momentarily suspended in thin air to wave at Faith with a smirk.

“Thanks for the photo session, Faith," the mare said cheerily as she plummeted, followed by a crashing noise.

Pinkie now sat on top of Rainbow Dash who was sprawled beneath on her belly in the grass. Next to them Fluttershy chuckled with a hoof covering her mouth, having stumbled upon the scene after becoming curious about what they had been doing beside the house.

“Aw, Dashie. I didn’t expect you to be so thoroughly assistive," Pinkie told Rainbow, "You really caught me.”

Rainbow rolled her eyes, resting a chin on her other hoof with plenty of tangible annoyance. “The last time I’ll be a paparazzi," she growled as Pinkie Pie got up to examine the camera. Deeming it untouched by the fall, she began to carry it down the street while whistling.

"If you excuse me, got some pictures to manufacture," she told Fluttershy while passing her.

Above them Faith had opened the window and had observed what the other pony was doing. He flew outside and descended to cut her off.

"Wait," his scared voice called out.

Pinkie set the camera standing in front of her as Faith landed on her path. "Still want me to take photographs, Faith?" she asked, already preparing the remote switch. Before she could activate it Faith leapt to cover the camera's lens with his hoof, gasping at each breath.

"No!" the scared pegasus rejected. Pinkie gave him a funny look.

"No! That will be enough!", Faith added.

"So what is it then?" the mare asked.

"I..........it's...........I......."

Pinkie's warm laugh rang. "Speak up, Faith. You sound like Fluttershy from time to time," she said, pointing to the other mare behind them who was listening calmly. Behind her Rainbow was displaying a sceptic look on her face.

"I.........I........I............," Faith's hesitant tongue continued to bounce against a brick wall. He had to come up with some explanation for why he didn't want pictures taken.

Pinkie grinned, having guessed what he was trying to bring across. "Aww you silly willy lilly!", she cooed at him, "It's okay to be picture shy! Don't worry, they'll be ready in no time so you'll get to see them before anypony else." Before Faith could react the party mare had quickly passed around him and was again hopping down the street, the camera swaying on her shoulder.After she had gone Faith collapsed.

"I can't," a weak utter left his mouth.

There was no more pretending. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy approached him.

"Can't what?", Rainbow asked curiously when Faith's face took an ascend to face everything above.

"I told Twilight that it's too complicated for all of you to understand," he spoke darkly.

In a flash Rainbow had moved in front of the stallion, her own voice full of determination after growing tired. "Hey, enough with the hiding already," she shouted, lifting him up to all fours, "Grab yourself by the ear and open up!"

As Faith was taking in Rainbow's advice Fluttershy appeared to his other side.

"Rainbow is right, Faith," the other mare said calmly, "You have to believe in your cause. It is not the end of the world to be found." She positioned herself behind him and started massaging him, an experienced physiotherapist capable of healing a bear's sore back.

"You're all tense," Fluttershy says after finding tight areas from between his shoulder blades, "This should let some new flow into you."

She continued the massage, skillfully tapping into Faith's clogged muscles. His neck softened which made the head sink, a slow smile creeping up. The eyelids of the pegasus drooped.

"Now that you mention it, that actually does feel kinda good," Faith admitted, sounding relaxed as his hind legs went limp and dropped the stallion.

A snoring filled the air. It didn't last long before Rainbow shook the other pegasus to give him an abrupt awakening.

"Wake up!", she barked, "This isn't a place for napping."

"Sorry," he mumbled after glancing at her with blushing cheeks. The massage had worked better than expected.

Deeming the stallion back awake, Rainbow impatiently scanned above them and flexed her wings, jumping up and down like an athlete ready to perform, having decided that she had stuck around long enough. "Well, I'm off again," the cyan mare pegasus exclaimed, "Got some clouds to catch up with." She leaned back to get a good start up and fired herself off, the rushing wind blowing Fluttershy's mane backwards.

As soon as Rainbow exited a grey mare pegasus arrived to the street and noticed the remaining duo, coming up to greet them.

“Hey, Fluttershy," she asked curiously, "Who’s your friend?”

“This is Ladybug Faith," Fluttershy told the mare quietly.

“Hi, Faith. My name is Ditzie," the mare chatted, "Some call me Derpy. It's my occasional eye crossing, see?”

Almost as a reply to her reveal, Ditzie's left eye moved towards the right one before flopping back. She was fast to raise a hoof politely. Faith reluctantly returns the shake, smiling back weakly.

“How do you do, Ditzie?”, he asked with equal politeness.

“Nothing too fancy. I work at the post office,” Ditzie answered, “Nice to meet you, Faith. It’s always great to have a new girl in town.”

The remark made Faith's smile disappear, the stallion's lip beginning to throb from what now stirred beneath his posterior, a reaction that immediately confused Ditzie.

Are you alright?", she asked concernedly with a head tilt, "Did I say something offensive?”

“He’s a stallion," Fluttershy revealed awkwardly. Both of Ditzie's yellow eyes grew in size, acting independently upon the surprise of hearing Fluttershy's explanation while Faith sobbed, trying to fight the tears forming around his eyes.

“Oh my," Ditzie uttered in embarrassment, the right eye now doing several spins in it's socket, "I’m so sorry, Faith. I didn’t know,” she squaked.

“It’s……..i-i-it’s okay," the stallion pretended indifference to try uplift the mare's spirit, "I’m not offended………”

The acting had not only failed to look convincing but it also didn't prevent the conclusion. A fountain wetted the pebbled road under their hooves as Faith began to cry.

”Please forgive me, Faith," Ditzie soothed, the mare's left eye now contrasting the spinning of the right with a bouncing sideways movement, "I seriously didn’t know.”

“No! No, I forgive you, Ditzie," Faith answered for his best capability yet sincerely, managing to stop the flow of tears. "I should treat this with the right attitude anyway.”

The green pegasus walked down the street. “I’d like some privacy now if that’s okay," he mumbled under a sigh, having had enough about chatting.

“I’ll come with you," Fluttershy called after him and followed to keep him company. Ditzie watched them go, saddened by how their brief discussion had ended.

Before he got too far Faith suddenly halted and looked back at where the grey mare stood in a sudden need to redeem himself. A simple acceptive nod of kindness was sent back as a sign of a forgiven misunderstanding. A weak but sincere smile appeared to supplement it. Seeing it, the mare pegasus smiled back, her mind put at ease upon witnessing the noble gesture as her eyes relaxed. As strange as he was the feminine stallion had still behaved respectively toward her.

Faith and Fluttershy moved on, soon nearing the edge of the town. Faith's path was taking them closer towards the trees seen in the distance.

“Uh…..Faith," Fluttershy enquired.

“Yes, Fluttershy?"

“Aren’t you supposed to return to your apartment?", Fluttershy asked as she kept switching glances between Faith and the trees, uncertain about his intentions, "Twilight might not appreciate to know that you're going too far.”

Faith was already made aware. “I gave her a promise about not escaping," he explained to reduce his companion's doubts, "I just want to rest somewhere with more peace and quietness. The town’s noise is blocking me from hearing the insects."

“Oh! Now I remember your ability," she recalled what she had seen at Everfree Forest two nights ago, "That is such a great skill, Faith!”

“I suppose so," Faith mumbled and sighed, having been successful with said activity moments before Pinkie and Rainbow had interrupted.

“We should find you a good place over there in the woods," Fluttershy suggested, most of her doubt about his intentions now gone, "Some ponies do occupy the public park but less frequently than in the town. Lots of insects too.”

Near them an eavesdropper's green scales stuck above nearby foliage. Spike raised his head from the bush, having been given the task of tracking Faith and Fluttershy. “Twilight! Can you hear me?” a thought resonated in his brain, "You asked me to report and I got something."

As a reply someone answered him, sounding distant. “I hear you," the voice of Twilight spoke, "There is a slight disturbance in the field though. Try to focus, Spike," she told him.

“Okay," Spike's thought replied back and looked over to see that his targets had not left, "Just letting you know that Faith and Fluttershy are heading to the nearby forest.”

“I suppose he simply wants some peace in a quieter place," he heard the voice of the unicorn ponder, "That is allowable.”

“Should I follow them?" Spike asked Twilight, "Fluttershy is with him.”

“Yes, Spike. Don’t let them out of your sight. If Faith somehow decides to scamper she alone won’t be able to stop him from doing that."

Twilight's voice grew a hint of worry, almost pressuring her assistant. "We must keep him within the borders of Ponyville to help him.”

“Going after the subject now," Spike replied with a made up accent to try to sound official, forming a made up communication device to the cup of his hand.

“Just focus, Spike,” Twilight's amused voice scolded him.

“Yeah, yeah,” the young dragon shrugged with sagging shoulders and exited the bush with a leap.

***

Faith stood still to listen the surrounding forest, a new look of sadness having gained influence on him again. Aside the stallion Fluttershy gave him looks of odd curiosity.

“Who am I, Fluttershy?”, Faith's lips mumbled with a touch of melancholy.

“Uh………we’ll help you figure it out,” his yellow friend said awkwardly.

“It’s been an age since I’ve been in true social interaction", Faith told with a sigh, "Even if I do end up remembering I’m not sure if I can find comfort from the company of others anymore.”

“You being alone doesn’t mean that you can’t have loyal friends," the mare answered softly, "Please believe me."

Despite what he was told Faith didn't look completely sold. “You don’t know the burden that I still carry, Fluttershy," he replied, something else aside loneliness adding to the weight of the stallion's misery.

“I believe you’re not the only pony in Equestria with burdens," Fluttershy calmly stated, "All that we need to do is look around us.”

“Fluttershy," she heard Faith say.

“Uh……yes?”

The stallion returned eye contact, a genuine smile crossing his face. “You’re the kindest mare who I have ever met."

Fluttershy blushed from the statement, clearing her throat.

Time passed by slowly. Near them butterflies occupied the air above a nearby crop of flowers. Watching it, momentary sadness seemed to have already disappeared from Faith's eyes.

“It’s so beautiful," the stallion stated behind closed eye lids, “Nature alone can give a lonely soul all the comfort that it desires," he continued with a whisper, "It was all that I had during my solitary time.”

In his ears Faith heard countless tiny voices constantly exhanging basic information. Bees and butterflies directing their kin to the best flowers. Ants digging in their construction sites. Snails slowly moving about with no such thing as rush. Spiders weaving their complexly simple webs. Hearing it greatly eased the mind of the pegasus.

“It is a delicate balance," he continued explaining, "A basic foundation to everything that grows above it. Listening to it has always allowed me to feel like I belong somewhere.” Faith shifted his attention back towards Fluttershy to see how she was doing. The mare hadn't noticed the butterflies nor the other insects, instead looking at him under the same strange curiosity.

“It takes a lot of punishment too," Faith continued, "Forests can be burned. Streams can be poisoned. The air can be polluted. But with enough given time everything eventually grows back while the source of whatever was hurting it usually ends up withering away.”

Crickets chirped in the bushes as Faith relaxed as if listening to a five star opera. He looked away from his now fully enthralled mare companion and to the sky. “I suppose the reason I am still somewhat intact is because I had the patience of nature at my side. I trust it. It hasn't deceived me and allowed me to bounce back without breaking."

Fluttershy was growing a throbbing smile. Even when she tried to hold it back the mare's eyes were watering.

“Uh……..Faith…," she uttered, "…..I……..I want to ask---------”

“Fluttershy," a loud tiny voice called out before she managed to finish the sentence. Fluttershy and Faith look aside to find three local fillies approach. Recognizing them, an awkward smile overtook Fluttershy. Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle arrived upon the two pegasus, Scootaloo riding on her two-wheel skateboard with her friends jogging by her side.

“Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle," Fluttershy greeted them, slightly surprised of how they had snuck upon them so well, "How is your day going?”

“We’re having fun," Apple Bloom giggled, having been out at the park with her friends until stumbling upon the two adult ponies, now looking at the other pegasus.

“Who are you," Sweetie Belle asked Faith who's shyness made him hesitant to introduction until Fluttershy attempted to do it for him.

“Uh……..this is…….this is……," she stuttered awkwardly.

“You can call me Faith," the feminine stallion replied with gathered confidence, redeeming the awkward situation. At first Faith's masculine voice confused the fillies who had expected a female from what they saw. After adjusting to the peculiarity they themselves introduced.

“Ah am Apple Bloom," the yellow earth filly exclaimed joyfully.

“And I’m Scootaloo," her yellow pegasus friend followed.

“Sweetie Belle," the third filly finished, "We are the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Welcome to Ponyville, Faith.”

Faith watched Apple Bloom thoughtfully, the filly herself gazing at him upon noting his curiosity.

“Do you happen to be related to Applejack, Apple Bloom,” Faith asked the earth filly who jumped as soon as she heard the name.

“Yeah, she’s mah big sister," Apple Bloom exclaimed, grinning delightedly from a new pony knowing members of her family,"You know her?”

A nod was given back to the filly.

“Yes, we somewhat know each other. Maybe if you ask her she can tell you more about me,” Faith teased the child. Listening his voice, all three fillies gave him a funny look until Apple Bloom's grin took regained it's residence.

“Nice to meet ya, Faith. Come visit our farm at Sweet Apple Acres, lots of friendly guys and gals who’d love to meet ya," she said.

“Maybe I’ll drop by," Faith answered politely, impressed by the hospitality of the earth filly, "Thanks for the invitation.”

“Bye then, Fluttershy," Apple Bloom greeted the other pegasus before the children moved on with their activities.

After they had gone Fluttershy stood frozen in place eyes nailed to Faith who had already returned his sights at the forest. “What was it like, Faith? Being at Everfree forest,” she ended up presenting her original question.

“It is rather indescribable in pony talk for most part," her partner explained.

“Being in the middle of all those monstrosities alone must have been horrible," Fluttershy mumbled, voice trembling.

“I was certainly dodging dragons, timberwolves, manticores and other foul beings left and right," the green pegasus recalled without fear, "But with the help of the insects I found plenty of safe pockets. My solitude and peace was there." Faith paused as he recalled his daily survival in the most dangerous forest of Equestria. "I ate what the good insects told me were edible. I drank by streams that they pinpointed while avoiding ones that they did not touch.”

For a moment the sounds of the forest filled the void. Bees buzzed by plants.

“The first time when I found ponies who had gotten lost in the forest…...........I could sense their fear, the desperation," Faith uttered sentimentally. Like many times before, his eyelids closed as he narrated. "They had done nothing, most of them at least. They weren’t to be blamed for what had happened to them. They just wanted to find their way back.”

In his mind he saw individual ponies wandering the dark depths of Everfree without a sense of direction, afraid by the blackness littered by glowing predator eyes.

“Without my help they could have certainly fallen prey to the dangers. I realized that I could be useful. I’d feel like a true pony again without demanding anything from others," Faith told, "It was the least that I could give to my kind. I do not care about fame or fortune. I just want to have a real purpose. So I guided those lost souls back."

He looked back at Fluttershy who had started to whimper. Teary retinas filled the entire volume of her eyes like large holes. What she had heard was more than she could ever expect from any pony.

Faith smiled quietly, calmness in his voice. “For years that was the entire case. I was the silent guardian.”

The insects buzzed around him and Fluttershy who both stood motionless in silence that Faith's voice eventually broke.

"Light even without light. Shadow even without shadow. You know what I've truly learned, Fluttershy? I believe that right attitude is decisive to both love and life," the stallion said, almost fully lost in his thoughts, "It really knows no age, gender, race nor nation. It helped me help others in peril. It's the thought that counts."

The stallion paused. "Maybe it proves that you’re right, all we need to do is look to see what is around us," he admitted, momentarily taking a glimpse at the surroundings as if to ensure what he had just said, “Stallion or mare, a pony has to believe in something instead of giving up," the pegasus added. "I really like you and your friends. When my tiny spark was getting wet you helped me cherish it and have been kind without even knowing me. It takes deep loyalty. Thank you for that."

All of a sudden the tone in Faith's voice collapsed, now sounding darkly cynical as he stares towards the ground, a seriousness apparent.

"But that can not last forever. Not for me. Not all stories have happy endings," Faith stated as Fluttershy wept in tears.The story she had endured moved the mare pegasus deeply. Faith got closer in order to comfort her. "I cant be a burden to those who don't personally know me. It just can't last. What I need is truly unbreakable.”

He gently took her hoof into his, looking to her eyes. Fluttershy gasped loud as soon as it happened. “I’m not sure if I have enough strength left to establish it anymore," Faith told her quietly.

Very close to them Spike was listening to the discussion. Because of a well picked hiding spot the baby dragon had overheard everything. To his surprise he found that his eyes watered too. “I wish you could hear what I have just heard, Twilight," he almost whimpered to himself, a fat tear dropping from the corner of his eye.

For a while Twilight did not reply. Finally her voice seemed to return, now sounding broken. Apparently she had also heard the conversation.

“Oh dear Faith…….," the unicorn's sad voice uttered.

Spike wiped a tear of his own and sniffed with a compassionate grin. Then he shook his head in surprise. “Wait! So you can hear through me, Twilight?!" he exclaimed loudly.

“Of course I hear and see through you, Spike," Twilight said in his head, "I need your eyes and ears to keep track of Faith. The mind connection permits me to do that.”

“And you didn’t tell me before establishing it?!” Spike shouted angrily, none too pleased about what he had learned about Twilight's new magic.

“Will you please concentrate, Spike?" her annoyed voice taunted him, "Lower your voice! You're giving your location away.”

Having already spotted Spike, Faith trotted over to the bush and pulled him out from the foliage. After setting him down the pegasus gave the baby dragon a long deep stare. “By ways that I can’t possibly grasp, eh Twilight?”

“W-w-who are you talking to, Faith? I see Twilight nowhere which means that I must be by myself………hehe!”Spike pretended innocent to try buy himself a way out.

The tactic didn't sway Faith. “Miss Sparkle," he continued loudly, "Can’t you just stop spying on me? I’m not going anywhere.”

Beneath his shadow Spike was glancing at Faith nervously with the same pretense and held up his arms. “Believe me Faith, I’m not Twili---------!”

Before he could finish Spike was abruptly put to a trance by an unseen force. The eyes popped wide, a purple glow setting behind them. Spike began to move again except now his gestures looked more feminine like another individual was occupying his body. As he spoke the voice that Faith heard was that of Twilight.

“If you remember what I said to you about a day ago, we can’t just leave you to your own devices," she said through Spike's body, "Someone has to keep track of you and I have the best abilities to do that. Despite your promise I can’t trust you enough to give you freedom to go wherever you want. You'll just run away.”

“Yet you want me to trust you?", Faith uttered loudly, his back hoof kicking up soil in a fit of frustration, "Heaven’s sake, Twilight! I’m a full grown stallion, not a pampered colt!”

Spike’s face dropped to reflect Twilight’s concern. “I know it feels strange, Faith, but it’s for your own good," here voice tried soothing.

“You’re going too far in looking after me," the pegasus grunted with a well audible deep breath. "Listen, I know you mares have good intentions. But my fate does not concern you. It doesn’t concern anyone. I believe I know I have what I need to do what is right.”

Twilight Spike became doubtful and gave him a glance. The unicorn wasn't taking the claim literally.

“Do you?", her voice asked him.

The dragon suddenly found Faith’s snout pushed right against his.

“Yes! I! Do!", he revolted, "And I’ll be coming over to your house to talk about it as well as the bind of our little contract.”

“You are most welcome, Faith," Twilight again tried to soothe him, "But don’t be mad, I really do this with the best of intentions.”

As he listened her Faith’s eyes suddenly narrowed.

”Some of the worst things imaginable can be done with the best of intentions, Twilight," he exclaimed darkly until going silent when a new thought crossed his mind.

“And if it isn’t too much I now must ask you to leave me be," Faith told the remote controlled baby dragon, "I’ll come speak with you personally once I have managed to gather some of my thoughts. And I want to do that by myself. Okay?”

Spike remained quiet, watching him from behind the glowing purple of his eyes.

“Okay??" Faith repeated with a raised voice.

.“Alright, Faith," Twilight was heard sighing, Spike shrugging his shoulders in acceptance of his demand, "You have me convinced. Come meet me at my home once you are ready. Please don't run away.”

The glow in Spike’s eyes disappeared. Back awake, he shook his head in disorientation and looked around.

“What did you do? I had it all under control,” he shouted in an upset mood.

“Sure, Spike," the dragon heard Twilight's amused voice answer, "I had to momentarily take control of you to calm Faith down. He doesn't like observers. Come back home now. Let's allow him to be alone for a while.”

Spike's anger wasn't showing any signs of settling as he departed back for the town while the two pegasus watched him go. ”Alright!", the baby dragon exclaims loudly, "But after this is over I will rather clean the library spotless than go along with these sorts of tricks again!”

“Sorry, Spike, I promise to never do this to you again," Twilight told Spike as he strolled back to the streets of Ponyville, "You’re a fine assistant in any case. Once you've returned I'll remove this link.”

“I can already feel the uplift," Spike growled sarcastically, the mind control ordeal having not pleased him one bit.

“How about I make it up to you by readying you some gem stone treats?”, he heard Twilight say.

Spike ended up shrugging, a grin signalling the disappearence of his anger. Gem stones could soothe down the heart of any dragon.

“I forgive you. Just no more mind control,” he told himself, by now nearing the town square on his way to Twilight's library.

Faith and Fluttershy had remained where Spike left them. Deciding to retreat to a calmer place, Faith turned around and headed further into the woods.

"So where are you going?", Fluttershy asked him.

"I just want to be alone," the green male pegasus answered, sounding eager.

"You're not planning to run away are you," the other pegasus squeaked in genuine worry.

Faith glanced at her in absolute silence.

"No, at least for now. I'll stay here for a while and will then head to Twilight's apartment. You can find me there," was his answer.

Fluttershy accepted the notion in a still shaken state from what he had told her, giving a kind smile as she went back towards Ponyville using Spike's route.

Faith made sure that she was gone. Again by himself, he trecked deeper into the woods before finding a comfortable place at a clearing when he rested down to cross his hind legs and closing his eyes to listen to the insect orchestra that surrounded him.

***