Battle Born

Night Rose and White Flame were sitting together at their home in the Everfree Forest, not very long after the recent confrontation with Darkened Hallow. Night Rose was in her usual cheerful mood, whilst White Flame seemed troubled.

“Is something bothering you, honey?” asked Night Rose, sounding slightly worried.

He glanced over to her for a brief moment and shook his head. “No, no. I’m fine. Thanks for noticing, though.”
But really, in his head, he was frightened. Frightened for himself and Night Rose and even Shadow Fang. It seemed as if everything Darkened Hallow had said weren’t just shallow and meaningless threats, and that it was actually going to happen, that he would actually kill them if Night Rose got hurt. It was a good thing he didn't know…

Night Rose interrupted his thoughts when she nudged him. “Listen, I’m gonna go out and buy some food. Want anything?”
He nodded his head. “Sure, I guess, some apples would be nice,” Night Rose grinned, kissed him on the cheek, and walked over to the door to leave.
But just as she was walking out the door, White Flame asked for her attention, “Rosy, wait a minute, I have a question.”

In the past, that usually meant that something bad was about to happen, so she cautiously turned her head around. “Yeah?”
“What would you do if you ever saw Shadow Fang again?” he asked.

She began to twitch just from hearing that name. “Baby, you know how much I don’t like being asked those kinds of questions… but I guess I would just try to be calm around her.” White Flame let out a sigh of relief. “But I swear to Celestia, if I found out she was with you again, I would rip off her head and- Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to say that… you know how nasty I can get when I start talking about her.”

“I’m just going to leave now, okay? Love you, baby,” she said.
“I love you too,” said a startled White Flame.

Night Rose walked out and closed the door behind her, and as she walked to the Farmer’s Market, she thought about what he had said and asked herself, “I wonder what he meant by that?”

Meanwhile, White Flame, lying on the couch, sighed. “I don’t want to lie to her, but I know how mad she would be if I ever told her…” he thought to himself. Suddenly, he heard a knock on the window.
“You can come in, Fang. She isn’t here.”

At the market, Night Rose already had a cart full of food and goodies to eat at home, but she was still looking for a cake, most of which had already been sold. She didn’t feel like waiting another week to get one, so she kept looking around. As she walked around the store, she stumbled into a white unicorn, like herself, that looked like she might work there. “Excuse me, ma’am, but do you work here?” Night Rose asked.

“Do I really look so out of fashion that I look like I work here? Oh dear, I need to find a changing room…”
Night Rose laughed, “No no, you look fine. I was just wondering if you could help me find any cake.”

“Oh! Well you’ll be happy to know I have two. I don’t need the second one as much, so you can have it.”
“Thanks,” said Night Rose. “What’s your name, anyway?”
“My name is Rarity, yours?”

"I’m Night Rose! Nice to meet you, Rarity, but I have to go. Maybe we’ll see each other again soon,” said Night Rose.
As she was leaving the market, she got a strange feeling. A feeling that White Flame was doing something...

“You should go now, Fang. Night Rose will probably be here soon,” says White Flame.
“Alright, but we need to spend some more time together. I’m getting lonely the more you stay away from me.”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just get out of here,” he said. But before she left, he gave her a kiss. “Love you.”

After Shadow Fang climbed out the window and flew off, White Flame sighed. “Looks like I did it again...” But as he was saying that, his head started painfully throbbing and he heard a voice. “Liar. I hope Night Rose rips off your dick.” It was Darkened Hallow. White Flame had forgotten that he could read minds. But maybe that’s what he deserved, he thought to himself. All the pain he could get. He was a liar. He knew it.

He just had trouble admitting it. He knew he would have to tell her soon, but he didn't want to. He had already caused her enough pain. But, lying hurt worse.
“Hey honey! How ya doing?” asked Night Rose as she opened the door, and ran over to hug him. “You’re okay, right?”
“Yeah, I’m okay,” he said.
“Good. So what were you up to while I was gone?” she asked.
“Uh… I was just here reading the newspaper, that’s all.”
Night Rose laughed, “You don’t even read the newspaper, silly!”
“I do now,” he responded.

Night Rose plopped down on the floor and started eating her cake with her bare hooves. “Want some?” she asked with her still mouth full.

White Flame smiled slightly, and sat down next to her. They spent about twenty minutes eating the cake, before they began to fall asleep. “Hey Rosy? I probably haven’t said this to you much, but I think you’re the sweetest mare that exists. Love you, Rosy,” he said before kissing her.
“Aww, I love you too,” said Night Rose.
Another sharp pain went through White Flame’s brain.

“You son of a bitch, I knew you were up to something. Mark my words, I’ll drive you insane. You've hurt my baby girl too much. When Night Rose kills Shadow Fang, don’t come to me begging for help.”
White Flame finally snapped. He got up in a sudden movement, accidentally piercing a part of Night Rose’s ear. “Ow!” she yelped.
“Night Rose, I’m sorry. But there's something I need to tell you,” he said.