Joat's nightmare

'Sun, go away please' was the first thought my groggy migraine tortured mind could think up.

"Fine." I grumbled whilst rubbing my eye "lets get this over.... Where did the sun go?" Opening my eyes reviled another horror altogether.

"HI JOATY!!" screamed a white griffon with grey highlights , and patches of black littering her body.

"AHH!!" Yelled my war cry, that totally didn't sound like a little girl screaming. Meanwhile she lunged at me wrapping me in a crushing bear hug.

"Joaty I was so worried you would never wake up!!" She yell while attempting to turn my bones into mulch.

"Pl..Cnt...Brth" she got the hint and stopped squeezing me like a tube of toothpaste, but still hung to me.

"Well that's nice to know but what are you doing here Peace?"

"Hmft" came a muffled voice from behind me. It came from Krystal who was currently bound and gagged to a tree, along side a teary eyed blue Pegasus. next to that was a person donned in a deep sea dive suit, not only that but held a anchor casually over its shoulder.

The giant took its 'eyes?' of the two and slowly turned to me. In the second or two it looked at me its visor turned red, then slowly looked back at the two tied to the tree.

"Umm... Peace why are my friends tied to a tree?"

"Friends?" Peace pondered the thought for a moment. "but why did the changeling use magic and nock you out then. That's not what friends do."

"Maybe because I was in a lot of pain and she was still healing me." I stated with a blank face.

"And what's with deep sea 1 over there?"

"Who? are you talking about Mr. Bubbles?" She said while making a hand motion at him.

Grunting I got to my feet fighting of the light headed feeling threatening to send me back. The giant known as Bubbles released my companions from their confines.

"What the Tartarus Joat! You know this Crazy mare?" Krystal yelled at me.

"Yes and owe your to loud. Krystal Clear Peace treaty, Peace treaty Krystal Clear." I said while pointing towards the named persons. Thing suddenly got quit and the tension was starting to choke me, or It could be the death glares I was receiving from both parties. Well It would have been quit had a giggling quickly took its place. Spinning around I eyed the goliath as he spun Sprinkler around with one hand.

"Look Joat, I'm Flying!" She squealed with unbridled joy like she had never flown before. Bubbles just stared at her While she giggled and flew around, his visor a soft blue. He must have seen me staring cause his visor turned yellow and shifted her to his shoulder as he stared back at me. His gauntlet never leavening the anchor.

"Strange, he is usually only that cautions when a shade is nearby." Peace stated swiveling her ears to and fro.

"nah, I just think he doesn't like me to much."

"Who are you, and what are you anyways?" I ask the titan.

"......." nothing changed he just continued to stare at me. Nothing was said till peace cut in.

"Joat He cant answer you... Even if he could I doubt he remembers."

"What are you-" She cut me off

"He's a lost one Joat.." she looked towards him with sadness in her look and tone.

"Lost one?" Sprinkler asked from his shoulder.

"There like us, was like us. The lost themselves somewhere in the Abyss. Caused by a unforgettable act of horror." Walking up to the titan, I stared hard into his visor which now glowed blood red and his grip on the anchor tightening.

"The shade responsible for taking their lives away from them haunt and torture the mind into submission." Reaching up I put my hand on his shoulder, his visor dulling back to yellow.

"And then they keep going, eventually convincing you it was your fault. That you had cause the catastrophe. That you weren't strong enough to save them, to save your family." he dropped the anchor and his visor dulled to a cool blue.

"But, no matter what they do. They can take you family. Take your name. Even take your soul. You have to be strong enough to keep ahold of your memories, For some of us-" his visor went out and I could see his face. Black tendrils surrounded his eyes as the oozed a red liquid.

"-Our memories for our loved ones are strong enough to keep a grasp on reality lest we be swallowed whole by the Gap. Our hope to see them again one day, and the knowledge that they are waiting our embrace when we do."

"IT"S WHAT DRIVES US FORWARD." Was a hulking reply from the titan as I was swept up into yet another bone crushing hug. "ACULUS... NAUTALIS" and just like that he let me go.

"How do you know so much about the process?" Krystal questioned almost afraid of the answer.

Looking down at my left hand I removed my glove and rolled up the sleeve of my jacket to show them my tattoo.

"Because me and father found him on the edge of becoming one..." I was suddenly hugged from behind, more softly mind you, by Peace Treaty.

"I got this to cover my scarring." Flipping my hand palm side up they could see the same black tendrils pulsing with my heartbeat, scattered across it. "I left this visual to remind me of what I had to overcome and who saved me."

Rolling my sleeve back down and putting my glove on I finally realized something I had overlooked during my initial inspection, and I solemnly said "But most of us this happens to.." I looked up to make eye contact with Sprinkler. "Never recover."

There it was, I cant believe I was so stupid to overlook the signs. "It's a good thing I found you when I did Sprinkler."

"What do you mean?" Krystal, Peace and Sprinkler said at the same time.

""out of all the ones I have seen, Never have I stumbled upon a case like yours." Taking Sprinkler off of Aculus's shoulder I stared into her eyes.

With a Pained voice I asked "How old are you Sprinkler?"

"I told you before I'm Eight years old." A soft gasp could be heard from behind me.

"Sprinkler...."  My eyes started to water. "The last time I asked you that.... You were twelve."

"What are you talking about?" She started looking worried.

"I'm So sorry.. I should have realized it sooner. Sprinkler.. Wings on a pony don't fully develop until they are at least Fifteen years old"

She looked behind her and spread her wings, along side loose feathers waiting to be preened was black tendrils that pulsed every so often. Turning back she looked at me eyes already red and tears already trickling down her muzzle.

"I'm scared."

"Don't worry I wont let you go anywhere."

This poor girl was already in the final stage. I hugged her as close to my chest as possible while she bawled into me.

"Don't worry no more waking up having forgotten another day, Its all over." Her grip tightened as Aculus walked over and picked us both up in a massive yet comforting hug.

Most of the day passed making idol chatter, catching up, and some cheering up until it was time to light the campfire. I had insisted the two of them stay for dinner, but Peace said she needed to get to her dad before daybreak. It sounded urgent so I pushed the issue no farther. We exchanged our goodbyes with some quick hugs a 'good luck' and a wave from the ever so quiet Aculus, before they disappeared into the dense forest. We chose to meet up at Peace Treaty's father's house when we got to Ponyville.

We sat in silence while we ate, what a surprise, leek soup.

"when we get to town I am buying a sack full of oranges." My mouth watered at just the thought of fresh oranges. Sprinkler had hardly eaten a spoonful of her food when I tried to talk to her she just looked at me and said "Fifteen" jumped into my chest and started crying again.

I feel for this girl half of her life so far has been slowly whittled away. Seven years she will never get back.

When she finally calmed down it was way past dark. Unfolding my sleeping bag I rested against the only tree in the clearing. On the edge of sleep I felt fur and feather lean into me. sliding down I wrapped my arms around Sprinkler and held her close.

"you wont let me forget, will you Joat?"

"No I will never let you forget, and I will never let you slip away."

"Joat?"

"Hmm?"

"How...How old are you?"

"Hmm? why would you want to know that?"

"Because... I don't know.... I don't look to you as a father.... but I like it when we are close."

"...." My cheeks turned a brilliant shade of red.

"Joat?"

"Listen you shouldn't waste your time on me. you can do a lot better than me."

"you never answered my first question..."

"I-I'm Seventeen."

"..."

"...."

"hey Joat?"

"Hm?"

"Will you go out with me."

"hehehe, sure Sprinkler. I'll take you somewhere nice when we get to town."

It was meant only as a joke but what came next mace me realize I may have royally bucked up.

She kissed me full on the lips, and then wafted her tail.

That's when I knew for sure I was more than just Bucked.

"Your in heat...."