Shadow, Love and Pride

XX

Promises and Surprises

“Derpy I swear to the Goddess herself It's impossible, you can't pick things up using just your hoof.” Kido argued with Derpy as they were making their way back to the station from working a petty theft case, the culprit was a rebellious teenager, a first offender, so no arrest. It was six at night.

“Wolfboss I'm telling you it's easy.” Kido then stopped and dropped a pen on the floor.

“Okay then pick the pen up.”

“See? It's easy.” Derpy picked up the pen with a hoof.

“What sorcery is this?”

“It's not magic.” She dropped the pen and picked it up again. “Ponies do it all the time.”

“Let me try.” Derpy dropped the pen. Kido tried lifting it with a fist, he failed. “I can't grab it without using my fingers.”

“You can just grab it.” Derpy again picked the pen up using her hoof and dropped it. Kido started punching the pen in rage.

“You fucking pen! Get on my masculine fist!” Kido started talking to the pen. “You think you're to good for me!? Well guess what! You can't say penis with pen jackass!”

“Wolfboss it's just a pen.”

“You are a disgrace to your kind.” Kido ignored Derpy. And started walking again. “Let's go Deputy, we don't need traitors working for the guard.”

They were now close to the station, Derpy wondered if her friend was still mad at the pen because he was silent and had a serious expression on his face for a few minutes now. She then looked at the station. There was a something right next to the door, it seemed to be somepony sitting down. They were now in front of it.

“Do you come in peace?” Kido spoke to the cloaked creature.

“Wolfboss what's going on?” Derpy asked.

“It's the bat witch that attacked the town, I caught on to her sent a while ago.” Kido answered his assistant. He looked back at the Bat Witch. “I repeat. Do you come in peace?”

Bellz was even weaker now. She waited for hours, hunger taking the last of her strength. She could barely lift her head, it took a great amount of will alone to speak. This was the moment of truth. The wolf had not taken a ready position for battle, so he may have said the truth when he offered his friendship.

“Yes... please... help me.” Bellz said weakly. Kido started to approach her.

“Wolfboss!?” Derpy tried to stop him concerned this was a trick for revenge.

“I read a book once. A prophet was telling his people about how to handle difficult situations, especially those concerning when others wish you harm. He said: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”” Kido knelt to Bellz, to help her.

“But we arrested Filthy Rich and sent him to prison. How can you love him after what he did?” Derpy was confused.

“Dear Derpy. The prophet was not speaking about how you must literally love your enemy. He is speaking about hate and how the only way to free yourself from it, is to forgive and let such petty things like grudges go.” Kido answered.

Derpy began to think she may never get to truly know her wolfboss. One moment he is a silly and lively fellow that loves to laugh and tell jokes. The next, he's this incredible being who is educated, who stands for what's right and who possesses unfathomed charisma.

“I think I understand.” Derpy said.

“I'm glad my dear.” Kido now turned to the Bat Witch. “What is your name miss?”

“Bellz... I'm so hungry.” Bellz answered in desperation.

“Then we shall make haste.” Kido rushed to the door and opened it. “Can you walk?” Bellz tried to stand but quickly fell. Kido ran to her aid. “It's fine. Let me carry you.” Bellz wanted to protest but couldn't even gather the strength to do so. Derpy then took the initiative and opened the door to the living quarters. Kido carried the weak bat upstairs and laid her on his hammock. He then quickly started cooking soup.

“Wolfboss, shouldn't you make her special mushrooms? She needs meat like you.” Derpy asked.

“Very true my dear Derpy. But we must avoid “Refeeding Syndrome”” Kido explained.

“What?”

“Metabolic disturbances that occur as a result of re-institution of nutrition to patients who are starved or severely malnourished. As much as she may want to just chow down, it could result fatal. Yes, she has a rapid healing ability, but that is severely weakened as well. She must be carefully monitored and treated.” Kido took out a big pitcher of water, he added salt and water to it. And took it to Bellz. “I need you to drink all this, you must replenish your electrolytes.” She started gulping it down and suddenly stopped, gagging in disgust.

“What...?” She tried to protest.

“Save your strength and just follow my orders. Trust me.” Bellz did and drank the whole pitcher.

“Good, you'll be better in no time my friend.” Kido went back to the boiling pot.

“Anything I can do to help?” Derpy asked.

“Yes. Get her a pillow and blanket.” Kido answered. Derpy did as he said making Bellz as comfortable as possible. “Wolfboss are you a doctor?”

“Back in Tartarus the only profession that actually seemed to do good was that of the medical field, so I read many books of healing and medicine. But I never got a formal education.” Kido tasted the soup. “Ready.” He took a bowl, served it and took it to Bellz giving her a spoonful.

“I need meat.” Bellz stated.

“This has all the protein and nutrition of meat. It is how I have lived all these years without the need to hunt. Now open up my dear.” Kido gave her a big smile.

Bellz had never had anyone simply care for her out of kindness. Even her sisters and Mistress expected something in return if they helped her in anyway. She wondered if he might later cash in the favor. But for now she simply opened her mouth and ate. Kido was right, it tasted like beef and blood stew.

Bellz finished her bowl of soup. “Good my dear. That is enough for now.” Kido said as he got up.

“But I'm still hungry.” Bellz complained weakly.

“My dear, your body will react negatively to over feeding and with your healing ability weakened, it won't save you. I will feed you again in two hours. Try to rest. Would you like more water before you sleep?” She nodded. “I'll be right back.” He saw Derpy was resting in her bed. “Derpy did you shower before going to bed?”

“No.” Derpy blushed and headed to the bathroom.

Kido then came back to Bellz's side with sugar and salt water. “Here you go my dear.” He started to slowly let her drink. “You know, you are very lovely, I hoped we could meet under better circumstances. But I'm glad you thought of me when you needed help.”

Bellz limited herself to listen to the wolf's flattery, she wondered if he meant anything of what he said. She finished drinking and closed her eyes. Kido went back to the kitchen prepared more water and sat on the table to read.

Derpy got out of the shower and laid on her bed close to Kido's hammock. “Wolfboss, what happens now?”

“I will stay up and feed her every two hours.”

“I mean, after she gets better.”

“I don't know Derpy. But I promised my aid if she came in peace. For now that is my concern.”

“But what if she's still mean.”

“A motivation for me to stay awake then. Sleep now my dear. Wolves don't need to sleep that much, I'll be fine.” Derpy then closed her eyes, tucked herself in her blanket and sleep took over.

For the rest of the night, Kido would wake up Bellz and feed her every two hours. At six in the morning, he offered her slices of special mushrooms instead of soup.

“No soup?” Bellz had more strength now.

“You've healed nicely, so enjoy.” Kido just gave Bellz breakfast in bed, in this case hammock. She ate but she had to ask something.

“Why are you doing this? I attacked your town, your friends and I wanted to kill you the night we first met. What's your angle?”

Kido simply gave her a smile. “I forgive you. No harm came to my friends and I promised my camaraderie if you meant no harm.”

“How do you know I didn't hurt any ponies when I was hear?”

“I would've known if there was any killing done. I'm the towns protector and I'm a pretty good at finding things out. But I must ask, why did a powerful bat go weeks without food?”

“I don't wanna talk about it.” Bellz looked away from him.

“Fair enough.” Derpy yawned and started to wake. “Good morning deputy.”

“Morning.” A sleepy Derpy went to the bathroom.

“Bellz I'm afraid we have work today. Do you need me to stay?” Kido asked.

“No I'm sure that the next time I'm hungry I can manage to walk to the fridge and back.”

“Excellent. I may end up returning late at the night so I prepared paper bags with these special mushrooms, it one every two hours. You are welcomed to the entertainment, there are books, a radio but I'm afraid we only have the “PlayStation 3” available.”

“Awwww come on. No “Halo” or “Gears”!?” Bellz sighed. “Well at least there's “Uncharted” and “Batman”.”

“I don't have those.”

“Fuck.”

ZZZ

It was twelve pm. Twilight was making her way to the guard station to see, who she hoped would be her boyfriend. She knocked on the door and made her way in. Kido was standing from his desk as he always did out of respect for his guest. There was a large cupcake on the edge of the desk.

“Oh... hello my dear. How may I be of assistance?” He said.

“Just came to see you.” She walked close to him. Kido leaned on his desk. He rubbed her ear gently. Twilight couldn't help but to giggle and blush like a giddy school filly. She noticed the special looking cupcake. “Look at that, It's look great.”

“It's my birthday today.” He said with a smile, now petting her head.

“Why didn't you tell me?” Twilight said with a saddened expression.

“My dear you must already know. I'm sure Derpy has already spread the word. Misses Cake brought this no more than an hour ago.”

“I'd just prefer to hear it from you.”

“Noted.”

“But that does look really good.” Twilight looked at the the cupcake.

“I'm not sharing.” Kido gave a mischievous smile.

“What...? Why not?” Twilight asked indignantly.

“It's special to me.”

“Fine... I didn't even want any.” She still didn't take her eyes off it. Kido moved the cupcake away from her site behind his back. “Give me that cupcake!” Twilight practically tackled Kido putting her front hooves on his chest. Kido picked it up in his right hand raising his arms teasing, Twilight made fruitless efforts to grab it.

“No... This is my cupcake... Oh crap!” Twilight managed to push him to the floor behind the desk. They laughed, but stopped when they realized how close their faces were to each other. They looked into each others eyes for no more than a minute when Twilight suddenly licked Kido on the side of his muzzle. He brought the cupcake within her sight. “Okay, I'll share.”

“I got a better idea. Lets go celebrate just you and me. I'll get you a cake.”

“Sounds like a plan. I don't have any cases. Kinda think of it, I haven't seen Derpy since this morning. Wonder where she went?”

They walked together to Sugarcube corner, Twilight talked about a book she found on the creatures imprisoned in Tartarus, they were now at the entrance. She asked for Kido's opinion.

“I can honestly say from experience that it is accurate but...”

“SURPRISE!!!” There was a huge crowd inside.

“So this is what you've been ignoring your duties for?” Kido spotted Derpy in the crowd. She frowned. “I love it, thank you my dear.”

“You really like it wolfboss?” She asked excitedly.

“I love it.” He then looked to Twilight. “Well... good job Miss Sparkle.” Twilight smiled back at him.

“Did we surprise you Wolfie? Did we? Did we? Did we?” Pinkie came out of nowhere.

“Yes fair Pinkie, You did very much so.”

“Just wait till you see your present I must say it's a work of art.” Rarity proudly stated.

“We all helped.” Rainbow said.

“Doesn't matter, we all did our part, just show the fella to it.” Applejack said.

Fluttershy flew up to Kido. “Now before I take you to your present you have to close your eyes, if you don't mind that is.”

“Not at all.” Kido then closed his eyes. Fluttershy and Rainbow then flew behind him to lead. The crowd made a path.

“Now open.” Said Fluttershy.

He did and what he saw will never be forgotten. It was a mannequin his height wearing a formal military uniform, the kind generals and world leaders would be proud to wear. It was blue, with red on the tip of the sleeves, gold buttons, light blue pants and over the heart a spot to clip his badge. The mannequin was wearing formal black dress shoes and white gloves.

“You made this?...  For me?... But how?” Kido was shocked. Not taking his eyes off the uniform.

“I took some of your clothes for Rarity and I said it would the best gift because you have that debriefing in Canterlot soon.” Derpy said.

“And the rest of us helped Rarity to make it in time for the party.” Applejack said. Her five friends nodded.

“This is just amazing.” He turned to see them. “Thank you.”

“And I got you this too. I saw it on Rarity's boutique.” Derpy brought her friend a single piece of crimson red cloth, it was long and thin. “I didn't know if you'd like it, but I noticed you aren't wearing your mask or sunglasses lately, but I know you don't like showing your scar, so I thought maybe you could cover it with this.”

“Derpy, I'm so grateful.” He took the cloth and wrapped it around diagonally on his head to cover the scar over where his right eye used to be. He looked to the crowd. “Thank you everyone. I can't imagine how this day could get any better.”

“MY CAKE CANON!!!” Pinkie from nowhere brought out a pink canon.

“PINKIE NO!!!” Her friends yelled.

The canon fired cupcakes uncontrollably. The crowd started to yell. But the birthday boy just tried to catch them with his open mouth eating them as fast as he could. Everypony then started to imitate Kido and started laughing when a flying cupcake would land on their faces.

The party then went on for hours and to Twilight and her friends relief, Kido didn't touch any alcoholic drinks. Sugarcube Corner was now empty except for Twilight and her friends, Derpy who was sleeping in a chair, Kido and the Cakes who were cleaning.

Twilight and her friends were helping with the cleaning, Kido wanted to help but the girls wouldn't have it, so he sat in peace drinking water trying to force all the cake he ate down his throat. Applejack walked and sat next to him.

“Nice party huh?” She asked.

“Very.” Kido said smiling.

“What ya got there?”

“Water. Ate too much cake, trying to force it down. Twilight talked to you about my problem I assume?”

“Hey I'm not judging it's just...”

“It's okay Applejack. I actually feel happy about it. Twilight worried about me and shared her concern with her best friends. It's as if I was part of your group.”

“Who says you aren't?”

“Thanks.” A minute passed in silence. Applejack sighed.

“That wasn't the only thing she talked to us about.”

“I'm actually surprised, she wanted to keep it a secret.”

“Please don't be mad, she was behavin' weird, so we sorta pushed.”

“Like a family should.”

“ And I'm sorry for stickin' my nose where it don't belong, but Twilight really feels for you. I need to know... what is she to you?”

Kido stayed silent for a minute. He then gave a small laugh. And looked at Applejack in the eye.

“Applejack... Twilight is the best thing that ever happened to me.”