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                     Looming Nightmare                     
                   -by The_Shadow_Pony-                    
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                It all started on this day                 
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It all started on this day
“AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!”
The screams could be heard all throughout the house, as Draco jumped up from his bed, panting heavily, shaking feverishly, covered from head to toe in sweat, with tears running down his face.
Draco looked around the room; it had sky blue wallpaper with a tattered red rug in the center of the floor. The bed Draco was laying on sat in a corner of the room, by the bed was a window, with a view of a forest through it. On the other end of the room was a blue door. A small mirror was hanging on the wall next to it.
After a few minutes of looking around, Draco looks down at his still shaking hoofs.
“Damn-it, I still can’t remember the dream!” Draco said with a heavy sigh.
Draco turns his head to look at the plain wooden night- stand next to his bed. On the nightstand, there sat a small green lamp, next to the lamp was an alarm clock.  In the middle of the night stand laid an open pill bottle.
Draco leans over to grab the bottle “I figured these would not help, “ he says with an aggravated tone.
He threw the bottle back on to the night stand, scattering the pills all over the floor. Turning to look out the window, Draco sees it’s still dark out; he checks the clock and realizes that it is only 4:12 AM.
“I've still got a few hours before I've got to meet up with him, I think I will take a jog to clear my head” he thought to himself as he cracked his neck.
He hoped out of bed, flinching in pain as his hooves hit the floor. He looked down at his right fore hoof which was wrapped in bandages.
“ Huh…, I almost forgot about that. Maybe a shower will help with the pain. “ he says as he rubs his hoof.
He hobbled to the door, opening it to look out into the dark hall way. He makes his way through the pitch black hallway, with a slight limp. Midway, down the hall he opens a door and flips the light switch. The light reveals a tub and shower enclosure,  with clear sliding glass doors.  A  blue vanity with a single sink in it sat on the left side of the bathroom wall,  with a wooden cupboard above it and a towel laying on the counter. On the right side is a metal handle bar with a towel on it, right beside it is a full length mirror embedded in the wall.
Draco makes his way to the tub, he slides open the glass door and hoops in turning on the hot water. As the hot water hits his back Draco flinches at first, then relaxes as the water begins to pound on his back like a soft massage. After a little time he starts to relax a little as he rubs his right hoof.
After five minutes of sitting and enjoying the relaxing feeling of the water hitting his back, he reaches for the soap and starts to scrub off the sweat. After getting clean, Draco turns off the water and hopes out of the tub, grabbing the towel on the counter Draco precedes to start drying himself off. He stops and turns to the mirror, with his hoof he wipes away the fog covering the mirror. In the refection stands an orange Earth pony with a slightly thin figure, a slightly longer than normal black mane with five orange strips evenly spaced throw it adorned his head, some of the mane drooped down over his right eye.  A short red tail with four black strips that swirled around it all the way to the end swung behind him.  On his shoulders where three brown vertical claw shape birth marks, to top it off, light blue eyes stared back at him with a half groggy look to them. His eyes drifted down to his flank where his cutie mark should be but there was nothing. He had tried everything even waited for a long but he never got one.
Looking back to his sleepy eyes shaking his head Draco says “Uuuuugggghhh,  I did not get enough sleep"
Tossing the towel to the floor he turns and walks over to the cupboard above the sink, opening it up he pulls out some bandages. Unwrapping the now soaked bandages from his right hoof Draco proceeds to re-wrap it with fresh new ones.
After finishing wrapping his hoof up he puts the left over bandages back in the cupboard and closes it. Pick up the towel Draco precedes to head for the door.  Opening the door,  the light from the bathroom illuminates the dark hallway. Next to the door sits a laundry basket. Draco throws the towel into it.
The hall itself is bare. There are no pictures or wall paper. To the left of the bathroom, is a blue door leading to the bedroom, to the right Draco can see the front door.  The light from the moon shone in from the bottom. On both sides of the front door, were arches leading to other rooms.
As Draco leaves the bathroom, he turns off the light making the hallway go dark once more.  He makes his way to the front door only to stop and turn in to the right arch way, reaching over to the wall he flips a switch to light up the room to reveal a kitchen. On the other end of the kitchen,  in the left corner sits a refrigerator, a few inches from it to the right sits a stove with four burners and a tea pot sitting on top of one. Attached to it was a counter top with two cupboard doors below. On the end of the cupboard was a sink, above both the sink and stove where two cupboards. On the left side a few feet in front of the fridge sat a table with two chairs and a window right above it.
Draco made his way to the fridge and opened it, inside it is almost empty. Only a wrapped up sandwich, five eggs, half a jug of milk, and three apples were inside. Reaching inside he pulls out the wrapped up sandwich closing the fridge and then begins to make his way to the other room across the way.
As he enters the other room, lit up slightly by the light from the kitchen, but lit enough to reveal it to be a living room. At the far end of the room is a fireplace in the wall with a stack of fire wood next to it. Across from the fireplace in the middle of the room sits a large couch capable of fitting three ponies on it. In-between the fireplace and the couch was a small table, on the right side of the couch was a padded rocking chair, behind the rocking chair,  was a window with the curtains pulled shut.
Draco makes his way to the couch and sits down, unwrapping the sandwich and digging in. Looking around his ears start to hang low.
“I rarely ever get to use this space for anything… It’s not like I ever get guests,” he thinks to himself with a depressed look on his face. “Why do I even keep these things?”
After a few minutes he finishes the sandwich and gets off the couch, slapping his face with both hoofs a few times he says to himself. “ No time to think of stuff like that, I better get going or I won’t be able to make it back in time to meet up with him, “ With that said Draco makes his way to the front door.
At the front door Draco reaches down and grabs a saddle bag. After putting it on Draco walks over to the kitchen and turns off the light, turning to the front door he makes his way out. Getting outside he is met with a cool breeze that caresses his face, he closes his eyes to enjoy the silence of the night and the cool fresh air as it blows through his mane. After a minute or two, he opens his eyes and looks around, there on the ground is a old dirt path, to the left of the path in the distance, he could see a small town illuminated by the moonlight, to the right of the path there was a forest. The path ran alongside it.
Turning around to look at his house Draco can see in the moonlight the old house with missing roof tiles and holes with wooden boards covering them. The paint of the house was mostly worn off. No other house could be seen around as it stood alone and separated from the small town off in the distance.
Draco turns around and with a heavy sigh he sets down the right path, passing a sign that reads “ WARNING The Devouring Forest up ahead DO NOT ENTER “
***
After some time Draco finally reaches the end of the path. He sees  a hillside with a view of small dense forest of about 250 acres below. In the middle of the forest a small clearing could be seen from the cliff with a watering hole in the middle.
Walking over to the edge Draco sits down looking out at the forest. Out into the horizon the sun starts to come up covering the forest in a amber glow. Looking over to his left he sees a sign that reads “ The Devouring Forest  up ahead, monstrous creatures dwell within. Entering is NOT recommended under any circumstance. “Sitting there Draco thinks to himself “…to think a place that looks so peaceful and nice can be so dangerous.”
Looking back out to the horizon Draco closes his eyes and lets the cool air blow over him as the smell of fresh wet grass and trees wash over his senses. After sitting there for a bit, he gets up and stretches letting out a grown. Turning around he starts to make his way back to town.
***
Getting to town the sun began to light up the streets. The streets being mostly empty, since it was still very early in the morning. There were a few ponies here and there on their way home after their night shifts. Walking down the street for a bit Draco stops at a bench taking off his saddle bag to take a seat.
Draco closes his eyes “ugh REALLY did not get enough sleep,” resting his head on the back of the bench he stares up at the sky with groggy eyes “I am a little early, think I will just rest my eyes a little” closing his eyes Draco goes limp as he drifts off to sleep.
Draco is awoken by something hitting his leg. Opening his eyes he is greeted with the blinding light of the sun hitting his eyes. Picking his head up Draco grunts as he rubs his neck from the stiffness in it. Draco rubs his eyes a little to adjust them to the sudden change in light, after his eyes had adjusted he looked down to see what hit him. There he found a blue kick ball sitting next to the leg it hit. The sound of a frightened gasp caches his attention. Looking up he sees a green Pegasus filly, frozen in place with wide frightened look in her eyes.
Grabbing the ball and his saddle bag Draco hops off the bench and walks over to the filly, offering the ball back to the little one. The filly drops to the ground covering her face with her hoofs shaking uncontrollably.
“ Please don’t hurt me, I didn't mean to do it, it was an accident “ she cries as tears began to fall from her face.
Several of the surrounding ponies start to look at Draco. Lowering his head and closing his eyes Draco gives a soft sigh. Putting the ball down in front of the filly he starts walking away as the surrounding ponies stumble out of his way. Looking back over his shoulder he sees the other ponies gathering around the crying filly trying to comfort her. Turning his head back Draco looks at the ground and says to himself “ but I didn't do anything wrong, did I? “ as he walks away from them all.
After some walking Draco comes to a little outdoor cafe named  “Rolling Sunflower”. A quaint little outside restaurant with sunflower shaped tables. All the waitress ponies where wearing roller blades to get from table to table with orders. Looking over at a sign that read “ Please seat yourself and we will be with you shortly “ It ending with a heart. Shrugging Draco walks over to a empty table and takes a seat putting his bags next to him. After a few minutes of waiting a spunky wild strawberry unicorn mare with spring green mane and tail rolls up to Draco holding a menu in front of her with magic.
“Hello sweetie, I will be your waiter today, and how lucky you are to have a stunning waiter like me. Would... you... like” freezing dead in her tracks, the mare looks at Draco as her eyes go wide seeing Draco at the table staring up at the sky. “W-What are you doing here?“
Looking back at the waitress who is starting  to shake in place. Draco says “No Worries I am just hear to meet a friend,” Looking back up at the sky he continues “and maybe get some food, That is what this place is for right?”
Looking at him for a second with a baffled look on her face, the mare then scoffs at his comment before saying “Ya it is, so you going to order something?”
Looking back at her “I would love to but you have not giving me the menu yet” he states with a smirk.
Rolling her eyes at him she throws the menu down in front of him standing and waiting for him. Picking up the menu Draco peruses through it before putting it down and looking back at her.
“ I would like the tomato soup with a hay sandwich please “ he says as he hands her the menu. Taking it from him she turns around and scurries off in a hurry.
Sitting there staring at the big blue sky, he just lets his mind drift off. Draco is interrupted by a sudden chill down his spin. Out of instinct Draco tightens up his mussels and digs his hoofs in to the ground a little. Shortly after doing that Draco is greeted with a hard smack on his back, the hit not making him budge even a little. Right after the hit he hears a voice behind him yelling “FUCK, that hurt!”
Turning his head to see his assaulter behind him, a pine green Pegasus stallion with a lean body with yellowish-green eyes, navy blue mane and tail all scuffed up. A tornado with white feathers going around it for a cutie mark was on his rump. He is holding his hoof in pain.
Looking at him Draco says  "it’s nice to see you to Feather Storm," turning back to face the table shaking his head "you think you would learn by now that you can’t sneak up on me."
Looking at Draco still rubbing his hoof “won’t stop me from trying, I did promise that I would get you one day and I aim to keep that promise” replies Feather Storm with a smirk.
Walking to the other side of the table Feather Storm sits down “ and how many times do I have to tell you to just call me Storm, all my friends do and you are one of my friends. “ Just then the waitress mare comes back holding a bowl of soup and a plate with a sandwich, coming up to the table she drops them in front of Draco saying “ here it is “ with a sarcastic tone. Looking over she sees Strom "oh hello, my I get you something? “ she says with a smile. Looking over to her Strom says “ just a salad please going to need to eat and run after I talk with my friend here.“ Looking over at Draco she gives a puzzled look before turning back to Storm “ ok I will be right back with it, sweet stuff “ turning around she rolls off on her rollerblades with a little pep in her movements.
Watching the mare head off he could not help but close his eyes and shacks his head “I just can’t understand why everypony hates you so much in this town," Turning to look at Draco his eyes drift to his bandaged up hoof “ I mean you hurt yourself to save that filly, YOU shattered that statue in to pieces with one hit. YOU not any other pony threw yourself in to danger to save that little one with no regard for your own safety. You saved her and how do they treat you? Like you are a monster, like YOU are the one that tried to drop that marble statue on her even though it was just an accident.“
Looking down at his hoof Draco just gives a sigh “ they are afraid of what they don’t know or understand, and I am just full of stuff they don’t know or understand.
Storm looks up at Draco as he stars at his hoof “then why even help them? why do you let them treat you like trash, put you down, and insult you? Why not stand up for yourself? You've got the strength to do so.“
“because if I don’t help them no pony will. It is because I have the power to help them, I can do things no other pony can do. Even if they hate me, despise me, I will do what I can to protect them, all of them” Draco says with a soft smile.
“But WHY???? you don’t have to, no pony is making you do it” Storm says with a slightly aggravated tone.
“Because I made a promise to myself. I swore that I would never hurt any pony with this strength of mine. Never again not after what I did to my sister.” Draco says as his smile turns to a frown.
After that Storm went silent not saying another word as Draco started to eat his food. After a little bit of awkward silence the waitress comes back with Storms salad putting it down in front of him “if you need anything else just give me a call ok” she says with a wink. Storm just gives a silent nod as he starts to dig in to his salad. A little more time goes by before the silence is broken by Draco asking “so I heard you are now the caption of the weather team.” Storm stops eating and looks at Draco “yep,” Draco looking back at him gives a smile “I also heard you are attracting the attention of the higher ups in the Wonderbolts, and maybe even the eye of princess Celestia herself.” Giving a soft chuckle Storm just shakes his head “you don’t really believe everything you hear do you? I mean you really think that a pony like Princess Celestia would ever even look at a pony like me? Ha ya right.”
“you never know, you are the only pony I know that is crazy enough to charge head first into a tornado,  and skilled enough to come out without a scratch. Not to mention the only pony that knows the best way to stop a rampaging tornado” Draco states.
“Ya well it is my special talent after all” Storm says with a boasting tone. They both look at each other and start to laugh.
After finishing their food Draco and Storm get up. “ it was nice talking with you, sorry if I brought up some bad memories “ Storm says.
With a shake of his head Draco replays “don’t be sorry. you are the only pony in this town that does not see me as a monster and for that I should be thanking you.”
Storm chuckles a little “what can I say? us weirdos need to stick together, well I need to get going. some rough storm clouds have been seen heading our way from the evergreen forest. Going to need to head out and bust them up.” Draco gives a nod “you take care out there.” Storm puffs out his chest a little “no need to worry about me, no little cloud is going to take me down, but we should meet up again when we’ve got a little more free time. I would love to talk more with you.” Draco gives a nod “same, see ya” Storm gives a salute “see ya later sir” and with that Strom fly’s off. Draco picks up his bag reaching in to it pulling out some bits and putting them on the table. Getting up he tosses his bag on and heads out shaking his head as he laughs a little.
***
After some walking Draco comes to a construction site. Walking in to the site Draco puts his saddle bag down by a barrel near the entrains, looking around Draco walks up to the first pony he sees.
“Do you know where I can find your boss?” Draco asks.
The construction pony turns to look at Draco, giving him dagger eyes. After a few seconds of silence the pony gestures over to a brown stallion standing on a pile of wood. With a quick bow of his head to say thank you,  Draco walks over to the presumed boss.
“Hello. Are you the boss of this site?” Draco asks with a firm tone.
Turning to look at Draco the pony looks down “ya and why would you want to know? You’re not even supposed to be here, no pedestrians leave now!”
“I was hired by your boss, Blueprint, to do a job here and I was to look for the one in charge to tell me what needs to be done” Draco states as he stares at the pony without flinching.
Wrinkling his nose he turns around “well let me just call him and see if what you say is true” he says as he precedes to storm off. Having a little time to look around Draco gets a good look at the work site. The floor or the ground was all dug up and loose for making digging holes easier. Other worker ponies wearing yellow hard hats, were walking around some carrying things. Some with boards of wood cutting them, and some just talking with each other. In the center was what looked like a foundation of a building with steel and wood beams. A few walls were put up, in the inside it was mostly empty except what looked to be the start of stairs off to the side, as to what the building would be Draco did not know. He had over heard that some rich noble bought the property and was building something… an office maybe?
As Draco stands there looking at everything the brown pony comes stomping back with a very distorted look on his face.
“ So it looks like you are telling the truth, just because we are a little behind on schedule he goes behind my back and hires YOU! “ the brown pony complains as he stomps his hoof.
“ well sorry! I was just told I was to find the boss of this place and he would show me what I need to do, but if you really don’t want me here I can leave “ Draco replays as he starts to turn around to leave.
“no no no, mister higher up wants YOU to do it. As much as I hate to admit it, it will go faster if you do it then if we try and do it" turning around the brown pony starts to walk off “well come on I will show you what needs to be done."
As Draco starts to fallow him he can’t help but ask “I never did get your name?"
“That’s because I did not give it, just do this job and be on your way we are very busy here" the pony replays with a snappy tone.
Draco and the pony walk to throw the building and go around one of the walls. Behind it there are three very large rocks that look like they might be in the way of the construction. “ here they are, we need these rocks removed. The big cheese wants this one- “ the stallion walks over to the middle rock that looks to be 20 feet tall and 15 feet wide with more looking to be buried underground “pulled up and moved over there” he points over to a empty space off in the distance. Walking over to the rock on the right, looking to be 11 feet tall and 8 feet wide“ This one he wants made a little smaller about 9 feet tall and 6 to 7 feet wide and put in the middle of the building.” Walking over to the rock on the left that looks to be 15 feet tall and 20 feet wide and is a darker color then the other 2 rocks. “This one he just wants gone, destroy it smash whatever it just needs to be gone.” Walking back to Draco he looks him right in the eyes “so you think you can do all that?” Looking behind the stallion at the rocks again Draco just gives a simple nod. “Good, get to it then” he then hands Draco a measuring tape “this is to measure the one rock, your money will be at the front entrance. When you’re done get it and leave” the stallion says as he walks away leaving Draco to get to work.
Looking at the rocks Draco ponders which one should be done first. As he does this he starts to rub his right forehoof. “Damn this is going to be tuff without both of my hoofs” he thought to himself. After a little pondering Draco walks up to the rock on the right, being the smallest and skinniest Draco looks it up and down “I guess I’ll start with this one” he muttered to himself. Measuring the rock with the Measuring tape he finds it is indeed 11 feet tall and 8 feet wide. Climbing on top of the rock Draco starts to softly hit away at the rock with his left hoof. With ever hit little pieces of the rock go flying off, and after some time the rock shrink in size. Hoping off he looks at the ruff and pointy body of the rock, knowing he can’t grab it without getting cut Draco starts smashing the rough edges tell they where smoothed out. After finishing Draco grabs the measuring tape he and measures the rock, it comes to 9 feet tall and 6.5 feet wide. Getting a big grin on his face on how well he got it in the first try Draco walks over to the rock and rears up on his two hind legs as they make a popping noise. Now standing on two hoofs Draco steps over to the rock and grabs on both sides with his now arm like hoofs and starts to lift. Gritting his teeth at the sudden surge of pain to his right hoof that felt like hot needles stabbing in to him, and sending a jolt up his arm making him lose his grip a little. Seeing this Draco quickly pushes out his right arm to shift more of the weight to his left arm and it works. He manages to lift it with a little pain and sets off to put it where it needs to go.
As he made his way on the foundation Draco sees an open space to where he believes it should go. On his way to put it down he can see from the corner of his eyes all the other ponies giving him looks of disgust and hatred. As Draco makes it to the center he puts down the rock and with  another pop is back to all fours just then he hears a pony behind him say “freak”. Turning his head he finds three ponies looking at him.
“So you think just because you are stronger than the rest of use, you can make us look bad by showing off” the pony in the middle says.
Draco just turns his head back to the rock, looking it over to see if he missed anything.
“HEY YOU HEAR ME?WHAT ARE YOU RETARDED TOO?” the pony shouts.
“ I am just here to do the job I was hired to do. Why don’t you get back to your job as well? Unless your job is to look like an ass,  then you’re doing great keep up the good work” Draco says as he walks off not giving them time to respond.
After making his way back to the rocks, Draco walks over to the 15 foot rock that was to be destroyed. Draco reels his left forehoof back to hit the rock, as he does his muscles tense up, readying for the eminent impact. Letting his hoof fly it slams into the rock. As soon as it hits,  Draco’s muscles begin to tighten even more tearing his flesh open in several spots on his arm,  making blood rupture out of them. He grits his teeth in pain. At the same time cracks begin to spread from the point of impact, until they are covering the entire rock. Pulling back, he grabs his left arm as he shouts “FUCK!” At the same time the rock that he hit explodes into pieces all over the area.
“Damn-it. That was too much, why can’t I get control over it? Shit this hurts.”
Looking back up at the once 15 foot rock now reduced to nothing but rubble, Draco sits there just rubbing his bleeding arm. Sitting there for a little bit Draco looks over to the last rock. As Draco rubs his left arm the bleeding starts to slow down, and slowly it stops completely. With a few flexes of his sore limb,  he gets up. With a slight limp he makes his way over to the last rock. Standing on his hind legs like before, he grabs a hold of the rock and starts to lift. As Draco is lifting a surge of pain goes through his left arm, followed by blood starting to gush out of the open wounds once more. At the same time his right bandage hoof starts to send waves of pain coursing up through his right arm. Ignoring both of the pains Draco proceeds to lift the rock. The ground starts to shift as the buried part of the rock is pulled free. More and more of the buried section of rock is exposed until it finally is all out, making the once 20 foot tall rock, now 40 feet in length. Lifting as best as he can Draco props the now 40 foot rock on his back and begins to make his way to the drop point. After a few painful minutes Draco finally arrives and drops the heavy rock down making a loud BOOM as it lands. Draco sits down to rest as both his arms throb with pain in protest.
Draco stays still tell the pain stops in both of his arms, at the same time the blood stops from his left arm as the wounds start to close up. Getting up, he starts his way to the exit. Standing by the exit is a Yellow unicorn mare, her mane was bunched up in a bun and a pair of glasses adorn her face as she looked at Draco with the best poker face he has ever seen. As Draco approaches the mysterious mare, she does not move a muscle showing no sign of being afraid of him.
“Are you Sir Draco Swiftwing?” she asks.
Walking over to the barrel with his saddle bag next to it, Draco sits down and reaches in to it pulling out a roll of bandages. “Ya I am, and who might you be?” he asks as he starts to wrap up is left arm.
“I am Diamond Pen, the mayors’ personal assistant. She wishes to speak with you and asked me to escort you to her” she replied.
When he was finished wrapping up his arm Draco shook his head “and what does she want this time?” he thought to himself. Draco looks up at the sky then back to her, “ok, I got a little time to kill why not,” getting up he throws on his saddle bag and walks up to Pen. “Let’s get going, don’t want to keep her waiting” He says with a grin.
Pen pulls out a pouch bits in front of Draco “a Stallion gave this to me, telling me to give it to you when you came back.”
Draco takes the pouch opening it to count all the bits before giving a affirmative nod putting the pouch in his bag. “Thanks; it would have sucked to have done all that work and not get paid” He comments as they make their way out.
***
After arriving at the mayor’s office, a big brown oval shape building, Pen and Draco enter a pair of large double brown doors. Inside is the reception room, a large desk with papers neatly stacked on it with a comfortable looking char sitting behind it, off to the right across from it sat five chares. On the other end of the room is a pair of large double blue doors. Pen turns to Draco “take a seat, I will see if she is ready for you” with that Pen goes throw the blue doors. With that Draco shrugs and tacks a seat to wait.
Draco was not waiting long. In no time Pen returns, looking at Draco she just motions for him to enter as she holds the doors open. Getting up Draco enters the room. Pen closes the doors behind him. Inside, the room is a large oval shape with a domed roof. The wallpaper is a light shade of blue with sun marks scattered all over it. To the left side of the room, book shelves line the wall, with all manner of books. On the right side the wall was decorated with paintings of ponies and faraway lands with a stand glass window of princess Celestia in the middle of them. In the middle of the room sits a table with a small couch on both sides of it. Finally at the back of the room a large desk made of oak wood. Behind the desk sits the mayor, a green unicorn mare with a slicked back pink mane and tail, a large window could be seen behind her. Sitting in front of the desk where two plain wooden chairs.
Draco makes his way up to the desk “So what did I do this time mayor?”
The mayor put down some papers she was reading. Taking off her reading glasses that had a chain connected to both ends she let it hang around her neck “ah Draco Swiftwing please have a seat, and I thought I told you to use my name Emerald Clock, I never cared for titles and all that.”
Draco shakes his head as he takes a seat “ya and I said to just use my first name, so we’re even. Now, are you going to tell me why you called me here, I doubt it was to just talk.”
“Yes you are right, I heard you made a filly cry early this morning.” Emerald says staring in to Draco's eyes.
“I didn’t do anything to her. I tried to return her ball, that rolled over to me, back to her. As soon as I try and give it back to her she starts bawling” Draco barks back.
“I know this, I did talk with her and her parents-” Emerald gets up out of her char and turns to look out the window. “but you see there are some very important nobles coming to our little humbled town tomorrow to see if they would want to do business with us. Seeing as we are the only town in all of Equestria that have the ability to grow the very rare fiery Zap Barry’s, but if an incident like today were to happen tomorrow as they are here they may not want to do business with us. So the reason I asked you here was-” She turns back to looks at Draco “could you stay out of sight just for tomorrow so that this deal can go without a hitch.”
Draco stares at Emerald for a few seconds before speaking up, “so you want me to hide away so that I can’t scare off these so called important ponies.”  Draco says with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
Dipping her head a little bit nerves Emerald hastily reply’s “y-yes in a sense Due to the “talents” you were born with, you scare most if not all the pony’s of this town. I myself am a little scared of you bu...”
“No, no! I get it you just want the “MONSTER” out of the way. Well fine-” Draco gets up and turns to leave. “You won’t have to worry about me scaring away your precious little guests. I did not have anything I needed to do tomorrow anyway. Now if you excuse me, I have a doctor’s appointment to get to, not that you care” Draco says with a aggravated tone.
“Draco that is not wha-” Emerald try’s to say before Draco slams to door shut as he leaves the room.
Draco storms past Diamond Pen in the reception room behind her desk. If she had said something to Draco, he did not listen as he slammed shut the last doors leading him outside.
“Why do they have to hate me so much? It’s not like I asked to be like this, I just want to be like every other pony” Draco thinks to himself as he wipes a small tear from his eye and walks off to his doctor’s appointment.
***
After storming out of the mayor’s office Draco decides to take a little walk around town to cool his head before going to his doctor’s appointment. As he is walking Draco gets lost in his thoughts “fuck, why did I blow up on her like that? I mean it did sound like a good apparently for the town to make some good money. She could build on to this small city, or make that park everypony has been wanting, or even build a real hospital instead of having just the small clinic we have-” stopping Draco hangs his head down a little “and as much as I hate to say it if any pony could scare them away it would be me.” Picking up his head he continues to walk. “I will have to apologize to her tomorrow before they come. She did not deserve me being an ass to her. All she has ever done is help me and try and be my friend, not like that other mayor before her. Man he was an ass.”
So lost in his thoughts Draco didn’t see the building he was walking straight at. With one loud thud Draco walks himself head first in to the front door of the building snapping him out of his train of thought. Falling back on to his ass, Draco rubs his head as he looks around “what the fuck was that?” Looking up Draco sees a big sign on the front of the building saying “Healing Touch Clinic”. The building its self was purple with a few splotches of pant missing here and there. Shaking his head a few times Draco rubs the back of his neck with one of his hoofs “oh I guess I’m here.” With that he gets up and enters the clinic.
Opening the door Draco was greeted by a white room. Chairs were scattered around the room in no real order, with a few end tables evenly spaced in the middle with magazines on them, a few pictures of rivers and mountains hung on each wall. Across from the entrance was the reception counter with a white mare sitting behind it, and a rather ordinary looking door next to it leading to the back rooms. There were a few other ponies in the clinic, some with the sniffles and some holding their stomachs clearly not feeling good, sitting around.
As soon as Draco entered the room any chatting that might have been going on stopped, as it fell silent all eyes locked onto Draco. Ignoring them all Draco made his way to the reception counter to speak with the white mare. The mare had a book in her hoofs and her head barred in the book, making her not see Draco approach. “Hi I am here to see Doctor Syringe; I have an appointment with him.”
“What’s your name?” she asks.
Draco hesitates a little before saying softly “Draco, Draco Swiftwing.”
She looks down to a sheet of paper on the counter with a list of names. “Draco Swiftwing” she repeats, Just then the white mare tenses up. Dropping the book from her hoofs she slowly looks up with wide eyes. “D-Draco” she says with a hint of surprise in it.
“Ya ya, look can we skip all this and you just go get the Doctor. I just want to get this done and go back home. I have not had a... pleasant day.” Draco comments as he waves a hoof in the air.
The mare shacks her head a few times to recompose herself. “Ya ok” she says as she gets up and heads to the back.
About a minute later a tan unicorn stallion wearing a white coat, a stethoscope hanging from his neck, a orchid colored mane and tail and green eyes, come bursting throw the door next to the reception counter. The stallion started scanning the room as soon as he entered stopping once he spotted Draco, a large smile adorned his face as he approached “ah Draco I am so glad you came back. I did not think you would come from the way you left after our first meeting.”
“Ya well you are the only doctor I know that is willing to see me Doctor Syringe. That, and I was hoping you might have some good news for me from that blood you took to test.”
“oh yes I do have some info for you, though whether you will see it as good or bad I can’t say.” Doc Syringe looks down at Draco's right bandaged hoof. “First off though, let’s look at that hoof of yours and see how it is doing-” just then he noticed Draco's left foreleg being bandaged up “oh what’s this, when did you get this?”
Draco looks down at himself “I got it today at a job I was doing, it’s not that bad”
“This is great, I can get a lot better in detail from this.” Turning around Doc Syringe makes is way to the door he entered from. “Well come on, let’s have a look at them. Then I can tell you what I have found out about your blood.”
Fallowing the Doctor Draco sees at the corner of his eye the other waiting patients giving him an evil glare as he enters the back room and closes the door. As Draco followed behind Doc Syringe,  he could not help but ask “um there were a lot of other ponies here before me. Shouldn't you see them first before me?”
Stopping at a door Syringe opens it and motions Draco to enter. “Yes there were others here before you got here-” he started at Draco entered the room, “but I cleared my schedule for the day, just on the off chance you came early. Besides I am not the only Doctor here and after I am done seeing you, I will start looking in to them.” Following Draco in to the room he closes the door behind him. “To tell the truth though, you are a lot more interesting and exciting to look over then they are. Don’t get me wrong they are important it’s just I really do feel your blood holds the key to what I have been looking for,  and the very  reason why I have been traveling all over Equestria.”
The room they entered was not much different than any other examination room Draco has seen before. The counter in the corner by the door had tongue depressors, cotton swabs in jars, on it. Posters or pony’s bones and organs down the walls and a exam table with a stool next to it where off in a corner at the far end of the room. Walking over Draco hopes up on the exam table as Syringe walks over and pulls up the stool.
Syringe takes Draco's right forehoof “now let’s see how it is doing.” He carefully unwraps the hoof and his horn starts to glow, enclosing Draco's hoof in a tan color aura. “hum a few bruised muscles and a light sprain” as he drops the hoof he floats up a clipboard he had tucked in his coat and pulls a pain from his coat pocket and starts writing some notes in it. “I have to say your healing is amazing. When you first came in here all the muscles in your hoof and up the leg where shredded and torn to pieces, the bones in the leg where all broken to a point that no magic would help, even all the tendons in the leg where destroyed. In all my time in medicine and throw my travels I had never seen an injury like that. If you were any normal pony you would have lost that leg no doubt in my mind.” Putting down the pen and clipboard he re-wraps Draco's right hoof with fresh bandages. He then turns to Draco's left forehoof and starts to unwrap it and his horn starts to glow again. “Yet here you are five days later and it is almost all healed up. I have to say when you told me that you would be fine five days ago I did not believe you. Yet I cannot deny it now, and even more so after what I found out form my tests with your blood.” Putting Draco's left hoof down he starts to re-wrap it up as he takes the pen and clipboard in his magic to jot down some more notes. “When exactly did you get these new ones?” he says as he looks at Draco.
“I would say no more then maybe an hour or two ago, why is it bad?” Draco asks raising an eyebrow.
“Oh no it is fine very fine, it looks to be almost completely healed” he says with a smile.
Finished looking Draco over and wrapping up his leg, Syringe levitates the clipboard and pen off to the side. Draco rubbed his left foreleg as it was still pulsing with pain every now and then. “I find it weird that when we first meet you wanted a blood sample, and that you let me go of all things.”
Turning back to look at Draco, Syringe just gives him a smile, “Yes well, I could tell you were uncomfortable being here and wanted to go fast. As for the blood I wanted to see if there might have been anything you might have not told me seeing as I did not truly believe you were going to be fine. That’s why I asked to see you again in five days. I will say I am very happy you did come, I thought you would not come by the way you rushed out of here as soon as you could, and after what I discovered from your blood I thought I might just have to hunt you down.”
“Ya about that what did you find in my blood. Dose it tell you way I can heal like I do? or why I am so much stronger than any other pony? Or how to stop it? I could never find out because no other Doctor would see me. You are the first to not run in fear or slam the door in my face.”
Syringe shakes his head “if only they had seen you, your blood holds secrets in it that could help and even save a lot of pony’s, and no sorry I don’t know how to stop it but I know why you heal the way you do.”
Draco looks at him with a puzzled look on his face “really? how? And how can my blood help others?”
Syringe takes a big breath “well to start you have no white blood cells.” Draco gives him a confused look. “White blood cells are what fight off diseases, infections from cuts and injuries and just keeps you healthy all around.”
Draco gives a look of realization “so I am in danger of getting sick?”
Syringe just shacks his head before  continuing “normally yes, you would need to be put in to a clean room because something as simple as the common cold could kill you-” He says that sends a frightened look on Draco's face, “but your blood is different. At first I was so concerned that I rushed out to find you. By doing this I accidentally spilled a vial filed with the flu in to your blood sample.”
Draco crocks his head slightly “why do you have a vial filed with the flu?”
“I have been traveling to find ways to beater fight off all of the sicknesses that plague pony kind, all of them big and small” He says with a flat tone. “As I was saying though, after I spilled it I was struck with curiosity. Why I don’t know but I found myself looking at your blood again and what I saw shocked me. Your blood fought off the flu virus, how it did it was amazing, the blood that did not get infected attacked the ones that where and killed them with the virus in them. All of your blood seems to be your anti-virus system. I tested this with all the other samples I had and the results where the same even with the ones that as of right now there are no cures for. Even more surprising was after killing the infected blood the remaining ones replicated to make up for the lost blood, as if it know how many it killed, that and your blood replicates five time faster than any others blood I have seen and you have three times more red blood cells than normal. It never replicated more then what was there, almost like it knows when you stop.”
“Ok but how can my blood help others?” Draco asks generally curious.
“I found that out by accident, you see I have a little dog that I found during my travels. The poor little thing was in an old box in an ally, it had suffered a traumatic hit to the back of the head somehow, making it lose vision in its left eye and severely impairing its right eye. I toke him in and tried everything I could to help but I could do nothing for the little guy but try and give him a good home and named him Scamp. Needless to say he runs in to stuff a lot and eats whatever he can find on the floor, and it is because of him I found this out. You see two days ago I was working in my little lab. I had a vial of your blood on my table, I left to get some stuff to run some more test only to return to find Scamp had bumped into the table and knocked over the vial with your blood in it, and was lapping it up off the floor. I rushed over to stop him but she had already drunk half of it. I got him away from it and started to clean up the mess, that’s when it started. Scamp started whimpering, when I looked over I found him shaking his head violently and using his paws as if something was attacking his head. What I saw when I picked him up shocked me. His right eye had healed its self, my curiosity got the beater of me and besides my better judgment I feed some more of your blood to him. Just like last time he started whimpering again, so I used my magic to see what was going on. What I found was your blood was repairing Scamps eye by fussing with the damaged nerves repairing them, but the blood would not multiply like before. I believe your blood dose not multiply in others body’s so that it won’t take over there body. Also once its job is done any remaining blood dies off as to not interfere with the host’s body.”
Draco had his jaw hanging open “I – I did not know my blood could do that.”
“It is amazing that is for sure. As far as I know, hell as far as anypony knows no other case of something like this even exists”
“How could my blood do that to Scamp though, I thought that with blood type and all that his body would fight off my blood?” Draco asks.
“Your blood is not A, B, AB, or O. Your blood is like nothing I have ever seen, it is a new type of blood that seems to hide from any others immune system and its only goal seems to be to repair any damage it my find in the body” Syringe says as he puts a hoof on Draco's shoulder.
Draco lowers his head a little and speaks with a low tone “Can you say for sure my blood won’t hurt anypony. Can you say indefinitely that my blood won’t hurt others; I mean you said it yourself; it destroyed every virus thrown at it. What’s to say it might not find someponys body a threat and start to kill them off because it thinks they are a virus or that if giving to a pregnant mare it might find the baby an intruder and kill it.”
Syringe takes his hoof off Draco and looks down as well “I can’t say if it would or would not, at least I don’t know at this time but this may be able to save many lives as well”
“NO!” Draco shouts. “Sorry for yelling doc but no matter how much good it can do unless you can tell me... no guarantee me, that it won’t hurt any pony then I am sorry I just can’t risk my blood hurting if not killing any pony.”
“I – I understand Draco, I will not force you to do anything you don’t want to” Syringe says with a sad tone.
“And please don’t tell any other pony about this. All I ever wanted was to be normal, it is hard enough to have this town hate me but I would not want all of Equestria to hate me as well or to just see me as a tool to be used. I am sorry if I am being selfish” Draco says as he looks away from Syringe.
Syringe gets up off the stool “No you are not being selfish, I did not even think about how you might feel about all this. You are right I don’t know how every pony would think of you, they all could hate you. There are maybe even pony’s out there that might want to turn your blood in to a weapon and that is the last thing I would want.”
Draco hops off the exam table and heads for the door “Doc there is something else I would like you to look at if you can.”
Syringe looks back at Draco “of course what is it you want me to look at?”
Draco looks around a little nervous “well you see I don’t know how or why but for a long time I have had this strange ability to stand on two hoofs and walk around like it was normal. Can you see why this is?”
“Well if you can do it right now then I can take a look” Syringe says as he walks over to Draco.
Draco rears back on his hind legs as they make the popping nose again. Syringes horn starts to glow and he puts the tip onto Draco’s chest.
“Hum that’s interesting,” Syringe says making Draco give him a puzzled look. “It seems when you stand up like that your hind leg joints relocate themselves to support your weight and allow you to walk like this. Also did you know that your front legs are stronger than your back? I don’t know why but the muscles seem to be denser then they should be.”
“So I am even more of a freak then I thought” Draco ponders to himself. “Thanks doc, I will get going now you got others to see” Draco says as he makes his way to the door.
“Oh Draco, did those pills I gave you help with those nightmare you mentioned you can’t remember?” Syringe asks.
Draco stops right at the door “Nope, still can’t remember it and still wake up in a shacking sweet. I have tried everything there is but nothing helps. I just need to accept the fact I may never get rid of it. ”
“Sorry to hear that, I got a few others you can try if you want” Syringe says.
“Na I don’t think it will help ether. I just wish I could remember it at least but it is what it is” Draco reply’s as he opens the door. “Thanks for the help and info and I wish you luck on your travels.”
“Thank you Draco and I wish you the best of luck to, Take care.” Syringe says as Draco leaves the room.
Making his way out of the clinic Draco Starts his walk home with a head swarming with what he has just learned.
***
After a bit of walking Draco's left foreleg starts to hurt. Finding the nearest bench, Draco takes a seat waiting for the pain to pass and think about the day he has had. After feeling beater Draco gets up to be on his way, but was stopped by a loud nose followed by what sounded like cursing. Seeing as he did not have anywhere to be and there was still a little time tell the sun would set, Draco heads over to investigate the nose. Cutting throw an alleyway Draco finds the source of the noise. A peach Pegasus mare with a well toned body, a little muscle was visible but most of it was just well toned. A white mane with the end breaded with a little poof at the end held in place by a barrette that looked like a pair of wings. The tail was white with a smooth and well groomed feel to it.  She was next to a cart with a shattered wheel and a very large crate loaded on it. Draco makes his way to the clearly distraught mare. “Hay, you look like you could use an extra pair of hoofs”
The mare turns to look at Draco “oh hi there, I would love the help but we would need a lot more than just you.”
Draco crocks an eye brow “you must be new here.”
“Ya I am, me and my team are just passing throw but why you say that?” the mare asks with a puzzled look.
Draco begins to walk over to the cart “Because if you lived here you would know who I am.” Going to the back of the cart Draco stands up on to legs again and with little effort lifts the large crate. “Well lead the way, I am afraid I don’t know where this thing is going” Draco says with a smile.
Standing with her jaw hanging open for a few seconds the mare regains her composer “this way” she says and she starts to walk. Draco fallows with the crate hosted above his head.
After a bit of walking in silence the mare finally spoke up “so I did not get your name yet.”
“My name's Draco Swiftwing.”
“That’s an interesting name” the mare says slightly turning her head to look at Draco.
“Ya my parents study dragons and have a huge fascination with them. When they saw I had craze strength from berth, well they thought the name would fit. What about you what’s your name?”
“My name? It’s Kassie”
“And how did your parents come up with that name?”
Kassie stops and looks down at her hoofs. “I don’t have parents, or at least I don’t remember them. I was little real little, from what boss says they were traveling when they were attacked by bandits. They tried to fight them off but got killed in the process.” Just then Kassie looks up at the sky “then that’s when boss and his partners came. He had heard the ruckus from my parents attempt to fight back and came to investigate. When he got there they where ransacking my parents belongings. Furious, boss and his buddies charged them, they beat them easy or so I heard. After they detained them that’s when boss found me, not knowing what else to do he took me and the bandits to Princess Celestia. I don’t know what she did with the bandits boss never told me. He asked what was going to become of me and she said I was going to be put into an orphanage and that I would find a good home. I don’t know why but boss offered to take me right there and raise me as his own. Princess Celestia allowed this and so he brought me back to his home where his wife was shocked at first but soon fell in love with me and I became a part of their family. So I don’t know my real parents but I got them and that’s all I need. As to when I got named Kassie, well they say because it rhymes with sassy which I am” she ends with a chuckle.
Draco looks away “sorry did not mean to bring up any bad memories or anything.”
Kassie looks back at Draco “don’t be silly I did not know my real parents, and besides I go on a lot of adventures with boss and it is a blast.”
Draco looks back at her “you keep calling him boss, why is that? If he raised you wouldn't you call him dad?”
“Oh sorry, I used to call him dad or daddy but when I started traveling with him and going on adventures I needed to call him boss, so over time it just became a habit. Don’t get me wrong I still call him dad but only when we are alone.” She reply’s as she starts to walk again. “Well come on the sun will start setting soon and the last thing we want is my team to start sending out search parties.”
It wasn’t long before Kassie asked another question “so you said you were born with this strength?”
“Yep” was all Draco said.
“Must be cool to be that strong” Kassie said with a grin.
“I don’t think so, because of it I am pretty much hated or feared in this town. I guess you could call me the town freak”
Kassie looks at Draco with shock “What? But why? You are so nice. Why would anypony hate you?”
“Well I can’t always control my strength and because of that I accidentally hurt somepony vary close to me. They got hurt so bad that they had to be taking to a hospital in Canterlot and was there for two years. After that accident I pretty much became public enemy number one. That and something else but I prefer not to talk about that.”
“They all must be stupid to hold a grudge, it was an accident after all” Kassie replayed.
“True but not everypony wants to be around a pony that could snap them in two with just a hug.” Draco stated flatly.
“Well not all are like that, in fact, I can tell you there are some mares out there that find strength like yours a turn on” Kassie says with a wink.
Draco just stares at Kassie “is she hitting on me?” he ponders to himself.
The rest of the walk was silent but Draco felt uneasy as Kassie from time to time would sneak a glance at Draco eyeing him up but he said nothing and just kept walking. After a bit more walking they finally arrive at their destination, a brown house with broken windows and a condemned sign in the front of the house. “You’re staying in that?” Draco asks.
“Only for now, we needed a place to stay for a day or two tell we got all the stuff we needed. We did ask permission from the mayor and she said it was all good” Kassie reply’s as she walks up to the door. “You can leave it by the front door we will take care of it in the morning and thanks for the help.”
Draco walks over and gentle puts down the crate and drops to all fours “not a problem glad to help”
As Draco turns and starts to leave Kassie shouts out to him “wait!” Draco turns to look at her, Kassie starts to blush before blurting out “well you see, would you like to join use on our mission!”
Draco just stands there for a minute before replying with one word “what?”
Kassie turns her head as he starts to kick at the ground with one of her hoofs “Well you see I believe your strength might be very useful, and this is a big job we got so we are looking to hire brave and strong pony’s to help. The job is overseas so you would be gone for three years but you would get paid very well for your efforts but I do have to tell you it is a very dangerous job. There is no guarantee you would not get hurt or maybe even die.”
Draco just gives a chuckle “you would really want a monster like me to join you?”
“I don’t think you are a monster just misunderstood is all but I understand leaving everything you know is not easy, sorry to have bothered you” Kassie says as she turns to head inside.
“Well now I did not say I wouldn't, just need time to think about it is all. A change of scenery might not be bad though” Draco reply’s stopping Kassie in her place.
Turning her head Draco can see a big smile on Kassie's face “we are leaving tomorrow, just come back here if you want to come with use.” Kassie starts to make her way in to the house “I hope to see you tomorrow” was all Draco heard before the door closed.
Draco turned around and looked at the sky. The sky looks as if it was on fire from the fading light of the setting sun. Draco began to hurry on home darting throw alleys. After turning one corner Draco hits something and is sent falling on his ass.
“Ow, what was that?” Draco muttered as he looked at what he hit.
Standing before him was a clocked pony looking as if they were unfazed by the sudden impact.
Draco pulls himself off the ground “Sorry for running in to you, was in a hurry” he says as he makes his way past the mysterious pony.
“You wish to know what this dream that haunts you ever night is no?”
Draco stops in his tracks and turns to the pony “what did you say?”
“If you wish to know what it is that plagues you then take this” the clocked pony hands over a pill boatel with a single pill in it to Draco. “But be warned once you take it there is no going back. You will have to see it throw to the end not matter how bad it is. After that all everything will change.”
Draco looks at the pill bottle “sorry but the first thing you learn in school is never taking strange pills from strangers” Draco says as he motions to give back the pill bottle “so you can have” Draco stops as the pony is no longer there and Draco is standing alone. Looking down at the pill bottle Draco puts it in his saddle bag “I guess I can give this to the doc tomorrow maybe he will know what it is or even who that was” Draco thinks as he continues his way home.
***
After a bit more walking Draco finally gets home. Entering his home Draco makes his way to his room. The house was getting dark as the sun was almost completely set. Getting to his room Draco throws off his sandal bag by the door as he walks over to his bed and falls on it.
“Today sucked, I think I will just hit the sack for now” Draco thought as he slowly drifted off to sleep.
Draco was interrupted by the sound of knocks at his front door. Groaning Draco pulls himself up from his bed and makes his way out of his room and to the front door. “Who the fuck could that be at this time of the day. Hell who would even be coming here” Draco complained in his head as he stops at the front door. Opening the door Draco is greeted with a sapphire blue unicorn mare with a lean and slender body. Her white mane and tail where long and elegant that seemed to sparkle like freshly fallen snow in the fading sunlight. A pair of ruby red eyes stared at Draco with a tender and loving feel. Her cutie mark was a pair of neatly stacked papers with four neatly placed pencils next to them.
Draco stared in complete shock managing to only muter out one word “Ruby?”
“Long time no see, little brother.”
“But why are you here?” Draco asks visibly having a tug of war in his head of joy and fear.
“I have not seen you in seven years, I want to see how my bro is doing” Ruby looks out at the darkening sky. “Do you think I could come in its starting to get a little cold out here?”
Draco shacks his head to regain his composer “ya, come on in. I will start a fire.”
As Ruby makes her way in Draco goes in to the living room and starts to put wood in the fireplace. “Make yourself comfy. I don’t really have anything to eat right now though, sorry about that.”
Ruby looks around a little before turning and giving Draco a big smile, “no worry’s I brought some homemade cooking, my famous soup. Would you like some?” She says as she pulls a pot from her back with her magic.
After stacking the wood in a tepee Draco reaches over and grabs a box of matches sitting by the pile of wood, “nah, I am not hungry.” As if on cue Draco’s stomach starts to gurgle with hunger. Ruby gives out a sweet little giggle as Draco hangs his head in defeat, “maybe I can eat a little” Draco says as he gets the fire started.
Getting up Draco heads past Ruby and into the kitchen “I will get some bowls just have a seat anywhere” Draco says as his stomach gives out another loud gurgle. Getting a slight frustrated look on his face Draco can’t help but berate his stomach “traitor.”
After getting two bowls and spoons Draco returns to the living room, where Ruby had tacking a seat in the middle of the big couch. Putting the bowls and spoons down on the table Draco takes a seat in the rocking chair. As Ruby pops the lid off the pot, the smell of the soup fills the room. With one whiff Draco could feel his mouth start to water as Ruby filled the bowls. As she passed the filled boil of soup to Draco, it toke everything he had to not start drooling all over the place. They sat there eating the soup in peace, nether one saying a word. Ruby had one boil as to where Draco had five, being as he had not eating sense the meeting with his friend early that morning he was a lot hungrier then he thought. After finishing their food they both sat there staring at the fire in silence for several minutes. The silence was finally broken by Draco “I know you did not come here to just feed me. So why did you really come here. I thought you would hate me or fear me never wanting to see me again after what I did to you. Not that I blame you if you did” Draco says as he stares down in shame.
Looking over at Draco, Ruby gives him a caring smile “I could never hate you. You are my little brother and I love you. I just wanted to catch up I have not seen you in seven years after all.”
“But because of me you got hurt so bad you had to be sent to a hospital in Canterlot to where you were in a coma for two years. That is two years of your life that I had tacking from you” Draco says as he feels tears well up in his eyes but he manages to suppress them.
Looking away Ruby's smile disappears and is replaced with a serious face. “Yes you did hurt me and I was out for two years.” Looking back at Draco she gives him a small smile but an earnest one “but you did not intend to hurt me, and because of it all I found happiness. I had a job I enjoyed tell Princess Celestia herself asked me to be one of her many advisers in matters of Equestria a few days ago, to which I accepted. I even found a stallion that I love very much and he has brought me a lot of joy.” Ruby looks back at the fire as her smile gets bigger “and none of it would have happened if I did not go to Canterlot. Yes I may have lost two years of my life but I will take losing those years for the joy and happiness that will be in the years to come.”
They both sat there staring at the fire tell Draco broke the silence “so if you’re going to be Celestias adviser why are you here?”
“Well Celestia heard that I had not seen my family in some time. So she told me to take a little time to reconnect with them and come back fresh and ready.” Ruby answers.
“I heard my big brother, Iron Shield left to Canterlot, after he heard you where staying. What’s he been up to?” Draco asked.
Ruby just chuckles a little “he is a royal guard now, but what about mother and father. They were not at the house when I went there, you know where they are?”
“Ya, they left on another ‘quest’ of theirs about a week ago”
“Just like them. You would swear they love their little expeditions more than anything.”
They both look at each other and start to laugh.
“Does Iron Shield know you are here?” Draco asks with a little worry in his tone. “If I remember correctly he was very protective of you in the past. Don’t know if he would like you being here like this. After all he does hate me.”
“No he does not but even if he did I am free to do what I want. We are family, we need to stick together” Ruby replies as she looks back at the fire.
“Thanks sis, you have always been so nice to me. Even though I am like this, even though I hurt you, you still care for me your still nice” Draco says as he hangs his head.
Ruby was about to give a reply seeing Draco was a little distraught but was interrupted by three loud knocks on the front door. Hearing this Draco gets up and goes to the door. Upon opening the door Draco is greeted with a reddish - brown Pegasus stallion with a muscular toned body that was adorned in the golden royal guard armor with no helmet. He had short and thick dark blue mane and tail, with dark green eyes looking at Draco with much disdain.
“Hello Iron Shield long time to see” Draco says with a flat tone.
“Don’t give me that crap. I know she is here and I am tacking her NOW!” Iron Shield says with a hiss as he forces his way past Draco.
“Nice to see you to my dear brother and please do come in I don’t mind” Draco comments with a sarcastic tone.
Iron Shield starts scanning the rooms and stops once he sees Ruby. Ruby turns to see Iron Shield looking at her with a scowl on his face.
“Iron Shield? What are you doing here?” Ruby asks.
“I am here for you. You were not at our parent’s house, so I asked around and find you are here. Come now we are leaving this place” Iron Shield says with a stern voice.
“I don’t want to leave, I am having a nice time here” Ruby says as she folds her forehoofs.
“You will come with me now! I am not leaving you here with this freak. You remember what he did to you? He can’t be trusted” Iron Shield replies.
Ruby gives Iron Shield a very aggravated look. “Yes I do remember but so what. He is a part of our family. Mother and father love and trust him and so do I. So why do you hate him so much? He regrets what he did; he has hidden himself from everypony in an attempt to keep them safe. No pony should be alone not even him.”
“That’s because he is a monster, I only haven’t reported him to Princess Celestia so she can deal with him because our parents asked me not to. If not for them he would be locked up for what he did or banished if we were lucky.” Iron Shield said holding Ruby's gaze.
All this time Draco was just standing off to the side. Felling things might escalate quickly he decides to step in.
“Ok lets all calm down” Draco says as he steps in-between Ruby's and Iron Shields death glares to each other. Looking over at Ruby he puts on his best smile he can “I don’t want to see you fighting dear sis. Just go with him, it will be ok.” Ruby tries to say something but is stopped when Draco puts up a hoof. “Please don’t argue, it is getting late and we all should be calling it a day.” Turning Draco looks at Iron Shield “thanks for coming brother, nice to see you are doing well. Keep seeing that our dear sister is safe.”
“Don’t tell me what to do you abomination. You just stay away from her and everything will be fine and I won’t have to put you down” Iron Shield says with a venomous tone.
Draco’s kind and friendly smile disappears and is replaced with a cold stare at Iron Shield “I have tried to be nice and friendly I really have but you seem determined to be a fucking ass hole. I can only take so much and you are pushing me too far, so I am going to say this as kindly as I can. GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HOUSE BEFORE I BASH YOUR SKULL IN!”
Iron Shield holds his gaze seeming unfazed as Draco’s words “like to see you try you freak.”
“You may be a part of the Royal Guard but you can’t beat me. I can still crush your pathetic skull like a tomato” Draco says as his mussels start tensing up readying for a fight.
Seeing this Ruby rushes over and puts herself between Draco and Iron Shield “that’s enough.” Ruby turns to Iron Shield “please wait for me outside I will be there in a minute.” Taking one last look at Draco, Iron Shield nods and makes his way outside. Turning to look at Draco a smile comes over her face “it was really nice seeing you little brother. Sorry about him, I did not know he got time off to and followed me here. I hope to see you again someday and remember no matter what anypony says you are not a monster.” With that Ruby gives Draco a hug then makes her way out shutting the door behind her.
Draco stands in the hall as he relaxes. After a bit Draco shacks his head pushing out the thoughts of his brother and focused on the pleasant thoughts of his sister and her tasty cooking. Walking over he puts out the fire and makes his way to his bedroom. Draco makes his way to his bed and flops face first into it. Something catches Draco’s attention from the corner of his eye. Looking over to his night stand Draco finds the pill bottle he got from the strange pony was sitting on it. Propping himself up Draco looks around.
“What? I did not put it there. How did it get there?” Draco questions to himself.
Draco looks around a little more trying to find any sign of a brake in but to no avail. Reaching over Draco grabs the pill bottle and looks at it “can it really make me remember the nightmare?” Popping the top off Draco slides the signal pill into his hoof.
Looking at the pill Draco's thoughts began to race “I can’t believe I am considering this. This is just stupid but if it can really help I have to try.”
Without any other thought Draco pops the pill in his mouth and swallows. Sitting there on his bed Draco looks around.
“Huh don’t feel anything. Must have been some kind of a joc-”
Just then Draco gets a sharp pain in his chest. Grabbing at the pain Draco finds all of his breath has left him.
“This was a bad idea a REALLY BAD IDEA!” Draco berates himself in his head.
A crushing presser hits Draco on both sides of his head. Stumbling off his bed Draco tries to make his way out to find help but does not make it far. Soon everything starts spinning. Losing his balance Draco topples backwards and lands on his bed. Despite his best efforts Draco feels his eyes getting heavy.
“No I got to stay awake”
Despite his best efforts Draco falls in to a deep sleep but not before feeling a strange surge of magic coarse throw his body as he is pulled in to his dream.
***
The crowd was silent as Draco held his cards, a small grin crawling across his face.
“I am all in” Draco says as he pushes a bag of bits into a big pile of bits in the middle of the table.
The stallion sitting across from Draco was sweating. Eyes darting from his cards to Draco’s confident smile. Looking down at the mound of bits the stallion sighs and puts his cards face down on the table.
“I fold” he says.
The crowd erupts in a cheer as Draco extends a hoof to grab his winnings.
“Drinks are on me tonight” Draco says as he holds the bag of bits in the air.
The cheers get louder as the crowd hoists Draco up. After paying for a round for every pony Draco settles down at a table by himself. Feather Storm walks up to the table with four other pony’s with him, two mares, one a unicorn and the other a Pegasus and two earth pony stallions.
“Yo bud we were going to head out, where you wanting to join use” Feather Storm said as he put his wing around the Pegasus mare.
Getting up from his seat Draco makes his way past his them “oh ya I do. Come on then nights still young.”
Draco and his party of friends make their way out and start walking down the street joking and laughing. A cold breeze sends a chill down Draco’s spine, making him turn around. Draco’s eyes give a blank stare at the now black empty void of nothing he saw before him. Confused Draco slowly backs up, turning around to catch up with his friends, but when he turned around he was met with more nothingness. Now surrounded by nothing but darkness Draco starts hyperventilating, all the buildings and even the roads just disappeared, only a single light shined where Draco stood.
Draco starts to go in to a miner panic attack but quickly hears the sound of steps approaching from behind him.
Looking over his shoulder Draco sees a figure approach. As it gets closer to the light a smile adorns his face as he sees Feather Storm with his head hanging low, approaching.
“I am so glad to see you, something is vary wrong where did the others go and what happened to everything?” Draco says as he motions with his hoof.
Feather Storm raised his head, and as he did Draco's eyes went wide in fear at what he saw. Feather Storms eyes were blacked out and it looked as if he was crying blood. He opened his mouth and blood began to pour out and down his body. Feather Storm began to make his way to Draco.
Draco was frozen in place. He did not know what he was seeing. Was this his friend he has known for so long? What happened to him and why did he have this eerie feeling in the pit of his stomach that something bad was coming?
Without warning Feather Storm pushed the frozen Draco in to the darkness that surrounded them, but Draco did not hit any ground instead he just kept falling as the little slab of light he was standing on began to fade as he fell further into the darkness.
Draco's fall was interrupted as he fell into a poll of water with a loud splash. Draco fell deep, the shock of the impact tacking most of Draco’s breath from him. Struggling for air Draco searched desperately for the surface but with little luck as it was too dark to see anything.
Just then Draco catches a shimmer of light and swims to it with everything he’s got. Breaching the surface Draco gasps for air, looking around he spots what looks like land and starts to make his way there. As Draco made his way he started panting heavily. His body felt like it was getting heavier every second. The water gave resistance as well, like he was swimming throw jelly.
After a bit more swimming Draco made it to the shore out of breath. Turning to look out at the water as he regained his breath, Draco’s eye shot open in terror. In front of him did not lay a body of water but instead it was a sea of blood as far as the eye could see. Draco looked himself over in terror; he was covered from head to tail in blood. Draco felt sick, turning around Draco closed his eyes got up and started running away into the darkness. Draco's running was interrupted when he heard the sound of chains rattling. Opening his eyes he scanned for the nose, it did not take him long to find it. A long row of pony’s all chained together walked in a straight line into what looked like a fenced in camp.
Draco backed away slowly but then heard the sound of screams from behind him. Nervous Draco turned to see the sores of the nose. What he saw frightened and sickened him. There where large strange creatures wiping pony’s tell they bleed, branding them with hot irons, some even where having their legs snapped in half. Mares where seen getting dragged off by the monsters creatures kicking and screaming into houses or little huts. Pegasus’s where strapped to a machine that would slowly rip off their wings as the sound of the ripping flesh, mussels, and bone just barely herd over there screams of pain. Unicorns where strapped to a table as one of the creatures loomed over them with a large hammer. In one swift motion the creatures would smash the unicorns horns making them scream in agony then eventually pass out. Throw all this the creatures would have a large smile adorning their faces.
Draco could not move, every part of him wanted to help; to do something anything but it was like he was nailed in place and could only watch. Just then something caught Draco’s eye, looking over he was met with an image that he wish he never seen. Pony’s were being feed into a machine that made loud grinding noses, that would chew up and spit out pony’s as a slab of ground up meat. Draco could do nothing but look on in horror, but what he saw next drove him to tears. Off to the side one of the creatures held a large axe and a pony lay with their head on a stone, but it was the pony that got to him. The pony on the stone was none other than Ruby. Draco tried everything he could to move to try and save her but all he could do was watch as the monster razed the axe into air.
“No please not her, take me instead” Draco pleaded.
With one swift motion the axe came hurling down. The sound of the axe hitting the stone, sending Ruby's head flying over to Draco's hoofs was all he could see as tears started falling from his face. Draco broke down crying reaching out to pick up his sisters head. He pressed it to his chest as he wept uncontrollably before taking a big breath and screaming in sorrow and anger.
“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
Just then four wood pillars erupted from the ground in front of Draco. Four pony’s where strapped to them, three of which where shrouded in shadows but one of them Draco did recognize. Right there in front of him battered, bloody, beating, and broken tied to the poll was Princess Celestia. Draco did not know what to think, everything he has known was falling apart in front of him but he did not have time to think. One of the creatures with red glowing eyes started to approach Draco. Holding his sisters head Draco starts to run away. With a chuckle the creator slams its fist into the ground making a fissure that shot straight for Draco. Despite his best efforts Draco could not out run it and fall in dropping his sister’s head in the process.
Draco screamed as he falls spinning uncontrollably. Before he even had time to react Draco hit the ground hard. Managing to pick himself up Draco starts to limp away defeated.  As Draco's hoof hits the ground it makes a loud snapping nose. Looking down Draco finds the ground is comprised of pony body’s and bones. Draco looks on not knowing what to think, but before he could think of anything a large explosion from behind him diverts his attention. Turning around Draco sees what looks like a pony standing on a hill of body’s off in the distance as a huge raging fire burns behind him lighting the darkened sky with an eerie reddish color.
The pony starts to turn to look at Draco, its face covered in shadows. With a huge explosion behind the pony giving light Draco finally sees there face. Though what Draco saw both scared and confused him, for the pony on the hill of body’s was himself but he looked different. His once slightly thin physic was now slightly muscular and he seemed a little taller to. His once slightly longer than normal black mane with five orange strips evenly spaced throw it, was now shorter and pulled back with spiky edges, the orange strips where now red as well, the hair that drooped over his right eye was gone. His once short tail was now longer to the point it almost touched the ground. Even his eyes had changed, the once light blue where now a strong black.
Not knowing what to do Draco just stood there as the other Draco on the hill just stared at him with an emotionless expression. As they stared at each other an enormous monster began to rise from the flames behind the other Draco on the hill. Seeing this Draco tries to run but is stopped in his tracks. Looking down he sees the body’s of pony’s having come to life and starting to drag him down into them. Draco starts to struggle trying to get free of their grip but to no avail. The colossus creature turns to look at Draco, with a slow motion it stretches out its arm to grab Draco passing over the other Draco. By now Draco bared up to his waist in bodies as they keep pulling him down. Draco could do nothing but scream as he was pulled down as the hand approaching blocks the light from the fires as everything goes black.
Draco slowly opens his eyes and sits up in his bed. A ray of sunlight connects with Draco’s eyes making him shield them.
“It is morning? I slept all throw the night?” Draco mumbled to himself.
Draco looks over to his night stand with the empty pill bottle.
Draco gave a soft chuckle to himself “It really did work, go figure.”
Just then Draco felt a sharp pain in his guts followed by the feel of something moving its way up. Before he could run to the bathroom Draco was forced to bend over his bed and vomit a purple and green liquid. He vomits this liquid three times before stopping, as Draco lays there sapped of strength the strange liquid evaporates right before his eyes leavening a bewildered look on Draco's face.
As Draco regains his strength he could not help but ponder the meaning of his dream.
“What was that dream? And why was I standing on all those bodies? All it did was give me so many more questions than answers.” Draco pulls himself off his bed “I think I need a change in scenery. What was that mares name again… oh right Kassie. I think I will take her up on her offer, how knows it might be fun.” Draco thinks as he makes his way to the bathroom for a shower.
***
After a quick shower Draco grabs an apple from the fridge before heading to the front door, grabbing his saddle bag and opening the front door. As soon as he opened the door Draco was meeting with Feather Storm standing in front of him. Memories of his dream come flooding back oh what his friend looked like making him cringe a bit. Recomposing himself Draco puts on a smile.
“Yo man, what brings you here so early?” Draco asks.
Feather Storm looks Draco in the eye with worry and a bit of hesitation in them. “I was called to the mayor’s office yesterday. She said you got into a rage and stormed off and asked me if I would check up on you” he says as he rubs the back of his neck. “She was worried about you as am I. Are you ok? It’s not like you to blow up like that.”
Draco gives a soft chuckle “ya man I am all right and would you tell Emerald Clock that I am sorry for yesterday. I was having a bad day and was nerves about meeting with the doctor and I toke out my rage on her and she did not deserve that.”
A bit confused Feather Storm could not help but ask “why don’t you tell her?”
Draco gives him a soft look before looking out at the rising sun “because I am going on a trip.”
Feather Storm was caught off guard by that “what? Was this because of yesterday?”
Draco shacks his head before replying “no no I just feel I need a change of scenery is all. I met somepony yesterday on my way home that asked if I wanted to join them or their mission overseas, and I think I am going to take up there offer.”
“How long would you be gone?” Feather Storm asks.
“Three years at the most” Draco replies.
They both stood there in awkward silence before Feather Storm finally spoke up. “Good for you man” he says as he pats Draco on the side. “I am happy for you, finally getting out there. You beater come back though and tell me all about your adventures or I will hunt you down” he says with a grin.
Draco chuckles as he walks over and gives Feather Storm a hug “thanks for always having my back. You are a beater friend then I deserve.”
Being that Draco has never hugged him before Feather Storm was shocked but happy. He returns Draco's hug with his own whispering in Draco’s ear “anytime man, anytime.”
After finally braking there hug they said their goodbyes as Feather Storm flow off and Draco made his way to Kassie's place.
Lucky for Draco he knows where that house he dropped her off last night was. As he approached the house he seen movement in the front yard, two pony’s a brown earth pony stallion with a green mane and tail and a dark yellow unicorn mare with a black mane and tail. They were working on getting the crate he had carried last night into a new cart. As Draco made his way closer the brown stallion noticed him and rushed over stopping right in front of Draco blocking his path. The said station was heavily muscular and was large towering over Draco, his mane and tail where all scuffed and messy. What looked like a wooden board being  snapped in half by a dumbbell was on his flank as his cutie mark.
“Who are you and why are you here?” the stallion asked in a demanding tone.
Draco looks up at him unfazed by his clear attempt at trying to intimidate and reply’s to him with a playful tone. “I am Draco Swiftwing, Kassie asked me to come by so here I am.”
The mare then walks up next to the stallion. She had a elegant body and seemed to carry herself with a sens of pride. Her mane and tail where well groomed and the black seemed to have a slight shine to them indicating she had put some kind of jell in it. What looked like a flute with musical notes coming from it adorned her flank as he cutie mark.
“Oh so you are the one our little Kassie was talking about last night.” She says with a smile. “Oh where are my manners, I am Sharona” the unicorn mare says pointing to herself. Then putting a hoof on the side of the stallion she comments “and this big guy is Brick.”
Draco looks at them both “it is a pleasure to meet you both” Draco says with a bow.
Sharona giggles a little “oh a gentle colt too I see.”
Draco blushes a little as Brick just rolls his eyes. Sharona then turns passing Brick she flicks her tail under his chin.
“Well come on we need to get it loaded, can’t just be standing around. Don’t want to get yelled at do we” Sharona says.
Draco was about to ask if he could help but was interrupted by a voice he remembered.
“Draco?”
Turning around Draco sees Kassie standing behind him. On her left side stood a red earth pony stallion his body was nothing special but it did have some scares adorning it most of them where on the chest. He had a purple mane and tail, his mane was a complete mess with what looked like some burnt hairs here and there, his tail was neat and clean. On his rump he had what looked like an explosion with chunks of rocks flying away from it as a cutie mark.
To her right was a black Pegasus mare her body seemed to have all the right curves in the right place and she seemed to know it for she had no problem swaying her body in a suggestive way. Her mane and tail where a gorgeous ocean blue, her mane was smooth and well groomed, as her tail was smooth as well and swayed seductively behind her. A ball of light with what looked like a wind trail and hearts flowing behind it adorned her flack as her cutie mark.
Kassie leaps forward wrapping herself around Draco “you came, you really came.”
Draco was stunned for a moment at Kassie flinging herself around him like that but quickly regained his composer. Draco gently pulls Kassie off of him “ya I did, I thought about it and a change in scenery might do me some good, if you would still want me to join that is.”
Kassie starts jumping with joy “oh yes yes yes you can still join. Trust me you won’t regret this.”
Kassies excitement was interrupted by the sound of a cough from behind her. Turning to look the red stallion started to talk “aren't you going to introduce us?”
A little blush of embarrassment crosses Kassie's face “Draco these are my friends and my coworkers on this job.” Kassie points to the red stallion “this is Blaster he is our demolition expert. He can blow just about anything up with almost nothing” she exclaims with enthusiasm. Pointing her hoof at the Pegasus next “and this is my best friend Swift Breeze. She is our reconnaissance master; she can scout out a town undetected in under an hour.” Walking over to stand next to them both Kassie then points at Draco “friends this is Draco Swiftwing the one I told you about last night."
Draco just gives a soft bow as Swift Breeze walks over to him. Looking up he meets her gaze before she giggles.
“You’re kind of cute but I can tell you are still a virgin. Want me to fix that for you sweet stuff” Swift Breeze says with a giggle.
Draco’s mouth just drops not knowing what to say. Just then Blaster walks between Draco and Swift Breeze.
“That’s enough teasing the new recruits let’s just get our stuff and go. We are on a tight schedule after all” Blaster says as he walks past Draco.
“And who said I was joking hum?” Swift Breeze repliers as she fallows Blaster cursing her tail across Dracos face as she passes.
Kassie walks up face bright red “so sorry about that, I hope she didn't scary you off or anything.”
Draco snaps himself back to reality and looks at Kassie “oh uh no she did not scare me off I just was not expecting that.”
Kassie gives Draco a big smile and walks past him “come on I will introduce you to the others.”
They both make their way to the house. Blaster and Swift Breeze had gone into the house as Brick and Sharona where finishing loading the crate onto the cart. Kassie walks over and gives them both a hug before turning to Draco.
“These are our last two members Brick and Sharona” Kassie says pointing at them when she said their names. “Sharona is our negotiator it’s her job to talk with others to avoid unwanted attention. She is really good with strategy as well” Kassie says pointing at Sharona. “And this big lug is Brick, he is our muscle for all the heavy stuff or if diplomacy does not work and things get rough he is a good pail to have” Kassie says as she pats Bricks chest. Turning around Kassie then points at Draco “this is-”
“Draco Swiftwing, we know we met just before you got back. Though we don’t know a lot about you Draco what is it you can do?” Sharona says interrupting Kassie.
Draco ponders on that for a bit before giving his answer “I have had to adapt too many things to live so I guess you could say I have many talents.”
“Kassie says you are really strong almost super strong, you mind showing us what you got?” Sharona asks.
“How would I do that?” Draco asks.
Looking around Sharona spots a dead looking tree in the front yard “pull that out of the ground, even Brick over here can’t do that, and don’t worry about it this place is going to be demolished soon anyway you will just be helping is all.”
Draco just shrugs as he walks over to the dead looking tree. Draco rears up on his hind hoofs as his joints pop into place. Grabbing the tree with his hoofs Draco starts to pull. The ground starts to up heave as the large roots of the tree come ripping out of the ground. Within seconds Draco had pulled out the dead looking tree and was holding it above his head.
Blaster and Swift Breeze had just come out to see Draco pull the tree out with little effort and had their jaws hanging wide open as did Sharona and Brick. Draco then sets the tree down softly as he made his way back to the group.
“See I told you he was strong and none of you believed me” Kassie says to her friends with a grin.
As Draco got back to them he sat and waited for the screams or for them to call him a monster or to leave and never come back, but what he did get he did not see coming.
“Well Kassie was right when she said you could be of use. That kind of strange has a lot of uses glad to have you aboard” Sharona said.
Blaster and Swift Breeze had exited the house with bags that they preceded to throw in the back of the chart. Draco seen in the corner of his eye Swift Breeze staring at him with a hunger in her eyes that made him feel weird.
“Well seeing as we are all here and packed let’s get going we don’t want to be late and get left behind” Kassie says. “Brick you pull the cart the rust of use let’s move out.”
With that they began to make their way out of town. At the outskirts of town Draco could not help but look back one last time.
Staring out at the town for a few seconds Draco whispered to himself softly “See ya in three years” turning around Draco makes his way to catch up with his new friends, not looking back as he makes his way to the unknown.