Whooves and DanG

Chapter 2

The Award For Best Actor Goes To...

"You sure learned quick for someone who was taught in their dreams" Twilight challenged after my umpteenth test concerning Equestria's recent history.  I'd been in the custody of the four princesses, who all were staying at the Ponyville castle, since a bit after Pinky and Candies "Welcome Back To Ponyville" party for Claire. Luna seemed to be the only one to take me at face value. The other three were working themselves to the bone in order to make sure I wasn't a threat to Equestria and it's people. Twilight had been tasked with making sure that Luna's dream lessons were effective.

"Twilight maybe you should let the little guy have a bit of fresh air, let him spread his wings if he has them, I'll even escort him if you want." Spike offered poking his head in through a doorway. After a minute, Twilight shook her head in agreement and sent me off with her dragon assistant. I was glad to get some air after being cooped up in the castle for days on end.

It wasn't hard to figure that Spike had his own agenda in asking for me to fly with him.  I jumped out  a nearby window and morphed a salamence. Spike zoomed off toward the clouds with me trailing to keep from losing sight of him. He tried a few tricks to test my flying abilities but stopped when he was confident enough for us to continue our trek into the sky. It took him until we were about the cloud lines before he spoke.

"You know, Rarity would love to have you stay at Carousel with us, seeing as she's had you as a statue ever since you came to Equestria." He began nervously as he found a cloud for us to land on. "Claire also seems to have taken a shine to you, calling you her hero all the time." Laughed the dragon across from my spot on the cloud. "My mate is hoping to talk to you sometime about it." Spike hinted with a hopeful look on his face.

I nearly fell off the clouds as the shock of his warning hit me. In my own time stream, Rare and Carousel Boutique were mate and turf respectively. Here Rare had married Spike, had kids, and Carousel was now his home. I was too distracted by the thoughts of all the possible outcomes of my reply to answer. My emotions kept gumming up the whole mental process.

Finally, I stampped as I shook my head. A familiar, stubborn, and determined energy began flowing through my body. "If the royals agree to it then yes." I replied with a tone that matched the energy now carrying me.

"Hey slowpokes, you're both wanted on the ground." Rainbow zoomed by interrupting a guys talk that had gone on for a couple hours. Both Spike and I stared at each other for a few seconds before grinning insanely and zooming off after Dash. In calling us "slowpokes" Dash had challenged us. The race had begun and to officiate I began my favorite racing setlist. I also took the opportunity to try out Mega Salamence Morph.

It was over with as soon as I landed. In the end, Dash and I were neck and neck with Dash attempting to pull off a rainboom.  Spike landed last with an exhilarated look in his eyes.

"WHERE HAVE YOU TWO BEEN?" Rare ran up doing a decent impression of the "Royal Canterlot Voice".  While spike apologized I tended to the fresh wound this situation was leaving. When it came to my turn I apologized like I normally would with Rare, adding such words as "my lady". Once Rare was satisfied she sent Spike back to Carousel and took me, after placing me on her back, to Twilight's castle to ask a favor of the princesses.

A while later I was having a question I was asking myself repeated to me by Celestia. Having chatted about it with Spike earlier I had my answer. "I am reluctant as it is another's turf but since it was he that talked with me about and is ready to accept the risks and responsibilities. I will, though I will also make a place of mine own if indeed it doesn't work out and I have nowhere else to go." The finality in my voiced echoed as if sentencing my doom.

"Are you sure you really want somepony as dangerous as me living with your family?" I asked both the mare carrying me like a cat does a kitten and her dragon mate with a pleading tone an hour later. The closer I got to Carousel, the more I rethought leaving fate up both the princesses and my kind heart. I knew that things could go very bad very quickly and wanted to avoid that as much as possible.

"Darling, you fuss a lot more than either of my babies did when they first came home." Rare chuckled at what she thought was a simple reluctance to a change of scenery. She sounded much too motherly with everything she said. Her behavior was a bit too motherly as well. She'd even had all of the family, including Sweetie and her mate Button and their kid, showing up to help me settle in. I had plenty of guesses where this would lead if I let it carry on.

I poofed onto Claire's back without warning. "No offense but I'm not an infant, though more than small enough to be one, I am not as helpless as one, and I refuse to allow anypony to treat me like one, now if you'll excuse me I'm going to head straight for the basement so I can get settled in," I growled before teleporting ahead to arrange the basement to a near comfortable temporary living space. I hoped that I had made them rethink the living arrangements they'd agreed to.

After some time to myself, I had my first visitor come down to check on me. Turquoise Blitz, Rares youngest and her only son, had come to inform me that dinner had been prepared in case I was done unpacking.  He noticed some of the stuff that had yet been placed and said he'd have a plate sent down.

Within a few minutes, the plate was delivered. As I turned to thank whoever delivered it I found myself in an awkward position. It was just Rare and I alone in the basement. I stopped what I was doing immediately and bowed in thanks as I took the meal from Rare. She sat down on the cot I'd set up for myself while I ate.

"Daniel, Darling, about earlier....." she began uncomfortably. She looked away, blushing, as she attempted to find the words to finish her apology. It broke my heart having to hear her apologize.

"Look we bumped heads, families do it all the time, just consider it the official welcome." I laughed. Deep inside I could feel the depth of the scar I'd made with that comment. Before Rare could catch on to my shift in moods I pulled out an mp3 player and set it beside my cot. From the machine came the sounds of an all too familiar tune. Both Rare and I sat and listened to it before either of spoke up again.

"By the way, T offered that he'd let you bunk in his room if you want." Rare quietly passed on the message before taking the plate and heading back out of the basement. As soon as she was gone on popped off a clone and began my contigency plan.

Using a teleportation system I was up north in the Crystal mountains in seconds. I was on the same mountain in the same range I'd picked out back in my own time stream during a rough patch. With a few piano keys in intro, I began the song I needed to help build my castle made of caves. This place would serve as a home in case things went like I predicted with Rare's family. I also was going to purpose it for Claire's training.

Upon returning to Carousel I made my way to the roof to do some thinking. Been here only a few hours and already I was crying out for some horrific event to remove me from the household. I made a decision right then and there.

The next morning I took Rare and Spike aside. I explained how much I appreciated their generosity as I worked on how to tell them my decision. Their confused faces told me that I'd have to inform them straight out.  With a sigh, I began confessing that I needed space from Carousel as there were too many things that were emotionally hurting me. I didn't give them the chance to try bargaining or deterring me. As soon as the words "I can't be here anymore so I'm moving" were out of my mouth I poofed into the basement and from there to my newly built cavestle, but not before leaving something only Claire would find and otherwise be able to use.

After a few days alone I was awoken by security alarms going off. I instantly moved to the spot shown on my cavestle floor plan in a morph better for recon than attacking. Admiring the decor in my band practice room was none other than Claire.

As I watched with Claire with a studious eye, she happened upon an mp3 player I'd left lying out. She managed to get the device on and gasped at the image used as the background. She moved the device closer so she could inspect the image of what appeared to be me with her mother when she was younger. I watched while I attempted to find a way to intervene without revealing myself. I knew it was too late when Claire exclaimed: "He's not from here!".

"You're right young filly." I hissed after silently sliding from fly morph to raptor. I slowly backed Claire into a corner. Adrenaline filled the air, informing me just how scared the filly was.

When she could go no further she decided on a change in tactic. In one fluid motion, she'd sent a ball of flames my way. In that same moment, I'd seen the attack coming and leaped upward to dodge. I landed on target and left Claire struggling beneath my clawed toes. Instead of going for the kill I leaped onto a table a few feet away.

"That would have been a loss in your case." I laughed as I demorphed. "Decent attempt toward the end but easily predicted and dodged." I critiqued going over the whole test in my mind. I went into teacher mode lecturing Claire with "Never get backed into a corner unless you can turn it into an advantage.". The confusion on Claire's face was about as plain as her soon to be rage. "Tell you what, you did your best, I'll tell you what I can about myself, though we're going to be talking about more important things as well." I offered attempting to calm the young kirin.

"No wonder you can't stay at home with us." Clare pouted in pity at my dilemma. "It explains a lot though about how you know so much about Equestria." Her pout changed to a thoughtful contemplation. She now knew too much about me that I couldn't send her home without a pinkie promise.

After the pinkie promise, I gave Claire the tour. She showed a bit of interest in quite a few subjects. Her main interest was the time stream I'd come from. When the moon rose I decided it was time to take Claire home. "I might as well escort you home and have a talk with your parents about possibly toughening you up." I sighed leading Claire to a teleporter.