Author's Note

Back! Hopefully this will be the start of a chapter-writing streak! Not sure if anyone noticed but I changed/edited some of the earlier chapters to make it flow a bit better.

All that while being half-blind in my right eye! Yay corneal abrasions!

Hope you enjoy, and let me know what you think!

Cheers,
Indi3g

Bitter Memories (Nick's Side)

When Fluttershy had finally stepped out of the library, she found Nick standing off to the side, humming what sounded like a song under his breath. She tried getting his attention a few times, but it took a good five minutes before he finally noticed her.

"Oh. Hey, sorry about that, didn't realize you were there. Kinda got lost in my memories..."

She blushed and shook her head before replying in a soft voice. "I-it's ok. You did seem lost in your thoughts. Um, are you ready to go now?"

With a smirk, he gave a slight bow and spoke in a 'proper manner'. "It would be my pleasure, madame, to escort you to your home. That is, if you do not mind me doing so."

Her blush grew, and Fluttershy let out a small giggle, before dropping into a small curtsey. "If you please. I would be oh, so grateful."

After holding their positions for a minute, they both broke out into a small fit of laughter, and made their way through the streets of Ponyville. As Fluttershy led the way to her home, they both took in the night sky, and the sounds of the night that was going on around them.

"If....if you don't mind me asking....are you ok? You seemed a bit upset earlier....."

Nick looked at her, surprised at the amount of concern she had in her voice, and in her expression. After a bit of thinking, he shook his head and gave her a half-smile in response. "Yeah. It's been a long night for me, and I just got a lot dumped on me. Might take some time to get over it, but I'll deal. Actually...."

Nick stopped walking, gave her a confused look and asked, "Why aren't you afraid of me? I'm no pony, and...uh, no offense, but ya seem kinda...skittish."

Squeaking in surprise, she stumbled and nearly fell, but used her wings to regain her balance. Once she was slightly settled, Fluttershy began to fidget, and hide most of her face by using her mane, as she gave her answer.

"W-well....like you said.....I'm not that good at dealing with things like this. You aren't a pony...and kinda scary...but I think you're a nice.......being?" She looked at him I'm slight confusion, but seeing him nod gave her the strength to continue. "You were really gentle helping Princess Luna earlier...and you didn't attack Princess Celestia when you got upset....so I think I can...maybe trust you. And maybe become friends....If that's ok with you....."

The way she was being so shy, yet hopeful, pulled on Nick's heartstrings hard. Then, she looked at him.....and his heart exploded. Or at least it felt like it. In that moment, those eyes were full of so much innocence, so much kindness, it was hard not to want to hide her away and prevent anything from trying to hurt her.

When they started to tear up, he realized he had taken too long to respond....that and he felt horrible. Like everything in the world was saying, 'Look at what you did. Fluttershy is crying and it's all your fault. SHAME ON YOU.' In a full panic, he hugged her tight and made soft shushing sounds, not noticing her squeak of surprise or heavy blushing.

"I'd love to be friends with you Fluttershy. I just hope I can be a good friend to you as well....please, please don't cry."

She only squeaked again, but this time, in a higher pitch. The fact that he wanted to be friends with her was nice, and he was very warm and comfortable, but this was the first time any male besides her father had held her so affectionately. If Nick held her any longer, there was a good chance she'd pass out from overwhelming amount of emotions.

As if he'd realized what she was feeling, Nick let her go and looked away with a slight blush. "Sorry about that...I can get kinda...'huggy'....at times." Clearing his throat, he looked around and pointed to a shadow in the distance. "That's your house over there, right?"

Fluttershy blinked a few times before the question registered, and looked over to where he was pointing. "Y-yes. I hope you don't mind..but...I have a lot of animals staying with me....I should've told you before. I'm sorry..."

He gave a smile and shook his head before replying. "Relax Fluttershy. You were kind enough to let me stay for the night, so being around a few animals won't be a bother." With that, he began to walk once more.

The mare, on the other hand, watched him walk away with a happy smile, and started following Nick. 'He....he really is a nice stalli-being. Oh dear, I should catch up, so the animals don't try and attack him. That would be horrible...' Unknown to both of them, she had given off a faint pink glow when she had offered, and he accepted friendship between the two.

------------------------------------------------------------ Hours Later, On the Cottage Roof -------------------------------------------------------------------------

When the pair had reached her home, Nick was greeted by a group of animals, glaring at him and ready to attack. It took some time, but Fluttershy had been able to calm them down and make it clear that he was a friend, and had done nothing to harm her. That satisfied the majority of the animals, with the exception of a single white rabbit. The little demon, or 'Angel' as she had called him, kicked his leg multiple times. It was clear that he had no fondness for the human, and would do everything to make sure Nick was aware of that fact.

Eventually Fluttershy had shown him where the bathroom and the guest room were, before wishing him a good night and heading to her own room. Nick had simply thrown himself upon the bed and tried to rest, but his mind kept returning to what Celestia had accused him of, and the conversation he had with Luna.

Resigned, he had decided to go and get some fresh air, in hopes that it would clear his head and leave him tired. It took navigating (and too many close calls), to get past the sleeping animals, and out the door. In a few jumps, Nick found himself upon the cottage's rooftop, and staring into the night sky.

As the wind blew past, and he stared at the moon, his mind brought back the last memories he had, between himself, Luna and Celestia...

------------------------------------------------------------ Castle of The Two Sisters (1000 years ago) -------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nick yawned and stretched, hearing his joints pop into place, as he walked through the castle. He'd just returned from being in the Badlands, and meeting with Queen Thorn of the changelings. The first time he had met her, was during one of his travels across Equestria to understand the land itself. She had been fighting off a combination of noise and sand worms, all while bleeding out. Concerned, and slightly impressed, he stepped in and had helped her fight them off.

The queen was in shock, not only because of how he looked, but because he had helped her in the first place. Although she was suspicious and ready to attack, he was able to convince her to help her get to her home in one piece. She was reluctant to agree, but it was hard to argue when bleeding out in the desert. He was almost overwhelmed when they had finally arrived on her hive's front door, but was spared temporarily, because of his willingness to help.

When her identity was revealed, she was shocked once more, by his acceptance of her and how calm he seemed to be. The pair talked for some time, and before he left, she made him swear to tell none of their meeting. The two met a few more times over the years, becoming more friendly and trusting of each other, until he was able to convince her to meet with Celestia and Luna. From that point on, the changelings and ponies had a (somewhat stable) agreement with each other. In exchange for better weapons, armor and freedom to walk around in their normal forms, the changelings would act as guides and guards for those passing through the area.

The most recent meeting was to get an update on how the hive itself was doing; problems between the chagelings and ponies, suggestions for improvements for their agreement and being introduced to Queen Thorn’s heir, Chrysalis. Meeting that mare was an interesting experience, considering how excited she was to meet him. Almost as if she’d idolized him or something more...

Shaking that thought out of his head, Nick stopped in the kitchen to get some fresh fruit, only to be stopped by a sense of wrongness washing over his body. No longer concerned with food, he gripped the skull designed pin on his collar and began to ‘ping’ the entire castle.

Getting an odd reaction from one of Luna’s (Princess Luna he reminded himself somewhat bitterly) many rooms, he ran as fast as he could; often jumping over or dodging around other ponies in his rush. By the time he arrived however, the reaction had lessened.

Cautious, Nick knocked on her bedroom door before opening it and stepping inside. “Everything alright? You don’t have guards posted and something felt...weird just now.” The princess was sitting on the edge of her bed, facing away from the door and fiddling with something around her neck as if she hadn’t heard a word he had said at all.

“Thou...would be honest with us, regardless of how we might feel correct? If it were to better us as a ruler...and a pony?” She murmured, slowly standing from her seat. Before he could even respond, Luna’s voice rose and began to sound angrier with each word spoken.

“What would it take? We have given again, and again to ensure ponies sleep in peace. And yet, they SHUN me! FEAR me! HATE ME FOR KEEPING. THEM. SAFE! All I wanted was some love and respect, is that too much to ask for?”

When she finally turned to face him, her face was a mess. Eyes red and dripping tears, makeup running and messily spread- all while the rest of her muzzle showed just how much pain she felt. As Nick took a step towards Luna to try and comfort her, his eye noted a crystal on her neck beginning to spark and let out small pulses of magic and the energy he had felt earlier.

“No, it’s not. You have every right to be upset,” he said trying to calm her down. “They fear what they don’t understand. They know that all the bad things come at night, so they don’t want anything to do with it. If we talk with your sister, maybe we can convince a few to learn...”

Without warning, her expression changed to something unhinged mixed with pure joy. “Yes! We should talk to her together! She’ll have to listen to the both of us right?!” Luna giggled and pulled Nick in for a tight hug, with the crystal starting to glow and spark more violently than before. “With your influence and the power I now have, she won’t have a choice AND WILL FINALLY TAKE ME SERIOUSLY!”

“Luna, slow down! You’re getting too worked up; we can do this but not with you threatening her!” He started to struggle within the hug, caught off guard by her reactions and trying to get a better understanding of what was happening.

Falling silent, the lunar princess let him go and stepped away; the crystal was constantly pulsing and glowing with a steady black light. “....he was right. I really am alone. Alone, alone, alone, alonE, AlOnE, ALONEALONEALLONMYOWN!!!”

With a scream of rage and sorrow, Luna let loose a blast of power. The entire room started to fall apart, with Nick thrown into a corner and the stonework crumbling Into pieces. The last thing he saw before passing out, was her body being covered in the dark light of the crystal, and the sound of malicious laughter.