They Walk Among Us

"My...My father?" asked Steven. "You know where my father is?"

"I thought that was pretty clear" said the compass. "I just can't tell you yet."

"Tell me what?" asked Steven, angry now. "If you know where my father is, then by all means, you HAVE TO tell me where he is!"

"It's not time yet!" said the compass. "The time will come, and when it comes, you will know it."

"WHAT?" asked Steven. "I-I don't... Wha..."

"Look, I know you're pretty disoriented right now..." said the compass.

"You think?"

The compass let out what sounded like a sigh.

"You should rest." said the compass. "It'll all be better in the morning."

"BETTER IN THE..." said Steven, grunting. "No... No, thanks to YOU, I am now COMPLETELY unable to even get the slightest BIT of rest! Everything you say just raises even more questions, and there are enough questions already!"

Look at yourself. thought Steven. Screaming at a compass.

"Don't worry!" said the compass. "You're not going crazy."

"Really?" asked Steven. "Because I really think that I am."

"Just... calm down." said the compass.

Steven immediately took deep, broken breaths. He still wasn't sure if this compass really was a figment of his imagination, or if it was really... real. He's usually a very open-minded guy, but a talking compass? No. But then again, this world is magic, so there might be some sense in talking compasses after all. Some unicorn must've bewitched it or something.

"You can talk." said Steven, repeating himself.

"Yes, I can talk." said the compass. "How many times do I have to tell you that before you get it?"

"Sorry..." said Steven, not believing that he was actually apologizing to a compass. "What else can you do?"

"Well..." said the compass. "But please don't freak out. I don't want to have to deal with all that again."

"Alright." said Steven, although he still doubted whether he would freak out or not.

The compass immediately started to shake, first subtly, then violently. Steven didn't know what the compass was trying to do, but he was sure that it wasn't going to make him any saner.

And he was right. The compass immediately began to glow a bright green, and then... It began to float.

Not fly, but float.

"Tada!" said the compass in its annoying, high-pitched tone.

"You can... float?" asked Steven. As much as he wanted to cheer and be amazed, he himself still couldn't believe what he was seeing. A floating compass?

"Not exactly." said the compass, who immediately dropped back to the ground. "It's more like... I can do magic."

"MAGIC?" asked Steven. Dumbfounded didn't even reach the level of 'understatement'.

"Well, yeah." said the compass. "But I can only use this magic to float around, so its probably the same thing. Unless, of course, I find a way to channel that magic somewhere else..."

"This is impossible." said Steven. He started to move towards the compass.

"What are you doing?" asked the compass, rather urgently.

"I need to make sure that you are not a dream." said Steven. He immediately gathered his magic to his hoof, and then he began to crush the compass.

"Bad idea bad idea badideabadideaBADIDEA!"

Almost right after his hoof began to press down on the compass, Steven felt his back break. It was hurting him even more than the time those golems had slammed him to the stone wall. He immediately jumped back, letting go of the compass."

"AAAARRRGH!" screamed Steven. He immediately began to heal himself.

"I told you it was a bad idea." said the compass.

"Wha..." mumbled Steven, who was trying to hold down the pain as his back began to heal. "What was that?"

"Well..." said the compass. "We might kinda sorta have a... link between us."

"A link?" asked Steven.

"My life force is bound to yours." said the compass. "And vice versa."

"Which means that whatever I feel..." said Steven.

"I will feel too." said the compass. "And the same goes to you. We're basically like the same guy!"

"You talk like you're... well, sentient." said Steven. "I've never seen a thing that doesn't breathe, even more so a compass, be so conscious before. It's like you have-"

"A personality of my own?" completed the compass. "It's true. I do have a personality. Yours, to be exact I told you, we're basically the same guy! Funny how chaos works, isn't it? Then again, funny is how chaos is supposed to work, so I guess 'funny' in this context should mean 'normal'. I think."

"H-h-how did you know about Scootaloo's birthday, then?" asked Steven, practically shouting by then. "Even I didn't know about it!"

"Well, not only am I a compass, but I am a walking, talking, informational database." said the compass. "It's my job to know everything there is to know. Factual stuff, that is. I can't read minds. Well, except for yours."

"So...wait." said Steven. "The one who told me the coordinates of Baltimare, the voice in my head that told me... That was you too?"

"That's right." said the compass. "Glad that you're catching up to speed so quickly." It sounded rather sarcastic as it said that.

"I don't believe this!" said Steven, who began banging his head against the wall.

"Oops. Looks like you still haven't quite caught up yet." said the compass, who began to hover around Steven's head.

"There's no doubt that you're real!" shouted Steven. "Although I really wish there was."

"Hey!" said the compass. "That hurt. And there's no need to speak so loudly, I can hear you fine when you speak to yourself. Talking to a compass will make you look crazy."

Steven fell down on his bed, face-first, and began to cover his head with the blanket. Not only did he possess a living, talking, conscious compass, but a complete informational database as well? This was just too much for him to handle.

"So..." said the compass. "What are you planning to give Scootaloo for her birthday?"

Steven's head immediately perked up. The compass was right- Scootaloo's birthday really was tomorrow. And he felt obligated to give her something. She was his girlfriend's sister, after all. But what was he going to give her? Despite them spending lots of time together when he wasn't busy (Steven and Rainbow Dash were rarely left alone by Scootaloo), Scootaloo had always refrained from talking about her hobbies.

"I have no idea." said Steven, shocked to find himself talking casually to the compass. "What do you think?"

"Well, you do have some skill in engineering." said the compass. "And with your new magic, perhaps you can... make her something?"

"Sure I could." said Steven. "But what would I make?"

"A tattoo maker?" suggested the compass. "To make her own cutie mark."

Steven laughed sarcastically. "Right."

"You could ask Rainbow Dash." said the compass.

"I could." said Steven. "But I want it to be a surprise. For both of them."

"Let me guess." said the compass. "You want to make something for Rainbow Dash too?"

Steven was surprised. The compass's social skills might have even surpassed his own. But then again, it might just be reading his mind.

"That's right." said Steven. "So... Any suggestions?"

"Well I can't keep thinking of everything, can I?" asked the compass. "But just think about what you noticed about Scootaloo so far. No, you know what? Don't think. Say it all aloud."

"Well..." said Steven, who for some reason was half-expecting himself to break out into song. But luckily for him and those around him (He was a terrible singer, and Rainbow Dash knew that), he managed to refrain himself.

"Now that I think about it, Scootaloo is very much like her sister, Rainbow Dash." said Steven. "They have the same attitude, the same style, the same way of speaking... Hell, if it wasn't for the hair, they'd look alike, too. But what does that have to do with anything?"

"It narrows down possible gifts." said the compass. "As a scientist, you surely must have used these kinds of methods before!"

"Yeah. Of course." said Steven. The realization of the harsh reality that is a talking compass must have dulled his brain a bit. He was going to have to think out of the box for this. "I can just think about what would be a suitable present for Rainbow Dash, and then maybe I can give a similar gift to Scootaloo."

"And what would be a suitable present for Rainbow Dash, then?"

"I've got a pretty good idea about that." said Steven. "But it's never been done before. And for Scootaloo... I think I've got a pretty good idea about what to give her too."

"Great!" said the compass, who immediately began to float around Steven's head again. "Let's go to the Engineering Lab and make those things."

"Right!" said Steven. "Wait, the Engineering Lab? I don't have the proper authority to enter that."

"I do." said the compass. "Or, at least I can get it."

"You do know that if we get found out... That we'll be dead, right?"

"Of course not!" said the compass. "You'll be dead. Now let's go!"

Steven gulped before opening the door and going out to do his one illegal deed.

________________________________________________________________________________

"A surprise?" asked Scootaloo. "Really?"

"A surprise sounds awesome!" said Rainbow Dash, who was leaning against the wall of her room. "And how did you know it was Scootaloo's birthday, anyway?"

"Lucky guess." said Steven. "But Scootaloo here confirmed my suspicions."

"It looks like all of your lucky guesses turn out to be true." said Rainbow Dash, raising an eyebrow and smiling cutely. "If I didn't know any better, I'd have thought you were a spy."

"Maybe I am." said Steven, moving his head closer to Rainbow Dash's. "But would you care?"

"C'MON, guys!" said Scootaloo, tugging at Rainbow Dash's sleeve. "Let's go let's go let's GO!"

"All right, sis." said Rainbow Dash. "Mind showing us the way, Mr. Spy?"

"No problem..." said Steven. "Dashie."

Rainbow Dash smiled but didn't reply. In fact, she seemed rather sad. Did that nickname really touch a nerve?

"Are you alright?" asked Steven. "I-I'm sorry, I mean... I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine." said Rainbow Dash, slightly choking. "Come on."

Deciding not to question the point further, Steven led the two of them through the Bedrooms, all the way to where he had made the gifts- the Engineering Lab. This was the second illegal thing he had done in the small matter of 12 hours. Sure, it was the same offense, but still.

"Are you sure this is fine?" asked Steven, as quietly as possible.

"As long as you don't make too much noise on the way, the it's fine." said the compass, who is safely floating around his head, apparently invisible. "But once you're there, you can be as loud as the hell you want! It's the Engineering Lab- there's bounds to be noise, and they know that."

The trio (quartet, if you count the compass) quietly moved past the Base, proceeding silently to the Engineering Lab. Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash, however, seemed to be enjoying the secrecy.

"It's like we're in a mission!" said Scootaloo. "Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle should've come with us!"

"Yes, I'm very sure that their special talent is espionage." said Steven, fully sarcastic. Those girls couldn't stay quiet for their lives.

"Here we are." said Steven, opening the door to the Engineering Lab with the password ('Cockroach Clusters') and walking into the large, spacey Engineering Lab.

"It's so... dark in here." said Scootaloo, holding on tighter to Rainbow Dash's hand.

"You scared, squirt?" asked Rainbow Dash, to which Scootaloo immediately shook her head, but still held on to Rainbow Dash for dear life.

"Wait, I'll turn on the lights." said Steven. Sure enough, he flipped a switch to reveal a room full of large weapons, vehicles, and other things. Surprisingly, however, there was still a lot of place to walk around... And fly around.

Steven immediately led them behind a large vehicle (a tank, maybe, but not like Black Wesa's), where two figures, hidden under some covers. Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash watched with blank faces as Steven moved to uncover one of them.

"Are you ready, Scootaloo?" asked Steven, clenching the tip of the cover with his mouth.

"Ready!" said Scootaloo excitedly.

Steven summoned all of his strength, and he pulled off the cover in one tug. Beneath the covers was a very strange, but sleek and cool, object. There was a thin and narrow platform, and attached to it was a handlebar. But it was just that.

"Wow!" said Scootaloo. "Er... What is it?"

Steven chuckled. "Try climbing it."

Scootaloo hesitantly climb atop the strange object, and put then put both her hands on the handlebar.

"Oh!" said Scootaloo. "It's a scooter!"

"I thought that you would be good with a scooter." said Steven. "Why don't you try to ride it?"

Steven went and pressed a button on the handlebar. Almost immediately, the platform jumped out from the ground... and it didn't fall back. It was floating above the floor.

"Woah!" said Scootaloo, trying to steady herself after the sudden jump. "This is so cool!"

"I bet'cha can't ride a whole round in this place without falling or knocking something over, squirt." challenged Rainbow Dash.

"Oh yeah?" said Scootaloo. She immediately kicked the floor, propelling the scooter forward.

"Wait!" shouted Steven. But it was too late- Scootaloo had already sped forwards.

Steven had forgotten to turn on child safety mode. Scootaloo was now traveling at 160 kmph.

"YYEEEAAAAAAAA!" shouted Scootaloo, who despite  traveling very quickly was still able to steer the newly-made scooter out of any dangerous obstacles. It was fascinating, really, how a child can go that fast and can still keep focus and steer the vehicle correctly. Lucky that Steven had thought of the scooter automatically gripping the rider's hands and feet when it moved (he had to use spare handcuffs, but one's life is definitely worth more than a bit of uncomfortableness).

"Electromagnets?" suggested Rainbow Dash.

"Yeah!" said Steven, impressed that his girlfriend was not only good-looking and athletic, but very smart as well.  "Looks like you're living proof that just 'cause you're an athlete doesn't mean that you have no brains."

"Are you okay?" said Steven. "You don't seem yourself lately."

Rainbow Dash spaced out again. She looked like she was looking back at her memories.

"No, it's just that Twilight had said the same thing before." said Rainbow Dash, who seemed unfocused. But she immediately looked up at Steven with wide, sad eyes.

"Is she going to be okay?" asked Rainbow Dash. "Twilight, I mean."

"It'll take a few more days, but she's a strong pony." said Steven. "She'll get better."

All this time, Scootaloo was still whizzing around the Engineering Lab, shouting screams of joy one second and screams of terror the next. Steven and Rainbow Dash, however, were so engrossed in talking that they seemed to have not heard any of that. But Scootaloo had shown no sign of being in danger. And even if she did, Steven had put in an extra safety function, always on and ready to deploy.

"Good." said Rainbow Dash, who didn't seem too entirely convinced. "Because I would absolutely hate for our last day to be so full of hate and all."

"But you made up in the end, right?" assured Steven. "That should count for something. And don't worry! Twilight will be alright."

Steven didn't know how much truth were in those words he had just said. Twilight would most definitely heal, but he wasn't sure if she would still be the same Twilight as before. Thinking about it made Steven shudder.

"Steven?" said Rainbow Dash.

"Yeah?"

"You know I'm still pretty ticked about yesterday right?" asked Rainbow Dash. "When you suddenly left us for no good reason or explanation?"

"Ah." said Steven. "That."

Should I tell her? thought Steven.

"No!" said the compass. "Not a word!"

Steven stood up straight in surprise. He had forgotten that the compass was still floating around near his head.

"Er..." said Steven, trying to come up with an explanation for yesterday's strange behavior. "I had to go... to the... bathroom?"

"Is that a question or an answer?" asked Rainbow Dash, looking at him sternly.

"Both, really..." said Steven.

Rainbow Dash smiled at him.

"Kidding." said Rainbow Dash. "Your 'strange' quirks are totally fine with me. That's one of the things I love most about you."

Steven was at a loss. What was he supposed to say? Had he ever been told this before?

Of course he had. And no prizes for guessing who said it.

Head filling up with bittersweet memories and desperate to change the subject, Steven immediately spotted Scootaloo running all over the place, her control over the scooter being little to non-existent.

"I... better stop Scootaloo before she gets hurt." said Steven, who immediately left.

"Oh..." said Rainbow Dash, sounding confused and hurt. "Okay."

Steven immediately ran up in front of Scootaloo, and then he put all of his weight on his back hooves as he raised his forehooves to stop the scooter in the worst case scenario.

"Scootaloo, press the red button on the handlebar!" said Steven.

"They're all red buttons!" screamed a frantic Scootaloo.

"The one closest to your right thumb!" said Steven. The scooter was getting awfully close.

"WAAAAAAAH!" shouted Scootaloo as the scooter suddenly began to slow down drastically. Steven hoped that it would fully stop before it reached him.

The scooter was very close. Steven closed his eyes, ready for the oncoming impact...

Boop.

The scooter didn't crash into him. It just lightly touched his nose.

Steven opened his eyes to see himself staring into the face of a terrified, shivering Scootaloo. Her eyes were wide and her teeth were chattering. But in a split-second, that face was transformed into an over-excited, happy face that made it seem like everything in the world had just gone right for her.

"Thank you thank you THANK YOU, Steven!" said Scootaloo, hugging Steven while still standing on the scooter. "This is the best birthday present ever!"

The scooter's handlebar was pressing very painfully against Steven's throat. He needed to say something to make sure that Scootaloo releases him quickly, or he might never speak again.

"No problem, Scoots." said Steven. Having to breathe, let alone speak was extremely painful.

Luckily for Steven, though, Scootaloo only waited for a couple more seconds before letting go of his neck and going back to her sister with her new scooter in tow.

"What's the other one for?" asked Rainbow Dash, pointing at the other, smaller figure.

"You." said Steven. He then moved to uncover the smaller object.

"Me?" repeated Rainbow Dash, dazed.

Steven then pulled off the other cover- it didn't need that much effort, as it was smaller. But smaller didn't necessarily mean less awesome, right? Sometimes, it could even be more awesome! And under the covers was...

A small, steel, box.

Rainbow Dash either didn't try or was completely failing at hiding her disappointment. Steven just raised an eyebrow and smiled, amused.

"Well?" asked Steven, hoping to get some fun out of this before actually getting to the point.

"It's...um..." said Rainbow Dash, forcing a smile. "It's a box. Made of steel. It's... something."

"I knew since the moment that I started to build it that you would like it!" said Steven, who began to edge closer to the box.

"I don't get it." said Rainbow Dash, whose smile had completely disappeared to be replaced by a look of complete and utter confusion..

Steven grabbed the box with his mouth and walked over to Rainbow Dash.

"We're going to need to ask Rarity to make a hole right there." said Steven. Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo exchanged uneasy glances.

"But we're going to have to make do." said Steven. "Take off your hoodie."

"WHAT?" asked Rainbow Dash, who jumped back, looking violated.

"I have to attach this to your back." said Steven. "Aren't you wearing anything inside?"

"Well... yeah, but..." mumbled Rainbow Dash, blushing furiously. She then reluctantly began to take off her suspenders and then her hoodie, revealing a very tight, short, black half-shirt barely covering the top half of her slender body.

Steven felt his face become hot as well. He knew that Rainbow Dash wasn't wearing much underneath her hoodie, but he didn't think that it would be THAT little.

"This is strictly between us, right?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"This early in the morning?" asked Steven. "I guarantee that no one is going to come in."

Steven then quickly attached the box to Rainbow Dash's back and adjusted it with his hoof. It had to be perfectly straight up. He could feel Rainbow Dash's bashful and confused stare on his face as he fixed the box, but he pretended (his increasing blush not helping at all) not to notice.

He then quickly picked up the two square patches that came with the box and attached it to both sides of Rainbow Dash's forehead. He could feel Rainbow Dash's short, hot breaths on his neck as he did so. He really wanted to make this girl happy.

"Now, think, as loudly as you can, the word 'open'." said Steven.

"Can't I just say it out loud?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"Say what out loud?" asked Steven.

"Open."

Immediately, something began to grow out of the box that Steven had attached to Rainbow Dash's back. At first glance, it was nothing. But in a matter of milliseconds, the box completely transformed into beautiful, cyan...

"Wings!" said Rainbow Dash, the smile on her face growing wider and wilder every second.

"Do you still remember how to fly?" asked Steven.

"Do I?"

"Now remember, these wings might feel a bit different to your old wings, since I've never known what wings felt like, so be carefu-"

It was too late. Rainbow Dash was now high in the Engineering Lab sky, performing tricks and maneuvers while shouting out screams of joy and elation.

"WOOHOO!" shouted Rainbow Dash, doing twists and turns in the sky with her new wings. She seemed to be getting the hang of things pretty quickly.

"I got my wings back! I got my wings back!" sang Rainbow Dash, leaving a rainbow trail (which was hell for Steven to develop) as she flew freely around the Engineering Lab.

Steven watched in amazement as Rainbow Dash did all the daring tricks that she had only told him about in stories and memories. Of course, she wasn't magic anymore, so half the tricks in her book was wiped out completely. But it was a nice change for Steven to see his lover so happy and so... free.

But Rainbow Dash really was amazing. She gracefully dived in and out of tough spots like it was nothing, twirled around thin objects in perfect circles while smiling relaxedly, and made sharp turns at the last minute as if it was no problem at all. And she didn't seem to want to land.

Of course, this was still an early prototype, so it was still dangerous to stay up in the sky for too long. But Rainbow Dash should have her fun- everyone knows the past few days had been nothing but horrible to her. And flying seemed to make her happy again, as if she had just regained a long-lost sibling.

Before he knew it, Steven was staring, completely fascinated, at Rainbow Dash.

"I guess I do tend to have that effect on ponies." said Rainbow Dash, finally landing back on the ground.

Steven just gawked at her. Rainbow Dash laughed and walked over to him.

"You're amazing." Steven finally said. "You're loyal, brave, confident, dedicated... And that's why I love you."

"Oh shut up, you." said Rainbow Dash, who then planted her lips on his. Only now did Steven realize how much he missed kissing Rainbow Dash. It was pure bliss. But something caught Rainbow Dash's eye, and she immediately pulled away.

"What's wrong?" asked Steven, much more disappointment in his tone than he had hoped.

Rainbow Dash didn't answer. Instead, she lightly pulled Steven's mane out of his left eye, which Steven had deliberately tried to hide. He winced.

"Oh no..." said Rainbow Dash, covering her mouth.

"It's just a small bruise." said Steven. In truth, however, even the lightest touch hurt his eye. He got it when he was testing out the wings, falling down from about thirty metres up in the sky. He was too tired to heal the bruise, and all his magic had been used to make and fix his creations.

"It's not only that..." said Rainbow Dash, tears forming in her eyes. "You're hurt everywhere!"

Steven looked away, not daring to look at Rainbow Dash's eyes.

"I can't believe I didn't notice this before!" said Rainbow Dash. "I feel terrible now... Enjoying myself at your expense..."

"It's fine, Rainbow Dash." said Steven. "It really is. I just need a wink of sleep, and then I'll be fine. Come here."

Steven touched his forehead onto hers, and looked deeply into her wide, pink eyes.

"I love you, and no amount of pain is going to change that." said Steven.

"I..." said Rainbow Dash. "I love you too, Steven. I love you a lot"

And they kissed again. Not as fiercely, but just as passionately. Steven could hear a chorus of 'Awww's in his head, followed by some loud clapping.

But there was one problem.

The clapping and the 'Awww's didn't stop.

"Bravo!" cried out a familiar voice.

Steven and Rainbow Dash immediately pulled away from each other and looked to the source of the voice.

Their whole group, save for Big Macintosh and Twilight, was standing there and applauding them. Hell, even the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Alan, and that librarian (Barbara, was it?) were there! There was practically a whole crowd there!

Steven and Rainbow Dash began to blush furiously. Rainbow Dash immediately put her hoodie back on, and both of them shared uneasy glances before looking up at their friends.

"That was... beautiful!" said Barbara, wiping a tear off her eye.

"Wonderful job, man." said Alan. "I nearly shed tears too."

"You really are the romantic type, aren't you, Rainbow Dash?" asked Rarity. "I knew it!"

"H-h-how did you guys get here?" asked Steven.

"Scootaloo called us." said Bush. "Said something about Rainbow Dash doing some amazing tricks, and that we all should come and watch."

"B-but how did you get in?"

"Hello?" said Alan, showing the I.D. card that was pinned to a white shirt he was wearing. "I work here? In the creative department, but I work here nonetheless."

"You saw... everything?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"Right after Steven told you why he loved you." said Fluttershy, who was surprisingly blushing as much as Steven and Rainbow Dash. "It was so... nice."

The three kids then came up to them and started chanting something about 'Special Someponies'.

This was going to be a long day.

Just then, Steven felt a searing pain in his horn. He stumbled backwards, his eyes screwed to hold in the pain.

"Woah." said Bush. "We didn't mean to hurt you, mate. Just a bit of fun, is all."

"It's not... you guys." said Steven, talking in between flashes of pain.

"HELLO?" said a large voice in his head.

"Is it you, compass?" asked Steven.

"Not me." said the compass, still floating around his head. Did the compass feel everything Steven was feeling? "Must be somebody else."

"HELLO?" repeated the voice.

"Who is it?" asked Steven, rather painfully.

"THIS IS THE NURSE." said the voice. "NURSE REDHEART? STEVEN, YOU NEED TO COME TO THE CLINIC IMMEDIATELY."

"Why?" asked Steven, knowing that all of his friends were probably watching him like he was crazy at this point. But that pain was just too much to bear. "Is there something wrong?"

"I DON'T KNOW." said the voice.

"You don't know?" said the nurse. 'What does that mean?"

"IT'S YOUR FRIEND, TWILIGHT." said the voice. "SHE'S REGAINED CONSCIOUSNESS, BUT SHE'S NOT LOOKING WELL. YOU HAVE TO COME DOWN HERE IMMEDIATELY!"

Just then, the pain, and the voice died out. Steven was left lying on the floor. The cheeriness of the place had completely died out.

"What happened?" asked Alan. "You were all fine, then you started to writhe on the floor and talk to yourself. Is there something we should know?"

"We have to go down to the clinic." said Steven, picking himself up off the floor. "Now."

"Why?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"It's Twilight." said Steven. "She might either be getting better, or she might be in great trouble."

And Steven was hoping, in the deepest recesses of his heart, that it wasn't the latter.