The effect of the Wooden Heart

After some days, Spirits back was almost healed but it still hurts. He put a new bandage on as Twilight and Fluttershy came to him and Bite.

They both greeted him at the same time. "Hello Spirit!"

He looked up but then turned back to his bandage. "Good day Twilight. Hello Fluttershy. How can I help you?"

Twilight smiled at him. "Actually I was wondering if you could come to the castle?"

Spirit finished tying his bandage and turned to Bite and was about to go. "I am sorry but I have to train my concentration, sorry."

He walked a bit till Fluttershy got in his way. "Spirit, I think you should go to the castle, you want to see that!"

He raised an eyebrow. "Ok then but what is it?"

Twilight turned around and started walking. "You'll see!"

Spirit looked to Fluttershy who just nodded. Spirit first turned to Bite and signaled him to wait here. "Wait here try to do some concentration training! I will tell if you have to come."

They walked to the castle and were silent on the whole way. As they reached the castle Twilight stopped and slowly opened the doors. "The reason is that I found somepony you should see."

Spirit walked in but still looked at Twilight . "Who could that be? I don't know anypony that lives any near here!" He turned around to see two faces, a stallion with a green mane and yellow coat, he also wore a pair of glasses, next to him stood a mare with a long blue mane and a brown coat. First Spirit didn't recognize the faces then it hit him. He was totally silent.

They stood there for some time till Twilight walked between them. "Mr. Lens Wood and Mrs. Insight Wood this is why I brought you here! This is Spirit Wood."

Insight spoke first. "W-What? Our son got lost on a trip to the Zebra, together with his grandparents!"

Spirit winced as he heard that and let his head hung down. "Yes I got lost and I wasn't able to find back."

His mother walked to him. "Is that really you Spirit?"

Spirit nodded and looked to the ground. "It is been long but yes I am Spirit!"

Now Lens Wood, stepped forward. "How is it possible? You were lost for sixteen years! Does that mean your grandparents are alive too?"

Spirit turned away with head. "No they aren't!"

His parents looked at each other. Then they both asked the question. "But how?"

He took a deep breath. "You deserve the answer, so I will you tell you the story! But we should sit down."

They all went to the hall and he sat down and took a deep breath. He told them the story how they got on the trip, how he lost his grandparents and how he ended at the tribe. At the end they all sat silent looking at each other.

His mother stood up and walked over to Spirit but stopped as she saw his expression. "We are sorry about what you had to went through! But at least we are together again!"

"No."

His mother and father looked a bit shocked at Spirit, then his father stood up. "What, no, how could you say something like this? We were worried sick and now we are together!"

Spirit stood up and looked at them. "Yes I was your son and yes we meet again! But we are far away from being together! In my story I told you everything I can remember from my past and since then much changed!"

His father protested. "But you are still our son!"

Spirit hung his head down and walked over to the door. "No I am not. That was my past and that ended for me." with that he walked out of the castle.

Twilight walked to the both parents. "I am sorry I didn't expect that. That was my fault, it was a bad idea."

Lens Wood stepped forward. "No it was not but we should give him some time, he lost his family once, he didn't expect this! Maybe somepony should talk with him instead of us."

Twilight nodded and she walked out of the castle. As she was outside, she flew to get the others.

Meanwhile, Spirit went to a lake near Ponyville and sat down on a tree stump.

He closed his eyes but suddenly felt Bites mind. "Bite? How... so you know what happened? I know I was rude but I lost my family once if I accept them I will lose them again when I go back to the Zebra lands, to my tribe! No you don't come and don't tell anypony where I am!" But Bites mind was already gone and Spirit knew he was on his way to him probably with Fluttershy. He opened his eyes, took a deep breath and closed them again. As he did this one tear fell down his cheek.

As Twilight found all of her friends except Fluttershy, she told them about everything and they searched for Fluttershy and Spirit. As they went to the lake they saw Fluttershy sitting a few feet away from Spirit. She looked very sad.

Twilight immediately walked over to her. "What is it Fluttershy?"

"Well Bite suddenly started to run around as I ask him about what happened he leaded me to Spirit! As I saw him, I ask how the meeting with his parents went but he said he just visited two ponies from long ago. I wanted to ask further but he didn't answered."

Twilight brought Fluttershy to the others and they thought about what to do. Finally they diced to try it together.

First Pinkie jumped to him. "Oh Spirit why the face? We should make a party! A family-got-back-together party!"

Spirit still doesn't opened his eyes. "Pinkie you can throw a party if you want but I think you should choose another theme."

"Come on darling you met you family! You should be happy!"

"The only I met were to ponies I met long ago."

Now Rainbow flew to him. "How can you say this? They are your family!"

Spirits tone started to get a little angry. "Yes they are were my family but I lost them once and I will not go back only to leave them once again!"

Now Applejack spoke. "Ah can't hear this any longer! They are your parents! Yes Ah know ya lost them but know ya have the chance to met them again. Not everypony get this chance and if Ah would be in ya place Ah would do it!"

"Yes but... but at my tribe I ended with my past. I would act against my tradition I..." Spirit was interrupted by Fluttershy.

"Spirit, they may were once a part of your past but even when you saw them a long time not, you are still their son. We all know this may be difficult but if you don't do this you will regret it!"

He took a deep breath but then looked at the faces of each ending with Bite which ears hung down and looked at him with big eyes. "Ok I will try to talk to them but I promise nothing!"

They all walked back to the castle everyone looking that Spirit didn't ran away. As they reached the doors Spirit took one last deep breath, then opened the door. His parents saw him entering and walked towards him.

"I m sorry I was rude ... but that doesn't change my words. I still have no memories about you two but I will try at least come to a friendly relation!"

His mother walked to him. "We didn't expect it to be easy or neither that you would accept it instantly. For us it was a big surprise to see our son again and even if you don't call yourself our son we just want you to be happy. So who about you ask some questions?"

Spirit nodded, they walked in the meeting room and sat down.

"Oh okay then let's start easy. What are your jobs?"

His father straightened his glasses before answering. "I am a biologist and I search for rare plants and your mother is a animal trainer."

"Then you two should be going be friends with Bite!"

His mother looked curios. "Who is Bite?"

Spirit turned around and instantly Bite ran inside the room. "He is it. I met him as I got my cutie mark."

Bite ran over to them and stood right before them. They seemed very unsure but they both looked at Spirit who waited for their reaction. His mother putted slowly a hoof on Bites head.

Insight pets Bite now but his father turned back to Spirit. "So he is your pet?"

"Well yes you could call him my pet but for me he is more. His is a part of me!" Spirit looked at his parents for a moment. They continued with the question round and as they answered his last question they started questioning him.

"How was living at a Zebra tribe?"

"It was ok I guess, I don't really have anything to compare it. At the start it was very hard but with the time, my family there and my friends helped me. Later with my teacher I had a hard time with much work and learning but sometimes it was also fun!"

He answered some more questions from them till they had no more questions. Spirit showed them a bit about Bite and Timberwolves in general. After some time his father looked at the clock. "It is already late we must go, we have to catch a train but first I want to know what do you say!"

He took a deep breath and looked at Bite than back to his parents. "You are my parents that is a fact but don't wait for much more because one day I will return to the Zebra lands and I don't want to make this much harder than its already is. But still, I will call you my family back here in Equestria." Spirit hugged them both and then went with them to the station.

He waved them as the train left and had a small tear on his cheek. "Bite thank you! Thanks to you and my other friends I was able to finish with my past."

He wait till the train was out of sight and took a deep breath. "Did you all spied on the talk I had with my parents?"

He turned around and just as he expected he saw Rainbow, Pinkie and Twilight hiding behind a tree. Pinkie Pie instantly ran to him. "How do you knew we were listing to the conversation all the time?"

'Well now I know for sure!' "Well, Bite smelled you."

Rainbow raised an eyebrow. "He smelled us and you instantly knew it?"

Spirit now was also surprised. "Now that you mention it you are right. Also Bite was for the first time able to contact me all by himself! I guess this day was more than seeing my original family again. But now why did you spy on me?"

Twilight stepped forward. "Well Pinkie Pie was just curios and persuaded Rainbow to follow her and I went with them to make sure that they don't disturb you."

He raised an eyebrow. "Well ok but I think we should go back to the others they still don't know how this all worked out, so let's go back!"

They walked back to the castle were the rest of them was waiting for him. He explained them how the rest of the meeting went.

Applejack punched him friendly on the shoulder. "Ah think ya handled that quiet well."

Rainbow Dash nodded. "Yes but one thing I don't understand you said you would call them your family but aren't there it anyway?"

"Well that is hard to explain, at the Zebras there is a difference. Let just say it is a Zebra thing." He smiled and hoped they accept this excuse.

Twilight looked a bit down. "I am sorry that I didn't told you before inviting them, I should ask you since it is your family."

"Oh it is no problem, I can't deny it would be better to told me in the first place but still it was good idea and now I can say I cleared everything from my past." He turned around and walked out of the door.

Back at his tent Spirit removed his bandage. He started balancing on his left front hoof and doing his concentration exercises. Bite laid before him and started his exercises too. For the next days Spirit stayed like this, without any break even for food. Fluttershy was getting a bit worried but Bite calmed her down so she let Spirit alone.

After three days past Spirit opened his eyes again and walked to Fluttershy just at breakfast time. She on her side was very surprised. "Oh Spirit I didn't expect you. What did you do the last three days?"

"It's been days? I must apologizes but it is a tradition to go in a deep meditation after something personal important happened. Like that I met my parents again!"

"But why Bite only stayed at the beginning and left you alone?"

"Because I told him he could leave. This was something for me not him. And I am sorry if I worried somepony with my actions!"

"So um I wanted to ask you what do you planned about your family?"

"Nothing. They are my parents and where once my family but I don't share much with them beside my blood and I have a family at my tribe and other responsibilities there! Don't misunderstand me they are still my family but I don't know when I will go again and I don't want them to feel more pain because of me!"

"I think I understand what you mean. I can't say I would do the same but that is your thing. And I believe your parents are happy."

"After all the meditation I think I will do some sport at the arena maybe do some training with Rainbow if she is there."

He walked out and Bite, who quickly finished his meal, followed him. Fluttershy gave a sigh. "It is good that you were finally able to finish with your past!"