Along came a new spider.

"So...your friend Fluttershy works at the animal shelter?" Alex asked as she walked with the five girls he recently called friends one Wednesday afternoon. Autumn leaves dwindling beside them as cool air brushed past them.

"Yup, we figured if we help her this time, we can get done faster and make it to our gig." Rainbow answered. Over the few days she and her friends spent with Alex, the more she noticed how quiet he was, once he went an entire day without talking and she was wondering. What was he thinking? What secrets did his mind hold? What made him nearly a mute? Of course he spoke from time to time, but that was when he needed to, when he didn't, he just stood their, silently watching at a conversation. Moments later they all arrived at the shelter. Inside they were greeted by a receptionist, who then looked up to flash a quick smile.

"Hello girls, what can I do for you?" The receptionist asked.

"We were wondering if we can help Fluttershy with the animals." Twilight answered,

"Of course, let me get you your passes." She said as she handed them their passes. Then paused to see Alex. "Friend of yours?" She asked Twilight.

"Yeah"Alex answered instead.

"Not that much of a talker, huh?" She asked and Alex procceded to shake his head.

"Very well, she's in the third room to the left." The receptionist said as she motioned to the hallway. Procceded to follow suit, the group found themselves in a large but enclosed room fitted with all sorts of small beds made for pets. Brightly colored green and blue walls scaled the room, in the middle of it, Fluttershy was attending to a small puppy with a bottle of formula in her hands as she gently rocked it back and forth.

"Hey 'Shy!" Pinkie exclaimed. Immediately, Fluttershy flinched at the sudden loud noise but settled back down once she saw it was her friends.

"Hello girls, how come your here?" Fluttershy asked.

"We came to help out with the animals, we even brought Alex." Twilight answered. Motioning towards Alex.

"Hey." He said simply, void of emotion.

"Hi.."she replied awkwardly. She paused but continued." I'm almost done for the day but there's still some animals that need tending to. There's a lizard who's tank needs cleaning, but no matter what I do, he won't come out so I can clean it, other than that it's just a matter of restocking some food for the animals then we're done." She said.

"I'll do it." Alex chimed in.

"Are you sure? The lizard may bite you, but it's nothing lethal, but from what I heard they bite pretty hard." Fluttershy asked.

"I'm sure, I have to be useful once in a while." He said softly, as he made his way over to the tank, encountering a small but lightish brown lizard,lying down in its fake sand. With a sigh, Alex reached down slowly to grab the lizard and put it in its crib that was right next to the dirty tank.

Unfortunately, the lizard viewed this as a threat and sank it's fangs into Alex's hand, causing him to wince in pain.

"Son of a--"he muttered, almost wanting to yell at the the pain, but he sighed, his healing factor could patch things up in a matter of seconds, as if it was on cue, Alex veiwed the cuts in his hand slowly get back together. As if it was stiching itself.

"Is something wrong? Did the lizard bite you? Fluttershy asked, worry in her voice.

"No, I just uh...stubbed my toe. Hard." He answered quickly.

"We'll be careful, there's safety gloves next to the crib that you can use to safely get the lizard out of there, it's next to the cleaning supplies." She said.

With a sigh, Alex grabbed the gloves off the counter and grabbed the lizard off the tank. Of course it tried biting again, but to no avail due to the rubber gloves. As he proceeded to put the lizard in the crib Twilight approached him with a curious look on her face.

"You said a couple days ago that you were from an orphanage. Why is that?" She asked.

With a heavy sigh, Alex put the paper towels on the counter and turned to a curious Twilight. "My mom had some money in her will that guaranteed an entrance to any schools in New York. I was homeschooled for the most of middle school, but I got accepted into Mid-town, so here I am." He answered, wanting to desperately change the subject. But to no avail.

"Oh..." Was all she could say as her voice trailed off, wanting to find the least rude sounding question she could think of. "So do you remember your parents?" She asked slowly.

"Twilight, right now I don't feel like answering something like that. I don't like sharing my personal life and I like to keep it that way." He answered quickly facing her with a hurt look in his eyes.

"Ok.." As she let out a heavy sigh, knowing that she struck a nerve.

The tone in the room changed, from a soft yet peaceful area, to a awkward, quiet room with everyone still having to make something worst. As the hour past, the group quickly wrapped up with the chores and left the building as they handed in their passes. Alex saying a quick goodbye before letting out a heavy sigh. As he walked down the street to his orphanage, he thought about what caused him to be like this. Back then, he was a charter-box, filled with joy, life, now reduced to this. An emotionally depressed freak with powers. As he made his way back to the small apartment. He took in the all too familiar smell of beer bottles and what seemed to be vomit coming from the living room. Silently creeping up the stairs, he was greeted by his long time friend, Dylan.

"How did your day go?" He asked while reading a paperback novel.

"Not great, not bad." He replied glumly.

"What's on your mind?" Dylan asked, instantly knowing of what mood he was in.

"Oh you know, stuff. Hey Dylan, can this wait another day? I really don't want to talk about it." He pleaded.

"If that's what you want, I'm here if you need me." Dylan replied, going back into his novel. As Alex plopped down onto his bad he opened his backpack for his homework, only to remember he always does it in study hall. With a heavy sigh, he made his way on the bed, eyes drifting upon the celling. Remembering her smile, her sing-song voice, her flowing dark chocolate hair. The terrified look in her eyes, the gun, blood. Most filled his eyes as he drifted into sleep. His thoughts playing one sentence.

I miss you mom. I really do...