Cryogen

"So, Zack, guess who we found!?" Twilight says excitedly as I stand in the doorway, still trying not to have a heart attack.

"W-Who?" I ask between heavy breaths.

"You can come out now!" Twilight says happily. From behind a cabinet, out steps Daring with a sheepish grin on her face. She approaches me with some bag across her back, though I give her a blank stare and a slightly annoyed smirk.

"Ah, look who came back." I say somewhat angrily.

"What?" She asks, stopping in her tracks.

"You totally ditched me when I almost died! Thanks for showing that you care."

"I left to try to find something to help you." She says, closing in on me with each step. "I went all the way back to that lab, the one I found you in, just to try to find something that might help you. Maybe there was something that would help you, and I was hoping there would be. I didn't find anything like that, but I did find this." Daring undoes the strap on the bag with a wing, and looks at me like she wants me to look inside. I roll my eyes and look down inside, putting my hand into the bag to fish out whatever is inside of it. My hand brushes against something metallic, and it catches my attention, peeking my curiosity.

"What... How did you find this!?" I pull out a small cube-like device with blue panels around it's surface.

"It was just sitting on some table and it looked pretty important. Still in good shape too! So I decided why not bring it back? I thought you might know what it is." Daring explains to me. As she does so, everyone else seems to start going about their own business in the background, music playing over our discussion. I lead Daring over to a couch, and throw my bag down. I sit in the middle, Daring on my left, and start rotating the device around in my hands.

"This is a solar charger. It was created in 2026, two years before I got frozen. You just plug a device into this little slot here," I point to a USB port on the side. "and then let it sit in the sun for a while, and it'll charge the device. Daring do you know how useful this is?"

"I thought you might like it. I know how you are about all that weird human tech stuff. So, can you put it to use?"

"Duh I can!" I say as I pull out my phone and a charger from my bag. I plug it into the box and place both objects on a windowsill next to the couch. A moment passes before the phone comes to life, collecting energy from the device. Thank God for science, where would we be without it?

"So you like it?"

"Hell yeah I do. Daring this has to be the single greatest gift ever. Thank you." Without even thinking, I lean over and wrap my arms around Daring. It only takes a couple seconds for my brain to register what I'm doing, and I pull back to see Daring blushing. I can't help but feel my own face heating up at the same time. "Sorry, I just get excited easily."

"Understood. I knew you were soft somewhere in there." She says with a chuckle, pointing a hoof at my chest.

"Who're you calling soft?" I say with a smirk.

"Well, you're the one who's made a bunch of friends." She says as she points a hoof to the other ponies still chatting and wandering around the room.

"Yeah, friends." I say, making little quoting signs with my figners. "I only consider two of them to be friends, three if I count you I guess."

"What? They sure seem like they'd be your friends. The way they worried about you in the hospital, heck, they threw you two parties in like four days. That's gotta count for something right?"

"Well, maybe, but... I'm pathetic aren't I?" I say with a laugh as I lean back against the couch.

"So, you don't consider them friends?"

"They're nice I guess..."

"So you don't. Why not?"

"Because, I... I... Um, I don't know actually. I only really see them as acquaintances."

"Zack, what's you're biggest fear?"

"Abandonment, why?"

"Have any of them left your side for even a second since you met them? Have any of them tried to hurt you in any way at all?"

"No, why do you-"

"Then they're you're friends, simple as that. Do you like them?"

"Yeah, they're all pretty nice."

"Then will you consider them to be actual friends? Not just some ponies that you happen to know and don't completely hate. You said I was your friend after knowing me for like a day, so why not them?"

"...Daring... Y-You have a point."

"No, I- Wait what?"

"I... actually agree with you. I've just been a whiny little baby this whole time, worrying about whether or not any of them will just ditch me. I think I've considered them friends for a while now, but denied it because I was afraid of what would happen if I did."

"Okay, well, which two have you already considered friends?"

"Rainbow Dash and Rarity." I say, pointing to both of the mares.

"So why them and none of the others?"

"Because... They were nice to me... and generous... and loyal. Dammit, I've been such an idiot."

"Looks like I've made a breakthrough. Good to know I've still got it." Daring says with a laugh, poking me in the stomach. "So, you going to stop moping around because some jerks left you years ago? Or are you going to move on with your life and allow others into it?"

"...Thanks Daring." I say with a smile.

"I'll take that as a yes." She says, smiling back. "Hey, do you still have that gem by any chance?" She asks, changing the subject.

"Yeah, right here." I pull the gem out of my bag and show it to her. She sighs in relief, giving it a quick once over. I try to hand it back to her, but she pushes my hand back towards me. "I think you should keep it. It's only brought me trouble so far."

"Oh, so you want that trouble to be placed on me?" I reply with a smirk.

"Hah, you wish. No, because nopony knows that you have it."

"Speaking of which, what ever happened to those guys that were chasing you for this thing? Did you beat their asses, make them eat shit?" I say, making punching motions in the air in front of me.

"Nope, I lost em waaay far away from here. I doubt they'll be able to find me for weeks."

"Not what I would have done, but alright. So, what are you up to now? Gonna go explore some other temple or ruins?"

"I think I'm going to take a break, just relax for a while from exploring and writing together. It gets exhausting."

"I could see that. So where are you staying?"

"Well before I jumped in and saved your sorry flank in that fight, I checked in to this little hotel on the edge of town. I think I'll stick around here for a while, maybe meet some of the locals. Who knows, maybe they'll have some leads to my next big discovery."

"I think you're only staying here because I'm here." I say with an evil smirk.

"What? No, I-"

"I'm just messin' with ya Daring Doo Doo." I say, pushing her hat down over her face in the process.

"Daring... Doo Doo? Zack that's low, even for you." She says with a chuckle. I'm about to respond when I hear the music stop. I look around the room to see everyone looking at Spike like he's about to throw up. Out of instinct, I quickly stand up and walk over to guy to make sure he isn't about to destroy Rarity's floor.

"Hey, dude, you alright?" I ask, kneeling down next to him. He hold up a hand, signaling me to not get any closer.

"Zack, I'd back up if I were you." Twilight says, dragging my shirt back with her magic.

"Why? I-" Out of nowhere, and searing heat passes by my face, just narrowly missing. "SON OF A BITCH!" I yell as I fall backwards, patting my hair to make sure it didn't catch on fire. "What the fuck just happened!?"

"Um, I'm a dragon? Fire, y'know?" Spike says. I ignore him, instead looking down at what he's holding.

"What are those?" I ask, pointing at the gold pieces of paper in his hand.

"Oh, yes yes yes!" Twilight says happily, snatching the papers away with her magic. "They're here!"

"Oh no, are those-" Rainbow starts, but gets cut off by Twilight.

"Tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala!" She says happily, squealing like a little girl. I would never admit it out loud, but it's almost cute, in a weird sort of way.

"The Grand what the fuck?" I ask, staring at the floating pieces of paper.

"The Grand Galloping Gala..." Rainbow says with a sigh, pressing a hoof into her face. "It's this fancy event in Canterlot where all the high class snobs meet with each other. It's totally lame."

"You just don't like it because you have to wear a dress." Rarity says, rolling her eyes.

"Yea Rainbow, it ain't that bad." Applejack says.

"I think it's pretty fun actually." Fluttershy says quietly.

"Whatever you guys say. Hey, what's that one Twilight?" I ask, pointing to the one piece of paper that stands out from the golden tickets.

"It's a letter from the princesses. Hold on, let me read it." Twilight scans over the paper, letting out various sounds as she reads, making it impossible to tell how she feels about whatever she's reading.

"Okay, so the princesses want all of us to be there in two days for the event."

"Now when you say all of us..." I ask worriedly. Twilight spreads out the tickets with her magic, allowing me to count them. My heart sinks as I count eight.

"The letter says that the element bearers, Spike, and the human are to attend the event. Eight tickets for eight guests." She says with a smile.

"Element bearers?" I mumble under my breath, nobody hearing me. "Wait, how do these princesses know about me?"

"Well..." Twilight says nervously.

"Well what?"

"I... might have told them about you..." She says with a sheepish grin.

"You mean to tell me you told your leaders about a creature that's been extinct for thousands of years!? Twilight are you insane!?"

"What's so bad about it darling? I'm sure the princesses would simply adore you." Rarity says.

"Yeah, they'd simply adore to dissect me and shit." I say, crossing my arms. "Look, I'll go, but only because they'd only send guards to kill me or something if I didn't."

"They wouldn't do that at all!" Twilight says, apparently on the other team's side. The fuck Twilight, I thought we were cool.

"Yeah, the princesses are totally chill." Vinyl pipes up, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. "You're really bad at judging ponies, Zack. Just give it a rest would ya?" She asks, poking my leg with a hoof. "You judged Rainbow and now you're friends, so why not give the princesses a chance?" She whispers up to me, making sure only I can hear her.

"Fine, I'll give em a shot." I say, casting a quick glance over to Daring who is giving me an approving smile.

"Great! We'll all get pack tomorrow, then we'll leave the next day. Oh this is going to be so much fun!" Twilight squeals out. Everyone rolls their eyes at her enthusiasm before going back to whatever the hell they were doing before this started. Vinyl starts the music back up, and everything goes back to normal in a matter of seconds.

"We're going to have so much fun at the Gala, don't you agree Zack?" Rarity asks as she and Applejack walk up to me. I give them fake smiles, and stare out the window, wondering what the hell the damn princesses wanted to see me for. Instincts tell me it can't be anything good, but I can't help but lets everyone's words sink in. I guess I can't distrust everyone forever. I sigh and face the two, trying my best to smile.

"Yeah, can't wait."