Outcast Love

“It’s time to get up squirt, it’s time for school!

Rainbow Dash nudged her daughter, trying to wake her from her slumber.

Chroma as she sat up, stretching to wake her body. “Good morning mom!” she yawned.

Rainbow pecked her on the cheeks. “Morning squirt, dad’s downstairs in the kitchen. He’s making your favorite blue berry pancakes you like. Met us downstairs when your done with getting ready, ok?”

“Ok, mom.” Chroma returned the kiss her mother has given to her.

Rainbow left the room as Chroma hopped out of the bed. Chroma began her days with some morning exercising. Her mother wants her to keep in shape by doing some sit ups and jumping jacks. She then makes her way to the restroom, took a shower, and brushed her teeth and mane. She looked in her mirror to see her head was lacking her glasses. She quickly stepped out and returned holding her glasses in her mouth. Looking back into the mirror, she removed her contacts and sledded her glasses onto her head. When she was done adjusting them, she tilted her head in many direction, to see all the angles on her face to see how they looked on her. She grins with a little blush, remembering how Efon called her cute when she was wearing them, making her look adorable. She finished up in the bathroom, packed her saddle bag, and made her way down stairs in to the kitchen where her parents were.

“Good morning, sweetie!” Soarin said gladly. “Are you ready for some…” he paused as he turned to see his daughter, along with something he wasn’t expecting. “Well, well, well, look who’s wearing here glasses, honey?”

Rainbow lifted her head from out of the fridge, getting a jug of milk. “Looks like somebody isn’t going to let those bullies’ ignorance influence her anymore, huh?” she said, directing to Chroma.

Rainbow waked up to her daughter after closing the fridge and began to playfully ruffle Chroma’s mane.

Chroma giggled as she did so. “Yup, my new friend said that it shouldn’t care about what others say and that I should be myself!”

Soarin put on a questioning look. “What new friend?” he asked.

Rainbow turned Soarin with a smirk on her face. She trotted to him and whispered something into his ears. His eyes soon shot open.

“Really?” Rainbow gave him a nod to reply, along with a smirk. “Well,” she said, now looking at Chroma, “Whoever this special ‘friend’ is, he has the right idea. He must care about you a lot.”

Chroma was very confused; she could get why her parents where smirking at her the way they were. As she watched her parents set up the table for breakfast, she finally understood what they were getting at.

“Oh, no…mom…dad…it’s not like…that! I…just…” Chroma grew a bright red blush.

“Don’t worry squirt, I know what you mean. He’s just a ‘friend’” Rainbow said, smirking at her child. “Now quit worrying about that and have some breakfast or you’re going to be late for school.”

Chroma felt a bit uncomfortable about the whole situation. First her best friend, and now both of her parents. She obeyed her mother and had some breakfast. After that was done, she said good bye to her father, giving him a kiss on the cheek, as well as receiving one from him, and left with her mother to take her to school. Her friends were waiting in front of the school for her. Rainbow flew down and dropped her daughter off, wishing her a great day.

“Gooooood morning Chroma!” Camcore shouted in a joyful tone.

“Ahh!” grunted Pandora, “Do you have to be so loud in the morning?”

“Well, sometimes being loud could be fun in the morning!” smiled Camcore.

“What a nescience!” Pandora shouted back.

Ignoring the loud noises close to him, Silver Fang spoke. “So your still wearing glasses today I see.”

“I also see them, great Fang!” Pandora’s eyes turned into hearts again. It was always obvious to everybody that Pandora saw Fang as the handsome type. In fact, many of the fillies in the class thinks so and are very attracted to him. However, it's not as much as Pandora.

“Yeah…” Chroma simply said.

“Even though you could…you know,” Fang said with a slight frown.

Chroma wasn’t the only one who was bullied at school. All her friends were made fun of during their school days. Pandora was always criticized because her father once was an evil being and had taken over Equestria before, Silver Fang because of the way he looks and how he was part dragon, and Camcore Pie because his over hyper craziness for anime, however, Camcore didn’t seem to care about being made fun of that much. They would tell their teacher, Mrs. Cheerilee, about this more often if it wasn’t for Rough Gem’s intimidation, threats that if they did tell, bad things were going to happen. Fang once tried to fight Rough on time, but it ended with Fang having a black eye and a bloody nose.

“Yeah, well my friend told me that I should try being myself and not let other’s opinions get to me,” Chroma said shyly.

“Your coltfriend told you that?” asked Camcore as they began to walk into class.

“He’s not my coltfriend!” Chroma shouted as she entered in to the classroom.

“Coltfriend? You wish four eyes!” shouted a voice from the back of the room.

The group turned to see that an earth pony colt with a golden coat, black mane and tail, and a cutie mark with a mine cart and gold over flowing out of it, laughing, along with another earth pony colt sitting next to him with a white coat, light blue mane and tail, and a tough looking gemstone for a cutie mark.

“Yeah!” laughed Rough Gem, “To think that anyone would like her when she decides to wear those nerdy glasses!”

Chroma frowned, taking those words to the heart. However, she then remembered what Efon told her. She than grew a smile and turned back to her friends.

“So, what are you guys doing after school today?” she asked.

The two colts stopped their laughing when they realized that they had just been ignored.

“Ooh! Ooh! I’ll be going to Sugarcube Corner!” Camcore announced joyfully. “You wanna come?”

Chroma smiled, hearing the noise of frustration coming from the two colt behind her. “Sure!” she said turning to Pandora as they walked to their sits. “What about you Pandora? Are you going to come?”

“Only if Silver Fang is going!” she responded, nuzzling her head against Fang’s neck.

“So Fang, what do you say?” asked Camcore.

Out of uncomfortableness, Fang slightly pushed her off. “Sure, I don’t have training to today, I might as well.”

“Alright!” jumped Camcore.

“Great!” smiled Chroma as she sat down, taking a quick peek at the two colts behind her, grinding their teeth. Chroma faced forward with a smile on her face, feeling like she achieved something.

“Take a sit everypony, we have a very important lesson today!” their teacher announced, signaling the start of class.

It was now recess time and the four friends where playing a game of volleyball. The drew and the two teams were Pandora and Fang against Chroma and Camcore. Chroma couldn’t help to think that Pandora used her chaos magic to make sure she was on the same team as Fang…again.

“Here it come, Chroma!” shout Pandora as she spikes the ball, with her lion paw.

Chroma jumped up and try to hit the ball back, but missed it by an inch. The ball landed on the ground and rolled off the course.

“Oops! I’ll get it!” Chroma rushed to fetch the ball.

As she picked, two shadows eclipsed over her. She lifted her head and immediately coward in fear. Gold and Rough were glaring at her, both wearing unpleasant faces.

“I don’t appreciate being ignored, Ostrich!” Gold Mine stepped forward, causing Chroma to coward back.

“Yeah! You flightless bird!” Rough Gem scowled, yelling directly in Chroma’s face.

The yelling from the two ponies caught the attention of the other kids. They all paused what they were doing to observed.

Frustrated, Fang stepped forward, flaring his dragon wings to confront Rough. “Back off Rough, or I’m going to…”

“Do what?!” Rough angrily peered at Fang.

“Yeah, you abomination!” Gold parted in. “You should watch your dragon tongue! I still can’t believe your mom would be with a dragon and have you. There must be something wrong with her!”

Fang felt a sharp pain in his chest, those word pierced his heart like a knife cutting through butter. He backed off, feeling slightly depressed, trying to holding back tears.

Pandora was steaming with anger, literally! “How dare you call my Fang an abomination you jerk!” yelled the little being of chaos, pointing her lion paw claw at the to convey ponies.

“Yeah, your right,” Rough said. “You’re the abomination!”

Pandora jerked back.

“Yeah, you shouldn’t even be here!” pointed Gold Mine.

“Yeah, you should be where you belong, at the Canterlot Gardens with your monster of a father!”

Pandora was sharing the same heart pain as Fang now. She looked down at the ground, a few tears falling from her eyes.

“Aww, don’t listen to them Pandora.” Camcore walked to his friend to comfort her. “They’re just a bunch of meanie pants!”

“Ahh,” Gold said in frustration, “And there’s this freak. Why don’t you go be a weirdo somewhere else?!”

“Stop picking on my friends you incompetent morons!” howled Chroma, stomping her hoof.

A loud gasp was heard from the surrounding kids and her friends, as Rough and Gold slowly turned to face the white filly. Chroma realized her mistake when she saw the ominous look in the two colts eye. Everypony knew they would be pulverized if they called Rough and Gold morons.

“What did you call us?” asked Gold Mine in a low, unsettling tone.

“I…I didn’t mean to…”

“Rough, I think you should teach this little ostrich a lesson and make her learn why no one calls us morons, wouldn’t you agree!?”

“Yeah, I do!” said Rough, who was pounding his two front hoofs together as he walked towards Chroma slowly.

Chroma swiftly backed up. “I’m sorry, it won’t happen again!”

“Too late four eyes!” Rough raised his hoof, ready to swing his hoof into Chroma’s face. But as he was going to swing, he was stopped from a hurdling rock bonked him on the head. Rough turned his head the watching kids. “Who threw this rock?” Rough was grinning his teeth so hard that you could hear it.

“You shouldn’t be hurting cute girls,” said a distant, unfamiliar voice. “Otherwise you would be hated by them and you would live a lonely life and die without ever feeling compassion.”

The class looked at the top of the school’s flagpole to see a black furred colt, with an off white mane and tail, and emerald green eyes, which seemed familiar to Chroma, sitting on top of the flagpole.

“Who the hay are y…” began Rough before he was interrupted by the pony in questioned.

“Unless your gay, which, is totally fine by me.”

Rough blushed a bit on the statement. “Are you calling me gay?!”

“I don’t know, are you?” blankly said the mysterious colt.

That question broke a nerve in Rough’s body. He quickly picked up the rock and threw it at him. When the rock was about to make contact with the black furred colt, his horn glowed a bright white, followed by a quick flash. He had vanished before Rough’s sight.

“Where did he…” Rough turned his head find him staring into emerald colored eyes, causing him to tell flinch.

From the crowd of astonished fouls, you could hear them say things like ‘Whoa, he can use teleport magic’ and ‘He must be super strong’.

“How did you…” Rough was about to ask before being interrupted.

“Man you’re a bad shot!” began the anonymous colt. “You wouldn't be able to hit a wall with that kind of throw.”

Rough grinned his teeth, grunting all awhile. “Do you know who I am?!” he yelled, enraged.

With half lit eyes, the strange colt answered, “Somepony who writer erotic fanfiction?”

Every colt and filly's jaw dropped, some gasping, all excepted Rough. His anger had reached the limit, as you could see one of his veins popping out of his head.

“Oh, something good is about to happened, I could feel it,” Camcore said in a whisper, lifting up his camcorder, which semed to come out of nowhere.

The time to begin recording couldn’t be any better. Rough swung one of his hoof straight into the pony’s face, causing his head to be tilted back. Rough gave a satisfying devious grin, chuckling a bit.

“How’s that feel, you punk?”

“It felt pretty good,” responded the pony. Rough’s grin faded once he heard that response. “But…”

In quick motion, the colt’s head came flying towards Rough’s face, giving it a vigorous smack. Rough was laying on the ground, holding his nose with closed eyes, taking in the deep pain and agony. He lifted his left fore hoof to eye level. His eyelids widen as his eyes constricted in fear, staring at the stupendous amount of blood that was covering it. A stream of blood was flowing from his nose, as the kids quivered a bit in both astonishment and terror, all speechless and hoofs over their muzzles. Slowly, Rough looked up at the now towering black furred colt, shaking in fear.

“I’m better,” he said, ominously giving an innocent smile. “Oh, I hope that I didn’t break anything.”

Removing his smile, he quickly began to have a dark, grimacing look, trotting closer to Rough, making him move back until he was halted by the merry go round.

“Now if you ever think about hurting Chroma or anybody else again, I will find out where you live and pay you a visit at night, so that I can rip out your eyes from their sockets!” the anonymous pony darkly spoke. “Do I make myself clear!?”

Rough gave a frighten node.

“Good, now why don’t’ you go clean that mess up and get out of my face?!”

Rough didn’t need to be asked twice. In instance, he was gone, running back to the school building. The pony looked up at Gold, seeing the fright in his eyes.

“Hey Rough! Wait for me!” Gold yelled, rapidly chased after his friend.

The colt lifted his head up, turned and gave Chroma an innocent smile. “So Chroma, what new?” he asked.

“Efon? Is that you?” she responded.

Efon began to rub the back of his head, closed his eyes and gave a smug smile. “Geez, cutie, it’s only been a day since we last seen each other, and already you forgot what I look like?” he said playfully.

Chroma’s cheeks turned a slight shade of red. “I…I…um” she stumbled.

“Aw, that’s ok. I would forget who I was too. After all, I’m always changing how I look,” Efon winked to Chroma.

“How?!” shouted Fang out of nowhere. “How did you do that?”

Efon turned to look at the pony with dragon wings, claws, two curved horns, and sharp fangs. “Judging by your appearance, you must be Silver Fang,” Efon smiled.

Efon reached out a hoof to shake the dragon pony’s clawed hoof, only to be pushed away. “Don’t try to change the subject! Who are you and how did you…”

“How did you completely wreck Rough with just a head-butt? It’s just like One Punch Stallion, but with a head instead of a hoof!” Camcore intertwined, hold the camcorder to his eye.

“And you must be Camcore Pie,” said Efon. “Nice to meet y…”

“HOW DARE YOU INTERRUPT THE GREAT FANG LIKE THAT YOU NUISANCE!” shouted the chaotic pony with a lion paw, dragon claw, and snake tail, pushing the pink maned pony a side.

“And you have to be Pandora,” blankly spoke Efon, completely giving up shaking a hoof anymore.

Pandora stopped her over tempered mien, and gave a cheeky smile. “Wow, what gave it away? My mix-and-match animal parts?” asked Pandora, closing her eyes and rubbing her lion paw against her chest proudly.

Efon gave another blank look. “No. It was the face your drenching Camcore with chocolate milk, coming out of that pink cloud.” Efon pointed to the situation mentioned.

Pandora shot her eyes open and look towards the peach colored colt, head tilted and mouth wide open, letting the brown liquid poor into his mouth. She simply rolled her eyes and snapped the cloud away, reserving a downcast ‘aww’ from the spikey maned colt.

“Also…”

Before he could continue, Efon was hoisted up by a clawed hoof, the sharp appendages almost digging into his neck.

“STOP AVOIDING MY QUESTION AND TELL ME WHO YOU ARE, RIGHT, NOW!”

Efon simply looked down at the pony dragon, giving him a smug smile. “I already told you, I’m Efon.”

“I meant where are you from?” grunted Fang, grinding his teeth.

“Look, Fang, buddy, as much as I would love to tell you my life story, I got better things to do.” Efon teleported behind the pony dragon. “So if you want to talk, meet me a Sugarcube Corner.”

“What a coincident! That where we going after school!” said the joyful, tangerine colored earth pony.

“Well then…” Efon turned his head slightly to look at Chroma. “See you there, cutie.”

Chroma’s cheeks turned a bright crimson. They watched as Efon’s figure disappeared into the distance. Chroma gave a faith smile as he left, only to look to the right, beholding the sight of her three friends staring at her, Pandora giving her a devious smirk.

“Guys, I know what it looks like,” turned Chroma, trying to cover her flushed cheeks, “But he isn’t my…”

“He’s totally your boyfriend!” shouted Pandora and Camcore simultaneously.

Chroma’s face heated up in embarrassment. “No…he’s….”

“And what a good one at that.” Pandora said, giving Chroma bedroom eyes, lifting her eyebrows up and down.

Camcore put a hoof around Chroma’s neck. “Yeah! What other random boy that came out of nowhere, stop the two biggest bullies in school from hurting you, and constantly calls you cutie? A boyfriend!”

“For once, the nuisance is right” Pandora looked at Camcore who was smiling at her and the statement she spoke of. “Only a coltfriend would go crazy over his love getting hurt,” she quickly turned Fang with hearts in her eyes again. “Isn’t that right, Fang my love!” There was a short silence, no response from Fang. “Fang?”

Fang viciously turned his head to look at Chroma, his reptilian eyes more narrow, seemingly without eye shine. “Chroma. Who is that guy?
Where did he come from? And why is he so suspicious?” he said in a low, unsettling tone.

Sweat began to poor from Chroma’s fore head. She knew that when Fang looked and sound like that, he demands answers and wants them now. “Umm…well.”

“Oh come on Fang. Give her a break!” Camcore interrupted. “Let her have her mysterious boyfriends if she wants!”

“ARE YOU CRAZY? FOR ALL WE NOW, THAT GUY COULD BE A THREAT TO US ALL!” yelled Fang.

Camcore gave him a blank stare. “The guy literally saved Chroma from getting a serious beating to one of the toughest guys in school.”

“Yeah but…”

“And now that same guy is now in the bathroom, wiping the blood from his nose. I’m pretty sure that mysterious colt is here to keep Chroma safe.”

“But…”

“I have to agree with the nuisance on this once,” Pandora said shyly. “But I appreciate your concern for us, oh great and strong Fang,” bowed Pandora.

Fang look at his three friends, taking in what they said. He finally calmed down, sighing in defeat. “Fine, whatever. However, he is very suspicious, I’m getting to the bottom of …”

The ring of the school bell stopped his monologue ending recess.

The final school bell had rung and all the fillies and colts jolted through the door. Chroma, Camcore, Pandora, and Fang made their way to Sugarcube Corner, Fang grunting in anger from the fact he didn’t get a response he wanted. If there was one thing everypony knew about Fang, it’s that he doesn’t like being a push over and to him, that was exactly what Efon did. His claws thrusted the door to the sweets shop, giving the bell a loud ring.

“Hello, welcome to Sugarcube Corner!” proudly announced a pale colored teenage colt, with a brown mane and tail. “How may I serv…”

“CAN IT POUND!” Fang furiously slammed his clawed hooves onto the counter, causing Pound Cake to flinch and the other customers to turn their heads towards the scene. “Where’s that colt with black fur and white mane?”

Pound gave a questioning look. “What are you…”

“The black colt with white hair and green eyes! You did see someone that looked like that, right?!”

“Well, he doesn’t have a white mane, but…” Pound Cake pointed a hoof to a table. At the table was sitting a black furred colt, with a light green mane and a spiky mane hair do. His green eyes were a big signal that it was definitely Efon. He was staring right at Fang, smirking at he with a devious grin.

Fang quickly lifted himself off the counter and slowly man his way to the table. Pandora, Camcore, and Chroma walked up to the counter.

“Sorry for the great Fang's temper,” said the chaos filly.

“What’s is it today?” Pound looked at the group of kids with another questioning, but cocky look. “Did that colt poor water on him or something?”

Camcore shook his head. “Nah, Chroma’s coltfriend didn’t answer his question, that’s all.”

“Oh” Pound bluntly said, only to have his eyes shot wide open and turned to the group of friends. “Wait, Chroma’s coltfriend?!”

Chroma’s cheeks turned red as she began to shake her head, almost viciously, while her other two friends were nodding in agreement.

“Yup! Like a knight in shining armor, Efon came to save Chroma from receiving a beating from Rough Gem. I wish my dear Fang would do that for me someday,” Pandora flutter her eyes as she gazed a the dragon pony.

“Whoa, beating Rough. That kid must be something else” Pound stated, knowing that Diamond Tiara’s kid is one of the biggest bullies in school. “You know what, for this victory, shakes are on the house.”

Being regular customers, Pound knew their favorite flavors byheart. For Pandora, a lager glass filled with chocolate liquid, with whip cream, and an orange slice on top. For Camcore, a mango shake with two slice of mango, Fang had a blueberry shake with, for some reason, a spicy red pepper, and for Chroma, a strawberry and lemon smoothie with a single strawberry sitting perfectly in the center.

“So, what about your coltfriend, Chroma?”

“He’s not my…”

“Anything!” Efon’s voice travel through the shop, as the colt was trying to push back a raging half pony half dragon from clawing off his face. “As long as it is sweetie, I’m good.”

“Alright!” shouted back Pound. He began to mix a bunch of fruits into a blender behind him and was concocting one of the sweetest drinks, the Supreme Fruit Punch Smoothie.

Pandora used her magic to levitate the drinks and they made their way to the table with the fighting ponies.

“Thanks!” they simultaneously said, thank Pound for the free drinks.

As they neared the table, they could clearly see the pony dragon lifting Efon up like he did before.

“I’m going to ask you one more time! WHO ARE YOU?!” A small puff of smoke came out of the raging Fangs mouth as he was furiously shouting right in Efon’s face.

Efon waved a hoof in front of his face. “Geez, your breath stinks! You smell like your burning something dead in your mouth!”

“Are you an idiot? I’m part dragon! Of course it would be smelling like I’m burning something! I could breath, FIRE!”

“Fang,” Camcore put a hoof around his dragon pony friend, holding his shake up to his face. “You need to calm down and relax. I don’t think warriors just go and man handle the person they want to talk to.”

Camcore knew that just by mentioning the word ‘warrior’ or ‘knight’ in the sentence would get Fang to listen.

“I would be more obliged if you could put me down.” Efon stated. “It would be very much appreciated.”

Fang sighed in defeat, closing as he did. He put down the black furred colt down on the floor of the sweet shop. Efon began to dust himself off, despite there actually being any dirt on him.

“Seriously though, you need some breath mints,” he smiled at Fang’s direction.

“Oh you are DIED?!”

“HOW DARE YOU JUDGE THE GREAT FANG’S BREATH YOU JERK!” yelled Pandora, as her eyes turned pure white.

There was a moment of a silence for a couple of seconds before Efon broke it. “Wow! Over protective much.”

“What did you say!?” Pandora growled.

“Nothing!” Efon quickly responded, not wanting the princess of chaos to turn him into an orange or something.

“So Efon,” Camcore began, “What’s your story?”

Efon looked at him confused. “Story?”

“You know, tell us about yourself, that kind of thing.”

Efon gave a blank look before it registered in his head. “Oh!” He pauses, pondering on what he wanted to say. “Well…”

“Who are you?” Fang slammed his hoof on the table, causing some of his blueberry shake onto the table.

“Why do you keep asking me that? I already told you I’ m Efon!”

“I’m mean why are you here?” Fang asked in a somber like tone. “Where did you come from?”

“Then why didn’t you ask that in the first place?!” Efon was getting more annoyed with Fang, but it was strangely making him glade.

“DO YOU DARE QUESTION FANG’S INTERROGATION MEATHODS!” Pandora shouted

“Look! That doesn’t matter know. Just tell me where you came from!”

Both Efon and Fang were staring into each other’s eyes, filled with annoyance for each other. The tension was shortly broken when Efon began to chuckle. Fang’s serious expression turned into a puzzling as Efon’s chuckles turned into hardy laughs. Even Chroma was getting a bit freaked out by this.

“Umm, what’s so funny?” she asked in a considered voice.

“Because…. I love ho-how serious he’s taking this!” Efon chuckled between words. “It’s like…were are … in a very important…. business meet or something!”

Camcore began to smile a bit. “And like…Fang is-is the boss of the failing company…”

“And he’s like the super generic angry boss!” Camcore spoke, with a smirk on his face and trying to hold back a laugh.

“Yeah! And he is, he is trying his hardest to get me to come up with a brilliant plan to save the company!"

“But your being that guy that’s like ‘I don’t know, how about this idea that a gave you a few hours ago’!”

“Yeah, ‘You know, after I head-butt that dingus berry so hard that I broke his noise!’”

Camcore broke into uncontrollable laughter, along with Pandora, who spit out some of her drink, and Chroma who put a hoof over her mouth, trying to contain herself.

“Did you just referee Rough Gem as a ‘dingus berry’?” asked Camcore, wiping tears of joy from his eyes.

"What—of course I did. What, did you want me to call?” Efon replied with a chuckle. “‘Douche nozzle!"

Camcore collapsed onto the floor, laying on his back holding his stomach and roaring in laughter. “‘Douche nozzle! You…have…no idea…how long I wanted…for someone to flat out call someone I’m not pleased with, a ‘Douche nozzle’!”

Everyone in the group, excepted Fang, were laughing, finding it very difficult to calm down. After a few moments, the laughter finally subsided.

“How did we get from Fang being a business owner to calling Rough a douche nozzle!” Camcore said with one final chuckle.

“I don’t know, but it was hilarious!” Efon stated.

“Are you don’t with your stupid fouling around and ready to answer my question?”

They turned to Fang, seeing the very annoyed look on his face.

“What’s wrong, Fang?” taunted Efon with a devious grin. “You don’t know how to have a good time?”

“This is a serious matter I’m trying to deal with! Tell me where from!”

Efon could see that Fang was seriously ticked and he enjoyed every moment of it. He decided to mess with him one more time. “Well aren’t you just the example of silver lining!”

Fang had enough of this. That was the stupidest pun ever. “That’s it,” he said in a low tone as he knocked his smoothie over, letting the milky substance leak down the side of the table. “I’m done.” He began to make his way to the entrance.

“Geez, you take things way to seriously, ‘dragonboy’!” Efon yelled to Fang.

A lager gasp was echoed from everyone in the shop, Fang stopping in his tracks.

“Uh-oh!” Pound and Pumpkin, who came from the back room behind the counter, said simultaneously.

“What did you just call me?!” Fang spoke in a deep, ominous voice, as smoke began to slip passed his teeth.

“Aww what’s the matter,” Efon said as the rest began to back away from him. “Don’t like to be called that ‘dragonboy’”

As soon as said that, the customers within the sweet shop vanished, dashing out the front door. Fang turned around, now with blood shot, narrowed eyes which glowed a terrifying red. Pound, Pumpkin, the other three kids hid behind the counter, wearing pots and pans on their body.

“NO ONE CALLS ME DRAGONBOY!” roared Fang as he let out a huge stream of a powerful blue flame.

Efon’s horn light up as his body was sparking with electricity around his body. A second later, Efon had his hoof over Fang's mouth. Fang, along with the others, looking through the glass of sweet treats, couldn’t believe what just happened. They didn’t even see Efon move or use teleportation magic.

Fang was overly astonished and stopped his flame. “How…How did you…”

“What is wrong with you?” asked Efon in a serious tone, pulling his hoof from Fangs mouth.

Efon took a look at his burnt hoof and gave a surprised look.

“Huh…” he exclaimed. He suddenly winched and put his burnt hoof to his fore head, rubbing it gently. He turned to his look at the group who staring at him astonish like. With an innocent and nerves smile, he said “Well, this was fun and all, but I better get going. Don’t want to get this one mad enough to burn this place to the ground,” he pointed at Fang. He rapidly made his way to the door. Before he left, he turned to look at Chroma and gave a bright smile. “See you around, cutie!” He then left in a flash.

Pound, his sister, and the group of kids stood there in silence for a moment, frozen in their position until Pound spoke and thawed them out. “Well, that was something else!”

Pumpkin jumped with joy. “Your coltfriend is amazing!” she exclaimed. She was always the joyful out of her and her twin.
“He’s not my…”

“Your boyfriend is not only super cool, super brave, super tough, super funny, but also he can run faster then what your mother could fly!” Camcore was bouncing up and down with excitement.

“I…ah…”

“When were you going to tell us this?” Pandora asked, holding onto Chroma’s shoulders.

“I didn’t know this myself,” Chroma shyly said.

“Chroma my friend, you have yourself a keeper!” Camcore exclaimed joyfully. “Man, he’s almost as fast as saiyan from Pony Ball Z.”

Pandora glared at him. “Of course you have the mention something nuisance like. What a nuisance.”

“How?” Fang said, catching the attention of his friends. “How can he be stronger than me? No!” Fang picked himself off the ground, his body setting a flame, something that happens rarely. “He can’t be stronger than me! He is nothing but a suspicious nothing! I’ll show him! I’ll show HIM!” Fang made his way out the door, heading to Twilight’s castle to beg her to let him browse the library.

“What was that about?” Camcore rubber his in confusion.

“He so cute when his engulfed in fire from his own rage!” Pandora had hearts for eyes for a short moment. “My dear Fang, what for me!” Pandora yelled as she chased of her crush.

“We better go after them,” Camcore suggested, “Come on, Chroma!”

They began to follow their friends to Twilight’s castle. As they did, Chroma started back to look at the edge of the Everfree, smile at the thought of Efon. She frowned at the fact he was in a disguised the whole time, even though she knew that Changelings weren’t friends with ponies. A question that came across her attention, a question she was going to ask her parents later.

Efon was touting through the Everfree as fast as he could. Two of his hoofs were still disguised while the other two were his deformed, normal black hoof. His face was diagonally split by his disguise and his self. Once he thought he was far enough from the town, he stopped to catch his breath. The rest of disguised vanished as a thin layer of green flames washed over them.

“That…was close” Efon took deep breaths between his words. “I need to learn to not use up so much of my magic when I’m like that.” A smile grew on his face. “Well, it was a good risk, if it meant to be closer to her.” He looked at his right hoof, looking deeply at the burn mark. “I can’t believe he as capable of burning through my disguise with just that simply flame. I like that. It shows that his strong!” Efon shouted his words out in enjoyment. “What a warrior you are, Fang.”

It was dinner time at the Soarin Dash house hold, and it was uncomfortably quiet. Chroma was playing with steamed broccoli, the contact between her fork and the glass plate were making clanging noise. Rainbow and Soarin both looked at each other, both with a concerned look upon on their faces.

“Chroma,” Soarin stated calmly, “Is there something wrong.”

“Huh?” Chroma quickly lifted her head, not paying attention to what her father asked.

“You’re not eating your food. Are you feeling ok?”

“Oh, I’m fine,” Chroma lied, giving a fake smile.

“Alright, what the problem?” Rainbow asked with a demanding tone.

“What do you mean? I’m fine.”

“Your giving me that fake smile.” Rainbow pointed to Chroma’s muzzle, giving it a little boop. “You have something on your mind and you’re going to tell what is wrong.”

Chroma knew her mother was right. There was something on her mind, and wasn’t sure how to deal with it. She did, however, didn’t want to tell her about Efon. “Do…do you know what a Changeling is?”

Silence fill the room again, as both Soarin’s and Rainbow’s head shot up.

“Where did you hear about them?” Rainbow sternly said.

“Umm, I read it in a book at the library!” Chroma lied.

Rainbow shut her eyes, a look full of seriousness that Chroma never seen before. “Changelings are heartless monsters, literally. They are ruthless savages, don’t care about anybody but themselves.”

“Ruthless savages?” Chroma hesitantly asked.

“Yup. Dirty shape shifters that transform into the ones that you love the most and absorb all of your energy.” Soarin spoke.

“Their evil beings that could never be trusted. They have no feels for anything. They only see others as a food source and nothing else.”

“But,” Chroma interrupted, causing her parents to lift they’re head. “What if there was a nice Changeling?”

“There’s no such thing as a ‘nice’ Changeling. They are all evil, heartless monster.”

“But what if…”

“But nothing! If you ever find a Changeling, you need to stay clear away from them! Do I make myself clear!” Rainbow shouted.

“But…”

“Chroma!” Rainbow said in a stern voice.

Chroma sighed. “Yes, mom.”

“Good. Now I don’t want you talking about Changelings from this point on. Now that’s out of the way.” Rainbow stated as she trotted to the
fridge. “Who wants a big slice of apple pie!”

“Apple Pie!” Soarin and Chroma excitedly exclaimed.

Later at night, Chroma was looking up at the cloudy ceiling, deep in concentration, taking everything that her mother and father said about Changelings.

“There ruthless savages. There monsters. They absorb all your energy,” kept ringing in her head.

“But if that’s all true,” Chroma though. “…Then how come he doesn’t do the things a Changeling do?” she asked herself.

She turned her head to the wall. On its surface hung the picture that Efon gave to her. The memorizing pencil strokes and the bright image of a sun going pass the horizon brought a smile to Chroma’s face.

“Oh Efon,” she found herself saying unintentionally. “I guess are friendship would have to stay as a secret.”