Heart of Mist

Chapters

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3

Chapter 1

Heart of Mist

Written By: CleverGoblin171 & fistfire fimfiction.net

Proofread By: fistfire fimfiction.net

.:Chapter 1:.

It was a normal morning in Manehattan, the clouds were behaving, somewhat. The pegasus ponies were on their way to wrangle the clouds away in preparation for the coming event. The Fillydelphia Symphony Orchestra was coming up. It was a concert being held in Central Park. Near the park in the row houses reminiscent of colonial times, a group of ponies were moving in, more likely a family of ponies with three kids, one colt and two fillies with a baby foal on the way. The father, a unicorn stallion of respect, bright orange mane, his coat was of a smoky color, and cutie mark were braces of a scaffolding. He was the head of the roadies. His stage work was legendary in the music field.

The mayor’s office commissioned him to head up all of the concerts in Manehattan to oversee the operations of them. His daughter was going to follow up in his hoof steps if he had anything to say about it. She, on the other hand, had other interests.

“Sparks! When did you arrive in the city?” said a pegasus colt, a dark blue mane with an icy blue coat.

“We just arrived here not an hour ago! It’s so good to see you Icewing!” said the unicorn filly with the orange coat and a yellow mane with a streak of bright orange in it.

“You haven't changed much since I last saw you. Still going for the ‘flames’ look in your mane, eh?”

“Yeah, you know us, fire and ice!” she said with a giggle, a bunch of magenta sparks coming from her horn.

"Stop that, or you'll start a fire!" The colt teased with a snicker. “You know I can't put out your fires.”

With a smile on her face, she lets the sparks die out. “Well, then do you want to help us move in?”

“Sure, but what’s in it for me?” The colt said flapping his wings.

“I’ll give you a kiss” as she was batting her eyes picking up a hoof.

“Eeww! You can keep the prize then!” with a disgusted look the colt’s muzzle scrunched up.

“I'll take that prize if Icewing won’t!” yelled another colt, older looking than the other two by only a year or two. A unicorn colt with light grey fur, orange eyes, and a black mane.

“Shard! I am so glad to see you!” she said, galloping up to tackle him with a hug.

“It's nice to see you too! It looks like you are moving in!” catching the filly with his forelegs the both of them get sent sprawling onto the sidewalk.

“Have you been here long Shard?”

“Yeah, we have been here for quite a while. The schools are not that bad, a lot better than Chicacolt. At least here I am safe, somewhat.”

“Is that what that happened to your face?” she said with concern in her voice.

“No, it was just a little disagreement. That ended up getting physical eventually.” the colt said looking down, likely not wanting to talk about it any further.

“What was it about?” Icewing chimed in curious and oblivious to Shard’s frustration building.

“A friend- well, used to be friend, decided to beat the pulp out of me when a group of bullies simply told him to, didn’t even say he was going to get any sort of reward.” Shard’s eyes narrowed stomping his right foreleg against the ground.

“Shard it was just one pony being a jerk, no need to get so mad.” Spark said trotting up beside Shard trying to comfort him the best she could.

“I’m not mad,” Shard said flatly, frowning slightly. “I had to move from Chicacolt because of that.”

“Oh, how long ago did you move here?” Icewing asked tilting his head to the left confused.

“A month or two ago, I walked past you four days ago and you had no reaction, don’t act like you didn’t know I was here,” Shard said rolling his eyes.

“You two going to help or not?” Spark said not wanting to have the two start fighting.

“Honestly, I didn't see you walking past! I would've said hello if I did notice you.”

“Still a featherbrain as I recall.” rolling his eyes, the grey-furred colt said mocking him.

“Hey, I am not!”

“Ohh! Look over there is that a Squirrel?”

“Where!” As the ice blue colt looked at where Shard was pointing with his left hoof to a tree.

“I rest my case Sparks.” the both of them snickering at his antics.

“Why do I always fall for that.” feeling completely embarrassed, falling for that old joke. “Come on Shard! We can talk more while we help.” The two friends follow the filly to the house, Icewing shoving Shard playfully around, and Shard returning the favor.

____________

Years later, Spark and Icewing had moved to another city and Shard hadn’t been able to come along. The colt had grown into a miserable stallion who now works the night shift at a donut shop. He tried to be cheerful since his friends left him, but the years of being friendless had taken its toll. Oh, sure he tried to make new ones. It was always the rough crowd that wanted him for what he could do for them. Being a powerful wizard and looking the way he does. Tends to attract worst kinds of ponies. But all he wanted was to hang out with the nice ponies. His old friends accepted him for what he was. A unicorn... A mage… A soft shoulder to cry on… A friend.

Now, the only goal he had was just to pay off the bills at the end of the month and to survive another day. That's all he cared about now, that’s all there ever is, to exist.

Shard trotted back home halfway across town from the donut shop. He lived in a single story house with a single bedroom, a living room with a kitchen attached, and one bathroom. Pretty much second lowest level housing he could live in. The lowest is called a loft apartment. A small kitchen open to the living room which doubles as a bedroom. Shard nearly had to live there if not for the home he lives in now becoming for sale. Shard has been in the hospital more times than he’d like to admit. The bills the hospital demanded from him plus the bills at the end of the month pulled any and all bits he may have had out of him, which was why he was so poor.

He used his magic to open the door, an orange glow surrounded the door knob opening it slowly. Walking inside and closing the door behind him, he walked across the living room to his bedroom. Falling face first against his bed and letting out an exhausted sigh. “Sweet oblivion of the night, come and wrap your arms around me. Save me from myself.”

Shards eyelids were heavy, fell into a deep sleep almost instantly. Being restless and unable to stay awake any longer. He was asleep for five hours when a blast of orange light shot past his window waking him up. Shard groaning sitting up on his haunches, pushing himself up and trotting over to the window looking for the source of the beam worried somepony was after him.

“Spark be careful!” A more mature version of Icewing’s voice called out just out of Shard’s perspective.

“I never tried teleporting luggage before, just a minor kink.” A more mature version of Spark’s voice softly said sounding embarrassed. Shard pushed his face against the window to hear the conversation better.

“Well, at least it’s all in one piece,” Icewing said followed by the sounds of two or more ponies trotting into a building, possibly right next to Shard’s home.

Shard, Spark, and Icewing hadn’t seen each other in fifteen years, at least that’s what Shard thought, apparently, he was just unlucky. The grey-furred stallion trotted to the exit of his home, hearing Spark giggle and Icewing groaning slightly followed by “you seriously didn’t make sure the boxes were completely closed before deciding to teleport them halfway across Equestria!” Icewing called out sounding upset and annoyed.

He walked to the sink in the kitchen, turning on the tap and splashing his face with water. No way they’re here, there’s no way, they both moved to separate cities! Spark went to Canterlot and Icewing went to Cloudsdale. Why would they come back to Manehattan? The stallion mused pressing his horn against the sink’s tap believing he was in a twisted dream.

Shard walked to the door, opened it slowly peeking his head out it see the door to a neighboring house that had been for sale, close shut behind somepony just as he looked over. He walked out onto his front lawn, all eight feet of it. Looking to the house feeling strange, he smirked hearing Spark’s voice jokingly say “this isn’t so bad, I mean living under a bridge would be just as appealing but not so bad.”

Shard hopped over the small picket fence onto the other lawn, half of him feeling like he was trespassing on somepony’s property, but these were and hopefully still his friends and his judgment was clouded by joy and confusion.

“Just wait about a week or two, you’ll start hating it before you know it,” Shard said standing up straight, hoping he spoke loud enough for the two ponies to have heard him.

“Was that… Him?” Icewing’s voice whispered nervous and unsure.

The door swung open nearly breaking off its hinges, a yellow glow surrounding the entire door. A unicorn mare whose appearance was too much like Sparks to be any mere coincidence. Still the same orange color, but her mane style flowed down across her back, and the yellow highlights she somehow made to look like flames. Those brilliant orange eyes, he couldn’t mistake them on any other mare. There stood Spark on the other side of the door frame with a wide-eyed expression staring at Shard.

Upon first glance, Spark was filled with shock, but that didn’t stop her from jumping at Shard pinning him to the ground.

“I had no idea you were living here. I thought you left Manehattan to who knows where!” Spark walked backwards not meaning to have knocked Shard over.

“Nice to see you too Spark.” A faint shade of pink lighting up Shards cheeks. “Since my parents died about ten years ago, I haven’t had enough bits to move anywhere else.” looking down standing up, “Life’s been hard for me. I’ve made some enemies here and there, been in the hospital a few times and lost five different jobs.”

“Please tell me you two had a better time than I did,” Shard said smiling as Icewing stepped outside, the three ponies standing on the lawn as a couple ponies walked past.

“If you consider living next to a loud cloud factory better, then yeah. I guess I was doing better” Icewing chimed unphased by how Shard’s parents died, Spark turned to Icewing with a narrow gaze.

“Well, I was in Canterlot. So it could be better.”

“Are you insane? Canterlot is where I wish I could have been.” Shard said with his jaw hung open.

“If you consider going through a changeling invasion, spirits of chaos walking around without a care in the world, snobby ponies who are so greedy they make dragons look like generous saints, oh! And having a constant fear the city would crumble and fall off the mountain, to all be good or at least better than what you went through. Yeah, it was fantastic and not at all terrifying, expecting a catastrophe to happen with every passing month.” Spark said with a sarcastic tone spinning her left foreleg around as she spoke.

Shard smirked. “So we’re just going to discuss problems and troubles we had over the past years? Hmmm… I doubt either of you suffered quite like I did.” Shard chuckled.

“Okay, I was hit by a cab twenty times, maybe seven or eight groups of ponies wanted me to join their ‘gang’ since I appear to be a heartless emotionless husk, perfect for their needs.” Shard paused putting a hoof to his face. “I had my magic “burnout” on two occasions where I pushed myself past my limit. Been in the hospital more times than I like to admit, the bills the hospital demands from you plus the bills at the end of the month sucks any and all bits you may have out of you. Yeah, hate myself for that…” Shard hid his expression the best he could.

“Congratulations, you win the prize of being the most unlucky pony I ever met.” Spark said smirking slightly.

“Great, that’s my life goal,” Shard said in a sarcastic tone.

“So why in the world are you both back in Manehattan? Not complaining don’t get me wrong but why would either of you come back? And… Why together...” Shard assuming the two had started dating within the fifteen years.

“Me and featherbrain here are going to try to make a business selling products to boost a pony’s energy level, so ponies off doing double shifts don’t have to be restless” Spark walking up to Shard “maybe you could be our first customer” Spark fluttering her eyelashes at him.

“Um- I, I guess I could. The energy boost thing, that’s exactly what I need. How do I get this boost… A drink? A patch on my skin? A bolt of electricity to my face?” Shard said flustered, his ears flattening. The three ponies walking inside the house.

“It’s a drink. Don’t ask what’s in it.” Spark frowned.

“What’s in it,” Shard said worried he would be drinking some sort of poison.

“About forty percent honey, thirty percent caffeine, twenty-nine percent water, and one percent electricity,” Icewing said flatly showing Shard a jug with a black liquid inside.

“Um… No thanks, I choose life.” Shard said refusing to drink the liquid.

“Just one little sip?” said Spark with a pouting lip.

“Have you tasted it? Are you sure that won’t damage my insides, I’m half certain that jug is filled with oil.” Shard said genuinely concerned.

“Oh, I’m certain it won't damage your insides it only has caffeine and honey with a drop of lightning to kick start it”

“Is the lightning necessary?” A flash of electricity surrounding the jug for a split second.

“Well, Icewing seems to think so. It’s what makes the drink unique. Besides, he has been struck by lightning before and it hasn't affected him, well... Mostly.”

“Maybe just honey caffeine and water? Sounds better than having lighting in it.”

“Anyone can make that. We wanted something unique!”

“Okay, I guess having lightning is unique, but do you know why nopony did that before? Because it’s probably not safe to drink!”

“What if I get Icewing to try it first?”

“Then he’d be sent to the hospital.”

“Hey, Icewing, Care to try it?”

“Sure.” Icewing took the jug and poured himself up a small glass of the energy drink. Taking a sip he has no initial reaction. Suddenly a crackle of electricity goes across his skin and his wings start to vibrate. He launches off the ground like a rocket creating a cloud of dust.

“ICEWING!! Come back here!”

“Sparks, he can’t hear you anymore. He’s about a mile away.” Shard says watching Icewing shoot off into the sky, flying past the skyscrapers in the distance.

“Well, at least it gave him a boost of energy. Maybe just try a sip of it.”

“No.” He said adamantly in a deadpanned tone. “If that’s what is does to a pegasus, I don’t know what it will do to a unicorn with much better connections to the ley lines of the world.”

“Fair enough. It might make you stronger?”

“Take. The. Hint. No.”

“Well, then we can put a disclaimer on it saying ‘not for unicorn consumption’”

“So neither of us should drink it, wait. What in the world would this do to an earthpony? Or a griffin?”

“Whatever we do, we Should NOT give it to Celestia.”

“Agreed, she’d probably be able to move everything. Literally everything.”

“Then the world would revolve around her?”

Laughing he said, ”it doesn't already?”

“Oh! Maybe you should sell this as a… Performance enhancing drink? Makes you stronger, fills you with energy? May kill you.” He joked.

____________

“Have you seen Icewing yet? I’m getting worried.” Spark asked after an hour or so of waiting for him to return.

Meanwhile, somewhere over Baltimare, a lone earth pony looks up after hearing a loud scream.

“AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!! I can’t stop” Icewing shouted.

Back in Manehattan “he’s probably fine.” Shard said tempted to destroy the liquid, just in case it killed Icewing and the liquid was poisonous in some way. Which it wasn’t.

“So, are you and Icewing dating or…” Shard said going quietly.

“No, not in a thousand moons!” Spark giggles.

“Icewing is just my roommate/business partner.”

“Oh thank the heavens. I thought Icewing managed to get a mare-friend before me, that would be embarrassing.” He let out a sigh of relief.

“If he can find a mare-friend in our lifetime, I will eat my mane.” Spark joked.

“Good luck with that. I may just have to do the same, the day Icewing manages to find a mare-friend is the day I’m a goat.”

Five hours pass, Spark, and Shard sit on a couch staring at the door.

“Maybe we should go looking for him… Probably about to be eaten by a dragon.” Shard said after a long moment of awkward silence.

“He’s a pegasus, and at that speed, I doubt that any dragon will be able to catch him”

“Fair enough, what you want to do then?”

“I don’t know. Did you see what direction he went off at?”

“Nope, well, I didn’t see the last direction he went in, he just flew off towards Baltimare and disappeared.”

“How about we go to Baltimare and ask around, see if anypony knows where he went off to.”

“Do you honestly want to.” Shard glanced to her.

“Ehhhh. He’s a big stallion, he can take care of himself.” Spark smiled sheepishly.

Shard glanced at the clock, checking the time. His eyes going wide and his pupils narrow seeing the time being 8:29, a minute before he needs to be at the donut shop for work.

“Oh, Buck! I’m going to be late for work, buck my life!” Shard shouted jumping off the couch, giving Spark a small fright. The sun slowly descending bringing a wave of darkness over the land, but the artificial lights staying on.

“When do you need to be there, and where pray tell is it…” Spark said getting off the couch.

“At 8:30, I’m screwed,” Shard said running off without another word, Spark running off alongside him.

“Shard! Just teleport there!”

“I haven’t mastered that spell yet, I’d probably get stuck inside a wall.” Shard broke into a full sprint, galloping down the sidewalk.

“What area of town is it in!” Spark shouted struggling to keep up.

“Only halfway across Manehattan! Next to that damned bank which should go out of business for screwing ponies over.”

“Name of that bank?”

“The Official Manehattan Bank. It’s not much of an original-” Shard was cut abruptly by Spark pouncing at him, her horn glowing a bright orange. A flash of orange light surrounding Shard and Spark. When the flash cleared the two were standing in front of “The Official Manehattan Bank”

Shard looked to Spark with a silent stare. “I’m good with certain spells, teleportation is one of my specialties.” Spark giggled.

“T-thanks… My sister once teleported this far, landed on her head and I was sent spinning out of control on my horn like I was some sort of foals toy.” Shard put a hoof to his head, trotting towards the donut shop, appearing to look more like a bar than a donut shop hearing, Spark bursting into laughter.

“You don’t work at a donut shop, do you? Or is all this just poor design choice?” She wiped a tear from her eye.

“Which do you think it is,” Shard said looking to her, standing still, ignoring how he was about to be late for work which he was just a few steps away from.

“You… You’re actually working at a donut shop… Wow. Is it bad I only feel bad now, and not before when I heard your parents were killed.”

“I should… Probably just head back, wait and see if Icewing will show up there… I… I’ll see you later Shard.” Spark said going quiet, Shard walking into the donut shop as Spark teleported home.

Shard looked to the manager, who was about to shout at him for being late but Shard shot him an annoyed glare “shut it. I’m here now, nopony is here besides me.” Shard muttered glaring at the manager.

“You're lucky you're the only pony willing to do the night shift. I would fire you immediately if I could afford it.” The manager hissed, getting possibly more bits if he makes the donut shop run 24-7 without any breaks in service.

“But you're a greedy pig. And you need your money.” Shard said testing his limits with him.

“Have a long and restless night Shard.” The manager said walking out. Shard standing at the cash register leaning against it slightly.

Great, I went from one place waiting aimlessly, to another place waiting aimlessly, but now I get paid for it. Shard mused staring at the glass door to the front of the shop.

____________

Somewhere on the edge of the Hayseed swamps and Dodge city, a rather large hummingbird flies above, well, it's a pegasus with its wings vibrating like a hummingbird.

Clipping the trees on the edge of the forest he descends into Dodge City. And miraculously makes a four hoof landing, stumbles and goes head over tail somersaulting onto the ground, feathers flying everywhere until he finally stops. On his hooves none the less.

Dizzily he mutters “I think we used too much caffeine.” and promptly falls over on his side unconscious.

“Don’t touch him.” The Sheriff said, “don’t know what he’s got. Get the Doc!” as a crowd gathers around the still twitching pegasus.

After a while, Doc Hayseed, a rather tall lanky stallion with a sandy colored coat and a rust colored mane approaches “ What have we got here.”

“Well, I saw this feller tear up the street just a few minutes ago.” absently touching Icewing and getting a mild shock. “Ouch!”

The pegasus finally stops twitching and goes limp.

“You two” the sheriff pointing to some bystanders, “take him to Doc’s office.”

Once in there, Doc examines him. “I don't think we can do anything for him at the moment. His wings seem awfully stiff.” Prodding one with a hoof. “I will need to take him to Ponyville General Hospital. When is the next train getting here?”

“It should arrive here in a couple of hours.” One of the bystanders who brought him in chimes in. “Just in time for the night train back to Ponyville.”

“That gives me enough time to fold his wings back to his sides.” He gently folds his wings up and secures them to his sides taking far longer than expected due to the stiffness of the wings.

____________

Several hours later Doc and his charge are safely aboard the train heading to Ponyville in one of the private sleeping cars.

“AAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!! My Wings AAAAAAAGGGGHHHHH!!!” Icewing yelled thrashing about.

“Quiet you, do you want to wake up the whole car?” Doc said while holding him down. “We still got several hours left before we hit Ponyville”

“But they Hurt!”

“Here, these are muscle relaxers. Take these and it should help you sleep some more.” offering a couple of pills. “When you were passed out, I noticed your wing muscles were getting rather stiff.”

Icewing took the offered medicine and swallowed it. “Thanks, I didn’t get your name.”

“Neither did I. Doc Hayseed.”

“Icewing, and Thanks” He tries to move his wings and gets a searing pain on each and every muscle. “Ow! I never knew how many flight muscles I had, until now.”

“Yeah, you did quite a tumble back there in Dodge City. I heard you acted like a tumbleweed back there.”

“Don’t remember anything after I landed. It's all so blurry.”

“You might have bumped your head as well. Well then, What in tarnation were you doing landing like that?”

“My friend Spark and I invented an energy drink for ponies that are sleepy when they shouldn't be. I tried a sip of it and the next thing I know I was out of Manehattan and flying over Baltimare with no intention of stopping, not that I could.”

“Hmm, Interesting-” the words became mixed and mumbled after that, Icewing falling limp against the couch going unconscious again.

____________

Icewing regained consciousness-shaking his head “where am I now?” The pegasus said putting a hoof to his forehead. His vision blurry.

“You’re awake already? Oh, of course, you're in ponyville.” A pegasus mare said with a soft smile. She had a dark red mane, grey fur coat, beautiful blue eyes, and a gorgeous flank.

“I-I’m not in heaven? What are you doing here then?” Icewing said with an eye twitch sitting up, his wings still aching painfully.

“What? Are you hallucinating, what do you mean.” The mare tilted her head blushing lightly.

“It’s, it’s nothing, who are you? And… What part of ponyville am I in?”

“My Name is Tender Breeze, you’re in Ponyville General Hospital. Doc Hayseed brought you in. Do you remember that much?”

“Umm, I think so.” Thinking just how much he could get lost in those eyes of her’s.

“Doc filled me in this morning on what you talked about on the train, and suggested some physical therapy to get your wings moving again.”

“Has anyone told you-you have beautiful eyes?” Completely ignoring her comments.

Ignoring his and blushing slightly, she continues “Doc did a good job of keeping your wings immobile-”

“I haven’t eaten in a while, would you like to go out and meet somewhere private? No! Wait, what I meant was I want you. Argh! Need food. You come?” Turning beet red in the face.

Chuckling softly, “You’re funny, Come on, we can start on your therapy later.”

“So where would be the best place to get some food? Haven’t been to Ponyville before.”

“There is a small cafe` just down the street that serves the best hayburgers around.”

“I like hayburgers.” He decided to keep it simple since his brain didn't seem to be functioning well. Maybe it's because of the hunger in his stomach. “Lead on then Tender Breeze.”

He hops off the table onto his hooves and immediately collapses onto the floor. “Ow!”

Tender Breeze rushes over to him to help him up. “Are you alright?”

He looks up and finds himself lost in those beautiful blue eyes again. The color of a warm summer sky, deep and bright. Forgetting all his pain, “Yeah, I’ve never felt so good.”

Concerned and with a little giggle, She helped him up. “Are you sure?”

Breaking eye contact which severs the spell, “yeah, I guess the meds doc gave me are still having an effect on me. But with you by my side, I can make it to lunch?”

“Are you always this smooth with mares?” giving him a wry smile.

“Nah. Just the pretty ones.” looking away and cringing at what he just said. He realized that it can be taken out of context.

“Come on, Let's get out of here before you fill up on your own hooves.”

Icewing stumbling along and Tender Breeze supporting him.

____________

A day prior back in Manehattan, Shard hits his face gently against the cash register getting bored. He lets out an annoyed sigh looking to a security camera.

Shard watches as a pony wearing a long torn up cloth cloak running up to the donut shop, two other ponies tackle the one pony and bashing it with their forelegs repeatedly.

“Oh for buck’s sake,” Shard said running to the door, seeing blood spill against the pavement.

“Hey, what’s the big deal?” Shard shouted swinging the glass door open, his horn glowing with a bright orange light.

“This is none of your business. Go back inside and don’t pay us any attention and there will be no trouble.” Another pony said walking up out of seemingly nowhere, a fellow unicorn with a blue fur coat, sounding like a mare.

“You're beating up a pony- do you expect me to just sit here and watch? What do you think I am, a weak little snowflake who can’t take on three idiots?” Shard smirked wanting to piss them off so he would get to do the one thing he's good at, break things and fight. The two ponies beating the cloaked figure up stopped, all three turning to Shard.

“Three on one, are you serious?” One of them said confused, thinking Shard wouldn’t stand a chance the pony grinned, this pony was an earth pony stallion with a yellow fur coat and purple eyes, not much of a challenge to a unicorn but pretty strong nonetheless.

“Look, just tell me, what did this pony do wrong? If they stole something from you, or maybe tried beating one of you up. I’ll just walk back inside.” Shard backing up, his horn sparking a few times.

“It’s not a pony, just, please, go inside. Or else you’ll be beaten just as badly as this… Insect!” The third pony shouted in a gravely voice, pushing the cloaked figure against the ground and keeping them pinned down.

Shard looked at the figure. “What did they do wrong,” Shard said slowly, he felt as though the pony they were beating up was innocent, he wasn’t about to let an innocent pony get beaten to a pulp.

The three ponies went quiet, the first, the pony closest to Shard, spun around kicking him in the neck, falling against the glass door shattering it. It was a unicorn's kick so it didn’t hurt too badly, not as much as an earth pony’s or pegasi’s kick.

“That was a little uncalled for.” The second one said, their ears flattening.

Shard lay on the glass fragments, a few of the fragments getting lodged into his skin. Shard stood up slowly biting away at the pain that was filling him. “You… Should not have done that.” Shard said with a devilish grin. Levitating the glass shards currently not stuck in his hide, up into the air at his eye level.

The three ponies trotted back, the cloaked figure staying low to the ground letting out a small gasp. “H-hey, it was an accident, I didn’t mean it I swear.” The unicorn said starting to tremble.

“Get out of my sight and out of my face, or I make you bleed,” Shard said moving the fragments slowly towards them. His voice was borderline psychotic.

“He’s just bluffing, he doesn't have the nerve to-” The first pony went quiet, the fragments hovering inches away from their eyes, Shard tilting his head like an owl.

“To, what? Make you blind?” Shard laughed widening his eyes spinning the shards of glass making the three ponies back up even further “do you really want to test me? I’ve dealt with scum like you before, beating ponies up for no reason other than they looked at you the wrong way. I really enjoyed breaking them, but you… Your little group wouldn’t last ten seconds. So if you want to live and see another day, run for your lives.” Shard said lying, but the way he spoke made it seem like he was telling the truth.

The three ponies exchanged worried looks, choosing not to tempt him, the three ponies ran off leaving the cloaked figure behind. Shard releases his grasp on the fragments of glass, each falling in such a way that when they hit the ground it made a pleasant euphonic sounding tune.

The figure looked up, turning to Shard, not sure if it should run or stay still, it’s face and expression hidden by the shadow of its hood.

“It’s alright, those idiots are gone. They didn’t hurt you too badly did they?” Shard asked levitating the glass fragments out of the way, then offering a hoof to help the figure up.

“N-no… I’m fine, thanks for protecting me.” The figure said gratefully looking up at Shard, It’s voice smooth and had a quiet echo to it. It’s face and expression now visible. A female changeling with a scared expression looks at Shard, his first impulse was to run off since changelings are thought to be evil, but he chose not to, staying still.

“You’re a changeling… Okay then, I see why those idiots wanted to beat you up.” Shard said not thinking before he spoke, the changeling cowering scooting away from him “you saved me only to beat me?” The changeling squeaked sounding like she was ready to cry.

“No! I mean those ponies probably think you're evil, due to the failed invasion of Canterlot, most ponies associate changelings- not like you, to be evil. Stereotypes and stuff. I-I’m sure you're not like the others- and if you are that isn’t bad- I’m just going to shut up.” Shard said putting a hoof behind his neck.

The changeling tilted its head. “You... Are you not just an emotionless murderer? You seemed to be a savage beast just a moment ago, levitating that glass and falling on top of the shards of glass without having any reaction. Now you seem to be almost… Kind.” The changeling said with a wide-eyed look, standing up slowly shaking a little.

“You didn’t get cut once by the shards? I would have probably got fourteen deep gashes in my hide and a permanent limp.”

“No I did, pretty sure several shards are stuck inside me. But I’m used to pain much worse than this, so I’m just able to bite back my screams. And thanks, I’m not an emotionless psychopath, I just acted like that to scare those idiots off. And I do try to be kind.” Shard said with an exhausted sigh.

The changeling whimpered “I didn’t mean to offend you! I’m sorry.” The changeling flinched lowering her head, expecting to have been hit.

“Hey, it’s fine. Look at me.” Shard paused, the changeling looking directly at Shard’s scarred horn.

“Go fly off to Ponyville- maybe Canterlot- anywhere other than here. Ponies here see you as bugs that should be eradicated, you’ll be killed within a week or so.” Shard said being serious, frowning seeing what appeared to be tears in the changeling’s eyes.

“I’ve lived here my whole life. Within this city.” The changeling said making Shard skeptical.

“I was hatched in the sewers, only recently came up to the surface. I won’t be like the others… I’m not, like the others.” She insisted.

“Try convincing the rest of Manehattan that’s true. They won’t believe you.” Shard said cringing slightly, one of the glass shards slipping out of his side, shattering against the ground and blood dripping from his wound.

“Are you… Okay?” The changeling asked tilting its head to the left looking at his wound.

“I’m going to be fine, time heals all wounds. Look, if you want to stay in Manehattan fine by me, just try to either avoid fights or learn to protect yourself.” Shard said forcing a smile. The changeling looking away from his cut and then looked him in the eyes.

“Will do. If we ever meet again, what’s your name?”

“Shard, kinda ironic considering what’s in my side right now. And your name is what?”

“I… I’d rather not say.” The changeling mumbled backing up, it’s wings popping uplifting out from the cloak. “Until we meet again Shard.” The changeling nodded with a smile, equally as forced as his. Quickly galloping off, instead of flying she chose to run off.

Shard turned to the security camera inside the shop, hopefully not getting any footage of what just happened. Shard walks back inside and towards the cash register, cringing a little feeling the glass inside himself shake a little, causing more internal bleeding “buck,” Shard whimpered, blood dripping onto the floor.

Shard levitated a nearby phone up, dialing the manager getting the answering machine “sorry, I may or may not have been attacked tonight, I’m going to have to go home early, I may or may not just be bleeding out. I’ll be fine, bad luck for you ain’t it?” Shard said into the phone, hanging up calling the Manehattan Hospital slowly. Getting to talk with a nurse, Shard explained what happened and waited patiently at the doorway until a carriage pulled up, two ponies running up to Shard.

“You almost went a full month without an incident,” one of the ponies said to Shard, who nodded walking with them, having gone through similar events many times before. Shard got into the carriage quietly after locking the front door to the donut shop, despite the door now consisting of just a frame, he decided it would be reasonable to lock it. Clenching his jaw from a sudden surge of pain filling him. The carriage pulls off heading to the hospital in a hurry.

Chapter 2

Heart of Mist

Written By: CleverGoblin171 & (this chapter mostly written by) fistfire fimfiction.net

Proofread By: fistfire fimfiction.net

.:Chapter 2:.

Spark meanwhile sat at her home, trying to make a more improved version of the Performance Enhancing Drink with less caffeine, but keeping the small kick of lightning in it. Spark let out an exhausted sigh, tempted to try some of the PED (Performance Enhancing Drink) but remembered what happened to Icewing. She whimpered pushing herself against the table, looking to the window, hoping somepony would come over and end her boredom.

Spark glared at the clock, her eyes going wide seeing it was almost seven am in the morning. She hadn’t gotten any sleep all night, deciding to work on the improved PED instead. She hit her face against the table exhausted, “oh screw it.” Spark mumbled, pouring up a small cup of the PED and taking a sip, a rush of energy filling her sending a sensational electric pulse go through her.

“Oh wow,” Spark gasped falling backwards, her horn sparking a few times, but only sparking and nothing more.

She lay on the floor with a dopey grin forcing across her muzzle, Spark closing her eyes slowly as a pony knocked on her door.

“Hello? Is this the home of- Sparkle?” A mare asked knocking on the door again.

“Spark, and yes. Who is this?” Spark said standing up cautiously.

“I’m… A close old friend of Shard’s, let's just say that. I heard you're a good friend of his. Are you aware he’s currently in the hospital? Glass shards lodged into his skin! I’m sure he would want you to know, to not have you worry. I want you to go to the hospital and be there, just in case he loses contr- loses consciousness.” The mare paused. “Please, or I’ll make sure you suffer, trust me.” The mare said sounding personally enraged.

“Shard’s hurt, that’s all you needed to have said, the threat was not necessary.” Spark said swinging the door open, a unicorn mare with white fur coat, a red mane, and tail with yellow eyes. Her expression sour and her eyes narrow.

“Good. Now come on!” The mare shouted her horn sparking a bright yellow, both her and Spark teleporting in front of the hospital, the mare being teleported a few feet in the air, landing on all fours cringing slightly.

Sparks jaw dropped. “Wait, yeah I know you! Your Shards sister. Heart Attack, right-”

“Shut up, we can talk later, just go see if you can convince Shard to hang in there, recently it’s like he’s losing a reason to stay alive.” The mare cut Spark off scowling.

Turning, Spark heads into the hospital to find Shard, the mare following quickly behind her. The changeling that had been protected by Shard watches and listens from a nearby alley, disguising as a pony that passed by her a moment earlier. Walking quickly across the street she follows the two ponies in.

“Excuse us, we need to see Shard.” Heart Attack said to a stallion with a similar white fur coat and a yellow mane, standing in the hallway blocking any ponies from going past.

“No non-doctors allowed past here, no exceptions.” The stallion responded flatly.

“Are you serious.” Spark said sparking her horn.

“Yes, I am. Nopony that isn’t a doctor is allowed past.” The stallion chimed clenching his jaw.

The changeling’s eyes flashing a bright green, backing up out of his sight taking the form of a doctor who just walked out of the hospital moments earlier. Becoming a stallion with a blue fur coat a dark blue mane and blue eyes.

The changeling, in the form of the doctor, walks up to the stallion, she mimicked his possible voice the best she could, “let them pass, they’ve been requested to try calming a patient that fell on glass.” The changeling went quiet. Her voice was more of a female's voice than a stallion’s. The stallion groaning stepped aside not questioning the voice change.

The changeling gestured a hoof for them to go on, smiling sheepishly following the two ponies, she trotted beside them “let me guess, glass shards in his skin? I could have helped if he just asked.” The changeling mused making the mare and Spark confused.

“You were there?” Spark questioned turning to the changeling.

“Um… I… Think I’m needed elsewhere.” The changeling said walking backwards away from the two. Turning a corner and galloping off.

The mare continued walking without questioning the ponies strange behavior. Turning left down a hallway and into a small operating room to see Shard, laying on his back, several ponies standing around him trying to identify exactly where each shard of glass was lodged. But unfortunately they hadn’t put Shard under yet, he was still conscious.

Spark knocked on the door trying to get someone’s attention. A nurse looked up and walked over to the door “Yes?”

“Hey listen, That's my friend in there. Who did this and why?” said Spark glaring in at the nurse.

“I’m sorry, I cannot talk to you right now. I can only talk to immediate family members”

“I’m his sister, and answer the mare.” said Heart Attack.

Getting annoyed, “We are going to put him under in a few minutes. After the operation, someone will be out to let you know how the procedure went. The waiting room is through those doors.” The nurse said pointing a hoof to another set of doors. She has a smile plastered on her face trying not to be angry.

Hours later, a doctor comes out of the surgery looking around for the two mares. Spark spots him and waves him over. Heart starts to climb out of her rut from pacing back and forth.

“Well, your brother is in recovery now. We were able to get all of the glass out of his body. As soon as he can be moved into a room, you can see him, and not before. He is still in critical condition.”

“Pfffft. It figures my brother would get himself in a mess, but last time he had an operation, they took ten hours to put him back together. This is definitely shorter.” Spark looked to Heart just wondering how long was his longest hospital stay.

“Yeah, it helps when the surgeon knows his patient very well. He should be waking up in twenty minutes now, I will let you know what room he is in.”

“Thanks doc for all you have done for him”

“Yeah, don’t thank me yet, he is not out of the woods. He lost a lot of blood you know.” He turns around to walk back to the surgery center leaving the two mares to talk.

“So, how many times was Shard brought into the hospital?” Spark’s voice was shaky, clearly worried for Shard.

“Sixty-three times including now, it’s like pain and misfortune are attracted to Shard.” Heart Attack said casually, rolling her eyes seeing Spark’s jaw drop.

“Seriously, sixty-three times, how has Shard not had one of his legs snap and break off yet?” Spark hesitated.

“Because Shard isn’t exactly your everyday ordinary stallion, he’s different… It doesn't matter. Shard is more than you can ever imagine, let’s just say that.”

“What, what do you mean…” Spark’s eyes widened.

“It’s not important, just, never let Shard near electricity or get submerged in water past his horn, for his sake. If you ask why, or what I mean one more time, I swear I’d make you regret it, you're lucky we're in a hospital.” Heart Attack said flatly.

Spark went quiet, looking to the door hoping the doctor would walk through telling them Shard was ready to talk. But in reality, they had only been speaking for five minutes at most.

Spark and Heart Attack silently sat on the cushions in the waiting room. An awkward silence filling the room.

"Would you like to play a game of checkers while we wait?”

Heart looks at her and wonders if Canterlot had changed her into some kind of lady. “Do you really think we can stand each other for that long? Let me rephrase that. Do you really think I can sit still for that long? Hmmm?”

“We managed to last an hour together once, and now we’re adults. Do you have a problem with sitting still for a long time? Why not walk around during the checkers game.” Heart glared at her with a sour look.

“I really do despise you, more and more, with each passing minute.” Heart groaned “why did I even bother going to get you, not like your presence could make Shard suddenly perfectly fine and healthy with no injuries at all.”

“Well, thank you for getting me anyway. We may have disagreed in the past, but, maybe we can turn over a new leaf?” Wondering what has happened to her over the years.

“If you talk less, sure, what could possibly go wrong…” Heart said holding her sour look.

“Would you rather be black or red?”

With a sly grin on her face Heart said, “I’ll take the blood…”

____________

Sixteen years earlier, Shard, his mother, and big sister had all gone to attend the Summer Sun Celebration being hosted in Fillydelphia, as a family. Heart Attack was a different mare back then, her future not ready to assert itself upon her. Her personality was different, well matched to her name, Sweetheart. The mother, a coat of silver, black mane and blue eyes, were all walking around enjoying the sights of this town. Strolling down one street and up another, they finally find themselves near a tree covered park near the Independence Museum.

“Hey, can me and Shard walk on ahead to the museum?” Sweetheart said to her mother in an excited squeaky voice.

“Sure, just be careful of creeps or weirdos,” the mother smiled.

As Shard was looking from side to side not paying attention, just following his sister, a unicorn filly walks in between them and turns her head just in time for Shard to bump into her muzzle with his.

Both of their eyes shot wide open at the unintentional contact. “Oof. Sorry, I didn't see you there.”

Backing up a step. “What, you couldn't see an orange pony right in front of you?”

Blushing lightly Shard stuttered, “I-I was looking at the sights all around, s-sorry.”

“Obviously, he didn't see you, no need to make him feel bad for it. You don't know of he's blind or not, I mean, he isn’t but still.” Sweetheart said looking to the filly.

“Ha ha ha ha! That was so funny! You two should be in a comedy act!” a pegasus colt says as he walks over to the two ponies snickering.

“And you should be on fire, but I don't walk up and yell that out to you.” Sweetheart joked looking to him.

“Huh?” he says then looks at Shard and the filly, completely disregarding Sweetheart “Hi, I'm Icewing, Do you live around here? Or are you here for the celebration.”

“We are just here for the celebration.” Shard’s voice was shaky, being clearly embarrassed.

“Nice to meet you Icewing, Look, we’re getting off on the wrong hoof, my brother just wasn’t looking where he was going. I’m Sweetheart, he’s Shard, more enemies is the last thing we need so can you please forgive him.”

After a moment the filly smiled, “I’m Spark, and it’s fine.”

“Hey, maybe we can hang out together.”

“Why, you just insulted my brother.”

“Huh? When did I do that?”

“Just now when they kissed.” Sweetheart said flatly, Spark and Shard visibly embarrassed at the mention of them inadvertently ‘kissing’.

“Oh, sorry about that.” Sweetheart rolling her eyes at the casual response he gave.

Recovering from his ‘sun’ exposure, Shard says “Sure you can. If that’s alright with you Spark.”

“Umm, I guess so.”

“As long as you don't make any more snide remarks, I’m okay with it as well.”

“Great” just let me tell my parents” and with that, he bolts away looking for them.

“Pegasi can be such featherbrains at times.”

A short time later, he comes back. “Okay! They said it’s fine.”

Unbeknownst to them, somepony starts to follow them into the museum. They move from exhibit to exhibit, exploring each one and commenting on others. Some serious discussions were held, laughter could be heard from others. All the while a shadow trails behind them. As they get to the bell, Sweetheart notices something suspicious.

“Um, guys, we should be going now.” She ushers them to the exit of the museum.

“Aww, I didn't even get to ring the bell!”

“Icewing, I don't think you can do that with that bell anymore.” Says Shard with a smug grin.

As they exit, Heart notices a ‘shady looking’ character exit moments after them looking around.

“Hey, can we go the zoo next?” Spark asks.

“Sure, but we are going by my route.” Sweetheart commands.

She leads them down one street and up another making confusing turns all the while looking back to see if they are being followed. She sees the shady character every now and then. The children doing their best to keep up. Turning around to make quick successive turns into one department store, through different departments, and out the other side, she finally decides she has lost their tail, ending up in front of the Zoo. But, there lurking in the shadows is the pony, panting waiting to see where they will go.

They pay their bits and enter the zoo. Going from the elephants to the loins, watching a manticore be completely bored out of its skull. They spend some time looking at the penguins who just smile and wave. Finally, as the sun is going down and after they ate in the zoo, they end up in the snake exhibit watching them and learning about the different species that there are. From around a corner, a pegasus stallion watches from the shadows.

A skinny unicorn stallion with light brown fur and blueish eyes sees Shard and Sweetheart “Oh, look what luck I must have, of all places to run into the worst ponies in all Equestria, it just had to be a zoo.” The stallion said with a sly smirk.

“R-Ritz?! Seriously! W-why are you here?” Sweetheart gulped looking up to the stallion. Shard went quiet looking to him, glaring and biting his lower lip. Icewing looked at Spark with concern and she returned the gesture.

“Summer Sun Celebration, willing to bet you’re here for the same reason, Sweetie,” Ritz said in a mocking tone glaring at the filly.

“Your name is a cracker, Ritz right? Can’t really make fun of another ponies name since you’re a literal cracker-pony.” Spark smiled watching the stallion’s eyes widen. Icewing snickers.

Scowling, Ritz snorted, sparks flying from his horn. “Hey, watch your mouth. You should treat your elders better than that.”

“Right, when I see one, I will treat them as such. Thanks for reminding me”

“Why you little beast! I should vaporize the lot of you right now.” Lowering his head getting ready to cast a telekinetic spell.

Just then, the white unicorn notices a blur out of the corner of her eye coming at her with wings extended She ignites her own horn fearing for the worst. Ritz picks up Spark and shoves her to into the wall. The stranger jumps over Heart heading right for Ritz, knocking him to the ground disrupting his spell Standing over him, “I wouldn’t do anything more If I were you.” He tries to ignite his horn, but every time he does the pegasus taps his horn disrupting the flow.

“I got you covered.” Sweetheart says having her horn glowing and ready with a spell. Icewing’s eyes grow wide as the scene unfolds.

“Well, it looks like you have a choice here. I could continue to pummel you right here, or you could walk away.”

Ritz gives up trying to attack and visibly relaxes. The pegasus removes himself from the stallion and he gets up.

“You haven’t seen the last of me.”

“I’ll be ready when you do. Now get going before I get angry. “ He flaps his wings and false charges the stallion. Ritz backs away then turns to leave in a hurry.

“Dad! What are you doing here!” Icewing questions, looking to the stallion smiling.

“Well, looking after you of course. Did you really think I would let you go off with a stranger that you just met?”

“Umm, yes?” Icewing says sheepishly.

Smiling, he ruffles his mane “No, tiger, I wouldn’t. So, who are your friends?”

____________

Halfway through their checkers game a nurse came in to take Spark and Heart to the ICU where Shard is recovering. Heart was winning.

“You couldn’t just use the door huh? You had to walk through the window? I leave you alone for one week, and you wind up in the hospital again!”

“Hey, sis, Nice to see you too.”

“What happened to you.”

Gulping with a dry throat and still groggy, “I had to stop some bullies from terrorizing a changeling Sparks.”

“And this is what happens? You should be more careful or you’ll wind up dead.”

“I’ve been worse. ” his eyes drooping. Fighting the anesthesia, “Thanks for coming to visit me.”

She grabs the closest hoof and gives it a squeeze. “Anytime Shard. You get better now. You can tell me the rest of the details when you’re more awake.” She stands up and gives him a peck on the cheek.

“I’ll be watching you Shard. Don’t do anything stupid while you’re here.”

“You know me sis, can’t promise you that.” A smile plays across his lips. His eyes close all the way and he drifts off to sleep.

____________

The changeling (in the form of the completely blue stallion) passes the ICU looking to speak to Shard, she notices two ponies talking in a hallway near the ICU, a stallion and a mare whispering back and forth.

“You hear about how Shard was brought in yet again, heard this time, he got shards of glass lodged into his skin causing him to internally bleed. It’s surprising the poor guy’s still alive.” The stallion spoke quietly. The changeling leaning against a corner, listening in careful to not make any sounds.

“It’s almost like his injuries been getting more painful, how long do you think before he ends up getting himself killed.” The mare said slightly worried.

“Maybe we should end it before he goes through a living nightmare of pain, assuming he survives another year of these ‘accidents.”

“Are you suggesting we…” The stallion went quiet, the changelings expression going grim.

“We inject him with enough adrenaline to put him down, he’ll hopefully die a painless death.” The mare said confidently.

“But won’t his sister, Heart Attack, be furious?”

“Yes, but only if she finds out! What she doesn't know won’t hurt her. We’ll be doing Shard a favor.” The changeling clenched her jaw, realizing they’d kill Shard. In the distance she hears the ponies walking in her direction, she looked to a vent above her. Reverting to her natural form, she moves the grille out of the way, jumping into the vent and closing it behind her.

“We make it quick and silent, before anypony notices.” The stallion whispered nervously.

The changeling following a ventilation shaft until she was in a vent, above the ICU Shard was in. Her eyes flashing lime green seeing the two ponies standing on both sides of him, the mare fiddling around with a syringe trying to hold it in a way to inject it into Shard.

“Oh no, you don’t, you're not killing the first pony to be kind to me.” The changeling mutters under her breath, using her magic to grab the syringe away from the mare and spinning it around, also making anything not stapled to the ground float into the air. Flinging each object at the two ponies violently, the two running out of the ICU letting out screams of terror, believing a ghost was in the hospital.

The changeling jumped down from the vent, landing softly on the ground looking to Shard, looking to his side frowning, feeling as though she was the cause of his pain.

“I will make it up for you… I promise.” The changeling whispered under her breath, flying up back into the vent.

____________

“This is the place.” Tender Breeze said while finding a table outside. It's a small cafe with tables for two scattered outside the restaurant. The chairs are hay bales giving it that rustic feel. They sit down at a table and a waiter comes over to hand them the menus.

“What would you like for lunch? Could I start you off with some drinks?” the lanky waiter with a sterotypical french mustache said.

“The last time I had a strange drink, I ended up three hundred miles from where I started. So, I think I will just have water.”

Chuckling she said “I’ll take the strawberry fizzi”

“Very good choice madam.” And with that, he turns away to fill the orders.

“Well, what’s good to eat here?”

“It all depends. How are you going to pay for it”

Blushing, “I left all my bits in Manehattan.” eyes going wide, “Oh No! I gotta get word to my friend there. She’ll be worried sick about me!” Getting up and trying to flap his wings, the pain brings him back to reality.

“Easy there, we can get word to your friend after lunch. We’ll send a ponygram and it should arrive at her address this afternoon.” smiling at his antics. “You sure know how to treat a mare.” Chuckling, “Inviting her out to lunch and then making her pay for it.”

“Aaagh! Why can’t I ever get things right! Spark and Shard were right. I am such a featherbrain.” the pegasus said completely deflated putting his head on the table.

“I’m just kidding, I’ll pay for it. Don’t be sad. Is that where you are from?”

“Nah, me and my business partner just moved there. What about you.”

Just then the waiter comes back with their drinks. “Have you decided on what you want to eat?”

Looking at the menus, “Umm. I’ll have the daisy sandwich with a side of fries.”

“And I’ll have the hayburger with onions and ketchup, ” Icewing said.

“Very good sir.” And with that, he leaves to wait on another customer.

“I came here for the relaxing atmosphere. I’m originally from Fillydelphia. That's where I studied to be a therapy pony.”

“Wow, I was there as a colt for the Summer Sun celebration one year.”

“Oh yeah? Can you tell me about it?”

“What's there to tell? We had a nice time, Sparks, Shard Sweetheart and me.”

“There must have been something exciting you did?” Looking directly at him.

Those deep blue eyes and a smile like a morning sun greeting the new day, full of excitement for the hours it rules. He had to respond with something if only to get lost in them again.”

“We were going on about the city, looking at the sites when we ended up at the zoo. Apparently, Shard has an enemy with an old acquaintance of his. And he confronted us, right inside the snake house.”

“I don't like snakes.” Tender breeze shudders.

“What I do remember is my dad fought him off right after he throws Sparks into the wall. Apparently, he was following us just to make sure I was safe. I kinda went off with a couple of strangers.”

“Sounds like you had an adventure.”

“Yep.” Sipping his drink and enjoying the fact that he is still on the ground.

“Wait a minute. Is this the same Shard and Spark that you are trying to communicate within Manehattan?”

“Yea. I have known them since that day. We are good friends.”

“I have only lived here for a year and haven't met any real friends.”

“You seem nice enough and are sure pretty enough, I would gladly be your friend.” Hoping it will morph into something more.

“Oh? Is that how you rate your friends? By their looks?”

“No, no, no. Ugh! What can’t I ever talk to a mare.” He starts banging his head on the table.

A smile plays across her lips, why do I always find the adorable idiots she thought. Grabbing his hoof, “Icewing, I am supposed to be putting you back together, not tearing you apart! Look, would you like me to teach you how to talk to me- er mares?”

Stifling a sniffle and not realizing they are holding hooves, “I would like to be with you-umm, to teach me. Would you really do that for me?”

“Come on, our food is here. Let's eat and get back to the hospital so we can work on your wings.”

Chapter 3

Heart of Mist

Written By: CleverGoblin171 & fistfire fimfiction.net

Proofread By: fistfire fimfiction.net

.:Chapter 3:.

Shard slowly wakes up finding himself in a room. Where am I? He thought. Oh, that’s right I’m in the hospital. How did I get here? “But something is different. The bed is the same as a hospital bed, but the sheets are tie-dyed in lots of colors. And the walls have a shifting flower print like they are waving at me and smiling. Wait a minute, I think I remember taking something. Wow! Those drugs they have me on, I hear happy music!” Shard said to no one in particular. Lifting up his hoof that has an IV drip in it, starts to move in different ways. “Wow! My hoof looks different” Sensing the happiness, the hoof he is looking at turns psychedelic colors and warps into a bouquet of flowers, all smiling at him.

“Shard, what are you staring at?” Spark says as she is walking into his room in the hospital.

“Cool! Did you change your mane color? It looks beautiful! It's a very pretty color of teal!” He said with a noticeable slur. “Here, These are for you.” A very happy smile on his face.

“What are you talking about? And why are you holding your hoof out to me.”

“Humor him darling” A teal colored mare in a nurses uniform walks in to check his vitals. “How are we doing Shard. Still trying to give you hoof to the pretty mares?“

“It's not a hoof, Its flowers!”

“Nurse, what do you have him on?!” Spark questioned worryingly.

“Oh? Isn’t he normally like this?” She says with a witty smile.

“No, he isn’t. He’s usually quiet and doesn't speak with such a happy tone… It’s kind of nice to see him happy.” her ears flattened and her voice cross at first, but going normally as she finished.

“Well, it's Percocet and Carisoprodol. He was thrashing around last night, threatening to rip the stitches out. So, Doc gave him something to calm him down” The nurse explains.

“Hey! Where did the flowers go!” He said looking disappointed. Looking to Spark, “I have nothing to give you.”

“It's not you who is supposed to give presents to, Loopy, it's your visitors who are supposed to give them to you.” Spark covered her mouth with her hoof, trying to hide her smile.

“Well, I’ll leave you two alone then, everything is looking better and it looks like he’s coming back down to Equestria. Stop by the Nurses Station on your way out okay?” Spark nodded, and with that, the nurse exits the room.

An orderly enters with a tray of food “Here you go, try to eat something if you can. Doc wants to get you on solid food as soon as possible.”

Spark looks at the tray, and it doesn’t look too appetizing. It smells like it's been massively overcooked. “Yeeeesh! Do you think you can stomach this?”

“Let me try.” He picks up a spoon with his magic, it falters and clangs back onto the tray. “Oh! My head!” Shard yelps out, nausea threatening to empty his stomach.

“Here, let me help you.”

“I-I don’t think I want anything right now.”

“There is a cup of water, with ice cubes in it, here. Maybe you can have a sip of that?” She levitates the cup to his mouth.

“Sure.” He takes a sip, “Thanks.”

“What happened last night?” Spark asked levitating a chair up behind her, sitting down on it scooting closer to Shard.

“Well, I was just standing around in the doughnut shop, no customers around. It was late at night when a pony wearing a long cloth like a cloak, runs towards the shop. Two other ponies run up behind ‘her’ and start bashing ‘her’ against the pavement.” Shard spoke quickly, pausing for a moment.

“Her? Are you doubting it was a mare?” Spark questioned narrowing her gaze and tilting her head.

“Well, it was a changeling, so I’m not entirely sure what to call a female changeling… So I’ll just call it her, that’s it.” Shard smiled nervously.

“I believe the correct terminology is: "Spooky bug bitch." Heart joked cursing nonchalantly.

“Anyways, they were bashing the changeling against the pavement, but I didn’t realize it was a changeling, so I walked outside and told them to leave her alone. If I had known it was a changeling I would have immediately taken action.”

“Why is that?” Spark scowled clenching her jaw.

“Because maybe not all changeling’s are evil, and don’t usually travel alone, if a changeling is in Manehattan I wouldn’t want it telling any other changeling’s to go and attack random ponies because of the actions of a few idiots,” Shard said flatly.

“Fair enough I guess… Maybe not all changelings want to enslave ponies.” Spark muttered unsurely.

“Two more ponies came up out of nowhere, taking me by surprise, they told me to just ignore what I was seeing, I didn’t. One thing lead to another, and one of them ended up kicking me through the glass door making a few shards of glass get lodged in my skin, I levitated the shards that weren’t stuck inside me and threatened to cut them up or something like that. Managed to scare them off, then I saw that I had protected a changeling, and she ran off after a bit. Then I ended up here.” Shard let out a sigh, breathing slowly, and finding himself rather drained from all that talking.

“Hey, is there anything sweet in that pile of food?”

Spark looking at the tray, “There is some applesauce or a small cup of juice.”

“I think I would like to try the applesauce.” he says weakly.

She levitates a small spoonful up to him. “Here try this. It’s not a lot.”

“Thanks again.” He takes the whole spoonful, swishing it around in his mouth, then swallowing.

Knocking on the doorframe he greets the occupants. “Well, Look who’s finally awake, and no worse for wear I see.” A smiling gray unicorn stallion enters the room followed by Heart Attack. “The name’s Doc Clockerson and I was one of the doctors doing your surgery last night. How are you feeling by the way?” Doc Clockerson asked in a kind voice.

“Could be better, could be worse, all in all, I’m okay.”

“Well, it was a bit of touch and go for a while. Some of the shards of glass worked their way near some of your vital organs. We were able to get every piece out, though. You’re one lucky stallion, not to mention to have two fine ladies looking out for you while you stay in Mercy General Hospital.”

Heart just scowls at him while Spark blushes lightly.

“One of those fine ladies is his sister, shut up before I break your muzzle off.”

“What, You can’t take a compliment?” Doc smirked.

“Sorry, I just took that the wrong way I guess…” Heart’s ears flattened looking down.

“Hey, that's alright I just like to see pretty mares smile is all,” Doc said with a grin. Although no one could actually tell, Heart’s face blushed a light shade of pink ever so slightly around her cheeks.

“He should be here a couple more days at least. Shard, you need to eat a meal before I can let you go.”

“Fine, if it means I can go home, payments have to be made.” Shard frowned rolling his eyes.

“Shard, you’re not able to work for at least a week, you need time to recover from your injuries”

“Are you kidding me?! I’m not going to be able to pay off the bills for my house.” Shard exclaimed.

“We will help, Icewing and myself. We’ll get the bits to help you. In the meantime, enjoy your vacation.” Spark said with a smile. “Can I get you anything to bring back this afternoon? I still have to find Icewing and figure out how to market this drink.”

“Just add a warning to it, may cause the consumer to fly off out of sight at the speed of sound.” Heart Attack spoke with a sly smile.

“Real funny Heart. It's no joke, I have no idea where he is. For all I know, he could be at the badlands this very moment.”

“Oh, sorry about your friend. I will stay here for a while. Why don't you go and get something for Shard.”

Looking over at Shard, Spark realizes he is fast asleep. “Oh, well, not much more for me here then. See you later.” She walks up to Shard and gives him a peck on the cheek. “Rest well.” Leaving the white mare in charge of their patient, She trots out of the room.

The changeling still in the vent above, listened in on their conversation. A large grin played across its face as she backed up and left the area quickly. An idea of how to repay him formed in her mind. Dropping down from the vent disguising itself as the blue stallion from earlier. She walked quickly towards the exit. Once outside he ran off towards the doughnut shop, jumping into an alley along the way disguising herself as Shard, trotting out of the alley casually heading off towards the doughnut shop.

____________

A little while later, she arrives at the doughnut shop assessing the damage. Glass everywhere, and the store seems to have been looted for any small valuables. In there stood an orange coated earth pony stallion assessing the damage. Looking up he sees who he believes to be Shard walking in. “Well, it's about time you decided to show up after abandoning the store!” The manager shouted appearing not to have listened to Shard’s message he left for him.

“Y-Yeah, sorry about that.” The changeling spoke hesitantly, trying to mimic Shard’s voice the best she could, but unable to get it just right for some reason.

“You alright? You sound… Different.” The stallion questioned shooting mimic Shard a confused glare.

“Of course, just got a- sore throat is all.” The changeling said letting out a fake forced cough.

“Well, why are you here? Your shift is over. Go home and get sleep.” The manager spoke quickly.

“I want to work overtime… Do the morning shift.” The changeling spoke unsure of what she was saying was right.

“Seriously? Well, since the other employee called in sick, I guess you’ll have to.”

“Yea, I want to work longer… Who was going to be doing the morning shift?” The changeling said looking around the doughnut shop, a small smile playing across her lips.

“Well, you’re going to have to pay for the broken glass. The camera clearly shows you breaking the glass. I will dock it from your pay.” An evil smile plays across his face. “Go ahead and take the shift. And don’t let anything happen this time or I will fire you!”

“O-of course!” The changeling yelped, her ears flattening. Not liking being yelled at, since every time somepony yells at her, a beating usually follows.

“I’ll be in the back. Clean up this mess anyway. I gotta make the doughnuts.” The manager sighed, walking past the changeling through a door into the back of the shop.

So mimic Shard grabs a broom with her magic and starts to clean up the mess of glass fragments.

After she cleans up the fragments and puts them in the trash, she looks up to the menu in the doughnut shop, looking to each of the titles for the doughnuts curiously. Chocolate Dip, Sour Cream, Plain, and the Maple Dip. The last menu option in particular left the changeling intrigued. Her ears perked up looking to the image of the maple doughnut besides the price. It looked delicious. Shame this changeling has problems digesting physical food, which means she’d never be able to enjoy the food she was looking at.

She smirked looking to the front of the shop, the frame of the door barely able to keep itself closed. Her eyes flashing lime green seeing one of the ponies from last night, who had beaten her, walk into the shop. Making eye contact with her He froze in place.

“Oh please no- you’re still working? Even with those shards in your hide? N-no hard feelings about last night dude! W-we just- didn’t want to have that changeling hurt any fillies & colts- you’re not mad? Right?” The pony stuttered, the pony was a stallion with dark green fur and a brown mane.

“You! You tried killing me, do you honestly expect me to not be mad at you? Your friend kicked me through a window and you beat a changeling for no real reason other than she looked at you funny. I should have torn you apart last night.” The changeling smirked sheepishly as she spoke, trying to have as much of an intimidating voice as possible, imitating Shard’s voice almost perfectly when she was trying to be intimidating, rather than a calm one. She was a pacifist, so when she saw a pony protecting her and nearly killing the ponies who attacked her, she enjoyed it quite a lot.

“I’m sorry dude! I didn’t want him to have kicked you, dude, it was uncalled for. And the changeling thing… I.. I swear I just went along with the others, plus changelings are practically terrorists right? I was just doing Manehattan a favor.” The stallion gulped backing away and out of the door.

The changeling’s jaw dropped, she took a deep breath and glared into the stallion’s eyes “go rot in a hole filled with spiders and snakes. If I see you again so help me I’ll break every bone in your body.” The changeling spoke holding back the urge to strike the stallion down he was making the threat hoping that was how Shard would have responded.

“Of course.” The stallion backed out of the shop, running off to the left out of sight.

She started thinking about how the ponies of Manehattan likely see changelings. She muttered to herself that she wasn’t like other changelings, she wasn’t a monster like how the others were portrayed like.

She was hatched in the sewers of Manehattan and was instantly abandoned by her mother, left to die. She wasn’t around other changelings when she was a hatchling, so she didn’t adapt their ideologies and only learned how to shapeshift by accident when she was looking at ponies in the distance, her horn sparking and then she suddenly became a copy of the pony she was looking at while spying on ponies from an alley. Frightened by the sudden change of appearance and species, she ran off deep into the alley passing four ponies. Looking back, they recognized her and shouted to her. She continued to run changing directions several times. Eventually, she outruns the four ponies, removing the manhole and dropping into the sewers.

She let out a deep breath, nuzzling her head against the concrete walls as she tried changing back to her original form to no avail. After hours go by, the young changeling manages to fall asleep to the sound of water dripping from a leaky pipe.

The next morning, when she wakes up, she finds herself in her natural insectoid state. To her surprise, she had reverted back to normal during her sleep and five mice had fallen asleep within the holes in her hide.

She waited for the mice to wake up and run off before deciding to stand up. She looked at her reflection in the sewer water, sparking her horn trying to replicate what happened yesterday.

Eventually, after a few tries, her horn sparks a bright lime green, a lime green flame engulfing her for a moment, when the flames dissipated her appearance was the same as the pony she had first mimicked.

The changeling, now in the form of a pony, smirked cheekily. Holding her breath trying to undo her transformation, her horn sparking again and the same lime green flame engulfing her, reverting back to her normal state. She then did it again in a shorter amount of time, then again, then again, after three hours of switching between pony and changeling forms, she was confident that she had it down pat. Her smile grew wider as she laughed quietly. Finally managing to successfully transform and revert.

“Um… Hello? Sir?” A mare said snapping the changeling out of her flashback.

“Hmm?” She responded quickly shaking her head nervously, quickly realizing she hadn’t switched forms during her flashback, so she calmed down slightly.

“You okay sir? You were just staring off into the distance for quite some time. Is this a bad time or-”

“No it’s fine, did you want to buy something?” She asked interrupting the mare.

“I want two maple dips, one chocolate dip, and one plain, and make it quick I’ve got a meeting soon.” The customer demanded sounding annoyed.

“Of course!” The changeling cringed, backing up and informing the manager of the order.

After a few minutes, the mare spoke again, sounding frustrated “I’ve been waiting here for two hours, where are my doughnuts?” “They’ll be coming shortly ma’am, please hold on.” The changing said trying to be civil.

“I should've just gone to a different-” The mare was cut off as the manager emerged with the mare’s doughnuts.

“Finally, it’s been four hours, what took you so long!” the mare said, snatching away the doughnuts from the manager “Actually ma’am it’s been three minutes, and that’ll be four bits.” The manager said in an almost monotone voice

“Fine, don't expect to see me here again, the wait time is terrible!” the mare said with her mouth full as she stormed out of the shop. The manager walked off to the back, leaving the changeling there alone in the front of the shop to contemplate the choices that led her to this moment.

Three hours pass before another pony walks into the shop. But quickly turned around leaving quickly upon eye contact with the changeling mimic of Shard.

The changeling leaned her head against the cash register letting out a sigh of boredom. Glaring to the clock seeing it was only 10:20 AM. She groaned in her regular voice hitting her head gently against the register.

The changeling glares to the back room where the manager walked into, thoughts crossing her mind of ‘feeding’ off him, draining him of his energy than taking his position as the manager. Then closing the shop early because she didn’t want to be cooped up in the small shop for much longer.

Eventually, a mare walked into the shop, asking for the Maple Dip donut, she gives them the donut in exchange for bits. The changeling watches the mare eat and enjoy the Maple Dip, a few hours pass, and three more ponies walk into the shop, each only getting either a Maple Dip or Chocolate Dip. Which gave the changeling the impression that the Maple Dip was a favorite of many.

An idea popped into her head, most ponies have sweet sounding names. And a few ponies seem to like the taste of Maple Dip, so why not name herself “Maple” in an attempt to possibly get ponies to like her.

“Maple… Hmph, not a bad name for a changeling I suppose.” Maple spoke softly under her breath, her mouth curling into a smile.

____________

Meanwhile, Spark was at her home, trying to brainstorm up and an idea of how to advertise/promote her product.

She lay on her couch, staring up at the ceiling with an annoyed expression Spark mumbled to herself. “Maybe I could ask ponies at a gym to sponsor this- concoction of liquids. What if nopony wants to sponsor it? Dammit, I need a surefire way to get this broadcasted to as many ponies as possible.” Spark mused to herself, glancing across the room to a radio. Sparking her horn turning the radio on, commercials and advertisements playing before the actual music kicked in. If I advertise the PED on a radio ad, it may just annoy anypony and discourage them to actually buy it. Spark thought, then sighed as she shut the radio off.

A knock on the door startled her from her dozing. She looked over at the clock and realized she had slept the entire morning away. “Crap, it's the afternoon. Coming!”

Opening the door she spots a pegasus with the CelEx logo on. “I have a ponygram for a Miss Spark.”

“That's me. Who’s it from?”

“Um, it came from the Ponyville Hospital. That's all I know.” He offered the mare the ponygram.

Taking it in her magic, “Here is something for your trouble.” she explains levitating a few bits to him as she closes the door. Fearing the worst, she opens and reads the letter:

Celestia Express Ponygram

For Spark/Shard, I’m doing well, will write soon. From Icewing.

Breathing a sigh of relief She mumbles “I’m glad he’s alright, but what happened to him I wonder? I guess I’ll have to wait till he can write to us. It's just like Icewing to leave no return address.” With the telegram in tow, she heads toward the hospital to see Shard.