Stone Vault

“Ah know I shundna kicked ‘em Twilight, but yer varmint scared the hay outa me!” Applejack defended herself to her Alicorn friend. Twilight stood in Applejack’s barn, at almost one in the morning, over the once again unconscious body of their mysterious visitor.

“Alright Applejack, let's go over this one more time…” the purple princess said, hoof on her forehead. “Spike and Rarity woke you up and said there was an emergency. Then you went into your barn...why?” She asked.

The cowpony released a frustrated grunt, “Ah already told ya! Ah was gettin’ mah rope!” She exasperatedly explained.

“So you went alone?” Twilight shifted her stance impatiently.

“Well Ah didn't expect to find… whatever that is in mah barn!” Applejack pointed an accusatory hoof in the direction of the unconscious man.

“Was he threatening you somehow?” Twilight asked, her voice increasingly on edge.

“W-well… no, not exactly.” Applejack visibly balked, her cheeks turning a faint red. “Ahm pretty sure it didn't even hear me come in.”

“So why, in the wide wide world of Equestria, did you kick him in the face!?” Twilight practically screamed at her friend.

“That thing had no business bein’ in mah barn! He’s just lucky Mac didn't catch ‘em! Ah doubt he wudda been as nice!” Applejack yelled back.

At this point Rainbow Dash had heard enough, and didn't want things to devolve any further.

“Ok, alright! Break it up girls.” she swooped in and gently pushed the two angry mares apart.

Twilight opened her mouth to unleash a scathing retort, but quickly bit her tongue. Rainbow was right, there was nothing to be gained by arguing. The damage had already been done.

“I'm sorry AJ, I can't say I would have reacted any better if I found a strange creature in my home in the middle of the night.” Twilight apologized.

“I'm sorry to, Twilight.” Applejack gave a frustrated snort, “It's just… embarrassing, that I reacted so badly.” She turned to look at the wounded giant, regret in her eyes. “He didn't mean no harm, he was just trying to find a warm place to sleep.”

The victim in question was being tended to by Fluttershy once again. Rainbow had come in right as she had finished mopping the floor. So close to sleep, and yet so far.

“You’re a real trouble maker aren't you?” she gently admonished her patient. He definitely had a broken nose, and would most likely have a black eye, if not two. However, she was surprised to find his earlier injuries were just… gone. As if all the cuts, bites, and bruises he had accumulated in the Everfree had never happened.

Something was unusual about this creature, Fluttershy was certain of that.

“Well, with that little bit of nastiness out of the way.” Rarity interjected, “Twilight, dear, did you ever find out exactly what our unfortunate friend actually is?”

“Well… Not exactly.” Purple Smart replied. “I found enough to begin formulating a few theories of my own, but I didn't find any specific information about Stone’s species.” She continued, “But what I did discover isn't exactly comforting.”

“Well!? Spill the beans sister!” Pinkie called out, laying down on the floor, front hooves tucked neatly underneath her chin.

“Well,” Twilight cleared her throat, “When my more common zoology books failed to provide an answer, I expanded my search to more exotic creatures.” Spike and the other girls turned their attention to Twilight, as she engaged “lecture mode” in full force. “Still nothing, but one article in particular made me question something about this lifeform that I hadn't noticed before.” She explained. “He was absorbing my magic.”

The others all gasped in surprise at the revelation.

“Twilight! Are you absolutely sure?” Rarity cried out, suddenly interested in putting more space between her and the giant.

“Wait a second!” Rainbow Dash screeched, “He was stealing your magic!? Like that Tirek guy!?” Both Rainbow and AJ affixed the unconscious man with renewed glares of hostility.

“That's what I'm thinking,” Twilight sighed, “But we can't be certain, everything he’s done up to this point has been defending himself.” she reminded the group.

“But what about Dr. Check-Up?” Spike spoke up, “He didn't do anything and he still got hurt.” The other girls murmured their agreement.

“That's just it,” Twilight declared. “Dr.Check-Up was fine until he tried to use magic on Stone. Nurse Redheart assured me that he wouldn't have any lasting injuries.”

“Stone this, Stone that!” Rainbow yelled, “Why the fuck did you guys name it!?”

“But we didn't…” Fluttershy tried to quietly interject.

“Rainbow Dash!” Rarity exclaimed, interrupting the shy pegasus, “Language!”

“What are you, my mom?” Rainbow Shot back. To which the fashionista replied with an indignant huff.

“Don't yell at Rarity cuz you can't control your potty mouth!” Applejack retorted to her prismatic friend.

“Umm...girls?” Fluttershy once again tried to get everyone's attention.

“Girls, this isn't helping anything!” Twilight raised her voice to try to get control of the situation.

“What? we're all adults here, well… except for Spike, no offence.” Dash addressed her scaled friend.

“None taken.” Spike responded with a shrug.

“Umm… Girls!?” Fluttershy’s voice was beginning to grow more strained.

“That is no excuse!” Rarity continued, “A proper lady doesn't besmirch her vocabulary with such vulgarity! Didn't your parents teach you any better!?” she laid into the prismatic pony.

“Now don't you go bringin’ her family into this!” AJ quickly rounded on the white unicorn, “I'm certain Rainbow's folks are right proper parents! It's not their fault Rainbow doesn't listen!”

Rainbow nodded in agreement, but then she caught on to the full meaning of Applejack’s words.

“Hey!” she yelled at the orange apple farmer.

“Girls! Please! This is going too far!” Twilight stepped into the brawl in the making.

“Loud Noises!” Pinkie Pie screamed before pronking her way into the argument.

“Girls!?” Fluttershy was just about in full panic mode by now.

“Maybe you should all calm down?” Spike offered, “Umm… Please?” he begged.

The argument continued unabated, having absorbed all parties present, save for Fluttershy. But that was about to change.

“Ladies!” an unfamiliar and masculine voice boomed.

Slowly, all eyes present affixed themselves on the source of the outburst. Standing next to Fluttershy, who had her hooves over her mouth and a look of complete terror on her face, was the giant named Stone.

There was a long uncomfortable silence as the mysterious creature glared at the arguing mares.

“Please.” he began in the calmest voice he could muster, “My head is killing me right now, and you are making it very difficult to sleep.”

The assembled Equestrians could only stare, mouths agape, at the surprisingly eloquent magic stealing monster.

“So, could you try to keep it down? Please?” he asked.

“Uh, Umm… Ok.” Twilight shyly responded. The others quickly nodded their heads in agreement.

“Good, thank you.” the beast named Stone smiled warmly at them, before flopping over into his makeshift bed.