Paranoia

Chapters

Prologue
Apple Thieves
Hydrophobia
Drums in the air.
Shooting stars
Set in Stone
Shy Day
Green Sting, Black Rage
Skuld
Thirteen, Black Briar, Pickle Barrel, Dime show…
Release
Combat
Giving Up, Giving In
Chorus of Angels
Magical Theory 101. A Night with Twilight.

Prologue

PROLOGUE:

Applebuck season. The time when physical exertion was the most common past time for the two prominent farmers of Sweet Apple Acres. After all. Somepony had to buck them apples out of the trees.

This particular day was bright, sunny and almost cloudless. It was warm, but not overly hot. Thankfully, Big Mac had managed to remain uninjured this season, so Applejack didn’t have to collect ALL the apples. A cool breeze was quite common as well, which certainly helped Applejack as she plodded relentlessly towards the barn, making to store the apples she had in her cart in the loft. The cart was piled high with baskets, and it was more likely they’d, they being her and her brother, would leave storing them in the loft until later that day when it was too dark to continue bucking without harming themselves.

Not that that’d ever stopped Big Macintosh before.

Stowing the baskets in the barn, AJ started back through the orchard. The trees she passed by were bare of apples, and leaves littered the ground as well from where they too had been shaken off. Not many, but still. AJ didn’t mind. She enjoyed the feeling of earth and leaves beneath her hooves. Her muscles were starting to complain as she leaned forward on her forehooves before pushing off, only bucking out her hooves at the last minute, letting her weight do most of the work, bringing a rain of more apples down into her baskets. She smiled and sat down, wiping sweat from her brow.

AJ was a simple pony really. She liked sun, trees, earth and apples. But she was also proud and rarely accepted help. So it came as a surprise to her when she came across three trees bare of fruit and baskets.

“Tarnation?”

She looked around in confusion, the Stetson hat resting upon her head swaying in time with a gentle breeze. A few hoofprints here and there was all she saw. Grumbling and assuming it was her brother’s fault, she moved onto the next set of trees and swiftly forgot about it.

Right until she came across three more.

“That does it! Dang it Big Mac, Ah told ya to stay in yer own field!”

“Ah was.”

AJ turned to see her brother stepping out from the tree line, standing before her. Big Macintosh lived up to his name. He was massive. Tall and very well built, Big Mac rarely left the farmhouse. When he did, he was the talk of the town’s mares. He was a handsome stallion, and his soft spoken demeanour won him a lot of favour with the single mares of the town.

But Applejack swiftly persuaded them to lose said favour.

Not that he was interested in a relationship. Big Mac was quite fine with working, and rarely paid attention to such things. Right now, he was looking down at AJ expectantly.

“So, ya gon’ tell me what yer doin’ buckin’ apples in mah fields?”

AJ bristled indignantly.

“Ah did no such thing! Yer the one buckin’ mah trees!”

Big Mac shook his head.

“Nope. Ain’t touched these trees.”

AJ fumed quietly before sighing.

“Fine, Ah believe ya. But if it weren’t you, an’ it weren’t me, who?”

Big Mac nodded towards the hoof prints.

“Ah’ll bet these’ll tell us. Ya go get yer friends AJ, Ah’ll follow these.”

Apple Thieves

Chapter 1: Apple thieves.

Twilight frowned at the tome she was reading, suspended in magic as it was. She’d been studying this spell for weeks and no matter what she did she simply couldn’t get it right. She sighed and placed the tome upon the table before her, taking anther quick glance at it to confirm what she was doing.

“Okay, nice and easy now. The spell isn’t that complex, you can do this.”

Twilight was the local librarian for Ponyville and she was quite proud of it. She lived in the library nd had pretty much free access over all the books contained threrein. She rarely received visitors to borrow books, but that didn’t really bother her.

She liked the quiet.

Which is the complete opposite of what her spell achieved when she cast it.

And explosion rocked the library, puffs of multicoloured smoke billowing out of the only open window. Inside, Twilight coughed. The smoke smelled sickeningly sweet and she tried desperately to purge it from her lungs, and her library. Her horn lit up as she tried to dispose of the fog magically, only succeeding in multiplying the amount of smoke more and more each time she used her magic. She cut off her magic and staggered to the door, hurling it open before risking more magic to open the windows.

ALL of them.

The tree containing the library became a beacon of rainbow coloured smoke, and many ponies stopped in their activities to look at the growing pillar of smoke before shrugging and continuing on with their days, putting it down to either Pinkie Pie, or an experiment of Twilight’s gone wrong.

As the dust cleared, Spike, Twilight’s assistant, came rushing down, his little claws scrabbling across the wood.

“Twilight? Twi are you okay?”

He took one look at his purple friend and fell to the floor in hysterics.

“SPIKE!”

Twilight stood, frowning thunderously at the dragon. Her mane was puffed up into a big, multicoloured afro, her tail following suit, and her coat had turned a horribly gaudy shade of yellow, complete with technicolour polka dots. Spike tried to stop laughing, but one more look at the now gaudily coloured unicorn made him fall into another fit of laughing.

“I’m sorry Twi! It’s just too funny!”

Twilight huffed in frustration just as Pinkie Pie poked her head in and burst out laughing in happy, giddy giggles. Twilight whined.

“Pinkie! Not you too!”

Then in walked Applejack, face like thunder. A face that cracked, then broke completely as she started laughing as well, although not to the extent of the other two.

“Hehe, Next time ya want to change yer look Twi, Ah suggest going to see Rarity first.”

The disgruntled unicorn whined again.

“AJ! It wasn’t intentional! I swear!”

“Darling, I saw the cloud and-“

The white fashionista of the town, Rarity, had walked into the doorway and now looked at Twilight in shock and horror.

“Twilight Sparkle! What in Equestria are you doing? What possessed you to change your coat?”

Twi groaned.

“Oh jeez, it wasn’t deliberate! Rarity, please, can you change me back?”

“Well of course I can darling! But honestly, come to me first next time alright?”

Twilight sighed again in frustration before looking around to survey the damage as Rarity returned her to her regular look. Books were lying everywhere, thankfully intact and seemingly untouched by the spell.

“Ugh, great.”

She sighed again and looked at her friends. Pinkie was being Pinkie, still giggling, Rarity was obviously here for the reason she said. Applejack, however, was the odd one out.

“AJ, shouldn’t you be at the farm?”

AJ took a moment before remembering why she was actually there.

“Oh! Yer right! Ah was actually lookin’ for ya’ll. We got something of a problem at the farm.”

Twi frowned, confused, and nodded.

“Alright. Let’s go get the others.”

Spike sighed.

“Lemme guess, I’m housekeeping?”

“Please Spike, thank you.”

~*~

The six mares were in Fluttershy’s living room, awaiting the final member of their little gang to arrive. AJ, Pinkie, Rarity, Twilight and Fluttershy sat, Applejack pacing impatiently.

“Darn that Rainbow! What’s takin’ her so long? She said she’d be here before us, but she ain’t here yet!”

Rarity sniffed at the farmer’s impatience.

“Darling, calm down! We already know that she’s a little lazy. She’ll get here, if she hasn’t fallen asleep again.”

A knock came at the door and Fluttershy trotted over to it and opened it, returning a moment later with Big Macintosh, who was quite resolutely holding onto Rainbow’s tail. Rainbow looked less than pleased.

“Will you quit dragging me!? I was going!”

Big Mac spat out the technicolour tail and looked at her.

“Ya were sleepin’ in a tree in our orchard Rainbow, Ah don’t think ya were comin’ awful quick.”

Rainbow went to speak back when Applejack grabbed her tail and yanked/dragged into the living room with the rest of the mares, Big Mac following soon after.

“Alright AJ, what’s going on?”

Applejack sat before the group, Macintosh sitting next to her. She looked at Big Mac and he nodded.

“Girls, We’re afraid that somepony is stealin’ from Sweet Apple Acres.”

A stunned silence fell over the room. Sweet Apple Acres supplied most of the food for the entirety of Ponyville, not to mention theft in Ponyville is almost unheard of. In a town where everypony knew everypony else, Theft wasn’t really productive anyway, you’d be caught much too fast. Big Mac spoke up softly.

“It ain’t somepony AJ.”

Applejack looked at her brother.

“What do ya mean? What is it stealin’ our apples then?”

“Welp, Ah followed the tracks an’ it led to the old clubhouse Applebloom an’ her friends use fer their little meetin’s. It was hard gettin’ close though. Ah’m afraid it’s been overrun.”

Twilight and the others looked at him curiously.

“Overrun? How so?”

Big Mac grimaced.

“Manticores.”

Silence fell once again, stunned shock replacing the previous aura as the ponies tried to comprehend this. A soft, nervous voice spoke up.

“I.. um… But, the manticores d..don’t stray from the Everfree… W..What would they be doing here?”

Fluttershy retreated behind her mane as all eyes in the room locked onto her. Big Mac, completely unfazed, shrugged.

“Don’t know. Ain’t knowin’ much about Manticores.”

Fluttershy nodded almost imperceptibly.

“O… Okay…”

Applejack shook her head.

“Don’t matter what the reason is, Ah just want ‘em off mah farm. Stealin’ the apples is stealin’ the only thing that makes us who we are, and our bits. Ain’t much we can do without bits.”

Rainbow harrumphed irritably.

“Well what are we waiting for? We should go get rid of ‘em!”

Big Mac shook his head again.

“Nope. Ain’t much good with only us. There’s too many. An’ Ah don’t think they’re just there fer kicks. They’re guardin’ that tree house.”

Twilight frowned.

“Guarding? But there’s never been any incidents of manticores doing such?”

Big Mac shrugged.

“Ya mean there ain’t a recorded incident of ‘em doin’ it.”

Twilight grumbled at him and fell quiet. Applejack made an annoyed sound in her throat.

“Well, we gotta get rid of ‘em somehow!”

Fluttershy hesitated quietly.

“Um…”

The room once again looked to Fluttershy and she cowered behind her mane.

“I… I’ll help if I can… if that’s okay with you…”

~*~

The six mares and Big Mac soon found themselves heading for the old, rebuilt treehouse that the Cutiemarks Crusaders had taken up as their clubhouse. AJ walked ahead with her brother.

“Macintosh, what is it that makes ya think theyre guardin’ the old house?”

Big Mac shrugged mid stride. He was walking significantly slower than he could in order to allow the other ponies to keep up with him. His stride was quite a bit larger than the mares, and even now Applejack had to take two strides to keep up with every stride Big Mac made.

“None of ‘em could stand in the house AJ, they’re too big, so they musta’ been guardin’ somethin’. They’re all standin’ round it. Ah had to get a little creative to get into the glade. ‘Fraid they’re definitely guardin’ the place. Locked up tighter than a mare’s door when she’s in heat.”

AJ found herself blushing and looking away from her brother at the last remark. As usual, Big Mac seemed completely unfazed. It was heading into late afternoon, early evening now and the sun was making its way down the horizon, looking to embed itself within the infinite, unreachable distance to make way for the moon. Walking through the orchard in the dark could be an interesting experience, disorienting to many who don’t know the direction to the farmhouse. But to Big Mac and AJ, it was a walk in the park. The fact that it was only dim added to that.

Big Mac suddenly stopped and a low growl could be heard in the air. The others accompanying him stopped as well.

“We’re here. Ya hear all that? That’s the sound of them Manticores. Not many places ya can get in Ah’m afraid. Ain’t sure how we’re goin’ to get them to leave neither. Them manticores are big.”

Fluttershy mumbled something quietly and all eyes turned to her.

“Sorry miss Fluttershy, Ah’m afraid Ah didn’t hear ya.”

“I um… I think um…. I could um… t-talk to them.”

Rainbow shot into the air, grinning.

“Yeah! Like she did with that Manticore in the Everfree when we took down Nightmare Moon!”

The yellow Pegasus eeped and recoiled from Rainbow’s outburst.

“S..Something like that.”

~*~

So the group of ponies ended up turning from their current path moving around to the main entrance, or rather, the most well known entrance, to the Cutie Mark Crusader’s clubhouse, boldly walking straight up the path and into the manticores line of sight. The result was instantaneous. The group were surrounded by the massive creatures, a solid wall of growling ferocity around them. Fluttershy stepped forward nervously.

“Um, hi? I um, My name is Fluttershy… I… We don’t mean you any harm, I promise.”

A low growl went around the wall of manticores and one of them, standing before the nervous Fluttershy, stepped forward. A low and threatening growl emanated from him, a serious warning. Twilight felt herself swallow, her nervousness, nay, her fear practically dripping off of her. Yes, she had fought back against Nightmare Moon, The god of Chaos Discord and the Changeling Queen Chrysalis. But she still felt fear. And Manticores were certainly no exception to this rule. Fluttershy smiled at the Manticore.

“Oh, we promise we won’t be any trouble. W… We wanted to know why you’re taking our apples is all.”

The Manticore cocked his head, his mane shaking slightly before settling back in place. The series of purrs, mewls and sometimes partially aggressive sounds that came from him next almost completely escaped Fluttershy completely. She couldn’t understand animals, regardless what others thought. She had a very good affinity for them, and understood them better than most, but her abilities didn’t extend to actually comprehending their language. Suddenly the Manticore stepped back, leaving the path to the tree house clear. Fluttershy smiled in delight and pranced forth, the others following her, only to have a feral growl, close on roar, cut them off in a flurry of movement as the lead Manticore stood his ground once more. The other six ponies gulped and took a step back before looking over at Fluttershy. She smiled.

“It’s okay, I’ll go alone. Just wait for me okay?”

Twilight and the others nodded, Big Mac spoke.

“Eeyup.”

Into the house went the shy, fearful Fluttershy. The only Pegasus known to fear the heights upon which she grew up.

“This is going to be a long night.” Said Rainbow exasperatedly, glaring around at their escorts.

“Oh calm yerself Rainbow, she’ll be fine. And stop glarin’! They’ll probably take it as a challenge. Ya want to fight a Manticore with those teeth, claws and that tail?”

Rainbow took a quick glance at the mentioned features before paling and looking at the ground.

“Ah thought not. Pipe down and wait. She’ll be alright.”

The six ponies watched as the door was opened by a rather surly Manticore and Fluttershy trotted into the pitch black of the clubhouse, the door closed rather quickly behind her. Whatever it was in there, it seemed to have the creatures spooked.
Or, that’s what Twilight was thinking.

You better come back okay Fluttershy.

~*~

“Um… hello?”

Fluttershy eeped as the door was shut behind her. The dark was not something Fluttershy enjoyed being within the confines of, double that with the idea that she was hopelessly enclosed with whatever was in here with her didn’t help. As a Pegasus, she naturally loathed being confined. She was silent for a moment and it took her ears a moment to recognise the sound of slow, regular breathing.

So, whatever in here’s asleep?

“Um, I don’t mean to disturb you but um… could you please wake up?”

The soft sounds of breathing continued and Fluttershy felt a stab of annoyance.

Why do they never listen the first time?

A little louder than before, she spoke again.

“Um… Excuse me? Please wake up.”

The breathing continued for a moment before the sound of something heavy upon wooden boards floated to her ears, seemingly from everywhere at once. It scared her once more and she retreated back behind her mane, trying to shield herself from whatever was out there. There was a long, drawn out intake of breath and a long sigh that Fluttershy took as the entity with her possibly sitting up, then the sound of a yawn and a flash of red from her right. She spun to face it, only to have it vanish in a flash of white teeth.

Then came the eye.

It opened slowly, like its eyelids were still too heavy for its liking. The irises were a soft, almost luminous purple and spoke volumes of weariness. Fascinated, she found herself leaning forward slightly, flinching back as there came a voice.

“Mm… Who is it who would disturb me..?”

The voice was rough, hoarse. Like somepony had swallowed gravel and was trying to speak through it. To be honest, it grated at Fluttershy’s ears something terrible. But that wasn’t going to stop her.
Was it?

“I… um… I was um…”

She stopped, the darkened enclosed space proving too much for her as she cowered away, hiding behind her mane with both eyes shut tight, trying to will the darkness away. A fearful wince was added to this as she heard the hiss of frustration from the entity before her.

“Even here…”

Those two words carried weight to them that no two words should ever have to. Even through the gravelly aspect of this voice, the words carried the sorrow and despair of years, years of pain. So much emotion that it jolted Fluttershy out of her cowering reverie and she looked up, instantly panicking because she could no longer see the eye.

“I… Wait! Don’t go…”

The eye appeared again, slightly confused. Fluttershy mentally berated herself for being so silly.

He’d just closed his eyes is all.

She firmly believed that, whatever she was talking to, it was male. It was also clearly taller than she was and spoke her language, meaning it had to be native to Equestria. It took her a moment to realize he was speaking once more.

“But… I thought… you were afraid of me. I can smell you fear, I know you’re scared.”

Mentally berating herself again for her cowardice, she shook her head, not sure if he could see her, but making sure to keep her eyes open, for she was sure he could see them.

“N..No. I’m afraid of the dark… and I don’t like enclosed spaces is all… I… I didn’t mean to make you think you were scary…”

The purple eye peered at her quietly, silence falling over the clubhouse. Fluttershy all but held her breath, terrified that he wouldn’t believe her, that he’d think she was lying. She was surprised when the eye tilted groundward and the entity sighed heavily.

“… You should go. It’s not safe to be here with me… Too dangerous.”

Dangerous?

“D..Dangerous?”

“I… I don’t want to hurt you…”

Fluttershy screwed up her face in determination.

Oh no you don’t! You’re not getting rid of me that easily!

Screwing up her courage, what little there seemed to be to her, she spoke once again, not wavering and confident.

"I'm not going anywhere. We need to talk."

Hydrophobia

Chapter two:Hydrophobia

The sun was setting. Darkness was creeping around them, the night promising chills if the wind was any indication. The six ponies were restless, but the solid wall of fur, claws and teeth around them in the form of the motionless manticores strongly discouraged them from moving. Rainbow however, always needing more space to fly and used to the open air, was tapping a hoof in frustrated impatience. Pinkie, for once, was quiet. But then, she had decided to curl up and sleep. Big Mac sat patiently, unfazed. Applejack looked worried, and so did Rarity. Twilight, on her part, was trying to not remember any of the particularly nastier creatures she’d read about in ‘Roamer’s Read for Roaming Roamers: Dangerous Creatures’. Many of them were small enough to fit in the clubhouse, although the majority of them didn’t live anywhere near Ponyville. She sat quietly and observed Applejack whispering worriedly into Rarity’s ear before Rarity shook her head.

“No Darling, I’m sure she’ll be fine. You know how good Fluttershy is with animals.”

“What if it isn’t an animal?”

Rarity fell silent, unsure how to answer that question. Big Mac sat next to his sister, seemingly unfazed.

But then, Big Mac always seemed to be unfazed.

Truth was, he was just as worried, if not more so, than the others. Big Mac wasn’t known very well by any other ponies, except perhaps the one pony within the confines of the treehouse right now.

It wasn’t widely known, but when they were younger Big Macintosh and Fluttershy had, for quite some time, dated. She was the one and only pony that Applejack had relented and hadn’t tried to force away. The two had gotten on well. Nopony in the Apple family save for Big Mac knew why they broke up. Big Mac and Fluttershy were the only two who knew. One thing that had been revealed though was that it was mutual and no hard feelings had been fostered between them.
As a result, he was potentially the most worried of all six ponies there.

But he sat quietly, barely moving and not speaking. Applejack nudged him gently.

“Ya alright Mac?”

Big Mac nodded slowly.

“Eeyup. Little worried, but Ah’m alright.”

“Ya sure? Ah know ya an’ Shy had some time where ya were close.”

Big Mac looked at her, the picture of calm.

“Ah’m fine AJ. Ah am worried ‘bout Shy a little, but Ah’ll be alright. So long as we don’t go get attacked by manticores.”

It was at that moment the door to the club house opened and Fluttershy stepped out, followed by a series of grunts, growls and snarls. The ponies looked on in surprise as the manticores looked at each other before another barking command was given and the group of manticores, at varying speeds, left the area. The last to go was a younger looking female, who glanced back at the clubhouse before leaving slowly. Fluttershy smiled at her friends before looking over her shoulder into the clubhouse, looking at something.

Then a dirty brown hoof stepped hesitantly out into the pale moonlight.

The pony that stepped out was scruffy. His mane was tangled wildly, falling over one side of his face. The single visible eye was purple, almost luminously so. His tail was just as wild and tangled, the same dirt brown as the rest of him. He seemed hesitant, and he held himself low to the ground, like one ashamed or a dog that knows it’s done something wrong. Applejack had seen the same look on his face on her pet Wynona, although not very often. Wynona had always tried to impress Applejack; she’d never been terribly rebellious.

Slowly, coaxing the stallion the entire way, Fluttershy led the brown stallion over closer to the six other ponies in the glade. She then nodded over to Big Macintosh and Applejack. The closer he got, the clearer it became that he was a Pegasus. However his wings were scruffy and looked to be in bad condition, in horrible need of preening. They were the same muddy brown of his coat, mane and tail.

“I…”

He sat before Applejack, head held low in deference. Applejack looked down at him sternly, but a faint glow of surprise was still evident.

“I’m sorry… Miss… I… I didn’t know that… I wasn’t sure where…”

He felt a hoof tap his shoulder gently.

“It’s alright Sugarcube. Ain’t nothin’ for ya to be like that about. Long as ya prepared to work off ya debt. Theft is a rather major offense sugar, more so in a little town like this one.”

The dirt brown stallion nodded slowly, then his attention turned to Big Macintosh, who showed himself to be, as per usual, completely unfazed. He kept his head held low. If anything, he lowered it further. Fluttershy and Applejack watched in complete shock, Twilight as well. The others simply did so in confusion.

Big Mac quirked an eyebrow before tapping the underside of the stallion’s chin with his hoof. The stallion flinched away and Big Mac rolled his eyes, forcibly making him sit up straight, head held high. It was at this point it became clear just how big the stallion was. Whilst his hunching had made him appear small, he was heavy set, and tall. Easily as tall, or rather just shy of being as tall, of Big Mac himself. He seemed uneasy standing straight, or rather sitting straight backed and his wings fluttered nervously. A few feathers fell out of his wings as he did so.

The big Pegasus smiled briefly, nervously and thankfully. Big Mac nodded in return.

Rarity leaned closer to Fluttershy.

“Darling, I hate to ask but… what was all that about?”

Fluttershy took a moment before responding.

“It… was a dominance thing. Animals do it all the time to show deference to another’s superiority in the pack… I guess being with Manticores had some influence on him.”

~*~

“Now, we got a spare room upstairs, so ya can have that one. Kitchen’s over there, but it’s mostly just used by Granny Smith. Applebloom’s room is next to mine and Mac’s is on the first floor, he’s next to Granny Smith. Now Ah ain’t gonna tell ya any more than once, ya need to be awake early if ya want to work off your debt. If Ah hafta wake ya up early every morning to work Ah’m gon’ be mighty upset. Ya understand?”

The big Pegasus, who had identified himself as ‘Demonheart’, was trying to keep up with his host’s words. He’d told her he’d be much happier in the barn, but she wouldn’t hear a word of it. She’d insisted he stay in the house in a bed. In no position to argue, he’d gone with her.

“I understand Miss Applejack.”

Applejack cringed. He’d been calling her that since they’d left the clubhouse. She’d asked him to stop, but he’d refused. Said it was a sign of respect and that he’d wronged her. It frustrated her. Badly. Wasn’t much she could do about it at the moment though, so she supposed he would eventually get over it. If he didn’t…

Ah’ll cross that bridge when we get there.

“Welp, now that that’s all settled, Ah guess Ah’ll be wishin’ ya goodnight. Lots to do in the morning and ya should get some sleep too. Otherwise ya’ll be like death in the morning.”

Applejack retired, waving a final goodbye to Demonheart as she entered her room. He watched her as she left. Looking to the door to ‘his’ room, he walked in slowly, hesitantly, and then shut and locked the door.

~*~

Applejack had a hard time sleeping that night. She tried, Luna knows she tried. But through the cracks in the walls, miniscule as they were and not enough to see through, lent her plenty of insight into hearing her new guest/worker. The sound of thrashing limbs on sheets and dark mumbles and mutters made it difficult for her to sleep. She did eventually sleep, but not before beginning to wonder just what she’d gotten herself into.

~*~

“Alrighty. Now ya listen an’ ya’ll be fine. What we do is simple ‘nuff. We get the apples down from the trees. This is where the applebuck comes in.”

Demonheart sat attentively, watching Big Macintosh. Applejack had risen at her regular time, although she seemed tired and moody. Demonheart seemed fine, although to be truthful that’d be a long shot, since they didn’t really know what he was like yet.

“Now ya gotta be careful with this sort of thing. Cain’t kick hard enough to leave any permanent damage, cain’t kick too soft or nothin’ll happen. It’s precise, an’ that comes with practice. ‘Fraid we don’t got time to teach ya how to do so with the bales we used to learn when we were foals, so Ah’m afraid ya gunna hafta learn on the job.”

AJ, despite her moody temperament, found it surprising that Big Macintosh was taking such an interest in Demonheart, especially to hear him say so much to somepony he barely knew. Most times he only spoke when he found it necessary and even then only one or two words. It was rare he spoke to anypony else aside from the family, and even rarer still that he showed that he wasn’t some dumb country hick. He was right of course, Applebucking was a very precise art, especially for one as strong as Big Mac, who could fairly easily permanently damage, maybe even knock down, one of their apple trees in a single kick. Given the heavier set build of this Pegasus, in time he might be capable of doing so as well.

If he works here that long. Ah don’t like havin’ any more help here, even if it is free. Don’t feel right.

AJ knew she shouldn’t think like that, but it was part of her nature. It’s not like denying it would do anything anyway. She also wasn’t sure if she trusted him yet. His ramblings that had kept her up most of the previous night worried her, not sure if he was talking to himself or dreaming. His voice never rose above a whisper though, so she left it.

“ya got it all?”

The murky brown stallion nodded slowly.

“I… think so.”

“Give it a try then.”

Demonheart trotted hesitantly up to a tree and turned around, lining himself up with the trunk. This was an important part of the procedure, because if you misaimed and ended up kicking empty air you’d fall over and wind yourself. But if you aimed wrong and ended up being too close?

You could break your leg and nopony wants that.

There was a healthy ‘thud’ as Demonheart’s hind hooves struck the tree trunk followed by a rain of apples. AJ noted with some satisfaction that there were still a few hanging from the branches, although that may have just been because of her mood and how tired she was. Demonheart looked up at the tree, then over at Big Mac, unsure. The workhorse was smiling and nodding.

“Ain’t bad for a first try. ‘Fact it’s mighty good. Better Ah reckon than AJ’s first try, though she was just a filly at the time.”
AJ felt a stab of annoyance at Big Mac’s words and glared back when Demon glanced at her. He recoiled visibly and lowered his head. Big Mac looked back at his sister and fixed her with an accusatory glare. A glare that spoke volumes and AJ looked away, not wanting to meet his eye.

“Don’t pay no mind to AJ, she’s just bein’ surly. Now let’s get ya workin’. Ya got a few trees worth of apples to pay off.”

~*~

AJ’s hooves slammed into the apple tree with excessive force, leaving two large dents in the bark of the trunk. She’d moved through her lot of trees for the day with alarming speed, a thunderous scowl on her face the entire time. Sweat streamed down her brow. It was a hot day, and yesterday’s breeze seemed nonexistent. She’d already taken back four carts worth of full apple baskets and was well on her way to a fifth when she heard the call of possibly the one pony she really didn’t want to talk to other than her new ‘farmhand’.

“Applejack! Darling, wherever are you?”

AJ rolled her eyes in annoyance.

“Great. Now comes the next annoyance.” She muttered softly to herself. “Ah’m over here Rarity!”

The pristinely white fashionista unicorn found AJ in short order after her call and shook herself off indignantly.

“Honestly, all this dirt! It’s terrible for my hooves.”

AJ rolled her eyes exasperatedly.

“Honestly Rare, ya reckon even a blade of grass can somehow be bad for ya and we eat the stuff. Now what is it ya want?”

Rarity harrumphed softly and sniffed.

“If you must know, I was looking for that scruffy stallion you took in to work your farm. He’s not with you?”

Applejack shook her head almost violently.

“No, he ain’t. He’s over in the other field with Big Mac. Ya want to do somethin’ with him, ya gunna hafta take it up with Big Mac. He’s practically takin’ care of him.”

Rarity sighed theatrically.

“Oh dear, more walking in the dirt. Well, thank you anyway darling; don’t work yourself too hard alright?”

AJ grunted in reply as Rarity left and promptly kicked another tree.

~*~

Rarity pranced along, the prospect of spending time, even if only a tiny bit, of time with Ponyville’s most eligible bachelor, or rather the most sought after, pleased her immensely. So much so she actually almost forgot why she was going there in the first place.

Rarity was many things. She was a designer, seamstress, element of harmony. But she was also vain, sometimes manipulative and expected much more out of life than was really plausible. For example the not so long ago fiasco at the Grand Galloping Gala with Prince Blueblood, the supposed ‘perfect prince’ of her dreams now seemed a little farfetched for her and she’d lowered her standards substantially. Big Macintosh made the top of her list for many reasons.

He was kind, gentle. He was also handsome, strong, large and honest, sometimes brutally so. She also knew he possessed more intelligence than he let on. But first and foremost on her mind was that he was, without a doubt, the most wanted stallion in Ponyville and it would please her to be watched enviously for more than her dress making and designing skills. And having Big Mac all to herself would certainly entice envy.

She slowed down as she started hearing the distinct sound of hind hooves striking wood and she took a deep breath, fixing her mane.

Okay Rarity. Showtime!

She stepped out from the last few lines of trees to see her quarry, and his helper of course. The sheen of sweat across his coat normally would have repulsed Rarity, but Big Mac seemed to make it work. It accentuated his muscles an-

“Can Ah help ya Miss Rarity?”

Rarity snapped out her reverie and smiled at Big Mac.

“Oh, excuse me darling, the heat got to me a little.”

She took a moment to realise that it wasn’t just Big Mac looking at her, but Demonheart as well, his single visible purple eye curious, and shy.

“It’s about your helper Mac. Fluttershy and I have our spa date today and I wanted him to come along.”

Big Mac frowned darkly.

“We’re workin’ Rarity. Ain’t no point in goin’ to no spa when yer workin’.”

Rarity pouted.

“Oh don’t be silly. One must always look their best.”

“An’ on a hot day like this one, ain’t gonna look yer best for long when yer workin’ as hard as we are. Ah repeat, it ain’t worth it.”

Rarity stomped her hoof theatrically.

“Darling! I simply cannot let him walk around like that!”

“He ain’t walkin’ round, he’s workin an’ he’s workin’ hard.”

Rarity frowned.

Alright then, time to change tactic.

“Well, has he worked hard?”

Big Mac looked at her guardedly. Bored with the conversation, or perhaps simply too uncomfortable to continue listening, the brown Pegasus went back to bucking the trees to get the sweet fruit from their branches.

“Ah’d say so. If he wasn’t he’d know it.”

Rarity smiled smugly.

“Well wouldn’t it be right to give him a bit of a reward then?”

Big Mac’s look turned incredulous.

“He’s only been workin’ for a couple hours Miss Rarity, Ah hardly think goin’ to some place to get prettied up is a reward for a hard workin’ stallion. A cold Cider and a hot meal maybe, but ain’t nothing to do with looks.”

“He’s been working most of the day,” She corrected archly, “And his feathers are ridiculous. It’s unhealthy to have one’s wings in such a state.”

Flipping her mane triumphantly she smiled and let out her last resort, guaranteed winning line.

“Besides. Fluttershy wants him to come.”

The brown Pegasus looked over back at the conversation as he heard Fluttershy’s name, ears pricking up, suddenly interested. Big Mac groaned inwardly. Rarity knew that Big Mac wouldn’t refuse Fluttershy anything, and this wasn’t the first time Rarity had used said excuse. And not once had she lied about it to his knowledge. He groaned.

“Fine. Take ‘im. But don’t come cryin’ to me when ya see him next sweaty an’ dirty.”

He looked over at the curious stallion and gestured him over.

“Now ya listen here. Don’t know if ya remember, but this here’s Rarity. She’s goin’ to take ya down to the local spa. Ain’t much Ah know about the spa, but enjoy it whilst ya can. Ya get back to work tomorrow.”

Demonheart nodded and Rarity smiled pleasantly at Big Mac as he shot her one last, slightly amused look. Big Mac liked Rarity. She wasn’t afraid of him and she didn’t ever back down. Rarity turned her pleasant smile to the scruffy, untidy and just plain dirty pony before her.

“Let’s go get you cleaned up shall we?”

~*~

“The usual please for us girls. But we’re not alone this time, so I wanted to ask you for an opinion.”

Rarity sat at the desk for the Healing Waters Spa to book her and Fluttershy’s treatment. The spa twins who ran the spa, Aloe and Lotus, always had time for Rarity and Fluttershy and quite often Rarity found her prices drastically reduced and, other times, nonexistent. Something she simply hated but, no matter how she argued, the pair always seemed to know what to say to turn her away. Demonheart looked extremely uncomfortable in such a pristinely clean setting, seeming to shrink as he sat behind the pony he knew best there, Fluttershy, who was quite surprised. Aloe, with a coat of Pink and mane of blue, smiled at Rarity.

“Of course Rarity! Anything for our best customers. And who is this you have with you then? Species? Gender?”

It took a good five minutes for Fluttershy to coax Demon out from behind her and Aloe almost immediately recoiled.

“Darling! What in the world have you been doing?”

Demon looked at his hooves and mumbled something softly, tears in his eyes. Rarity sighed.

“Aloe, dear, you really must be a little nicer. You and Lotus, I know, are going to have a field day on the poor colt. Now, what do you recommend?”

Aloe pursed her lips in thought before holding up a hoof in a sign of requesting her company to wait before yelling out.

“LOOOTUUUSS!”

Almost instantly, another pony stepped into the room. She was a mirror image of her twin, but her coat was blue and her mane pink. They both shared the same blue eyes however.

“What is it Aloe? I was almost finished cleaning up after our last customer, he left the bath in such a… state…”

She trailed off as she noticed Demonheart, who tried to shrink behind Fluttershy again only to be pulled back out by Rarity.

“Sister, Rarity and Fluttershy brought a friend. Male, Pegasus. Recommendations?”

Lotus pursed her lips in much the same way as Aloe had earlier before shrugging.

“The works. Go get Vera, she can help me with Rarity and Fluttershy. You can tend to our last customer. This is going to take some time.”

~*~

Ten minutes, a closed sign and an attempt to pluck a loose feather out of Demonheart’s wing later, he found himself being pushed towards a large bath. Various bath salts sat by the edge and steam was gently wafting from the water. Almost instantly he seized up, pushing back. He easily overpowered the earth pony mare, rushing towards the door, only to find it locked. He sat at it trembling whilst Aloe fixed her mane.

“Ow…you could have been a little less forceful dear. What’s wrong?”

She looked over at the terrified Pegasus and felt a wave of sympathy. She didn’t know why, but she wanted to comfort the big pony. She trotted over to him and nudged him gently with her nose.

“Hey, what’s wrong? You can talk to me; I promise I won’t tell anypony.”

Due to the nature of the spa, male and female occupants were separated whilst being treated. There was a communal bath, of course, but treatments were separate. Aloe heard a very quiet, gravelly voice and she frowned.

“I’m sorry? Could you please repeat that?”

Demonheart shuddered and drew in a deep breath.

“I… had a bad experience w..with w..water.”

Aloe smiled softly.

“It’s okay. I’ll be with you every step of the way okay? I’ll even come in with you if it’d help.”

Demonheart sniffed and looked at her shyly.

“Y..You’d do that?”

“Yes, I would. Now come on, we need to get you cleaned up.”

~*~

Rarity and Fluttershy were very close friends. The pair had been quite close since they’d first met really, but the events leading up to Nightmare Moon’s reappearance and later defeat had brought them closer than before. They were still just friends mind, Rarity was quite strictly straight, as, she had been told by her friend, was Fluttershy. They simply didn’t keep any secrets from one another.

And so in the steam room that made up the first fifteen minutes of their treatment, Rarity and Fluttershy chatted. They often chatted at this point of the treatment. Well, to be honest they chatted through most of it, more of Fluttershy listening and Rarity speaking, but it varied. They spoke about any number of things. Today marked the peak of a topic that piqued the white unicorn’s interest with the new arrival, and having to talk him away from Big Macintosh.

“Darling, I don’t mean to pry and you know that I won’t push you should you feel uncomfortable, but I am dying to ask you. Whatever happened to you and Big Macintosh?”

Fluttershy shrugged gently. She was a shy Pegasus of yellow colouration with soft pink hair making up her mane and tail and her green eyes belied a gentle soul underneath. That’s not to say she didn’t have the steel to stand up for herself, but she rarely did so.

“Oh, it wasn’t anything bad. It was mutual, we sort of agreed to it and we’ve stayed good friends since.”

Rarity waved a hoof dismissively.

“Yes yes, I know that part darling. But what actually happened?”

“Oh! We were too busy for each other.”

Rarity frowned.

“I’m sorry?”

Again, Fluttershy shrugged gently.

“Well, he was always at the farm and I was always down with the animals. And when I could visit he was always busy. He approached me and told me what he thought and I agreed. So we called it quits and remained friends. He’ll find somepony someday. He’s too nice not to. And AJ can’t control who he sees forever.”

Rarity found herself a little bewildered at the sensible approach the pair had taken. At the time they had been a few years younger after all, and young love was often reckless love, most times leading to and ending in heartbreak.

“Well, I’m proud of you darling. You two handled it well.”

She giggled softly.

“But I’m afraid that little number won’t work on me~ You’ll see, I’ll court Big Mac eventually.”

Fluttershy sent a demure smile to her friend.

Oh, I doubt it. He’s almost as against fanciness as Applejack is.

~*~

“Oh my.” Aloe stated simply, brush in hoof.

She was partially submerged in the water of the heated pool beside Demonheart. Several bath salts had been added, creating a naturally relaxing sort of scent around them. The smell seemed to have climbed into Demonheart’s nostrils headily and was quite potent on the poor stallion. He had a hard time thinking at that moment as Aloe finished scrubbing his neck and face.

The water slipping by Aloe was now muddied and brown and she frowned.

“I’m going to have to use the running water mode. That’ll cost Rarity extra.”

She sighed and nuzzled Demonheart softly on his now clean coat before whispering softly to him. She’d found he reacted well to quiet words and affection, so she’d used it to her advantage.

“I’ll be back in just a moment okay? You stay right here and wait for me.”

~*~

“So Darling. I was talking to Filthy Rich the other day and he said that his little filly, Diamond Tiara, needed some new clothes but she didn’t see any of the outfits at the store as suitable. I told him I’d be happy to make him some to purchase if he got back to me on what she wanted. Hopefully I’ll be able to design the whole wardrobe, then I’ll get a decent pay and I’ll be able to buy the rest of that cashmere I need to finish your dress. I’m so sorry I ran out.”

Fluttershy murmured in response, a pleased little sound. The reason she did so was because she was, at that point, quite incapable of answering for she was under the very competent hooves of Lotus, who was quite expertly massaging the pegasus’ back and wings. On the other side, Rarity was under the very capable hooves of Lotus and Aloe’s cousin Vera, who had inherited the same sort of talent as her cousins and had quite happily applied for and now worked at the spa. Rarity cooed softly in delight as the earth pony massaging her hit a tense patch and rubbed at it gently.

“Oh, darling just there. That’s perfect.”

~*~

One Hour later.

“My word darling.”

Aloe had picked up the habit of using that word from being around Rarity so much. She idolized the designer’s style, bearing and practically everything about her, but the word ‘darling’ is pretty much the only thing that really stuck with her. She was staring shamelessly at the now utterly clean Pegasus before her. He was blushing quite heavily.

“I… I’m sorry…”

The amount of dirt Aloe had just washed away from this big stallion was phenomenal. She didn’t even think it was possible to be caked with so much dirt that it appeared your natural colour. Under the dirt, his coat was silky smooth and soft to the touch, as was his mane which was now smooth, straight and smelled quite strongly of lavender. One of Aloe’s favourite scents.

“Well, I’ll tell you what.” Aloe responded, a devilish little smile coming to her face. “Since you’re so handsome, I’ll let Rarity off the extra payment for spending all this time simply washing you for a simple kiss.”

Aloe was thankful her sister was not in the room at that moment. Whilst Lotus was much more reserved about such things, Aloe had a tendency to flirt shamelessly with much of the male clientele to the spa/resort. As a result, there had been rumours of an extra, unlisted option for a ‘happy ending special’ for a few extra bits. There was no such special of course, Aloe never took it that far…

Often.

She was satisfied immensely when the big stallion flushed and looked away, embarrassed, ears splayed flat. It wasn’t often she got a submissive or shy type and she liked to take advantage of them. She scooted closer to him and rubbed her cheek against one muscled shoulder.

Oh, I do like a stallion with muscles~ I wonder if Lotus will let me keep him.

“Come on, pleeeease? It doesn’t even have to take all that long. A quick peck.”

Demonheart turned back to face her, his forehooves pawing at the ground under the water. He’d completely forgotten the fact that he was partially underwater thanks to this new predicament.

“P.. Promise?” Came the gravelly reply. Aloe nodded.

“Mhm. No extra charge, absolutely promise.”

She smiled smugly, giggling softly in the confines of her mind. She was toying with the poor Pegasus and she knew it. She’d apologise to him, after he became too embarrassed to speak.

You can imagine her shock and surprise as he actually kissed her.

It was quick, chaste and nervous, but it was a kiss nonetheless.

Well…. No extra charge I guess.

~*~

Rarity stood outside the spa with Fluttershy awaiting the exit of Demonheart. The two had decided that, since Big Mac obviously wasn’t expecting him to come home for some time they may as well make the most of what they were doing. What they didn’t expect is to be waiting for him to finish in there. Although with a name like ‘The Works’, Rarity supposed she should have expected it. She’d payed what they asked, which was a pittance and no way in Equestria could she have only owed that much, but she’d payed it under protest, much to Lotus’ amusement.

“I wonder what’s taking them so long?”

Fluttershy shrugged nervously, becoming a little more worried with each passing minute.

“I… I hope he’s alright…”

Rarity allowed a small laugh.

“Darling, he’s safe as can be with the sisters, you know that. Aloe wouldn’t allow anything to happen to him and you know it. I’m just hoping it wasn’t too expensive, I don’t have the largest amount of bits on me at the moment.”

Fluttershy giggled softly. She knew what Aloe was like a bit more than Rarity did, mainly since the two had bonded a little better than Aloe had with Rarity. It’s not easy to talk to someone you idolize without seeming a foal after all. She was just hoping she didn’t leave him an emotional wreck.

There came muffled voices from within the spa itself and Aloe trotted out looking quite pleased with herself. Her mane, as usual, was pristine, the only thing marring her otherwise perfect image being the soaking wet fur around her hooves. She turned, as though expecting somepony to follow her and rolled her eyes.

“You can stop worrying darling, they’re out here.”

The door swung open again and the pair of mares who had brought the scruffy, dirt brown Pegasus gasped.

“That can’t be…”

“No way…”

Rarity grinned.

“He’s going to have to beat them off with a stick.”

Fluttershy frowned.

“Huh?”

“The mares darling. He’ll have to beat them off with a stick.”

Drums in the air.

Chapter 3: Drums in the air.

In the pale moonlight of the early night, Demonheart’s ebony coat shone with a faint blue sheen. His eyes were lit up by the ambient pale light, and his now sleek wings with feathers as dark as his coat, shimmered as he moved them in his nervousness. His mane, once scruffy, tangled and practically in tatters, much like his tail, now sat straight and almost absurdly long, reaching down past his shoulders even from the highest point. The straight, almost surgically precise way it fell assured both of the mares who now stared at him it had been cut, probably to get rid of the split ends and such things. His tail was dragging across the ground. Both were a brilliant scarlet. And for the first time, his cutie mark could be seen.
A red heart was emblazoned upon his flank. Or rather, half of it was red. The other side was dark, a deep purple and spiked. The red half had a wing of pure white feathers flowing from it, the other the leathered wing of dragons. Beneath it rested three pristine feathers in the shape of a triangle. A breeze blew by and both Rarity and Fluttershy caught the distinct scent of peppermint and Lavender, the result of the oils (peppermint) and the shampoos (lavender) Aloe had chosen to use on the stallion.

He was also blushing heavily.

His fetlocks had been neatly trimmed and, although he had a small tuft of longer hair at each hoof, it was much more easy to look at now. It certainly incited questions concerning his heritage, whether or not he was a Clydesdale, or at least part Clydesdale, his size certainly reinforced it. Down either side of his neck was a slightly curved streak of red, identical patches of fur in identical shapes.

Birthmarks perhaps? Thought Rarity curiously

Either way, they did contrast strongly with the ebony coat. Rarity smiled at him bedazzlingly.

“Darling! You look amazing! Whyever did you let yourself get so filthy?”

No response but a mumble and looking at the floor. Aloe smiled, still next to him.

“He had a bit of a problem with water Miss Rarity. But it was nothing I couldn’t handle. Bath, preen, brushing, touch ups to the mane, fetlocks and tail, massage. The works. Oh, and I took the liberty of giving him something to fix his voice. The poor dear’s throat was red raw, so speech was actually hurting him. He should be okay in a day or two though.”

Fluttershy found herself blushing as the downturned eyes of Demonheart alighted upon hers. Almost instantly there was tension, but only for a split second as Demonheart swiftly looked away. She felt the slight stirring of butterflies in her stomach but dismissed it as nerves. He had just gone through a significant change after all.

Rarity and Aloe watched the exchange in mild interest and Rarity smiled.

“Fluttershy, why don’t you go tell Pinkie that Demonheart is presentable?”

For a moment, Fluttershy was confused, looking up at Rarity as though she’d gone utterly bonkers. It took her a moment to catch on and she excused herself with a stammered okay, blushing. Demonheart went to take a half step to follow but stopped, then retracted his hoof and remained seated. Rarity winked at Aloe.

“Don’t mind us dear. We have someplace to be now. See you next week? Same time?”

Aloe nodded.

“Of course Rarity. Do have a nice evening.”

~*~

Rarity walked through the darkened streets of Ponyville, unable to keep her eyes off of the fine specimen of a stallion beside her. Her gaze roamed over him curiously and admiringly. He was quite obviously well built, and his muscles weren’t underdeveloped. If anything, he looked like he’d gone to gym for the past several years without fail for at least once a week. They rippled as he moved. However they weren’t overdeveloped either. For example he didn’t look like Ponyville’s resident physical nut, affectionately named as ‘Flex’. One of the many who lived up to his name, Flex was a white Pegasus with red eyes and tiny, underdeveloped wings. That’s not to say he couldn’t fly. But his muscular structure was borderline absurd. This stallion before her was built, but he evidently never went overboard on it. She didn’t think she could see so much as a shred of fat on him.

As her gaze roamed from his shoulders to his sides, she couldn’t but help notice the way his feathers shone in the moonlight. The primary feathers on each wing were the same scarlet as his mane and tail were, and he had them folded as though he spent more time walking than he did flying, which was quite an odd thing for any Pegasus. Well, not Fluttershy. But she spent so much time on the ground that it was difficult for her to return to the air anyway. Every so often they fluffed up a little, mostly when a cold breeze rolled by. Rarity barely noticed any of them; she was too busy staring at him.

Now it should be said here and now that not many stallions ever caught Rarity’s eye. In fact, only two in Ponyville ever had, and one of them disgusted her. Filthy Rich was certainly not the apple of her eye in Ponyville. Big Mac had been but now…
Perhaps Big Macintosh is a little too sweaty… and Demon would make an excellent model.

She entertained thoughts of courting the big Pegasus for a while before noticing he was blushing intensely. Realising she was, as of now and for an undetermined amount of time, staring almost bewitched at his rump, she smiled at him.

“Sorry darling, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I was simply curious as to your Cutie mark.”

Nice save Rarity.

The Big stallion mumbled something softly and looked away, pausing in their walk. They were almost at their destination, so Rarity so no reason to rush and stopped with him.

“I’m afraid you’ll have to speak up darling, I can’t hear you.”

He spoke slightly louder. His voice had utterly, utterly changed. The normal gravelly rasp was gone, replaced by a tone so silky smooth it sent shivers up Rarity’s spine.

Oh my goodness…

She gasped in utter delight, not even allowing him to finish his first word.

“Oh my! Darling your voice is utterly entrancing! It’s so… so…”

Sexy.

“Velvety! Oh! At this rate I’ll go off on a big rant and we’ll never get to where we need to be. Come on! Let’s go!”

Confused, the big stallion followed her after a moment of remaining frozen. The outskirts of Ponyville were calm, beautifully green meadows of lush grasses and wildflowers.

Unless you counted tonight.

“SURPRISE!”

Demonheart scrabbled back as Pinkie Pie popped out of the grass with a yell and, out of the grass, she pulled out a cannon. She aimed it away from him, but not before unintentionally scaring the hell out of him, and fired.

Confetti, streamers and fireworks gave way to a semi-large stage coming out of the cannon and landing heavily, the entire town (minus Aloe, Lotus and Vera apparently) jumped out of cover, yelling the same thing Pinkie had.

Demonheart was overwhelmed and had, as usual, no words in which to speak.

~*~

Fluttershy. The shyest pony in Ponyville and six year champion of the national silent pony competition, She was in charge of looking after the animals that supplied Ponyville with resources, and any animals from the surrounds not including those from Sweet Apple Acres. She was also basically the town veterinarian. She was also afraid of heights. For a Pegasus, this is strange. But since she lives her life pretty much on the ground all the time, it didn’t really affect her life. She’d never been terribly good at party situations, and this was no exceptions. Due to the lateness of the hour, all the foals were in bed.
And since Pinkie IS the resident party animal…

The drinks were alcoholic, or at least some were. Due to this, Shy refused to drink any of them. She was quite a lightweight drinker in her opinion, so she tried to stay away from them if possible. Not to mention she had experienced some interesting… memories… the last time she drank. Or rather, lack of memories.

Tonight, it seemed, was no such night for avoidance.

“Come on Fluttershy! Have a drink!”

Rainbow Dash, her oldest friend, was poking and prodding at her to have at least one drink. She kept refusing, until eventually she got fed up with it and turned to Rainbow, fixing her with a look that could have frozen lava.

“Rainbow Dash. I am not drinking tonight! It’s unhealthy.”

Rainbow groaned, unfazed by the look.

“C’mon Shy! You know what’s unhealthy? Being shut up in that little cottage all the time. Have some fun! C’mon, one little drink. Just one?”

Resolutely, she shook her head again and Rainbow groaned again.

“What? It’s a party!”

“And I plan on remembering every second of it thank you.”

Rainbow rolled her eyes.

“Oh come on! You’re still going on about that? It was years ago! Besides, we were both drunk and let’s face it, it wasn’t that bad.”

Fluttershy fixed her with another deadly stare and this time it was as though the very skies themselves stopped, and Rainbow shied away.

“Rainbow, I’m not drinking.”

She nodded quickly.

“O..okay! I get it!”

The moment she was realeased from the glare Rainbow shot off, trying to find somepony else to hang with. Fluttershy sighed.

I’m not drinking tonight.

~*~

Two hours later

The party was still going on strong, and so, it seems, was Fluttershy.

Drink in hoof, she giggled softly on the outskirts of the party, her face flushed and her wings twitching as she considered if she should tickle somepony. Applejack looked over at her from afar, Rainbow next to her grinning.

“Rainbow, how many drinks did ya give her?”

The blue Pegasus smirked.

“I didn’t. Big Mac persuaded her to try the newest batch of cider. One mug and she was gone, wanted more.”

On the other side of the outskirts sat Demonheart, trying to remain as inconspicuous as possible. Which was difficult considering he had every mare and her sister asking him for a dance. The party mixes going on were heavy techno, and Demonheart really didn’t like the electronic music. Not to mention he didn’t know the first thing to dancing to it. Although judging by the way the others were dancing, there wasn’t much to it. He watched curiously as Pinkie Pie and a mare he’d rejected a dance for earlier, mint green with a lyre in her hooves, trotted onto the stage and spoke to the unicorn mare manning the tables. She grumbled before turning off her equipment and Pinkie Pie took the microphone.

What came out of her mouth didn’t surprise the audience.

A happy song spewed forth from her, the minty unicorn mare accompanying with a gay tune from the lyre. Demonheart smiled softly. Pinkie did have a rather compelling singing voice, but he still had no intention to dance. He sat where he was, enjoying the music, being forced to refuse yet three more attempts from a trio of mares, each with a different flower on their flanks. The happy number went on for some time before a more somber tune hit the stage and, to his great surprise and delight, Fluttershy stepped up onto the stage.

~*~

Normally, Fluttershy wouldn’t ever dream of stepping out onto a stage in front of all these ponies. But alcohol isn’t called liquid courage for nothing. She had a pleasant buzzing feeling in the back of her skull. Unfortunately, the negative effects of the cider were memories and emotions she’d rather not feel. Sorrow at leaving everything behind in Cloudsdale the day she fell, all the times she’d let down her friends or animals.

There was a lot there.

And so the song was low, sombre and almost sad. Not quite there, closer to regretful really. So the mood around the party sight grew more serious with the introduction to the song and the dancing slowed, many ponies picking out partners to dance with. She saw Applejack dancing with Rainbow, both looking rather uncomfortable. Big Mac was on the sidelines, turning down request after request, chuckling at the sight of his sister looking so uncomfortable. Twilight was sitting out of the dancing. After the fiasco of her last attempt, it did sort of make sense. Pinkie was at the confectionary, effectively demolishing everything. She couldn’t find Rarity though. Suddenly a flash of purple on red and a surge of irrational jealousy as she found her. Seems somepony did find a way to get Big Mac to dance, and that somepony was Rarity.

~*~

There was something different about her, he wouldn’t deny it. Perhaps it was the way her mane fell over her face, much like his did. Perhaps it was the way her eyes hid great pain, of which he could understand. Perhaps it was that she was so quiet and he felt comfortable around her. Demonheart wasn’t sure, but he was quite positive he was enjoying the angelic voice of Fluttershy on stage. He was distracted, however, by a small chittering from behind him.

His head turned in mild surprise and he saw a small, white rabbit. Male in persuasion, and he looked annoyed. He was tapping his foot and looking up at Fluttershy irritably from his place.

“Little one, what are you doing here?”

The rabbit jumped and looked at the source of the answering chatter he’d received from his (Rather scathing) comment before. The big stallion smiled down at him and the rabbit gesticulated towards Fluttershy.

“Her. She’s my pony. But obviously she isn’t where she’s meant to be this time of night. Not only that, she’s been drinking.”

The smile was marred slightly by a twitch.

“How is it you know this?”

“She wouldn’t be up there otherwise.”

The bunny huffed irritably.

“I should get her down.”

Demonheart shook his head slowly.

“No, leave her be. She’s having fun little one.”

The bunny looked at him like he was insane.

“What? Leave her?”

Demon nodded.

“Yes little one, leave her be. Tell me, what is your name?”

The bunny huffed again.

“She calls me Angel. Been called that since birth.”

“You don’t like it?”

Angel shook his head.

“No, not really. Not my decision though. She feeds me.”

“You really care about her huh?”

Angel shook his head a little too quickly and looked away.

“No! It’s just that she’s the only one who feeds me.”

The big Pegasus chuckled softly.

“Of course. Go home little one. I will take care of her.”

~*~

Twilight watched the proceedings of the party with quiet satisfaction. It was going quite well, and she didn’t mind saying so. She’d have to compliment Pinkie on a job well done on this one, especially considering it was an impromptu party. Although she was surprised that Fluttershy had gotten up to sing. Pinkie wanted Twilight to sing that night as well, but after Fluttershy…

I’m not sure I can follow an act like that.

“Ya alright Miss Twilight?”

Looking to the left, she smiled at Big Mac, who had come up beside her and was now sitting quietly.

“I’m fine Big Mac. And please, Twilight is fine. I see you finally got away from Rarity.”

Big Mac nodded.

“Eeyup. Ain’t much for slow dancin’.”

Twilight couldn’t help but giggle.

“Not with Rarity anyway.”

Big Mac nodded. Just as Twilight went to speak once more, The big stallion spoke, almost seeming to read her mind.

“She’s nice enough. Ain’t really mah type.”

Twilight smiled. Rarity was quite clingy, and she was quite often very needy as well. She wasn’t surprised that the workhorse didn’t think of her as any sort of romantic option. Struck by an odd thought, a moment of curiosity, Twilight changed the subject.

“You made Fluttershy have a drink?”

“Uh… eeyup?”

Twi looked at him to find his face a slight shade darker red than normal.

“You wanted her to sing.”

The red darkened.

“Uh… eeyup.”

Twilight chuckled softly.

“I guess you missed it huh?”

Big Mac didn’t speak and Twilight felt her smile widen a little.

“Alright, I won’t say any more. But I think it’s cute.”

“Ah think it’s yer turn to sing Miss Twilight.”

The song had indeed ended, and that was a dismissal had Twilight ever heard one. Still smiling, she shook her head as she began to make her way up to the stage.

~*~

Happiness. Pure happiness. Euphoria. This was something Fluttershy was feeling. She’d be lying if she said she didn’t enjoy feeling like this. Unfortunately, she only really felt like this when she drank, and she didn’t like drinking. Too many variables. But she had had a drink that night, and the pleasant buzz in the back of her skull wasn’t going away, and her euphoria was something she was thoroughly enjoying too.

I wanna dance!

She vaguely remembered wanting to dance. She’d had three drinks, in point of fact. The first pony that struck her mind to dance with was Big Mac. But then she remembered that she’d seen him dancing with Rarity and didn’t want to dance with him anymore.

She heard Twilight start singing and started dancing. It was upbeat, relatively fast paced. Nothing too quick. She roamed through the crowd, changing dance partner from time to time. There were quite a few who tried to hang onto her a little longer, but she always pushed them away. She didn’t know who to dance with.

She remembered dancing with Rarity for a short time, Pinkie Pie for a while longer. She lost count of just how many she’d danced with when she met nose to nose with the guest of honour.

Almost instantly she was lost in his eyes.

~*~

In the middle of the field full of ponies, two pegasi stood stock still, both flushed but for different reasons. Fluttershy, drunk and still wanting to dance, could not tear herself away from the two purple eyes looking at her. Demonheart, who had promised Angel he’d look after Fluttershy, nervous and embarrassed, had brushed his mane from his eyes and worked up the courage to approach her. Up on the stage, another track was loaded into the electronic turntable guided by the ever well known DJ Pon-3.

Twilight was still singing.

Nervously, but determined to go further, Demonheart nosed under Fluttershy’s chin, pushing her up onto her hind legs, following her soon after, Right hoof holding her left, left around her waist. She smiled at him, eyelids half closed as she put a hoof on his shoulder. The sound of drums reverberated through the air as they started to dance, slowly at first. The crowd noticed the pair and stopped, clearing a berth and forming a wall around them. Slowly, they started clapping their hooves to the beat. The crowd could tell how the two felt from the look on their faces, spinning in circles with the moon in their eyes, no room left to move between them and looking each other in the eye. The tempo increased and so did their circling, the graceful dance speeding up a bit.

Big Mac looked on, squashing his jealousy.

Twilight’s voice rang out, like an angel singing praise to the night. The pair forgot where they were, lost track of time. Even after Twilight finished her song, the music continued, the two increasing the speed in time with the music. A smile tugged at Demonheart’s lips as his mane swirled around him and his partner, scarlet mixing with the light pink of his counterpart, tails spinning with them. His ears pinned back as she leaned against him, never slowing, though her breathing was markedly heavier now, rubbing her cheek against his chest. His wings shot open and, dragging her with him, he took to flight, a swirl of feathers marking their departure just as the music ceased, the crowd cheering at the cocky bows of the DJ, and the departing pegasi. Big Mac felt a smile tugging at his mouth.

“Well Ah’ll be.”

Authors note: HEY GUYS! GUYS LOOK! LOOK! DEVELOPMENT! Hehe, I'm rather happy with this piece of writing. Anyhow, if any of you guys can get the song reference here feel free to point it out, you'll get bonus points towards something I have no idea about.
*ahem*
Anyhow, I wanted to know what you guys thought so far, and I figured I'd ask you directly. What do you think? How can I improve what I'm writing? You guys are the readers of these tales, so I do hope you're enjoying it. Let me know!

~Valorousspectre~

Shooting stars

Chapter 4: Shooting stars.

Thrashing. He remembered vaguely he was thrashing in his sleep. Darkness, absolute darkness. An evil cackle, whispers, constant whispers. Offers of power, untapped potential, impossibly enticing offers of other things whispered in the depths of his mind. A constant pull, powerful, relentless.

A refusal.

Now there was anger, rage. Disappointment, resentment. A pair of red glowing eyes in a vicious scowl. Screams of anguish and frustration, whispers of threats filling his mind. Claws reaching, flexing, straining, getting closer and closer. A voice, dark and angry…

“You’re MINE!”

~*~

Demonheart shot up, forehooves holding him up, eyes wide, drenched in sweat.

The whispers…

They swirled around him, harsh whispers and quiet screams of frustration. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes again. Gradually they faded away until, with soft ‘boom’, they were gone entirely. Panting heavily, he opened his weary eyes and looked around. It was still dark, probably early morning. He was in a cottage, and the feeling of a mattress beneath him told him he was in bed. A few memories of the previous night hit him and he looked down across from him on the bed. Clinging to his waist with a peaceful smile on her face was a sleeping Fluttershy. That one drink he’d had for the courage to dance with her had affected him more than he thought it would.

You never could take your liquor Demon, this just proves it.

Shaking his head, he very slowly squeezed out from the affectionate pegasus’ grasp, slipping a pillow in for her to cuddle instead, which she almost instantly did. He couldn’t help but smile at the sweet little Pegasus before checking her and himself for any signs of damage or… other activities, although he was sparing for her own modesty and his own sense of integrity when checking her. Satisfied that nothing untoward had happened the previous night, Demonheart opened the window and prepared to leave, but something made him stop. He looked back at the peaceful form on the bed before looking around guiltily. Nervously, afraid she’d wake up, he trotted over to her and, very gently, pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead before blushing hotly and swiftly flying from the premises out the open window, closing it with a lingering look at her angelic form before leaving.

~*~

Dawn.

Applejack knew it well, and this night had seen her sleep well, so she rose well and rested, ready to start a new day. Trotting out of her room, she looked over at the next door to the right. Demonheart’s room was closed to the public it appeared. AJ grinned.

Payback time Ah reckon.

She pounded on his door.

“C’mon Sleepyhead! Got work to do!”

There came no answer. No answer at all. AJ frowned and banged again.

“Hey! Ah said wake up! Got some apples to harvest!”

Again silence was her answer. Growling irritably, she shoved the door open.

“Now look ya…. Oh.”

She blinked a few times at the empty room, feeling like a complete fool. Thankful that nopony saw her do that, she closed the door and walked downstairs for breakfast.

~*~

“Ah’m tellin’ ya, he wasn’t in his room. Ah don’t know where he was.”

Big Mac and AJ had just finished breakfast and were headed out to the orchard to start another long day of work. Big Mac was listening to Applejack with little interest.

“Eeyup. He didn’t sleep here last night.”

Now, it must be said here that Applejack didn’t really remember what happened last night. She was lucky in the way that she never seemed to get hangovers, but when she drank she tended to forget everything. And getting competitive with Rainbow when it came to drinking often ended in disaster. Nothing terrible had happened, but Rainbow had lost and AJ had enjoyed the party until going home, completely drunk.

As a result? She didn’t remember squat about it.

“He didn’t? Where in tarnation would he be then?”

A muscle in Big Mac’s cheek twitched.

“Fluttershy’s Ah’d say.”

On the other end of the spectrum, Big Mac wasn’t a drinker. It’s not that he didn’t like alcohol or the euphoria that sometimes came with it, far from it. However he didn’t like the effects he got the next morning. And an angry Big Macintosh was a force to be reckoned with.

Especially with a headache.

Applejack found herself laughing softly at her brother’s rather obvious (to her) jealousy.

“What? Ain’t got her outta yer system yet brother? That was years ago ya know.”

All she got back was a surly grunt and she laughed softly again. A laugh that faded away as both ponies stopped, looking with stunned incredulousness at several rows of apple filled baskets before them, laid out in neat lines. Easily twelve baskets across, they were two baskets high and at least four deep. One basket on the back left hand corner was missing, marring the almost picture perfect image.

“Big Mac…. Did ya start workin’ before?”

Big Mac shook his head slowly.

“Eenope.”

The resounding ‘thud’ of hooves striking wood followed by the many smaller thuds of smaller apples falling floated to their ears and the pair of farmers followed the sound curiously. They almost ran headlong into Demonheart, who was pulling two of the great baskets with a look of raw determination and concentration on his face. Mumbling a muffled sorry, he continued pulling the baskets, watched incredulously by the young mare and her brother as he took them back to his pile. AJ and Big Mac, who had followed him, looked at him curiously. The Pegasus paused in his duties, looking from one to the other. Applejack spoke.

“Sugarcube, how long have ya been workin’?”

Ebony shoulders lifted in a shrug. He had no idea.

“Had to have been a few hours with the amount ya managed to rake in.”

Another shrug before a silky voice floated on the still wind.

“I couldn’t sleep…”

Big Mac felt a muscle in his cheek twitch at the words but held back his jealousy once more.

“Have ya eaten anythin’?”

A shake of the head.

“Wasn’t hungry…”

The big stallion pawed at the ground ineffectively, looking around.

“Um… C..Can I please get back to work?”

Both AJ and Big Mac looked at each other, then at the pile of baskets in front of them, then back at each other. A unanimous decision seemed to pass through the two before they both turned back to him.

“Alright, ya can keep goin’.”

He nodded a little and skirted around the pair, heading back the way he’d come. AJ looked at Big Mac.

“He ain’t working like that all day. He’ll be plum tuckered by midday.”

“Eeyup.”

~*~

Contrary to AJ’s words, Demonheart seemed hellbent on continuing his hard work. Slick with sweat, panting and muscles screaming at him, the big Pegasus was outdoing even Big Mac that day. Of course, unknown to AJ and Big Mac, he had a lot on his mind he’d rather not think about at that point in time. This was all new to him.

Valour…

Suddenly he stopped and looked around feverishly.

Valour.. What are you doing you stupid Pegasus?

Whispers filled the air around him and he swallowed heavily.

“No…” He whispered back. “Leave me alone…”

Oh, you know better than that. You can never be rid of me.

The whispers slowly got louder and he shook his head, trying to dispel them.

“No… Go away… I control my own mind…”

For now little Pegasus. But, as a guest, I insist that I receive a turn.

The voice was light hearted, sing-song. Playful even, but carried with it intent so murderously malevolent that, despite the heat of the day and his exertion, Demonheart felt chilled.

“As host, I must… deny… your r…requ…est…”

He was having trouble speaking, trouble repelling the insatiable, lustful pull of the voice and his eyes slammed themselves shut and he grunted, leaning against a tree to support himself.

You might try to, but eventually I’ll come out to pla-ay♪

~*~

At first, Applejack dismissed it as wind in the trees.

Faint sounds that vaguely resembled whispers.

She’d found her imagination had, in the time she had to work on the nicer days, wandered. Sometimes it went places that were pleasant, other times not so much so. She figured that was just her imagination playing tricks on her and dismissed it. They faded away fast enough. She kept at it, plodding relentlessly from place to place, stacking the baskets where Demonheart had started, resigning herself to bringing them in later. It was a shorter trip to the barn anyway.

It wasn’t until Big Mac resolutely told her to start taking them into the barn to be stored that she realised not only had the whispers stopped, but she could no longer hear Demonheart’s bucks. As much as she loathed admitting it, the big Pegasus was a hell of a farmhand. Tireless, strong and determined, the Pegasus had shown himself an invaluable worker, albeit not the fastest in normal circumstances. Most times she’d seen him walking at a leisurely trot, a faraway look to his single visible eye. His mane was getting scruffy again, as was his tail, and his previously beautifully groomed coat was dirt stained. The work was getting to his looks again. AJ found herself snorting softly with laughter at that thought.

Ol’ Rare’ll have a field day with him each week. Ain’t nothin’ Big Mac can do to stop her in this respect.

She paused, full cart attached to the harness on her back, just outside of the barn door. The whispers were back, this time followed with a familiar voice.

”Please… leave me alone…”

The whispers grew in volume, AJ frowned.

That Demon in there? Who’s he talkin’ to?

The whispers suddenly went silent and a bout of violent coughing replaced it. Concerned, Applejack opened the previously closed door to the large structure just as Demonheart collapsed, still coughing. Shedding the harness, and therefore cart, AJ rushed over to him, recoiling as splatters of blood came into her view range. She started checking his body for lacerations of cuts as his coughing subsided.

“Ya alright Sugarcube?”

The big stallion nodded slowly, panting heavily.

“Y..Yes..” he rasped softly.

It was at this moment AJ noticed blood on his lower jaw and her concern grew.

Oh Celestia he was coughin’ up blood!

“Sugarcube, Ah gotta get ya some help. Ya ain’t well. Come on, Big Mac can handle the apples. Ah’ll just get Applebloom to…”

She paused. Her sister, Applebloom, was out crusading for her cutie mark with her friends down with Fluttershy.

“Well, there goes that idea. Mac’ll understand. C’mon, I gotta get ya to the…”

She stopped again as she noticed the slow, steady breaths of the stallion laying before her and smiled a half smile, still concerned.

Well wouldja look at that. Asleep.

~*~

Flames.

Flames of deepest crystalline blue, screams of pain and shock. The spreading of ice across the landscape. Buildings being encased, snap frozen in but an instant. A dark figure standing tall, laughing, magic swirling around him. Massive wings framed him and a long, wickedly pointed horn sprouted from the head. A pair of glowing red eyes, sharp incisors made for tearing and piercing. Sadistic laughter so cruel it could freeze one’s blood in the very veins it coursed through.

“Yes! YES!”

Power. Power coursing through the leylines that run through the body of all living things, power no normal creature should have. Boiling, practically screaming to be let out. It was intoxicating, drawing him in, enticing, tempting…

It was so difficult to turn away.

~*~

Demonheart woke up suddenly, sitting bolt upright, eyes open. The pale gleam of hospital wallpaper glared back at him obstinately. He was panting heavily, and…

What?

His mane was straight again, the severe, surgically precise cut Aloe had given him prominent. His coat was clear of dirt and grime, and his throat no longer hurt, nor did his chest. He also had a pleasant buzzing in the back of his skull and an IV drip in his arm. He looked at it stupidly, trying to puzzle out what it was in the fog that had suddenly drifted over his mind. When it finally, and very slowly, registered that it was what it was, his foggy mind tried to comprehend the meaning behind the drip.

IV drip… white walls… itchy sheets… oh damn, where am I? I can’t even remember…

“Um…A..Are you feeling better?”

The soft voice knocked him out of his reverie and he looked for it, finding it in a nervous Fluttershy beside the bed. He found himself smiling stupidly and saying something. He couldn’t hear what he was saying before yawning and stretching, getting lightheaded and collapsing back onto the bed.

Asleep.

~*~

Fluttershy’s day had started how it always did after a night with the drink. Snout first in a bucket with Angel reprimanding her. She finished feeling sorry for herself when she felt the bunny give her rump a firm kick and began doing her chores, albeit unhappily. Chickens first, then the bunnies (Angel included since he was the main reason behind doing the rabbits second), then the many birds that crowded around her house for food. It had taken her most of the morning to do so, followed by several visits from ponies from around town complaining of pet ailments or difficulties.

She tried to get them over with as soon as possible.

As soon as she did she finally went in for something to eat, which Angel seemed happy with. After which she went back to bed to feel sorry for herself. Something Angel clearly didn’t agree with. He’d tried to stop her, but she’d simply brushed him out of the way and closed the door. There were very few rules that Angel followed, but the one he DID follow with no degree of uncertainty is the one regarding rooms and closed doors.

One did NOT open a closed door to somepony elses’ room if they closed it.

If one did have to enter another’s room and they’d closed the door, then one must knock and await confirmation of entry.
And so Angel stood there variously hitting, knocking, pounding and kicking the door to try and make her open it to no avail. Fluttershy was not feeling well and she didn’t plan on allowing Angel to make her work. That was simply not going to fly that day.

It was late afternoon when Applejack finally arrived at the house and called out to her. She had considered ignoring her and going back to sleep, but in the end her insistent calling roused her and she regretfully left her bed for favour of talking to her friend. When AJ had told her Demonheart had been admitted into the hospital, It had taken a moment for Fluttershy to remember who Demonheart was. AJ had bluntly reminded her that she’d spent a good portion of the night at his party the previous night and had not only danced with him, but had practically been taken home by him.

Much blushing ensued as Fluttershy stammered a reply, then simply left.

And so here she was, sitting at the bedside of a stallion she barely knew. She had been forced to insist that he was most certainly not her coltfriend to the head nurse, who had eventually backed down with an annoyed look to her face.

And so she waited.

It was a strange experience. In his drug addled state, Demonheart seemed to speak to himself a lot. His murmurings often strayed to something that must have been dark, or hard to remember without pain, because several times she caught him crying. Once she could have sworn that he’d opened his eyes slightly and she’d caught a flash of red, but she dismissed it as light refraction.

We’ve all seen redeye in photos.

His first awakening had scared the holy hell out of her and she sat frozen as the big stallion had stared stupidly at his arm before she’d spoken. His goofy smile made her giggle softly just before he passed out and, concerned, she’d called the nurse.

Both of them now sat around him, the nurse checking him over, Fluttershy just being nervous.

“Well miss, His throat will be inflamed for a few days so I don’t suggest letting him talk very loudly, his chest might pain him a little bit since he wasn’t just coughing up blood from a raw throat, looks like a burst vessel. But it’s minor, so he’ll be okay. Your coltfriend is very lucky.”

Fluttershy felt herself blushing furiously.

“He’s not….”

“Pardon?”

“He’s n..not my coltfriend…”

The nurse looked at Fluttershy.

“No? Pity. You two would make a cute couple. And the way you two were dancing last night, you could have fooled me.”

Fluttershy simply blushed heavily and looked away.

How exactly did we dance last night!?

~*~

Demonheart huffed irritably. It wasn’t often the big stallion found himself annoyed, but this was one of those times. Confined to his room by a very insistent Applejack and a stallion who was stronger than he was, not to mention a little bigger, Demon was forced to lay in his bed and watch as AJ and Big Mac hauled in all of his hard work, feeling worse than useless. He hated the feeling. His now pristinely clean feathers ruffled lightly in his agitation and he sniffled softly. It was dark now and the last few baskets were being loaded into the barn when a knock came to his door. He shifted in his bed and looked over at the door before speaking softly.

“C..Come in?”

The door opened and a little yellow filly with a large red bow in her mane of (Ironically) also red walked in carrying a tray. On said tray was a steaming bowl and cup. The filly, of whom Demonheart recognised as the youngest member of the Apple family based in Ponyville, Applebloom, smiled at him.

“Howdy mister! Granny told me to bring you some soup since you weren’t that well. Ah hope ya like it! Oh, and there’s honey in ya tea too. Get well soon!”

The little filly beamed at him one last time before bounding away, the door closing behind her. Demonheart smiled and looked down at the soup tray she’d put on the bed.

~*~

When Applejack poked her head into his room later that night, she was satisfied to find him fast asleep. She was about to leave when the tray caught her eye. It sat at the doorway, just at the threshold so the door wouldn’t hit it if opened, but it was clearly visible. On it was a small note. AJ glanced up at the writing desk and frowned.

Ah didn’t know we kept any ink in here…

She took the tray anyway and brought it downstairs to wash, then opened the note.

Let alone scarlet ink.

The writing was highly sophisticated, high class print and AJ felt her eyes widen in surprise.

“Miss Applejack.

Please thank Granny Smith for the soup. It was wonderful. But I wish to get back to work.
I assure you, my condition is not fatal nor debilitating. It recurs every so often, but mostly keeps to itself I have had it for many years and the inactivity that I must face now is driving me insane. Mostly because I know I owe you and your family so much. I wish to be done with this debt as soon as possible so I may be on my way and out of your mane. I’m not the best company to be had, especially in large crowds.

Please speak to me tomorrow morning with your reply, I wish to know if you will allow me to work once more. I have only worked for two days and it’s simply not enough.

Sincerely.

Demonheart.”

The spidery script was difficult for Applejack to read, although she puzzled her way through it, brows furrowed. At the end, she felt herself frown deeper.

Nurse Redheart told us not to let him work for another few days. Ain’t sure though. He seemed okay when he got back, though Fluttershy said it was the painkillers they had him on, which he refuses to take. Ah’m not sure I should let him work tomorrow…

Still trying to puzzle things out, Applejack went to bed, her beloved Stetson finding its way onto the hat hook by the inside of her door.

~*~

“Twilight! Ah wanna speak with ya!”

Applejack pounded on the door to the library. She never seemed to go half way, it was either a pinch or a pound. Or in this case, a tonne. In her mouth was the note written by Demonheart, the spidery hoofwriting a dull maroon rather than scarlet as AJ had thought that previous night. The sound of claws on wood scrabbled it’s way to AJ’s ears as the door was opened by a disgruntled Spike, who merely waved Applejack in before slamming the door shut again. It was too early for the little dragon and he wasn’t happy with being woken up. AJ wandered in.

“Spike, ya know where Twilight is?”

A surly shrug and a grumble about the basement was all she got in return, so AJ figured she may as well check said basement. However she was careful doing so. The basement of the Library is where Twilight conducted most of her experiments, some with catastrophically epic results.

As if on cue, a large flair of light came from the bottom of the final door to the basement’s main room and AJ heard a muffled curse and groaned.

“Twilight, some day you’re gunna end up without all your apples in the right tree.”

~*~

Boredom.

Demonheart knew the feeling all too well. Today was no exception. Having had his offer to work refused, Demonheart had been told to go and spend the day out and about. This was not how he wanted to spend his day. He felt guilty that he wasn’t working at the farm, anxious that he was alone and nervous from all the looks he was receiving as he walked down the streets of Ponyville. He tried to avoid looking at everypony else, but he seemed to be getting more attention here from the majority of the local populace than he was at the party the night before last. To be honest, he was hungry, had no bits at all since he wasn’t being payed to work at Sweet Apple Acres due to his debt and had no intention of talking or even approaching any of these mares (and, it seemed, a few stallions) who were eyeing him off like he was a prime specimen of agricultural land or a new fangled piece of cuisine that absolutely HAD to be sampled.

Suffice it to say, he wasn’t happy.

He was so busy worrying about what the ponies around him would do, he almost ran straight into Rainbow Dash, who had flown in front of him, landing in a small dust cloud that he completely failed to notice.

“Hey! Aren’t you meant to be helping AJ at the farm and stuff?”

A flush found its way onto the big ebony stallion’s cheeks and he nodded slowly, shyly.

“T..They t..told me not t… that I had the day off…”

Rainbow scoffed.

“Really? Why? Can’t hack the farm life?”

He didn’t answer, scuffing at the ground with his hoof. Rainbow huffed and strutted around him.

“Y’know, I don’t like criminals. And I REALLY don’t like thieves. They’re low, cowardly and too lazy to work on their own.”

She punctuated each new insult with stomp of a hoof as she strutted around him, and he flinched back at each one, feeling the familiar surge of rage that came with the judgements.

“We here in Ponyville are a hardworking bunch. We don’t need ponies like you to come and start messing with us, got it?”

Thinking back, Demonheart didn’t really remember seeing Rainbow personally at the party held for him, or rather on her own. She’d always been with Applejack, and hadn’t met his eye once.

I guess this is why… He thought grimly.

“Heck, I doubt you could even be bothered to race me. Too scared you’d lose.”

A low growl emanated from the stallion and Rainbow turned to look at him from where she’d looked past him in her arrogance, meeting a burning, determined glare from a single purple iris, a conflagration of single minded purpose so intense it unnerved her slightly and she couldn’t help but take a half step back.

“You’re on.”

~*~

“Applejack, please. Just because he writes with flair does not mean he’s from someplace like Canterlot! Now can you please leave me to my studies? I’m still working on this spell.”

AJ shook her head stubbornly. She was down with Twilight in the basement of the great tree that made up the library, currently picking out chestnuts the size of cherrystones from the unicorn’s mane.

“Nu-uh. Ah wanna know more ‘bout this stallion stayin’ with me. Ya sure ya can’t tell me nothin’?”

Twilight groaned and looked at the letter again.

“Fine, fine. Sophisticated, Stylised. Likely went to a very good school. Since he’s a Pegasus, I’d wager it was in Cloudsdale. Likely written by hoof if the faint depression on the paper at about half way is anything to go by. The scratchiness means it was written via quill.”

Twilight found herself frowning.

“Hold up, do you keep quills in the rooms AJ?”

Applejack snorted.

“Don’t get it into your head that we do. Ain’t been a quill in the house since we got pencils.”

Twilight’s frown deepened.

“There’s only one other place he could have gotten a quill without leaving the room… you’re positive he never left?”

“Absolutely. Tarnation Twi, ya doubtin’ the Apple family?”

Twilight ignored the playful jab and groaned again.

“He plucked it from his own wing. And if you don’t have quills in there, you don’t have ink. That, naturally, means he had to use something else.”

She held up the note for AJ to look at again.

“Red ink? Don’t be so sure. He wrote it in his own blood because he had no ink.”

The note scrunched itself up and burst into flames, earning a startled yelp from Applejack.

“He wrote the note with his own feather plucked from his own wing using the blood as his ink.”

~*~

“Alright. Three laps around the entirety of Ponyville! Can’t hit clouds or other ponies. You still in?”

Rainbow glanced cockily back at the stallion slightly behind her, standing on the cloud start line. He didn’t hold the normal stance of a pony at the ready for a race. His head was held lower, and his stance was subtly more aggressive. He more resembled a predator on the brink of pouncing or giving chase than a Pegasus preparing to race. It was almost intimidating.

But then, Rainbow wasn’t one to back down from a challenge.

Settling down into the well known posture of flight readiness, as she had countless times before, Rainbow stretched her wings, watching as the big stallion did the same, although in a much more subtle way. Where as her wings were literally opening up and out, stretching the muscles, she noted his wings barely moved, the wing joints rotating. Again, this was more the movement of a predatory animal than of a pony and this time it did unnerve her.

Oh cut it out Rainbow! You’re going to beat this thief, then you’ll be able to cruise around and do whatever. Like you always do. Yeah. Maybe take a nap.

She grinned as a thought struck her.

“Care to make a bet?”

The black stallion glared at her.

“I win. You take a day of work. You win, I take a day of yours.”

The ferocity in his voice firmly discouraged anything Rainbow had to say and she looked forward.

“Alright then. Get ready!”

She found herself tensing. A glance to her right revealed he hadn’t moved.

“Get set!”

Her hind legs bunched up, coiling like springs. The stallion beside her barely moved, leaning forward a bit, getting down low to the cloud. It was disturbing just how much this pony looked like a predatory animal rather than a civilised pony.

“Go!”

The pair shot off the mark, Rainbow taking a leisurely pace with the stallion. Or, leisurely for her. His wing beats were slow, measured and powerful, unlike her faster flapping. She smirked.

“That the best you can do?”

She deliberately pulled forward a bit, looking back at him, taunting him. With his mane whipping back from the wind, both of his eyes were visible to her, burning with an intense flame.

But not one that would be associated with heat.

Somehow, the look chilled her rather than instilled her with the feeling he was angry. This was not something she was used to. Suddenly just wanting the race to be over, she snorted and shot off, building up speed rapidly. She was about halfway around the track when she realised she was still being followed closely. She looked back and was stunned to note that he was still right behind her!

How…

Then it hit her.

Slipstreams! He’s using my Slipstream to reduce his drag and let himself fly faster!

Growling in frustration, Rainbow executed a tight roll to the left, corkscrewing out of the path of the stallion behind her. Not as agile as her, Demonheart was quite swiftly left in the dust of the smaller, lighter mare as she shot forward.

One lap down, two to go.

~*~

Grim determination dogged his every move, Demonheart was frustrated when he saw her shoot forward.

I will NOT let her win!

The purple of his eyes, aflame with determined grit, began to dilute and change.

Not on my life!

~*~

Rainbow was so far ahead in her lap that she was positive she would win. So she floated along at her leisure, still going too fast for him to catch up, but slow enough to taunt him.

The course around Ponyville was interesting. Whilst most of it was standard, circular sort of structure, halfway through there was a pillar of cloud. It had seemed that, since the first lap, the pair had, unspeakingly, seemingly unanimously decided you went over the pillar and never around or below it, and certainly not through it. Problem is, at these speeds one had to slow down in order to begin ascent.

So you can imagine Rainbow’s shock when she reached the obstacle and a black and red blur shot past her and changed direction, mid flight, without losing speed.

Reeling in shock, Rainbow growled and shot off the mark, pursuing her ebony opponent with reckless abandon. She began to gain on him until eventually the pair were approaching side by side. Or they were. The big black stallion began pulling away from her again and Rainbow stared at him in shock.

What she saw shocked her further.

Now that they were going at about the same velocity, certain aspects of him came back into focus. The most predominant thing, grabbing her attention almost instantly, was the addition of a pair of wings.

Quite literally.

Behind the set of wings based roughly around his shoulders flapped another pair of wings, dark feathered and fast. They flapped in turn. As the front pair went down, the rear pair went up and so on and so forth.

That explains the speed boost.

Frowning in grim determination, Rainbow considered her final option.

I am NOT losing to this criminal!

She’d never attempted a Sonic Rainboom from a purely horizontal angle, but it couldn’t be any harder than vertically. As a result, she found herself approaching terminal velocity for pre-barrier break and the visible cone of air forming around her hooves. She grinned as she came up to see him and then…

BOOM!

The sound barrier broke in all its technicoloured glory. The shockwave of raw energy and colour flung itself outwards, bright and obvious in the daylight, a trail of rainbow colours left streaming behind her.

She heard a cry of shock as the shockwave hit her opponent and she smirked, racing around the course for the final lap.

Two down, one to go!

~*~

Demonheart tumbled.

Hit by the powerful force that made up the Sonic Rainboom, the Pegasus flipped and tumbled in the air, fighting for purchase. His wings flared and he glared upwards, growling.

He only had two wings.

~*~

Rainbow gloated in her victory.

Not that she’d finished the last lap yet. But come on, who’s going to beat her now? Two and a half laps down, only half to go.
She was approaching the cloud pillar when it happened. With an angry roar the black streak that was Demonheart shot up from below her and, for a split second, everything went in slow motion.

She watched in horror as he shot up in front of her, too close for her to avoid him even with the added agility of the Rainboom. Then noticing his eyes, previously purple, as a pitiless, vengeful red. Then the horn on his head, spiked and lethal. It sparked and…

BOOM!

The shockwave through Dash out of the Rainboom state, hurling her backwards. It was like being hit with a wrecking ball. The stallion slashed through the barrier with magic, blue lightning screaming around him in protest as he took off, just as fast as Dash had been going moments before. The technicolour Pegasus fell hard and fast. Unable to form the wind under her wings under such extreme velocity, she was about to hit a tree when…

“Gotcha!”

The felt a pair of hooves wrap around her chest and her descent slowed, then stopped. Her wings opened again as they let her go and she caught the air around her, hovering in place. She turned and, in her surprise, noted that the black stallion had not only finished the race first, but had come back around to catch her in all of about ten seconds.

“What? How did you… What the hay are you!?”

Demonheart grimaced and turned to leave, pausing for a moment to speak.

“Didn’t you know..? I’m a thief. Honourless, useless, unwanted. I may be these things to you, but I am no murderer.”

Set in Stone

Chapter five: Set in stone.

He was nowhere to be found.

Applejack had searched near all day on the day she’d given Demonheart off for the stallion, but he’d seemed to have vanished off the face of Equestria. And now, two days later, he was still missing and Applejack was getting very worried. Whilst she hadn’t known the Pegasus for long, she had come to be thankful for his help. Because of him, this year’s crop was being harvested much, much more quickly.

Big Macintosh, it seemed, was as calm as always. Although he did seem a little annoyed at the fact that Demonheart had mysteriously gone missing.

“He’s still got work to do here. Ain’t meant to be leavin’ yet.” He’d said upon AJ asking him of it.

In a last ditch attempt to find him, AJ had finally relented and asked her friends. Fluttershy had not been present as she had too many things to take care of that couldn’t wait.

As a result, five ponies were now searching for the wayward Pegasus, Big Macintosh having stayed back at the farm to continue working. Five worried mares searching for one Pegasus.

Who didn’t want to be found.

~*~

Demonheart was sitting on a hill when Fluttershy found him. The hill overlooked the Everfree forest.

And he was far from alone.

Sitting around the large Pegasus were various creatures. Creatures that, quite honestly, shouldn’t be outside of the Everfree. A cockatrice sat under his right wing, a timberwolf sat almost protectively before him. On his head perched a strange, shadowy creature that resembled a miniature storm cloud. Fluttershy identified it as a Delgo, a creature that fed upon the negative emotions of memories that ponies experienced, forcing them to relive them as they fed. They weren’t malicious creatures, but they weren’t well liked for obvious reasons. It was also a common belief that Delgoes evolved from the ancient creature known as a Windigo. Sprawled across it’s back, playing happily with his tail wriggled a happy, cat like creature with larger than life ears with tufts on the top of them, a very fluffy tail and wide, inquisitive eyes of bright green. Its coat was of a pure white with sky blue paws tail tip. It had two long, wickedly sharp incisors.

Fluttershy approached cautiously, not certain as to how aggressive or not the creatures were. The cat almost instantly looked over at her, wide eyed and curious and mewled curiously. Fluttershy hid behind her mane fearfully as his head turned, looking at her from the corner of his eye.

“Miss Fluttershy..?”

All the animals that had gathered around him turned as one to look at the new arrival, although it was difficult to tell with the Delgo, having no real set form. The pink maned Pegasus nodded nervously.

“Um.. y..yes… What are you d..doing up here?”

The big stallion sighed and looked at the creatures around him with a faint smile.

“Visiting old friends… It’s been much too long since I spoke with them.”

Fluttershy nodded nervously.

“I… Do you mind if I… um… can I join you? If it’s okay… I mean…”

For a moment, nopony spoke. Then, still quiet, Demonheart nodded. Very quietly, she approached the group and sat tentatively to Demonheart’s left. The pair of ponies were silent for a while, preferring to simply keep each other company with their presence rather than words. The silence ended however when Fluttershy felt a tug on one of her wings and she squeaked, looking down in shock at the big eyes of the cat creature. He seemed to be smiling at her. His big green eyes seemed to shine with an inner light. She heard a soft chuckle and looked up to Demonheart, who was smiling.

“He likes you…”

Fluttershy blushed and pet the cat gently. A loud purr emanated from the cat and its eyes half closed and it rubbed its head against her hoof. No matter how hard Fluttershy strived to identify the feline, she simply didn’t recognize his species.

“He’s cute… What is he?”

The cat mewled softly. Demonheart spoke softly.

“He’s what is known as a Dum Kat.”

Fluttershy found herself frowning.

“D… Dum… Kat? I’ve never… “

“I’d be surprised… if you had…”

Fluttershy felt an irrational prick of annoyance.

“W..Why? I know m.. most everything in the forest…”

“The Dum Kat race isn’t native to the Everfree miss Fluttershy…”

He smiled and petted the little kitten gently.

“His race is ancient… They predate the sisters themselves… if one is t..to believe… the ancient legends…”

Again the pair sat in silence for a time before Fluttershy’s curiosity gave her the courage to ask a question.

“D..Demonheart? I don’t m..mean to pry but… is everything… is everything alright?”

The big stallion hesitated before stroking the Cockatrice gently.

“I… No, No I’m not… I… I raced your friend… t..the blue one with colourful hair…”

Fluttershy frowned.

“A…and y..you’re upset because you lost..?”

He shook his head slowly.

“W..Well no… I.. I guess I’m upset because I won.”

Fluttershy was struck silent. In the entire time she’d known Rainbow she’d never seen nor heard of her losing a race. She fondled the feline’s ears as she responded.

“She… lost?”

He nodded slowly and sighed.

“W..Yes. But… It wasn’t fair. I mean… I wasn’t.. it was…”

He went quiet, his expression pensive. Fluttershy felt a stab of concern at his sudden pensive look, however sensing this was a sensitive topic, she figured it was safer to let that subject lie.

“Um.. If… if you don’t mind.. I um… I’m um… curious…”

He looked up at her.

“Yes Miss Fluttershy..?”

“Um.. w..where did you grow up..?”

A pained look crossed his face, but he did respond softly.

“W..well, I was born in Cloudsdale… My mother and… well, My mother died giving birth to me. Father… I never knew father. N..Not t..that I particularly care. I wasn’t told that he… well, he left mother when he heard she was pregnant. I… I grew up with foster parents. Mother left me everything in her will but…”

He hesitated before sniffling.

“I had to be eighteen to obtain it… I left before I had the chance.”

Fluttershy frowned and scuffed her hoof against the ground.

“W..Why d.. why did you leave..?”

The response came swiftly.

“I was young… young and stupid. I did something s..stupid, and had to leave in… case…”

Once more silence. Persisting, Fluttershy dared ask again.

“W..What did you do..?”

He shook his head.

“It doesn’t matter… You can’t change the past… I wish I could but.. I…”

His face flushed heavily as he finally realised that he was talking to Fluttershy one on one and he fell silent and looked at his hooves, scratching at the ground in embarrassment. Once more the two sat in silence, both too shy to speak to one another, revelling in the company rather than the speech.

The cat, it seemed, had other plans.

For a while he seemed content to simply play with the two tails now lying on the ground, frequently getting them knotted and tangled. His dextrous paws however soon remedied that. It really was quite a marvel to watch. After which he ran circles around Fluttershy, earning giggles from her. But he declined each attempt to pet him. This confused both pegasi, but the cat continued doing so anyway. Unsatisfied with the results of his seeming random running around, the cat sat to the left of Fluttershy, who now sat between the cat and Demonheart and mewled. Fluttershy frowned, not understanding.

“I… I don’t understand…”

Out came the claws as the cat hissed angrily and swiped across Fluttershy’s flank. A frightened and pained squeak came from her mouth as she jumped violently in the opposite direction of the lateral swipe. Her sudden movement and sound scared the other creatures and in a flurry of movement the Timber wolf fled, as did the cockatrice. The Delgo merely floated calmly away. Surprised at the actions of the cat, Demonheart almost didn’t react when Fluttershy collided with him, folding a wing protectively over her and glaring at the cat, which looked rather smug as it strode away, tail held high.

“I.. I’m sorry… he’s normally much nicer… I’ve never seen him so nasty…”

Fluttershy turned to face him, nearly smacking her muzzle into his in the process. She blushed heavily as she realised just how close she was to him, a little relieved when she saw a similar blush appear on his cheeks. The pair were practically nose to nose, A large ebon wing curled around her torso. Demonheart found himself staring at possibly the most beautiful eyes he’d ever seen. In turn, Fluttershy was looking at possibly the deepest set of eyes she’d ever seen.

“Y..You’re alright..?”

A slight, very slight nod, from Fluttershy answered his question. His head tilted ever so slightly to the left, hers to the right. His heart leapt to his throat before…

“There ya are.”

Almost instantly the pair separated, Demonheart’s wing retracting to his side, deep blushes on both ponies faces. Both of them turned to look at the voice, the heavy set frame of Big Macintosh looking over the pair seriously. There was a look in his eye Demonheart wasn’t sure he liked.

“Fluttershy, why don’t ya get home? Ah’ve got to get Demonheart back to the farm.”

Fluttershy nodded quickly and retreated, casting a quick glance at Demonheart, who watched her as she left almost regretfully. He looked back up at Big Mac and quickly averted his gaze.

“What is it ya think yer doin’?”

Demonheart looked up at him, almost flinching away instantly. The severe look of jealousy stung the Pegasus.

“I… N… She came to me.. w…we were just…”

“Ya were gettin’ damn close to her. Much too close fer just friends. Yer here to work, not court Shy, ya understand?”

“I wasn’t… we were just..”

Big Mac shook his head.

“Ain’t no excuse ya can use. Ya ain’t got the time. Ya been missin’ fer two days. That’s two days ya missed from workin’.”

His eyes hardened further than they already had.

“An’ Ah don’t want to see ya anywhere near Fluttershy whilst yer workin’ at the farm. Got it?”

Demonheart nodded miserably.

“Right. Let’s get back.”

Alright, just a short one this time. Sorry for the author note. Couple things. One: All credit for the creation of the 'Delgo' goes to a fanfic.net writer going by 'Basalisk120', writer of the Steelhoof Saga. Dum Kat is pronounced Dum (like Thu'um) Kat (Ka-rt) to those who find it difficult, which I honestly wouldn't be surprised. It's not exactly normal spelling. Thanks to all of you who've been reading, I do hope you're enjoying this. Eat lots of bacon aaaaaand don't ever let jealousy get the better of you kay?

Shy Day

Chapter seven: Shy Day.

Applejack had responded to Twilight’s note with one of her own, the letter arriving via the mail mare. Demonheart found himself quite liking her as well. The strange, unfocused eyes and clumsiness of the mare was endearing and, before she had left, he had thanked her and told her she looked very nice that day. He was shocked when she responded by catching him in a bonecrushing hug, thanking him profusely.

Yes, he liked Ditzy.

The farmer had agreed to letting him off if there was a deal between him and Rainbow, but only for the day. So, he’d slept at the Library that night on the spare bed . It had taken him a moment upon awakening to realise precisely where he was and how he’d got there. Satisfied that he remembered everything about the previous day, Demonheart proceeded to get out of bed and, with a cursory glance to Twilight, he trotted downstairs and into the kitchen.

Twilight, on the other hoof, had to first wake up from a very pleasant dream including herself, Celestia and her parents and try to recognize and label what she was smelling. For a moment, she considered curling up and forgetting the world for a little while longer, but that smell was quite insistently pulling at her. Finally giving up on the idea of sleeping for longer, Twilight got up and out of bed, noting dimly that Spike’s bed was already empty and made her way downstairs.

She found Spike and Demonheart seated at the dining table. Before Spike was a plate full of pancakes covered in syrup. A large plate piled high with the fluffy treats sat on the table, dead set in the centre. There was naught but an empty plate before the only Pegasus in the house. At the head of the table was another set place, knife and fork properly placed in perfect imitation of a high class restaurant. The pancakes smelled positively heavenly.

“Morning Twi! Look! Pancakes! And I didn’t even have to cook ‘em!”

Twilight giggled and nuzzled the little dragon as she passed him, earning a pleased little sound from him in return, on her way to the empty seat at the table. She sat down and looked at the mountain of fluffy looking pancakes on the plate set on the table. It was now she noticed that the Syrup, butter and Honey had all been brought out to accommodate virtually any taste for the seasoning of said Pancakes. She looked to Demonheart.

“You made all these?”

He nodded quietly and looked down at his plate.

“It… It w..was the least I could do…”

Twilight smiled.

“Thank you. It was very thoughtful of you.”

~*~

It was a lazy day for Rainbow Dash. So naturally she was lying in one of Applejack’s trees, snoring. She liked her naps. Naps were always welcome in Rainbow’s world. They ranged from a quick forty minutes to up to three hours of pure napping bliss. With her active lifestyle, she napped whenever she could.

Today, it seems, simply wasn’t a good day to be napping in the trees.

Her entire world rocked as the tree suddenly shook and she cried out in shock as she fell out of the tree right into Applejack’s waiting hooves.

“Hey there Sugarcube. Ah understand ya owe Demonheart a day of work!”

Rainbow groaned.

Oh man!

~*~

“This is it! Fluttershy’s cottage. She’s probably out looking after the animals right now though, so I wouldn’t really bother her just yet. She’ll get here when she’s… Demonheart? Where are you going? Did you not just hear…. Oh Celestia dammit.”
The unlikely pair had arrived at Fluttershy’s cottage having walked from the library straight after breakfast. Whilst they had walked, Twilight had tried to pry him for information pertaining to the reason he wanted to visit Fluttershy and various questions about his past, hoping to dig up more information concerning his cutie mark. She’d gotten virtually nothing, and nothing she didn’t already know. Now that they’d reached the cottage, he was completely ignoring her and walking around the cottage. With a sigh of frustration she followed him.

She rounded the homestead to find him stopped in his tracks, a light blush on his cheeks. She followed his gaze and quirked her eyebrow in amusement.

~*~

Demonheart felt his heart stop in his chest for a moment and his breath caught as he rounded the cottage and his eyes found his quarry. But not how he expected to see her. He wanted to turn away, but he simply couldn’t work up the will to look away. It was obvious that she’d been filling a large wooden… well it was more a tub than a trough, but either way, with water. However it was clear something happened that made her tumble into the trough, since he seriously doubted she’d bathe in a trough/tub full of cold water. Her normally cute, wavy sort of mane that always fell over one eye now cascaded like a pink waterfall down her shoulders and her coat shone as the sun hit the moisture held in her coat. She seemed preoccupied with getting the water out of her eyes. Her wings had opened out and her feathers too shone, although they were also soaking wet, and therefore some, no, most, of them were soaked and the individual filaments on the feather itself were glued together. He whimpered softly and his blush grew as she swept her mane from her eyes. He vaguely heard Twilight giggle softly next to him.

Then Fluttershy turned around.

“Oh! I… um…”

She blushed heavily and sank partially beneath the water till only her eyes and nostrils were not submerged. Demonheart quickly looked away, his entire face red. Twilight found herself laughing.

“Oh jeez you two! Come on Demon, let’s leave Shy to finish up and then clean up.”

~*~

“AJ… do I HAVE to keep going? I’ve been working ALL DAY!”

Applejack rolled her eyes irritably. This had been going on all day. Although it was only about midday AJ had had a gutful of it all.

“Rainbow stop complainin’ will ya? Ya said ya’d work a full day to Demon, so ya gunna work a full day for me!”

Rainbow groaned again.

“Awww maaan!”

~*~

Twenty minutes later, Fluttershy was inside and, whilst still soaking wet, was covered with a towel and was markedly more comfortable. Before her sat Demonheart, still blushing, and Twilight, still smiling in amusement.

“S…So um.. W..Why are… why are you here?”

Twilight’s smile brightened.

“Oh Demon wanted to see you. He was looking for you yesterday but you were out at Zecora’s. So he stayed with me for a night then I brought him here. I told him to wait for you to be ready but…”

She looked at him accusingly and he shrank away. Fluttershy blushed heavily at the memory of the events that had previously occurred. She wiped her mane from her eyes again. And smiled shyly.

“It’s okay… really… I just… one of the animals um… a little… overexcited…”

Demonheart scuffed his hoof across the floor.

“I’m s…sorry… I didn’t mean to… to stare…”

Twilight laughed softly.

“Yes, you were very intent in what you saw. I don’t think I’ve seen anypony that interested in something in a long time.”

Demonheart’s entire face went beetroot red and his wings curled around him a little, hiding some of his face.

“I’m sorry…”

Twilight found herself giggling again before patting the bigger stallion on the back reassuringly.

“I don’t mean any harm, I promise. It’s fine.”

Silence dominated the room. For a long while, nopony spoke at all. Twilight’s jovial sort of mood at the time mellowed out slowly, turning to boredom. Fluttershy found herself constantly glancing back to the big stallion, and he found himself doing something similar, only whereas he looked at the floor, Fluttershy seemed avidly fascinated with the wall. Eventually Twilight spoke, rather uncomfortable in the tense air that had formed around them.

“Well I have… things… to do. I have a few things to do and Spike is helping me but even he needs help.”

“O..Of course.. b..bye Twilight…”

Demonheart nodded his goodbye to Twilight as she left. Again silence, the two pegasi sitting nervously in the company of the other. For a while there was no movement until Demonheart finally forced himself to his hooves and timidly trotted closer. Fluttershy looked everywhere but at him, then sighed softly as he began grooming her mane. Whilst a pony would normally use a brush or comb in these times, Demonheart groomed her using his teeth, the traditional method. This was, as a rule, a most intimate way to groom another, normally restricted to couples or lovers.

It also felt really, really good.

Fluttershy’s ears splayed as she leaned her head towards him, all but leaning on him as she was groomed.

“Mmmm… that… f..feels really nice…”

A faint blush lit up Demonheart’s face once more and a smile tugged at his lips.

“T..Think of it a..as an apology M..miss Fluttershy…”

She squeaked as she felt a soft nibble at her ear and blushed. Demonheart’s soft voice floated into her ears again, a soft whisper.

“S..Sorry… I didn’t mean t… I mean… I didn’t… I wasn’t…”

“Shhhh….~”

Fluttershy smiled softly.

“It’s okay… It felt… nice.”

Reassured and sure that he wasn’t going to be scolded for his bold move, Demonheart continued his affectionate grooming of the shy animal caretaker. For a long while there was quiet in the room broken only occasionally by the infrequent sighs and coos from the content Fluttershy. She completely relaxed by his ministrations, leaning on his chest almost completely, relying on him to keep her upright.

He… He was brought up… by.. Manticores… this is probably.. n..nothing t…to him Oh Celestia it feels so nice.

But all too soon for Fluttershy’s liking, the feeling was gone. An involuntary whimper escaped her throat before she could stop it and she blushed.

“I’m s..sorry…”

Demonheart smiled and nudged at one of her wings gently.

“Miss Fluttershy… if you could please..?”

Fluttershy’s eyes went wide.

“I… but… that’s…”

The preening of one’s wings was a terribly personal thing for a Pegasus. Wings were incredibly sensitive. They had to be in order to sense the subtle changes in air pressure and wind direction. So allowing another to preen a pegasi’s wings was a very big thing, critical display of trust.

Although mostly it was used as a means to show affection.

“Please miss Fluttershy… they need to be preened… They’ll get all messed up otherwise and… w..well it’s difficult t..to fly with unpreened wings…”

Blushing heavily, Fluttershy gave in to his logic and unfurled one wing for him. He smiled and nuzzled her timidly to reassure her before beginning his very gentle, very, very careful preening.

“B..but Demon w..we have t..the spa… t..tod… mmm~”

Her words were lost as he began to straighten her feathers. However, whilst she did find the sensation absolutely amazing, she heard him speak softly.

“If y..you don’t mind my asking… W..Where did you grow up Miss Fluttershy..?”

“Ooh… I… I w..was born in Cloudsdale… I… mmm… Went to the same flight school a…as R..rainbow… Oh that…”

She cooed softly as he hit a particularly sensitive spot.

“I… I fell from Cloudsdale and w..well… Mmm… I c..can’t fly very well s..so I never went back… I stayed here…”

Demonheart nodded softly and trotted around to the other side of the pony he was grooming, having finished with the first wing, and nudged at her other wing for her to open it. She obliged, unfurling that wing whilst furling the other back up.

“W..What about y..you?”

The ebony Pegasus was quiet for a long moment before speaking.

“I grew up in Cloudsdale, as you already know… T..The school I went to wasn’t a flight school. Mother wanted me t..to be something worthwhile, thought too many wasted th..their dreams on flights of fancy. D..Don’t get me wrong… I loved the Wonderbolts as much as any young colt did but…”

He shrugged, unseen by the content Fluttershy, once again leaning on him.

“Never wanted t..to be one.”

Fluttershy blushed before asking her next question.

“Did… did you ever um… did you ever have a fillyfriend..?”

He felt a similar blush grace his face and he answered, a little embarrassed.

“N..No… they weren’t interested in um… in me… More interested in my best friend… but that was okay… I didn’t l..like the attention anyway.”

He nuzzled the wing joint gently to let her know he’d finished and her wing furled back to her side. She looked up at him, a shy smile on her face.

“T..They obviously d..didn’t know w..what they w..were missing… if this is how good you are at this…”

He blushed and chuckled nervously, not quite sure how to respond, looking down at her so close to him. She continued before he could think of anything.

“Y..You’re kind… Gentle, thoughtful…”

She brushed the curtain of hair that made up his mane over his ear and smiled.

“And you’re handsome. How is it y..you didn’t have one?”

Demonheart was gobsmacked. Fluttershy had never been so… confident in what she was saying since she’d wanted to know what Big Mac said, of which she still didn’t know and even then she’d been pushed there by frustration. This was a whole new side to her and Demon didn’t know how to cope. He blushed profusely and stammered, trying desperately to find a response before falling completely silent as she brought her nose level with his. He could feel her breath washing over his muzzle, smell the peppermint freshness of it and he shivered, swallowing heavily. Her head tilted ever so slightly to the left and she leaned forward and…

There came a knock at the door.

“Darling! We’re going to be late for our session at the spa if we don’t hurry. And I think you can go get Demonheart this time, I did it the last two.”

Fluttershy lost her nerve and drew away, blushing heavily. With a stammered apology she ripped herself away from him, leaving him wide eyed and shaking.

I… She almost… Did that even just happen?

~*~

“I swear I’m not lying Miss Aloe, she really did almost kiss me!”

Aloe smiled from her vantage point behind Demonheart. The pair were in the customary setting. Since Demonheart utterly refused to be locked in a room with naught but hot rocks and steam for company, the spa pony had opted to skip the steam rooms completely and went straight to the baths. They spent almost twice as long in the baths as was strictly permitted in the establishment, but Aloe did own the place with her sister so…

“Are you sure darling? Fluttershy is a very shy mare, I don’t think she’d be even able to do such a thing.”

“Yes… I’m certain I…”

He fell silent and a blush covered his face. Aloe rolled her eyes.

He’s always blushing when he talks about her.

“Sweetheart, I wasn’t trying to put you down.”

She smiled and threw her brush to one side, finished with washing between his wings and down his back and opted to switch to her hooves. She began rubbing and pressing at his shoulders and he sighed softly and leaned back. Although she hadn’t told anypony, Aloe’s insistence on keeping Demonheart in the water for so long was to help him overcome his morbid fear of water and, so far, seemed to be working.

“I.. I know… I mean.. I went there with Miss Twilight because Mi-“

Aloe sighed.

“Darling, how about we drop the ‘Miss’ when you’re talking to me hmm? It’s a little annoying.”

A nod made her smile.

“Good. Now go on.”

He took a moment to compose himself.

“R..Right. I went up with M… Twilight this morning because I couldn’t find Fluttershy anyplace yesterday. Twilight said she was visiting somepony named Zecora and wouldn’t be back all day, so I stayed the night there. Then when we arrived today I… I was impatient to see her and sort of went around her cottage and…”

His sudden cease of words made Aloe stop and lean over his shoulder. He was blushing heavily and his eyes were downcast. She nuzzled his cheek gently.

“And what?”

“…Found her…” He murmured softly, “She’d fallen in a water trough and…”

Aloe stifled a giggle.

“Now you know why we separate the mares from stallions here hmm?”

He nodded gently as Aloe went back to her massage. For a while both were quiet before there came a squeal of surprise from elsewhere in the spa and his ears pricked up.

“Miss Aloe… C..Can I ask you something..? Something you can’t tell anypony else about?”

Aloe smiled and sank into the water beside him, taking a lock (A heck of a long one) of his mane and beginning to braid it idly.

“Of course. I won’t go babbling about it to anypony.”

He smiled gratefully.

“T..Thanks… um… T..Theoretically speaking um… Hypothetically… um… if one pony um…”

She continued her braiding, letting him splutter through his question.

“If I was to say I knew somepony had a um… a crush on somepony else um…”

Her ears pricked up and she looked at him slyly, a coy smile playing across her face.

“Mmmyessss?”

He blushed and looked at the water.

“A..And was looking f..for advice… on how to um… get them to um… well…”

Aloe giggled.

“Darling, your crush on Fluttershy is rather obvious to me you know. There’s no need to lie.”

He sighed and nodded.

“I.. I know but… It… I just…”

She giggled softly and pressed a hoof to his lips to silence him.

“My mother always told me that a crush only lasts at maximum three months. You’ve only been here for about one. Now are you sure it’s a crush?”

He sniffed loudly and hesitated.

“I… I don’t know… I know I really like her Aloe… b..but I’m afraid…”

An eyebrow quirked, her curiosity awakened.

“Afraid of what? You’re a very handsome stallion. You’re gentle, kind, lovely and very thoughtful.”

A small smile took to his lips.

“M..miss Fluttershy said the same thing…”

She felt a touch of annoyance at the title again but shrugged it off.

“But no… n..not afraid of h..her not liking me b.back…”

He sniffled softly and cuddled up to Aloe, surprising her. Not quite certain what to do with the big stallion’s head on her chest, she awkwardly stroked his mane.

“What are you afraid of?”

A pause before he continued softly.

“I’m afraid I’ll hurt her…”

Green Sting, Black Rage

Chapter eight: Green Sting, Black Rage.

Demonheart groaned softly and his eyes cracked open. It took him a moment to remember the events following his now weekly date to the Healing Waters spa and resort. His bandaged hind legs felt restricted as he moved them from under the covers. He’d been forced to take the bandages off while he had his treatment and Aloe had retied them perhaps a tiny bit too tight. It wasn’t that he minded so much but they were starting to pain him. Aloe was a physical therapist, not a nurse. He was in a spare bed in Fluttershy’s home. Acting more on sheer bravado, he’d asked if he could spend the rest of the day and, consequentially, the night at hers. She had quite readily accepted. The pair had made their way back to her cottage after a slightly amused look from Rarity.

They’d spent the night in relative silence, most of the talking it seems coming from Angel. The bunny had stopped bothering them after a particularly scathing admonishment from Demonheart after he threw a carrot at Fluttershy. Which was when she’d become aware of his interesting ability to not only understand every word said to him by an animal, but to respond in their language. She’d been fascinated to say the least.

But now? Now he was lying awake in the peaceful confines of Fluttershy’s cottage with gentle sunshine flowing into the room through the window. Due to spacial confines, the spare bed was set up in Fluttershy’s room. He took a deep breath and stretched, the bed creaking underneath him, then looked over to the peaceful form of Fluttershy. A gentle smile crawled across his face at her peacefully content face and relaxed form. As quietly as he could, he slid out of the bed and padded over to her. Her bed was directly in front of the window, so sunlight streamed in but never really touched her face. He brushed the pink mane out of her face tenderly before nuzzling her cheek. The affectionate gesture roused her and she stretched out like a cat, curling her spine and stretching out her legs, her wings following suit soon after before she yawned and cracked open her eyes.

“Mm? oh… is it morning already..?”

He nodded, suddenly shy.

“Y..Yes, it is…”

He smiled nervously.

“I um… I wanted t..to say goodbye before I left t…to go to Sweet Apple Acres… A..And to thank you f..for letting me stay.”

A demure smile flitted across the groggy mare’s features.

“Mmm, my pleasure… It was n..nice having s..somepony over…”

She sat up and hugged him gently. His eyes widened and he sat stunned for a moment before blushing and hugging her back.

From outside, a large form watched for a moment, before snorting and turning away.

~*~

It was late morning by the time Demon finally arrived at Sweet Apple Acres to find Rainbow Dash still working with Applejack practically standing over her with a club telling her to work. Demonheart blinked in surprise. For a moment before AJ saw him.

“Demon! Finally! Somepony who knows how to work.”

She looked at his perplexed expression, then back to Rainbow who was glaring sullenly at him, then back to Demon.

“Uh… Okay, am Ah missin’ something?”

Rainbow huffed and turned her back on the stallion. Demonheart hesitated.

“Uh… what is… She still doing here?”

AJ smiled.

“Well, Ah figured that a full day’s work is a full day’s work, and since Rainbow didn’t really do too much in the way of helpin’ and more in the nature of complainin’ She could help for the rest of the mornin’. Ain’t that much longer to go Rainbow then ya can go.”

Rainbow shrugged moodily and walked away. AJ frowned.

“Ah’m worried about her. She ain’t actin’ right.”

Demonheart felt a recurrence of the guilt that had plagued him since he won his race with Rainbow and he looked to the dirt.

“T..that… might have been my fault…”

He sighed as AJ looked at him.

“What? Coz ya won a race? Don’t be silly sugarcube. She’ll come round.”

~*~

Rainbow was in a foul mood.

She hated manual labour. She hated kicking these stupid trees. She hated being on the ground instead of in the air where she could be doing tricks. She hated the sunny weather. She hated the clouds in the sky taunting her, she hated the birds for the same reason and right now she was starting to hate apples.

But most of all she hated that cheating thief.

She didn’t know what he did, and she wasn’t sure how. Whether it was a potion or some charm put over him by a unicorn before the race or something, maybe even something from Zecora, but he shouldn’t have found it so easy to break out into a similar situation to the Rainboom state as she’d started calling it. It simply wasn’t possible. It had taken her years to perfect the Sonic Rainboom, and here this big oaf was not only achieving something that seemed similar, but defeating her in a race AND having the audacity to save her straight after!

“Stupid thieving, faking, cheating, feather brained, big nosed, fat headed-“

She stopped for a moment as she lashed out with a vicious kick to the trunk of a tree.

“Lead hooved, Self Righteous, plague feathered, flea bitten lice ridden-“

Another vicious kick. Her stream of insults stopped at the sound of a pony clearing their throat and she turned around, fixing the stallion before her in a fierce glare. Demonheart flinched.

“What do you want?”

He flinched at the venomous tone.

“I wanted… I wanted to say I’m sorry.”

Rainbow snorted.

“Yeah, right. Like I’m supposed to believe that!”

“It’s true!” He replied earnestly, “I really am sorry.”

He let his head hang, looking at the ground.

“I let my emotions get the better of me. I was frustrated because I wasn’t allowed to work even though I knew I could. It didn’t help that I really didn’t want to talk to anypony either. Then… then of course you came by a..and… well…”

He wriggled uncomfortably under Dash’s severe gaze.

“I let my frustration turn to anger and it got the better of me… I… I’m sorry… I m..meant you no harm… I promise…”

Rainbow, to her credit, tried to maintain her gaze, she really did. But against her will she found it softening, becoming more and more gentle till eventually she averted her eyes completely.

“Pff, yeah whatever. I get it.”

Demonheart looked so downtrodden at the response it tugged at Rainbow’s heart.

Aw jeez…

She sighed.

“We’re cool. I wasn’t very nice anyway.”

He looked up and smiled a heartfelt genuine smile.

“Thank you…”

~*~

Big Mac was quiet.

To be honest that wasn’t much of a change. He rarely spoke as it was and almost never more than a few words at a time. He was a deep thinker, but not much of a talker. Despite this he never really appeared aloof to anypony, although that may have been because everypony knew everypony in Ponyville.

Either way.

He was very quiet. He was also very still. The barn around him was also quiet bar from the occasional creak as the wind made the barn shift a little. It was quite windy that day, but the weather pegasi had assured Ponyville there was no need to panic, it would just be wind.

He was waiting.

~*~

“I’ll take that Miss Applejack…”

Demonheart was already hitching himself to the cart by the time he said he’d take it, so AJ didn’t really have much of a choice but to let him. In no rush, since they were on the last part of the orchard that needed to be done, Demonheart plodded through the trees slowly, panting softly in exertion. He was glad that the day was clear and his work was almost finished. He was hoping to finish up that day. After all, the less time he spent here, the more resolve he’d keep in leaving.

He’d had his mind set on leaving since he started working off his debt, but now he wasn’t so sure. He was second guessing his thoughts, ideas and decisions more and more the longer he stayed at Ponyville. The new revelation that he’d developed a crush on one of the inhabitants of said town complicated things further. He’d gotten more and more focused on his thoughts the longer the day went on, stuck on the ponderous decision he was faced with.

The idea that he had a crush on somepony simultaneously concerned and excited him. He felt like a little foal in a candy shop with a pouch full of bits sometimes, and others he felt like the world was falling apart around him. It was certainly a new situation for the stallion. Sensations he wasn’t used to plagued him and he frequently found himself waking in a cold sweat from nightmares he’d rather not talk about. He wasn’t sure whether he should dance in the fields or sit in a dark corner and cry his eyes out. In short, he was confused.

A shadow fell over him and he looked up at the sky, noting with a faint sliver of curiosity that the weather pegasi were preparing the next day’s storm. All the more incentive to finish up that day. He’d gotten used to being clean and quite enjoyed the freshness of it all, and having muddy hooves didn’t really appeal to him. The current predicament safely stored away in his mind, He trundled into the barn with his payload.

The door abruptly swung shut behind him and he started in shock, unable to turn around due to the restrictions of the cart. Hurriedly unhitching himself, he spun around and peeked around the cart. The darkened barn made it difficult to see anything, but he recognized the voice of Big Mac. Something was off, wrong about it. Something Demon couldn’t quite place.

“Where were ya this mornin’?”

A slight frown of confusion creased Demonheart’s brow.

“I… I guess I was with Miss Fluttershy… She let me stay at her home for the night after the spa, Miss Applejack said it was okay…”

“Applejack said that did she?”

Demonheart swallowed heavily. He didn’t like where this was going.

“Um… Miss Applejack said I could see her s..so long as it didn’t interfere with my work… and I did have the day off yesterday…”

“Ah know. AJ got Rainbow in to help. Ain’t never heard such a racket.”

The dark silhouette like shape that made up Big Macintosh was barely moving as it spoke and Demonheart was getting more and more nervous. He didn’t like the dark. He wasn’t afraid of it, but he disliked the dark for more… personal reasons.

“Ya like her dontcha?”

Demonheart started and looked back to the silhouette, barely realising he’d zoned out.

“E..Excuse me?”

The shape lurched forward.

“Ah said, ya like her. Shy.”

Demonheart gulped and nodded.

“I… I guess… I mean, she’s n..nice, kind.. quiet.. G..gentle..”

The shape continued moving forward and Demonheart began backing away.

“T.. Is there something wrong..?”

Big Mac growled and stomped heavily down on the long trailing tail of Demonheart’s, earning a yelp of pain and surprise.

“Ah’ll say. Fluttershy ain’t some regular mare.”

The strong forehead of Big Mac found Demonheart’s none too gently and Demonheart once again yelped, again in pain, although with shock mixed through it. He hadn’t seen Big Mac like this before.

“I… I don’t…”

“Shut. Up.”

The black Pegasus fell silent, trembling under the gaze of Big Mac.

“Ya ain’t gettin’ it. Ah told ya to stay away from her. Ya shoulda known better than to run cryin’ to AJ. She ain’t got the right to go underminin’ mah authority. Now are ya gun’ leave Shy alone or what?”

Demonheart cringed away from the big workhorse and whimpered. On one hoof, Demonheart hated confrontations and just wanted this to be over. He wanted to be out of the dark, away from the menacing glare of the stallion before him and well, well away from the town that had caused him so much strife. On the other hoof however, his heart was screaming at the farmer in pure rebellious rage. He didn’t want to give in because he knew that’d mean he’d never see the beautiful Fluttersh ever again. The choice apparently, was made for him when Big Mac grunted.

“Ah’ll take ya silence as a ‘no’. Ain’t gunna be thinkin’ that way fer long.”

Demonheart opened his mouth to speak but a powerful blow to his midsection cured him of that thought in an instant. Whilst his body screamed at him in pain and he gasped, trying to get his breath back, his mind kept telling him that Big Mac wasn’t putting much behind the strike, otherwise he could have seriously injured him. He felt a shove and he was on the floor. A series of wracking coughs hit him and a splatter of blood made its presence known to him within his muzzle and his eyes went wide. He felt the full weight of Big Macintosh pressing him into the ground.

“Now what were ya gunna say there thief?”

~*~

Applejack wasn’t sure what made her go and check up on Demonheart. Perhaps it was that he’d taken longer than was strictly necessary to drop off his load of apples, maybe it was just that she was worried he was pushing himself too hard on his hind hooves. Whatever the case, she found herself wandering towards the barn with curiosity burning in her chest.

Hope he ain’t been hidin’ anythin’ from me. He best not be hurt or nothin’.

The barn came into view and she paused for a moment and smiled.

Ah’m so glad she’s still standin’. Celestia knows she’s old.

She watched the barn for a while with a smile on her face. A smile that faded as she heard a Celestia almighty roar and a cry of fear. Her eyes went wide.

That was Big Mac’s voice! What in tarnation could scare him though!?

She raced forward towards the barn, which was now full of noises it seemed. Thuds, the sound of heavy things hitting other heavy things and just as she reached the door a splatter of apple pulp and juice sprayed out from the crack between the doors, splattering her with its sweetness. She spluttered for a moment before trying to open the door.

Locked!? Oh for the love of…

Frantically she shoved at the door, then pulled, then shoved again. The rattling of the lock must have caught the attention of whatever was inside because the barn went quiet. A quiet moan of pain issued from the slits, cracks and occasional hole in the wood of the barn and Applejack panicked, starting to shake the door frantically. Eventually she gave up all pretenses of subtlety or opening it without destroying the door and simply turned and bucked it down. Just a she did so there was an explosion of wood beside her to her left and a blur shot past her, a streak of red and an animalistic growl later and it was gone. Ignoring the thing that just left, she rushed over to her brother, lying prone on the ground. His lip was busted up, he had several cuts on his head and a few longer ones across his torso and, strangely enough, bite marks on several areas of his neck and legs, his forehooves peppered with small wounds, circular in nature and evenly spaced. He was bleeding quite profusely.

“Big Mac? Big Mac!”

Applejack, not quite knowing what else to do, started yelling out for Applebloom. It was Rainbow Dash that came to her call and, subsequently, left in a hurry heading directly to the Ponyville hospice to fetch emergency services.

Demonheart was nowhere to be found.

Skuld

Chapter nine: Skuld.

“I’m not sure I can do this anymore Skuld… It’s getting worse and I don’t know what to do.”

A growl was the only answer the soft, silky voice received.

“I know… I know. I wouldn’t have left at all had I a choice.”

An almost gentle sound in return.

“You know I had to go. It’s never that easy.”

The snarl that came in response was aggressive and accusatory.

“Don’t you dare ever suggest that again! Ponies aren’t warlike like your species. I wasn’t about to let them be attacked.”

A sullen grumble was his reply.

“I’m sorry Skuld, but it wasn’t going to happen. If the apples you’d been taking weren’t stolen from a farmer I never would have had to leave. So in retrospect, it was quite significantly your fault. So stop trying to pass it off as coincidence. You knew those apples belonged to somepony. Theft is not the Manticore way and you know it.”

~*~

The darkness heralding the Everfree Forest was nothing that Fluttershy hadn’t seen before. In fact, she’d taken to making trips down to see the Zebra Zecora every so often. If not only to temper her mind against the natural fear of the Everfree, to visit her foreign friend. There was, of course, the path that led almost directly to the Zebra’s house, but even then ponies rarely went anywhere near the great forest. And how great it was. The Everfree forest stretched out so far it seemed eternal, even cartographers couldn’t put the entire thing upon a map. It simply was too large and too dangerous to fully circumnavigate or walk through.

It was commonly accepted however that the forest once held the seat of power in Equestria a good thousand or so years back when the alicorn sisters had once sat upon the undying thrones in the now ruined castle. Supposedly, it was once a place of great beauty and splendour when the pair had first taken up the mantle of rulers of Equestria, a utopia to all species. Then corruption upon half of the ruling body had occurred, and Celestia had banished her sister tearfully to the celestial body she had commanded. The castle had been all but obliterated in the fight and the remaining towers and what was left of the main hall had been abandoned, left to the elements. The corruption from Nightmare Moon’s need to dominate the land had turned the Everfree into a dangerous haven of predators, creatures and malicious spirits.

So understandably, Fluttershy was nervous as she walked. Whilst she was in no real danger from even the most vicious wildlife due to her way with animals and the formidably powerful look she called ‘The Stare’, she still intensely disliked the dark, the atmosphere and the way the trees themselves seemed to be reaching out to grab her, almost begging to gobble her up. It had been the fuel for many nightmares.

But nervous as the mare was, her mind was occupied with other thoughts. Namely concerning the ever curiously distant Demonheart.

The big stallion confused her. On one hoof, He was quiet, gentle, shy and very hesitant to do much with anypony at all. He seemed to almost implicitly trust Aloe and quite often poured his heart out to her, but could barely talk to Fluttershy herself. He was also, according to Applejack, immensely strong and had amazing stamina. On the other side of the coin however he was distant, nervous and almost never socialised beyond Applejack, Fluttershy and Aloe. He revealed almost nothing concerning why he’d left his former home in Cloudsdale and never ever told anypony how he’d managed to be wound up in the affairs of the aggressive Manticore species.

It’s all just so complicated…

She wasn’t stupid. She’d seen the way he looked at her and she knew the look of a creature in love. She’d long ago decided ponies weren’t that different from other beasts and was, as a result, actually quite adept at deciphering subtle signs others would miss. She knew the big stallion was very much attracted to her, and she figured so had Rarity. Rarity, she’d noted, had paid quite a lot of attention to him as well, bribing him with small trinkets that she’d ‘picked up’ around. He’d never accepted a single one of them however and Fluttershy had thought it quite amusing to watch Rarity struggle not to let her frustration out.

She also knew that every mare and her sister had their eye on him.

She’d often, during the time he’d visited the previous night, found her gaze resting on him. Whilst that was generally pretty normal, it was more the specific parts of the body she found herself admiring, especially when in consideration to his gentle nature. His muscled shoulders in particular had caught her eye more than once during his stay as well as, dare she admit it, his toned flanks, admiring the sheer power that was hidden away in them more than anything else. His cutie mark also intrigued her beyond pretty much any other bodily feature.

Aside from what she’d managed to pry from Twilight, she knew literally nothing about his cutie mark. It was intricate as well, which wasn’t normal on any sort of pony. Whilst she understood the two sided heart, the three feathers and the two separate wings puzzled her. Idly, she heard a twig snap beneath her hooves.

It’s such a chore… Trying to figure ponies out. But… he’s like the ultimate puzzle…

Her ruminations were interrupted by a short, animalistic growl and she looked up, now conscious she’d spent some time simply watching her hooves step forward. Before her was the dim shape of a Manticore, female or adolescent judging by its size. Seated before it was a pony. Normally, she wouldn’t be capable of recognizing him, but the dull scarlet of his mane and the purple of his eyes was hard to mistake. Demonheart was talking to a Manticore.

A f..friend of his maybe..?

“D..Demonheart?” She called hesitantly, “is… is that you?”

The Manticore’s head jerked at the sound of her voice, the pony’s moving much slower. With an angry roar the Manticore bounded forward. Fluttershy, too afraid to react in time, sat frozen in absolute shock and fear. The creature pounced, claws extended, mouth open. Fluttershy let out a squeak of fear before…

“ENOUGH SKULD!”

Demonheart came out of nowhere and smashed headfirst into the Manticore mid-pounce, driving it off course for Fluttershy, missing her by inches as it flailed in mid air. On his part, the big Pegasus hit the ground, rolled once and sprang back to his hooves before sitting back down again. The Manticore, whom Fluttershy was now capable of identifying positively as female since she had no lion mane around her neck, growled and twisted her way back to her feet, looking sullenly at Demon. A few brief growls passed between them before Demonheart looked at Fluttershy, puzzled.

“W..What are you doing here M..Miss Fluttershy..?”

~*~

“He’s alright Applejack. He may look a little worse for wear, but your brother is a very tough individual. He’ll be alright in a couple of weeks. He’ll have to stay off his hooves for that time though.”

Applejack sighed in relief. The hospital was the last place she wanted to be right now. But her brother factored much higher on her list of priorities, even over the farm so she had spent the past hour or so filling out paperwork at the Ponyville hospital. The nurse who had, until then, been in the room with him to make sure he was alright, was now speaking to Applejack. She was the well known and much loved Nurse Redheart and was one of the only mares in the entirety of Ponyville who had literally no intention of ever courting Big Macintosh. Her interests… well to be entirely honest it was as though he had no interests whatsoever.

“Ah’m glad to hear that Redheart. Any ideas what happened to him?”

Redheart frowned and shrugged.

“To be honest with you Applejack, I can’t tell. He has multiple different wounds from bruises to cuts and a broken rib or two. The most puzzling set has to be the punctures on his forehooves. The only thing I can accredit them to however are bites.”

Applejack frowned in puzzled shock.

“Bites? Ain’t nothing in the barn that could bite him an’ cause that much harm.”

Redheart shrugged uncertainly.

“I’m really not certain Applejack. They’re not really something I can identify. Although nothing from around Ponyville could have caused them. They look like they came from a vampone straight from the story books. It makes no sense.”

~*~

“I… I was visiting Z..Zecora… W…What a..are you doing here..?”

Demonheart hesitated, pausing for a long moment before he spoke.

“I… it’s a long story.”

The Manticore approached them slowly, cautiously, finally sitting next to Demonheart as she reached the pair. She was large, lithe and looked dangerous. But then, all Manticores looked dangerous. Fluttershy couldn’t help but feel intimidated by the presence, but she threw the creature a friendly smile anyway. It didn’t seem to have any effect whatsoever, the creature continuing to glare at the pony.

“Um.. w..who’s your friend..?”

Demonheart shot a sidelong, fond glance at the rather aggressive Manticore before smiling.

“This is Skuld. She was… is my best friend from my time with the Manticores.”

He caught Skuld’s attention and introduced Fluttershy to Skuld in the guttural language of the Manticores. Again Fluttershy caught herself marvelling at the ability and found herself envying him of it.

It’d make Angel so much easier to deal with…

Many believed that Fluttershy had the unique ability to understand what an animal was saying and then speak to them in a way they understood back. As much as she loathed admitting it, this simply wasn’t the case. Fluttershy certainly had a way with animals, this much was true. But she never really knew what the creatures were saying. She got the general idea of what they wanted or what they meant, but actual words themselves were beyond her grasp. And it all really depended on how she spoke to the creature as to if it would understand her. Animals, she had realised, responded well to soft spoken words and positive reinforcement.

Not to mention occasional outrageous amounts of affection.

But Demonheart’s skill was something else. The ability to literally naturally understand and speak the language of beasts was something Fluttershy could only hope to achieve after years of trying to learn them. It was the only thing Fluttershy really envied him for.

She was knocked out of her reverie by an aggressive snarl from Skuld and she cowered back. Demonheart hissed angrily at her and the sullen Manticore went quiet.

“I’m sorry M..Miss Fluttershy, I don’t know w..why she’s being so aggressive…”

The Manticore growled angrily and Demonheart instantly shot back with a snarl as the pair started fencing back and forth in the harshly ugly language that befit the Manticore.

Fluttershy could only wish she could understand as her eyes flicked between the pair.

~*~

“Do not lie to me! I know you seek her as a mate!”

“Don’t be absurd! What makes you think so?”

An angry growl that was just that, a growl, set Demonheart’s teeth on edge as Skuld answered vehemently back.

“The way you look at her is the first clue. I can smell it too. You wreak of longing! Have you forgotten your family so soon?”

Demonheart bared his teeth at the Manticore. Two of his teeth itched, but he resisted the urge to rub the gums with his tongue to sooth it.

“Do not presume to know my thoughts! I know my place in the family, do not seek to use it to your advantage! The chieftans daughter should know better.”

Skuld erupted into the dark, hacking laugh that was heard all too rarely in the Manticore circles.

“You still remember my status. But do not seek to use my father against me. He knows I am grown now and there is little more he can do.”

Demonheart’s snarl deepened and his lips pulled back part way over his gums. Skuld suddenly looked much more apprehensive. And warily took a few steps away from Fluttershy. Demonheart altered his position to continue glaring straight at the Manticore.

“Grown in body but not in mind. Maturity in Manticore culture might predominantly revolve around physical maturity, but you have a long way to go before you truly know what you are doing.”

The Manticore, heedless of the pony’s irritation now thanks to his blatant insult, snarled back at him and bared her large, wickedly sharp fangs, her claws sliding their way out of her paws.

“Your words are hollow and meaningless! I see the way you looked at her, the way you defended her! The scent of your desire is so strong it’s almost sickening!”

“Do not think me a fool Skuld! Your father didn’t need to tell me of your thoughts at all. I know you wish me as a mate.You want me as your own. But that will never happen and do you know why Skuld? Do you know why? Because you’re not of my kind. Even IF I still resided with the tribe, taking me as a mate would be pointless. My battle prowess could not be passed down the line, nor could my affliction. And I know you see it as an asset rather than the weakness it is. In short, I will not be your mate!”

Skuld recoiled almost fearfully not only at the rage in Demonheart’s voice, but the content of the rant as well. She looked at him like she was just stabbed in the back with a hook pointed knife, then had it slowly dragged out of her.

“This… This is because of her isn’t it?”

Demonheart’s brow knitted into a frown.

“What?”

“This is because of HER!”

~*~

Fluttershy found herself cowering behind Demonheart, comforted by his massive presence as the Manticore Skuld turned her aggression on her. This was perhaps the first creature Fluttershy had been unable to placate with a smile and a few soft words and it scared her. She’d even made a fully grown dragon back down to her voice, but this one Manticore seemed intent on hating her, even though she knew she’d done nothing wrong. Demonheart flared his wings as Skuld took a step forward, claws extended, teeth bared and he growled evilly. Skuld responded with a guttered snarl of her own before speaking rather ant length, seemingly pointing her words, whatever they were, at Fluttershy. Without knowing much else though, all Fluttershy picked up on was that it wasn’t good, and was very aggressive.

Demonheart flinched and was so surprised he spoke in Equestrian.

“What!? Are you insane!? That’s not necessary! You take that back!”

Skuld snarled angrily and spun around, then bounded away. Demonheart’s shoulders slowly slumped and his head fell. Fluttershy nuzzled between his shoulder blades timidly.

“D..Demon..? A…Are you okay? W..What’s wrong?”

“… I’m s..sorry Miss F..Fluttershy…”

Fluttershy felt fear hit her like a hammer stroke.

“F..For what..? What happened?”

He didn’t speak for some time, then his silky voice caressed its way into ears, broken with sorrow and regret.

“Skuld has… issued a challenge…”

Fluttershy’s heart sank.

“A ch..challenge for what?”

He looked back at her, profound self loathing in his eyes.

“Me.”

~*~

“Ah don’t get it. What were ya waitin’ fer Demon for?”

Big Macintosh looked down at his hooves. He was lying on his back in a hospital bed, AJ by the bedside. He’d had an hour or two, he couldn’t really remember, to think about anything that crossed his mind and, naturally, the first thing was the reason he was put here. His jealousy had gotten the better of him and he’d acted without thought. He’d let it cloud his mind and destroy his judgement. He’d done something really, really thoughtless, cruel and stupid.

And now he was paying the price.

He spent the next hour confessing to his sister exactly what had been going through his mind the past few weeks. The way he’d worked Demon almost to the bone, effectively causing the wounds on his legs, the way he’d tried to forbid him from seeing Fluttershy then spent the next several weeks making doubly sure the pair stayed away from each other. The way he’d seen Fluttershy embrace Demonheart in the small hours of the morning and his jealousy had finally come to a peak, the way he never really ever got over Fluttershy.

But most of all, the way he’d started assaulting Demonheart.

He didn’t remember much of what happened. His head had been hit much too hard much too many times for that. He didn’t know what hit him, and he was fairly positive he didn’t want to ever know.

The scolding he received from his sister was heard on the other side of Ponyville and went on for several long minutes. Whilst Big Mac never did like being yelled at, at this point he felt he deserved it. He’d acted without thought and let his jealousy rule him.

It was good to be reminded that he was still a pony, regardless of his reputation for being so perfect.

Tomorrow Ah’ll find Demonheart an’ go apologise. Ah should be makin’ sure she’s happy rather than makin’ her life miserable simply coz Ah’m jealous. Maybe Ah should tell him ‘bout her weakness fer white chocolate as a sign of good faith.

Despite the enraged ranting of his sister and the pain from the many bruises on his face, Big Mac found himself smiling softly.

Well, if they let me out of here.

Thirteen, Black Briar, Pickle Barrel, Dime show…

Chapter ten: Thirteen, Black Briar, Pickle Barrel, Dime show…

Big Macintosh stared up at the ceiling, lost in his thoughts. He’d long since came to terms with his actions and did indeed regret what he did. He couldn’t remember much of what happened however, and he doubted Demonheart could ever cause such damage as had been inflicted upon Big Mac. Especially these punctures on his forehooves.

Punctures.

He rolled the word around in his mind for a while, trying to decide whether or not he liked it. It was an interesting word to be sure, but he wasn’t sure. It sounded a bit too… tame for the wounds up his legs, which all ran at least an inch deep. Probably going to leave scars, although the nurse had assured him they’d take care of them in due time.

His face pensive, Big Mac ran the memories of the past few weeks over in his mind. It’d been roughly a month since Demonheart arrived at Ponyville and he’d probably worked harder than anypony else on Sweet Apple Acres. Hard enough to repay his debt several times over to be certain. Big Mac grimaced as he remembered the first twinge of jealousy when he saw Fluttershy step out and coax the stallion out of the clubhouse with such gentle care. He’d shoved it aside, reassuring himself she’d do the same for an animal. He’d taken the Pegasus under his wing so to speak, teaching him the tricks of the trade.

Then Rarity came by. The next twinge of jealousy when he heard that Fluttershy had wanted Demonheart to go down to the spa with her and Rarity. He wasn’t happy with it, but he couldn’t bring himself to say no, so he’d let him go.

Then the party came and it’d all gone to hell on an express elevator.

The way she’d avoided him hurt, and then the way she’d danced with the ebony coated stallion? Nose to nose, fluidly and without any space between them?

Like lovers…

The thought crossed his mind and he vaguely swatted it away, like you’d absently swat at a fly or some similar thing. It was true the pair had been in sync, and the dance had been so breathtakingly beautiful he had smiled, but he still felt the harsh pang of jealousy in him. He’d tried to keep it in check, but it had come out sometimes. Harsh words he didn’t really mean, glares he’d never meant to give. Then there was the day he’d found him with Fluttershy on the hill overlooking the Everfree Forest.

That had started his descent.

He scolded himself for forcing the stallion to work himself almost to the bone, mentally berated himself for refusing anypony entry to see him and lying, telling others he didn’t want to be disturbed whilst he was working. He found a wry smile grow on his face as he remembered Applejack’s oral assault against him after finding out about it. He remembered the final straw with painful clarity.

He saw the distinctly male silhouette of Demonheart walk over to Fluttershy’s bed by the window, he’d seen the gentle nuzzle through the curtains. He saw words were spoken, then he’d seen the hug and it’d snapped something in him.

He heaved a great sigh.

Ah definitely owe him an apology.

~*~

“Tell me!”

“I… I can’t.”

Fluttershy huffed in irritation. It wasn’t an alien emotion to her, she’d been irritated many times, but this was the first time really that she’d ever demanded to be told anything bar the one time she’d been at Sweet Apple Acres, demanding to know what Big Mac said. But this time she refused to let up. The pair, Demonheart and Fluttershy, were still in the midst of the Everfree Forest, now practically reduced to a shouting demand from Fluttershy and a quiet reply from the much larger, much stronger stallion.

“Demonheart, you tell me who she was and what I did so bad to offend her right now or… or…”

She floundered for a decent threat.

“Or I’ll never talk to you again!”

Demonheart, who had his head hanging, eyes fixed firmly on the ground, looked up at her in alarm.

“I… what?”

Fluttershy, putting on much more bravado than she felt, nodded with a sense of finality, already fearing he’d simply let her down again and she’d be forced to keep her threat. He sighed and looked at the ground again.

“Miss Fluttershy…”

He looked up again with pained eyes and Fluttershy felt her heart wrenched by it. It was the look of a broken pony, a sad pony.

A pony with nowhere to call home and nopony to call family.

It was as though he’d shouldered every burden within the confines of the land of Equestria and refused to let go, as though he’d given up everything that’d ever made him happy in exchange for…

In exchange for what?

She felt a hoof on either side of her head and her head was tilted downwards as Demonheart leaned forward and planted a soft, lingering kiss on her forehead. She froze, eyes wide.

“I’m sorry Miss Fluttershy… I can’t explain. I… I will see you in a few days… perhaps.”

Leaving these as his last words, he trudged away, ignoring the path entirely. Fluttershy was still frozen, stock still as the electric feeling of his lips against her forehead continued to loop through her system again and again and an unfamiliar feeling of simultaneous euphoria and sheer and utter terror filled her from hoof tips to hair follicles.

What just… I… huh!?

~*~

Demonheart needed space. Away from Sweet Apple Acres, away from Applejack, away from animals, away from Ponyville.

But most of all, away from Fluttershy.

His senses were addled around her and he found himself incapable of thinking entirely clearly, like a fog descending upon his mind, or a mad, capering jester had tumbled into the ordered stack of papers that made up his thoughts. He hadn’t felt more confused in his life, and this was something he’d never thought, or even considered thinking about, nay, even conceived that he would have to consider the thought of fighting for his right to be not only free from Skuld, but free to choose whom he would.

It’s all so damn complicated… Dammit Skuld, I thought you could help.

In his time with the manticores, Skuld had been his playmate, his rival, his sparring partner, his constant guardian, his favourite company.

But most of all, she’d been his best friend.

Through thick and thin the pair had stuck together, getting into trouble left right and centre, normally on Skuld’s insistence. Placating the dragon Skuld had been convinced she could win a duel against had been one of the most interesting events to take place in his more recent history and he could normally think back to those days wiling away the days with (mostly) harmless shenanigans. But now? Now the very thought of her brought a frown to his face. Skuld was the daughter of the chief of their particular tribe. Seems cliché really, and Demonheart oftentimes thought so as well. But it was true, and Skuld, it seems, was hell bent on not allowing him to have any chance of possibly being with Fluttershy.

I can’t let that happen. Not just for me but…

He sighed and stopped walking when he was assaulted by sunshine. Looking up he could see he was in a clearing of sorts. He sighed heavily and lay down; his head helplessly addled and breathed deep the relaxing scent of the wildflowers.

“You’re going to have to show her eventually you know.”

The voice that floated over to him on the wings of joviality was unfamiliar to him and he looked up sharply, looking around and finding nopony in sight. Passing it off as tricks of his mind, he let his head sink back to the ground.

“Oh yes, That’ll do heaps. You just keep thinking then hmm? While you’re thinking, who’s going to fight for Fluttershy?”

Demnoheart, now convinced this was from an outside source, sat up and looked around himself warily.

“Who are you? Come out and face me if you wish to talk, I will not harm you.”

The familiar feeling of the forest was bolstering his confidence, coupled with the fact that the voice was quite distinctly male as it laughed jovially at his words.

“Alright then, don’t get your feathers in a tizzle, I’m coming out.”

True to his word, out stepped possibly the strangest stallion Demonheart had ever seen. Laying across his sides were a set of overly large wings and covering his body were literally hundreds of markings across bare skin. Not stripes of the Zebra tribes, but it seemed tattoos, swirling across his body like the rolling tides and eddying winds. His face was split into a great grin and his eyes twinkled periwinkle blue. His taile and mane were absurdly long, dragging at least six or so inches across the ground in the case of his mane and a good twelve or so in the case of his tail.

“Alright, we’ll get this over with now. Yes, I decided to shave off my fur, yes I know the markings are strange, yes I am well aware of the fact my tail and mane are currently trying to root me to the ground and yes, my wings are really literally that huge.”

Not once did his smile drop, tone waver or eyes stop sparkling. It unnerved Demonheart a little.

Nopony should ever be that happy talking about that sort of thing...

“Who are you?”

The stallion’s smile widened.

“Ah, the crux of the matter. I am simply number thirteen of two hundred and twenty-two. I have many other names, but that one is the one I hear most common. Others are Black Briar, Heart Break, Long Hair, Black Mark, Dingleberry, Horse Shoe, Ghinnis Pail, Orange Juice, Sherry Glass, Border Line…”

He continued on this list of names for quite some time, getting more and more absurd the longer he went. Demonheart simply took the time to stare at him in utter disbelief.

“And of course, who could forget Pickle Barrel?”

The great big smile on the stallion’s face never slipped for an instant. Demonheart kept staring. Eventually the Stallion spoke once more.

“Back to the original predicament, you’re going to have to tell her sooner or later you know.”

Still no answer from the utterly overwhelmed and disbelieving Demonheart. The smile dropped and the stallion sighed.

“Okay, fine. You don’t believe me about anything I just said do you?”

Demonheart shook his head.

“Hm. Well I’ll tell you what. I’ll show you instead hmm?”

Demonheart cocked his head, obviously both curious and sceptical of what was about to happen. The grin reappeared on the stallion’s face.

“Here’s Black Briar, comin’ atcha!”

~*~

From the entrance to the Everfree Forest, Fluttershy paused. She could have sworn she heard a familiar voice echoing past her but she wasn’t sure. The words, however, were ones she was fairly certain none of her friends would ever use, especially no Twilight or Rarity, and it was a male voice anyway. Not to mention she’d never heard Big Mac swear AND he was in the hospital.

Well Demonheart would never scream out anything like that… would he?

~*~

Demonheart gaped at the dark coated stallion before him in utter disbelief. His wings were gone, he’d grown fur, his mane and tail had shortened and upon his head was a long, tapered horn! Across his flank was, true to his word, a length of tangled briar as a cutie mark.

“WHAT THE FUCK!?” the ebony Pegasus screamed again.

Black Briar roared with laughter at the reaction, tears coming to his eyes in his mirth.

“Oh! You should see your face! Priceless!”

Still laughing, the stallion’s body began to shift and change. His mane and tail changed colour slowly from a deep purple to the strangely colourless hairs that had occupied his hair before and his coat began to swirl, turning slowly into ink that flowed over his body, recreating his tattoos. Then, a large portion of them sprouted from his midsection and formed wings, steadily changing colour until they were the same periwinkle blue as his glistening eyes.

“Now then! Are you ready to talk or what?”

~*~

“Fluttershy!”

So deep was the yellow Pegasus In thought, she barely registered that her name was called out. After taking a second or two to process what had just occurred, she looked up to see Applejack running over to her. It took a moment for AJ to finally catch up to her and she stopped for a moment, panting.

“Sorry Shy, Ah have to ask ya since he seems to see ya much more than anypony else. Have ya seen Demon? He’s gone run off on us!”

Again, registering what Applejack asked her took her a few seconds and she looked blankly at AJ for those seconds before her eyes lit up in recognition.

“Oh…” She said sadly, “Yes, I have…”

AJ peered at her friend cautiously, concern lacing her face.

“Ya alright Sugarcube? Somethin’ wrong?”

Fluttershy shrugged, honestly not knowing.

“I’m not sure… I’m just trying t figure it out now…”

AJ paused for a moment, concern still written plainly across her face before she nodded.

“Okay. So uh, ya said ya saw Demon?”

“Mhmm. Back there.” She said, waving vaguely in the direction of the Everfree Forest. AJ frowned.

“Where’s that?”

“The forest. Where else? He seems to like it in there.”

~*~

“I… I understand what you’re saying but…”

Demonheart looked at his hooves, head held low. Across on the other side of the glade stood Thirteen, or as Demon had taken to calling him, Black Briar, who looked as jovial as before despite the sombre tone of the conversation.

“You stand to lose much should you not tell her you know.”

Demonheart let out a snort before he could stop himself.

“Don’t be absurd. I have no possessions in this town… Nor in any.”

“I wasn’t talking about material possessions.”

Demonheart winced. He’d been hoping to avoid the idea that he’d lose her friendship and, dare he say it, chance to make the tentative thing blossom.

“I’m not sure we need to go into that…”

“Don’t we?”

Demonheart nodded at the voice. A split second later, the voice was at his ear and he froze.

“I hope not. I’d hate to have to see you two being ripped apart.”

All sense of joviality were gone, vanished without a trace. In its place was a dead calm, almost unflinchingly unconcerned carelessness.

“All the joy from your life, every motif of, every courier of, every piece, every particle, ever singular atom of it will be obliterated from your system if you fail to defeat your opponent in two days time. I trust this is incentive enough for you to understand the gravity of the situation and to give you something to think about while you sleep.”

Demonheart frowned.

“S..Sleep?”

Which is precisely when Black Briar rather coldly struck Demonheart hard on head, knocking him out before smiling grimly.

“Sleep well old boy. I have places to go.”

Release

Chapter eleven: Release

Darkness….

Demonheart awoke to the starry night sky above the treetops of the Everfree Forest. Sitting beside him as he turned his head painfully was the white and blue Dum Kat. His glowing green eyes were sympathetic and he mewled pitifully at him.

“Art thou hurt noble one?”

Demonheart groaned as he sat up and tried to ease the pain from his head and neck, the stiffness of his muscles and the fog in his mind.

“Ugh… Paladin? Be that you?”

The cat’s paw raised and a smile grew across its face.

“Aye Noble one, Tis indeed. Thou hast been here far too long.”

His wings stretched out in an effort to stretch the aching muscles. He grunted in pain from the effort before responding.

“Prithee, How long?”

“Thou wert here for one rotation of the sun and moon. Thou hast slumbered for a full day and a half.”

Demonheart fell silent as he stared at the cat in shock.

“One full day!?”

“Aye noble one. And a half.”

Demonheart grappled with this possibility even as he grew still, forgetting the stiff muscles sorely needing action.

“But… If I hath been slumbering one day… when didst thou arrive?”

The cat shrugged.

“I watched thee be rendered incapacitated. Wouldst that I be capable of preventing this act, Thou knowest I would have done so. Thy slumber was necessary in accordance to a power well beyond mine own.”

Demonheart swallowed, concerned.

“And… what of the one whom struck me down?”

The cat’s ears twitched.

“Long gone. My many and sincerest apologies. Thou must understand. One’s actions kept thee alive. Thou wouldst have perished otherwise. One saved thy life this day; therefore our debt to thee is repayed. No longer must I follow thee for a chance to return thy favour that thou payed unto me. Our heart is free to wander as we wish. Dost thou agree to this?”

Demonheart flinched at his words and sighed disconsolately.

“One understands old friend. We do recognize a debt repayed, thou no longer needs follow us.”

The cat smiled smugly, purring loudly.

“Excellent.”

~*~

“Are ya sure he was in the forest? Ah looked, but Ah couldn’t find him anywhere.”

Fluttershy gulped nervously and nodded. Skuld, in all her terrifyingly lethal form, stood before her. Behind Fluttershy stood her friends, Spike and Angel, who looked decidedly worried. They all did, but none more so than Angel. Twilight had seen Fluttershy take down a full grown bear without a problem, she was positive she could handle one Manticore. The presence of the others however…

Twilight had taken the liberty of, after ages upon ages of research, perfecting and utilising her animal speech spell, and so was perfectly capable of communicating with the horde of lion like creatures before them. Even now she could hear them muttering to each other. Many of them favoured Skuld in the battle, simply from looking at the timid little Pegasus mare. She certainly didn’t look like a fighter.

“The little pony will not last five minutes.”

“Five? You are generous. I say she won’t last two.”

Twilight shuddered as she listened, trying now to drown them out.

“Fluttershy, are you sure you can’t just wait for him to come? I mean, I have faith in you, but…”

Twilight hesitated. From the chatter going on with the Manticores, she had pieced together that Skuld was quite the distinguished warrior from the tribe. Hunting and sparring were her past times and she was almost constantly picking a fight. Her father led the tribe, which Twilight found more than a little cliché, and she’d known Demonheart for some time. Fluttershy looked back at Twilight and forced a smile.

“It’ll be okay…”

Twilight was not so certain.

“Shy, I know you’ve taken care of creatures before, but Skuld is a fully grown Manticore with a serious grudge against you. You won’t tell us why, and that’s your affair, but she’s not just going to be wildly swinging. Manticores seem to be quite warlike, and that’s liable to come out in some sort of training, which you’ve had no chance to witness before. This is dangerous Shy.”

Fluttershy shrugged nervously.

“There’s nopony else who can do it… They wouldn’t let Applejack or Rainbow fight for me, and I won’t let you. I don’t want to fight… I don’t like violence…”

An angry sounding snarl directed at her made Twilight look to the leader. Contrary to the sound of his voice, he looked tired, frustrated and disapproving. Skuld didn’t seem to care for her father’s thoughts on the matter, but rather was too busy impudently staring down Fluttershy. Twilight listened to what the old Manticore had to say before swallowing hard and looking back to Fluttershy.

“He… He asked if you were ready. And he apologised for Skuld’s actions.”

Fluttershy nodded.

“I… I am.”

Twilight relayed this to the Elder and he made a gruff sound of consent before speaking to Twilight at length, Twilight relaying his information to Fluttershy and the others.

“Rules of Engagement. Okay, you’re not meant to permanently injure your opponent, attempts at a fatal strike will be made or the contest will be over and the opponent will win. Attempts to unnerve your opponent will be seen as bad form and may lead to disqualification…”

She went on with more, seemingly useless rules. No doubt they were important in their society, but most of it was relating to the scorpion tails, claws and fangs. Things a Pony simple didn’t have. She relayed them anyway so the others knew the rules before prudently stepping back out of the circle that had formed around the field of combat, looking worriedly to Fluttershy just as the elder Manticore, mane shot through with grey, roared the begin and Skuld snarled and leapt forward, paw outstretched, claws thankfully retracted.

~*~

Demonheart was annoyed. He’d spent the past fifteen minutes trying to find a way past the apparently invisible wall before him. He’d pushed, shoved, swore at, cajoled and bucked the unseeable thing and still it stubbornly held firm. Again and again he struck at the shield, first with his forehooves, then switching to his much stronger hind hooves. Then, out of desperation, a large rock with which he hurled at the shield, hoping to shatter it. Instead, it rebounded with equal force and he only just managed to shy out of the way before it struck the ground where he was standing with a loud thud. Moodily, he sat down and stared balefully at the now shimmering shield.

What the..? First he tells me to go face her, now he’s blocking me? At least, I assume he’s blocking me. There’s nopony else that knew I was here barring Paladin, and Paladin would never do such a thing. Even if he would, this is nothing like his power.

He considered his options carefully.

One. Continue striking it physically. Probability of success is extremely low, maybe nonexistent.
Two. Try to fly higher than the barrier. Success has a decent probability unless they’ve surrounded me in a dome or have deliberately made the barrier higher than I can fly without passing out and falling to my death
Three. Try to find a gap. Probability is low and it’d take me forever. Who knows how big this stupid shield is. Not to mention if it shifts or changes location or shape.
Four…

Four was not an option he relished, and he really didn’t want to leave it up to that. Unfortunately, it was also the one with the highest success probability.

Oh come now, you know you want to.

From deep within the vaults of his mind, the maliciously playful voice challenged him, almost daring him to take the final option. Demon tried to brush off the voice, but it persisted, dogging his thoughts.

It’s your only hope to reach her in time you know. The contest has probably already started you know. It’s only a matter of Time♫

“Shut up…” He grumbled absently, looking at the shield as he forced himself to calm down. He had very, very few options available to him, and number four never looked any better, even if he considered its potential temporary benefits.

Is it really the only viable option…

The question was rhetorical, but he got an answer anyway. Surprisingly, it was a dead serious answer.

Yes. You’re too weak and pathetic to break a barrier like that with your silly hooves. You know it, I know it, and all of Equestria, Tartarus and Alencar know it.

Alencar was the word that was used in relation to what was loosely described as a paradise for the souls of the dead. A haven for pure souls who needed to wait for reincarnation. Demon was momentarily taken aback by the voice’s use of the word before shaking his head gruffly and sighing.

If that’s how it’s meant to be… But I do this my way. You will not come through.

Time will tell Pegasus. Time will tell.

~*~

Blackthorn watched as a black and red streak shot across the sky, followed by the sound of shattering glass and a cloud of glittering magic. The remnants of his powerful containment spell broken. He never was much of a magician anyway, not in relation to any of his brothers. He grinned smugly.

“Knock ‘em dead for me.”

~*~

Fluttershy was afraid.

It was true, Fluttershy had dealt with many an animal. Even things such as bears posed no threat to her. For certain, Twilight had seen Shy single hoofedly take down a full grown bear when it got too big for its boots. She’d seen her take Angel down a peg or two, even some of her friends. The Manticore she’d taken on in the Everfree so many years back had been injured and harboured no ill will towards Fluttershy, and it’d shown through how easy it’d been to treat the poor thing.
Skuld, on the other side of the coin, was the complete opposite.

Arrogance ruled her actions. Her towering self confidence radiated off of her in waves almost tangible enough to choke on and her contempt for this little pony, and pure hatred for everything about her, was just as strong. Not only that, but she had the instincts of a killer. A predator, a hunter of other creatures, Manticores were some of the most vicious predators that inhabited the Everfree Forest, but only towards their prey. More often than not, a Manticore would leave a pony alone, deigning them either as no sport or simply not good eating. If they were hungry enough they’d attack, but other than that they were normally fairly docile, if scary, creatures. Skuld, it seemed, was the total antithesis of this. She attacked with reckless abandon, then danced out of reach, taunting Shy.

Everone watching could see this was a one sided battle. There was simply no competition between Skuld, who fought to injure, and Fluttershy who barely fought with anything but words. The outcome, it seemed, was inevitable.

Giving up any pretence of amusement, Skuld snarled and leapt at Fluttershy, unleashing a massive lateral swipe, all claws extended. The paw struck Fluttershy full in the face and, with a gasp from her friends and a few concerned calls, she hit the ground a full four feet away from the angry Manticore. Skuld growled, and Twilight felt her flesh crawl. Her spell was running out by now, so it didn’t translate, but just the mere intent behind that sound was enough to scare her and creep her out at the same time. The Manticores started growling warnings, Twi could make that out, but Skuld ignored them. She crouched, ready to pounce and Twilight, AJ and the others looked on in horror as her legs coiled like springs, ready to pounce on the stunned Pegasus that was Fluttershy.

“SKULD!”

The collective crowd of Manticores and ponies all universally flinched as the powerful voice thundered into their eardrums. Barely a split second afterwards, the scream of something plummeting through the air at high speeds assaulted their senses once more and a black blur shot from the sky and landed smack bang in the middle of the arena, creating a series of cracks in the dirt beneath the four hooves that now occupied the space.

Demonheart had finally arrived.

Combat

Chapter twelve: Combat

Rage.

All encompassing, all devouring, all destroying black, merciless rage. There are many creatures in the world upon which Equestria rested that could boast a powerful rage, but none of them could stand to this. In comparison, even the rage of the great Harlequin Hydras of the bog ridden North East paled to almost insignificance. The sheer presence of Demonheart as he made his entry was terrifying, the look in his one visible eye was deadly and their expressive nature made them very, very angry. His lips had curled back into a snarl. Even Fluttershy, with three deep scratched on her face, was staring at him in abject terror. Skuld, on the other hoof, was the only one who didn’t back down.

“Finally arrived then?”

“You go too far Skuld.”

A sick hacking sound came from the female Manticore and it took a moment for the ponies to realise she was laughing at him.

“No, I’ve only just begun.”

The elder suddenly spoke up in a roar.

“What is the meaning of this?! This interruption cannot be tolerated!”

Demonheart rounded on the Manticore with a face like thunder.

“SHE IS NOT A FIGHTER! Fluttershy is not a warrior, this trial is unfair and Skuld KNEW it!”

There was silence. AJ, Pinkie, Rarity, Spike and Rainbow all looked at Twilight for translation, but she shrugged, not knowing anymore, just as riveted as the others. Eventually, the leader growled. Demonheart’s ears heard it all.

“Skuld, is this true? Did you know?”

Skuld seemed to shrug.

“No. I was never told. I assumed Demonheart would pick a warrior for his mate.”

Demon whirled on her, snarling in the guttural language. This was by far the first any of the girls had seen him well and truly angry.

“DO NOT LIE SKULD! I told you! The day we met in the forest I told you! You yourself wanted to know! And in your jealousy you challenged the most peaceful mare in the town to combat! You’re a coward to not await my arrival to champion her! Now renounce your stupidity!”

Skuld’s voice went low and dangerous and she glared at the angry stallion. Her ‘success’ from earlier had bolstered her confidence and she failed to note any sort of warning sign from the big stallion.

“Why don’t you make me coward?”

“Leave Fluttershy out of it then!”

“Fine. That’s normal anyway. Or have you spent so long with these hopeless simpletons that you forgot the rules of a combat trial?”

“We shall see.”

~*~

“Twilight Sparkle. Get Fluttershy out of the way.”

Twilight was startled out of her rapt attention by the sound of her name and it took her a moment before she registered what the deadly voice said and she nodded quickly, then mentally facehoofed. His back was to her, he couldn’t see her.

“O-Of course!”

Fluttershy was swiftly whisked over to be with the others as they fussed over the deep scratches on her face. They were bleeding and whilst they were deep, Twilight was quite sure they wouldn’t leave any scars. Demonheart simply continued to watch his new opponent with an intensity rivalling that of the sun itself. Skuld, on her part, did not back down from the silent challenge. The pair almost simultaneously shifted stance and, for a chilling moment, Rainbow was reminded of the race she’d lost to the big stallion and she shuddered. Two sentient creatures, one predatory by nature, one predatory by necessity, faced off in the glade by the Everfree Forest.

Skuld moved first.

With a roar she leapt forward, both paws outstretched. Demon ducked under her pounce and spun around to keep his eyes on her. A standard tactic for one trying to measure up an opponent, Demonheart tried to keep a grim smile from his face. That she even bothered meant she wasn’t nearly as confident of facing him as he thought. The two circled, a low growl emanating from Skuld.

If she’s trying to intimidate me, it won’t work.

His lips peeled back as well and a low growl of his own rolled out from between his teeth. The pair stopped their circling and Demon opened his wings partway, the feathers puffing up to look bigger. A typical, instinctive reaction of all pegasi.
Again Skuld charged. This time, Demon galloped to meet her. The pair met at roughly halfway, more to Demon’s side than Skuld’s and separated just as swiftly before whirling into a series of strikes. Skuld swung her left paw at him and he dodged under it. The face was a common target for Skuld, she liked to disorient her foes. Her claws remained stubbornly in their sheaths, which told Demon she didn’t really want to hurt him. Yet. Three attempted strikes later with her paws and she spun around, tail held low. He barely jumped in time to dodge it and his wings snapped open. Hanging in the air, he started beating off her assault there as well. Manticores were large creatures, so combating one wasn’t particularly easy, even in the air. Dodging and weaving, Demon was only just managing to stave off her attacks. Until she clipped one wing and he spun out of control, hitting the ground hard. He was up almost instantly, but the twang of pain in his wing told him that flying was quite out of the question at the moment.

So, a battle on the ground it is then.

Warily, Demonheart kept pace with Skuld’s circling once again. His eyes flickered from her paws to her shoulders, her shoulders to her eyes and everywhere in-between, searching for a clue to her next move.

“What’s the matter Demon? Playing defensive now? Too scared to attack?”

Demonheart ignored her. He knew she was just trying to goad him into an angry assault. It was typical of her really. A smart move, should it ever work. This time he was adamant that it would not. She said something else, but again he ignored her. Nothing she said mattered, only what she did.

There!

She growled and rushed him, swiping at him once more and again he ducked it, feeling the wind as the paw passed mere millimetres over him and he brought his hoof across her face in a stunning and cold slap.

The thunderous sound echoed across the glade and for a moment, Skuld looked shocked. Demon wasted no time in pressing his advantage. Strike after strike, punches, kicks and even once a head butt which almost left him dazed as she staggered back from the barrage, trying to protect herself as best she could. Finally, enraged, she roared her defiance at him, making him flinch away from the sound just as she rammed her head forward. The collision knocked him off his hooves it was that strong and he hit the ground hard, trying to shake off the fog from his mind.

“You lose Demonheart! You are mine, not hers!”

The words only vaguely registered before Demonheart finally got to his hooves and turned to face…

Empty air.

The collected roars and growls of outrage and several cries of fear and one of pain drew his gaze to the ponies that’d come here to support their friend Fluttershy, who was now in the jaws of the very creature whose jealousy had overcome her.

“NO!”

He galloped, flat out, and knocked Skuld off of her, but the damage was done. The low growls coming from the pack grew louder, but it didn’t even manage to register to Demonheart as he looked at Fluttershy, the wounds on her back and neck from teeth and claws, the blood matting her fur….

Are you angry yet Valour? Do you want vengeance♫?

Rage. Black, uncontrollable rage rose within Demonheart, and all of it directed at Skuld.

“Skuld…”

The word spoken was dark and dangerous, and whispered. The manticores had swarmed around Skuld, the disgraced Manticore who’d broken the laws of the clan, Trial by combat. Demon rose back to his hooves, His face a mask of rage and he turned. The other ponies recoiled from the sheer aura of his rage, almost tangible. His voice rose as he shouted his rage out to the Manticores.

“LEAVE HER!”

They all flinched. Every single being in the vicinity flinched away from the terrible voice and the Manticore tribe looked at him fearfully.

“She’s mine to punish this time.”

His voice was dreadfully quiet now, and the manticores backed away from Skuld, who looked rather confident despite her predicament. A growl left Demonheart’s throat before he spoke once more.

“Twilight Sparkle.”

Twilight flinched away from the animalistic aggression in that once silky smooth voice and stammered out an answer.

“Y-Yes?”

“You once asked me what would happen, should my other side come out.”

Twilight gulped.

“Y-yes, I did..”

“Now you find out.”

Then, as Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity and Spike watched, a violent shudder almost threw off the big stallion’s balance and he grunted in pain.

“Run. Run away. Now.”

And he shuddered again. None of the mares could bring themselves to look away as the skin at his sides bulged and then split, cut from the inside as a finger of bone sprouted out of his side. They watched in hideous fascination as the bone multiplied, three more long, ‘finger’ like protrusions sprouting with a gut wrenching grinding noise. The blood from the wound congealed and ran up the bones, Spreading out and changing form, turning to muscle. His lips curled back in agony and rage, revealing two inch long and growing fangs as his eyes were swept up with red, erasing the iris, pupil and whites until all that was left was a glowing red. The red markings on either side of his neck swept up his neck and down to his wings, curling up his ears and around the wing joints. The two fledging wings started sprouting feathers just as his normally scarlet mane and tail were swept into a deep, deep purple, almost black again. A terrible crunching noise accompanied by grunts of pain made them all cringe back as his body started to grow. His legs lengthening, torso following suit, all of him simply growing. His muscles bunched up, tensing at the pain as his neck lengthened and his skull literally cracked and ground itself into a new shape. And finally he cried out in pain and collapsed as a horn easily three times the length of Twilight’s burst from his skull with a sickening sound of bone grinding on bone. Spikes lined it where normally the flutes that assisted in magical focus was.

He opened his eyes.

Getting to his hooves, he grinned and evil, twisted grin and Twilight hesitated before speaking quietly.

“Demon..?”

She cringed away as he looked at her, that same smile on his face.

“Sorry little pony. Little Demon has stepped out, would you like me to take a message?”

The Manticores seemed to melt away, vanishing back into the Everfree, leaving only Skuld to the mercy of the creature that once was Demon. It looked at Skuld and its grin turned vicious on the trembling Manticore.

“You’ve been a bad little girl Skuld♪”

His sing song voice was, somehow, even scarier than if he spoke threateningly or darkly and Skuld mewled pitifully at him, begging him to leave her alone.

“Oh but Skuld, it’s too late for beg-ging♫. You might have gotten the best of Valour, but Spectre has your number now♪”

Spectre blurred and suddenly was gone before violently coming back into view as he slammed, shoulder first, into Skuld. The Manticore was thrown off her feet like a ragdoll and slammed into the ground hard, skidding some few meters before stopping with a yowl of pain. Spectre merely laughed at her.

“I remember you being tougher little Manticore! Much tougher!”

The smile vanished, replaced with a look of such hatred that it seemed the world itself recoiled from the creature before it.

“I’m disappointed!”

The playful tone had vanished as well, replaced with one full of such malice, such hatred, that it seemed to literally strike the Manticore and the mares left in the glade. There was the blurring again and once more he was gone. An explosion of earth erupted from underneath Skuld and she was flung into the air and, an instant before vanishing again, Spectre was visible on the ground, hoof leaving in a spray of dirt and dust. His sudden disappearance heralded the next strike. And the next. And the next.

Faster than even Rainbow Dash’s trained eye could follow, Skuld was tossed around the sky like she was nothing, howling in pain before she was struck from above and the pair turned into a streak of tawny brown and black before they hit the ground. Spectre stood victorious over the beaten and broken Skuld. She was still alive, but only just. Callously, his horn lit up and she was lifted off the ground and flung back into the forest from whence she came, then turned to the trembling elements of Harmony.

He was massive, at least twice the size he used to be, and His wings had bloomed in accordance to that. The four massive wings were dark, the primaries easily the colour of dried blood. He grinned once more, his fangs dripping saliva.

“Ah, that was invigorating. Now, which of you shall be next?”

He went to take a step forward and faltered, then froze altogether. His eyes bugged out.

“No.. No! Just a few more minutes, gimme jus a few… More… Minutes..!”

Specte screamed, an unearthly sound, with more than once voice as, with a sickening crunch, he started to shrink. The transformation back was jerky and disjointed. His wings burst into flames as they shed the added size, and set of wings, his mane and tail shrank back to normal, his eyes were flickering rapidly from purple to red and back again. The horn, however, remained where it was. He staggered forward and the five ponies and the dragon (and Angel, but he doesn’t really count does he?) stepped in front of the injured Fluttershy to protect her. Almost effortlessly it seemed, a spear of red magic ripped its way out of his horn and forced the six beings away, leaving Fluttershy cowering in the dirt as he approached, now normal sized, and purple eyed, struggling under the unaccustomed weight of the horn upon his head.

“I’m… Sorry…”

The temperature in the glade dropped a good ten degrees and dark, magical energies started to swirl around Demonheart. Twilight’s heart almost stopped.

Dark Magic!?

Demonheart grabbed Fluttershy’s head and forced her to look at him. The fear in her eyes was more akin to terror than fear, and he felt a stab of guilt and pain at the look. His magic, or rather Spectres’, forced her mouth open and he leaned forward and opened his own.

There was a strange rushing sound that reverberated through the glade as a fine, red mist flowed from Demonheart to Fluttershy. Fluttershy’s eyes went wide and she started squirming, trying vainly to escape as the others beat ineffectually at the barrier that had seemingly erected itself around the pair. Twilight was preparing a spell when she was taken by what he was doing, and she felt the magic fade.

Fluttershy’s injuries were healing.

Literally before the eyes of all the witnesses, Demonheart was healing Fluttershy. The last of her wounds closed as his barrier and magic weakened, flickered, then went out all together. His grip loosened, Fluttershy tore herself away from the stallion, who was now flagging as the horn on his head cracked and shattered into billions of sparkling red dust. He looked at her, and felt his guilt return at her terrified look.

“Miss… Flutter…”

She bolted. He held out a hoof after her, and went to take a step only to collapse on himself. With a cry the other ponies ran to him with the exception of Rainbow, he went after Fluttershy. Demonheart looked up at the concerned face of Applejack and his brows knitted in confusion.

“Why… Aren’t you.. run..ing..?”

Applejack smiled hesitantly.

“Shucks Sugarcube, takes more than a little scary stuff to scare us off. Yer in good hooves Demon, we’ll get ya all fixed up.”

Demonheart remembered those words before he finally and mercifully blacked out.

Giving Up, Giving In

Chapter thirteen: Giving Up, Giving In.

Beep…Beep….Beep….Beep….Beep….

Where am I..?
Who am I..?
Why can’t I remember…?

~*~

“Ah think he’s wakin’ up girls. He’s stirrin’.”

That voice…

“Perhaps you’re right Applejack. I think the way he healed Fluttershy with magic took a little more out of him than we thought. Nurses needed a blood transfusion.”

Twilight… Sparkle…

“Are you saying he was hurt darling?”

Rarity…

“No, I’m saying he used his own blood to heal Fluttershy. He used Dark Magic, It’s intense on most things and this one is potentially fatal it seems.”

Dark Magic… Fluttershy..?

“He’s gunna be okay right? Coz I totally owe him for beating me!”

Rainbow Dash… I beat her in a race a few months passed…

“Yeah! And I TOTALLY need to throw him a ‘thank you for saving Fluttershy and driving away the manticores’ Party!”

Pinkie Pie…

As if on cue, there came a laugh and the voice of Rainbow Dash.

“Pinkie, you so random!”

What is that beeping noise..?

“Girls. Visiting hours are over now. I’m afraid you’re going to have to leave. You can come back tomorrow if you like, but now I need you to vacate the wards. Mister Macintosh and Mister uh… Demonheart? Need their rest.”

He heard a few groans and a few scattered goodbyes to both himself and to…

Big Mac..?

Guilt welled up inside him and he finally cracked open his eyes. It was bright, white light. White ceiling. White walls.

Hospital… of course…

He turned his head to the right and was met by a white wall. He turned the other way and his heart leapt into his throat, feeling guilt threatening to overwhelm him as he met the level gaze of Big Macintosh.

“Yer here too huh?”

Demon nodded wordlessly. The big workhorse whuffed, amused.

“Well Ah’ll be. First Ah get attacked by some mysterious creature, an’ now ya get… well, Ain’t knowin’ what happened to ya. Needed blood though.”

Remembering the beeping sound, Demon glanced at the equipment he was hooked up to. Among them, true to Big Mac’s word, was a bag of rich red blood being pumped slowly into him and a heart monitor, which is what was making that infernal beeping sound.

“Big Mac… I.. I’m sorry…”

Big Mac shrugged.

“What for? Ya didn’t do nothin’ wrong.”

“I.. I attacked you in the barn…”

Big Mac shook his head.

“Nah, ya didn’t.”

“Yes I-“

“Ya didn’ do squat an’ that’s that.”

Demon winced at the familiar tone and nodded.

“Yes sir…”

“Ah, however, am sorry. Ah let mah feelin’s fer Miss Fluttershy get the best of me. Guess Ah never really got over her.”

Demonheart felt a faint smile tug at his face at the apology.

“It’s alright… I don’t think you need to worry about that anymore. I don’t think she wants anything to do with me…”

“Don’tcha tell me ya givin’ up on her? Why?”

Demon squirmed uncomfortably.

“You… sorta had to be there.”

“Ah’ve got all night, ya might as well tell the tale.”

Demonheart sighed. Big Mac was right, he had nothing better to do. And so he began his tale, starting from just after his flight from the barn, tactfully leaving out Skuld’s more scathing remarks concerning Fluttershy for his own good as well as what was left of Skuld’s health.

~*~

Angel banged furiously on Fluttershy’s door. It had been two, maybe three days since the incident and she hadn’t come out of her room except to do her chores and to eat, then she’d bolt back into the tiny space and shut and lock the door. Angel had tried reason, had tried bribery and had even resorted to his devilishly good looks and obvious way with the ladies, but to no avail. Now he was willing to quit the subtle coercion tactics and tell her upfront how silly she was being.

Problem was, she was ignoring his knocking.

Inside the room, Fluttershy lay quivering under the covers of her small bed. The bed she’d once (inadvertently) shared with Demonheart. To be quite frank, he terrified her now. She hadn’t been so scared when she’d known him as the kind, soft spoken and gentle Pegasus she’d come to know so well. But to find out it was all a lie (in her mind at least)? That had shattered her tenuous trust in him and now?

The sheer, animalistic violence in which he had dispatched Skuld quite frankly petrified Fluttershy. The fact he did it so casually and seemed to enjoy it freaked her out even more. Then healing her? Forcibly? With ‘Dark Magic’ as Twilight had called it?

Twilight. She’d come over soon after the little trial had ended and had, after forcing Fluttershy to agree, scanned her body for any adverse effects on her mind and body from this magic. She hadn’t detected anything and had left apparently happy with her lack of discovery.

But what really kept her up at night?

The sick feeling of the weird cloud of blood that had invaded her senses. It had healed her, yes, but it had felt so… sickening. She hadn’t only tasted it. She’d smelled it, felt it crawling over her skin, heard its passage. She shuddered at the memory and started crying into her pillow again.

~*~

Big Mac was quiet through the story that Demonheart laid out for him. Even during the time where Demonheart had thought he’d say that the Pegasus was crazy concerning Black Briar. At the end of the tale, Demonheart looked decidedly uncomfortable, awaiting Big Mac’s judgement. Big Macintosh was silent for a long time, mulling it all over. He wasn’t surprised at all about Demonheart’s revelation concerning the creature within him, or if he was he didn’t show it. Although considering what he’d been through when he’d threatened Demon, it wasn’t really surprising. After what seemed like years but could have been a matter of minutes for all Demon knew, Big Macintosh finally spoke.

“Sounds like she owes ya her life.”

Demon sighed.

“She’s only got her life b…because I managed to force him back… Had he had just a few more seconds…”

“But he didn’t,” Big Mac said forcefully, “Ya didn’t let him stay out. Ya used him for what was needed an’ then forced ‘im back. Then ya healed Fluttershy with his magic. Ain’t an ignoble cause if’n ya ask me.”

“I got her into the trouble in the first place though.”

“An’ ya got her out too. Ain’t that somethin’”?

“I.. I suppose it might be…”

“Well there ya go. Ah’m sure she’ll be fine once she gets over the shock.”

Silence once more. For a long while there was silence. And then finally Demon spoke.

“hey I.. I’m really sorry… Y..You know…”

“It’s fine. Ah’m sorry too.”

Demonheart smiled and burrowed down into his bed.

“It’s alright…”

And everything was alright between the pair once more.

~*~

Coincidentally, both Big Macintosh and Demonheart were released from the hospice on the same day almost two weeks later. Demonheart was still weak from his ordeal, if one could call it that, and Big Mac still had a slight limp that the doctor was certain was only temporary. Big Mac seemed to already be on the mend concerning it. The pair almost immediately went back to work, although there wasn’t really anything to do. The first winds of winter had set in, so there was only maybe half a field left to do really, since all that was left was stuff AJ wasn’t able to finish on her own, even with Applebloom’s enthusiastic help.

It took an even longer time before Demonheart finally managed to convince himself (with rather blatant and very forceful encouragement from Big Macintosh) that talking to Fluttershy would be the best way to mend the rift that had grown between them. It was only really obvious when Demonheart went with Rarity and Shy to their weekly spa visit, but it was very obvious when they were together. They never spoke, couldn’t bring themselves to look at each other and always made some excuse to not be in each other’s company.

And so, five weeks after being released on good health, Demonheart finally knocked rather tentatively on the door to Fluttershy’s cottage. There was quiet for quite some time before with a slight creak the lower half of the door swung open and Angel looked out. His face seemed to light up, then darken in a matter of a split second.

“Where have you been?”

Demonheart smiled at him.

“Here and there. How is it with you?”

The bunny shook his head.

“Don’t change the subject. My pony is acting funny and I know you’re at the middle of it. I was there you know.”

Demon winced.

“How is Fluttershy?”

Angel frowned at him thunderously.

“She’s overreacting. She needs a firm paw, but she won’t let me in and won’t let me talk to her.”

A stab of guilt lanced through the big stallion and he sighed.

“I am sorry little one. I meant her no harm, I only meant to help.”

Angel gesticulated wildly with his forepaws as he spoke.

“You DID! She’s being silly! Your actions helped her, saved her even! She should not be crying! She should be thanking you! She’s being silly and she won’t listen to me!”

Demon hesitated visibly before speaking once more in the chitter of bunnies, which was very uncharacteristic. The little bunny language coming from the massive Pegasus was weird.

“Would you like me to talk to her little one?”

“You can try. Maybe she’ll talk to you.”

~*~

Couple minutes later saw Demon standing in front of Fluttershy’s bedroom door. Angel had left Demon to his devices, so his confidence was flagging. With a nervous swallow, he knocked tentatively on the door.

“Miss Fluttershy? A.. Are you alright?”

Silence. No response came from the closed room. Demonheart frowned, concerned and knocked again.

“Miss Fluttershy..?”

Still no response. He sighed despondently.

This is going to be a long day.

~*~

One week. One full week. And then another, and another, and another. Four weeks he returned to her doorstep, was let in by Angel, and sat by her door, waiting for her to come out. She must have had some sort of food source in there, unless she was flying out of the window to get out and buy food. Applejack and the others looked on sadly, knowing they couldn’t do anything. Fluttershy had stopped going to the spa altogether since Demon tried to talk to her. But even Demonheart didn’t have the patience to go on, nor the confidence. This day his confidence was sagging, falling to pieces around him. The longer he sat before the door, the harder it was to prevent himself crying.

It’s no use… she doesn’t want to talk to me… She doesn’t want to talk to a freakish creature like me…

Demon sighed sadly and looked at the door in despair. He’d been here for too long. Rising slowly, he made his way back down through the little cottage, waving off Angel in the process. Without so much as a goodbye, he left the cottage by the forest and headed off back to Sweet Apple Acres.

My sorrow is too much for this place…

~*~

Dear Miss Fluttershy

I do not know what I have done to disappoint you nor what I have done to alienate myself from you but whatever it is I swear to you I never meant to do so. I understand that my condition is not one for a normal pony and I apologise for that. If I may speak bluntly, I have never met a mare quite like yourself. You and your friends have altered my perceptions of my own kind substantially. For the longest time, I was not accepted anywhere. I was a castaway, a vagabond. I have lived in the caves with the dragons, the dens with the foxes. I have resided within the den of a great wooly bear and the nest of the great horned birds of the far east.

Indeed, I have even been fortunate enough to run with the wild Diamond Dogs of the plains, hunting for gems with them as an honoured guest. Many would not see such a thing as a potential privilege, but I have seen many things. But my kind and the other ‘civilised’ cultures, Griffons, Changelings, Ponies, even the Sea Ponies shunned me, threw me out. Others threatened my life. I found Solace for a time with a small family of two Dum Kats. Young for their race. You have met one already, Paladin was the Kat you met all that time ago. His potential mate died from a disease for which I hadn’t had enough time to find a cure for. I am no scholar.

But you? You and your friends… They’re special. You’re special. Kind, compassionate, stunningly beautiful and so eternally graceful. No, in all my years which, admittedly, isn’t that many, I have never met a more intriguing creature, compelling animal or great pony such as yourself. You are possibly the most important and memorable thing that has ever happened to me.

You will be forever in my thoughts as I take flight to the West. Do not attempt to follow me, it is for the best. Perhaps Whitetail Woods will give me a home now that I have overstayed my welcome.

And I am sorry for Spectre. But had I not let him out, I do not believe I could have stopped Skuld from killing you.

Thinking of you always.

Demonheart.

Chorus of Angels

Chapter fourteen: Chorus of Angels.

Demonheart had left.

It was the talk of the town. Word had gotten around fast in the town where the most sought after stallion simply up and vanished, and many were disgruntled by the turn of events. Most, If not all of them, were of the female persuasion and were single. The big stallion had turned quite a few heads with his striking colours, great strength and quiet demeanour.
But none were more worried than Applejack, Rarity, Twilight, Pinkie and Rainbow.

Fluttershy hadn’t been seen for a few days and she had refused to open the door until now. The group of ponies were in the great library that Twilight called home. Pinkie was slightly less poofy and energetic than usual, and the others were significantly more reserved. Only Rainbow seemed agitated rather than sombre and she was tapping her hoof impatiently.

“Oh COME ON!” She finally shouted, venting her frustration, “He’s been gone for two days! We can’t just sit here!”

AJ sighed and looked at her excitable friend.

“Rainbow, if ya know somethin’ we don’t, Ah’m sure we’d be glad to know it. All Ah know is that he took one of our packs and some of our food. He also left a note of apology for takin’ it.”

“Are you sure it didn’t say anything about where he was going?”

Rarity groaned.

“Oh will you two knock it off! You were arguing all day about this yesterday!”

Pinkie had said nothing the entire time and looked decidedly miserable. Twilight surveyed the scene with concern before speaking.

“Well, I think Rainbow’s right, we can’t simply sit here and do nothing. Whether we want to admit it or not, he is one of us now and he belongs in Ponyville.”

Unseen by Twilight, Fluttershy winced. Rainbow had started mouthing off again.

“Exactly! He doesn’t need to leave! He should stay here and find some place to stay so he can hang out with us!”

Rarity, having given up on listening to the repetitive conversation being thrown around the room and random speculations as to where he’d go, began to watch Fluttershy closely. She’d had her suspicions about her Pegasus friend since she’d stopped talking to him several weeks back, and she looked even more uncomfortable than normal now. Demonheart had been friendly to all of them, it was true, but he’d been much more affectionate around Fluttershy than he had with any of the others. That and the way Fluttershy had told them she hadn’t received a goodbye note just didn’t seem right to Rarity.

Of all the ponies he’d leave a note to, I still think that she is the most likely. In fact I’m certain of it! He wouldn’t simply leave town without at least leaving a note to Fluttershy… would he?

“Fluttershy, are you certain you didn’t receive anything from him?”

All conversation suddenly stopped as everypony in the room looked at Rarity in a mixture of curiosity and shock. Rarity was quite deliberately asking if Fluttershy had lied outright to her friends, which was unheard of masking the time she’d taken Celestia’s phoenix, Philomena, in an attempt to heal it. Fluttershy shuffled her hooves and shook her head, looking at her hooves. Rarity’s eyes glinted.

And that on its own is a confirmation of sorts.

“Darling, you’re not certain?”

Fluttershy didn’t answer, looking at the floor as though it was suddenly the most important thing in the world. For a long time there was silence before, finally, Fluttershy caved.

“I… I d-did g-get something… b…but I didn’t read it, I swear. I found it and… I just…”

There were tears in her eyes as she spoke. She hadn’t technically lied to them, since Twilight’s words at the start of the meeting was if anypony had read a note that Demon had left them, but the fact of the matter was that, in the two days he’d been missing, she had a potential clue that she hadn’t shared.

“I j-just left it o-on the table… I d-didn’t want to read it…”

The five ponies stared at their friend for a long time and Fluttershy barely squeaked out an “I’m sorry…” before Twilight spoke up, partly to lessen the load on Fluttershy, partly to get a move on.

“Alright then, Everypony to Fluttershy’s. We’ll see if this note has any clue as to where he went.”

Four of the six ponies left the library quickly. Inside, Rarity sat expectantly before Fluttershy, awaiting an explanation. Fluttershy resolutely held her head low, as though doing so would make her best friend disappear. Almost ten minutes later, Rarity sighed and stood up.

“I’m disappointed in you darling. Not wanting him to come back to the only home he’s had since Cloudsdale.”

And she left. Alone, Fluttershy, faced with the bitter resentment of her friends and disappointment from her closest friend, finally broke down and cried.

~*~

By the time Fluttershy returned to her cottage, the others were leaving. They looked at Fluttershy before resolutely turning to the West to chase after the wayward Pegasus. Only Twilight stayed behind. As Fluttershy approached, head low, Twilight spoke stiffly to her, still miffed at her ‘failure’ to share the rather critically important note.

“We are going to find him and bring him back,” she said to the depressed mare before her, “Should you decide to even be bothered to meet him, We have agreed to reconvene at the Library once we have found him.”

Her stern face softened a little at the sorrowful face of Fluttershy and she nuzzled her gently, her voice losing most of its stern note.

“You really should have helped us though, like it or not he is one of us now.”

And then she left, following the rest of the element bearers, but leaving the kindness behind. Fluttershy sniffled sadly and watched her friends leave before heading back into the house. Trudging up to her bedroom, she flopped herself down into her bed, pretty much ready to cry herself to sleep again, making sure her door was shut and locked.

“My my,” came a dry voice from within the room, making Fluttershy freeze, “Aren’t we all terribly sulky?”

She spun around, looking frantically for the voice’s origin. It was a velvety sort of voice, compellingly beautiful. Her eyes fell upon her chest of drawers where, against all sorts of laws, a unicorn sat, tapping his hind hooves against the wood. The scene would be forever etched into Fluttershy’s mind. He had a coat of deepest blue and a flank as blank as a newborn foal. His deep purple mane cascaded down his shoulders and his tail of the same colour fanned across the top of the drawers. Covering his face was, of all things, a bone white mask with splatters of red across it. Etched into it was a mural of three oblong shaped gems. And his eyes. They couldn’t seem to decide upon a colour to stay, constantly changing. His coat and fetlocks were meticulously tidy and his mane and tail seemed combed, probably almost compulsively.

“Don’t you think you’re being just a little selfish? Maybe a tiny bit?”

Fluttershy sat stock still. The mask was shaped like that of a pony’s skull, eye sockets and nostrils included. She was pretty certain she could still see a tooth or two on the leading edge as well. The stallion cleared his throat and spoke pleasantly.

“Fluttershy, once you’re quite finished.”

“W-who are you!? H-h-how did you get in here?”

The stallion shrugged nonchalantly and looked to the window. Fluttershy looked as well to find it wide open with no sign of forced entry. Considering it was on the sheer wall of her cottage, she wasn’t sure how he managed to get in through there, but she also really didn’t want to talk to this stallion. Something about him made her flesh crawl.

“Doors, dear Fluttershy, are for ponies with no imagination. As for who I am, you may call me Splintered Dreams.”

He leaned forward and, though she couldn’t see it, Fluttershy felt, know, she knew he was smiling at her under that hideous mask.

“I am here to talk to you. So you might as well get comfortable. I don’t know how long it will take.”

~*~

He talked for a good long time, or so it seemed. Shy was certain hours had passed, and yet the sun hadn’t even moved an inch across the sky. He spoke about but one topic.

Demonheart.

She found herself wondering how he knew about all these things that the pair had done together, the dance, the spa visits, the kisses they’d almost shared all three times the event had happened. She’d never seen him before, she knew not who he was. He simply was.

“So. He comes into your life, latches onto you as his rock and ends up being rejected by she of whom he saved?”

His latest sentence made her flinch back and he pressed his advantage with ruthless aggression.

“She who coaxed him out of his shell?”

Another flinch.

“He made friends with many. But you already knew that didn’t you? But it was you he was most afraid of losing.”

She looked at the ground, ashamed. She found it difficult, if not impossible, to ignore his voice. It seemed to coax her, slip its way in without difficulty and it stayed there.

“Do you know how he healed you Fluttershy?”

She shook her head. It was true. Aside from a vague explanation from Twilight, she didn’t know how.”

“The spell he used is dark magic. A very powerful spell. The barrier he used? Also dark magic. Dark Magic is extremely dangerous to everypony, especially the user.”

Fluttershy sat silently, listening to the creepy pony talking to her.

“That barrier was siphoning off small portions of your friend’s life forces to him. He siphoned most of his off into you.”

Her head was reefed up and she cringed away from him, but was unable to look away from his eyes. Those colour shifting, hypnotic eyes…

“He damn near killed himself to save you, after risking his entire being by releasing the only one who could allow him to save you in time. If he hadn’t been taking small amounts of life from your friends, he would have died himself. He almost killed himself to save you.”

If it was possible for Fluttershy to feel any smaller and ungrateful than she already did at that moment, that was the moment it happened. She burst into tears and Splintered Dreams released her head from his magical grip.

“He saved your life. And you threw him to the wolves. This is your last chance to fix things you know. And I believe, no, I know you’re the only one who can find him.”

He turned his back on her and took a step away before looking back over his shoulder at her.

“Stop wallowing in self pity and being so damnably selfish, read the damn note and, for the love of all things living, don’t fuck this up. He’s been through enough don’t you think?”

Before she could respond in any way, he took a step forward and, all at once, vanished. There was no rush of air, no flash of light. He simply vanished. Fluttershy stared at the empty space, a retort dying on her lips.

… Am I going crazy?

~*~

Dear Miss Fluttershy

I do not know what I have done to disappoint you nor what I have done to alienate myself from you but whatever it is I swear to you I never meant to do so. I understand that my condition is not one for a normal pony and I apologise for that. If I may speak bluntly, I have never met a mare quite like yourself. You and your friends have altered my perceptions of my own kind substantially. For the longest time, I was not accepted anywhere. I was a castaway, a vagabond. I have lived in the caves with the dragons, the dens with the foxes. I have resided within the den of a great woolly bear and the nest of the great horned birds of the far east.

You will be forever in my thoughts as I take flight to the West. Do not attempt to follow me, it is for the best. Perhaps Whitetail Woods will give me a home now that I have overstayed my welcome.

And I am sorry for Spectre. But had I not let him out, I do not believe I could have stopped Skuld from killing you.

Thinking of you always.
Demonheart.

Fluttershy looked at the words, trying to convince herself that it was hollow. But in the time she had gotten to know him, she’d never known him to say anything that he didn’t mean.

Do not attempt to follow me… It is for the best…

The words rang in her mind like a bell.

Do not attempt to follow me… For the best…

She frowned.

He doesn’t want us to follow him..? Of course not, he thinks we don’t want h… no, he thinks you don’t want him here. Is he right?

For a long time she considered this option before sighing sadly.

No, he’s not right. I guess I thought I wanted him gone. But… I don’t know, I feel so much safer when he’s around… Oh, what have I done? How could I have been so cruel to him…

For a long time she contemplated those words. For some reason, they were the only words that really caught her attention. Her eyes lit up and she smiled hopefully before practically bolting out of the door, her wings snapping open as she opened her wings and, totally disregarding his prior direction, flew out of the only other safe exit of Ponyville.

She headed north.

~*~

He was an easy pony to spot. The snow was thick and his coat was ebony. She knew it was him the moment she saw him, and Earth pony pack on his back, wings trapped by them. His legs up to his shoulders was covered in a fine layer of white powder and he was shivering as he walked. She followed him for most of the day, waiting for him to settle. It was about midday when he finally stopped in a place relatively clear of snow, or at least the thick blanket from before. He shrugged off the pack and yawned.

Before she could lose her nerve, Fluttershy glided down to him and, just before he could sit down, landed on his back. Not expecting the sudden weight and, therefore, taken off guard, Demonheart let out a surprised yelp as he tumbled head over hooves, Fluttershy with him. Instinctively, he flipped over once more, grabbing his assailant and planting them on the ground under his hooves where he could press his attack. He froze, however, when he was met with the shocked face of Fluttershy lying beneath his hooves.

“Miss… Fluttershy?”

She nodded wordlessly, beginning to blush.

“H.. How did you find me?”

She smiled shyly and spoke quietly.

“W..Well… I was… I read your note… and well… Y-you said not to follow you, so I didn’t… You said you were going west…”

Demonheart blinked owlishly and Shy rushed onward.

“And the only other safe exit from Ponyville was to the north!”

Demonheart and Fluttershy were both quiet for a moment and the yellow mare’s blush faded as it was replaced with concern.

“Am.. Am I that transparent?”

She smiled in relief as she answered.

“Well… no, the others went West…”

He blinked before sighing.

“You should not have come…”

He went to pull away, to let her up, and she lunged forward and took his ear in her mouth. He yelped as she fell back, dragging him with her. His head hit her chest and she enfolded him in her hooves and wings, her blush returning in full force.

“D..Don’t go… I don’t want you to leave… I.. I was just scared before…”

Demon felt his own face grow hot and he lay frozen despite the warm embrace.

“Y..You’re not now…?”

She giggled softly.

“No… Not really. I know why you did what you did… I had to think about it though…”

She frowned. She couldn’t remember how she came to the conclusion that he wasn’t dangerous, nor when or how she’d decided to read his note. She shrugged, sure it’d come back to her.

For a long while, several hours in point of fact, the pair lay there in the thin layer of snow whilst the sun began its inexorable path to the horizon. Eventually Fluttershy worked up the courage to speak and she looked down at the big stallion on her chest and swept his mane back over his ear, exposing all of his face. He looked momentarily startled and she giggled softly before whispering to him.

“Did I ever tell you… Did I ever tell you how beautiful y-your eyes are?”

To her great satisfaction, he blushed, seemingly as embarrassed as she was. He reached up and, very tentatively, brushed her mane, which had fallen over one side of her face at some point in time and was now covered in a fine layer of white snow, over her ear in a similar and much more shy mimic of her actions.

“Once… I think… I… I think you’re pretty too Miss Fluttershy…”

She blushed and shot him a shy smile.

“J..Just Fluttershy, or Shy please…”

He smiled at her just as shyly.

“J-Just Demon then please M… Fluttershy.”

The pair regarded each other for a long moment before leaning forward slightly, tentatively reaching for each other before, under the full glare of the rising moon in the east, lit up by the snow reflecting the rays of the softly glowing moon, Demonheart and Fluttershy’s lips came together in the gentle embrace of those in love.

~*~

“Ugh! What a waste of time! We didn’t even come CLOSE to finding him!”

Rainbow was still talking. She’d been complaining since they’d started returning home and the others were sick of it.

“Will you PLEASE shut up Rainbow Dash! I’m sure we’ve heard quite enough of your-“

“Shh.”

Rarity and the others looked at Twilight. She was frowning and looking at her home, of which they’d just reached.

“Why are the lights on in the library? Spike was staying with Applebloom and the other Crusaders at the clubhouse tonight.”

The five mares cautiously approached the library. The curtains were drawn across the windows, so Twilight cracked open the door and peeked inside just in time to see a freshly showered Demonheart step into the common room. By the fire lay Fluttershy, already asleep. Damp though he was, Demonheart seemed more than comfortable to lay next to Fluttershy, who yawned cutely and nuzzled into Demon’s chest as he draped one large, black and red wing over her. Twilight gently closed the door, a smile on her face.

“Applejack. Is your spare room available? I think I might need different accommodations tonight.”

AJ (and the others, except Pinkie Pie, who seemed happy again) looked confused for a moment before she smiled a relieved smile.

“Course it is Twi. Apple Family is always ready t’ put up a friend for the night.”

~*~

Inside the Library, Demonheart laid his head next to Fluttershy’s, gently nuzzling her cheek before tightening his wing around her slightly. He’d go to sleep soon, and then he’d find out if this was a dream he was having. But until then, he was quite content to listen to the sound of Fluttershy’s breathing next to him and feel her chest rising and falling under the sensitive nerves of his wings.

There were no whispers in his mind, there were no temptations.

For now at least, he was at peace.

And thus it is complete. Paranoia. I hope you all enjoyed reading it, I have tried my hardest to not screw it up XD. Keep watch for the next installment, Oneirophobia.

~Valorousspectre~

Magical Theory 101. A Night with Twilight.

Chapter six: Magical Theory 101, A night with Twilight Sparkle.

For the next three weeks straight, minus Sundays, Demonheart worked. Whilst Big Mac couldn’t stop Rarity taking him to the spa during her weekly visits, he did effectively cut off all other access from anyone or anything outside of Sweet Apple Acres. And he worked the stallion to the bone each day, pushing him for more and more every time they returned to the orchard. Eventually Applejack took him aside one day.

He was working as usual. His hooves ached, his back was killing him and he was having difficulty continuing. But he kept on going. He had nothing else to do. Besides, Big Mac always seemed to know if he stopped. He kicked out at the tree he’d been sizing up and grunted in pain as he connected wrong and collapsed, panting heavily.

“Hey sugarcube, Ah wanted to… Tarnation? Ya alright?”

Demonheart could barely answer. His lungs didn’t seem to want to co-operate with him. He could breathe, but he couldn’t really talk. He tried, but all that came out was an inarticulate mumble. Applejack’s brow creased in concern and she considered calling to her brother for help.

… They do seem pretty close… Nah. Big Mac’s got enough work to do. Ah ain’t goin’ to bother him.

So, with a grunt at his weight, Applejack lifted him up onto her back and began the trek back to the farmhouse.

~*~

“Why not? Why can’t I see him? Big Macintosh, why won’t you let me?”

Fluttershy stood before Big Macintosh at the entrance to the Apple Family house, being stubbornly refused entrance and permission to see the pony she wished to see. She found herself intrigued by the new stallion. His personality, his colours, the way he seemed so nervous all the time but never for a clear cut reason. She’d mostly noticed this at the spa. It had become quickly apparent he trusted and often spoke to Aloe, whom had taken it upon herself to practically become his personal masseuse for his every visit. Since Aloe spoke to both Rarity and Fluttershy, the pair had quickly discovered that Aloe would willingly share information… so long as she hadn’t promised not to tell anypony.

Fragments of his past, his morbid fear of water, things such as these came quite often from the pink pony. However as of recently, Aloe had began to confess to both Rarity and Fluttershy his increasingly concerning fatigue and lesions on his hooves. According to her these occasionally bled as she tried to clean his hooves and, although he never complained or so much as moved, it was clear to Aloe, who had been trained in such things, that this was hurting him.

But he’d stubbornly refused any sort of treatment above the regular that she gave him, not letting her treat his injuries. As a
last ditch attempt to get him help, she’d told Fluttershy and Rarity. But whilst Rarity had believed it’d be better to let him seek help on his own, Fluttershy was positive the big stallion wouldn’t and had decided it’d be better to be safe than sorry. However now that she was at the farm where she knew the big Pegasus was staying, Big Macintosh was refusing her entry!

“He’s busy Fluttershy. He don’t like being bothered while he’s workin’.”

“He’ll see me! I know it! Why won’t you let me see him?”

“Ah already told ya. He don’t like being disturbed.”

“Big Mac! The hay ya doin’? Ya meant to be workin’!”

The pair turned to behold Applejack with Demonheart resting across her back. Applejack frowned when she saw Fluttershy.

“Shy? What are ya doin’ here?”

~*~

“What in tarnation is wrong with ya!? Ya won’t let Fluttershy into our house?”

Applejack had taken Big Macintosh aside after taking Demonheart into the house and laid him down in his (borrowed) bed. Applejack had forced Big Mac to leave, telling Fluttershy to stay with Demon in the case that he may need something. The pair now stood in the barn. Or rather, She stood. Big Mac had been forced to lean back so far he sat down just so his irate sister hadn’t collided with him.

“She wanted to see him. He was workin’. He don’t like bein’ disturbed when he’s workin’, so I told her so. Ah didn’t do nothin’ wrong.”

AJ looked at her older brother incredulously.

“He didn’t seem to mind whenever Ah came to talk to him! What, he tells ya more than he tells me?”

The big stallion nodded.

“Eeyup.”

Suspicion clouded AJ’s expression as her eyes narrowed.

“Now hold on one cotton pickin’ minute. This ain’t to do with Shy and Demon dancin’ or nothin’ is it? Don’t tell me yer jealous
Big Mac.”

The workhorse’s face twisted into a scowl.

“Ain’t nothin’ to do with that. He told me he didn’t like bein’ interrupted. So Ah told Shy that he didn’t like to be and that was that.”

Applejack groaned in annoyance and frustration.

“Dangnammit Macintosh! He never said that an’ ya know it!”

She turned her tail on him.

“Just… Ugh! Ah don’t know what to do with ya. Just get back to workin’ will ya? Ah’m gonna take care of Demon.”

~*~

“You’re just going to take that?”

He floated in and out of consciousness. There was so much pain, he relished returning to his mind.

“Are you going to take this lying down?”

A familiar voice, playful but malicious.

“Is the mighty Demonheart going to just bow his head and take it?”

He mumbled in response.

“Oh, that’s right! Valour never wants conflict He’s too busy being a doormat.”

Another mumble, a little stronger.

“But then, who would ever suspect one such as you, big and powerful as you are, to fight back?”

“M’not… you…”

The voice laughed, taunting him.

“Of course you’re not me fool! You would use the strength I gave you if you were.”

“Never…” came the whispered response.

“You’re a coward and a fool. It’s almost fun to watch you flail and struggle.”

A stab of anger, a growl of frustration.

“If I… struggle so… much… Why is it… you’re still in there… and I’m out here?”

An evil sounding snarl, the flash of red eyes.

“Give it time. You’ll give in again. You’ll see Valour.”

Another voice… soft… worried… brought with it memories of brilliant eyes, the swirl of pink hair and the scent of fresh herbs and animals. A name floated to mind.

‘Fluttershy…’

~*~

“Y..You’ll be okay… Don’t worry… you’ll be up and about in no time.”

Fluttershy wasn’t so sure of the words she was saying, not sure if it was true. The stallion sprawled on his side before her seemed fitful in sleep, mumbling and whispering under his breath. She’d wondered for a time if he’d been dreaming, then decided that no dream should fix a pony with a look of such dread as his face had distorted into as he spoke, nor the crease of rage she saw afterwards.

Funny… I’ve never seen him get angry…

No, instead she decided it must have been a nightmare and, having been told by AJ to watch over him, thought it might be best she at least try to comfort him. Her gaze flicked down to his hooves and, with a guilty look around, she slowly and nervously uncovered them from where Applejack had seen fit to cover him with his blanket and looked closely at his hooves. His forehooves seemed perfectly fine to her. A little scuffed perhaps from all his work on the farm, but otherwise okay. Dimly she heard Applejack yelling. Not that she wasn’t paying attention, but more it was too quiet to really make out the words. She covered his upper torso up quickly, a blush making its way to her face before her gaze flicked down further to where his hind hooves rested. A little more confident now, she drew the blanket away from his hooves.

Aloe hadn’t been kidding.

The lower parts of his leg were lacerated, no doubt from countless misjudged kicks or fragments of wood from a kick too fiercely delivered. Upon moving some of his coat away from the lacerations, which were by this time scabbed over thankfully, it was clear the skin around the cuts and lesions were an angry, inflamed red. Thankfully however, they were mostly clean. Aside from a few dust stains from that day’s work, they had been untouched by infection before they’d scabbed over to heal. Most of them were close to completely healed anyway.

Oh dear… Aloe was right. This is terrible.

He stirred and she threw the blanket back over his hooves hurriedly, returning to her original position by his bedside (next to his head) as he moved around a little before his eyes cracked open a tiny bit.

“Miss… Fluttershy..?”

Fluttershy started and moved closer to him, barely able to hear him speak.

“Y..Yes? I mean… yes, it’s me… Are you okay..?”

His brow creased before he answered.

“What… are you doing here?”

She felt a relieved smile spread across her face and she sighed.

“I’m looking after you of course… Why else would I be here?”

He groaned painfully and his head shook a little bit.

“N..No… you shouldn’t be here… Big Mac said…”

He fell silent. Fluttershy’s smile faltered.

“Big Mac said what..?”

Demon didn’t answer. Instead, he turned over onto his stomach and buried his muzzle in the pillow. Fluttershy felt her smile falter more and nudged him with her nose.

“What did he say..?”

Again he didn’t answer. An irrational surge of irritation washed through Fluttershy.

When someone tries to block, show them that you rock!

The words of the Minotaur Iron Will flickered to life in her mind and her relief finally gave way to frustration. In a flurry of movement Fluttershy was on the bed and had pushed Demonheart back onto his back, glaring at him determinedly, wings flared in the typical style of a Pegasus trying to look larger than they were.

“You tell me what he said right now mister!”

Demonheart stared up at her, wide eyed in surprise. This was one of the few times Fluttershy had seen both of his eyes at the same time, and they were no less deep than they’d always been. Her momentary burst of courage didn’t last terribly long, and soon the two were simply staring at each other as Fluttershy’s gaze lost its ferocity, softening at an alarming rate. For a moment she completely forgot what she wanted to know and her eyes flickered from his eyes to his lips, then back again. A blush formed on her face as she timidly touched her nose to his, a matching blush on his cheeks. A tilt of the head before…

“Ahem.”

Fluttershy froze, mortified and turned her head to look to the doorway. An amused Applejack stood within the threshold of the portal to the room, smiling.

“Am Ah interruptin’ somethin’? Should Ah just give ya a minute there?”

Fluttershy was practically tripping over her own mane to get off the bed, seemingly completely forgetting that she had a pair of fully functional wings and hit the floor nose first before rushing from the room. Applejack watched her leave for a moment before looking back at Demonheart and laughing. He was still blushing, staring up at the ceiling in shock.

“Ya alright there Sugarcube? Ya look like ya just seen a ghost.”

He barely seemed to hear her, only flicking his ears to acknowledge her words. The rugged farmer’s expression faded into seriousness as she stepped into the room proper and closed the door behind her, walking over to the bed afterwards.

“Ain’t goin’ to ask what that was. Ain’t sure ya really know yerself by the looks of it. But Ah want to make somethin’ quite clear.”

Finally the injured Pegasus looked at AJ, still blushing. AJ had to admit, whilst he wasn’t really her type, too timid for her liking, he was quite adorable when he blushed like that.

“Big Mac ain’t the only one who makes rules here. He may be the eldest, but Ah do more on the farm that he realises. He shouldn’ta told Shy she couldn’t see ya.”

Demon mumbled something softly and AJ frowned.

“What was that sugar? ‘Fraid Ah didn’t hear ya.”

“He… He told me I… I couldn’t see Miss Fluttershy w…whilst I was working here…”

AJ frowned.

“Did he now? Ah’ll have to talk to him ‘bout that. But ya can consider that taken back. Ain’t right for him to do that. Far as Ah see, ya get along quite well.”

The blush, only having just vanished, returned with a vengeance and AJ found herself laughing again.

“Don’tcha worry yer head about it. Ah won’t go about flappin’ mah gums about things that ain’t mah business. Ah want ya to get yer hooves looked at tomorrow though alright? No work for ya tomorrow.”

Having realised the futility of trying to argue with Applejack in the past, Demonheart nodded in agreement to her stipulations. She smiled.

“Good. Ah will warn ya though. If she does start visitin’ ya up here, Ah expect ya to work whilst ya talk. That seem fair to ya?”

Another nod of agreement. AJ doffed her hat, satisfied.

“Good. Now how ‘bout ya come down for some supper? Granny done outdid herself this time to be sure.”

~*~

“Feel like fighting back yet little Pegasus?”

A grunt of pain, a growl of frustration.

“Never.”

A crazed, lilting laugh.

“You keep saying that but you know it’s not true. I’ll have escaped before the month is out. You’ll see.”

“Not if I have anything to say about it.”

“But you don’t little Pegasus. You never did.”

~*~

Whilst Demonheart had come to rely upon the work from the farm to keep him occupied and had intensely disliked the previous day he’d gotten off of work, this day he relished spending away from the trees that had hurt him so. His first stop had, quite obviously been the Ponyville hospice, but only after AJ bullied him over there, actually going so far as to convince a nearby weather pony to watch him and make sure he went. A disapproving glance from Nurse Redheart, a painkiller and a few bandages later, he was out and about again. While he still disliked the attention he received simply from walking down the street, he’d learned to put up with it for the most part.

It was around midday when he finally admitted to having no clue where in Equestria he was going. He ended up wandering aimlessly around Ponyville before shrugging and heading towards the expanse of the Everfree Forest.

He was just leaving the confines of the town when he heard a voice calling his name. It wasn’t a voice he readily recognised and it took him a moment after turning around to identify the pony before him as Twilight Sparkle. His eyes almost instantly sought out her horn.

Demonheart hadn’t met many Unicorns in his time. Granted, he wasn’t exactly social, but he hadn’t met many unicorns. Plenty of pegasi and a few Earth ponies, but not many unicorns. As a result he was apprehensive about them and their capabilities. She was smiling at him, which made him ever more apprehensive, since three quarters or so of the mares he passed in the street had also smiled at him. Although hers seemed much more friendly and less… spooky.

“It’s good to see you up and away from the farm! Where were you headed?”

The big Pegasus looked over at where he was headed previously. Twilight followed his gaze.

“The Everfree forest? You were going to go into the Everfree Forest?”

A shake of his head allayed her fears.

“J..Just outside it…”

“Why?”

A heavy blush washed over his face and he mumbled something quietly, scuffing at the ground with one forehoof. Twilight leaned forward, straining to hear him.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t quite catch that. Could you please repeat it?”

“I… I guess… I because I d..don’t know where M… Miss Fluttershy lives…”

Twilight smiled brightly.

“Oh! You were looking for Fluttershy?”

He nodded almost imperceptibly.

“Oh there’s no need to be shy. She lives in a cottage by the Everfree. Oh, but she’s gone to see Zecora today, that’ likely to take all day.”

Demonheart’s face fell and he let his head hang.

“Oh… S..So she won’t be home?”

Twilight shook her head.

“No, I doubt it. But uh…”

He looked up at the ‘but’.

“But..?”

Twilight’s smile turned a little awkward.

“I’ve been meaning to catch you on your own, you know, get to know you a little more? I mean, everypony else has. Or, everypony but Pinkie and Rainbow.”

The big Pegasus let his head fall again at the sound of Rainbow’s name. Twilight didn’t notice.

“So uh, this is going to sound really bad but, would you like to come back to the Library? I feel most comfortable there and… well…”

She shrugged helplessly. Demonheart looked regretfully back at the direction he was going. He wanted to go to see Fluttershy, but as Twilight had told him she was less than likely to be home at the time, he wasn’t sure if it’d really be worth waiting all day. Twilight coughed softly.

“Um, if it helps, I’ll get a message to AJ to see if you can stay the night and take you to see Fluttershy tomorrow morning? Provided you have the day off that is.”

He pondered this for a moment before scraping his hoof against the ground again.

“I… I can get the day off… if you can add something to your letter.”

~*~

“So you HAVE met Rainbow then hmm? How’d you get her to owe you a day of work?”

The pair now sat in the library commons. Demonheart looked decidedly uncomfortable in amongst all the books and enclosed spaces of the big library. In comparison, Twilight was right at home. Calm, collected and eager to learn about her potential new friend.

“I… it… I’d rather not talk about it…”

Twilight frowned irritably that he wouldn’t share this information, hating that she didn’t know something. But she pushed it down.

“Well, alright then. If you insist. If you don’t mind my asking, what is it you wished to talk to Fluttershy about?”

Demonheart coloured and scuffed his hooves against the floor.

“I… um… Mostly about um… well… um…”

His wings ruffled and puffed up in a sign of agitation.

“T..The dance I guess… and stuff like that…”

Twilight giggled happily.

“Ah! I saw that. I don’t think I’ve ever seen two ponies so utterly in tune in my life. It was beautiful.”

Demonheart’s face turned even more red and he mumbled something to himself under his breath. Twilight’s eyes narrowed.

“Something happening between you two?”

His eyes went wide and he shook his head frantically.

“N..No! I… No, I don’t… think… so…”

His wings ruffled up even further, looking like a pair of feather dusters on either side of his body. Twilight couldn’t help but laugh.

“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about Demonheart.”

He shook his head again.

“C…Can we talk about s…something else now?”

~*~

“See, magic doesn’t just come from nowhere, and every unicorn, Pegasus and Earth pony has their limits as to how much they can use. Naturally, one can expand these limits, but only to a certain point. See, even with my extensive training, There’s only so much I can achieve when it comes to being capable of going past my natural limit.”

Twilight had taken up a lecturing tone, sitting before Demonheart, who sat in rapt attention. He was curious about magic itself and he was hoping that this lecture would help alleviate his anxiety concerning the mysterious force. They had spoken briefly about his past, although he didn’t reveal any more to Twilight than he had previously to Fluttershy, so not much was told and he took a painfully long time to tell it. After which they spoke briefly about pegasi, Twilight trying to and failing to sneak in a few questions concerning Fluttershy.

“A unicorn’s ability to fashion and control magic to the point of it becoming a physical, tangible object comes from the extra leylines leading to the brain and horn. A lot of ponies believe that in the breaking of a unicorn’s horn makes them lose their ability to cast magic but this isn’t true. It will pain them unimaginably, but their ability to use magic is retained. Magical ability comes from the soul.”

Demonheart frowned in confusion.

“The… soul?”

“Exactly. The soul. The soul is the catalyst. A pony’s ability to use magic and how much they can use relies on the strength of the soul. That’s why when a unicorn uses a lot of magic at once they get tired.”

She beamed at the Pegasus, happy to have such a receptive student.

I can see why Celestia likes teaching me so much. There isn’t really a feeling like it.

“But… Miss Twilight… if unicorns can create the tangible magic and pegasi use it to fly and move clouds.. what… what is it Earth Ponies use magic for?”

Twilight smiled still.

“Oh, that’s easy. Earth Pony’s magic leads to their hooves and muscles, giving them enhanced strength, endurance and normally an affinity with earthen elements, or at least a better affinity with them than others, even if their talent doesn’t lie within those bounds. It really is a fascinating subject don’t you think?”

Demonheart nodded slowly.

“Yes… it is. Um… But… what if one were to enter a combat situation..?”

Twilight hesitated visibly.

“I… I’m afraid I’m not really certain. Princess Celestia, my mentor, didn’t teach me anything about combat. She hates violence, and I do too. But…”

She forced a smile.

“I did read a little. Magic duels are very dangerous and can be very deadly. It’s in these cases most recorded instances of Dark magic happened.”

“Dark… Magic? There’s a difference?”

“Of course. Dark Magic is mostly combat or harm orientated. However it’s also very dangerous to the user with a chance of corrupting them entirely. However, sometimes the potential power gain is… tempting.”

“Power gain?”

Twilight nodded grimly.

“Yes. By using dark magic it’s entirely possible to completely ignore your soul’s limit and gain power. Unfortunately, if the spells are performed wrong it can drive you completely insane too.”

Demonheart found himself frowning.

“How… how do you know all this?”

Twilight blushed.

“Oh um… a book I uh… wasn’t meant to read in the Canterlot restricted section… it um… it was of a different kind of context to what the Princess had me studying at the time.”

Demonheart chuckled softly.

“I see…”

Twilight smiled slyly.

“So. I gave you a crash course in Magical Theory. Now. I want to know what’s going on between you and Fluttershy.”

Demonheart shook his head.

“Nothing is going on between me and Miss Fluttershy. S..sorry to disappoint Miss Twilight...”

Twilight sighed.

“No, it’s alright. Guess I was hoping for a little gossip. Rarity got me into the gossip circles a short time ago and… well, I guess I was curious.”

He smiled half heartedly and nodded to her. Twilight took a moment to look him over, more specifically his cutie mark. The spiked side of the heart intrigued her, as did the small circles of the opposing colour within them at opposite ends of the organ.

“I’m sorry to seem so oblivious, but what is it your cutie mark represents? It’s got me stumped.”

A pang of pain shot through Demonheart’s face, unnoticed by the intent scholar.

“I… um…”

He cleared his throat.

“Where there is darkness, there is always light to oppose it. Where there is light, there is always shadows to oppose it. And until one comes to terms with oneself will peace ever be.”

Twilight looked at him sharply.

“What does that mean?”

He looked back down at the ground again.

“It… it means that there’s a bad side to everypony, and a good side as well, no matter what they appear to be.”

He looked up at her grimly.

“You ask of me what my mark means? My talent… lies in the prevention of that side of me ever getting out.”

"What would happen if it did?"

All Twilight got in return was a grim look and a few words.

"Pray you never know."