[7 years later]

The sun shone brightly, the sky bare of naught but pegasi and the occasional rogue cloud.

Bright Light stood in front of the school gate, clad in his Armour, a small knife was in place of his usual spear.

Walking through the gate and towards the main building, taking in the area around him and his “Tail”.

The playground was full of ponies and their foals, watching over them while they played and mingled with each other.

Stepping through the front double doors, Bright observes the area around the entryway.

There were two stairs that led up to the first floor, and spiral staircases to his left and right, leading to us read areas.

In Between the front staircases was the reception desk, behind it was an elderly mare with a cream coat and yellow eyes, her mane a snowy silver colour, due to her apparent old age.

Trotting up to the desk, the mare looks up from a puzzle she was doing.

“Ooooo, such a strapping young stallion. What can i do for such a handsome colt?”

Rolling his eyes, Bright stares at the receptionist.

“Very funny Miss Reciter, good to see your bad humour hasn't changed over the years you old broomstick.”

“Hehehe. Its good to see you again Light.”

Leaning over the counter, Bright give Rolling Reciter a hug, which she returned in kind.

“I see that times have been doing you well, a Royal Guard? I thought your dream was to be a treasure hunter.”

“WAS, Miss Reciter. WAS.”

“My my, how things change”

“To answer you previous question, im here to drop off my-”

“Oh goodie. I finally get to meet the little tike. . . where is he?”

“He’s right h-”

Turning around to introduce his son, but noticing that he wasn’t behind him.

“. . . Oh no.”

____________________________________________________________________________

“This place is big, bigger than our house. Why did dad bring us here in the first place?”
The child thought to themselves. As they curiously wandered around their new surroundings. Taking in everything that was new and ‘storing’ it for later.

Standing behind a tree -out of site from anypony that might see him- he watched a group of other foals play with each other, smiling and laughing. . . he wanted to play as well. But his “Imaginary friend” told him that he shouldn't be here. That he should be home, away from everypony. . . he didn't like it when there was lots of strangers near them.

Something about a Threat Level?

So he settled for watching from a distance. Then he heard somepony crying.

He looked behind him but saw nothing.

Then a group of colts ran out from behind a small line of shrubs, a unicorn holding a Teddy Bear.

A filly bursted out of the brush behind them.

“GIVE IT BACK” She said, crying while she chased them.

They began throwing it between themselves, the filly in the middle not being able to grab it.

“Why should we, your just a stupid earthpony filly with no friends.”

The colts all laughed and their apparent Leaders joke.

After a small while, the Unicorn hit the filly when she lunged for her toy. Not hard enough to do any serious damage, but enough that she fell over.

Cradling her cheek with a hoof, she curled up and sobbed.

“Come on guys, let’s get away from this bitch before we catch cooties.”

They all laughed again, walking away. The Unicorn throwing the Bear into the tree canopy above him.

After a while the filly walked over to the tree, tears staining her cheeks, making them damp.

Jumping up, trying in vain to reach her beloved possession with all her might. Giving up and collapsing onto her rear, she sniffled and hiccuped as she felt a new wave of tears coming on.

She heard something fall from infront of her.

Looking up, she say her beloved Teddy Bear. Lunging at it, she scooped it up in her forelegs, cradling it and hugging it close.

Looking up, the filly saw something quickly move to the opposite site of the trunk.

“He- *hiccup* hello?” The filly said.

“Is anypony there?”

Silence was spoke to her. A determined face falling on her as she stood up and walked over the other side of the trunk.

Looking up into the canopy, she strained her eyes to see past the sun that shone through leaves.

Lifting a foreleg up, she blocked what sunlight she could.

That was when she saw him.

A small creature was up in the trees looking down at her with a scared face.

“Hi there” The Filly waved her hoof at him.

Shying away from her, the creature move around the trunk once more.

“Hey, don’t be scared. I won't hurt you. I promise i won’t.”

After a small while, their head slowly came from the other side, one eye being visible.

“Hi, my name’s Fall Hooves, what’s yours?” The Filly questioned them.

“. . . Ze-Zero, My name’s Zero” The “Colt” replied.

“Why are you up there?”

“Because those Colts threw your teddy bear up here. I wanted to get it for you, since Earth Ponies can't climb trees very well without something to help them.”

“. . . How did you get up there?”

“I climbed up, the branches were low so i could”

“Can you come down here?”

The colt said nothing, thinking to himself.

He began his descent. Getting so see him fully.

She was very surprised at what she saw.

He wasn’t a pony AT ALL, he was something like the minotaurs she read in her stories, but without the horns or tail. . . or hooves.

When he got to the ground, the stood tall over her by a at least eight hoof lengths. He was as tall as her father, a bit shorter actually.

“Wooow, your huuuuge.”

“Thanks?”

Before they could continue on, a voice sounded from behind him.

“ZERO, WHERE ARE YOU COLT.”

Flinching, Zero turned and said back.

“Over here dad.”

The Fall saw the Zero’s father round the main building of the school, a concerned look on his face. Galloping towards the pair, the Guard embraced Zero in a crushing hug.

“Don’t do that to me colt, you nearly-”

“‘Gave me a heart attack’”

“Don’t get smart with me colt, you know how i get when you disappear randomly like that. . . i’m just glad your safe.”

Wrapping his arms around his father, Zero nuzzled into his mane.

“I know, dad”

“I know you know that, son”

Separating from the embrace, Bright looked behind Zero at Fall.

“Who’s this pretty Filly?”

“DAD!”

Chuckling, Bright got up and ruffled Zero’s hair with a hoof.

“Well it’s good to see you making friends so fast Zero.”

Fall wasn’t paying attention to their conversation, instead focusing on him. Zero.

The warmth she felt from him came off in waves like at the beach. She smiled a little, her cheeks grow hot.

She liked him.

She liked him ALOT.

. . . And that made her afraid.

Author's Note

(Note: You actually made it this far. . . wow, i must be doing SOMETHING right then.)