POV: Mayor Mare

I sighed as I began writing a letter to Foal Protective Services concerning Harvest Moon, including notes about the strange golem, Szarekh, and his desire to stay with her.

I stopped to consider my recommendation on the matter, weighing the possible consequences of my choices.

He seemed earnest enough, belied by his intimidating stature and appearance, but I knew next to nothing about him or his origins.

‘Perhaps a conversation is in order. I need to know more about him before a decision is made.’

A knock on the door derailed my train of thought.

I sighed again, resolving to work on this later.

“Come in!” I called.

The door opened to show a guard.

“Ma'am, there's been an incident involving Rainbow Dash and the golem, Szarekh. There are conflicting reports as to who started the altercation, but most state that the golem was carrying a crying foal.

“Rumors are beginning to spread that it was attempting to abduct the child, however we have not identified the foal.

Rainbow Dash is currently being seen to at Ponyville General for a series of hairline fractures in her forelegs, and a moderate concussion. She claims the golem attacked her when she confronted it about the foal. She wishes to press charges.

We've sent a pair of guards to bring in the rogue golem for questioning and termination.”

I stared at the armored mare, “Did you just say termination? As in kill? Because I have met this ‘rogue golem’ and he is a kind being despite his appearance, all he's done so far was done protecting Harvest Moon, who is almost certainly the foal in your reports. He saved her from a bandit pack of diamond dogs after they murdered her parents!” I stopped just long enough to take a breath, “You will report to your seniors immediately and tell them I will not allow him to be harmed in any way. Is that understood!?”

The guard gave a smart salute and left, closing the door behind her.

I breathed out heavily, collapsing into my seat. I looked at the letter on my desk and made a decision. Picking up my quill, I cast my lot in the fates of that foal and her strange golem.

POV: Harvest Moon

I yawned quietly and rubbed my stinging eyes.

Everything felt stiff and sore as I stretched before climbing out of bed.

I walked out into the hall and turned toward the bathroom to brush my teeth.

Something felt wrong, like everything was moved just a little bit out of place.

I ignored the feeling and brushed my teeth, trying to wake up some more.

Finishing up, I headed down to the kitchen to get breakfast.

The figure sitting at the kitchen table brought back all the bad thoughts and feelings I'd lost sleeping, but I didn't want to cry this time, I didn't want to beg this time, as the hurt shot through my chest, all I wanted to do was go back bed and sleep until the bad feelings went away again.

I turned to go back my room, when I heard his strange voice call out to me, “Harvest, I wish to speak with you, please come and sit with me.”

His voice sounded sad, like he'd lost something important.

I just walked up next to him and sat on the chair he'd pulled out.

He sat with his head on his knees, looking down at the floor. He hummed deeply before talking again, “What happened on the walk home from the guard station? Did I do something to scare you? Make you think I was going to hurt you?”

I shook my head and muttered a ‘no’, looking away from him, trying pretend like nothing happened.

“Harvest, I need you to be honest with me, I will not be able to help you if I do not know what is wrong. Please let me help you, that is all I want to do.”

His voice was soft, like he was about to cry.

I looked back at him, guilt worming into my heart. “You looked upset when I didn't understand some of the stuff you said, and I don't have anypony who's gonna take care of me an-and I don't wanna be alone like with those d-diamond dogs and when you went to the mayor and the hospital, and when you sent me away with that guard! You promised you wouldn't make me be alone!” by now I was yelling at him, tears pouring down my face.

I slumped to the floor babbling nonsense through my tears, and in a second he was there, his warm arms wrapped around me, his gentle claws stroking my mane the way mommy used to, his deep voice speaking soft words just like daddy did, and in that moment, the fear left, the hurt felt better, and for that long instant I felt safe again, the world couldn't take anything else away.

I don't know how long we sat there, just taking comfort in each other, but eventually I ran out of tears and he ran out of words, and we just sat in the middle of the kitchen floor, holding the other for as long as we.

Our small haven was broken by a knock at the door.

“Hmm,” my protector almost growled, “I shall see who it is.”

“I'll wait ‘round the corner ‘kay?”

“Very well, I will send our guests on their way, then we must have a real conversation about our future, understand?”

“Alright,” I mumbled, not looking forward to it.

POV: Szarekh

I opened the door, unamused by the interruption of an important point in Harvest and my relationship.

“What do you want?” I demanded, my voice cold.

A pair of guards stood at the door. One spoke up, “Szarekh the golem, you have been declared as a rogue construct and are to be taken into custody by order of the captain of the Ponyville Guard.”

My temper flared, “First of all, I am not a golem, I am a Necron, you would do well to address me as such. Secondly, on what charge is this ‘arrest’ being made?” I asked, fury rising.

“You have been charged with the assault and battery of Rainbow Dash and the attempted foalnapping of a minor, you are to surrender yourself into the custody of the Ponyville Guard immediately or be taken by force.”

I was overwhelmed by the impulse to slaughter the ponies in front of me for an instant, before the wall of calm that followed any emotional surge clamped down on my anger, forcing clarity into my mind.

“Harvest Moon has been free to leave, or tell me to do so since the very start.

“And what of my side of this? Rainbow Dash attacked me. Do I not have the right to defend my actions? To act to protect those I care for? Or do I not have those rights because I am not a pony?” I questioned, “If this is true, your society has many more severe issues than myself, and I will not be made to live under the fallible whimsy of such foolish mortals.

“I will gladly give my statement as to the events of the altercation, but I will not surrender myself to you if you have no evidence of my wrong doing. You have not proven my guilt, and until such I am innocent.

“Now, unless you have reason to put me in chains, I have more important matters to deal with, begone.”

With that I closed the door and shuffled back to the kitchen to talk with Harvest.

POV: Harvest Moon

I heard Szarekh's voice echo down the hall, but I couldn't make out what he was saying, he sounded really mad though.

I stayed out of sight and waited for him to send away the ponies at the door.

After a few minutes I heard the voices stop and the door close, I peeked out into the hall and saw him crawling along the hall, using his hands to steady himself.

Looking at him properly for the first time, I realized how big he was, even curled up the way he was, he took up the entire height and width of the corridor.

If he stood up fully, he'd probably be taller than most of the buildings in Ponyville.

I stared in awe of him, the power he had just in his presence.

He ushered me back into the kitchen and sat down across the table from me.

“Harvest, I am going to ask some very odd questions about things that may seem obvious, but I need you to answer as best you can, and for every question I ask, you can ask me one in return. Does that sound fair?”

“Okay,” I nodded with a smile.

For the next hour or so we questioned each other.

POV: Szarekh

‘This is a strange place I have found myself in, though perhaps that is for the best. Here I have a chance to avoid the pitfalls of my namesake.’

It was a rather novel thing, my new body. I had surges of memories, knowledge, and instincts that were my own and yet foreign at the same time.

I had a lifetime of experience as a human, though names and faces eluded me.

At the same time I would recall fragments of Necron knowledge, the inner workings of gauss technology and the writings of cryptek historians, small shards of a great library of technology and culture that I wished to piece together.

My conversation with Harvest was equally enlightening, I learned her parents had no close family, she loved the color green, and her favorite plushie was a Princess Celestia doll she had been given on her tenth birthday.

She also despised daisies, a filly named Diamond Tiara, and generally did not enjoy mouth writing.

I was surprised to learn that she was a unicorn, her mane until now covering her horn, and that she was said to have a prodigal talent in the arcane arts, but was disallowed from using magic in class as to avoid upsetting those who had yet to unlock their own abilities.

We talked at length about inconsequential things into the evening, relaxing in the others presence, allowing ourselves to open up to one another.

This came to an end with yet more knocking at the door.

I looked to Harvest who was trotting over to a small couch in the living room, she settled into the seat and nodded to the door.

I once more shuffled down the hall and opened the door.

Outside were thirty or more guards of various types all armed with spears, shields and swords.

A standard ‘earth’ type I recognized as the captain stepped forward, “Szarekh, you are to come peacefully or be made to surrender by force! If you do not comply you will documented as a rogue automaton and will be declared a destroy-on-sight target for all members of the Equestrian Guard Corps. You will release your hostage immediately. You-”

I felt the surge of rage in my being and, before he could say any more I spoke, “I will not release my charge. I will not cede to your baseless accusations. I have stated before that I am not holding her against her will. I have not been allowed to offer my defense. I now state for the official record that I will only speak further on this with Princess Celestia. I warn you now that any who attempt to enter this building without being allowed in will be treated as a criminal intruder and incapacitated with prejudice. You have heard what my position is. If this is to be resolved, I will talk no further in such biased company. I expect the Princess at her earliest convenience. That is all.”

With that said I closed the door and made my way to the living room.

“Harvest,” I asked, “would you like a cup of tea?”

“Can I have some juice instead? There's some in the fridge.”

I nodded, “Of course, I will be just a moment.”

Author's Note

And another one done!

As always let me know what you think, if there's something I can do better, if I made any mistakes, or if you just want to know something, I'll do my best to give you the best possible story.

(edited)