Door knocks were heard inside a humble house in the country town of Stratusburg. Upon hearing the knocks, a mare carefully made her way to the door, taking more than a few seconds to reach it, and upon doing so, she didn't open it and instead reluctantly asked who was the one knocking on the door.
"It's Dante..." Said a griffon with a low, raspy voice. The griffon had dark blue feathers and fur, save from a few black feathers and spots. He was covered in bruises and had bandages in several parts of his body, more prominently, flat wood boards wrapped on both of his wings and more bandages wrapping his wings to his body, covering his back and belly. No answer came from the other side of the door, so the griffon tried to be more specific. "The griffon… The investigator one..."
"The inves- Oh! The bounty hunter? You don't sound like him." The mare said, still with the doors shut closed.
˜Yes, the very same… I hurt my throat a little, it's a bit..." Dante heard the door creaking open but just a little, no more wide than a mouse to pass.
"Did you find my brother?" The buttermilk yellow colored mare asked with a sad tone. Through the small opening, she could be seen standing still, she had a somewhat crimson red, and rather short mane, she was looking straight ahead, gazing at nowhere with her almost white, light blue eyes.
"I'm sorry, I couldn't bring him back..."
"Why not? Is he okay?"
"He's… safe. But… he might not be back for a while. I'm sorry." The door closed before opening up again, this time completely as the mare slowly poked out her front outside. She wore a sad expression and kept gazing forward with her head still.
"What do you mean? Are you saying he can't leave? Did something happen to him? Did he say something?"
"He… It's hard to explain… He wasn't himself, no one in that town was. Well, except for… I'm sorry, I couldn't do anything."
"Are you… Sitting down on the floor?"
"Yeah, I'm resting a little." Upon hearing this, the mare carefully approached the griffon and moved one of her hooves towards him, until she bumped it on the wood plank of one of his wings, making the unaware griffon, who had his eyes closed at that moment, let out a small gasp of pain and instinctively jerk away from her hoof.
"I'm sorry, I suspected you were hurt but, that's a splint, isn't it? What happened? Are you gonna be okay? Did my brother… did this to you?" The started the sentence in a normal tone but quickly transitioned to a nervous and then worried tone.
"Yeah, uh… Probably, yeah… And it wasn't your brother, it was- You're blind. I just now realized you are blind. I feel stupid."
"Don't worry about that, what happened to you?"
"Long story short… A crazy unicorn blasted me high away into the air and I wasn't awake to avoid hitting the ground."
"Holy Sun! Did you go to the hospital right away?"
"Well, I was told a traveler mare took me there after she found me, so I suppose I went as soon as possible."
"How hurt are you? Shouldn't you still be at the hospital?"
"I'm still pretty beat but the hospital discharged me after my broken arm and leg fully healed. After two months without moving, they were pretty much already healed when I woke up."
"You were in a coma… for two months?"
"Yeah, sorry it took so long to get back to you, I came as quickly as I could. How are you holding up without your brother? I thought you were just an overbearing sister when we first met, I didn't realize you were blind. I didn't take you or the job seriously at first. I'm sorry."
"I- You- Are you… This is too much, I don't even know where to begin. Get out of the floor and come inside, you can rest here for a while and then tell me what happened without beating around the bush."
"I'm fine, if you insist I'll tell you everything, I just need a minute to catch my breath..."
"You can do that inside, on a soft couch, no need to stay on the cold ground." A few moments passed and there was no response. "Huh… Hello?" She could clearly hear the griffon breathing. "Mr. Dante?" It became clear, the griffon had fallen asleep.
Dante suddenly realized the comfortable warmth and softness surrounding his body, he was delighted by the sensations and paid no attention to anything else until he caught a scent of lavender in the air. The scent made him question himself where he was, making him snap his eyes open wide, fully awake now. He looked around and tried to remember when he got into a comfy bed, covered with a thick sheet, to no avail. He was quickly able to realize where he was and whose bed it was by looking at the mare peacefully sleeping by his side, on the same bed, on the same covers. He stared at her for a moment.
He found himself strangely appreciating her beauty, in other words, he thought she was cute. She slept like there was nothing to worry about in life, he could see her body moving slightly as she breathed, her muzzle was just slightly open and her mane was all messy, it had such a nice tone of red and looked so soft. His claw slowly moved itself towards her mane, the griffon could only think of two things at that moment, first was how much he wanted to stroke her mane as she slept and second how hard she would hit him when he did.
"Good to see you're awake, I was worried." The griffon froze, his claw held still in the air, as the mare suddenly spoke with her eyes shut.
"Why? What happened?"
"You slept for an entire day."
"I do remember being rather tired, but when did I get into your bed?"
"You passed out at my door so I brought you to my bed, in all honesty I didn't think you would take so long to wake up."
"Why did you do that?"
"What kind of pony would I be if I just left you passed out and hurt in the street like that?" At that moment, several ponies Dante had met, crossed his mind in an instant. Griffons saw ponies as weak, cuddly, peaceful and caring creatures, but Dante had seen ponies that ranged from doormats to deranged psychopaths. Not long ago a crazy delusional cult leader super sorceress tried to laser beam him to the moon.
"Still a better one than most, honestly. I appreciate the help, but a couch would've been enough."
"You wouldn't rest well on a couch, so I brought you to my bed. By the way, you smelled foul so I cleaned you up a little, cleaned your surgery wounds and changed your bandages for new ones, last night. I wouldn't have been able to sleep with you smelling like that, but don't worry, I used to be a nurse, there's a high chance I didn't mess up." The griffon took a moment to check his body and see his old dirty bandages were gone in favor of brand new and clean white ones, and the lavender scent came mostly from him.
"Wow… it looks like you did a great job, and I don't remember the last time I've smelled… not bad. Are you really blind?" The mare smiled after hearing her words and finally opened her eyes, not that it made a difference for her.
"I am, yes. Blind ponies are not useless, you know?" She grinned at the griffon.
"I know, it's just that you looked frail and useless before, but now I know you're not, but you're way too trusting."
"Wha- Why do you say that?!"
"You brought a griffon you barely know into your own bed, what If I had taken advantage of that? Did you forget how cute you are after you went blind or did you think griffons couldn't be into ponies?" The mare jumped out of the bed in a hurry and stood still in an "alert" position. Seeing this the griffon slowly came out of the bed, surprised by how much better he was feeling, despite still being sore on some parts of his body, mostly his wings, which ached on any touch.
"What?! What are you talking about all of a sudden?! You're a walking cadaver, if you tried anything weird, I would've bucked you so hard it would've sent you flying straight to the hospital!"
"You're so caring, even if I attacked you, you'd send me to the hospital. The last pony I had a conflict with, wasn't nearly as kind." Dante had flank on the floor and his arms on the bed as he smiled at the mare standing still in her attack stance, he remembered she couldn't see him looking as less of a threat as possible on the other side of her bed. "I'm not going to do anything to you, I was just saying you're too good of a pony, and you're right, I'd probably lose a fight against a ladybug in my current state."
The mare relaxed into a normal position, but she was frowning and visibly blushing. "Well, I was a nurse, I want to heal, not hurt."
"Sorry I scared you. I came here to apologize and ended up being in your debt and making you uncomfortable." The mare let out a big sigh after hearing the griffon's words and was able to fully relax, but also became a little saddened.
"You don't need to apologize and you're not in my debt, you almost died to let me know my brother's alive, it was the least I could do. Are you hungry? Why don't we go downstairs, have some breakfast, and then you can finally tell me exactly what happened to my brother and to you." After making the offer, the mare wondered what griffons ate for breakfast or at all for that matter.
"Well, I already took so much advantage of your kindness, I don't see why- Downstairs? You took me from your door to your bed, on the second floor? How did you do that?"
"I just put you in my back and brought you here, it wasn't easy but I'm an earth pony, I'm stronger than I look." She smiled a little while slowly making her way out of her bedroom, with Dante following close behind. He caught a glimpse of her cutie mark and stared at her flanks until he was able to get the entire image of a white cross encased in a winged red heart.
"I'm impressed. You're kind, resourceful, strong, and probably the prettiest pony I've ever met. Would you, by chance, happen to fancy broken griffons? Your mark has a heart with wings in it, could it be a sign?" The mare blushed as she stopped moving for a brief moment while descending the stairs with one forehoof on the railing.
"Wha- What are you saying again all of a sudden? Don't tell me you have a thing for blind mares? Should I be worried?"
"No, I actually keep forgetting you're blind, it's even a little hard to believe you are sometimes. Speaking of forgetting, I remember your brother's name but not yours."
"It's Sandy Sunshine, most ponies call me Sunny, or Blindy when they're talking behind my back."
"I think I know what your parents were thinking when they came up with your name, I supposed they liked the seas?"
"They were regular beach goers, it's very on the muzzle, I know."
"It's a pretty name though, and it suits you. Your brother's too, it's pretty on the beak, as you said, but Ocean Breeze it's a nice name for a blue pegasus."
"Yeah, I like our names. Your name sounds nice as well, griffons have such different names. Do you know what your name means?"
"It means Protector of Sunshine."
"Wh- What? Really?!" The mare blushed at the coincidence as they entered her kitchen.
"Nope, I lied, I have no idea what it means at all. I'd like it to be though."
"Be what? Protector of Sunshine?"
"Protector of Sandy Sunshine to be more specific." The mare blushed but decided to play the griffon's game instead of shying away this time.
"Would you be a good protector of Sandy Sunshine if you can't win a fight against a ladybug? That's what you said earlier wasn't it?"
"Well… At the moment yes, I admit I'm no more useful than using moonshine to put out a fire, but a ladybug has no chance against Sandy Sunshine, and I after I lost the fight she'd probably take care of me, clean me up, and let me sleep in her cozy bed." Sunny, blushed heavily with embarrassment but tried not to lose her cool. 'Why is this griffon flirting with me like this? I won't be taken advantage of just because I'm blind.' She quickly thought before responding.
"I think Sandy Sunshine wouldn't do that more than once, you might have misjudged her."
"In fact I misjudged her, more than once even. But I'm starting to see what she's really like now and I can't help myself to not admire her even when I'm clearly making her uncomfortable, not to mention all the other red flags. I guess I was exposed to too much Sunshine at once and I caught a Sandy fever. You're a nurse right, what do you think I should do?"
"Oh. That's right, you must be so hungry you're not thinking straight and even delusional. What do you usually eat in the morning?"
"Well, I wish I were a plant so I could feed just by being in the presence of Sunshine. But I'd eat literally anything you give me right now, I really am famished, and even though I know I want more Sunshine in my life for a fact! I was never nearly this sappy, and flirty, so your claim about hunger affecting me might have some truth to it."
"Dear Celestia, you might be right, I've only ever seen teenage ponies say such things, let alone a griffon, who are known for being the exact opposite of that, not to mention you were supposed to be a tough and strong bounty hunter."
"Hey! First of all, I was never a good example of a griffon behaviour wise, second, not long ago I was a tough and strong bounty hunter, and finally third… Bounty hunters have feelings too, you know..."
"You're right, I'm not being fair, not only are you hungry, but you probably also hurt your head back then as well, you might not be yourself anymore. I'll make you a "Sunshine Special" and hope you go back to normal after you eat."
"I did hurt my head, but the doctor said it healed well and there would be no side effects..."
"You never know that for sure, but we always hope for the best. Listen, there should be carrots around here somewhere, I forgot where I put'em. Could you-"
"On it!" The griffon interrupted the mare as he already had his gaze on said carrots, he quickly darted towards them, and put them on the table in front of the mare, slamming them just enough to make a sound for Sunny to know where he put them. "Here ya go, Sunny." The griffon said cheerfully.
"Alright, go sit down while I make it, I'll call you up if I need you. Okay?"
"Yeah, call me up whenever you need anything, any day, anytime, for any reason. And not to be demanding, but, try to hurry, I feel like I'm about to break into a song any second now."
"Dear Celestia, anything but that. Hang in there, it won't take long!"
"You..."
"Huh?"
"Are my Sunshine..."
"Oh no, don't you dare!"
"My only Suuunshine!" Sunny tried to cook faster with each word Dante sang.
