Unexpected Boundaries

Star watched in horror as he was too late and the forceful spray of water blasted Twilight and Maple to dust. A crushing depression enveloped the stallion as he stood over their remains.

A flame burned deep in his eyes as a single thought overcame his mind, revenge. With no concern for his own safety he charged at the massive monster. It responded in kind by attempting to devour the unicorn, though failing to do so as he jumped out of the way. His horn glowed fiercely as black chains eruped from the ground and started to strangle the hydra. The chains spread until all of the heads were suffering from asphyxiation. A look of helplessness was the last thing Star saw as their eyes clouded up. Even though the monster that had murdered his companions was dead he still didn't feel any better. He started tearing up as he stood over their ashes, pondering what exactly he was feeling. He was crushed that they were both dead, Maple's death left him heartbroken because she was his little girl and he'd loved her with all of his heart. Twilight's death oddly enough left him just as heartbroken is Maple's. It was inexplicable, he'd met her only yesterday and now her death was crushing him from the inside out.

"I miss you both." He said as a few tears fell into the pile of ashes.

"You wanna join them?" Erza said grinning evilly, her horn glowing brightly. Not waiting for a reply he watched as she fired an arrow which inched closer to his face until. . .

"Stop!" Star shouted gasping for air.

"Daddy!" Maple cheered giving him an enthusiastic tackle. "Don't do that again!"

"You really had us worried." Twilight added with a gentle smile on her face.

Twilight's stomach was filled to the brim with butterflies as Star had pulled her and Maple into a much needed hug.

"I'm so happy you're both okay." He choked out in happiness.

"You had a nightmare didn't you?" Twilight said swallowing her courage as she began to stroke the stallion's mane. Star gave a weak nod as he immediately felt better from their company.

"He's awake, let's eat!" Erza shouted bringing them back to reality. Star's dream flashed back to him as he spotted the blue unicorn.

"So what's your name?" Star asked cautiously.

"Erza. Now for the last time, lets eat!" She shouted burrying her face into an apple.

Twilight and Maple brought Star some food, and the three ate together.

"What happened to the hydra?" Star asked.

"For some reason my arrows burst into fireballs when they hit the hydra, then your fillyfriend there knocked it off its feet, and we ran away." Erza said tossing aside an apple core. Twilight and Star blushed furiously at Erza's words as they glued their eyes to the ground.

"I'm not his fillyfriend." Twilight hesitantly explained, her eyes still glued to the ground.

"Good. A unicorn as beatuiful and powerful as you could do so much better." Erza grinned.

This hurt Star for a reason he couldn't explain, not that he needed to say anything. Maple already had that covered.

"Mommy? Why's the blue lady being mean to daddy?" Maple inquired of Twilight. The ponies faces were so red at this point that steam was practically comming out of their ears.

"Maple, don't pay attention to the blue unicorn." Star and Twilight said in unison causing Erza to break out laughing.

"I see, you two are on a second honeymoon." Erza choked out, "Though most parents tend to leave the foal at home."

"We're not married!" They snapped in unison at Erza causing her laughter to cease.

"Come on, I was just teasing. Two unicorns having an earth pony child, how stupid do you think I am?" Erza said lying down by the fire.

"How is your leg feeling?" Twilight asked. Star hadn't noticed until this point that his leg was stiff and it hurt to put pressure on it but it was no longer broken.

"Its a little stiff, but I think I can walk." He replied stretching his leg in an attempt to dispose of the stiffness.

"I'm glad that you're feeling better." She responded with a shy smile.

"Yo loverboy! You better thank her! She spent the last hour healing you non-stop." Erza shouted causing Twilight to blush.

"You really did that for me?" Star asked.

"Sure did! Mommy and I stayed by your side until you woke up." Maple cheered bouncing around her father. "Did I do good?"

"Yeah you both did good." He replied ruffling her mane. "And here's my thanks." Star whispered into Twilight's ear before gently kissing her on the cheek.

"We've got an early morning coming soon, and I'm getting some sleep." Erza said curling up beside the fire.

"I'll take the first watch." A very flustered Twilight said as she stood up. "And I hope you have plesent dreams." she whispered into Star's ear before taking her post.

It was morning when Star slowly emerged from his slumber to the relaxing scent of, lavender? I must still be dreaming. Star thought as he noticed a large ball of fur snuggled up against him. He carefully cracked an eye which slid along the ground until stopping at the purple pony who was sleeping next to him.

"Twilight?" He asked gently nuzzling her.

"Five more minutes Spike." She mumbled snuggling deeper into his fur.

"Spike? Who's spike?" Star asked.

"You're my number one assistant, silly." She yawned as she sat up. She opened her eyes to see not a baby dragon but a full grown stallion. Twilight let loose a victim scream as she tumbled over backwards, waking everyone else up in the process.

Erza immediately snapped awake and shot an arrow that shaved an inch off of Star's mane. Maple on the other hoof looked around sleepily, not even fully comprehending what was going on, before plopping herself onto a comfortable patch of grass right next to her father.

"Don't scare me like that!" Erza shouted as she bopped Star on the head.

"Twilight? What was that about?" Star asked as he nursed the large bump on top of his head.

"Sorry. I was expecting somepony else." She nervously said with a shy giggle.

"Yes, some Spike character if I do recall." Star grumbled as he curled up into a ball around Maple who promptly snuggled into his stomach.

"Spike is a nice and respectable dragon. And I won't have you using that tone when talking about him." Twilight snapped at him causing him to flinch.

"I just bet you're dieing to go home and tell Spike all about this adventure." Star said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"I can't believe you! Getting jealous of a baby dragon!" Twilight said turning her back on him.

"I can't believe you're . . . wait a sec, a baby dragon? You mean he's not a stallion?" Star said confused.

"Yes. He's my precious family and . . . you thought he was my coltfriend didn't you?" Twilight pieced together before facehooving herself. "I never mentioned him before?"

"Nope, we've been too busy taking care of Maple and fighting monsters." Star replied feeling incredibly stupid.

"You guys are hillarious." Erza began laughing again, "You should take your stories to the theater, boy would you be rich."

"Ignoring her," Twilight rolled her eyes, "I never told you I had a baby dragon at home?"

"Nope, I guess that's another thing we have in common, our children are adopted." Star said with a chuckle as he looked down at his precious little girl.

"I'm sorry I screamed. I just don't know what came over me." Twilight said with a pout that just made her too adorable to stay angry at.

"I can't stay mad at you." He said resting his head on her hoof, for in that moment they were in their own little world.

"Guys, hello? Is there any brain function in there?" Erza asked as she waved her hoof in front of their faces. "Come on!" This returned them to reality, albiet a little angry at their comrade.

"Fine, you're so smart, where exactly are we going?" Star inquired with a hint of bitterness in his voice.

"We're going to Smokey Mountain where the Shadow Alliance's headquarters is, duh!" She exclaimed.

"We never told you where we were going, or why." Twilight's eyes narrowed as she turned on Erza.

"It's the only reason anypony would traverse this Celestia forsaken forest. Beside's we've already taken down one of them." She explained to the ponies. Star and Twilight each cocked an eyebrow as they awaited a better explaination. "The hydra, he was on their list of elites. And look, the hydra would've just ignored you if you weren't on their hit list.

"And how do you know so much?" Star asked skeptically.

"The organization picked a fight with equestria and my parents died before the princess could intervene. They left me all of their knowledge about the organization, I've been using it ever since." A disheartened Erza sadly replied.

"I'm sorry, but you're right about what's happened to us so far. We're on their list and they're out to get us." Twilight apologized.

"Still, we should get going. If we hurry we could make it there before nightfall." Erza said quickly turning away.

"That's one thing we agree on." Star said slowly getting up.

"I'll take care of Maple until your leg is completely healed. Twilight said as she gently placed the sleeping filly on her back.

"Thanks, I really appreciate it." Star said gentling nuzzling Twilight who gladly returned the favor. She thought she now knew why this unicorn made her feel like she did, and if so what would her parents think?