Dragon Spirit

     Thunder Lane listened carefully to the mare's accented voice. She was talking about how she got to Ponyville, and that she had a friend named Flare that resembled himself.

     He inhaled sharply, pushing out a question. "What's your name?"

     The dark mare turned to face him, with Rainbow Dash, Apple Jack and Big Macintosh leaning in to listen.

     "I'm Midnight Fox." She replied with a smile. Her ribs barely showed anymore, as she'd been given plenty of food, and her coat was no longer dull. "What was your name, all of you, actually?"

     "This is Big Macintosh," came Apple Jack's reply. "I'm Apple Jack, this is Thunder Lane and-"

     "Rainbow Dash!" The cyan Pegasus chimed in. "I'm sure you've heard of me."

     "Eh.. no.. I haven't." Midnight replied.

     Rainbow's ears went limp.

     "Sh'may not've heard of Princess Celestia, she lives so darn far off!" Apple Jack reminded her.

     "Actually, there's a reason I came to Ponyville.." Midnight chipped in.

     Everypony looked at her.

     "I need training from Princess Celestia so that I can avenge my Tribe."

     "You don't need that old Princess Trollestia! You have me!" Rainbow Dash said.

     "Actually, I do." She replied. "I need training in combat and ma-" she stopped.

     "What?"

     "Combat flight." Midnight said, smiling nervously. "You're a show-flier."

     "Well, let's get our minds off o'that, Midnight." Apple Jack chirped. "Y'all've been livin' in the wild y'all whole life and runnin' for three days. What you need, sugarcube, is a shower."

     "A... show-er?" Midnight arched an eyebrow.

     "Like your own private rain to get clean and feel good and dandy. We take them all the time. Now, shoo! I'll show ya how everything works in a minute. Just go in the bathroom." Apple Jack ushered the mare away, and returned with a worried look.

     "She'd be in the eighth grade in civilization, now how's she gonna kill a pack of timberwolves all by herself?"

     "I have no idea." Thunder Lane shook his head.

*     *     *

     Midnight fiddled with the strange object Apple Jack had called "shampoo." She opened it with a snap and flinched at the sound, then sniffed it. It smelled delicious! It smelled like something she would eat back at home.

     Why was she supposed to put this in her mane?

     The mare set the shampoo down and looked at the weird thing that she was told gave her water. She poked it. Nothing. She pushed it with a hoof, causing it to move to the left, and a hissing sound came from the walls as the water began to flow. "AAH! POISONOUS SNAKES!"

     Water showered down on top of her, soaking her mane. Midnight sputtered and coughed, the icy droplets just about cold enough to give hypothermia. She reached desperately with a hoof, turning the handle to the other side. That was what changed it, right?

     The water hissed over the mare, getting warmer and warmer. Soon, it steamed off of the walls and her coat, causing it to glisten. "Hm. Not bad."

     Midnight looked at the shampoo "bottle." She reached out and opened it, pouring a glop of it onto one hoof. It smells like food.. She sniffed it again. Maybe just one little taste...

     She stuck her tongue out and slipped a small portion of the glop into her mouth. "AAH! IT'S HORRIBLE!" She squealed, throwing the rest onto the ceramic floor of the tub. Bubbles foamed at her mouth, and she tried to get water into her jaws to wash out the putrid taste. It didn't work.

     She whipped open the pelts that covered the shower, scrambled out, and hunched over a bowl on a wooden thing that Apple Jack called a "sink." She sputtered and spat, turning the knobs furiously in an attempt to get a flow of water. She babbled as water poured into her mouth. She rinsed and rinsed, spitting and swallowing, but the taste still lingered bitterly on her tongue.

     Midnight Fox smacked her mouth bitterly, eyes narrowed at the putrid taste compared to the flowery smell of the shampoo. She scowled, stepping back into the shower. "Ok so I put this in my mane.." She held it above her head with her hooves and squeezed, the sweet-smelling glop weighing down her mane. It rolled down over her face, stinging her eyes. It poured down her neck and slopped on the floor. Maybe that's a bit much...

     Midnight wrapped it up after conditioner and body wash, and stepped carefully out of the shower. She got a towel and dried her mane, then the rest of her general self. She opened the door and plotted out of the bathroom, her head low, met with the appearance of two new ponies.

     "What in the.."

     A white mare turned from talking to Apple Jack. "Oh, darling! Just look at your hair, it's a mess! You simply must allow me to fix it for you!"

     "M-my mane? No, no, nonononoo, please, just leave it how it is, it's fine I just need to let it dry, and and uh-"

     "Rarity, do you do that with every pony you meet? When we first met, you practically dyed my coat a different color!" A lavender allicorn spoke up, plotting up to Rarity's side.

     "Twilight, darling, I was only trying to help you look your best!"

     "Just leave the poor filly alone." Twilight replied with an amused tone, "I'm sure she didn't come all this way just to get a makeover."

     Midnight nodded. "I'm here to receive training from Princess Celestia." She said.

     "Oh.. Uh, darling.. Don't you think Celestia would be a bit busy to tend to a pupil of your.. age?"

     "HEY!" Twilight exclaimed. "I was a foal when Celestia took me in!"

     "Hey, I am not a foal!" Midnight Fox gasped. "I am fourteen years old. I am a teenager! No, I am a grown mare!"

     "'Grown mare?'" Rainbow Dash was holding back a burst of laughter, snorting with a hoof to her mouth. "You should be a school filly!" She let the laughing flow freely for a few seconds, ignoring the malicious glare from the slightly younger mare.

     "Well, technically-" Rarity began gently before being cut off.

     "I am a grown mare old enough to take care of myself! I lived by myself in my tribe. I ran for three days. I took care of myself in the Everfree forest!--"

     "You said you flew over it." Dash pointed out, her laughter fading.

     "--I am not a FILLY!"

     "Alright, sugarcube, alright. We get it; you are a grown mare according to your traditions. But 'round here, you're not aloud to live in your own house, or stay out too late at your age." Apple Jack explained.

     Seething, Midnight took a deep breath. "Alright, then, who am I gonna live with?"

     Rarity scuffed a hoof over the wood floor when Midnight made eye contact.

     When she looked at Twilight, she took a pace backward. "I-I already have Spike to worry about.."

     "We already have to many ponies here on the farm.." Big Mac nodded in agreement with his sister. "Eeyup."

     Midnight's gaze reached Rainbow Dash.

     "I've already taken Scootaloo under my wing."

     Midnight skipped Thunder Lane completely. She wouldn't live with a stallion, not in Luna's moon.

     "Maybe Fluttershy can help, sugarcube?" Apple Jack said.

     "Fluttershy?"

     "Or Pinkie." Twilight put in.

     "Pinkie?"

     "Oh, yeah, Pinkie." AJ said. "She'll be so excited when she finds out there's a new pony!"

     "But with the baby Cakes, it's probably pretty crowded down there." Rarity pointed out.

     "Well, that leaves Fluttershy." the apple farmer concluded. "Let's get over there."

*     *     *

     "Oh, no no. I'm sorry, Midnight, I don't mean to be rude, but.. Oh, Angel just hates other ponies staying over. Imagine if I take in some pony to live with me! He may even run away." The butter colored mare was hiding behind her door after they all explained the situation.

     "Well, that didn't work." RD said with a sigh. "Maybe I should go ask Pinkie."

     "Maybe she should meet her potential roommate?" Twilight suggested lightly.

     "Do ya think you could fly with me, kid?"

     Midnight glanced at her straightened, but not healed wing. "Um.. yeah. Totally." She smiled nervously. When she stretched out her wing, the mare resisted a cringe. "How far away is this Pinkie Pie?"

     "Did someone say my name?" A voice came from the bushes. A pink mare with a fuchsia mane popped out, leaves trailing behind her. "Are you new? You're new! I know you're new because I know every pony in Ponyville. I like your coat! You remind me of nighttime! What's your name? Nightie Night Time? I'd better get a party ready! A big huge welcome party, and I'll invite every pony in Ponyville!" A party cannon blasted out of nowhere and she smiled broadly, nose to nose with Midnight.

     "I.. uh.." Midnight babbled.

     "This is Midnight," AJ said. "She has a situation.." After a while of the farm pony explaining everything, she ended with; "and the poor filly needs a place to live because she's only fourteen."

     "I am a GROWN MARE!" Midnight grumbled, plopping on her rump and glaring at Apple Jack. I need to get to Canterlot before these ponies drive me crazy!

     "Oh, I can't. Gummy needs a lot of attention, and the baby cakes are a lot to handle." She said, disappointed by her own reasons to not live with another pony. "I wish though. A roommate would be so fun! What about Fluttershy?"

     Everypony shook their heads.

     "Twilight?"

     After a negative, she squeaked, "AJ? RD?"

     "No and no." Apple Jack said.

     "Rarity?" They shook their heads again.

     Pinkie looked as distraught as if it were her own situation. She looked over the group of seven ponies, then peered over Big Macintosh's back. "What about him?" She pointed at Thunder Lane.