The Flame Prince

Luna's moon was high in the night sky as Lilith, Blaze, and myself dragged ourselves down Ponyville's now deserted market street. As having spent half a day being chased around by a mob of ponies threatening to trample us while not having eaten anything since the morning meant that we we're now very hungry and absolutely exhausted.

Thankfully we had brought food kits with us to Ponyville should the need for them arise, but unfortunately we had left them back at our house.

Which meant that a short but hunger filled walk awaited us back home... or rather our temporary home anyway.

We didn't speak, we had run out of energy to speak ever since night had befallen us. Though thankfully the streets we're devoid of other ponies. Which meant I didn't didn't have to deal with infatuated mares that thought I was too dumb to realize how bad their courting attempts were, or stallions that seemed to naturally dislike me for some odd reason.

"Hiya Night Storm".

"...Do I dare ask?" I sighed internally.

Still it wouldn't do to just outright ignore them, and so I turned to my left to see Rarity, Twilight, Spike, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Fluttershy all sitting down at the same cafe Twilight was eating at earlier, eating food.

"Wait food!?"

"How are you?" Pinkie Pie added.

"Um... I'm fine Pinkie... how are you?" I replied, still mostly just looking at the dinner they had ordered.

"I'm okie-dokie-lokey" she replied, and it was that weird statement that was finally able to shatter their food's hold over me.

"W-what?" I asked.

"Okie-dokie-lokey silly... it means that I'm doing fine" she smiled at my incredulous expression.

"Okay..." I trailed off, not sure what to do or how to continue this. Up until me and my guards stomach's decided to take the lead.

"Hehehe, would you three like to sit down and have dinner with us?" Rarity tittered and pulled three chairs over with her magic from another table.

"I..." looking towards my guards showed that they either didn't mind, care, or just wanted food. All in all I was hungry myself and wanted something to eat that weren't rations. Not that the food in Ashen was very good at all, especially when compared to the hospital's food me and Delilah had both been given. Though discounting Smoker's cooking that is, that stallion could make mud taste good.

"Very well, I suppose we have some things to talk about anyway" I replied and sat down, motioning for Lilith and Blaze to do the same. Once we were seated Rarity spoke up again.

"Night, I would first like to apologize once again for my behavior earlier. It was... unprofessional at best and at worst unacceptable, and I hope you can forgive me for it" she said.

"It's all right Rarity, it's not like you actually harmed us. The only thing that actually got us running... literally. Was when we pursued by that horde of ponies earlier, and to my knowledge none of you six were in league with them" I answered her, and the white unicorn breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you Night Storm, you have no idea how relived that makes me" she replied. I smiled in turn while Twilight spoke up next.

"Indeed, however all of us would also like to apologize for how we treated you and Delilah at Ponyville General just after Nightmare Moon's defeat. It was wrong of us to question you two about things that you both have a right to privacy for and we're sorry about that as well" she said, with the other mares agreeing with her.

"Again it's fine, if three random ponies like us just showed up out of the blue then I would be intrigued about them as well, at the very least anyway" I replied.

"Still it was wrong of us to put you through that Night, as well as Delilah... where is she by the way?" Twilight added.

"She and Fire Strike are at our house currently, along with two other mares" I replied.

"Wait there's even more new ponies! Oh this week just gets better and better!" Pinkie squealed.

"Mhm, their names are Star Fire and Ruby Firetail. I'm sure you'll meet them soon enough Pinkie" I said.

"I've got to throw you guys a 'Welcome To Ponyville' party. Especially since Twilight's overshadowed yours and you, Fire, and Delilah didn't really enjoy it" she said before pausing and looking over at Twilight.

"By the way Twilight I'm gonna throw you another since you really didn't enjoy it either, whichmademereallysadbutthat'sokaysinceyouweredistractedbyNightmareMoon'sreturnand-mmhmmhmhmmhm".

"Whoa there nelly, calm down fer a minute" Applejack chuckled and stuffed an apple into Pinkie's mouth to get her to stop talking.

"Yeah Pinkie, you totally mind-bucked Lilith and Blaze over there" Rainbow laughed, only to then be thumped by Applejack in the back of the head.

"Ow Aj, what the heck?" she glared.

"Ya shouldn't swear infront of stallions now ya hear" the earth pony reprimanded.

"Oh come on Applejack, after everything we've been through. Swearing infront of Night is what you're worried about" The blue pegasus retorted. Applejack for her part didn't seem to take very kindly to Rainbow's logic.

"Well Ah could always just use ma dame's method and git some soap" she smirked, and that was enough to get Rainbow to shut it completely. At least for now anyway.

"Anyway, are you three hungry. I'm sure Savoir wouldn't mind fixing you up something still. As long as you pay him anyway" Rarity said.

"That would be nice... does he just appear or do we have to summon him?" I asked.

"Hehe, nah silly. Savoir is one of the best cafe owners in Equestria. Ah swear it's like he's got a sixth sense of when somepony sits down at his restaurant" Applejack replied.

"You called madam" a pale earth pony stallion with a shiny blue tail and mane trotted up towards our table, I presumed this was Savoir.

"Would you three like something to eat?" he added.

"Sure uh, just get us what they're having please" I replied, still not exactly certain what Equestrian's had for food.

"Very well monsieur" and he trotted back into the cafe proper. This left the nine of us sitting together at the table.

"So, what are you guys doing in Ponyville?" Twilight asked.

"We're just looking for something new, figuratively anyway" Lilith replied.

"Really, well you're not gunna find much here in Ponyville miss" Applejack answered her.

"We're aware of that, and prefer it in fact" I spoke up.

"Alright then" she shrugged.

Soon Savoir returned with our food and we dug in. I had never had flowers before and was surprised by their taste, and while the mares continued to ask questions about us and where we we're from they we're thankfully more reserved this time.

"So where are you guys from?" Twilight said.

"We're from a small village up north, we left because... well... let's just say that some ponies didn't agree with us on some things and leave it at that" I answered her.

"Oh... I'm sorry to hear that Night" she replied.

"It's fine, we made our peace with it anyway" I lied.

"All right, though I am sorry if this brings up bad memories darling, but why we're you, Delilah, and Fire Strike so invested with us against Nightmare Moon" Rarity asked us. "It was almost like you all we're sent by Faust herself to aid us" she added.

"We arrived in Ponyville that day by coincidence I guess, and our village never truly forgot about Princess Luna like the rest of Equestria it seems. So when Twilight mentioned that Nightmare Moon was coming we already knew who she was and what she wanted. So it was simply natural for us to work together from then on" I replied.

"Really, your village never forgot about Nightmare Moon or Princess Luna... Do you three have thestrals in your old village?" Twilight asked.

"No, besides aren't thestrals just legend, like the changelings?" I said. Obviously already knowing the true answer to that.

"Well recently archeologists have unearthed several sites that they believe to be ancient thestral colonies. Judging by what they found there" Twilight replied.

"Really?" I asked.

"Yup, though there still isn't any concrete proof" she said.

"All right enough with all this egghead talk, what about your weapons Night. I saw you and Delilah both kick Nightmare's flank back in the town hall" Rainbow Dash spoke up. "You guys we're so cool, by the way can you teach me some of those moves? I'd love to use them on Gilda when she gets here" she added.

The three of us looked at each other, not quite wanting to teach a potential adversary combat moves.

"Maybe another time Dash, after we get settled in" I replied.

"Aww why not tomorrow, or better yet now. I totally wanna suplex Gilda" she protested.

"Who's Gilda?" Twilight asked.

"An old buddy of mine from flight camp, we go way back" she explained.

"Another new pony!? Ahh... oh my gosh I've gottagetstartedonmypreparationsseeyouguyslaterbye!" Pinkie exclamined and then dashed off into the night. Leaving a ball of dust in her wake.

"...Note to self, watch out for Pinkie".

"Well... on that ah think ahm gonna turn in fer the night. Have a good one everypony" Applejack said, soon followed by Rarity.

"I agree, especially as I have a couple orders to finish up as well, and we've kept Savoir here long enough anyway. Have a nice night darlings" she said, and then slowly but surely everypony got up and said goodbye. Up until ourselves and Fluttershy we're the only ones remaining.

"Um, h-have a g-good n-night Night, and L-Lilith a-and B-B-Blaze..." she squeaked.

I honestly felt sorry for her, this honestly bordered on the edge of being terrified.

"Have a goodnight Fluttershy" I said. But when the yellow mare didn't get up to move I spoke up again.

"Are you okay, you haven't really said anything all night?" I asked her.

"Y-yes I am f-f-fine. I-I'm just really s-s-shy" she replied.

"Okay, but you do know that there's nothing to be afraid of with us right?" I asked.

"Yes, I k-know that. I'm just... really shy t-towards new ponies" she elaborated.

"All right, would you like us to accompany you home. It is pretty late after all" I offered.

"N-no you g-guys have a g-goodnight. I'll b-be f-fine" she whimpered. Looking at Lilith and Blaze revealed that like myself they both seemed sympathetic towards the poor pegasus infront of them. We knew what needed to be done.

"Come on Fluttershy, it's okay" I said, rising from my seat.

"W-what, oh no y-you g-guys don't n-need to..." she trailed off.

"Come on, we don't mind, now let's go" I said.

"N-Night, L-Lilith, Blaze..." she stuttered. "You three don't need to h-help me. I-I'm a mare a-and-" But by this point I'd had enough.

"Now that's enough of that. I don't care what gender you are Fluttershy, we all have our little quirks and issues. What matters is how we rise from them. Even if we need the help of others in order to do so" I told her.

"I... I suppose" she muttered.

"You know, I myself wasn't very outgoing in my early youth as well" I revealed, this seemed to take the mare by surprise.

"R-really?" she asked.

"Mhm, I was your typical quiet, calm, obedient little colt" I continued.

"But... w-why aren't you like that now?" she asked.

"Multiple reasons, but mostly because I found a great group of friends to help me come out of the shell I found myself... trapped within. They helped me and in turn I promised to help them in whatever way I could" I told her. For her part Fluttershy took a second to reflect on this.

"They... they didn't m-make fun of... y-you?" she asked.

"Not once" I smiled.

"Mostly because I am royalty but that's besides the point".

"Do... do you still talk to them?" she asked me.

"Two of them are standing right behind me" I said.

That was a lie as only one of the five of them, Ruby, was here as she happened to be apart of the unicorn legion. The others we're still back in Ashen. Though we did still talk to each other every now and then these days we we're all unfortunately kept pretty busy thanks to our adultly duties.

"What I would give to have those days back... even if only for one more day".

"Thank you Night Storm".

"Huh... oh you're welcome Fluttershy. Sorry I... just got lost reminiscing" I said.

"You're okay" she said.

"Cheers then, would you like us to still accompany you or no?" I asked her.

"...I think I'll be fine Night, thank you though" she smiled and hugged me.

"Not a problem Fluttershy, though know that my door is always open to you" I offered and she smiled even wider.

"...Thank you Night, thank you" she replied.

"Again not a problem. Now, not to sound like an old coot but it's late and you should get to bed" I smiled myself.

"Hehe... okay, and Night... thanks again" Fluttershy said and began trotting away. I nodded and watched her go.

"Night Storm, not that I'm opposed to what you just did, but why did you?" Lilith asked when Fluttershy was out of hearing range.

"Well, mainly because my mother's orders are to gain the element's trust. But I also do genuinely feel bad for her" I said, to which Lilith nodded.

"Well I think that was very nice of him" Blaze added.

"Thank you Blaze. Now then, to reiterate what I said earlier, it's late and while I am no longer hungry I am still tired so let's go home" I stated.

"Agreed, I'm sure the others are worried as to where we are" Lilith replied and Blaze nodded.

"Alright let's be off then" I said and we made to leave.

"Err monsieur".

"GAH!" I jumped... again, and at the same time probably woke over half of Ponyville up.

"You three are going to pay for your food correct?" Savoir asked us, having come from what seemed like absolutely nowhere.

"Ha... ha... he... y-yes Savoir... um, how much do we owe?" I asked him.

"For yours and your mare's food twenty bits" he said.

"Alright, not great but not terrible".

"Now as for the other six mares that will be sixty bits which makes up eighty bits in total monsieur" he added.

"...What?" I replied.

"Ze other mare's, Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, et Fluttershy" he clarified.

"Oh come the buck on!"

"Here you go sir" Lilith said and hoofed him the required bits.

"Merci mademoiselle. Now I understand I frightened you monsieur and I am sorry for that but you don't have to remain in your mare's hooves" he added.

"What? I'm not..." but trailed off as I noticed that once again I had instinctually jumped right into Blaze's embrace when Savoir had frightened me, who sported an amused smile.

"Buck my life...".