The Hero of Altomare

Chapters

1. Hero's fate
2. Resolve
3. First contact
4. Getting to know other pegasus
5. Body heat
6. Overcoming...
7. ... boundaries
9. Advices
10. Couch and fireplace
11. At the picnic
12. Dragon's treasure
13. Heartache
14. Purge
15. In the Depths of Despair
16. The Piece that was Missing
Epilogue
8. Realization

1. Hero's fate

Latios watched as the incoming giant tsunami destroyed some old human's ruins.

"If this hits Altomare, it will destroy the whole city!" he realized. "We have to stop it! But... in my state..." Latios thought as pain reminded him of his injuries. "I barely have enough strength left for an attack. And after I'll do this, I will... die."

He closed his eyes as he processed that fact.

"It doesn't matter." he decided, shaking his head. "If we don't stop that wave, countless will die."

Latios glanced at his sister. He spared a heartbeat to think how distraught Latias would be. But this couldn't be helped. He knew that she was strong enough to deal with it... eventually.

He growled, signaling Latias the time to act has come. His sister nodded, and they both flew towards tsunami at high speed, their bodies glowing with light that gradually became brighter and brighter, as the siblings gathered their energy for an attack. Latios, stronger of the duo, normally wouldn't have any problem to muster as much power as Latias. Now, in his weakened state, he had to give everything. Every bit of his strength and life energy went to this one attack. Now the two of them, shining as bright as stars, joined when they were closed to the wave, combining them together to form a ball of energy. As they hit the huge mass of water, the ball of energy started to get larger and larger, and started to separate the tsunami, causing a better flow of water.

"It... is done." Latios thought as his vision blurred. His body became heavier. "Now, the city will be safe..."

The darkness obscured his vision.

Latios opened his eyes and found that he could now see without problem, and felt no pain from his mauled body. Glancing at himself, he realized that it was because he no longer had it.

Next to him hovered Latias, who was now opening her eyes. She glanced around, and stopped once she spotted him, gazing astonished at his new transparent appearance. Latios extended his arm out to her, and she grabbed it, looking surprised, but soon, her eyes widen as apprehension dawned on her.

Looking into his sister pain-filled eyes hurt him more than anything those two human females did to him.

"Is this what you felt, Father?"

Latios squeezed her arm tighter, whishing he could do more, as he nodded to her and began to emit a blue light that separated them.

Once Latias completely disappeared from his eyesight, Latios felt himself being... pulled away. Before he would move on to the afterlife, however, there was one more thing he needed to do.

He concentrated on his very being. He would not leave his sister or the city they guarded together for so long completely. Using his psychic powers, he separated a small portion of his soul and shaped it into the orb.

Soon, a Soul Dew hovered in front of him.

"They would have needed a new one, anyway, to replace Father's." Latios thought as he and the orb moved into opposite directions, the Soul Dew headed to Latias, and he... wherever everybody went after death.

Suddenly, he felt his body (well, not his body, but his... shape?) shook. Wondering if something was wrong - or maybe the opposite - he stopped, and felt again some kind of wave shake his being. As Latios tried to somehow stabilize himself, the wave, which continued to trash him around had changed into a vortex that began to suck him away.

As Latios regained his consciousness, he began to wonder if this was supposed to happen.

"Is this the afterlife?" he pondered as he looked around, while listening to the strange chirping sounds, which for now he ignored, due to them not sounding dangerous.

It kind of looked like it. He was in some kind of meadow, with many flowers sprouting from within grass. There was a sun high above the ground, beaming with all its glory, but Latios didn't felt too hot due to lying in the shadow of an oak tree. This whole scene looked very serene, but if that was the afterlife, then why did his body ached?

Why did he have a body?

Shaking his head, he flew up from the ground to get a better view of his surroundings. As he did so, he scared away some strange, small feathered creatures that he had never seen before. Latios figured that they were the source of those chirping sounds. Indeed, they weren't threatening.

Now that they stopped making those noises, he could hear a stream running nearby, and when he glanced that way, he saw that he was right. Realizing that he was thirsty, he flew over there, but not before he cloaked himself by manipulating the light around his body to make him invisible. He would prefer to avoid troubles, in case this wasn't the afterlife.

Latios bend down and took few gulps of water. He was still drinking when he heard some creature moving nearby. Glad that he remembered to cloak himself, he glanced at it.

This one was even stranger than the previous creatures. Like them, it had feathered wings, but that was where similarities ended. It was much bigger, for once, but nowhere near his size, and walked on four limbs with hooves on their ends, despite having wings. Its coat was pale gold with longer, pink fur coming out of its head, the same color as its tail. It also had some strange symbols on its flanks, similar to those he saw few times on human's skin in similar part of their bodies as he and Latias flew around Altomare.

"What did they call it?" Latios pondered as he watched the creature walk down the road. "A 'tramp stamp'? Whatever that means..." he shrugged that thought of as he started to follow it, keeping some distance between them.

The creature was heading in the direction of some sort of a village. It was a lot smaller then Altomare, and seemed to be populated by creatures same as the one he was following.

"Might as well take a look." Latios decided, figuring that it would be good to at least know where he was.

2. Resolve

"I can't believe I'm actually doing this." Latios thought as he steeled himself beside the river for what he was about to do.

It was over a week since he woke up on that meadow. Latios made a nest for himself well hidden within the forest, near the river. He spend majority of this time cloaked, as he observed the inhabitants of the nearby town. There were no humans there, or any other creature he was familiar with. Instead, there were plenty of those like the one he encountered after he woke up.

Eavesdropping on their conversations - which, despite being a completely different species, were spoken in human language - Latios learned that they called themselves 'ponies', and that there were three kinds of ponies: pegasi, like the first one he encountered, with wings, unicorns, who had horns and strange powers which they called 'magic', and earth ponies, which didn't appear to have any distinctive features.

The more he observed them, the more lonelier he was. He missed Latias more than he ever thought he could. In the past, the two siblings shared a psychic bond, but that part of him was left in the piece of soul he separated to create the Soul Dew, so that Latias would still felt the closeness of her brother. Had Latios known that he would find himself alive, he wouldn't have done that, but that couldn't be helped now.

Aside from Latias, he also missed Alto Mare, Lorenzo and Bianca, as well as everyone that lived in the city. Not as much after the latter, but still. It was because of that loneliness that he tried to do what he was trying to do.

Latios was trying to shape-shift.

Both he and his sister could shape-shift so that their bodies would resemble others. Latias in particular liked to use it ability to mingle among humans, but Latios, who was never fond of them as much as her, used this only a few times. In fact, he was certain he could count the number of times his shape shifted on one of his paws.

He concentrated on the shape he wanted to assume. The shape-shifting worked best when one was familiar with the shape, which was why Latias usually took shape of Bianca, or he himself into Lorenzo a while back. Taking a shape of something entirely made up, like what he was about to do now, was much more difficult.

Latios expended his psychic powers across his body and wrapped it, twisting it to the shape he conjured within his mind. It took longer than he recalled, most likely due to the unfamiliarity with the appearance he thought of, but soon, he could grasp heavy breath, exhausted, as he regarded his reflection in the river.

He now looked like a pegasus pony, with blue coat and light gray mane and tail, both short. His eyes were the same color and shape as his real ones, and his ears, while still pony looking, had their tips divided. As for his 'cutie mark' - if he got the name of it correct - he chose the same red triangle-shaped marking that his chest bore.

"This will take some getting used to." Latios thought as he began to test his limbs.

Walking on all fours was something new to him, but after taking few careful steps, he decided that he wouldn't have a problem, as long as he wasn't going to run. As for his wings, flying was flying. Even if those feathered wings were different than his real one, it took him only couple of seconds to get good at using them.

Satisfied, Latios landed back on the ground. He glanced at his reflection once again, wondering, for about the hundredth time:

"Should I be really doing this?"

Latios sighed as he slumped down. Since he was alive, then it would be logical that he should look for a way to return back to Latias, and yet, something deep down told him that it was impossible. But that wasn't the real reason why he was hesitant with his next course of action. No, Latios was hesitating, because he didn't want to do this.

He didn't want to meet others, to befriend them and get to know them. He wanted Latias, and Lorenzo, Bianca, and even Ash and Pikachu. He wanted his life back. Latios' serious personality, especially with regards to his duty to protect Alto Mare and Latias, caused him to have little friends over the years, but those that he did befriend were very dear to him. And now, he was without anyone. Even Latias.

"What would you do, Sister?" Latios thought, sad. He then smiled as he realized what she would do. "You would have tried to befriend them on the first day. You were always sociable, unlike me. I wish... I wish I would have let you know how much I admired that in you. You would have done much better here than I." he sighed, letting himself lean on Latias memory for a little while.

When Latios finally stood up, there was determination in his eyes. He spread his wings and flew to the air, heading into the direction of Ponyville.

"I know you would have wanted me to be happy." he thought as he flied effortlessly, his thoughts still on Latias. "We are not that different, not in that matter. And it’s not just about being happy. No creature can survive long on its own. We are the best example of it: despite being so strong, we were always together, and together we saved our city. Now that I am here, I will have to forge new bonds, with others." Latios snorted at himself, and then chuckled. "Although, it is still more than likely that all of this, is because you rubbed in on me. Either way, I will find some new friends here, Sister, I promise."

3. First contact

Latios hovered above the small town, taking a deep breath before he would land.

“Well, here goes nothing.” he thought as he took the last glance at his body, to make sure he looked like one of those ponies, and swiftly descended, figuring it would be best to get this part over with.

He chose some free spot near the market place for his landing. As he neared the ground, Latios spread his wings wider to stop himself, and waving them few times, put his hooves firmly on the ground. He looked around as he folded his wings, still feeling a bit uncomfortable being seen by so many creatures, even if he shape-shifted into a form that shouldn’t arouse any suspicions. However, none of the ponies seemed to take any notice of him, safe a few glances thrown his way. Latios sighed in relief and began trotting through Ponyville.

“I have to admit, this town has a much nicer feeling to it that Alto mare.” the Eon Dragon thought as he observed as a fuchsia pony was chatting friendly with an orange pony, wearing a hat, that was selling apples. “There was much more noise back there, much more creatures... although, it had also more water.”

Latios smiled, recalling his swims underwater, through the city’s canals. While he liked flying as much, he couldn’t swim in the nearby river, with it being so shallow. Latios wondered as he continued to trot if he should try looking for a sea, not paying attention as to where he was going, when he suddenly felt that he bumped into something... or, judging by the surprised and scared shriek that followed afterword, somepony. As Latios, who was thrown slightly back by the force of the impact, rubbed his head, he glanced at whom he bumped into.

About a meter in front of him, to his great surprise, was the first pony he saw after he woke up on the meadow. Together with her were two other ponies, which both had horns, and, if his guess was correct, were females like this one. His nose caught a weird, but pleasant scent coming from them, as if they all rubbed some ointment into their fur.

“Fluttershy, dear, are you alright?” the white unicorn asked her friend, helping her to her hooves.

“Yes, I’m okay.” the one called Fluttershy whispered quietly, and looked into Latios eyes. “Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize to this colt, he walked into you!” her white friend snapped at her, sounding annoyed, and then turned to him. “You there, say you’re sorry!”

It took Latios a whole second to turn his head to regard this angry female. He was starring into the pale gold pony’s cyan eyes, trying to figure out why they seemed so... enchanting. Regretfully, he broke the eye contact, knowing despite his great lack of social skills, that prolonging this situation would make it uncomfortable. As his sight shifted to the white pony, noticing that the other one, a lavender unicorn, was looking at him curiously; he wondered how well this was going to work.

Latios shook his head.

“What?!” the white unicorn stared at him in disbelieve. “How rude!”

“It’s okay, Rarity, he doesn’t need to...” Fluttershy started to say timidly.

“Hush, darling!” Rarity interrupted her, and glared back at Latios. “I may be a lady, but that doesn’t mean I will tolerate such uncouth stallion bumping into my friend and not apologizing to her!”

As the angry unicorn continued to yell at him, she was also advancing on him, causing Latios to back away. He also noticed, to his great discomfort, that they began to attract the attention of other ponies.

“This is bad.” Latios thought as he considered to run away and to try again later in some other form, but quickly decided that thinking off another form he could assume would be too bothersome. “Pull yourself together.”

He stopped backing away, and looking into Rarity’s eyes; he opened his mouth few times, with no sound coming out of them, and then he shook his head and pointed at his throat.

“Wait a moment.” Rarity said, more calmly, as she begun to understand what he was trying to explain. “Are you saying that you are... mute?”

Latios nodded, wondering how come shape-shifting didn’t grant the ability to speak. It would have saved him from such problems if it could.

“Oh my!” the white unicorn exclaimed, appearing... terrified? “I am so sorry, I didn’t know... please, forgive me!”

He shrugged, trying to show that he didn’t mind, but...

“No, I am beyond forgiveness!” Rarity continued to rant, lifting her foreleg to her forehead, to pose a dramatic style. “How could I be so rude, while berating you about behavior, no less!”

Latios glanced at Fluttershy and the other unicorn, raising an eyebrow.

“Don’t worry about Rarity, she can be a bit dramatic sometimes.” the lavender pony said, trotting closer to him. “She’s really sorry, though. I hope you’re not going to hold that against her.”

He shook his head, grateful that this conversation finally turned into something normal; loosely speaking.

“Great!” the lavender unicorn beamed up, but quickly blushed, embarrassed. ”Oh, sorry, where are my manners. My name is Twilight Sparkle, this is Rarity, and that is Fluttershy.”

Latios bowed his head in greeting to them.

“Um... hi.” the pegasi said, coming closer.

“Oh yes, hello.” Rarity, who calmed herself, greeted him as well. “Once again, I apologize for earlier.”

The Eon Dragon nodded to her, hoping she would understand that he wasn’t offended. He then turned his attention to Fluttershy. Latios noticed that she was rubbing her head beneath her longer pink fur, where his eyes spotted a little bruise.

“She must still feel pain after I bumped into her.” he realized, ashamed that he wasn’t paying attention earlier.

Latios pointed at her, then at his own forehead, and made a sorrowful expression.

“Oh, don’t worry about it!” Fluttershy quickly said. ”I’m fine, really.”

He blinked and tilted his head, not convinced.

“Anyway...” Twilight interjected. “Do you mind telling us your name?” the lavender pony asked and immediately brought a hoof to her mouth as she realized what she just said. ”Sorry, I mean...” she fought to compose herself, while Latios smirked, amused by this. “... could you write it down?”

To emphasize her words, Twilight levitated some sort of notebook and a pen from her bag. Regretfully, Latios shook his head.

“Y-you don’t know how to write?!? Or read!?!” Twilight exclaimed, as if the thought scarred her to death. ”Then... how do you communicate with other ponies?!?”

Not being able to answer this question, even if he could speak to them, he resorted to shrug with both his forelegs and wings.

“Perhaps I could teach you later?” Twilight asked, seeming excited at the idea. “It would help you communicate, and reading is really fun! Oh, wait… seeing as you must be new here, maybe you would like to first explore Ponyville?”

Latios was about to nod, when suddenly, he sensed something approaching them, fast.

…Very fast.

He quickly turned his head towards whatever or whoever was approaching them, and realized that the latter was correct. Before him stood a pink female earth pony, that had a very wide smile on her muzzle. Noticing it, Latios recalled that during his spying on the small town the past week, a few times this very pony often turned to look directly at him, despite her not being able to see him while he was cloaked. At first, he thought that it was just an accident, but after seventh time...

“What does she want?” Latios wondered, fearing that she know who he was and was about to tell the other ponies, which would probably caused them to fear him.

However, what the pink pony said didn’t quite match that scenario.

“Did I hear somepony say there’s a new pony in Ponyville?”

4. Getting to know other pegasus

Latios was wrong. This place was louder.

Much louder.

The pink pony, after introducing herself as Pinkie Pie, quickly dashed off somewhere. Before Latios got a chance to do more that glance of surprise at the three females, she returned, grabbed him, and carried him off to a house that looked like some sort of cake. Inside there were many other ponies in which they were here, apparently, to celebrate him coming to Ponyville... and very loud music that played in the party.

So now he was, nodding politely to every pony that trotted over to him and said hi to Latios, trying out some of the food (which was quite delicious, to say at least) as well as funny tasting drinks. While at times, grabbing his head from time to time, due to the headache caused by the music; which he was pretty sure was much louder that a flock of Murkrows could ever hope to be, and starting to feel a bit claustrophobic.

Latios was about to start considering leaving, when the one responsible for this appeared in front of him.

“Are you having fun?” Pinkie Pie asked him loudly, and without waiting for an answer, which would be the only quiet thing in this place, she went on talking quicker and quicker. “Were you surprised? I mean, of course you were, since you are new here, and don’t know me, this is what I do! Throwing parties, I mean! And with the Cakes taking the babies for a vacation onthebeach,IcouldthrowyouthispartyhereinSugarcubeCorner,sothat’swhatIdid,andnowwearehavingthisparty,sodoyoulike...”

“Pinkie, stop pesterin’ him.” some other pony said, and Latios turned his head to regard his saviour. It was an orange female with a hat. Latios realized that he saw her selling apples on the market. Beside her stood a cyan pegasus with a rainbow-colored mane, who he often saw flying around the town past week, clearing the skies from clouds or, much more often, sleep on them. “Sorry if our friend was a wee bit bothersome.”

Latios shook his head and smiled (forcefully) to Pinkie.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying your party!” the pink pony replied happily, and bounced away.

“Don’t cha ya worry, partner, ya’ll get used to her.” the orange earth pony chuckled. “Ah’m Applejack, by the way.”

“And I am Rainbow Dash.” the other female introduced herself, taking a good look at Latios. “So, you can’t talk at all, huh?”

He nodded in response, while Applejack shoots her friend a glare.

“What?!?” Rainbow asked her, annoyed. “Can’t the pony ask?”

Latios chuckled - or rather, tried to, but instead his throat gave out a strange grunt - amused by this pony's bluntness.

“Wow, that’s disturbing.” the cyan pegasus murmured, probably meaning his laugh. “So anyway, tell me:” Applejack frowned at her again, “are those wings of yours any good, or just for show?”

He almost thought in panic that she figured out he wasn’t really a pony, but calmed himself. Latios glanced at his wings, stretched them, and then folded them back. He turned back to the two mares and tilted his head, confused by what Rainbow meant.

“I meant if you’re good at flying.” she explained, rolling her eyes.

“Am I good in flying…?” Latios thought, amused, before he nodded.

“Oh yeah?” Rainbow Dash asked with a smirk. “How about a quick race then? It’s always the easiest way to get to know other pegasus.”

“Rainbow,” Applejack said sternly, punching her friend lightly in her shoulder, “this pony just came into Ponyville, Ah’m sure he’s tired and doesn’t want to...”

As one of the two was lecturing the other, Latios pondered an idea of having a race with Rainbow Dash. From what he has seen past week, she was quite fast flier. While he had no doubt he would have easily proved the better, this form’s wings were quite different. Not enough to make him slow, but still, enough to make him wonder if he could lose. And he disliked the idea of losing.

“Which, considering what happen last time, is not surprising...” he mused, but then shrugged. “Then again, this would get me away from this awfully loud noise.”

With that thought in mind, he waved to interrupt the two friends’ argument, and nodded to Rainbow Dash.

“Great!” the cyan female exclaimed, barely hiding a smirk; Latios assumed she just wanted to stroke her ego with this race, instead of getting to know him, as she said earlier, and was not aware that Latios know just how fast she was. “Let’s go outside and I will tell you where we will be racing.”

Latios nodded and trotted after her, stopping only for a brief moment to nod his head to Applejack for good bye. On their way to the door, however, they both stopped again, when Twilight and Fluttershy approached them.

“Hi again.” Twilight greeted Latios, and then glanced at Rainbow. “We are you two going?”

“Out for a little race.” the cyan female responded, smirking. “Be back in a moment... well, in my case, at least.”

Having said that, Rainbow Dash had left Sugarcube Corner, in the while chuckling at her own joke. Latios was about to follow her, when he felt poking on his side. He turned his head and saw it was Fluttershy that was trying to get his attention.

“Um, excuse me for bothering you...” she started, “... but Rainbow is really fast, so don’t feel bad when you lose. Uh, I meant, if you lose, I don’t assume you’re going to, but...”

“That’s so kind of her, to be worried about someone she just met.” Latios thought as he touched her gently with a hoof to make her stop. “I think I like her.”

Latios smiled at Fluttershy, causing her fur to turn red somehow, and followed after Rainbow.

She was waiting for him in front of the Sugarcube Corner, stretching her wings.

“Okay, so:” Rainbow Dash started as he approached her: “we’re flying in straight line to the border of the Everfree Forest - it’s that way - and back. Here,” she stopped and drew a line in front of them with the same hoof she used to point the direction where the forest’s border was, “is the start and finish line. Got all of that?”

Latios nodded and crouched in front the line, along with Rainbow, both of them reading for flight.

“On three.” the cyan mare said. “Ready? Onetwothreego!”

Latios started dumbfounded at the flying off pegasus for a second, before he himself took into the air and chased after her.

“I wonder if that stallion knows what he has gotten himself into.” Twilight said as she and Fluttershy were joined by Applejack. “I mean, Rainbow Dash will make him eat her dust.”

“Ah recon he was just lookin’ for an excuse to leave the party.” Applejack replied in a hushed voice; you could never know when Pinkie was nearby. “Saw him few times rubbin’ his head. Not a fan of loud music, Ah guess.”

“Still, to race with Rainbow... Do you think he’s a good flier?” Twilight asked, shifting her eyes between her two friends. “And also, his cutie mark that is a red triangle, what could it possibly mean? That pony is plain weird. Not to mention that it’s ridiculous for a pony who doesn’t know how to read and write, especially if he’s mute.”

“He doesn’t know how to write an’ read?!” Applejack exclaimed, surprised. “Where in tarnation did that pony came from?!?”

“Are we talking about this poor stallion who can’t talk?” Rarity asked as she trotted over to join them.

“We were wondering who he could be.” Twilight answered the white unicorn. “It’s not often to see a pony that is either mute or illiterate, and even less often to see one that is both. He’s not telling us something.” the lavender unicorn noticed the glances her friends were giving her, and gave an annoyed grunt: “You know what I mean.”

“Maybe.” Fluttershy said, taking part in the discussion. “But he seems like a nice pony, so perhaps we should let him be, and not pry into his business?”

Twilight sighed again, not sure how should she feel about this strange pegasus.

“Oh well, if he gets me up on the offer of teaching him writing and reading, maybe then we will get to know him better.” she finally said.

Rainbow Dash couldn’t believe it.

“How can he be faster than me?!” she thought angrily as she tried to flap her wings harder.

The strange mute pegasus flew few meters ahead from her, and occasionally, he did a half-barrel and glanced at her. Rainbow hated that. He wasn’t looking at her with a smirk or a glee or any form of that kind of facial expression. She hated that because he looked at her with calmness, despite the speed with which were they now flying, and that he appeared to be actually surprised that SHE could keep up with him. But most of all, she hated that he flew without any sign of being tired, when she could already feel sweat on her body and aching in her wings.

“I will not let some random pony outfly me!” Rainbow thought with rage as she tried to fly even faster.

“She’s really fast.” Latios commented in his mind as he saw the cyan female speed up again. “And doesn’t seem happy that she can’t outfly me.”

He frowned at that as he turned around in the air and concentrated on flying to the forest’s border. He was actually as much surprised as Rainbow that he could fly this fast. He assumed that the different body build would prove too much of an obstacle in flying, which made sense considering that when he shape-shifted, he couldn’t use any of the abilities he possessed in his true form.

Then again, this was the first time he shape-shifted into something that had wings.

What made him frown however wasn’t this; In fact, he was quite happy that he could at least fly in this form almost like in his real body. What made him frown was Rainbow attitude.

“I wanted to make some friends, not enemies.” Latios thought as he reached the border, and flew upward, did a barrel, and began flying back to Ponyville, passing Rainbow.

“Should I let her win?” he thought as she noticed the anger in her gaze. “Or would that make things actually worse? Making friends is hard.” the Eon Dragon shook his head in confusion. “Perhaps- wait a moment, what is that?!”

Rainbow Dash grabbed the bark of the tree and slide around it to get better momentum.

“I will not let you win this easily!” she thought, but then frowned as she spotted the mute pegasus. “Where is he flying off to?” she asked in her mind as she glanced at the direction where he was heading. “We’re in the middle of the... Oh, horse apples!”

-e-

“I wonder where they are.” Twilight said as they glanced through the window of Sugarcube Corner. “At least Rainbow should be back by now.”

“You think something happened to them?!?” Fluttershy asked alarmingly, worried not only for her friend, but also for this kind, poor pony she met only an hour ago.

“Nah, Rainbow can take care of herself.” Applejack dismissed her fear.

“But what about the...” Twilight started, but then facehoofed herself. “Uh, we really need to find a way to figure out his name.”

“Oh.” Applejack realized. The cowpony looked at the other mares. “Ya think we should go look for them?”

Before anypony got a chance to respond, Pinkie started screeching:

“Look, they’re here!”

The four other ponies looked at the direction Pinkie Pie was pointing out, and saw Rainbow Dash and the other pegasus flying over to them. But there was something wrong, which they realized as they came closer, as well as that they weren’t alone...

“Angel!” Fluttershy screamed as she flew to meet them half way. “What happened?” she asked her pet bunny as well as the two pegasi, as Angel jumped of Rainbow’s back and into Fluttershy’s hooves. “Why are you with them? Why... IS THIS BLOOD?!”

She looked terrified at Angel, who had few red spots on his pure white coat. Fluttershy searched frantically through her little friend’s body for any wound, only to stop a second later when she noticed that the bunny was pointing at one of the two pegasi.

Confused, she quickly landed next to the mute pony and gasped. There was three (thank Celestia, shallow) cuts on his body, starting at his chest and going over his right shoulder and stopping by his wing.

“What happened to you two?!” Twilight asked, as the rest gathered by them, all seeing the nonlife-threatening (Fluttershy could tell thanks to her years of tending animals), but nonetheless terrifying, wound. “Are you okay?! We should get you to the hospital!”

To surprise of everypony, the blue pegasus shook his head and shrugged, as if saying it’s nothing. The ponies spared a moment to stare at him, and then glanced at Rainbow, indicating that she should explain.

“We just reached the border of the Everfree Forest and were racing back, when suddenly I saw... err...” she looked at the mute pony, half-embarrassed, half- annoyed. “You know, we should really find a way for you to tell us your name.”

As the other pegasus gave Rainbow amused look in response, Fluttershy wondered how he could just stand like that so calmly. True those wounds weren’t serious at all, they seemed more like grazes than cuts, but still, he was bleeding. She hugged Angel tighter when she imagined how painful this must be.

“Anyway,” Rainbow carried on, ”I saw him flying of the left very quickly, and when I look where he was heading, I saw a manticore chasing something small and white from within the forest.” she finished pointing her hoof at the bunny in Fluttershy’s forelegs.

“Angel!” the timid pony exclaimed, gazing at him. “What were you doing in that awful place?!? Haven’t I told you to never go into there?!?”

Angel looked at her very apologetically.

“So, what happen?” Applejack asked.

“Oh you should have seen it!” Rainbow exclaimed, beaming up. “It was awesome! He just charged straight at the manticore when it was about to take a swipe at Angel! He slammed it in the chest with his head and made it hit the tree! But...” the pegasus added, growing more serious as she pointed at the mute pony. ”... he got grazed by the manticore’s claws in the process.”

Everypony glanced at the pony, who just risked his live to save an animal he couldn’t possible knew that it belong to somepony, got wounded and seemed to be unfazed by it.

Well, everypony... besides Fluttershy.

“Oh, thank you so much!” she exclaimed, hugging the surprised pegasus very tightly, not minding that she would got the blood on her coat as well. ”You saved Angel! I just don’t know how to thank you!”

“Maybe you could start by not crushing him?” Twilight chuckled, followed by every pony else, and when Fluttershy looked up, she saw that the mute pony looked back at her, slightly out of breath.

“Oh, sorry.” Fluttershy said, embarrassed, and let go of him.

“Well, that was a close one.” Latios thought as Fluttershy moved away.

It was a good thing he spend over a week observing those ponies behaviour, otherwise, he would have responded instinctively to the display of friendly affection by licking her cheek, which was something he seen only mates do here.

“I swear they are just like humans.” the Eon Dragon thought as he glanced once again at those scratches.

They weren’t serious at all, if he was a split second faster, he wouldn’t even have them, but he paid it no mind. It was literally nothing compared to what those two human females put him through, and besides once he would assume his real form, this injury would heal quicker. Now, he only needed to find some excuse to leave, and...

“Oh my goodness, we should take care of those injuries.” Fluttershy words pulled him away from his plans. “Follow me; I can bandage them in my cottage.”

Latios was taken aback, but quickly recovered and tried to make her understand that there was no need, but it didn’t work.

“This won’t be a problem; it’s the least I can do to repay you for saving Angel.” Fluttershy replied, incorrectly understanding his shrugs and shakes. “Maybe Rainbow Dash didn’t tell you, but this bunny belongs to me, and I can’t imagine what I would do if something had happened to him.”

He actually knew that this small white creature was of some significance to her before he rushed to save it. When Latios spotted that ‘manticore’, and what it was chasing, he quickly recalled the same creature following Fluttershy the first time he saw her, despite not paying much attention to this Angel back then.

“Although, I didn’t expect her to be this grateful...” Latios thought as he sighed, resigned, and let the pegasus pony to drag him to her den.

Author's Note

Just found it, and I thought you might want to see this. And this reminded me, does anyone know how to get original version of this movie with subtitles? I heard that there are quite few differences between the two versions.

5. Body heat

“Come on quickly, we need to clean those wounds before we bandage them, stat!”

Latios wasn’t sure if he should be amused, annoyed, or worried by his new friend's attitude. He shot a glance at Angel, who shrugged, as if saying that this couldn’t be helped.

Once he stopped trying to resist, they reached Fluttershy’s den - or cottage as she called it - rather fast to his surprise. The winged pony didn’t seem like the type that often was in a hurry, let alone for the sake of one that was technically a stranger.

“Then again, I did save her friend’s life.” he mused on the way. “I suppose it shouldn’t come shocking that she wants to help me now.”

He trotted after her to one of the room within her cottage, and discovered that it was full of small, furry beings. Quite the number of them had some sort of bandage on them, and others were eating some food from bowls, while glancing surprised at the new pony that arrived here. Latios also looked at them surprised, but Fluttershy’s call made him go after her upstairs. Now the reason why she wanted to help him so badly was much clearer: apparently, she was just this kind to all creatures.

The Eon Dragon stepped into a smaller room, which had a small round wooden container, and by it stood pipe with water coming out of it into a bucket held by Fluttershy.

“Now, come here.” she instructed him as he put some kind of fabric to the bucket and let it soak with water.

Latios did as she asked, and stood patiently as she moved her hoof with the soaked fabric to his wounds. When Fluttershy pressed it against one of them, it stung a bit, but it wasn’t anything he couldn’t endure.
“I know this hurts, but I won’t take long.” Fluttershy told him in her pleasant to ear voice,
no doubt noticing how he tensed for a moment.

Nodding to her, Latios forced himself to relax and stand still. As the female continued to clean his cuts, he took a better look at her. Latios recalled how he found her blue eyes to be captivating, and he had to admit, that she was overall... what was the word he was looking for? Attractive? The Eon Dragon shook of the thought. While he could appreciate beauty in females, regardless of their kind, he was above lust that seemed to control most of male creatures he met whenever an attractive looking female was around. Besides, it wouldn’t do well to dwell on it now. For some reason, as he began to think about her, his wings began stiffening. Although to be fair, he suspected that whatever it was, it was probably caused not by Fluttershy’s look, but her scent.

When he bumped into her half a day ago, her natural scent was masked by some ointments that were used on her fur at that place called ‘spa’, as he learned during party. But now, Latios could smell it, and it was... sweet. It brought to his mind images of meadow and grass, and water and sky...

His wings unfolded.

“Oh, sorry, did I hurt you again?” Fluttershy asked obliviously.

The nest that the pale gold female offered him looked tempting, but not just because Latios was so tired...

It ‘reeked’ with her scent.

For a moment, it crossed his mind that she wanted to sleep together, for which he had confused feelings. However, Fluttershy quickly stepped outside of the room, saying something about a couch downstairs, indicating that she was going to sleep there.

Latios shook his head, both due to not wanting to take her nest for himself, but also because it would be almost torture, to be surrounded by her scent and not...

“Oh, don’t worry, I’m fine sleeping there, but you need a good night rest. It’s the least I can do.” Fluttershy replied, smiling.

One could argue that tending to his wounds, giving him berries to eat, and telling him few interesting stories about her, her friends (pony and otherwise), and Ponyville, was enough. Unfortunately, the one that wanted to argue about it was declined any means of communication. So reluctantly, he nodded.

“Good night.” the pale gold female told him, leaving together with Angel, who also smiled at him.

The nest (or ‘bed’) was comfortable, much more than the one Latios made for himself back in the forest. As he laid on it and put the blanket over him, the scent of Fluttershy surrounded him, and Latios had a feeling that this night he wouldn’t be dreaming about his sister or their home.

The next morning, Fluttershy woke up earlier than usual, as she now had not only her animal friends to take care of, but the pony that saved Angel as well. She quickly prepared food for everypony: usual critter food for the animals, a fruit salad for her guest, seeing as he enjoyed the berries yesterday.

“I better go wake him up.” Fluttershy finally said to herself after all critters had gotten their meal, and was thankful that this time Angel didn’t try to be peaky.

Trotting towards her room in which he slept, Fluttershy wondered what kind of pony the blue pegasus was. He seemed really nice, and she found out more about him by having short conversation during the evening. “Can it be called such if only I talked?” she wondered, interrupting her line of thoughts. Anyways, he seemed to enjoy the peace and quiet far more than loud and crowded places. And her animal friends, Angel included, appeared to like him, as they sit close to him yesterday as he and her ate.

“We seem to have a lot in common.” she mused as she quietly opened the door. “Oh, isn’t it wonderful?! To finally find somepony who I can talk about so much?!”

While Fluttershy loved all her friends, she was well aware that they weren’t exactly found of some of her ‘antics’. She still remembered how bored Dashie was after watching the butterfly migration with her, which she couldn’t understand, and that was just the top of the iceberg. But, somehow, she got the feeling that this blue pony would be equally enthralled by such things as she was.

The shy pegasus smiled as he looked down on his peaceful-looking sleeping form. Her eyes shifted to regard something she noticed already yesterday. His ears had a funny shape to them: their tips were divided. Wondering if he was born with them that way or, Celestia forbid, they were purposely cut this way, she touched on of them, and by doing so, she accidently brushed his forehead. Afraid that blue pony would be mad if woken up this way, Fluttershy quickly backed away, but then something registered in her mind, and she put her hoof back on his forehead.

“Oh my goodness!” she exclaimed loudly, waking the other pegasus in the process.

“Hey Twilight, Spike! What are you up to?”

Twilight glanced behind her, and saw not only Rainbow Dash, who called after her and Spike, but also the Cutie Mark Crusaders who are racing to them.

“Hey everypony.” she greeted them, turning around. “We were going to Fluttershy’s cottage and see how the pony from yesterday is doing. I also wanted to ask him if he would like to learn how to write.”

As she said that, she pointed at her saddlebag, in which she kept various writing accessories.

“Ya mean that pony that beat Rainbow Dash in a race?!” Apple Bloom asked, surprised. “He doesn’t know how to write?!”

“Huh? What a loser.” Scootaloo said bitterly, to Twilight surprise.

“Now now, Scoots,” Dash told her number one fan, “just because he is faster than me, doesn’t mean you should insult him, got it?”

The lavender unicorn did not miss the hint sound of bitterness in the other mare’s voice as she said that. She smiled at her friend, proud that she could look past her pride, even if she was still smarting from her loss.

“So, do you want to come as well?” Twilight asked them, and after she got four confirmations, they set off.

Fortunately, she and Spike were already close to Fluttershy’s cottage when they were approached by Dash and Crusaders, so it took them few minutes to reach it. Twilight was about to knock on the door, when suddenly, a sound of scuffling came from the home of the most peaceful pony in Equestria. Exchanging alarmed gaze with Rainbow, she opened the door quickly, terrified that the blue stallion was hurting they friend.

What greeted them was the sight of Fluttershy, sitting on the stallion, and pinning him down to the floor, with a savage look on her face as she wrestled him.

So surprised was Twilight, that it took her a whole second to remember that there were kids with them.

“Quick, don’t look!” she told them as she made all four of them turn around with her magic despite their protests, herself following suit, but unlike her, Dash continued to stare with wide eyes, jaw dropped...

... and outstretched wings.

“Seriously?!” Twilight thought as she looked at her, annoyed that this was her reaction at the sight of their friend having-

“Oh goodness, great timing girls!” a voice of Fluttershy called from the cottage. “I could
really use your help; I cannot handle him on my own!”

Twilight jaw dropped, not believing what she just heard, she almost lost focus to the point that Spike and fillies could look back.

“No, wait!” came from the cottage with the sound of scuffling renowned. “Girls, stop him!”

The very next second a blue bolt escaped through the door, only adding more confusion to Twilight’s already taxed mind. Only sheer curiosity made her snap and grab him like she did the little ones, making the mute pony hover in the air, while his wings flapped and legs galloped without any effect.

It was only then that Twilight noticed many scarves and other clothes more appropriate for winter in which his body was wrapped with. He was visibly sweating, which was no surprise, considering how hot it was today. She couldn’t blame him for the look of terror on his face if Fluttershy put him through this, but...

“Fluttershy, what is going on?” she finally asked, realizing that her first assumption was wrong.

“And why do you keep us not moving?” Sweetie Belle inquired, but was ignored.

“Oh, it’s terrible!” the shy pegasus exclaimed as she came out from her cottage, holding a thermometer, for whatever reason. “Look” she added, showing it in front of Twilight’s face.

While she looked it with confusion, soon everything clicked in her head, as Twilight read the temperature on it. She realized with dread that it was below normal temperature for a pony, as well as whose it was.

“B-but... how...” Twilight mumbled, unable to comprehend how a pony could live with such low body heat.

“I don’t know!” Fluttershy exclaimed, on a verge of tears. “But I just noticed that this morning! I tried to give him medicine and keep him warm, but he then tried to run away, so...”

“Do you mind releasing us?!” Scootaloo shout interrupted the shy pegasus, and was so loud that made Twilight’s concentration brake.

While the fillies and baby dragon were quite happy for it, the three grown mares weren’t. In the very next second, the blue stallion quickly soared into the air, taking off all his clothes, and dove into the small river that run close to Fluttershy’s cottage.

Latios enjoyed the coolness of water as he rested there for a moment, trying to get his body heat back to normal level. What happened during the last hour terrified him. He didn’t expect ponies to have the same body heat as humans, which meant it was higher than his, nor did he anticipated the change that would come upon Fluttershy when he tried to refuse any sort of treatment. Of course, she did that because she cared about his wellbeing, he knew that, but when the golden female jumped on him, put all those fabrics on him, chased him around her own den, tried to force him to take some strange-smelling mash, all he could think of all this time was how to get away.

And now that he did, he found that he wanted to go back to her.

Author's Note

Here it is, sorry for the wait, but my main story takes priority. However, I expect to write two more chapters of this before the end of April.

6. Overcoming...

“And this is a symbol for letter ‘z’.” Twilight said as she lifted her final small tablet, and the mute pony looked at it thoughtfully.

Much to her and everypony (especially Fluttershy) relief, the blue pegasus quickly returned, shaking off water from his coat and feathers. The animal caretaker wanted to immediately wrap him up in all those clothes again, but Twilight, seeing how he reacted earlier, suggested to instead just wrap him with blanket. The mute stallion this time was much calmer and did not object, although when Fluttershy tried to give him the medicine, it was easy to read from his face that he began to regret coming back. He did swallow it even if he looked as if wanting to puke it right out. After that they introduced him to the fillies and Spike, who weren’t present on yesterday’s party due to either school or chores, Twilight mentioned that she wanted to see if he wanted to learn how to write, a suggestion to which he practically jumped at.

“So, do you think you remember all of them?” the lavender unicorn asked him, unsure; this was rather quick way to teach somepony, and even if he seemed to be content with the pace, the pegasus stallion might be confused by the number of letters. Once the mute pony nodded, Twilight decided she needed to perform a test. “Let’s do a little trial, shall we?” she glanced around and spotted the others, young ones playing with Fluttershy’s animals, while the grown up mares were talking about something further away. The unicorn quickly grabbed the closest critter, Angel Bunny, and pulled him closer which gained everypony’s attention. “This is Angel Bunny. Can you write his name?”

As the other ponies gathered around, the mute stallion took a pencil into his mouth and began to write something on the piece of paper. Twilight couldn’t see from this angle, so she had to wait to see if he truly remembered all the letters of the alphabet. At first, she didn’t think he did, because he used a lot more letters that he should to just write ‘Angel Bunny’. However, the reason for that became apparent, once he stopped writing and nodded at her.

Twilight picked up the paper and read:

THIS IS ANGEL BUNNY I AM NOT SICK THIS IS MY NORMAL BODY HEAT ALTHOUGH IT IS DUE TO OLD DISEASE CAN I TAKE THIS OFF AND PUKE OUT THAT THING BEFORE IT CAUSES ME SOME HARM

“Wow, you really did it!” she exclaimed, ignoring the larger part of the message as she and everypony else congratulated him. Once they were done, she asked: “But it looks like I forgot to tell you about punctuation, didn’t I?”

Latios growled inwardly as the female purposely ignored his question. He was certain that whatever it was that they gave him was supposed to help ponies who had fever, but he didn’t have one, not to mention that he wasn’t a pony. As such he was slightly worried, even if nothing seemed to happen to him. However, he decided to wait with further complains in that direction, as Twilight quickly explained what punctuation was about.

Relieved that he had such good memory, Latios quickly took in the knowledge, as the female asked him another question:

“Now that you can write, could you tell us your name?”

Latios nodded, and quickly picked up the pencil once again. It was a bit weird, this whole ‘writing’, but he have seen Lorenzo do that from time to time, even if he used his paws instead of mouth. Latios suspected he could use his psychic powers to do that, but it seemed that only unicorns could perform such feat, and his form was that of a pegasus. Nonetheless, he quickly scribbled on the paper what Twilight (and everypony else, if he read their expressions to be curios correctly) wanted to know.

He had spent some time prior to this pondering the matter, knowing that sooner or later he would have to give them some name to be called by. At first, Latios figured he would give them his true name, but the ponies he met so far seemed to have names that described their nature, color of fur, hair, the shape of cutie mark, and such. So, after some thinking, he concluded that name ‘Latios’ wouldn’t seem believable, and instead came up with something else.

After he finished, this time without adding anything more, Twilight once again took the short note, and this time read it out loud.

“Eon Guard.”

“Wow, what a cool sounding name!” Scootaloo exclaimed, having forgotten about her initial dislike for the stallion after seeing him being punished enough by Fluttershy for winning against her idol (even if she know that this wasn’t about that, but it still counted). After a second, though, she cocked her head in mild confusion. “Wait, what does ‘eon’ mean?”

“It’s an indefinitely long period of time, an age.” Twilight, slightly surprised, replied. “Curious name. I guess this cutie mark of yours is some sort of shield, yes?”

It was a lot different from her brother’s, but it was the only logical conclusion she could came up with. Eon Guard nodded, and once again wrote something. The unicorn took it and read:

IT’S HOT AND I’M FINE, CAN I TAKE THIS BLANKET OFF?

Twilight chuckled, amused, and although she wasn’t sure exactly how an old disease could cause pony’s normal body heat to lower itself, she nodded, making a mental note to check that later.

Fluttershy, while happy that now they could communicate with Eon Guard, was still concerned about his health as he took off his blanket. She saw in the corner of her eye Rainbow noticing her worrying and grinned, making Fluttershy blush as she recalled their conversation earlier, as girls and Spike played with her animal friends:

“You know, I never expected to see you be so aggressive towards another pony.” Dashie told her with amusement as they glanced at mute pony being tutored by Twilight in writing and reading.

“But I had to do something.” Fluttershy whispered, also a bit surprised at her behaviour. “I mean, he just didn’t want to listen to what I told him, and started to run away. So I had to be more assertive.”

Her oldest friend rolled her eyes, but quickly once again smirked as she lowered her voice.

“You know, when we came in, I thought that you two were having some fun.” she whispered, winking. “At least that’s how it looked like.”

“Fun?” Fluttershy asked, not understanding. “What do you mean?”

The other mare rolled her eyes again and bent over, whispering to her ear:

“I mean that it looked as if you were bucking.”

It took Fluttershy few seconds to finally get what Rainbow meant, and when she did, she gasped and blushed fiercely.

“What?!” she exclaimed, and only because her voice was so quiet by nature nopony else heard them. “N-no, we didn’t... I mean, we haven’t... I-I... he’s a great pony, but...” she began stammering, as her mind by itself began imagining him and her, all triggered by Dashie’s words.

“Fluttershy?” Rainbow interrupted her, grinning. “Your wings.”

She looked at her puzzled, still embarrassed, and glanced behind to see something that made her eyes widen with fear and shame.

Her wings were outstretched.

“You know...” Dashie whispered, chuckling softly. “... I kinda wanted him for myself, but since you seem to like him so much, I’m going to give up.” Fluttershy’s mind was too blank at that point to respond, so she just looked at her friend. “But in return, I want you to promise me something.” the shy pony nodded absentmindedly, and Dash’s continued: “When you two start sleeping together, ask him what he thinks about threesomes.”

Fluttershy was sure she heard something in her head break, as her coat began to radiate with red glow, somehow unnoticed by anypony except the giggling Rainbow Dash.

Author's Note

Sorry that this chapter is so short, but I hope the content makes up for it.

7. ... boundaries

Latios’ desire to assume his true form, so he could use his full strength to just bolt out of that den (leaving behind his body-shaped hole in his wake within the den’s walls) grew stronger with every passing moment.

Once he was able to communicate with those ponies, he was assaulted with questions, ranging from where he came from, to what his favorite meal was. The added presence of three other females from yesterday, especially Pinkie Pie, didn’t help much with his situation.

“When is your birthday?! What is your favorite color?! Did you ever had a cherry changa?!”

She continued to ask him while bouncing up and down in front of him, not giving him time to write an answer. Thankfully, Twilight and Applejack came to his rescue and dragged away the crazy pony.

For a while, until she quickly returned, with even more questions to ask.

Latios sighed to himself, as began to write down that he is tired. It wasn’t just an excuse; he had to write down answers to most, if not all, of the questions, and his maw felt stiff. This wasn’t in any means waste of time, though: Latios learned from them that they had no idea where his old home, Altomare, was. Other than that sad news, the all females told little things about themselves, probably to make him feel more at easy, for what he was grateful.

Once he was done, he signaled for Twilight to take the piece of paper he scribbled on:

I’m tired. Can we end this for today?

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry!” the lavender female exclaimed once she read it. “We didn’t mean to bother you so much.”

Latios shook his head to show that he wasn’t mad at them, as they one by one began to apologize to him, making him feel anxious again. He wondered if this steamed off from the fact that he wasn’t used to be a center of attention of so many creatures, or because almost all of them were females.

Aside from his little sister, the only other female he knew was Bianca. When she was younger, he often let her ride on his back while he flew across the secret garden. Bianca also liked to ride on Latias, as well, but she quickly grew to be too big for his sister to fly comfortably like that. But being around six grown females and three cubs was another thing altogether.

“Being alone with just one of them is another thing altogether.” he sighed mentally as he turned his attention briefly to Fluttershy.

Throughout his interrogation, she remained mostly quiet, and did not look directly his way. Latios wondered if that had anything to do with that subtle change in her scent some time before the other three females came in, but he brushed that off. The change was brief, and her scent returned to normal soon afterwards. In fact, Latios wasn’t even sure if he didn’t imagine it.

“After all,” he concluded, “if that was so, wouldn’t she be... doing the opposite from shying away?”

As that thought crossed his mind, Latios almost immediately imagined Fluttershy coming up to him and looked into his eyes with her big blue ones, bringing her muzzle to his...

He was pulled out of those thoughts by a strange sensation coming from the base of his wings. Latios glanced at them, and noticed that, while they were still folded, they were also tense and ready to spring up. Annoyed, he recalled how they stretched automatically yesterday when Fluttershy tended to his wounds. He realized that this was probably some sign of excitement among winged ponies.

“Wow, look how late it is ya’ll.” Applejack said and Latios turned his head to regard her, taking his eyes and thoughts away from his wings strange behaviour. “Ah guess we lost track of time a bit here.”

Glancing through the window Applejack was nodding her head towards to, Latios had to admit she’s right. The sky outside was rapidly becoming darker, and few stars were already visible.

“I didn’t even notice we’ve been ‘talking’ here so long.” he realized with a mild surprise. “Well, at least now I should be able to return to my nest at the river...”

“I think it’s about time we all went home.” Twilight said, as if confirming his thoughts. “Spike and I will have to run some errands in the morning, and we were all supposed to have a picnic by the swimming hole around dinnertime.”

At the mention of Spike’s name, Latios glanced at him. When he asked some time earlier (probably half a day ago, judging by the evening sky) what kind of creature he was, he was informed that he was a dragon. Latios, while he knew that dragons came in almost every shape or form, has never seen any other kind of dragon besides his, so he grew curious about what ponies knew. However, when he vaguely tried to turn this conversation into topic of dragons, he was informed that they knew barely anything about them, as they were all brutes that preferred isolation, with Spike being exception.

“Guess I’m stuck with ponies.” Latios mused as he recalled that, while everyone stood up and prepared to leave. “Although, I don’t really mind... I just want to return to my real form for few moments...”

“So, Eon,” Rainbow unexpectedly came up to him from side and started talking with a strange expression or they muzzle, “you will be staying with Fluttershy, right?” Latios eyes widened, but before he got a chance to reply in any way, she continued: “You know, because of those wounds of yours that haven’t healed yet.”

Latios winced inwardly. He completely forgot about those scratches, or that he wasn’t in his real body. He spared a second to curse those ponies’ slow cicatrisation, and then turned to Fluttershy questioningly. Since this was her den, he wouldn’t argue if she thought it would be best for him to stay, despite how irritating this situation was.

Fluttershy, on the other paw, looked away from him. Latios noticed that her coat’s color on muzzle once again gained red hue.

“I... I think that would be best...” she muttered quietly, and even he had problems hearing that.

Latios looked at the other females with raised eyebrow, but he saw that they were as confused by their friend’s behaviour as he was.

Except for Rainbow Dash, she looked as she was about to burst with laughter.

“Care to explain what is so funny to you, Rainbow Dash?” Rarity asked their laughing friend as they all made their way back to Ponyville, besides Applejack and Apple Bloom, who headed straight back home at Sweet Apple Acres.

Twilight was also curious as to why Rainbow was giggling practically ever since they left Fluttershy’s cottage. She didn’t notice anything funny to happen while they were there in the last few hours... maybe other than their shy friend’s strange attitude of being uncomfortable with Eon Guard, in contrast to her attitude this morning. The image of Fluttershy pinning the poor stallion to the floor was going to stay burned into her mind for a long time.

“Speaking of Eon Guard...” she mused, trying to distract her thoughts, “This city where he came from, Altomare... It’s surely not within Equestria, and I don’t even recall any similarly named city to be in Saddle Arabia or Aquastria.”

She wondered if it was too late to send a letter to Celestia at this hour.

Fluttershy and Eon Guard both eat their salads in silence. Eon, for obvious reason, and Fluttershy was too nervous thinking about all that Dashie told her.

I meant that it looked as if you were bucking.

“It couldn’t look like that...” she tried to protest in her mind, but at the same time, she wondered why the memory of that moment made her feel so... funny.

When you two start sleeping together, ask him what he thinks about threesomes.

A squeak escaped her lips, causing Eon Guard to look up from his supper.

“Sorry, I... remembered something.” she quickly said.

That seemed to satisfy his curiosity, for he simply returned to eating. Fluttershy, who now wasn’t feeling hungry, took her plate and returned to the kitchen.

She went on to feed her chickens snacks before night, and, having done all that she needed this day, she came back to her living room. To her surprise, she saw Eon lying down on her couch.

“What are you doing here?” Fluttershy asked, forgetting about her issues in shock. “You’re supposed to sleep in my bed, not here.”

The stallion in reply nodded at a piece of that laid on the table. Confused, she picked it up.

It’s your bed. You sleep there.

“That’s out of the question!” Fluttershy replied immediately “You’re my guest, and you are wounded!”

But Eon Guard appeared to have none of it. For her arguments, he simply shook his head and pointed with his hoof at the stairs, then turned the other way on the couch.

“Oh no, mister!” she said somewhat angrily, like whenever Angled tried to be difficult ever since that short ‘episode’ of hers. “You are going to sleep upstairs, and I’m sleeping on the couch, did you get that!? Look at me while I’m talking to you, mister!”

Fluttershy grabbed him by the shoulder, intending to turn him around and force him into submission with her Stare, but then Eon Guard did something she didn’t expect. He spun around, grabbed her, and before she managed to do even “eek” of surprise, he dragged her to her bedroom and dropped her on the bed, and he himself landed on the opposite side of it.

She could only stare in shock at him, while he also looked back at her. Eon throat gave out strange, but terrifying rumble, as if telling her:

“You’re staying here.”

Fluttershy gulped, trying to calm herself and not hyperventilate. What he just did - dragged her to her bed - scared her soul out of her, and for a brief moment she was afraid that he would try to... do something to her. However, as she continued to look into his violet ones, she saw nothing threatening in them. He even appeared to be somewhat sorry for what he did a second ago, probably due to seeing how scared she was.

Resigned, but feeling safe, she tried to make herself comfortable... but then she recalled all that Dash was suggesting, which resulted her becoming all but comfortable.

“Oh my goodness...” she thought, beginning to panic. “I’m in bed with... with a stallion...”

It was good thing that she was laying, because she now felt extremely dizzy.

Fluttershy wasn’t sure how long did they stayed like this: both of them looking into each other eyes, she being too nervous to do anything else, and Eon… simply just breathing, or even sniffing from time to time. Some parts of her mind manage to see resemblance between his behaviour and that of her animals, but as when she began to calm down, the stallion has crept a bit closer.

Panic surged through her, and she wanted to jump away, but at the same time, her body refused to listen to her. She continued to lie there, shaking and feeling hot, as if she was on fire, while Eon, after moving closer and closer, had stopped. He continued to stare into her eyes, and Fluttershy, despite her fear, managed to see in his...

…. a question.

And Fluttershy realised she needed to give him an answer.

She gulped nervously, trying to say or do anything despite her fear, to let him know that she didn’t want… this; but at the same time, she... she wanted to...

The pegasus could feel her wings stretch themselves some time ago, so there was no denying that some part of her wanted this. And she did like him a lot...

He crept even closer, to the point that their lips almost touched.

After what seemed like ages, Fluttershy held her breath, closed her eyes, and leaned forward, kissing him.

Author's Note

Changed the rating into teen, which I probably should have done after previous chapter.

9. Advices

Rarity hummed as her eyes skimmed over the text in the spa’s magazine. She wondered what was keeping Fluttershy so long. Granted, she was being late for only about ten minutes, but it was still highly unusual for her.

“I hope none of her critters had any accident.” the unicorn thought with a dread. “She’s always so sad whenever they get hurt... Or maybe she just got wrapped up with Eon Guard? Could his wounds gotten worse?”

But as soon as the memory of Eon cuts entered her head (along with the physique of the said stallion) the spa’s doors opened, revealing Fluttershy. Almost as if in contrast to Rarity’s suspicion, her pegasus friend emanated with happiness, although when she looked her way that quickly changed into an embarrassment mixture of sorrow when she noticed the time on the clock and the unicorn sitting on a sofa, reading a magazine.

“Oh gosh, Rarity, I’m so sorry for being late.” Fluttershy quickly apologized. “I was just so lost in thoughts that I flew around Ponyville, completely forgetting why I left my cottage in the first place.”

“That’s alright, dear.” Rarity replied cheerfully, but despite the tone of her voice she studied her friend. There was something about her that immediately alerted fashionista’s senses, and she had a certain suspicion as to what could cause this behaviour. “The usual.” she said turning to Aloe and Lotus, deciding to pry during the treatment.

Latios sighed, pondering what to do to kill time, as some baby ‘mices’ jumped up and down on his back while he laid on the couch. He didn’t mind, as their weight was practically non-existent, and besides, seeing young creatures enjoy themselves always made him happy.

Other than being used as a living playground, there wasn’t much to do here. He couldn’t fly here and didn’t want to leave Fluttershy’s cottage, because if he didn’t get back before her, he would make her worried, which was out of the question. Despite so many creatures living here with her, her den was surprisingly clean, he had already cleaned up the plates after the breakfast together with Fluttershy before she left. He didn’t feel compelled to read any of the books she had...

“I wish she would get back soon.” he thought lazily, placing his head down on the couch. He yawned, not even the excitement at the prospect of seeing Fluttershy again soon able to hold off his tiredness. “With her, I could just lay here... Wait!” he snapped as he rose, noticing finally that something was wrong. “Why am I so tired?”

And as he thought it, a terrible pain raced through his chest.

About five minutes after Fluttershy arrived both of them were sitting in a sauna, enjoying this one of the many services they would experience within the next hour. Since now they were in a bit more private setting, Rarity began her investigation.

“So, darling, was there any particular reason for why you were ‘lost in thoughts’?”

The effect of her question was instantaneous. Fluttershy gave a little squeak of surprise, and looked away, blushing.

“Um, well...” she stammered quietly.

“Seems my guess is correct.” Rarity thought happily, but in spite of that she continued to question her friend.

“When you entered the spa you seemed so happy.” she reminded the pegasus. “Would that had anything to do with it?”

This time, Fluttershy didn’t even try to reply with words, but she did nod her head.

“Would a certain blue pegasus stallion had anything to do with it?” Rarity finally asked the question.

By now, Fluttershy’s coat was more red than yellow, and it had nothing to do with the temperature within the room. The pony herself was moving her front hooves in a circular motion against each other in what Rarity knew was an attempt to fight off the panic attack. But then very slowly, with a quick glance her way, Fluttershy nodded.

“Yes, I knew it!” Rarity exclaimed happily, immediately seizing the pegasus, despite her slight panic. “Tell me everything!”

And so Fluttershy told her. At the beginning, she was so embarrassed and unsure about talking about something so private, even with one of her best friends, that she continued to mumble and mix words. But eventually, warmed up by Rarity’s enthusiasm and sincere interest, she felt much better and confident. She still discounted the precise description of what she and Eon were doing from her tale, saying only that they’ve ‘cuddled’, but it had proven to be enough for Rarity to squeal with excitement.

“Oh, Fluttershy, I’m so happy for you.” the unicorn exclaimed once Fluttershy finished telling her how sad Eon seemed when she left her cottage. They were currently now taking a mud bath, as their conversation didn’t stop them from taking a full treatment they ordered. The spa ponies were known for not saying a word about what was said between their clients during their sessions, or that they didn’t even listen most of the time. However, Fluttershy did spot both Aloe and Lotus glancing her way and sending her an honest smile. “Do you know how rare it is, to have your true love basically bump into you one day?”

“You... you really think this is a true love?” Fluttershy asked her.

The pegasus herself had no doubt that Eon Guard had deep feelings for her, as strong as her were for him, despite how short they knew each other. But her friend opinion still mattered to her. Rarity was much more experience in not only romance, but also interacting with ponies overall.”

“I am certain of it!” the fashionista replied, much to her delight. “But what are you doing here, instead of over at your cottage with him?!”

“W-well...” the yellow mare stammered, put off by the sudden change of subject. “We always...”

“Darling, I would perfectly understand if you would skip one spa session in favor of being with your coltfriend.” Rarity cut her off, already knowing what she was going to say. “But that’s alright, as long as you go with him on a proper date afterwards.”

“But what about the picnic by the swimming hole?”

That question made Rarity pause, and for the next few seconds, she rubbed her chin, her brow furrowed as she pondered what Fluttershy just said.

“How about you invite him to join us, then?” she finally suggested. “The girls would like to know him better, anyway, especially now that he’s your coltfriend!”

“Oh, I don’t know if that’s a good idea.” the pegasus countered. “He seemed to be a little uncomfortable yesterday with everypony’s attention on him.”

“Hmm, you might have a point. But still, you should at least ask him if he would like to come together with you. I will talk with the girls so that they won’t bother him too much.”

Fluttershy had to admit that it was a good idea. Not to mention that at the thought of spending more time with Eon she felt warmth emanating from her body.

Latios panted as he took unsteady steps to the kitchen, hoping to drink some water. The initial spasm, that hit him so unexpectedly, thankfully ended quickly. However, soon after that, more attacks came, every ten minutes or so. Every time the pain was so great that Latios fell to the ground, unable to concentrate on standing still. At least he managed to keep his disguise. From what he observed, Fluttershy seemed to understand what her ‘animal friends’ about as well as other ponies, so changing back into his true shape would be rather troublesome.

The critters themselves all gathered around him whenever he was in pain, sensing that something was wrong. Angel even was about to race through the door, no doubt to get some help, but Latios motioned for him to not do that. He didn’t want to worry Fluttershy with what he was fairly certain was her fault.

“That medicine thing that she made me swallow must have caused it.” he thought as he poured himself a glass of water. “I knew it would be bad for me. But I cannot let her know about this. It’s not her fault; she was just trying to help me.”

The spasms ended some time ago, and although he still felt weak and tired, his usual stamina was slowly coming back to him. Latios guessed that whatever effect the medicine had on him must have worn out.

His ears twitched at the sound of the doors opening, and very quickly they were followed by his wings outstretching and taking him to the entrance. Latios looked happily at Fluttershy, who just returned and replied with similar expression. As he landed next to her to nuzzle her in greeting, he noticed that Rarity came with her, and had some strange Meowth-like creature (only more white and fatter) within a cage, that she hovered next to her with her using her psychic powers... at least Latios assumed so.

Sniffing her scent subtlety, Latios noticed to his displeasure that her natural one it was masked by the similar one to that she had when he bumped into her. While it was a pleasant smell, he hoped it would wear off soon. Her natural scent was much more enchanting.

“Sorry for being out a bit longer, but I forgot that after spa Rarity wanted me to take care of her cat Opal for few days.” she explained, blushing, as they pulled back.

Latios nodded to Rarity in greeting, who replied with “Good morning!” However, Latios ears caught some strange... happiness behind those two words?

“I need to get something to drink.” Fluttershy said, making her way to the kitchen. “Rarity, could I get you anything?”

“A glass of water would be nice, darling. It’s really hot today.”

The yellow female nodded as she walked away. Latios, whose eyes never left her, was about to follow her, when he felt Rarity press her hoof against his shoulder.

“So, I hear you two are becoming quite close.” she said in happy tone.

Latios crooked his head in confusion, but he nodded nonetheless. He didn’t see a point in hiding it.

“Well, I think that it’s just great, and I hope you two will be very happy.” Rarity continued in the same tone. “But I feel obligated to mention one thing.” she added, leaning closer. “Break her heart... and I’ll break you.”

The cold fury with which she said those two last words, coupled with the stare she gave him, were so shocking that -despite himself- Latios backed away. He could tell that she meant those words, and somehow, despite knowing that he was much stronger that this pony, he knew that she would follow them through if he would gave her a reason to.

“Here’s your water, Rarity.” Fluttershy said who flied out of her kitchen while holding a glass of water. At the sound of her voice, Latios snapped, returning to his usual self.

“Thank you very much, darling.” Rarity replied in her previous, happy voice. She slowly drank the contents of the glass, and then gave it back to Fluttershy. “I need to get back to my boutique for now. Thanks again for the water and taking Opal, Fluttershy.”

“No problem, Rarity, you’re always welcome.” the yellow female told her as her friend went through the doors.

“I’ll see you at the picnic, then. I’ll leave you two lovebirds alone, bye!”

10. Couch and fireplace

Fluttershy moaned as Eon’s attention switched from the back of her neck onto her wings. They were both now lying on her couch, where they moved shortly after Rarity had left. Fluttershy wanted to talk to the stallion about the picnic, but as soon as she turned to him, her cheeks red after the unicorn’s comment, Eon leaned to her and began licking and kissing her across her muzzle. Under his tender display of affection, the pegasus mare found herself unable to focus on her goal, and let herself to be directed and almost showed on her couch.

Despite that, she didn’t feel afraid even for an instant. Eon, while quite... insistent in showing his affection, was still very gentle. Fluttershy could tell that at her slightest signal he would stop. However, she subconsciously lay on her stomach instead of her back, and had tail tucked between her hind legs. If the stallion took any offense to that, he did not show it, and continued to pleasure her.

His tongue moved between her feathers and he gently bit her right on her sweet spots, making her wiggle her hooves under her body. At some point, in her excitement, she grabbed her tail with front hooves and slightly pulled, making her tail brush... a certain spot.

The shy pegasus squeaked, out of surprise, pleasure, and embarrassment. Eon, as if sensing it wasn’t due to his action, stopped and moved his head to look her in the eye.

“S-sorry, I... I think it’s enough cuddling for a while.” she stammered, her cheeks now even redder now that she had nearly clopped herself, with her tail no less.

Eon raised an eyebrow in confusion, and Fluttershy could swear that he widened his nostrils for a moment, as if trying to determine by scent was wrong with her. However, he did not object, and moved a bit further away, to give her more space.

Fluttershy shifted her body, wanting to lie more comfortably and without a risk of her tail touching her there. As she did so, she felt Eon’s wing extend over her and hug her softly. The yellow mare smiled and kissed him on the cheek.

“You’re so sweet...” she hummed, and allowed herself to linger like that for few moments, almost dozing off. But then she remembered about the picnic, and shook her head, banishing her sleepiness. “Hey, Eon, um... would you like to go with me on a picnic with the rest of my friends?”

The other pegasus, who also nearly dozed off, opened his eye lazily and looked at her questioningly.

“We’ve been planning that picnic for few days now, so it would be rude of me if I wouldn’t go and stayed here with you.” Fluttershy quickly explained. “But I want to spend as much time with you as possible, and... and I think it would be nice if you- we hung out with my friends together.”

There was a trace of uncertainty in his otherwise loving gaze, and the shy pegasus recalled how he felt uncomfortable during the previous day’s interrogations.

“I’m sure they won’t try to bother you as much as yesterday. And they were just curious about you; they didn’t mean to be so bothersome... I mean... I will understand if you won’t want to come...”

She trailed off, sadness creeping into her voice. As much as she wanted Eon Guard to come with her, she far more wanted to spare him any discomfort. Fluttershy was about to say that it might be better if he chose to stay, but a hoof gently pressed against her lips stopped her. She looked up from the hoof into Eon eyes; those gorgeous, loving violet eyes, full of affection for her.

He smiled at her comfortingly and took his hoof of her lips, replacing it with his instead. His kissing skills has gone a bit better since the last night events, as his tongue managed to make his way into her mouth easily. Fluttershy eagerly replied by melding her mouth with his, and even wrapped her hooves around his neck. They lasted like this for a couple of seconds, before Eon pulled back, and leaned over to the table. Confused, Fluttershy glanced at what he was doing, and saw him writing something on a piece of paper.

“Oh, right.” she thought, feeling extremely stupid for forgetting that her coltfriend cannot speak.

Fluttershy waited patiently for him to finish, and when he did, he turned back to her and gave her the note that said:

It is true that I feel uncomfortable while being surrounded by so many ponies, I don’t really mind their company that much. Besides... I would do anything for you. I will be happy to come with you to this picnic.

The pegasus mare felt her mouth twist in a smile, not only because Eon had agreed to the picnic, but also because of what he wrote.

I would do anything for you.

She was so touched by his words that once again she threw herself at his neck, hugging and kissing him furiously. Eon, although initially surprised, didn’t remain inactive for long. Both pegasi continue to please each other for few more moments, and if it weren’t for that they would need to prepare for the picnic both of them would be content to stay like this until tomorrow.

“You’re so wonderful...” Fluttershy whispered as they finally stopped. “We need to get going, though, if we want to make it in time. Will you help me pack few things?”

Eon nodded, blinking at her as if surprised that she even needed to ask. The yellow mare brushed his cheek in appreciation, and both of them rose, heading towards the kitchen.

The stallions’ wing was still wrapped around her.

“So will you tell me what Celestia’s letter was all about?” Spike asked or about a hundredth time, as annoyed as he was for the previous ninety-eight times.

“Spike, I already told you, it was nothing important.” Twilight replied as before, as she readjusted her saddlebag within which she carried a blanked and a few sweets.

“Then why won’t you tell me?!” the baby dragon tried again, although he knew by now that his friend would not give him the answer.

Spike crossed his arms, recalling Twilight’s reaction to the letter. There was no way it was ‘nothing important’, not when she had such puzzled expression on her face. And when he asked her the first time, she practically jumped into the air.

Since then the unicorn brushed off all his questions. However, if Twilight thought that Spike even for a second bought what she said, she clearly underestimated her assistant’s intelligence. The dragon could tell that something was going on, and the fact that the lavender pony chose to keep him in the dark about it only served to frustrate him.

“Although, it’s not like I can do anything about it...” he thought, resigned, as he glanced at the fireplace.

The broken royal seal was still yet visible among the fire and the burned remains of the letter.

11. At the picnic

Latios trotted happily alongside Fluttershy throughout the meadow. He didn’t mind that they weren’t flying. With him being stuck in this form for two days now, he had gotten used to it, and now using those legs to move around was quite enjoyable. He also didn’t really mind that they would spend some time with Fluttershy’s friends, as they seemed nice. Although, he would prefer to be just with her...

He shook his head before his wings would react to his excitement. So far, Fluttershy appeared declined to the idea of mating, so Latios wouldn’t try to push the issue. He was more than content to simply ‘cuddle’, as she put it, with her.

“We’re close to it now.” Fluttershy told him, turning her head to smile at him. “I think I can hear them!”

He nodded in reply, as he could hear them for some time. Unless his hearing was off today, everypony besides them was already there. Latios sighed inwardly and hoped that they wouldn’t ask him questions that would require for him to write them. He brought a pencil with a small notepad Twilight had left him, but he preferred-

“Wait!” he thought, and although he continued to trot with Fluttershy, his mind concentrated at one. “I smell... water? And a lot of it, too... could there be a lake of sorts?”

Now that he began to think about it, during the past week when he was observing ponies, he never really followed any of them in this direction. It so happened that the first two that spotted going there were mates (despite both of them being females), and half-way to the point where Fluttershy and he were now they started... Well, suffice to say that Latios decided to give them some privacy. Since then, the Eon Dragon completely ignored ponies that were going this way, although now it was clear to him that not all of them had rutting in mind while coming here.

He only had seconds to ponder all of that, because Fluttershy’s friends and the small lake came quickly into their sight. Seeing the latter, Latios smiled at the possibility of swimming in it, even if not today.

“Geez, what took you guys so long?” Rainbow Dash asked once they joined them.

Despite her pretentious question, the pegasus had a badly hidden smirk on her face. Latios raised an eyebrow at that, and then moved on to study the remaining four. Pinkie Pie, who was floating above the ground thanks to the few balloons she had tied around her chest for whatever reason, had that usual all-happy smile. Applejack eyes darted between him and Fluttershy, although when she noticed that he watched her she blushed and looked the other way. Rarity smiled at the two of them as they said their greetings, nothing in her demeanor showing any hint of bloodlust she expressed while threatening him.

As Latios felt a cold chill run down his spine at that memory, he turned to Twilight, and found her staring at him studiously as well.

“So, is it true, or was Rarity pulling our legs?” Rainbow asked few minutes later when they all were sitting on a blanket.

The question, although expected, made Fluttershy choke on the cupcake she was eating. Eon delicately patted her on the back with his wing. Once she got better, Fluttershy gave him a grateful smile.

“Rainbow Dash, I did not tell you about it so you could pester them!” Rarity told the pegasus angrily.

“I’m not pestering them, I’m just curious.” Rainbow replied, annoyed. “Lighten up, would’ya?” turning back to the two other pegasi, she repeated: “So, is it true or not?”

“Come on,” Fluttershy chastened herself, “there’s nothing to be ashamed off...”

“Well... yes.” she told her friends, her cheeks.

“Well then, congrats ya two.” Applejack was first to recover. “Ah think ya two look cute together.”

The others soon joined in congratulating them, with Pinkie giving them both a hug and proposing a party to celebrate it, to which both her and Eon blushed and protested. Their identical reaction earned them few remarks from Dashie, which mostly made even them laugh, save for the “Birds of a feather buck together.” that again made them embarrassed.

About twenty minutes later, Fluttershy noticed that Eon Guard was writing something on a note. Curious, she glanced right at the moment when he gave it to her.

Mind if I go for a swim?

“Oh, not at all.” she replied, slightly amused that he asked her for a permission.

Eon Guard nodded gratefully, and rose up, stretching his body after sitting for so long. He didn’t jump into the water right away as Fluttershy expected, but instead flew into the air, stopped about ten meters high, and then dove right into the swimming hole.

Latios’ heart leaped in his chest at the familiar sensation of diving into cold water. Opening his eyes underwater, he saw many underwater plants, fishes, and some kind of squid. They all run away from the bigger creature, as Latios swam down to the bottom.

Unfortunately, despite his pegasus form being nearly as fast in the air as his real one, the same couldn’t be said about his speed in the water. That, joined with his smaller lungs’ capacity, made him retreat back towards the surface as soon as his hoof touched the bottom. Using both hooves and wings, Latios tried to speed up, and soon before he would reached the surface he began spinning, so when he finally jumped out into the air and his wings outstretched, his feathers quickly shook of the water, letting him fly again.

“Pff, show off.” Rainbow Dash commented, once they saw Eon Guard breach the surface of the water and lounge into the air once more.

Twilight, who had more pressing matters on her head, merely rolled her eyes. The letter from the Princess unnerved her, especially with this recent development.

“Oh, Fluttershy...” she thought bitterly, glancing at her friend, whose big blue eyes watched Eon with awe and love at his display of skill. “I am happy for you, I really am, but the letter... what have you gotten yourself into?”

Sighing, Twilight run over in her head the context of the letter, hoping that this time it will make much more sense:

My dearest Twilight

I regret to inform you that I was too busy to read your letter yesterday and only got around this morning to it. If I had time the previous day, I would reply right away.

Read my next words carefully, Twilight, and memorise them, for I will need you to burn this letter and not mention its context to anypony. You must not let this Eon Guard to become too closely-attached to any of your friends. It would be the wisest if you could separate him from Fluttershy, with whom he seems to have much in common, according to your letter. However, in the event that it is already too late for that (I trust that I don’t have to explain what I mean by that to you), you must do the opposite: ensure that the pony he had gotten close with is at his side at all times.

I know this must be confusing, my faithful student, but it cannot be explained over letter. And I cannot come to Ponyville, as I need to go to Griffonia with a diplomatic mission (meaning that paranoiac of King, Olaf the Fourth, things again that griffons living in our country are oppressed and I need to dissuade those worries. I swear, of all the kings griffons had, this one is the most annoying one I had to deal with...), and I won’t be back for three days.

I trust that you will make sure everything will be as I asked of you. Have faith in me, as I have in you.

Your trusting mentor,

Princess Celestia

PS: Remember to burn this letter, and not to say a word to anypony.

Author's Note

I'm afraid that "The Hero of Altomare will be going on break again. I need to think more carefully about what is going to happen next, as I only have a general idea so far, and I want to focus on my main story for a while.

12. Dragon's treasure

Latios shook as he landed nearby the group, getting the last droplets of water off his feathers and coat. He made sure before he did so that he was far away enough from the mares, not wanting to get them wet.

“Wow, you really like swimming, don't you?” Fluttershy asked, with her voice warm.

The Eon Dragon wished he could purr to her in reply, but he was unable to do so in this form. So instead, he settled for nodding. As he made sure one last time that he was dry, Latios trotted over to Fluttershy and lay beside her. A yawn escaped him.

“Oh my, you must be tired.” he heard the pegasus say. “Why don't you take a nap?”

Latios had to admit that flying and swimming like that was a bit taxing to him, mostly due to the pain spasms he suffered earlier. Plus, it was really sunny today, and the atmosphere around the lake was making him drowsy. So he took Fluttershy's advice, deciding he could use some rest. Latios placed his head on his outstretched hooves, and snuggled up closer to the yellow pegasus, breathing in her sweet scent.

He fell asleep quickly, but before he did, he felt Fluttershy's wing stretch out over him.

“Aww, you two look so sweet.” Rarity exclaimed quietly, watching Fluttershy and Eon Guard.

Fluttershy blushed hearing the compliment, but she smiled happily. “Thanks.”

The shy pegasus took a glance at her coltfriend's sleeping form. She was surprised how quickly he had fallen asleep, but then again, she grown used to him being an unusual pony.

“Gee, he must have been really tired.” Rainbow Dash remarked, which pulled her out of her musing. She looked at her friend and saw her grinning. “What were you doing all night?”

“Rainbow Dash!” Rarity and Twilight both hissed.

“Nothing!” Fluttershy immediately replied; now even more red on her face. “I-I mean... we only snuggled...”

“Fluttershy, while it is perfectly normal to talk with your friends about everything, you most certainly shouldn't confine in a friend that asks in such manner.” Rarity lectured her, glaring at Rainbow Dash.

The cyan pegasus rolled her eyes and once again turned to Fluttershy. “So, I take you haven't asked him yet what he thinks about threesomes, huh?”

Fluttershy squeaked in embarrassment, and barely noticed that Rarity and Twilight looked aghast at Rainbow, while Applejack and Pinkie Pie snorted with laughter.

A sound of laughter stirred Latios from his sleep. He raised his head, looking around the company sheepishly.

“Oh my, I'm sorry, we didn't mean to wake you up.” his love almost at once said, looking at him worriedly.

“It's so cute that she worries over little things like this.” Latios thought, touched, as he flicked his ears. The noises of laughter had died down since he woke up. “Why is her head red?”

Seeing his crooked to the side head, Fluttershy quickly exclaimed: “We were just... talking about some things.”

The Eon Dragon could easily tell that she wasn't telling him the whole truth (a snicker that escaped Rainbow Dash was a big clue), but decided to drop it. He guessed that it must have been something really embarrassing for the female, maybe even something to do with him. Latios shuddered at the thought of being the reason for Fluttershy's discomfort, but quickly told himself that those ponies around her were her friends, so they wouldn't make any jibs at her expense that were too hurtful.

Due to his momentarily worry over Fluttershy, his sleepiness had cleared. No longer being tired, Latios took another glance around the lake, as he heard the females also relax. They'd again begin talking about something, but he wasn't paying them too much attention, until he felt Fluttershy tap his shoulder. Latios glanced at her and saw her holding an apple in her hoof, bearing a smile on her muzzle.

Latios nodded gratefully and accepted the apple, moving a bit to join the circle of friends. He might feel uncomfortably around so many creatures, but he knew how to properly behave while being a part of the group.

“So, Twilight,” Rainbow Dash was asking, “I've heard that a new 'Daring Do' book came out recently.”

“Yes, I know, I already ordered it.” the lavender female replied. “I should get it tomorrow.”

“Awesome!” the pegasus exclaimed taking the air and doing a barrel in her excitement.

“Why are ponies and humans so obsessed with those books?” Latios wondered as he chewed down on his apple. “I'll admit, this writing thing is useful, but why read about stuff when you can experience them yourself? Or those other books Bianca had read those... 'fairy tales', or what not. Why read about stuff that's impossible to happen?”

He pondered 'voicing' his questions, but decided against it. He didn't care much about that back in Altomare, he would care here. If Bianca and those ponies liked to read, it was their business. He had much more appreciation for the thrill of flight and coolness of water, of both silence and gentle hums of nature, of the warmth of the sun against his fur and the feeling of earth beneath him as he lay down like this, and of the sweet scent of the loved one lying beside him.

“So, what's the title of this one?” Rainbow Dash asked Twilight once she calmed herself.

“It's 'Daring Do and the Dragon's Treasure'.”

Latios ears perked up hearing that. “Dragon's?”

But all thoughts that came to his mind evaporated as he sensed the very next heartbeat his mate tense besides him. He looked at her, puzzled and worried.

“Oh, don't worry about it.” she said, realizing to what he reacted. “I just... don't really like dragons, that's all.”

It was a good thing she turned her head away from him, and that her friends were all too busy to notice.

To see the shocked and pained expression that was on Latios’ muzzle.

“Alright, see you later girls.” Fluttershy said her farewells as the group parted, the setting sun growing red over the end of the horizon, and she and Eon headed towards her cottage.

It didn't escape her notice that her coltfriend was feeling down. She couldn't understand why. All throughout the picnic, he seemed quite happy, and not at all bothered by the company of his friends.

“Today was really fun, wouldn't you agree?” she asked, hoping that she could figure out what was wrong.

Eon Guard nodded eagerly, and smiled to her, but when he turned his head away, his ears again fell down a bit, and there was a certain... pain in his trot.

“Eon, what's wrong?” Fluttershy decided to drop the subtle approach, her worry over him clouding everything else. “Don't give me that.” she said gently as the stallion began to shake his head. “I can tell you're feeling down and... I don't know why. Please, Eon I want to help you.”

Latios looked into her eyes, blue eyes that suddenly became teary, and was unable to look away.

He hated this. He hated that he was making her worry, that he was causing her pain. Latios wished he could just explain everything to her, but-

I just... don't really like dragons, that's all.

“I've been a fool.” Latios thought, pain clawing his heart, greater than if he himself used his claws against his chest. “How could I become mates with a creature so unlike me, while wearing her species shape? I lied to her, and... and I...”

“Eon?” Fluttershy asked in a voice barely louder than a whisper, as she moved her muzzle closer to his, her teary eyes searching his, now equally teary.

“Fluttershy...”

A moment before their muzzles touched, something interrupted them.

A loud shriek of terror and flashes of green light had erupted, both coming from Ponyville.

13. Heartache

Latios’ ears perked as both he and Fluttershy turned to Ponyville. The sounds he heard were nothing like what he came to associate with this small town. Instead of laughter and singing, shrieks of terror and fear were piercing the air. The occasional blast of strange green light was accompanied by the sounds of explosions, and in between them Latios managed to make out a racket of hooves, either of ponies running away… or fighting.

The Eon Dragon was torn. His instinct was telling him to take Fluttershy someplace safe, but his long years spent guarding Altomare made it hard for him to just fly away and leave Ponyville to its fate.

“W-what is g-going on?” Fluttershy stammered in fright, as her eyes darted between the town and him, as if expecting Latios to explain it.

He could smell her fear; he was afraid, too, for he came to care not only for her but for her friends as well. And Latios observed ponies of Ponyville for a week, he had seen them smiling, talking, laughing, singing and dancing… being happy. To think that they would come under attack, that something would threaten the happiness of the small town, was unthinkable.

But… As Latios glanced down at Fluttershy, he knew that his first concern was for her. He nudged her and pointed at the direction of her den. Once she was away from this madness, he would return to see what was going on.

“Y-you want me to go back to my home?” she asked trembling, but when she glanced back at Ponyville, she stopped and shook her head. “No.”

“Did she… just say ‘no’?” Latios thought in shock.

“My friends are in Ponyville, and they will need my help.” Fluttershy continued before he could protest. “And all the other ponies as well.”

Latios had finally recovered, and attempted to try and convince her to let him lead her away. Nothing worked. Fluttershy was determined to go into what was most likely a battle to try and save her friends.

He should have expected that. Her caring nature was one of the reasons why he had fallen for her. But… that was no place for her. Latios struggled to think of a good way to make her see reason, but he was spared of doing that by the sound of approaching hooves.

They both looked to see Rarity galloping towards them. It was clear from the way she moved that she was hurt, and in the next second Latios and Fluttershy could see bruises all over her.

“Oh my gosh, Rarity!” Fluttershy exclaimed as flew towards her. “What happened?!”

“I-I…” the white unicorn tried to speak. “... they… Ponyville…”

Sensing what was about to happen, Latios leaped forward, just in time to caught her before she fell on the ground as she lost consciousness.

“Rarity!” the yellow pegasus immediately was at her friends side, checking her injuries.

Latios managed an angry growl through his mute throat. Whoever had done this to Rarity and everybody else was about to witness how dangerous the fury of an Eon Dragon can be.

He looked at Fluttershy; as she took her friend from his hooves. She looked at her, then at him, and then finally at Ponyville. “I… I will take Rarity back to my cottage and take care of her.” Fluttershy finally said. She turned to him, pleadingly. “Eon, I don’t want you to get hurt, too. But… please, save my friends. Save Ponyville. Please.”

Latios nodded. He would have liked to see her to safety, but he understood her concern. If Rarity got hurt so badly, in what state could be those still in the town?

The pegasus leaned to him and pressed her lips against his. Latios responded to the kiss, knowing that it might take a while for them to experience such pleasure again. He embraced her with his forelegs, cradling her mane, as he pulled back. His nose leaned against hers for a few more seconds while the two pairs of eyes gazed into each other.

“Stay safe.” Latios begged her in thoughts before he stepped back and shot into the air.

Fluttershy watched as Eon Guard flew towards Ponyville. She had no idea why she asked him to do something that dangerous. Fluttershy was more scared that she could remember ever being; she was afraid for her friends, for Ponyville… And now for Eon, who was flying towards danger because she asked him to.

“But…”

She remembered how he saved Angel by tackling a manticore. How he was both strong and gentle, how he genuinely cared about her.

“He will be fine.” she tried to convince herself. “And I will go help him once Rarity is safe… Then I will get Applejack and Big Mac from Sweet Apple Acres, they will know what’s best to do.”

Just as she was about to head back to her cottage with her friend gently carried on her back - as gently as a weak pegasus like her could, at least - the said unicorn groaned.

“F-Flutter… shy…?”

“Hush, Rarity, you are safe.” she comforted her friend, even though she wanted to cry as she thought about her injuries. “Don’t worry, we’re going to my home, I will take care of you…”

“Oh… that won’t be… necessary…” Rarity murmured as she tried to rise from her back.

“What do you mean?” Fluttershy asked, turning around to look at her.

A flash of green light blinded her, and then everything went dark.

“What are those creatures?” Latios mused as he observed the Ponyville’s marketplace from hiding.

He took too much time trying to persuade Fluttershy to go back to her den and hide, for by the time he had reached Ponyville, the fighting has ended. All ponies that resisted those that attacked had either lied beaten and unconscious… or were placed in big, pony-sized green cocoons.

Latios watched as a unicorn was sealed into one by strange, black creatures. They were pony-shaped, leading the Eon Dragon to speculate that they were another kind of their species. However, they were definitely at least part bugs, for he could see similarities between them and Yanmegas that often fly by the garden where he and Latias lived in. Their bodies were protected by a carapace, and they had membranous wings, with blue compound eyes. They also had strange crooked horns which, from what Latios saw, served the same purposes as those of unicorns. But perhaps the strangest things about them was their legs - for a reason Latios couldn’t phantom, they had holes in them.

Oh, and like him, they could shapeshift. Just now, around one of the ponies that still stood erupted green flames; when they dispersed, there was another of those bug-type ponies in her place.

From his hiding place behind the tower of the town hall, Latios watched as the female placed a bruised Rainbow Dash into a cocoon. It made him grinded his teeth. Once he had reached the town, he had realized that he was vastly outnumbered. And the memory of what happened the last time he tried to directly confront a threat was still fresh in his mind. Not wanting to have to go through everything that happened in Altomare again, he hid himself and evaluated the situation.

“There’s no way I will be able to take out so many by myself… or by fighting openly.” Latios decided at last. “It seems that I have no choice, then. I will have to assume my true form and cloak myself. If I can take out those bug-type ponies guarding the prisoners one by one, I could release Twilight, and she could use her powers to release every other pony.”

There was one minor risk to this plan, however. Depending on how swiftly he would take care of the guards, Latios might not find enough time to switch back into his pony form before releasing Twilight… and that would mean…

“I… I don’t want to risk losing Fluttershy.” he thought weakly. Her words at the picnic were still like a claw piercing his heart. How would she react knowing that he is what she fears so? Would she fear him? Hate him for lying?

But, there were some things that couldn’t be helped. Those creatures were a threat to her, and her safety meant more to him that his own happiness. Furthermore, Fluttershy asked him to save her friends. How could he not do everything that was in his power to fulfill her request?

Having decided his course of action, and being prepared to face all consequences, Latios took a deep breath and a step back… and nearly jumped into the air when he felt his tail brush someone.

Latios whirled around, prepared to fight, but to his relief it wasn’t one of those bug-type ponies about to attack him, but it was Fluttershy. That feeling, however, along with the usual happiness he felt whenever the shy pegasus was in his sight, quickly gave way to confusion and worry. What was she doing here? Why wasn’t she with Rarity?

He took a step towards her, hoping to hear some explanation from her, but then she did something he didn’t exactly expect of her. Her forelegs shot forward, and circled around his neck. Fluttershy sink her lips into his hungrily as she embraced him while her tongue worked up its way into his mouth. Latios, taken aback by this for a heartbeat, quickly responded to her affection, kissing and caressing her back. A moan escaped Fluttershy as she pressed his body closer to his, guiding his hooves to…

“W-wait… hang on...” Latios thought dopey. This aggressive behaviour… it was so unlike her. And… what was she doing and Ponyville?

Why was he growing weaker?

Managing at last to see through the charade, Latios angrily pushed the fake Fluttershy away from him. She hit the wall of the tower, and almost at once green flames erupted around her. Once she was in her true for, the bug-type pony hissed at him furiously.

Five more hissed responded from behind Latios.

His wings beat, letting him to shot into the air as he turned around, but that was all that he had time to do. His world became filled with green light.

When he came to, he found that there was still a lot of green around.

Latios’ opening eyes found themselves to be watching the world from within a cocoon that he had watched ponies getting captured into earlier. The Eon Dragon tried shaking his head, but to his frustration his movement was hindered by the goo that was with him inside. The same thing prevented him from lifting his hooves and beating them against the walls of his prison.

“No…” he thought, his fear rising as the memories of being used as an energy source for the Defense Mechanism of Altomare came back to him. “Not again!”

“Ah, look who’s finally awake!”

Latios looked tentatively at the direction from which (he thought at least) the voice came. It sounded oddly, as if two creatures were speaking one after the other. The owner of the voice was no less unique. She was definitely a part of the same kind of pony as those bug-types. However, she stood much taller than any of them, and weirdly even resembled other ponies a bit more. Maybe it was an evolved form of those bug-types?

She was surrounded by the smaller ones as she strode towards her. Behind her, Latios saw every pony from Ponyville, captured in cocoons. And… Fluttershy was among them.

“No!” Latios screamed mentally as he began struggling with renewed strength, the sight of his love in the same danger as he being unbearable.

“My, you certainly are a sturdy one.” the bigger bug-type commented with amusement, stopping in front of his prison. “Normally, ponies don’t have enough strength to do more than move their eyes when inside of our cocoons. But, then again, you’re not a pony, aren’t you?”

Latios froze in his efforts. “How could she know?” He could see ponies of Ponyville - the conscious ones, at least - looking at him and bug-type leader from inside their own prisons.

She chuckled. “I’m Queen Chrysalis. We changelings are masters of shape-shifting, so is it really such a surprise that I recognized a fellow shape-shifter?” Chrysalis leaned her head to the side, observing him with great interest. “That being said, I have no idea what are you. Definitely not a changeling. Nor are you a gifted unicorn or alicorn, as we already excluded the ‘pony’ bit out. So… what are you?”

But Latios wasn’t listening to her. His eyes were locked with Fluttershy. He tried to tell her that… Latios wasn’t sure what he wanted to convey. All he knows was that the shy pegasus was looking at him with confusion, along with everybody else.

A lightning of pain shook his entire body. If his throat was able to it, he would’ve screeched, giving voice to his torment. “Oi, eyes on me.” Chrysalis scolded him, her horn glowing. Latios glared at her with fury. A fury to which she responded with sigh. “I get the distinct impression that you’re going to be difficult.” Chrysalis hummed as she glanced at the trapped ponies around them. “Hmm… I should really get started with brainwashing process-”

“What?!”

“-if I want to be done before somepony in Canterlot takes notice… but I really want to know what you are…” she mused, and, apparently coming to a conclusion, she strode off.

Towards Fluttershy.

“NO!!!” Latios shout mentally as he struggled again with his prison. At once, pain shook erupted in every part of his body, but he ignored it.

“I wonder if having an object of your affection under my control will make you more eager to cooperate.” Chrysalis said. She was now in front of her cocoon. “Now, dear, try to relax.” the bug-type creature told Fluttershy with a sarcastic worry. “This will only sting… for a decade.” Chrysalis chuckled as her horn began glowing with an eerie light.

And at the same time, Latios, who hadn’t cased his efforts, felt his hoof punch through the wall of cocoon. Then the second one did so as well. With both of his front hooves, he hauled himself out of his prison, and -not wasting any time- he lounged at Chrysalis.

Probably one of the bug-types must have hissed a warning, because she turned her head just in time to hit him with a beam of concentrated energy right into his chest. Latios felt air escape his lungs, as he was thrown all the way across the marketplace, colliding with a wall of someone’s house.

The next second he felt her grab him with her power and pull him all the way back, chucking him at her hooves. She was saying something, but Latios was in too much pain to make anything clear. His entire body felt as if it was on fire.

It was Altomare all over again.

“Except this time… I have something more precious to lose than my life.” Latios thought, as he struggled to rise. He opened his eyes too look at Fluttershy; one last time, before everything would change for them. The female pegasus had tears in her eyes. “Look what you’ve done.” the Eon Dragon scolded himself for letting her worry about him. “It will be better… when she knows what I am. When she will no longer be hurt.”

He closed his eyes, a single tear falling down his cheek, as he began to change.

“Farewell, my heart.”

14. Purge

When Fluttershy had woken up to find herself trapped in a green cocoon the changelings made, she thought she couldn’t be more scared. She remembered seeing Princess Celestia trapped in one of these things during the wedding of Princess Cadance and Twilight’s brother, or rather, before it, and how helpless she looked. At least Fluttershy wasn’t hanging from a ceiling upside down, for which she was a bit relieved.

When she looked around to see what was beyond her prison, however, she had completely forgotten her momentary alleviation.

Everypony from Ponyville, everypony, was trapped just like her. All her friends, even Applejack, whom they must have tricked like her. Rainbow Dash had a number of bruises on her body, and Fluttershy quaked at the thought of how those bad changelings hurt her friend. Twilight was looking around like her, but her eyes weren’t focused and there were black burn marks around her horn.

But not even the sight of her friends trapped in the cocoons, even the signs of how maltreated they were, wasn’t as terrifying and heartbreaking to her as what came next.

Fluttershy recognized the Changeling Queen that impersonated Cadance at once; an easy feat, considering how different she was from the other changelings. She had her back turned to her, and it looked as if she was talking with somepony; about what, Fluttershy couldn’t tell. Her head was ringing a bit from whatever had knocked her out. But even so, when she looked more intensive in who was within the cocoon the Changeling Queen was talking to, there was no way she wouldn’t recognized her coltfriend.

The shy pegasus tried as hard as she could to focus, to hear what was happening, to somehow break free. Fluttershy vividly remembered pushing herself really hard when she had to help Rainbow Dash with the tornado. If she could have done it back then, surely she can do so now, right?

But no matter how hard she tried, her wings, her entire body, didn’t even want to budge.

She wanted to cry as she looked into Eon Guard’s eyes, feeling more hopeless than ever. She was such a useless pony! What did he even see in her?

Eon shook suddenly, as if he was in pain, and when Fluttershy glanced at the Changeling Queen, she saw that her horn was glowing with green light. As if feeling her eyes on her (and Fluttershy’s deep dislike of her) the Queen turned to gaze at the ponies, muttering something…

… and then began walking towards her.

“I wonder if having an object of your affection under my control will make you more eager to cooperate,” Fluttershy managed to hear her tell Eon as the Changeling Queen slowly approached her. Even if she wanted to, the pegasus wouldn’t be able to look away now, she was too afraid. “Now, dear, try to relax,” the Queen said once she was in front of her. “This will only sting… for a decade,” she chuckled as her horn began glowing with an eerie light.

Fluttershy stared at the light, expecting the worse; but something caused the Changeling Queen to turn around, and use the energy she stored to do something bad to her on another target.

Eon Guard.

How he managed to break free, Fluttershy didn’t know, but it was clear that he did it in an attempt to save her, for which he paid with pain. The cruel Queen used her magic to bring him back to her hooves, chuckling evilly.

“An impressive effort, but futile,” she said. “You will serve the Swarm well, once you’ve been… reformed.”

But Fluttershy wasn’t listening. She was too concentrated on Eon; she watched, teary eyed, as he tried to rise, shaking. He looked at her back, a single tear running down his muzzle, as he, too, must have realised what Fluttershy had:

It was hopeless.

Just like back in Canterlot, there were too many changelings, and their Queen was too powerful. And this time, there was no royal couple to save the day. This time…

Fluttershy blinked, wanting to chase away the tears that obscured her vision, but then stare with wide eyes at Eon, when what she thought was a hallucination didn’t disappeared.

His body shimmered with blue light.

Chrysalis took a cautious step back as the strange creature in front of him finally took his real shape. “Not that is going to help him in any way,” she thought, suspecting that like with her own race, he would turn out to be more powerful than when wearing a body of a pegasus. “He’s too wounded and drained of energy.”

Still, she was intrigued by his transformation. Unlike changelings’, whose shape-shifting process was accompanied by a burst of green flames, this creature’s body turned into a shimmering blue light, growing bigger and lifting itself from the ground. The whole transformation took less than a second, and now a being unlike anything she had ever seen floated in front of her.

He had an aerodynamic body. The lower half of his body was blue, matching the color his earlier coat had. His wings were big with simmed stiff. His hind legs turned into some fin-like paws, while his forelegs became clear paws and ended with three claws. The red triangular marking that was his cutie mark now adorned his chest. The upper-half of his body was light gray, just like his mane had been. It had the same triangular ears, and his face was blue with a light gray marking in the middle.

“What an interesting creature…” Chrysalis mused, not feeling threatened at all, despite its alien shape and increased size. His body still bore wounds from her attack and the torture she inflicted upon him.

The day was hers…

“Wait…” the changeling thought, noticing that there was a strange energy emanating from the center of his body.

And it was expanding rapidly.

“Eon Guard?” Fluttershy thought in daze. “You’re a…”

She trailed off in her head. What was he? The stallion she fell for just now suddenly became a strange floating creature, with wide wings, long head and front legs ending with claws.

The pegasus blinked when once again she thought she saw a light emanate from him, and as before, she wasn’t mistaken. A small point shone from within his chest with the same intensity as his eyes started, and grew rapidly, to the point of filling his whole body...

A wave of energy hit Fluttershy, not causing her any harm, but destroying the cocoon in which she was imprisoned.

She looked around, stunned. She wasn’t the only one that was now free. All around her ponies were as much as confused as her, shaking their heads. And the changelings…

Fluttershy gasped. Every one of them was pushed away, and more than a few of them laid on the ground, not better for the wear than Eon was-

“Eon!”

She turned her head sharply to her coltfriend as he gave out a cry unlike anything she had ever heard before. It was a strange noise, something between a scream of an eagle and a squeal of a dolphin, and it resonated within her soul. It was even more shocking to since it was the first time Fluttershy heard Eon make a sound other than subtle purring.

Eon was in bad shape. His body was still severely beaten, and was panting heavily.

“Looks like that blast used up most of your energy.”

Fluttershy’s eyes widened. The Changeling Queen still stood at the same distance from Eon as she had before, a green magical field she must have conjured up still visible.

“Pity, given your situation. You see, freeing them all upset me a bit,” she continued, pouting. A buzzing sound came from everywhere around; Fluttershy looked as more changelings appeared in the air, some helping their disoriented comrades while most of them circled around everypony. “So I hope you’re ready for more… pain...”

The Changeling Queen trailed off, most likely no less confused than Fluttershy to what was now happening to Eon Guard. Once again, his body shone, but this time the glow was of a yellow color, and didn’t… explode, or whatever it did before. Instead, it simply disappeared… leaving Eon’s body free of all his earlier wounds.

The one she thought to be a pegasus once again cried, the soul-touching voice resonating throughout Ponyville, as his wings moved him swiftly a bit higher, and he lounged at the Changeling Queen.

That bug-type managed to dodge his attack at the last moment. Latios wasn’t sure how exactly: one heartbeat she was there, her horn shining, the next one he flied through empty air. He did a half-barrel and turned around, spotting her. Chrysalis was looking at him with consternation from the other side of the Ponyville’s market, surrounded by the lesser… changelings, if he remembered what she called them correctly.

Despite his lack of experience with interacting with other creatures, he managed to guess that she must have used teleport to get away from him. “This might be more problematic than I thought…” Latios mused, thinking fast. That, and the thought of Fluttershy (even if now she didn’t like him anymore) in danger constant in his head, were the only things keeping him focused on the task, and not wondering how he managed to heal all his wounds so quickly. That was a new trick to him.

“At least I managed to get every pony free. Now they will be safe...” Latios trailed off when his eyes registered how many changelings surrounded the town’s citizens, planning to capture them again no doubt. “As if I would let you!”

He was about to charge at them, but Latios then noticed that there was a big number of those bug-types heading his way as well. Strangely, Chrysalis was not among them, but the Eon Dragon didn’t have time to ponder why she wasn’t attacking him.

Furrowing his brow, he concentrated.

Queen Chrysalis had no idea how this strange creature managed to heal himself so fast. It was a feat not even Celestia should be able to do, at least not so swiftly. And on top of that, he proved himself to possess a great strength and endurance, as well as speed and agility. Chrysalis had barely managed to teleport herself to a safe distance when he attacked her. She observed as the odd being twisted in the air effortlessly, searching for her, but when he did, he immediately turned his attention to the ponies her minions were about to attack.

“All those abilities, strength, speed… He would make a powerful pawn…” she mused. Sending a message to the Swarm, she commanded: “Capture him. And don’t let any of the ponies to escape.” she added. The last thing Chrysalis needed right now was word of what was happening here reaching Canterlot.

Two squadrons of her loyal soldiers charged at the creature, surrounding him before they moved for strike. By that point he had noticed them, and judging by his expression he wasn’t intimidated in the slightest. Chrysalis watched him carefully, eager to know what he was going to do next.

“Will he charge at them as he did me? Push them away with this energy blast?”

He flickered and disappeared.

“Or turn invisible.” she added, observing with an open mouth as her minions stopped, aghast, only to be knocked out of the sky one after another.

“Ugh, either that Queen spell hit me harder than I thought, or this day is getting weirder by the minute,” Twilight thought, massaging the base of her horn.

She felt as if somepony stick in a white-hot rod and then swirled it around her skull. Her short fight with the Changeling Queen left her weakened and disoriented, so she had missed most of what had happened when she was trapped inside of the cocoon. But Twilight did see Eon Guard transform into… some sort of a mix between a bird and a pony? And maybe dragon, judging by the front paws with claws… the unicorn was also fairly certain that it was thanks to him that they were now all free.

But she had certainly only imagined seeing Eon disappear, right?

Twilight shook her head, trying to focus. The changelings were all around them, planning to capture them again most likely. Everypony that could fight formed a circle around those not fit for battle, and despite her huge migraine, Twilight was certain she could be of use. She took the place next to Applejack and concentrated, wanting to blast the closest changeling with her magic…

The changeling fell on the ground in front of her, as if something shoved him violently.

And as Twilight glanced around, she saw that the same was happening to all the other changelings.

“I… think I need to lay down.”

A growl, not befitting a queen like her, escaped Chrysalis as she bore witness to the slaughter of her forces.

Somehow, that wretched creature turned invisible, and was now tackling down all of her minions, one by one or by twos. And he was doing it in a terrifying pace.

Chrysalis couldn’t blame her changelings for losing so quickly; how does one fight against something so fast and strong, that was also invisible?

But she wouldn’t be the Queen of the Changelings if she couldn’t adapt quickly to the situation. Chrysalis grinned as she found an answer to the question:

“By attacking in a way that he would have to take the hit.”

While compared to his sister, Latios know he would be considered an aggressive individual. Such was his nature; if he saw a threat to Latias, their garden, or their city, he would chase it away. But that didn’t mean that he liked resorting to violence. By far, Latios valued relaxing flights, swims and naps far more than fights. That’s why he preferred to end fights quickly, and was even willing to let those he perceived as a threat to leave unharmed after giving them a scare. However, thanks to those changelings, his boiling point was lower than ever.

Latios was on a rampage.

He had quickly dealt with those twenty-something bug-types surrounding him, bashing into them with such a force that they fell to the ground, unconscious. Then he moved on to the ones advancing on Ponyville’s ponies; their carapace was of no protection from his strikes, some of them dished out by his claws, in which he concentrated his strength, causing them to glow, although since his entire body was cloaked, nobody had seen it.

Latios didn’t know what caused him to act so violently; was it because they threatened the tranquility of this place, of the ponies he grew to like? Or was it because they made him reveal to Fluttershy what he truly was?

Regardless, he was quickly ending whatever plan Chrysalis had. From her swarm, already two thirds were down.

“Speaking of, where is she?” Latios wondered, as he looked back to the last place he saw her. Now that the ponies were relatively safe, he could deal with-

The green light of her horn was directed at Fluttershy.

“NO!!!”

As Chrysalis expected, the moment she had cast the spell, she heard the cry of the creature. In fact, she heard two cries in short succession: first was of outrage and worry, the second… of pain.

“EON!”

Oh, and the third one, but this one was of Fluttershy. She would have probably rushed over to his laying form if Chrysalis minions didn’t come between them.

“That’s what you get for being difficult, freak,” she chuckled evilly in her head as she regarded the huge burn mark that the chest of the now-visible blue creature bore, the effect of her magical missile he took while shielding Fluttershy. “So, your name is Eon, huh?”

“I’ll assume that a sufficient amount of pain has caused you to drop that invisibility spell, or whatever it was,” Chrysalis said out loud, her tone of voice regaining the confidence she had just lost ten minutes ago. “Truly, you have proved how pathetic love is. It something that should just be consumed and used, not something you should sacrifice yourself for,” she paused.

Eon, grunting from pain, rose into the air once more. He moved with great difficulty, and one of his paws clenched around his wound. Chrysalis didn’t want to make the same mistake again. This time, she would knock him out before he would get a chance to regenerate.

“But we can discuss this later,” she told him, once again concentrating her magic.

Eon should have passed out from pain, given his injury. He should be unable to free himself from the cocoon or move in it at all. To knock him out, Chrysalis needed to hit him with a strong blast, as powerful as she hit Celestia with. And while now she was no longer empowered by Shining Armor’s love for Cadance, she could still muster enough magic for such attack.

A second before she released the energy she gathered, Chrysalis watched as Eon lifted his head higher and opened his mouth. And then she saw something completely unexpected.

A ball of purple light formed in front of his muzzle, and shoot out a beam, not unlike a unicorn’s magic would, exactly when Chrysalis attacked. Their energies met halfway, colliding in the explosion of magic, momentarily covering Ponyville’s market in a cloud of dust.

Latios blinked, seeing what he had just done. “That was… Father’s…”

He stopped before he got swallowed in nostalgia. Their collided attacks had given him precious seconds. With everyone unable to see, the bug-types wouldn’t attack. And if they weren’t going to attack… Latios could concentrate properly.

Not so long ago, he had given everything; he focused all his power into one single devastating attack in order to protect the city of Altomare, despite knowing that with his body the way it was he would pay dearly for it. And while now he wasn’t nearly as badly hurt as was then, Latios did not have any problem with giving his all this time as well.

Energy began gathering inside of him, illuminating his body and becoming brighter with every second. By the time the dust had cleared, Latios shone with the intensity of the stars.

Looking into the opened and shocked eyes of Chrysalis, he released all this energy.

Chrysalis had seen and experienced many things since she became the Queen of the Changelings. She took great pride in her ability to learn from all of that, and adapt accordingly. Her newest plan to take over Canterlot was proof of that.

Then why was she losing in exactly the same way as before?

The light had faded slowly. Fluttershy, feeling it was safe to do so, opened her eyes. When she did, she looked in awe as all the changelings slowly disappeared over the horizon, thrown away by… Eon?

Her head turned to regard him, still in shock. At the same moment, Eon looked back, and in his eyes in turn she saw sadness.

Closing them, he once again disappeared.

Author's Note

Special thanks to Defias for proof-reading!

15. In the Depths of Despair

Twilight took the last uncertain glance at her friends before she knocked on the door. “Fluttershy?” she called out gently. “Can we come in?”

Two days. It had been two days since the changelings’ attack. Most of Ponyville spent that time recovering and rebuilding, leaving the search for the defeated attackers to the guards sent by Princess Luna. Only a few ponies were interested in doing something else - searching for the one that had saved everypony.

However, even they had to give up quickly. Whatever Eon Guard truly was, he was nowhere within Ponyville’s limits. Coupled with the fact that he could turn invisible whenever he wanted, and shapeshift similarly to changelings, meant they would never find him… as long as he didn’t want be found.

When the realization came that Eon - for some reason - no longer wanted to be near them, Fluttershy took it hard. She had locked herself within her cottage and refused to let her friends in. They were forced to stand on her house’s doorstep, unable to leave her but not wanting to break into her home, and had to hear her cry. Her friends stayed until almost midnight before they left to go to their homes to rest. They came back the following morning.

There was no reply to Twilight’s question. The lavender unicorn sighed and looked down, feeling even worse than when she was inside the changelings’ cocoon.

“I should have told her about Celestia’s letter before all of this…” she muttered, angry at herself.

“Now, hold on there, sugarcube,” Applejack told her quietly. “What would tellin’ us that had changed?”

Shortly after Eon had defeated the changelings and run away, they all turned to Twilight to ask her what just happened. Twilight - as soon as she had recovered - had to disappoint them by saying that she had no idea what Eon was. She had never heard of such creature as him.

But she knew somepony who had.

Feeling that her mentor would understand why she disobeyed her, Twilight had told her friends about the context of the odd letter. The way Princess Celestia reacted to the news about the colt clearly meant that she somehow knew that he wasn’t a pony. Of course, that didn’t mean that the rest of the message began to make any more sense, but at least now they could hope that when the Princess would come back from Griffonia she would shed some light on Eon’s mystery.

However, that still didn’t change the fact that they couldn’t find him, and that he ran away from all of them… even from Fluttershy…

Looking back on the events of the day, Twilight had to admit that even if she had told her friends about the letter, it wouldn’t have changed anything, other than make her friends distrust the “pegasus”. It wouldn’t have affected Fluttershy, thought; it was clear from her crying that, despite knowing his true identity, she still loved him.

Twilight sighed, wishing there was something she could do. “You’re right,” she replied to Applejack’s words, “it wouldn’t have changed a thing. But maybe…”

“Saying ‘maybe’ has yet to help anypony,” Rarity said gently, trotting up to the door. She cleared her throat. “Fluttershy, dear,” the white unicorn tried her luck getting through to their hurt friend, “please let us in. I know that you don’t feel like talking with anypony, but we want to at least be there with you.”

The five ponies shared a look as they waited for response.

“Do you think she will ever come out?” Pinkie asked, her ears down. Twilight was not surprised to not hear her make any ‘crazy cat-lady’ joke this time. Even the pink party-pony had no desire to make any jokes at Fluttershy’s misery.

“Oh, she will,” Rainbow Dash muttered. “As soon as we find Eon, kick his tail, tie him up, kick his tail-”

“Ya already said that one, sugarcube,” Applejack pointed out.

“Yeah, well, he hurt Fluttershy, so there's going to be a lot of pain in store for him when I get my hooves on him.”

Rarity began to turn her head back to add something - Twilight judged by the cold in her eyes that it was along the lines of what Rainbow had said, but somewhat more… dangerous - but just then they heard a noise that they had lost hope to hear; the sound of the door opening.

The five ponies looked hopeful, but then felt downhearted when they saw not a yellow pegasus, but a white bunny behind the doors. It spoke of the gravity of the state Fluttershy was in that Angel bore nothing of his usual demeanor; his ears were laid down and he didn’t even look them in eyes. The bunny left the door open for them as he hopped back to the living room. The group shared another look before they followed Angel into the cottage.

Much to their relief, Fluttershy wasn’t crying anymore. She just laid on her couch in the living room, a blanket over her, obviously brought by Angel as the pegasus was hardly in a condition to take care of herself. The floor was covered by used tissues, and there was a few boxes of them standing on the table next to Fluttershy, half of which were already used up.

“Fluttershy?” Rarity called out gently as they trotted to her.

The pegasus stared with empty eyes at the space in front of her, but at the sound of Rarity’s voice she turned to her. Some life returned to her as she noticed that they were all there.

“Oh, hello girls,” she said with a sore voice; probably from all the crying. “Um… how long was I…”

Twilight winced at the state her friend was in as she heard her trail off like that. It was as if she had lost what made her a pony and was now reduced to this devastated creature.

“Just one day,” she replied, wondering what they could do to help her.

To her pleasant surprise, it seemed that she just did that. Fluttershy snapped, as her eyes fully conscious and she rose on her forelegs. “A whole day?!” she exclaimed. “Oh no… I- I need to feed my animal friends, I-”

She was cut off by Angel jumping up to stand on the couch next to her and shakes his head, and then pointed at his chest.

“Oh, you took care of everything?” Fluttershy asked, and looked fondly at her little friend. “Thank you, Angel, you’re the best.”

The white bunny jumped up on the couched and nuzzled the yellow pegasus at her side while she hugged him with a wing.

“Fluttershy…” Rarity started and then trailed off. Twilight caught the look of uncertainty the other unicorn shot her; how could they bring on the issue of Eon without making her erupt into tears once again? None of them knew that, so Rarity stammered as she continued: “Dear, um… how would you like to go for a walk?” she said, brightening up at the idea. “It would do you good to stretch out your legs, get some fresh air, and take your mind of… um, things.”

Fluttershy didn’t even cringe at Rarity’s slip; she just looked at her with those empty eyes, thoughtful. Finally, she nodded. “Yes, I would like that.”

“Splendid!” Rarity exclaimed cheerfully, and looked around at the group. “Now, Pinkie and Rainbow Dash can stay and clean up here a bit, while the rest of us-”

“Alone,” Fluttershy interrupted her. “I want to go alone… well, with Angel... if you don’t mind that is…”

Twilight and Rarity once again shared a look, but there was little that they could do. “Of course we don’t mind, darling,” Rarity replied, doing her best to not show her disappointment. “We’ll stay here, so if you’ll need us you can come right back… we’re here for you.”

“I know,” the pegasus said with a ghost of a smile. “Thank you girls… I won’t be long.”

With that said, the yellow mare rose from her couch with some difficulty, her muscles sore after lying there for so long, and headed towards her door, keeping her head low. Angel shook his sadly and followed her. The five ponies watched them go, refraining from making any comments until Fluttershy and Angel were out of earshot.

“Well, that’s an improvement,” Rainbow snorted. “Instead of sulking in her cottage, she’s sulking outside of her cottage now!”

“At least she’s not crying anymore, and up and about.” Rarity countered. “I think that’s some progress.”

“Yeah, I suppose. But I don’t get why she’s so down about Eon. I mean, he wasn’t even a pony!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “He was some sort of… giant birdy-thingy! Shouldn’t she be more ‘ewwed’ than heartbroken?”

“It’s true that he might not be a pony, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t an intelligent creature,” Twilight said as she began to levitate the used tissues up from the floor. “All the time he was in a body of a pony he acted like one, albeit a very shy one. I wonder why he came to Ponyville in the first place… oh, and ‘ewwed’ is not a word.”

“Egghead.”

Twilight was about to reply to the comment, but Rarity cut her off. “Now, on the more important matters,” the white unicorn started, looking at Rainbow Dash, “I don’t think it’s safe to leave Fluttershy completely alone. Would you mind going after her?”

“You mean ‘follow her’?” the pegasus asked with a raised eyebrow.

“No, I mean ‘go after her and make sure she’ll be alright while staying out of sight’,” Rarity replied. “‘Follow’ is such a crude word.”

Rainbow just facehoofed, muttered under her breath something, and flew out the door. Twilight sighed with relief; the thought of somepony keeping an eye on Fluttershy was calming, to say the least.

“Okay, let’s clean this place up a bit,” she said, trying to be cheerful. “Oh, and Rarity, why don’t you start the kettle up, so when they’ll get back we could have some tea?”

The other unicorn nodded and went to the kitchen, while Applejack and Pinkie Pie joined Twilight in tidying up.

With one last sad glance at her, Eon had disappeared…

No matter how hard she tried, Fluttershy couldn’t chase away that image from her head, the last moment when she saw the pony who had taken her heart.

“Except he wasn’t a pony…” a little voice reminded her quietly.

Looking back at the two-three days she knew him, Fluttershy felt that Eon’s identity as a non-pony should have been obvious to her. The way he acted, resembling more of animals than ponies; his odd body temperature; what he had written, that company of ponies was making him nervous; how on the day that she met him, he seemed to want to leave Ponyville… but then…

Fluttershy wanted to cry as the memories of the second night flowed into her mind, but it seemed as if her eyes depleted all her tears already. Her heart ached when she remembered Eon lying next to her, kissing her, licking, touching her. Despite now knowing that he wasn’t a pony, she didn’t felt repulsed at all by those memories, of his breath on her coat, of his smell… Whatever he was, to her, he was still Eon. It wasn’t as if his true form was horrifying or disgusting. To Fluttershy, he looked magnificent, still retaining the features she was more familiar with... and still handsome.

“But why did he leave?” she muttered for about a thousandth time as she trotted through the meadow on the edge of Ponyville.

Angel Bunny, who hopped next to her, shook his head sadly. He didn’t know an answer either.

Looking at him, Fluttershy once again wallowed up in memories; how Eon saved him from a manticore…

The sound of a panicked chirrup managed to break her out of her thoughts. Surprised, she looked around, and saw several of her small bird friends that lived around Ponyville hover around her. All of them looked spooked… no. Panicked.

“What is it?” Fluttershy immediately asked as two of them began to pull her by her mane. The need to help them pushed back her despair for some other time to remind of itself. “What’s wrong? Do you want me to follow you?”

The birds twittered affirmatively, letting go of her mane and flying off. Fluttershy was about to jump into the air after them, but she hesitated when she saw in what direction they flew to: into the Everfree Forest.

“Oh…” she muttered, about to turn back, but then she shook herself.

“What is wrong with me? Those birds need my help, and I’m about to leave them? Just because they’re going to the… scary… old forest? He… he wouldn’t do that…” she thought, remembering Eon. “He was brave; he fought off the entire changeling army…”

With a deep breath, she picked up Angel, put him on her back, and flew after the birds. Praying whatever it was that they wanted from her, it wouldn’t require her to fly too deep into the forest.

To her relief, her wish came true. The birds descended shortly after passing Everfree’s borders, heading for a small clearing that Fluttershy knew to have a small pond in it. She looked ahead as she followed them, anxious to see what the problem was.

Her eyes snapped wide open when she saw a big form lying next to the pond. A form that she recognized, despite not being the one that she grew familiar with during those three days they spend together.

“Eon!” she called out as she hastened, afraid that he would disappear again. “Whatever I did, I’m sorry, please don’t leave again, I love-”

As she reached him, she paused; Eon was unresponsive to all her calls. In fact, the giant kinda-bird didn’t even look her way. Fluttershy flew above him to land next to his odd muzzle. His eyes were closed, so at first she assumed he was sleeping. However, the worried chirrup of the birds around them caused her to look more carefully.

His still familiar features of his muzzle were twisted in pain, and he was barely breathing.

“Eon!!!” she screeched, fear gripping her heart. She placed a hoof to his head; he was burning up. With tears swelling up in her eyes, she called out as loudly as possible: “Somepony, help!!!”

Author's Note

... I suppose if I won't update this quickly you will be pretty mad at me, huh?

16. The Piece that was Missing

Seeing Eon’s breathing grow stronger and steadier made Fluttershy sigh with relief. He was going to be okay. His body was still burning up, but with the compress she had pressed against his forehead his temperature was bound to return to normal.

“He’s getting better,” Fluttershy said out loud, causing five more sighs of relief to be uttered by her friends. As tension had finally left her, her haunches fell down on the floor. “Thank Celestia.”

Back there, on that clearing, she had completely lost her head. Panic had seized her, and she had no clue what to do. Fluttershy knew she needed to get Eon back to her cottage so she could treat him, but he was too big for her to carry him by herself. Luckily, almost as soon as she screamed for help, Rainbow Dash had came down from the sky. Too worried about Eon to be puzzled as to why her friend was flying above the Everfree Forest, together the two pegasi carried him all the way to Fluttershy’s cottage, where, after quickly telling everypony what happened - the little bit they actually knew, that is - they placed him on a couch and did all they could to help him.

Unfortunately, not knowing what was really wrong with him was a big problem. The memory of how Eon had reacted to her trying to give him some medicine when she thought he was sick was fresh in Fluttershy’s mind, and now, seeing that he wasn’t a pony or any other creature she had ever came upon, made her doubt every healing method she knew of. Thankfully, Twilight had reminded her how he had managed to heal his injuries by himself during his fight with the changelings, and suggested that maybe they should just try to make him more comfortable and left him fight this strange affliction by himself.

And it seemed to work, if his condition’s improvement was any indication. Even now, as Fluttershy changed the compress on his head, she noticed that his forehead wasn’t as hot as before.

“Thank Celestia,” she repeated in her thoughts, suppressing an urge to cry and hug him. He was still weak, and Fluttershy didn’t want to risk hurting him.

“I don’t understand…” Fluttershy heard Twilight murmur, and she glanced at her friend. While she was constantly checking on Eon to see whether he was getting better or worse, the lavender unicorn had been observing Eon very carefully, her eyes scanning him from the head with those funny ears through his forelegs with claws and two big wings to the two tails. Rainbow had even made a comment earlier about Twilight checking out Fluttershy’s coltfriend, which earned her a light knock on her head from Applejack for making fun out of this situation. Now the unicorn was rubbing her head thoughtfully, confused. “There doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with him; no sign of wounds; no sign on his coat or muzzle of a strange substance that could have come from plants in the Everfree Forest and affect him… just what happened to him? He couldn’t just grow so sick by himself.”

That had also been on Fluttershy’s mind, not as much as getting Eon cured, but she too wandered about what had happened to him. Having taken care of many animals over the years, she knew most sicknesses and diseases they could catch. But to be in such as state as Eon, to be in pain, have a fever and problems with breathing, and not show a sign of external influence causing it… Fluttershy could believe that it might be a some sort of disease that only affects creatures like Eon, but he was gone for only two days. There was not enough time for him to fall so sick so rapidly, she would have seen some signs of it before. And Twilight had already eliminated a possibility of him being somehow poisoned by changeling’s magic when she and Rainbow had brought him, so this couldn’t be a result of the fight. Just what could have-

“Perhaps I can explain it.”

Everypony immediately turned to the door at the sound of the voice every single one of them recognized. There was only one pony in Equestria who could sound so caring, regal, and wise all at the same time.

“Princess Celestia!” the six ponies exclaimed, and all but Fluttershy, who stayed by Eon, ran up to her.

“You’re back from the Griffonia already?” Twilight quickly asked her, but before the Princess had a chance to answer her student began bombarding her with other questions, “Was everything alright? Was King Olaf a pain again? And what was it you meant in that letter you sent me? Why did you want me to make sure Eon Guard stays with Fluttershy? Do you know what he is? Where he came from? And what’s wrong with hi-”

Twilight would have probably continue like that for a while, but Princess Celestia raised a hoof after a few moments, stopping the flood of questions.

“To answer your three first questions: ‘yes’, ‘yes’, and ‘of course yes’,” she replied, smirking. Her expression turned somber the next second, though, as her eyes shifted to the still unconscious Eon. “As for Eon-”

“Princess, I’m sorry,” Twilight had almost immediately cut her off. “I know you asked me to make sure he stays with Fluttershy-”

“Do not worry, Twilight,” now it was Princess Celestia’s turn to cut Twilight off. She looked at her student with kindness as she continued, “You could not have predicted that the changelings would attack Ponyville, or that Eon Guard would chose to leave on his own accord… which, to be honest, puzzles even me. But yes,” she said, once again turning to Eon as she walked into the cottage, “I do happen to know a few things about him.”

Everypony exchanged surprised gazes as they hurried to stand beside the Princess. After a second, though, she gave them a sign to sit down, and she herself sat as well. If Fluttershy hadn’t been so worried about Eon, she would have cringed at the thought of not having any pillows or something for the Princess to sit on. However, everypony was too busy wondering just what the Princess knew about their new friend.

“But Princess,” Twilight began once everypony was sitting, “how can you know anything about Eon? I’ve never heard about a creature resembling him.”

“That’s no surprise, Twilight,” Princess Celestia replied. “After all, there is no creature like him other than Eon himself anywhere in Equestria.”

Princess reply caused everypony to go “Huh?!” at the same time.

“But... Princess…” Twilight tried to somehow put what the Princess had just said. “Then… where did Eon come from? And how do you know anything about him?”

“That’s because once there was one creature like your friend,” Princess Celestia told them, much to the confusion of everypony. “Many, many years ago, there was a strange pony that appeared in Equestria. Like Eon over here, he was blue-gray, and couldn’t speak. Like him, he befriended a few ponies, and even managed to enamour a certain mare,” Celestia said, and her face once more grew somber. “However, one day, he showed her who he really was,” she nodded at Eon, “and she became afraid of him. Heartbroken, he had flown away… and a few days later, he had been found dead in the wilderness.”

Fluttershy gasped. Not just because there was once another creature like Eon who had suffered such a terrible fate, but also because of how that one had been rejected. “Is this why Eon left?” she wondered. “Was he afraid that I was going to reject him?”

“Bow how did he... die?” Twilight asked the question.

It was then, when her friend asked that question, that Fluttershy had realize… that the same had almost happened to her Eon. She looked back at him, to make sure he was alive, and then turned back to Princess Celestia with eyes wide with fear.

“As that being was such an unusual creature, I had performed the post-mortem examination myself,” the Princess replied to her student, a shadow falling on her features; clearly, that memory wasn’t pleasant to her. “There was nothing wrong with his body… and yet at the same time, his death was caused by a failure of multiple organs and body’s systems. I didn’t know what had caused it. That is, until I took a peek into the residual aura of his soul. When I did...” Princess Celestia paused, and looked at Eon. “I found that prior to his coming to Equestria, a piece of his soul had been removed.”

“A piece of his soul was missing?!” Twilight exclaimed, clearly shocked.

“Yes. I think it was somehow tied to his coming to Equestria…” Princess Celestia trailed off for a moment, before she shook her head. “Either way, though, the piece that was missing was small, so small that it wouldn’t affect the his health. However… when he had met that mare, he fell in love with her, and his incomplete soul somehow bonded with her. She became quite literally his ‘other half’. The connection got stronger over time, until he left when the mare learned the truth about him and rejected him.”

Fluttershy’s eyes widened as Princess Celestia looked at her. “Being away from her, his body began failing, and the same had happened to Eon Guard. Now that he is close to Fluttershy again, he is getting better, though. I expect he will soon regain consciousness.”

“But… Princess…” Twilight was staring at her and Eon and Fluttershy in confusion. “How… I… this… I don’t understand how could this all work.”

Princess Celestia chuckled gently. “My student, you should know by now that magic is sometimes fickle, especially when it comes to souls and love.”

While Twilight tried to ponder at her mentor’s words, Fluttershy breathed with relief. She didn’t really understand what the Princess had said, but one thing was clear to her: Eon was going to be okay as long she stayed close to him. She smiled as she looked back at him.

“I will keep you safe,” she thought affectionately.

As if hearing her thoughts, Eon stirred. A smile crept onto her face as the strange being she came to love opened his eyes slowly.

Latios opened his eyes with great effort. The last few hours… or was it days… He wasn’t sure exactly how long it had been since he had left Ponyville - and Fluttershy - behind, and almost every second of it was filled with suffering. His instinct told him he should find a safe place to hide until this unexplainable seizure would leave him, but he needed to get as far away from Fluttershy as possible… he didn’t want to see her looking upon him with fear…

His last memory, other than the excruciating pain, was landing heavily on a grass somewhere beside water. Other than that, it was only pain, as his consciousness had slowly faded away… But now the pain was almost gone, he was someplace warm, and was laying on something much more comfortable.

Bright light assaulted his eyes as he opened them, making him unable to see where exactly was he… but there was no chance he would have mistaken the scent that assaulted his nostrils as soon as he regained his senses.

He was in Fluttershy’s den, and she was sitting nearby.

Good morning,” she whispered softly beside him; there was no way it wasn’t her, he would have recognized that voice anywhere. Afraid what he might see, he looked at her. “You had me worried, you know.”

The familiar features of Fluttershy were ever so pleasant to his eye, but now gazing at them filled him with surprise. She was… looking at him as if nothing had changed. Latios blinked, unsure what that meant, and noticed that they weren’t alone. Fluttershy friends were in the room as well, as well as a strange big pony. His eyes locked on her for a second, noticing that it wasn’t just her look that distinguished her from other ponies, but the power she had as well. He quickly lost interest, though, as Fluttershy began speaking once again.

“Eon, why did you run away like that?” she asked, looking at him with no fear, but with concern.

“What?” Latios thought, surprised. “Forget that I am not a pony at all. Why doesn’t she have a problem with me being a dragon? Does she… not know?”

If she didn’t know that he’s a dragon… then maybe…

“No,” he discarded that idea almost as it came to him. “I’m done with lying. It’s not fair for Fluttershy… even if it means she’s going to hate me.”

He growled quietly as he concentrated and raised his head with an effort. Whatever affliction had caused him such pain had left his body weakened. Fluttershy’s hooves quickly reached for him to help him, but before she touched him, Latios extended his power to her and everybody else in the room, showing them a memory.

Fluttershy gasped when she saw Eon’s eyes glow with light, but before she could react otherwise, she noticed she was no longer in her cottage. Instead she was on a meadow, looking at her friends sitting on blanket… with her?

Six more gasps made her look around and realize that there was another set of her friends, along with Princess Celestia, sitting exactly like they were in her cottage, all looking around surprised.

“Oh, don't worry about it,” she heard herself say… except this was the other her, not her her.

Fluttershy looked at the other her surprised. This all looked and sounded really familiar…

“I just... don't really like dragons, that's all,” the other her finished, smiling gently at… Eon?

“Huh?” Fluttershy thought, puzzled. Didn’t she say that two days ago before all that ugly business with the changelings?

The world around them disappeared, returning them to her cottage. Fluttershy watched as Eon’s eyes lost their glow, slowly putting two and two together. That had happened two days ago. With his strange powers Eon had showed them his memory… the memory of Fluttershy saying she doesn’t like dragons… to answer her question as to why he left…

“You’re a dragon?” she asked surprised. He looked nothing like Spike or any other dragon she had seen… then again, she had seen only two in total, and one was a baby dragon…

She pulled herself from her musing as she noticed that Eon cringed at her words and looked away. Her jaw dropped as she really thought what this meant. Eon was a dragon, and he heard from a pony he loved that she doesn’t like dragons…

Tears filled her eyes as she realized just what he must have been through.

“I’m sorry!” she exclaimed, throwing her hooves around his neck before he could react. Before he could escape. Fluttershy quickly began to explain herself to him as she cried, hoping he would forgive her and wouldn’t leave her again. “I didn’t mean to hurt you! I’m not afraid of all dragons, just those scary ones! You don’t scare me, I love you! Please don’t leave me again!”

Latios was startled by Fluttershy’s reaction, but her words and tears startled him even more.

“She… still loves me?’ he thoughts as he looked at her, crying into his neck. “Even now that she knows I’m a dragon?”

He wasn’t sure how to react… but he knew one thing. His mate was crying.

Latios lifted one claw and scratched her side gently, making her look at him. He stared into her eyes, red from crying, and purred gently, licking the tears off her face in two licks.

As soon as his tongue left her coat for the second time, he focused and shapeshifted into the form in which she, the one that loved him despite their differences, had fallen for.

Eon the pony smiled to her awkwardly as their muzzles were so close that their noses were touching. Fluttershy own lips began to curl into a smile as well… before they both lunged at each other, kissing passionately.

“Aaaaawww!” Latios heard six ponies in the background exclaim, but neither he nor Fluttershy paid them any mind.

They had each other, and in this moment, nothing else existed for them.

They were whole.

Author's Note

THE E- nah, I'm kidding. There is stil one more chapter before this story is done.

I know some of you might be disappointed, but when I first started The Hero of Altomare, I hadn't planned it to be this long. After seeing how popular it grew I decided to add few things, and now we came here. Also, I could very well end it actually here, but I decided to add something more, though I don't know how long that last chapter will be, might be as short of those 1000 words chapters a few months back.

I think I will manage to write the next chapter in April, since I think it will be nice to be finally done with at least one story.

Epilogue

“Hello,” Fluttershy greeted the pony behind the stand. “Can I ask you for a few mandarins, please?”

“Of course,” the merchant replied with a smile. She grabbed a hooffull of the small fruits and placed them into a paper bag, which she then gave Fluttershy. “That will be two bits.”

The yellow pegasus gave the seller her payment and took the bag. As she placed it in her saddlebags, she checked if she was missing anything from her shopping list.

“Leaves of lettuce, apples, raspberries, pineapple…” she began to count while trotting away from the stand, her head in her saddlebag.

As walking somewhere without looking wasn’t very safe - especially in a such croweded place as a town’s marketplace - it was a good that a voice of somepony interrupted her.

“Good morning Fluttershy!” a pony standing right next to her called out.

Even if it had nearly given her a heart attack.

“Ah!” Fluttershy screamed with fright as she jumped into the air and clung herself by the street light under which she had been a second ago, her heart pounding in her chest.

Almost at once, Fluttershy felt a familiar presence growing alarmed. Still not having gotten used to the odd sensation, it took her some time to respond to Eon’s worries.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, dear,” came from the pony below her, “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Finally placing the voice, Fluttershy looked down at Rarity, and gave her a sheepish smile. She let go of the street light and landed beside her, and at the same time she began to calm herself and try to convey to Eon that she wasn’t in any danger.

Contrary to what she had thought when Princess Celestia had first mentioned, being linked to another by their souls didn’t mean they could just talk to each other in their heads. In fact, Fluttershy hadn’t thought at all that Eon’s connection with her would cause such things. But soon after Eon had woken up - and after he explained his reason for leaving which led to them making up - the Princess then had told them what would happen next.

“The bond that had formed between you will grow stronger,” she had said then, “and in time, the effects of it will probably start affecting you as well, Fluttershy.”

“Wait!” Twilight had interrupted her mentor, alarmed. “Does this mean that… if they would get separated again, Fluttershy would, too…”

“No, I don’t think so,” Celestia had replied, smiling reassuringly. “In fact, I think that when the bond between the two of will grow deeper, it will no longer be necessary for the two of you to stay close to each other… or at least, the period of time before Eon Guard will start feeling the effects of being away from you should increase in length. However,” she had added, “there will be some additional consequences of having this bond.”

Those other consequences had began to manifest recently. Just like the Princess had said, over the course of the three weeks since then, their bond grew stronger and deeper, and now they could feel each other’s thoughts. At first, it was really confusing for Fluttershy, and Eon became really worried how she will feel with this change in her life he had unwillingly caused her. He tried to hide it… which kind of became hard with this development.

After a while, though, much to Eon’s as well as everypony else’s relief, Fluttershy, with her love’s support, managed to handle this connection between their minds and souls. She no longer felt as if she was split into two, half of her being with Eon and other with her. Nor she felt as if Eon was invading her mind. It took some time when their thoughts began exchanging, but now everything was alright. Her mind was hers, and Eon’s was Eon’s. They could still sense sudden changes in the other’s mind, but other than that, all their bond was doing to them was making them feel as if the other was near.

Which was something that neither Fluttershy nor Eon would ever mind.

Returning with her thoughts to the present moment, and having assured Eon that she was in no danger, Fluttershy turned to her friend. “It’s okay, Rarity,” she told the white unicorn, smiling with mild embarrassment. “I am still a bit jumpy after all that business with those nasty changelings.”

The fashionista’s face twisted into into an unpleasant scowl at the memories Fluttershy’s comment must have brought up, “Ugh, yes, those creatures had left a lot of unpleasant memories this time, hadn’t they?”

“I’ll say,” Fluttershy agreed. “The Changeling Queen would have won if it weren’t for Eon.”

“Yes, and all of Ponyville was grateful for his heroism. This reminds me; how come he’s not here with you?” Rarity inquired, glancing at her curiously. “I know that, as of late, you no longer need to be inseparable, but it’s still rather odd to see you without him.”

“Oh, I just came do some shopping,” Fluttershy replied, nodding at her saddlebags. “I want to make a special dinner for Eon and me, you see. It’s supposed to be a surprise.”

“Mhm…” her friend mused, looking at her in a strange way. “A ‘special dinner’, you say? Any special occasion?”

“Oh, um…” the yellow pony began to shudder; when she had mentioned that she was making a special dinner, she hadn’t expected Rarity to ask why. “W-well, you see…” Fluttershy said, her entire face starting to blush fiercely as her voice grew quieter. “I… I was… I was kinda hoping…”

She had to look away from Rarity when she said that. She was so embarrassed that she didn’t think she would be able to look her friend into eye. In fact, a part of her wanted to just drop the issue and/or run away, but… at the same time, she knew that this would be brought up by her friends sooner or later, so she might as well say it now and get over it.
Plus, it would help if she could possibly get some advice from Rarity…

In a voice barely louder than a whisper, Fluttershy confessed, “I was kinda hoping tonight Eon and I would… um…”

“Oh!” Rarity, who, thankfully for Fluttershy, had realized what her friend was talking about, exclaimed and moved a step away (as she had to get closer to hear her). “You mean you two hadn’t yet…”

“No!” Fluttershy squeaked, a little too loud for her liking. In a quieter tone, she added. “No, we hadn’t.”

“Forgive me, Fluttershy, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. There’s no shame in taking things slow. I was just surprised; what with you sharing a bond between your souls and all.”

“Well…” Fluttershy trailed off, searching for the right way to explain how come she and Eon hadn’t yet become more intimate. “You know me, I can be a little bit… shy. And Eon wasn’t trying to press me in any way.”

Rarity chuckled warmly. “My, what a gentlecolt. Do you think we can expect more of his kind to come to Equestria?”

“One can only hope, huh?”

Both mares jumped, startled by the voice from above. They turned their head to see that above them was none other than Rainbow Dash.

“Rainbow Dash!” Rarity exclaimed, sounding offended. “Were you eavesdropping on us?”

“Maybe,” Rainbow shrugged nonchalantly, though the smirk on her face betrayed her. “So…” she said as she landed next to Fluttershy, “mind if I ask you-”

A certain memory from the days when she had first met Eon resurfaced in Fluttershy’s mind. “Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no…” This mantra filled her mind, and she was really grateful for the fact that Eon had stopped paying her a closer attention after that jump-fright she got earlier.

“Rainbow!” Rarity hissed, stopping the cyan pegasus. Glaring daggers at her, she continued, “If you dare ask her about-”

“Nah, not that,” Rainbow waved a hoof dismissively. Smirking, she turned to Fluttershy. “I just wanted to know if they’re going to do this with him being a pony or-”

The rest of what she was going to say was cut off by Rarity pulling her by her ear with magic, which was, guessing by the expression on Rainbow Dash’s face, rather painful.

The familiar shape grew bigger as Fluttershy trotted towards her cottage. Up in the air, in his real form, Eon was flying in circles with her little bird friends.

He wasn’t doing it just because Fluttershy had asked him to take care of them and her other critters while she was gone. She knew he enjoyed flying almost as much as Rainbow. However, unlike her, he was quite fond of just the sensation of being in the air, flying together with small birds.

Eon turned his head towards her as she approached, and uttered a cheerful growl. Fluttershy smiled as he hurried to her, changing his shape in the flight. He landed right beside he as a pony and nuzzled her affectionately.

“Yes, it’s good to be back,” Fluttershy replied as she returned the caress.

She had noticed that her bird friends were now flying around the two of them, chirping happily. As Fluttershy pictured that scene in her head, she grew even more certain that she was making the right decision. It wasn’t just that they were now bonded; they made each other happy, and… complete.

“Do you mind looking after everypony for a few more hours?” she asked Eon as she pulled back (a bit unhappily). “I’m not going anywhere;” she added quickly;. “I just have a little something to do.”

Eon, despite being confused, quickly nodded and pressed his lips to hers. Fluttershy’s wings fluttered from happiness as he did that, as they did almost every time now; what she had planned for the night was probably going to make them so sore tomorrow…

She allowed herself to linger in the kiss for a few more heartbeats before she pulled a bit back, kissed Eon on the nose, and headed towards her cottage. She had a few dishes to prepare for their dinner… a candlelight dinner, as Rarity had suggested.

The thought of Rarity brought back certain part of the conversation that they had. A very embarrassing part of conversation, especially during the moments Rainbow Dash had added her own advices.

As red once again crept on her cheeks, so did stiffness to her wings.

Latios opened one eye lazily to look at the sleeping female beside him. The sweet, yellow-and-pink female that was his mate. That this very night had become his mate in all the meaning of that word. The female that didn’t care that they were of other species. The mare that had made him more happy than he ever was, even during the time he spent with his sister.

The mare that had became a part of him.

Closing his eye once again, feeling still tired after their passionate night, Latios nuzzled Fluttershy briefly before he fell asleep again.

Both lovers curled a bit tighter through their sleep, as if wanting to become even closer, despite already being complete.

THE END

Author's Note

I would like to thank everybody that found this story interesting and entertaining, despite it's flows (the major one being, like with everything else I wrote, the grammar and spelling errors). I know I must have said it a few times already, but I honestly hadn't expected this story to have such high rates. It's currently my best rated story, despite never making it to the feature box, but oh well.

Now, before some comments from the previous chapter will repeat: I might one day write a sequel to this story. However, don't expect it to happen any time soon. I had just finished one story (and canceled two others ;p), I have still a lot to do.

Once again, thank you all for reading this story. You've been great, and I hope you'll read/continue to read my other stories as well.

And seeing on what note this ends... Hope you all will find your second half, just like Latios and Fluttershy did.

...

Celestia knows I don't seem to have luck with that...

Now that I ended this with a joke at my own expense ;p... See you!!!

8. Realization

Fluttershy woke up, yawning silently as she cuddledup to...

Her eyes snapped open as the memories of the night hit her. The pegasus mare pulled slightly back to regard the sleeping form of Eon Guard. Fluttershy recalled how after their first kiss, initiated (to her surprise) by her, the stallion took initiative. But he turned out to be as nervous as she was, and about as... sloppy with kisses, too. Eon quickly given up on kissing her, and instead began licking her around face and neck. While that seemed strange, Fluttershy didn’t object, as it was quite pleasant, and reminded her a bit of a behaviour she spotted among her woodland friends when they tried to show somepony their affection. And while a concept of a stallion acting more like a critter than a pony was probably something that should make her worry, it didn’t really matter to her. In fact, it probably even helped her calm down... to a point at least.

Fluttershy recalled beginning to enjoy Eon’s tender licks, and had tried to shyly reply with her own, until she felt his hoof moving down her flank. Her panic kicked in once he reached her cutie mark. She pulled back, pushing away his hoof.

Eon had immediately pulled back, too, and she could see, instead of disappointment or anger, but sorrow in his eyes. Realized that he didn’t mean to push things too far without her consent, Fluttershy once again crept closer to him.

“I’m sorry, but... I’m not ready to go that far. You don’t mind, don’t you?” she asked him from up close. Once Eon nodded, she had added: “But I don’t mind cuddling...”

And so they did, as they ultimately fall asleep. Now Fluttershy was awake, being happier than ever. She never thought some stallion would take liking to a pathetic pony like her, who always shied away from nearly everything. But this one did. Fluttershy could tell that he wasn’t like those stallions her mother warned her about, that were only interested in mare’s body. If he was, there wouldn’t be an apology in his gaze when she stopped him, provided he would not continue regardless.

He was still sleeping, but his hoof and wing were wrapped around her, so if Fluttershy would want to get up, she would undoubtedly wake him. She was in no hurry though, as she enjoyed Eon’s warmth, even if she knew that his body heat was lower than an average pony’s. The sensation of feeling his breath upon her coat was also pleasurable.

Despite the comfort she was in, Fluttershy knew she had to get up soon. Besides needing to feed her critters, she had a weekly get-together with Rarity in about two hours. Normally, Fluttershy would wonder why her friend didn’t want to postpone their visit in a spa for another day, seeing how they went with Twilight just two days ago and they all planned to later go on a picnic with their friends. But after knowing Rarity for so long, the yellow mare knew that her friend would go to the spa again after the picnic.

Sighing inwardly, the shy pegasus pondered what would be the best way to wake up the stallion besides here, until the very obvious idea came to her. Leaning forward, Fluttershy once again pressed her lips against his, despite how terrible they both were at this. Immediately blushing, the pegasus mare shivered at the sensation. Gently, she moved her tongue through his slightly parted lips, and licked him at the roof of mouth.

After few heartbeats, Eon’s tongue responded by hugging hers sloppily. Satisfied for now, Fluttershy backed her head away to look into his deep, beautiful violet eyes.

“Good morning.” she whispered happily, and Eon, unable to reply with words, bumped her nose with his shyly. “I’m sorry I had to wake you up, but I will need to feed my animal friends, and...”

Eon followed her gaze down at his outstretched limbs, and nodded in understanding. He folded his wing and brought his hoof to himself, after which both of them stretched, their bodies a little stiff after spending night like this.

“Thanks.” Fluttershy said, nuzzling his muzzle gently. A happy hum escaped Eon’s throat at this treatment, and lasted few seconds after she had pulled away. “I will need to leave for few hours soon.” she started, but seeing the sadness in his eyes, she quickly continued. “I’m just going to meet with Rarity, after that I’ll be back. You will be fine by yourself, right?”

Eon Guard nodded, although obviously he was not happy with her leaving. Fluttershy sighed and began heading towards her kitchen. She thought Eon would stay in bed, perhaps fall asleep again, but to her mild surprise he was soon at her side. The pegasus stallion nuzzled her neck, looking into her eyes. Fluttershy without a problem read in his that he wanted to help her.

Time went on quickly as both of them worked together, despite that it took them a bit long to feed everypony. It certainly didn’t help that whenever some part of their bodies touched they paused in what they were doing for few heartbeats, much to the irritation of Angel, whose angry stomping always brought them back from their reveries.

“I won’t be long, I promise.” Fluttershy said about an hour after they got up as they stood in a doorway.

Eon still looked at her a bit unhappily, but not as crestfallen as to make her consider changing plans. He took a step towards her and nuzzled her once more, also licking her behind her ear. Fluttershy giggled at the treatment and licked him on a cheek in reply. She then pulled back, and giving him a warm smile, she turned around.

She had originally planned to trot all the way to the spa, but she was so happy that her wings took her flying by themselves.

Latios watched Fluttershy flew off towards Ponyville, wondering what he had gotten himself into.

He sighed as he took a step back and closed the door. He didn’t initially plan on sharing the same nest with her, but when she refused to go sleep in there, he had realized that it was the only way to make her rest in her bed. And all that happened afterwards... he simply couldn’t explain it. Just being close to Fluttershy made him stop thinking about anything else, and he only wanted to be as close to her as possible. He thought she wanted the same after she kissed him, and he was right to some extent. When she stopped him from reaching towards her private regions, he immediately backed away, afraid that she would make him go away. Or worse, that he hurt her. Thankfully, it turned out that she just wasn’t ready for mating, which he could understand. That did not stop them from nuzzling and licking, activities that the both found pleasant.

The Eon Dragon winced inwardly at the memory of whenever they kissed. He could easily tell that he wasn’t very good at this, as he never actually kissed anyone. Out of all creatures that he knew about before waking up, only humans seemed to that, and while he could assume their form easily, it somehow never crossed his mind to ever do that. Even when his own sister suggested that...

It was a few years after their father passed away. Being so young back then, they disliked spending too much time in their gardens, and instead flew all over the city, while using their abilities to remain invisible. Sometimes people would see them, due to them not being able to fully control their powers, but such slips would last only few seconds. Those sighting later would cause the rumors of them watching over Altomare to spread, and while it was true, that didn’t mean they wanted everybody to know about it.

During one particular flight, the two of them soared through the canals of Altomare where they spotted two young humans, male and female, in a gondola. They were sitting really close to one another, and their muzzles were touching. Much later Latios and Latias would find out that this activity was called ‘kissing’, but for now it seemed to them like nothing more than a strange human custom.

“They look like they’re having fun.” Latias commented after few heartbeats. “Wanna try it?”

“I don’t think we can get out mouths together in that angle.” Latios replied, and for some reason he felt strangely uncomfortable.

“So? We can take shapes of humans.”

“True, but still, I don’t think we should do that. Seems like a bad idea.”

Thankfully, that discussion ended with that. Kissing was, after all, something done between mates, not siblings. Now, for a brief moment, Latios regretted not agreeing. At least that way he would have some experience.

Pushing the thought completely away before it would make him feel bad about not having his sister here, Latios pondered those new developments. He was unsure as to what exactly was between him and Fluttershy.

“Are we mates now? Technically no, but... The way she looked at me when she woke me up, and when she was leaving... and I think... I feel the same... I think we’re in love.”

Suddenly, even despite Fluttershy not being here, the whole world seemed much brighter to him.

Twilight looked up from the book she was reading at the sound she knew so well. And indeed, there was a letter in Spike’s claws, having freshly appeared through the baby dragon’s breath.

“This must be Celestia’ reply to my letter about Eon.” she exclaimed happily, hoping that her teacher could explain to her where this city of Altomare was exactly.

Not wanting to wait too long, she grabbed the scroll with her magic and unfolded it, wanting to read it herself. Her eyes darted from line to line in a matter of seconds, and soon she had finished reading Celestia’s letter.

“Huh?!”