“Sister, he needs more time, especially now.”

Celestia sighed, shaking her head wearily, returning inside after sending the sun on its nightly course downwards.

“I know Luna, I know. If something comes up however, I have to send him. Relationships have deteriorated completely, especially with the Council's fiasco that destroyed our research facility. The griffin separatists are still as volatile as ever. We need to secure some sort of connection with the main nation, and soon.” Her voice carried the weariness of hundreds of peace talks, and multiple visits to the large province.

“You think Toxic Shield is your solution? He has enough in his life to deal with as it is! We don't believe it wise to send him alone to the facility.”

For the first time that day, Celestia looked up to her sister, a soft smile on her face.

“I won't Luna. I have another pony in mind, one who has worked in the griffin nation before. I would also request that you accompany them.”

Two days, almost a full week since he had arrived in Ponyville. The past two days though, had been different.

Very, very different.

Toxic put the water sample into his saddlebag, pausing for a moment as his thoughts spun around inside his head. Two days ago, he had met Sky Duster. Knowing that she was safe and sound relieved a tension he hadn't known existed. She was fun to be around, and they had chatted for a good hour or two after he had finished explaining the workings of the water-monitoring device.

He had never done that before...

His eyes slammed shut, as though to block out the darkness that spilled into his mind. No, that wasn't true. Only one other time had he been so at ease upon first meeting another pony. That time had been strangely similar to this. Those years ago, she hadn't seemed to mind his speech patterns, and actually appeared to enjoy his company.

And we all know how well that turned out, don't we?

Toxic left his bags near the stream, speeding up to a quick canter as he aimed towards the Everfree forest. If he was going to vent, then he had to be far away from Ponyville.

He broke into a full gallop as the more-recent memory flooded back. It was so simple, foalish really...

A hug.

That was all it had been, yet somehow that simple gesture had torn through the barriers Toxic had placed around his heart. It had been brief, less than a minute, but having Sky Duster's forelegs wrapped around him...

There was a faint pulse in his chest, like a candle struggling to be lit. It flared briefly, the strange warmth pushing a few tears out of his eyes as Toxic dove into the edges of the everfree forest.

Only on the darkest of nights had he felt this comforting warmth, the knowledge that someone cared. For years after... she made her feelings known, the heavens hadn't even bestowed him that comfort, and now...

Now this curious mare had ignited a dangerous thought in his mind, one that threatened the stability everyone saw day to day.

Toxic stopped, looking around. He could see the light from the field through the trees, so he was still within running distance, should anything happen.

Not that he would run. Not now.

He charged up his magic, wanting nothing more than to burn through his magical reserves, to feel exhausted. The armor materialized over his frame, the beam of deadly light materializing in front of him.

His thoughts continued to boil as he hacked through the undergrowth methodically, leaf by leaf, branch by branch.

She had come to visit.
It must have been Pepper who told Sky his other sampling locations, there wasn't any other way she could have known. He had been testing the water samples on another stream a few miles north...

A day and a half ago....

“Hey there Toxic!”

His eyes widened as the familiar mare's voice reached his ears.

“S-sky Dust-er?”

She smiled, nodding an affirmative. Her saddlebags were filled with what Toxic assumed to be groceries, and her bright smile was rather infectious.

“Yep! I was on my way back from the market, and....umm. Pepper had told me you were sampling the water here and I was wondering if you'd be alright with explaining more of what you do if it isn't too much trouble I dont-” Sky's mouth snapped shut, a blush rising to her cheeks.

“Sorry. Started to ramble there...”

Toxic was still surprised by how cute Sky looked when she blushed, let alone appeared embarrassed.

“N-no probl-em. I c-could te-ll you mo-re, if y-you wan-ted.”

She quickly sat down, eyeing the vial in his magical grip curiously.

“I'd certainly be interested.”

The memory blurred there. Talking about his assignment had taken only a few minutes. The following hour or two had been spent chatting about everything else. What bothered Toxic, no, what scared him, was of how easy it was to relax around this mare.

An angry snarl split his face as he bisected a withered tree with the blade of light. It was a foalish crush, nothing more. How could it be anything more substantial?

Dare he think it was anything else?

A foul smell then reached his nostrils, accompanying a low growling.

Timberwolves.

At any other time, he would have fled, but emotion clouded his thoughts, dulling any possible fear of the creatures. There were three of them, edging from the shrubs towards him.

He turned to face them head-on, the magical aura around him brightening, matching the powerful emotions that refused to be silenced.

How could she have so easily led him on?

How could he have been so blind? It was so obvious now.

She had used him.

Pitied him perhaps.

Acted like his friend, like she cared.

A timberwolf lunged, but was caught mid air. Toxic let out a rage-filled yell, slamming the creature into a nearby tree, snapping off a few of its limbs. It had hardly begun to reassemble before it was hurled off again, this time shattering into shards.

Had been there to quiet his fears, only to snicker at them behind his back.

She laughed at him, when his back was turned.

She thought he was weak.

She had underestimated him.

Another lunged, and like the first, was stopped mid-air. This time Toxic savagely tore it in half, then dashing each piece against a tree. It would take hours to reassemble.

Which left one.

This one got closer, this time held off by Toxic's magical grip on its claws. It snapped its jaws close to him, not a pony-length away. He walked close to it, enough to feel its fowl breath on his face. Toxic met the timberwolf's feral gaze with his own.

She had gloated of how foolish he had been.

Torn him down behind his back.

And when he needed someone to be there...

She had thrown everything in his face.

The creature roared, but Toxic didn't even flinch.

He narrowed his eyes, and screamed back.

It bore all the hatred at life, the agony and sorrow that had stayed pressurized inside his heart. The betrayal by the one pony he had dared to trust. The fear that the insults others said were true. The ache of a family he couldn't confide in.

He screamed at the creature until the timberwolf's eyes had shrunk with fear, and its limbs began to shake slightly, instinct telling it to run.

He screamed until he had nothing left.

His emotions spent, Toxic hurled the beast over the treetops, not caring where it landed.

The unicorn's armor slowly faded, and he slowly began to walk back to his testing equipment, sweat dotting his flank. One question lingered in his mind.

Would Sky Duster do the same?

What he didn't see, was a pair of amethyst eyes wide with shock, and a pony trotting quickly away from the edge of the Everfree forest.

Pepper was tending to a few seedlings in her front yard, when she heard a voice ring out across the countryside.

“Pepper!”

-

Sky skidded to a stop next to her friend, waiting a few moments to catch her breath.

“You are not going be believe this...”

-

After rinsing off her muddied hooves, Pepper lay on the couch as Sky related the past hour to her. As time went on, Pepper's jaw dropped with shock.

“W-what? Are you saying he took on three timberwolves?!”

Sky nodded, her gaze now shifting to her hooves.

“Well, at least now we know he's...unstable.” Pepper couldn't keep the sadness from her voice. Toxic had seemed so nice.

Her eyes then met Sky's, and any further words died before they reached Pepper's lips. It was just a glance, but there was a darkness in her friend's gaze.

“Sky, are you ok?”

“You have never been depressed, have you?”

The response to Pepper's comment was instantaneous, and carried a fair bit of loathing. The hidden edge in the mare's voice made Pepper shrink back slightly, eyes wide with shock. Sky then shook her head briefly, looking over to her friend.

“Sorry Pepper, you didn't deserve that.”

The mare nodded, sliding closer to her friend.

“Sky, what aren't you telling me?”

-

The light-blue unicorn let out a sigh, settling her head on her hooves.

“Something is wrong with him.”

Pepper couldn't help but let out a snort.

“Well duh. He took out three timberwolves, one of which he screamed at.”

She then snapped her mouth shut as Sky's gaze hardened briefly.

“Not like that, Pepper. I mean, he's sad.”

Her friend couldn't help but raise her brow at that comment.

“Umm, Sky? He sounds angry, really, really angry. More like a mental case than sad.”

“Will you STOP with those comments!”

Sky's voice rang out across the small room, shocking her friend into silence. Pepper saw Sky's expression soften, a few tears trickling from her eyes.

“I'm sorry Pepper. I'm sorry....”

Now truly worried, Pepper scooted next to her childhood friend, putting a foreleg around her shoulder.

“Sky, what in the world is going on?”

The blue unicorn raised her eyes to Pepper's, jaw clenched with emotion.

“Pepper, I've been there. I've been that sad and angry before.”

She stayed silent, a squeeze on the shoulder urging Sky to continue.

“I can't explain it. Telling it to you, of course he sounds crazy. Being there was...different. Goodness Pepper, he was crying. The look on his face...”

Pepper found her friend's face buried in her shoulder, a few soft sobs emanating from the unicorn. Between shaky breaths, Sky managed to finish.

“He looked like I did, when I was at my lowest. When my parents forgot...”

She shook her head, then glancing up to Pepper.

“I can't tell you what I've been through these past few years Pepper. There has been some happy moments...but so much pain.”

Pepper held her friend close, rubbing her shoulder comfortingly.

“You don't have to tell me. I'll love you all the same.”

–

The two mares stayed huddled on the couch for a while, but it was Pepper who finally broke the silence.

“You should talk to him.”

That got Sky's attention.

“What?!”

Pepper looked over to her friend, shrugging slightly.

“Talk to him. Jeez, you've been more than happy to chat with him for a few hours the past few days, why not again?”

Her friend's response was a simple sigh.

“I can't just go up to his door. Hi there, I saw you freak out in the Everfree forest, want to talk about it?”

Now it was Pepper's turn to be silent for a moment.

“Well...meet him at the pond.”

Sky simply blinked with surprise.

“Pond?”

“Toxic Shield asked if he could come by some nights and look at the ponds. He said it helped him relax. The big one. Two minutes walk from the pond you usually go to at night.”

Sky's shocked gaze just caused her friend to shrug.

“I've seen you leave at night, so I know something is going on.” Pepper smiled as her friend wrapped her forelegs around her in a hug.

“Thank you Pepper. I'll try to explain everything-”

A hoof pressed itself gently to her mouth, Pepper shaking her head at Sky's words.

“Just because you're my friend, doesn't mean you have to tell me everything.”

Another hug was Sky's response.

Author's Note

Hope you all liked it! As always, feedback is appreciated!