Inner Demons

The school bell rang, and was almost instantly drowned out by the pitter-patter of little hooves running outside.

Obsidian scanned the playground for Apple Bloom, and found her when he was tackled from behind by the yellow filly.

"Hey there, Obsidian! So, you ready to go play?" Apple Bloom asked, hopping off and helping him up.

"Well, um, I have to go tell Fluttershy that I have no homework, but then I can,” he said as he dusted himself off.

"Aw, but that will take too long... couldn't you just play now and tell her you had no homework when you get home?" She smiled and little punched his shoulder. "I mean, it's not like you would be lying."

Obsidian pondered this for a second, then smiled. "Yeah! You're right, Apple Bloom. I'm sure she won't mind."

Apple Bloom smiled and ran off and Obsidian followed, quickly catching up to the other two crusaders.

"Took you long enough!" Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle yelled in unison.

"Sorry girls, I had to speak with Obsidian, but we're ready now."

Scootaloo jumped up and giggled. "Awesome! Now, let's see what we should do first." She pulled out a list and looked through it. A large grin came across the filly's face. "Cutie Mark Crusaders Wrestlers!" she screamed, and tackled Sweetie Belle. Obsidian chuckled. 'It's going to be a good day,' he thought to himself, but that's all he had time to think before Apple Bloom tackled him.

"Agh! Scootaloo, what were you thinking!?" Sweetie yelled as she shook some of the mud off of her coat.

"I thought maybe we would get our cutie mark from it," Scootaloo defended herself.

"Why would you think that? I mean, if we didn't get our mark for wrestling, then why would we get our mark for mud wrestling?"

"My mommy told me only naughty mares mud wrestle, and they get paid for it at pubs," Obsidian said, causing the three fillies to blush and look at each other.

"We have to get clean, now!" Sweetie exclaimed.

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom nodded. "Agreed," they said in unison.

"We could ask your sister, Sweetie," Obsidian said.

"No!” Sweetie Belle squealed. “Do you have any idea what my sister will do to me if she sees me like this?"

"Um, okay... but then who will we see?"

"We can go to my place,” Apple Bloom suggested. “I know Apple Jack won't care"

"Then it's settled. To Sweet Apple Acres!" And with that, all four took off towards the orchard.

"Ah don't know why y'all are this messy, and Ah don't really want to. Now, you fillies get in the tub," Apple Jack looked at Obsidian and shook her head. "Guess you have to take a bath with them." Obsidian's face flushed bright red, causing the girls to giggle. "Now get your flanks upstairs!"

It was just as bad as Obsidian thought it would be. Interestingly enough, he was the only one who seemed to think so.

"Well, this is nice," Sweetie said, relaxing in the tub. Obsidian gulped and nodded.

"So what crusading are we going to do later?" Scoots asked, rubbing the soap out of her eyes.

"No idea, but I hear there's a rock pile near the Everfree Forest," Sweetie said as she started to wash her mane. "Maybe we can climb them and get a mountain climbing cutie mark."

"How would we get a cutie mark for that by climbing rocks?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Well, it is a mountain of rocks, technically."

"Ah guess you're right."

"Then it's settled! We'll go after our bath."

"So, this should be easy to climb." Scoots smiled and started to climb the mound of rocks when her body froze as she heard a loud snarl. "Um... guys? We have a problem."

That problem multiplied quickly. The rocks started to move as timber wolves emerged from the mound, growling and snarling. Soon the the crusaders were trapped and they didn't know what to do.

There was only one thing Obsidian could think of to do.

"Mommy!" he screamed as loud as his little voice would go.

Nothing happened.

Tears slowly trailed down his face as he realized that he would soon be dead. "Mommy," he slowly whispered. His head jerked up when he heard a loud snap.

"Twilight, are you sure you need us with you?" Fluttershy said softly "I... don't mean to sound rude, but I have to worry about Obsidian, remember?"

"Oh! Oh! Oh!” Pinkie started to jump up and down. "You can see if the Cakes will take care of him! I mean, he is old enough to help around the house."

"Well, I mean... if it's okay with them, then maybe I could ask them... I, um, guess."

"Good. Now, back to business," Twilight smiled. "Now, we know that the Crystal empire is very far away... I suspect that it will take about a week to get there, another week to fix everything and enjoy ourselves, and finally one more week to get home. So about three weeks-”

“Eep!”

“-in total." Twilight looked at Fluttershy. "Everyhing ok?"

"Oh, um, yes. Everyth-" she stopped as the smallest scream entered her ears.

"Did yall hear that?" Apple Jack asked. “Sounded like a little colt screaming." Suddenly, Fluttershy's wings unfurled, and she burst out the window. Rainbow Dash stood there with her mouth wide open in awe, and the only word that escaped from anypony's mouth came from Apple Jack. "Whoa nelly."

"You stay away from my little one," Fluttershy growled as she stood there, glaring at the timber wolves. Her expression would have made Iron Will cry. Obsidian waited for her to use the Stare on the wolves, but his eyes widened in surprise as she instead beat the living tartarus out of them. Like a yellow harbinger of doom, she was everywhere; slamming forehooves down and kicking hard enough to snap the sticks. Soon the timberwolves that could still move were crawling away, whimpering.

"Flu..." Apple Bloom tried to speak, but was stopped when Fluttershy glared at her angrily

"You three, go home. Now." She turned her gaze towards Obsidian. "You have no idea how much trouble you are in, mister."

"Fluttershy, I'm sorry I didn't come home." Tears poured down his face as he spoke.

Fluttershy landed next to him and pulled him into a hug. "Shhhhh... It's okay, honey, you're safe now. I won't let anything hurt you."

He looked up at her and nuzzled against her.

“Let's get you home,” Fluttershy eventually said. “This place is kind of scary.”

"Obsidian, I need to talk with you," Fluttershy said as she lay him in his bed and tucked him in that night. "I have to leave for a few weeks tomorrow."

"What!? Why?"

"Well, Twilight's brother needs her help, and we are going to accompany her." She smiled slightly. "That means you are going to spend your time with the Cakes while I'm gone."

Obsidian jumped up and hugged her tightly. "I love you, Fluttershy," he said as tears rolled down his face.

"I love you too, little one. Now go to sleep." She laid him back down, and soon he was fast asleep. She kissed his forehead and smiled. He wasn't her son, but if they couldn't find his parents then she would make damn sure he became it.