Protecting Her

I just stared at the piece of parchment in disbelief. Dash... Her family... A million thoughts were panicking in my head at once. I dropped the letter and walked over to the love of my life and kneeled down in front of her chair. She was still crying, hard. I bet anyone who would've passed by the library would have heard her. My arms reached out and wrapped around her body, comforting her. She instinctively hugged me tight, not wanting to let go, crying on my shoulder like if I was the only family she had left.

"Shh... It's okay, I'm here with you...", I cooed, trying to make her feel better, but she just kept crying her heart out. I started to run my fingers through her hair, her beautiful, multi-colored hair. I wasn't really sure why she was crying, her family wasn't confirmed to be dead, but nonetheless, I was there for her. After a while, her crying became lighter, so I took that opportunity to stand up. Not wanting to let go, she stood up with me, kind of like a young filly. She was still holding on tight, and she didn't look like she wanted to go anywhere today, which wasn't like her, she was usually always doing something, never with time to relax. So, I did what anypony else would do in a situation such as this one, I released my grip on her, placed one arm on her back and one behind her legs, and swept her up into my arms like if she was a foal. She held on to my neck and pressed her face into my chest as I walked over to Twilight's couch and sat down, placing Dash on my lap. I continued to run my fingers through her hair and stroke her gently down her back, and I could tell she was loving it.

"I... I love you...", she said quietly. I just smiled, kissing her forehead gently.

"I love you too Dash...", I said back to her. She didn't hear me, she was already fast asleep in my arms. I would have fallen asleep with her, but there was a knock on the door. Twilight went to go get it assuming it was the rest of the girls. I saw her step outside and close the door behind her.

-------Twilight's POV-------

I closed the door softly, carful not to make too much of a ruckus. Standing before me were Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie, they were all excited to see Merzéro, or Zero as he preferred, but I guess they were going to be disappointed. Of course, Pinkie was the first to speak...

"Heya Twilight! Can we come in?" Her mood was elated, as always.

"Yea Twilight, Ah wanna see th' new guy!" Applejack was then followed by Rarity.

"Yes my dear, I am just dying to meet him! He's practically from a whole different nation!" Fluttershy was last, shy as ever.

"I want to meet him too... If that's okay..." I was going to have to tell them, but not outside, somepony could overhear...

"Girls, you will come in, you will come in quietly, Dash is on the couch asleep, don't wake her up, got it?", I instructed with a heavy tone of voice. All of them nodded and we went inside. Fluttershy went to go check on Dash, and the rest of us took a seat at the diner table.

-------Fluttershy's POV-------

I walked over to the couch to see how Rainbow Dash was, but there was somepony else sitting there... I walked nervously to the front of the couch and the stallion noticed me.

"Hey," he started, "You must be Fluttershy, the name's Zero, it's a pleasure," He took one of his hands out of Rainbow's hair and stuck it out for me to shake, which I did gingerly...

"H-How is Rainbow Dash? If you don't mind me asking..." He bore a gentle smile on his face.

"She's just a bit tuckered out, that's all..." He looked down at Rainbow Dash, who had her face buried in his chest and one arm around his abdomen, the other limp at her side. "Isn't she just the cutest thing? Her face brightens up my day!" I smiled and walked over to Zero, giving him a small kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you for taking care of her, I know you two are meant to be together..." As I backed away from him, I noticed that even his black fur couldn't hide the blush he had on his face. I went back to the diner table and sat down.

-------Twilight's POV-------

"Alright girls, here's the deal. I got a letter from Princess Celestia about 15 minutes ago. Read it for yourselves..." I levitated the letter over to them and they all read it together. Their faces turned from curious to shocked in mere seconds. They put down the letter and sat in silence. Pinkie (of course) was the first to speak.

"I guess this means the tour is off, right?", she asked, already knowing the answer.

"You are correct...", I responded. Rarity looked behind her at Zero, then looked back at me.

"So, what will we do?", Rarity inquired in a flat tone.

"Well...", I started, "Princess Celestia wants Zero and I to go to Canterlot as soon as possible, so I was thinking you girls could spend time with Rainbow Dash, treat her to some luxuries, you know, to get her mind off of Las Pegasus. What do you think?" The girls just looked at each other for a few moments, and then looked back at me. They all nodded.

"Don't worry dear," Rarity started, "We'll give her 'The Works' while you two are away!" Her answer relieved me. I have such great friends, always looking out for each other...

-------Zero's POV-------

While the girls were chatting, I just sat there with Dash, caressing her hair and her side, I wondered what she was dreaming about. When I was little, my mother would tell me stories about this alicorn who's job was to walk through the dreams of Equestrian citizens, making sure everything was alright. She'd tell me that sometimes, when you were having troubles or just needed advice, she would appear in your dreams and talk to you, giving you that help you so desperately needed. So, when I had problems, I prayed to Celestia, asking her to send that alicorn my way. Not once did she come, but Celestia always gave an answer to my problems, it's just that she did it through my dreams, not through the alicorn. Even to this very day, I pray to Celestia for the alicorn when I have troubles, and even though the alicorn never comes, the princess never lets me down. Suddenly, a certain somepony broke my train of thought.

"Zero, would you mind coming over here for a second?", I heard Twilight call out.

"Yeah, let me just set Dash down on the couch here...", I responded as I picked Dash up moved her body to the opposite side of the couch, careful not to wake her up.

"Ooh! We finally get a good look at you, dear!", said another of Dash's friends, who I'm guessing is Rarity. After I had set Dash down, I walked over to the table and sat down, introducing myself.

"Well, I'm Zero, it's a pleasure to finally meet you all," I said to them, shaking hands with each of them. The pink one, Pinkie Pie was it? Yeah, I think it was... Anyway, the pink one, she had a VERY strong grip, stronger than the orange one, who I think was Applejack...

"The pleasure is all ours, dear, I'm Rarity," she gestured her hand to the pink one, "This is Pinkie Pie," her hand moved over to the orange one, "Applejack," and finally to Fluttershy, "And Fluttershy!"

"Awesome! Anyway, Twilight, what's the plan here?", I inquired.

"Well, Princess Celestia wants you and me to go to Canterlot as soon as possible, so I asked the girls if they could tend to Dash while we were gone, and they said yes! I was thinking we could leave tonight, how's that?", she asked.

"Can we leave tomorrow? I was going to take Dash out for dinner tonight, well, before all of this happened, and I still want to go through with it...", I explained.

"Awwww!", Pinkie exclaimed in a childish manner.

"Sure! That sounds great!", Twilight responded. I looked over at Rarity.

"Rarity, I've heard you are the best designer in all of Equestria, and as a matter of fact, my sister dies for your dresses...", I started.

"Oh please! You don't need to smother me with compliments!", she exclaimed with an embarrassed yet flattered tone of voice.

"But, I don't own any formal clothing, so I was wondering if you could help me with my predicament...", I finished.

"Why of course! Stop by my boutique in a few hours and I will set you up with the best I can provide!", she responded. Knowing her work, the best she can do is better than most designers from Canterlot. I wasn't lying about my sister either, she once saved up for two years just to buy one of Rarity's dresses! She'll faint once I tell her that Rarity lives here in Ponyville!

"Well, then it's settled, Zero will take Dash out for dinner and we leave for Canterlot tomorrow, leaving the rest of you to tend to Dash until we are back!", summarized Twilight. We all nodded in confirmation. I just hope that whatever it is that the princess wants from me isn't bad or anything...