"-THE WORST POSSIBLE THING!" Rarity shouted.
Rarity? No, no, no! Turrok leaped from his bed and barreled through the door. Sliding on the floor and slamming his good shoulder into the hall before nearly tripping down the stairs. He raced to the door to see Rarity laying on a small sofa.
"Rarity, what's wrong!? Were you attacked?!"
"No, but I found out that we're needed at the library as soon as possible!"
"That's what the screaming was about?" He deadpanned.
"Well, I can't shower this morning before we leave!"
Turrok face hoofed. "You nearly gave me a heart attack, over a shower?"
"Yes, I... did you just say 'heart attack'?"
"Yeah, I thought someone broke in or attacked you or something."
"Oh, heavens no. But, it is nice to see you care so much."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, you were so concerned with my safety, that you didn't think twice about racing down here."
"I- well..." He had no real counter. "True, I'm not going to deny it. The last thing I want is for someone to suffer for my sake. Especially, someone as nice as you."
"That's sweet of you to say."Her smile made him forget her over reaction and he couldn't help but smile back.
"So, uh, you said we need to get to the library?"
"Oh, yes, of course. Shall we?" She walked out of her home with her disguised changling in tow, wrapping a wing around her to walk.
"So, did you sleep well last night?" Turrok asked.
"Yes I did, having a big, strong stallion protecting me helps."
"What did Dusk come over during the night?"
"I was referring to you, darling."
"How am I strong? I can't even walk without something to support me." Which in this case, was Rarity.
"I'm not complaining. It's like having a feathery coat in this chilly morning air."
"Glad to see you take full advantage. So, why are we going to the library so early?"
"The princess wants to share what she had learned from our little 'friend' yesterday. Everyone else should already be there waiting for us."
"Excellent, I hope that information is worth the trouble we had to go through."
"I'm sure it will prove useful. But, I wanted to ask you about your argument with Dusk yesterday."
"What about it?"
"Who started it?"
"Well... it wasn't a normal argument. In all technicality, I guess I started it."
"Well, that's a little better than Dusk starting it."
"Why's that?"
"Because, you're my friend, dear, and the last thing you need is someone yelling at you for no reason." She answered.
"Ha friend, I don't have friends."
"Then what am I?"
"The really nice pony that's putting up with me."
"Is that really all I am to you? The one who gave you a place to live?"
"No, to me you are the one that's giving me a chance to heal. I'm just the sick animal that you took off the side of the road." He received a firm slap upside the head.
"I'm sorry to have done that but, you were being an idiot."
"What did I say?"
"You compared yourself to a sick animal. You clearly needed that."
"Then answer me this, if I wasn't injured when I came here, would you give me a chance?"
Rarity pondered a moment. "Of course. Granted, I would be a little more defensive about you, I would give you the opportunity to explain why you were here. All of us, even Dusk, would welcome you, albeit we would be hesitant we would welcome you."
Her answer was the exact opposite of what he was expecting. "You really mean that?"
"I do, dear. Now come on, everyone is waiting for our arrival."
The library came into view, and the door ominously opened. It beckoned them to enter, I have a very bad feeling bout this. "It seems their tired of waiting," Rarity noted, "shall we?"
"We shall. I'd offer to let you go ahead but..."
"I know, the gesture isn't as important as the thought."
The two walked through the door before it closed behind them. Everyone was accounted for, the five mares, Dusk, Princess Celestia and the dragon, Spike.
"Geez, took you two long enough. You just get back from a date?" A certain cyan pegasus asked, in a less than cheery mood.
Turrok gently pulled his wing off Rarity, don't even dignify that with a response. "I take it you aren't a morning person?"
"Hey, I like my sleep, okay? And this affects you the most out of everypony, being the very last one to show."
"My sincerest apologies, but I would like to ask to skip these... pleasantries and get straight to the point. I would like to get some breakfast and I know a certain mare would like to shower as soon as she can." Hinting he remembered his less than pleasant rise.
"Right then," Celestia began. "I spent a good amount of time with this changling and they broke quite easily, I didn't even have to rough him up that much. Nor did I have to get my pyro mask from Nightmare Night, I'm a little disappointed about that."
Dusk and the others remembered the costume and shuddered at the thought of it. It came complete with a full fireproof red suit, working flamethrower and ax, it definitely made her the most feared pony in Ponyville and Canterlot. It took Dusk a whole day to get Fluttershy to leave the house. Even longer to pry her off of him when she got scared and clung to him for dear life. Turrok, on the other hand, was lost by Nightmare Night and shrugged it off as an unnecessary detail.
"He was not professional in the slightest. But, the information he gave me was useful. First, the prize on your head is pretty small, meaning no trained assassins will come after you, since it would not be worth the trouble."
"Oh, thank heavens." Rarity interjected.
"That is good news, but this also means anyone who is desperate enough will seek you out. You won't be officially safe until we figure out a way to ensure that they won't come here."
"Is that all?" Turrok asked. "Not really all that new information. I had come here knowing all of this, I appreciate summoning me to make sure I knew." He turned to face the door.
"That's not all."
"What else is there to tell me?"
"You're family, tell me of it."
A tightness pulled at his chest. "What did they tell you?"
"Enough for me to want to hear your answer before drawing any conclusions."
"I suppose I can't hide from it any longer," the changling admitted.
Turrok took a deep breath in preparation, "I had my mother, father and younger brother. My family was one of nobility. Though the queen acted as a ruler, those of higher stature are placed as heads of each individual state. My father was a leader of one of these states. Many of these leader's are stricken by greed and their greed is fueled by the queen's greed. Taking as much as they could from the ones they ruled over."
"My father was nothing like them, always taking the least he could from the working families. Sometimes giving up some of our own family's money in order to make sure everyone could live comfortably. The ones he was responsible for cared for him greatly. His praise was slowly spread throughout the land. Eventually, it reached Chrysalis. She ordered a heavy tax upon our people. More so than what we could cover. So, my father did the only thing he could."
"What was that?" Fluttershy spoke, just above a whisper.
"He refused to pay it. He had too much support to be simply removed from power. Riots and revolution would definitely begin to dethrone the vile witch. But, the witch found... other methods." He couldn't help getting choked up at this point. "Yanu and I were returning from the market one day to find our estate in flames. My mother and father were both trapped inside, autopsy report stated death from smoke inhalation. That fire was deliberately set, she had ordered it to keep him from gaining too much support, all because he wasn't affected by greed, he was just being a good leader... That's all that should be said. You already heard about what happened to little Yanu." He fought the tears, but they still showed the urge to form.
"Princess, I think that's enough." Rarity turned to Turrok and reached out to him, "Come, let's get some breakfast."
He nodded and the two walked out the door.
***
Pinkie Pie ran out shortly after, it must have been too sad for the party pony to handle.
"What hasn't that guy been through?" Dash asked.
"Not much good, maybe we should consider givin' him a permanent home here. He don't really have anywhere else to go." AppleJack suggested.
"He hasn't exactly led us astray." Dusk supported.
"It's a bit early for that, I'm afraid. He has seen many tragedies, but we need to see how well he protects this place. I must return to the castle though, I will check in frequently for updates. Good day to you all."
"Good day, Mentor." Celestia took her leave.
"This is unbelievable, how can someone lose their parents, then lose their brother and have no where to call home?" Twilight asked.
"I don't know, but I know he blames himself as much as he blames Chrysalis for everything," Dusk stated.
"How could he blame himself as much as that maniac?" Dash asked.
"He couldn't protect them. Not his parents, not his brother. He couldn't have known what she was planning to do with his parents and his brother was trapped. Nothing could have been done for any of them but still he blames himself."
"Well, what can we do about it?" Twilight asked.
"Not talk about it." Dusk answered simply.
"That's it!?"
"That's it."
"There has to be something else we can do!" Twilight proclaimed.
"What else? What else can you do for someone who has lost everything?" Dusk questioned.
"Give him something that he needs."
"Like what?"
"Friendship, what else?"
"Good luck with that," Dusk replied.
"Why's that?"
"I talked to him privately, he thinks that we are just helping him out of pity."
"Well, ain't that what we're doin'?" AppleJack questioned.
"Exactly, if he wasn't injured we would just tell him to leave. I know I wouldn't let him set one foot here without a fight." He confirmed.
"But, now we actually got to know him, and how he isn't a monster or a threat. He's just had a hard life and really needs a friend." Fluttershy chimed in.
"Oh, I think he has more than a friend, now," Rainbow pointed out slyly.
"What? Who?" Twilight asked.
"Come on, Twilight, you're the most observant one here. Who has spent the most time with him since he got here?"
"Rarity?"
"Duh, no doubt there's something going on between those two."
"Dash, stop." Dusk stated.
"What? It's obvious."
"How?" Twilight inquired with a raised eyebrow.
"Well, they live together right?"
"That means nothing Dash, I offered up the library too, remember?"
"Yeah, but you have that guy in Phillydelphia."
"He has a name you know!" Twilight shouted.
"Anyway," she rolled her eyes. "He picked Rarity, that says enough."
"It says that he didn't want to be too exposed," Dusk explained. "That he didn't want to be somewhere that anyone could walk into with no one being the wiser."
"W-well, what about when they left together yesterday?" She stammered.
"She probably locked the door when they left, and she has the only key to get in," Twilight mused.
"But...but..." Dash trailed off.
"But nothing Rainbow," Dusk interrupted. "Spreading rumors like that won't help either of them."
"...Fine." She groaned.
"Good, now, back on topic. We need to be his friends if he's ever going to even begin to heal."
"I suppose if you want to try." Dusk submitted.
"Um, Dusk?" Fluttereshy spoke.
"Yes, love?"
"I need to go feed the animals."
"I'll come with you."
"No, you don't need to do that."
"Hush, changlings could be here. I do not want you to go off alone if I can help it."
"Okay, goodbye everyone." Fluttershy said.
"Alright, be careful you two." Twilight advised.
"Twilight, did you forget I have the champion of Ponyville here to protect me?" She smiled, resting her head on his shoulder.
"Still, we're dealing with an infiltration not a invasion. They could disguise themselves as anyone, even us." Twilight explained.
"Then we need a way to test each other, a password, something that only we would know." Dusk suggested.
"I have an idea," Fluttershy said.
"What's that?" Rainbow asked.
"The name of our daughter. It would be really hard to guess wouldn't it?"
"Wait! YOU'RE PREGNANT!?" The three mares shouted.
"What? No, no, no! At least, not yet!" The pegasus explained. AppleJack and Twilight gave a sigh of relief, Dash on the other hand got right up in Dusk's face.
"You better not be pregnant! Otherwise, this one's going to the hospital again!" The rainbow maned mare threatened, rearing back a hoof in preparation to knock Dusk on the floor.
"Please stop, Dash, he won't even entertain the idea until we've said 'I do'." Fluttershy pleaded, trying to pull her away.
"I Pinkie Promise." The unicorn followed the ritualistic motions, completely unphased by the threat of violence.
"Okay, but, if you break that promise, both myself and Pinkie are going to be coming after you." She turned around to face the mare that was trying to pull her away. "But why did you say the name of your daughter if you aren't even pregnant yet?"
"Haven't you ever thought about settling down and having kids?" Dusk asked.
"Nope." That would be the typical answer from her.
"Well, anyway we've been talking about if we have a son or a daughter. We're still talking about the name of a boy, but a girl would be Radiant Dawn."
"Radiant Dawn? Pfff. That's so..." Dash started, until the future parents glared at her. Much more venom carried compared to her threat from a few minutes ago. She decided to choose her words carefully. "...so ...great! Awesome name, I love it! Couldn't have picked a better one myself!"
"Anyway," Dusk did the best he could to ignore the censored comment and shut out the multitude of insulting things that could have been said about it. "We should tell the others the password."
"I can get the word around quickly," Dash volunteered.
"Wait a few minutes before taking off. Pinkie's not really used to such sad news, and Turrok goes without saying."
"Got it, wait a few and head to Pinkie first."
"Great, we will see you later." Fluttershy and Dusk left. "I thought it was a nice name."
"Dusk, we both knew full well that Dash was going to have something negative to say about anything that wasn't 'Rainbow Dash' related."
"I know but still, it took us so long to come up with it."
"Just know that I love the name. And she will too."