The Redemption

by JusSonic

Chapter 3: Community Service

Chapter 3: Community Service

The next morning hit in Equestria. The time has come for Lorcan to begin his community service. But for Twilight, she is keeping a close eye on Lorcan. If he even steps out of line, even proven himself to be a threat to Equestria, the Princess off Friendship will go through on her threat.

Lorcan yawns a bit as he came downwards to breakfast. Most of the family is there. Twilight of course is elsewhere talking about the work that he will do.

"Morning sleeping head!" Phobos exclaims as he put down a bowl of cereal, with bacon on it. "Got your meal right here. Look! It's happy to see you."

"Thanks." Lorcan remarks with a grunt. "Did Twilight told you what she said to me last night?"

"Yeah, we talked about it." Ben said with a shrug while he's eating. "She told me it's just precaution to make sure you don't get out of line. To be honest, I think she still doesn't think you're on the level."

"No horse crap. I supposed this isn't the first time it happened."

"Yeah, the whole incident when mommy and daddy almost broke up thanks to Boris." Nyx remarks in concern, recalling that moment last year when Boris tried to pull Twilight and Ben apart by making it look like the Earth Pony has broken his promise of not using magic during Winter Wrap-Up. "Mommy didn't follow her heart and well..."

"When Twilight and Ben had that argument, Twilight knocked over that table! Heck, Spike, Shining Armor, Nyx and I had to clean up the mess!" Phobos remarks, recalling that argument not too fondly.

"Oh, you had to bring that up." Spike remarks as he roll his eyes in remembrance. "Anyway, Lorcan, don't worry. Just prove to Twilight that you're a good guy. She will come around sooner or later."

Lorcan pauses then sighs as he begins eating his meal. The scarred Dragon remarks, "Well, here's hoping for the sooner part. Though Tartarus will freeze over before that could ever happen."

The family and Lorcan works on eating their breakfast. Once they're done, Ben and Spike works on the dishes. As Lorcan got up and prepares to head, he is stopped by an arriving Twilight.

Twilight smirks devilishly as she gave Lorcan an apron, saying, "Welcome to Tartarus."

"Been there. I like it there than here." Lorcan remarks dryly to Twilight as he take the apron, putting it on.

"Mom, try to go easy on him." Nyx said to Twilight in concern. She hope her mother doesn't wouldn't give him Tartarus on purpose.

"Oh trust me, Nyx. I wouldn't go that far." Twilight said, assuring her daughter that she will go easy on Lorcan. No promises though. The Alicorn then begins to trot off. "Come, walk this way."

"If I walk that way, I would bruised my hands and feet!" Lorcan jokes a bit, trying to lighten up the mood.

Twilight takes Lorcan to the library, the Dragon looks around in curiosity. How many books does this mare have anyway?

"All right, here's your task, Lorcan...cleaning shelves." Twilight said, giving out a duster to Lorcan.

Lorcan takes the duster, nodding as he speaks, "Cleaning a shelf...ok."

Twilight gave smug grin as she said, " All of them and clean all the books too. Now get to work."

Lorcan frowns, grunting as he got to work on cleaning the shelves. The Dragon is being treated like a slave...just like he accused Twilight of doing to Spike! Lorcan has a feeling that she is doing this on purpose just to spite him.

Lorcan moves some books, but ends up knocking some over, sending the scarred Dragon to the floor.

The others watch Twilight drinking tea while watching Lorcan having a bit of trouble. They sigh a bit. This is going to be big trouble.

--------------

Once Lorcan is barely done with the work at once, he is send out to work out in the community. Ben send the Dragon out on a simple task: helping Fluttershy out with the animals. Simple work, right?

"Oh, Lorcan." Fluttershy said as she spots her friend arriving on the scene with Twilight following with Spike and Nyx.

"Hey, Fluttershy.....thanks for not tellin Princess Temper over there that I saved ya." Lorcan remarks sarcastically, glancing over to Twilight.

"Oh, it's okay. I'm glad to..."

"Sarcasm, Flutter. Geez!"

"Okay, Lorcan, think you could do this?" Spike ask his brother with a hopeful smile.

"Yeah, yeah. I mean, I dwelt with animals before. How care could this be?" Lorcan ask with a sigh, rolling his eyes.

Fluttershy smiles as she gave some honey to Lorcan. The mare spoke, "Here you go. Harry the Bear needs his daily honey. Mind giving it to him gently? He tends to be a grumpy bear otherwise."

Lorcan nods as he goes over to a cave, then throws the jar into the cave. The scarred Dragon grins as he prepares to head off...only to be greeted with angry roar.

Lorcan turns to see a pissed Harry the Bear, growling at him furiously. The Dragon yells out, "Hey, back off, Yogi!"

Lorcan yelps as he dodges Harry's swipe, rushing off with the mad bear in hot pursuit. Fluttershy gasps as she joins in the chase to help Lorcan before Harry would kill him.

"I said gently, gently!" Fluttershy exclaims to Lorcan in worry, trying to fly around Harry. "Harry, Harry, leave him alone. He was trying to help."

"That was gently! What, you want roughness?!" Lorcan exclaims to Fluttershy in alarm. "Ouch! Back off, back off! Ugh!"

Twilight couldn't help but laugh a bit. Spike and Nyx groans in disbelief. Their mother is loving Lorcan being tormented a bit.

"Mommy, I got a feeling that you aren't truly giving him a chance." Nyx said to Twilight in concern.

"Hey, lighten up, Nyxsie, I am just having fun." Twilight remarks with a chuckle to her daughter. "Besides, serves him right, right?"

"Not what we got in mind, not at all."

---------------------

Later, Lorcan's group arrived at the Carousel Boutique.

"I'm sure Rarity will like to have you helping her." Spike said to Lorcan with a hopeful smile. "She always love it when I come over."

"Oh, sure, right, so you say."Lorcan remarked, rolling his eyes a bit. "You think you're only helping just to get close to her?"

"Spike likes to think so." Twilight commented with a shrug.

"Typical." Lorcan sighed.

"Mommy, try to at least be nice and helpful to Lorcan." Nyx said to her mother as the group came in. "At least you weren't like this to Discord when he was reforming."

"No promises, Nyxie." Twilight said to Nyx, giving a wary eye on Lorcan.

Nyx sighed before she said, "Yes, Mommy." Twilight is clearly overreacting about Lorcan.

Inside the Carousel Boutique, Rarity was working on a dress, humming a bit. She noticed her friends coming in...especially Lorcan, much to her horror.

"And what is HE doing in here?" Rarity demanded angrily.

"He's doing his service." Spike explained to Rarity with a bow. "I am hoping he would help you like I did."

"Yes, not like he would mess things up." Twilight explained with a proud smile. That made Lorcan a bit uneasy.

"Well, fine, okay. Just get me my rare gems from over there, Lor." Rarity said, motioning to a chest of gems nearby. "I need to get this dress done ASAP."

"Yes, ma'am." Lorcan said dryly as he headed to get Rarity's gems.

Rarity shook her head while saying to Twilight, "Twilight, I am not comfortable at all."

"Neither am I but Celestia insisted on it." Twilight remarked with a shrug to Rarity. "If he would prove that he himself can be reformed and make up for his mistakes, Tartarus would freeze over."

"Well, frankly, I think it is HE who should freeze over." Rarity commented with a frown.

"Uh, Auntie Rarity?" Nyx asked as she notice something, making her worry.

"Not now, Nyx. Anyway, I haven't forgotten how he almost caused me and Sweetie to not be Best Friends Sisters Forever anymore!" Rarity exclaimed angrily. "My poor Sweetie, she wouldn't look at me for a while."

"Rarity." Spike said to Rarity, getting nervous.

"Yes, Spike, I was getting to you. He even almost got poor Spiky-Wikey killed!" Rarity exclaimed, sobbing a bit. "Oh, it was the..."

"Rarity!" The two little ones called out in concern.

"What? What is it that..." Rarity began to say in frustration.

Suddenly, a loud burp was heard, getting Twilight and Rarity's attention. The two slowly turned to see Lorcan...who just finished off the last of the gems after eating the last one.

"Excuse me." Lorcan said with a chuckle.

Rarity's eye twitched a bit. All her rare gems...were gone...thanks to Lorcan. Then suddenly....

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Rarity screamed in horror and panic.

Rarity was so loud, all of Ponyville could hear, across the grounds...and right up to Canterlot. The ponies there looked around, confused and alarmed by the scream that just occurred.

Back at the castle, the Royal Sisters were at work....when they heard Rarity screaming in horror. Celestia gasped, "What in the Ma'gne's name is that?!"

"Oh, dear. Looks like Lorcan has done something to Rarity." Luna said with a concerned look, knowing that Lorcan must've done something bad that causes Rarity to scream like that.

Back at the Carousel Boutique, Rarity screamed in horror in rage at Lorcan, "YOU ATE MY GEMS!!!!"

Lorcan simply belched again before he remarked dryly, "Well, excuuuuuuuuuuuuseeeee me!"

-----------------------

Drago waited for somewhat a few minutes or so, until the Demon Lords finally arrive. About time.

"Took your sweet time of getting here, dad... So... did you give them a good lecture about hiding the secrets from us?" Drago asked Shendu curiously.

Shendu hissed, "Indeed, we did. We even insulted Grimmore."

Drago whistled in amazement by this, "Good one. I've always wanted to do that in the first place."

Tchang Zu groaned in irritation, "It's just so hard to believe that someone so powerful and terrifying we feared turned out to be a fool we ever met. The legend about him could be wrong..."

Hsi Wu hissed, fearing the worst, "Or could be true... No one understands him... I... prefer not to know it. He disgusted me. He dishonored the Demon's name and even his own... "

"And not to mention, he did some sneaky tricks in attacking another world than this one." Xiao Fung remarked with a frown. It's hard to believe that Grimmore would attack the EG world, just didn't do much to his own.

Dai Gui huffed a bit, "At least the previous one preferred destruction than playing around. I... miss fearing him a lot..."

"I'd rather not. Grimmore is fine for me, as long he puts some effort in attacking than playing around." Po Kong said, shivering a bit. At least Grimmore is easier to tolerate than the previous Demon God.

"It doesn't matter. We have more important things to do. What is the latest report, my dear nephew?" Bai Tza ask Drago, wanting a report to see what's going on.

Drago groaned while shaking his head in disgust, "The ponies are giving him a chance to prove he's a good guy. Damn that #%king detective. I hate eggheads like him!"

"Despite of that, Twilight remained hostile to him" Sec said, sensing that everything was not lost. "But she's not alone. General Warpath too had great hatred for him as well."

"Sec's got the point. Ponies may had forgiven him, but Twilight and Warpath? Yeah right... Like that's gonna happen." Cann remarked with a cruel laugh. It's true. As long as Twilight and Warpath hated him, no way was Lorcan fully forgiven yet!

Jast nodded while commenting, "Precisely... By using their hatred, their minds will be clouded and blinded easily to see Lorcan's performance of good deeds."

Thay chuckled insanely, "Good... Good... I want to see that! I want to see Lorcan's sufferings for dishonoring our master's name..."

"You will, Thay. But be patient, let's watch and plan of how we turn their anger against them. Then, we will have our master returned from the death. I just hope that Elf plans nothing of ruining ours. The last thing I want is another lying Elf ruined our plans." Sec comments, still not wanting Grimmore involved in this.

"Agreed. And what happens if we failed? You know he's gonna kill us." Drago said in concern, fearing Grimmore will kill them all.

Tso Lan had his eyes narrowed in anger and determination, "Let him come. He and I will talk."

"I hope you know what you're doing since it was your idea to spoke against the Superior and him for lying to the world that Lorcan was actually worked for us before he went insane, hiding Lorcan's status being alive and claimed that he was able to destroy the world." Bai Tza comments in concern.

Hsi Wu nodded as he thought of something, "Yeah... If he actually did create Black Hole on that world, so why not blow up on this? Is he really clever?"

"Let us forget about him. And focused on the mission." Shendu said. Now is not the time to worry about Grimmore, but at the mission at hand.

"Right... MC Cobra." Drago said, turning his attention back to MC Cobra who arrived on the scene.

"Ya rang, boss?" MC Cobra asked, waiting to continue his mission.

"Scout the area and report to me of what he was doing." Drago ordered MC.

"Aye!" MC exclaimed as he left the do the task at hand.

Drago now turned to Strikemaster Ice and DJ Fist to give them their next command, "Strikemaster Ice and DJ Fist. You both continued training the army. I want them to be ready until Twilight got blinded by her hatred and anger, and especially her Dark Form. That... is... perfect..."

Strikemaster Ice saluted as he said, "You got it, boss."

--------------------

"Okay, Rarity wasn't a good idea." Twilight said as the group rushes away. They had to get out of Rarity's place as the unicorn was freaking out.

"No, ya think?" Lorcan asked sarcastically.

"Lorcan, you never should've eaten Rarity's gems." Nyx remarked dryly.

"Hey, I was hungry! Can you blame a guy?" Lorcan asked Nyx, defending himself.

"Well, if its food you want, we got Pinkie Pie." Spike said as the group goes over to Sugarcube Corner. "She is good at having fun, eating, and random stuff. If anyone could help in the redemption process, it can be her."

The gang arrived at Sugarcube Corner, entering the shop. It's Joke Day at the place and Pinkie was telling jokes.

At least she was until Lorcan's group came in. The ponies stopped their attention on the pink pony to glare at the former monster.

"Oh, this is nice." Lorcan remarks sarcastically.

"Hey, hey, it's our old friend Lorcan!" Pinkie exclaimed happily as she zipped over to the group. "Oh, and the princess and the others!"

"Hey, are we on time?" Spike asked Pinkie hopefully.

"Just in time! Hey, Lorcan sounds like a funny guy." Pinkie said thoughtfully as she looked at Lorcan, who looked back at her. "Hey, folks! How about we all have Lorcan make us laugh?"

"Hey, come on, I don't do stand-up comedy." Lorcan said to Pinkie in protest.

"Come on, Lorcan, humor us." Nyx said to Lorcan, urging him to try to make ponies laugh. "Who knows? It could be fun!"

"Sure, good idea, Nyx. Why not Lorcan make us all laugh?" Twilight taunted Lorcan.

Lorcan paused then shrugged as he headed over to the stage, getting on it. Once the Dragon got the mic, he spoke into it, "Hey! What do you call a bunch of Diamond Dogs at the bottom of the sea? A good start!"

A rimshot was heard as the ponies just stared. Lorcan spoke, "Hey, why does Twilight Sparkle like to name her colt-friend's 'firepony'? She doesn't want a stranger making most of his decisions!”

Another rimshot played as Lorcan continued, "Seriously, folks, how many Equestrians does it take to defend their country against the Dragon Army? More than you had!"

After a third rimshot, nopony applauded or said anything. Lorcan mumbled, "Tough room."

"Make sure he doesn't get any cupcakes." Twilight said to Pinkie dryly.

Lorcan was sensing that he was not winning any favorites, so the scarred Dragon thought of something and quick.

"Uh, uh...do you know...how fussy Twilight is?" Lorcan asked quickly, nodding towards Twilight.

The crowd paused then laughed a bit. One stallion remarked, "Yeah, he's right."

"Hey, if she could be any more fussy, she would be renamed Rarity Part Deux!" Lorcan joked a bit at this.

"Hey!" Twilight exclaimed, offended at that remark.

The audience, however, laughed a bit. Lorcan smirked as he commented, "Oh, speaking of Rarity? You noticed how I accidentally ate her gems earlier?"

"No, why?" Caramel called out eagerly.

"Well, she screamed so loudly, Rarity could be mistaken for siren! If her fashion business is slow, she can always perform sirens for the war!" Lorcan joked, making a huge siren noise that sounded like Rarity's scream.

Twilight paused then chuckled a bit. That one was funny because it's so true.

"That's actually a good one." Nyx said with a giggle.

"Also, Rainbow Dash is so fast." Lorcan said with a smirk.

"How fast was she?" The audience called out anxiously.

"I will tell you: she is so fast that she was known to break car alarms in fifteen counties by how fast she's going!" Lorcan joked.

Twilight giggled at that. That was another good joke.

"And don't get me started on Pinkie! Why, I asked her earlier to give me a box of Applejacks." Lorcan said with a grin, making Pinkie perk up. "She left and came back with Applejack in a cardboard box!"

"Hee hee hee! It's funny because it's true!" Pinkie giggled. Twilight, Nyx and Spike laughed alongside her.

"Okay, then there's Fluttershy...well, not to make fun of her but one time, her mane is so big, squirrels once tried to hide in it to avoid dogs." Lorcan remarked with a chuckle. The ponies and Spike all laughed at that one.

Pinkamena's group was in the crowd, watching. Twilight appeared to be doing fine. At least she wasn't angry at Lorcan anymore, right?

Pinkamena commented to the others, "Well, if things go well, I might not need to stab Twilight with the needle......but I still worry our enemy's still planning to attack. Be on guard, and also, some of you can help Lorcan find out what to do."

The group nodded as they split up to cover more ground.

Meanwhile, the Dragon West Army came over. They were keeping their eyes sharp on Twilight and her friends. Dragonspear acted as Lorcan's warrant and watcher.

"Well, Lorcan is doing fine." Dragonspear commented. "So far, none of the ponies are trying to kill him."

"Yes." Twilight said, calming down a bit. "Though I still doubt that I was being trusted to do such a task by Azure Phoenix."

"Twilight, calm yourself." Virtue said, patting Twilight on the shoulder. "You are doing fine. He's making you laugh, correct?"

"True." Twilight said with a thoughtful look. It was by this time that the audience applauded while Lorcan was done with his comedy routine.

"Humph." Lorcan remarked while crossing his arms as if satisfied. "At least the Mystic Ponies are not turning against me for once."

"Don't be certain or that, Master Lorcan. There are some doubted your allegiance and loyalties." Dragonspear said. There were some Mystic Ponies who still doubt whether or not Lorcan can be trusted. "And it's best that you do your best to earn their trust."

Lorcan groaned, "Just my lucky day".

------------------

Next up, Lorcan is taking to Rainbow who is practicing her moves. Twilight dropped Nyx off at school while she and Spike continues working Lorcan, almost to death. He has to ride on Rainbow's back while timing her.

"And how is this community service?" Lorcan ask curiously, holding a stop watch while glaring at Rainbow.

"Nothing! It's fun! Hang on!" Rainbow laughs. She zoom off. Lorcan has to hang on tightly, screaming in a panic.

"Heh heh. This is awesome." Twilight remarks as she eat some cupcakes that the princess has brought at sugar cube corner. "Maybe if we're lucky, he would fall off and fell onto his fat ass!"

"Twilight, what happened to the laughing pony who laughed at Lorcan's jokes back at Sugar Cube Corner?" Spike ask Twilight, disappointed by Twilight going back to her recent behavior.

"Hey, that was fun mode. I am back in business mode."

Spike sighs, shaking his head as he continues watching his brother having a rough ride. Is there no way to convince Twilight that Lorcan is on the level for once?

The Mystic Ponies came over to see how the progress's doing. They came just as Rainbow landed, sending Lorcan flying off his back. As he recovers, the Pegasus pony laughs, "15 seconds! Not bad!"

"You're doing well. I'm just glad you still have skills on flying. Otherwise, I would have been heartbroken." Virtue comments to Lorcan who got back up to his feet.

Lorcan nods as he comments, "Well... I did learn one or two thing from the peasant general."

Warpath whacked Lorcan's head while scowling, "Watch it, shorty! That's my brother you're talking to!"

"Hey! He's my buddy too! Unlike you, he doesn't talk bad about me. You idiotic numbskull!"

"You dirty little Dragon s**t! I'll beat you to the ground, asshole!"

"Say to my face, you stupid Unicorn!" Lorcan exclaims angrily, getting very pissed by those latest words.

Warpath roared in anger as he jumped and slammed Lorcan to the ground. They both fought each other hard and quickly for a few times. Blade and Dragonspear quickly grabbed Warpath while Spike pulled Lorcan away. Both Warpath and Lorcan remained glaring at each other while trying to break free from their holds by their friends.

Virtue sighed while shaking his head, "They never changed..."

"What do you expect, father? Both Uncle Warpath and Lorcan hate each other's guts but they both mean well to each other so much." Saber remarks to Virtue with a frown. Those two will never grow up.

"I know, Saber. But he's a good friend."

"Lord Virtue... There's been something I've always wanted to ask. Why? Why did you call him a friend? All he did... was destroy lives." Twilight said to Virtue in concern. After everything that happened, what the hell would he consider Lorcan a friend of all things?

"Right, I mean come on, why even bother?" Rainbow ask in agreement with her friend.

Virtue gave a serious look to the princess, plus the Mystic Pony explains, "He's my best friend. If it weren't for him, my youngest son Kindy and Dragonspear wouldn't have made it back to me safely during Lord Azure's attack."

"What? What do you mean?" Spike ask Virtue curiously.

"Azure and I weren't friends since the Fall of Wrath Qin because of our different goals. Lorcan helped me to resist him. After some struggles and battles and especially Crimson River, my brave ponies and I headed to west and built Dragon West Kingdom. I named it after Lorcan's loyalty and ally. Because of him, I wouldn't have made it far and especially he and Dragonspear saved me from the Battle of the Grave Stone Maze."

"What?! Seriously?!"

"Unbelievable!" Twilight exclaims in shock and more disbelief. He is shock of how protective and loyal Virtue is to Lorcan despite what he did.

"Because of him, I will do anything to repay his debt, even if it means my death. He is... my friend..." Virtue said with a smile. The Mystic Pony must had some weird standards to help someone like Lorcan.

"My lord... Lorcan can't be trusted. How do we even know there's really good in him? He could be bluffing...."

"I know his bluffing when he had his tail itch. And that's why I believed in him."

"But Lord Virtue-!" Twilight begins to protest but Virtue holds up a hoof, interrupting what the princess is about to protest about.

"Twilight, learn to forgive him. If you can't, Lord Azure won't able to help you to achieve your Dark Form." Virtue said seriously to Twilight. Unless she can forgive Lorcan, there's no chance of her getting her Dark Form at all!

"But-!"

"Don't become me when I lost most of my allies and brothers when we were mortals. Please..."

"I don't understand... But I'll try..." Twilight said in hesitation. The Alicorn still got some doubts about her task though, but she will try to do so.

"Thank you." Virtue said with a nod. He is relieved to hear that Twilight will keep on going with the task at hoof here.

"Bah! I'll go and get more wine!" Warpath growls as he prepares to leave. The Mystic Pony pushes Lorcan out of the way. "Get the hell out of my way, weakling!"

"Yeah, you'd better get, drunkard moron!" Lorcan taunts Warpath mockingly.

"Shut the *#$ up, brat!"

-------------------

The scene changes on over towards Sweet Apple Acres, where we see the Mane Six were helping in collecting a load of apples in some wheelbarrow carts. The process was mildly good timing, with Applejack kicking the trees to bring down apples along with Fluttershy swooping around those that haven't fallen yet, Pinkie Pie collecting the apples to toss to Rarity, who then checks their value if they are ripe or not, Rainbow Dash running on a mill wheel to turn them into cider, and Twilight Sparkle, keeping things organized. Spike was also there helping out with the sorting when Twilight used her magic to sort out the barrels.

"Okay, how many more of these barrels are we getting done?" Spike asked from trying to check off another load of finished brand of cider apples.

"Well Applejack said that with Big Mac away on a 'date' planning event with Miss Cheerliee later on, she needed some helping hands, or hooves to fill in her brother's absence." Twilight Sparkle explained to her assistant Dragon friend about the situation the Apple's strong stallion is doing, so of course, extra help is needed to fill in the missing spot.

"Well isn't this a bit, I don't know…much?" Spike asked from looking around and noticing that the group have gotten done….A LOT, of barrels than usual.

"Please Spike, this'll help in getting more cider prepared like last time, remember?" Twilight smiled to remind her dragon friend that by doing this work, they'll be getting ahead start of preparing some Apple Family Cider sale.

"Twilight's right, 'de next apple cider sale is almost near, an' Ah need a lot o' help here." Applejack nods with a cheery expression, with her friends helping out, the cow girl is hoping for a nice sale to go by.

"Why, you don't have much competition, especially without Flim and Flam around to interfere." Rainbow Dash smirked off with pride to remind Applejack that with the Flim-Flam Brothers incident that once happened to the Apple's during their cider sale not going to show up again, they'll be able to sale quality cider no sweat.

"Quite right, even if they did show up, every pony in Ponyville knows of their sly method of business." Rarity nods with much agreement, anypony knows about the stunt Flim and Flam would pull to get customers buying off their stock than of others.

"But you have to give them credit on the singing and dance number, I always enjoy a little of that." Pinkie Pie smiled a bit in thinking how much fun there was when those salesmen ponies did their routine that always catches an audience’s attention.

"Thankfully, it's not a musical debate." Twilight rolled her eyes to sarcastically say how they can be glad such an event never comes to pass.

"Twilight, when do you suppose we'll be done here?" Spike asked his friend about their work in getting a load of these apple cider barrels.

"About the afternoon Spike, if all goes well." Twilight nods from using her horn to levitate a checkerboard to check off the accomplished parts of how far they have gotten.

"Um, Twilight, if we're all here, what about picking up Nyx & the Cutie Mark Crusaders from school?" Fluttershy spoke from feeling shyly about bringing up a sudden subject.

That piece of news hit the mares like a hard brick piece, only more mental than physically speaking. They were so busy trying to finish up this bit of chore work for the Apples, they forgot about their time to go and pick up the CMC from school this afternoon's dismissal.

"Oh my goodness! We got so focused here, we didn't think who pick up the fillies from school!" Rarity yelped in surprise to later learn of this, this was not a good thing for them.

"Aw man, and we're backed up in this work load." Rainbow Dash moans and groans to see they are now too busy to do the other request of pickup kids from school.

"So who's gonna go get them?" Pinkie Pie asked off from looking left and right to her friends. "Maybe Phobos." the pink pony suggested that they let their moon dragon friend do the task?

"Not him, he got sick fro' eating 'de rotten apples an' Granny Smith is helping his sick tummy." Applejack shook her head off saying 'no' while explaining what has happened to the poor moon dragon.

"Maybe we can get someone else to cover our spot." Fluttershy spoke out in suggesting someone could cover that opening for them.

"That would be nice, but who could we get to take in a request at this late hour?" Twilight nods in thinking that idea was nice, but the next question is; who? "Ben's busy working at the castle library, so he's out." The mare stated in recalling the stallion with the Triforce Elements times three is working hard at the castle library and it's actually busy about now.

"Hey, maybe I could help!" Spike spoke out with a positive personality in offering to help his pals. "I could go pick up the fillies, no problem." He swung off his left hand in saying he could pick up the fillies of his friends, no problem, right?

"Well that's nice Spike, but while I do let you watch the girls, the school board might find me sending a baby Dragon to pick up fillies from school a bit….irresponsible." Twilight made a sheepish smile to say that if she sent in a baby Dragon to pick up some foals, even grown up ponies might find that as being not-so-responsible for young ones.

"Oh, well then…how about I help around the farm, maybe take Fluttershy's spot with flying around." Spike spoke in trying to think up of another way he could help the void spot of taking over another pony's job.

"But I thought you needed wings to fly." Pinkie Pie rubbed her noggin in seeing Spike can't do a flying task without wings.

"Hello, I got a move that can do it! My Flame Step technique, it'll be just as fast." Spike waved up his arms to remind the mares here that he's got a 'cool' move to use his feet to dash across the skies, and at fast speeds to be on pair with Rainbow Dash's work.

"Spike, I hate to burst your bubble, but that might be more trouble than you think. Twilight had a sorrow expression to tell something about Spike's plan to use such a technique to help them. "That move lets you skip across the sky with your feet letting off heated sparks." The smart pony pointed out a little effect that 'Flame Step' move of Spike's can do whenever used.

"Right, and you would be passing trees to knock the apples off!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed off to say about another matter about the very idea if Spike was to 'help' them.

"And if any o' dat there sparks o' yers touched 'de leafy greeny, they set our acres a blazin' like a bound fire." Applejack stated off that if Spike's not careful, that 'Flame Step' technique of his could set a fire without the baby Dragon knowing it.

"That would be dreadful, we appreciate the effort, but that stunt may have to be left in the back of our minds." Rarity kindly tried to ease the subject of the matter to let Spike know…the idea had some heart to it, just that they think they can manage without any accidental incidences.

"Well…okay. I guess that was kinda bad." Spike lowered his shoulders in feeling kinda gloomy that his idea would backfire.

"Well now, it looks like a pick up for Nyx and the others won't be happening as early as we thought." Twilight sighed in feeling that the fillies at school will have to wait a bit longer than planned before coming home.

"Um, Twilight…there is 'one' being that we can ask to help who's not too busy." Fluttershy suddenly spoke out to approach her friend in making a suggestion at this time.

"Really Fluttershy? Who would that be?" Twilight asked with a raised eyebrow, who did the shy Pegasus had in mind that could offer them some aid.

"Well, he's right over there….Lorcan." Fluttershy slowly and shyly responded while pointing her left hoof out for the others to follow that direction.

"WHAAAAAT!" The other mares all shouted out in a shocking surprised tone from their stations when Fluttershy made such a suggestion.

For just over near a hill spot, underneath of one apple tree that spread its shade over a character was someone familiar. It was Lorcan alright, he wore his black cloak with his hood covering his face to hide it from view. Ever since the Mane Six discovered that the Scarred Ruler himself has returned from death, the mind of Lorcan being nearby did not settle much in their stomachs. Of course, while only five out of the six felt some threaten feeling from the 'former villain' foe, only one saw some goodness, and it was none other than Fluttershy. When it was said that Lorcan was not who he usef to be, that meant that his 'darkness' within himself, the very evil that drove him was now gone, but of course, some actions are too deep to just pass it over. And there was a lot of trust issues going around here.

"Fluttershy, I'm REALLY not sure that's a…." Twilight was about to say in trying to be thorough in her words, but….

"HAVE YOU LOST IT?" Rainbow Dash shouted out to cut in-between the discussion to look at Fluttershy in the eye. "That sounds like something Pinkie Pie would say!"

"No way! Even my party-silly-personality mind has limits, you know!" Pinkie Pie protest out that even she, the goofy and silly member of the group, had some standard of limits. "Yeah, he made me laugh earlier, but that's about it!"

"Darlin' have you forgotten that Lorcan did terrible things, to all of Equestria, and to us?" Rarity sternly spoke with much caution, reminding this Pegasus about all the things Lorcan has done to many of them during the former's declaration of war and conquest.

"But….he's changed. I mean, just look at him." Fluttershy spoke in trying to have the mares here see reason about Lorcan being a changed dragon. And from a view, Lorcan just sat under the shade of the tree of apples, being silent, quiet, not doing anything, not bothering anybody or nothing, but all and all, many find this 'too' suspicious. "He's all by his lonesome, living in a sad and sorrow mood. He's almost like what Tough Apple use to be, remember girls?" Fluttershy spoke in trying to get her friends to see a situation where someone needs help, even reminding the Mane Six of a not-so-long ago event that was vaguely familiar to this.

"Except fer a major thing 'dat unlike mah cousin, he was no power-hungry, pony-exterminating, warlord ruler 'dat almost spelt Doomsday 'ta Equestria." Applejack pointed out with a dry tone in her voice, the complete difference of her once temper-mental cousin, to the former scarred Dragon foe.

"But you're missing the point, he's changed now." Fluttershy spoke in trying to convince her friends to see her point about the situation here. "Spike, you must believe that Lorcan's not his evil self anymore, right?" The Pegasus looked to the one person to side with her, surely a sibling would back up the elder brother, right?

"Hey-hey, don't go bringing me into this out of nowhere!" Spike held up his arms in protest that now he was being forced into this situation now. "Besides, while he knows me, I only know so little about him even now?" The baby dragon shrug off his shoulders to say that even someone like him, only knows so little.

"Listen….Fluttershy, we still have doubts about Lorcan from all the evil things he's done. Unleashing Dragons, gathering the Brotherhood, and what he did to m…e…" Twilight was trying to approach the subject in recalling the bad things, but also stopped from bringing up the subject of her 'little brother' with his demise end. "To everyone that he's ever come into contact with." The smart pony quickly recovered enough to fool the others to believing that was her last reason to be.

"Can't you see what you're all doing? You're being unfair to give someone a chance." Fluttershy protest out to exclaim the thing that the others here seem to be doing about now? "Remember how the Dragons we fought are now on our side?" The yellow Pegasus pointed out a major calling about the Dragon Army of Tadaka.

"Yeah, but from what I heard, 'most' of them were only tempted by some angry essence that made them evil, and the rest are dust or turned to stone." Rainbow Dash waved off her right hoof to speculate the part where it was only a 'few' of the Dragon Army that were not completely evil, the rest, not so lucky.

"Well yes, but what about the Cult of Nightmare Moon?" Fluttershy felt a bit defeated near that first part, but came back with a stronger subject force. "They were ponies like us, but were force to do evil when something tried to twist their minds into thinking and believing such things. Remember Twilight?" The mare had her friends remember the old cult that were wanting the evil Nightmare Moon back, and even Twilight knows all about it.

"Uaagh, I rather not remember such horrible experiences Fluttershy." Twilight moans a bit to lower her head in just remembering such an event from her life.

"But there's more, remember how Nightmare Moon was also a victim?" Fluttershy spoke in bringing up a subject many of the mares know all too well by now. "Both Luna and Nyx were saved from being a terror that struck fear into everypony." Many were slowly nodding their heads in agreement, the evil that was once Nightmare Moon, was gone from Princess Luna, and even the reincarnation of that former Alicorn, Nyx, both free of such evil. "And Ben Mare was also someone that didn't want to be a dangerous creature of darkness, and we helped him despite the circumstances." The yellow Pegasus brought in another subject, when during the Demon Pony event, they found out that it was the long lost innocent victim that disappeared years ago, Ben Mare, and helped to cure him to live a more better life.

"Hugh, I never would have pictured it that way." Pinkie Pie rubbed her noggin in feeling a bit lost in this discussion, as the debating was getting somewhat intense.

"But Fluttershy, those events were different, they were…well, not likely Dragon related until afterwards." Rainbow Dash tried to bring up a good counter measure to what they did to the present.

"So it's okay to forgive Lorcan's Dragon Army that are free from evil serviette, but not Lorcan himself, is that it?" Fluttershy spoke off with a little 'ticked-off' attitude in seeing and hearing what she believes the rest are saying.

"But Fluttershy, even those Dragons were afraid of Lorcan and what he do." Rarity spoke to exclaim a fact that Lorcan was so evil and powerful, the Dragons in his army feared him without question.

"How can we help someone that feels like an outcast because we can't give them the benefit of a chance to show us another side to them?" Fluttershy asked off in feeling a bit annoyed that her friends here are not wanting to help someone when they need help the most here?

"What else is there, if anything, the guy is now less a threat?" Rainbow Dash asked off in remarking that as it stands, Lorcan is still a threat, even if he's not as powerful as he was before.

"Come on, please, lets just give him this chance to prove himself." Fluttershy spoke in pleading that they should let Lorcan have this moment to prove himself.

"Fluttershy, I'm sorry, but…" Twilight was almost about to say they couldn't, however….

"Pleeeeeeeeease….." Fluttershy was no asking with wide sparkling eyes with such a 'puppy-dog pout' that it seemed to have some more force to it? "Don't make this harder, I'll use whatever I can to change your minds." The yellow Pegasus pony begged out while also saying she won't quit until she gets a yes from these guys.

"Even the Stare?" Pinkie Pie asked out puzzled in what her friend meant by 'use whatever' kinda force method.

"She's bluffing, she wouldn't try 'dat." Applejack shook her head in feeling that what Fluttershy said was a bluff.

"But what if she did?" Rarity asked with a sudden look in her eyes of being concern about such a tactical manner.

Now at this moment, no pony could almost refuse, as Fluttershy used her 'Stare' combined with the 'Puppy-Dog Pout' to make it almost irresistible to go against her. The Mane Six, even Spike can see that any further arguing was pointless, so many of them sigh in defeat.

"Hugh, okay, he can pick up the fillies, but he better just do THAT, and bring them home! No funny business, or else!" Twilight sighed off before snapping off in a stern order that if Lorcan picks up the CMC, they are to be alive and well, otherwise, the former scarred ruler himself will face judgment…by her!

"Oh thank you! I'll let him know!" Fluttershy smiled happily to se that Twilight argued to let her do so. And then the Pegasus flew off to get where Lorcan is while leaving the others to see this continue on.

"Well, looks like when it comes to Fluttershy and debated arguments, she could beat you all when using the pleading sad eyes, to her Stare." Spike shrug off his shoulders to feel that arguing with Fluttershy having such a trick, makes that mare almost impossible to beat in any debating matter.

"Spike, that's not helping us here!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed off with an annoyed look that the baby Dragon was not helping out much in this picture.

At this moment, Lorcan continued to distract himself, but that was only for a few short moments. For soon, Fluttershy flew around the corner of the cloaked Dragon's left side, but Lorcan just simply had an empty blank expression towards his smiling guest.

"Um…hi Lorcan." Fluttershy spoke with a cheeky smile with her shy approach to greet this teen Dragon that hid his face under his hood.

"Oh, it's you Fluttershy. What did I do that the others sent you to tell me something of problems I'm causing?" Lorcan spoke from moving the eyes up and then away to notice who was here, and asked with a laid-back personality if the reason Fluttershy was here was cause of something he did.

"Oh no, it's nothing like that, it's just…um…" Fluttershy shook her head in saying 'no' about Lorcan being in trouble, and got down to business. "We were wondering if you could help with a task," The mare asked off the topic of why she was here from her group.

"Hmph, a task you say? What's that, leave Equastria and never return?" Lorcan sighed a bit from speaking casually out if the task requested is that the Mane Six want him to just leave them be.

"No, no, no, noooo, this one's more friendly asking!" Fluttershy shook her hooves up in objecting of such outrageous claims that came out of nowhere. "Since we're all busy, we were wondering if you could go and pick up the Cutie Mark Crusaders; you remember Nyx, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, right?" The yellow Pegasus asked off if just maybe, since the Dragon teen was not busy, Lorcan could pick up the CMC from their school.

"I do, how could I forget?" Lorcan spoke off with a sly expression, but it also faded the moment afterwards in recalling what Fluttershy asked of him. "And are you sure it's wise, you clearly forgotten about a reputation I made when I first came into Ponyville." The teen dragon spoke with a downer tone in his voice, while he had no arguments, if folks see him, well, let's say he's not on good terms with them after the whole 'Lorcan/Brotherhood/Tadaka's Army' event invasion that went off.

"Oh I know you're not evil anymore." Fluttershy smiled and shook her head in saying that this person was not the evil dragon he used to be.

"Right, and Pinkie Pie is smarter than she looks." Lorcan huffed a bit to roll his eyes, stare up at the sky to criticize the part of knowing he's not evil, is the same as saying a certain pink pony is actually smarter then what others see on the outer appearance. "You may as well forget it, it's a waste of time. I know that even from my change of position, my sins are too deep to change anyone's mind about myself."

"That's not true. Why…lots of us have made mistakes. We just learn from them." Fluttershy spoke gently to say that many have made mistakes in their lives as no one is perfect.

"That may be true, but the mistakes I've made are far worst, I know the difference from those you faced to presently speaking." Lorcan spoke from lifting his claw up to study it and then grip it into a fist. The hooded Dragon knows that he out of the Mane Six's previous foes have done things much worse then what other villains that have appeared gone and done by now was…nothing of greater casualties.

"Come on Lorcan, if you say you've changed, then…I wanna believe that you have." Fluttershy spoke to approach the Dragon that hid his face under his hood. "If you show a little of your changed self to everypony, in due time, they'll be your friends." The Pegasus spoke in feeling that with time, Lorcan can make the ponies here see that he's no threat, but a friendly Dragon.

"Right, and the first thing they'll do is try to get me to eat something to stun and seal me up where I'll never return or to a more poison injected approach." Lorcan spoke off with a light-weighted casual response with little sorrow in how he could say the horrible stuff that could happen to him with the citizens of Ponyville. "Huuagh, I suppose I have no reason to blame them if that help them feel relieved. After all, who ever be friends with me?" The Dragon teen sighed while gazing at the ground, feeling that no matter what, no one would be friends with him from all his evil.

"Well…firstly, I wouldn't want anyone to do that to you, and lastly…I could be your friend." Fluttershy spoke in objecting such horrible things ponies could do before, saying with an honest face, that the mare would like to be Lorcan's…friend.

"You would?" Lorcan spoke off to look his puzzled eyes up to Fluttershy, seeing that there was no lies within her very soul, it was…surprising. "Hugh, that's rich. You would wanna risk the chance to be friends with a former scarred ruler that tried to kill your own pony race?" The teen Dragon that hid his face made a sly expression in hearing some pony say they wanna be friends with him, of all things.

"Well, I suppose that does sound strange and terrible if you think of it that way, but…." Fluttershy shrug off her hooves to understand what Lorcan is getting at, however…. "I say that if you really have changed from your former evil self and wanna prove it, then I'm happy to be your friend." The yellow Pegasus smiled forth in being completely honest, as she felt confident that Lorcan really has changed.

For the first time, Lorcan felt some silence while almost looking between Fluttershy and thinking over her words. He's never had any real friends since…the times he's been with Celestia and Luna all those years ago, before he was shaped into being what his father wanted. Could Lorcan really believe that he deserves this, a new chance to live a life, and with friends again?

"Hugh, you would actually wanna be my pony friend?" Lorcan sighs in feeling rather surprise that Fluttershy would want to be his friend, a pony being friends with an old pony killer, now that's rich. "I haven't had that old feeling since Celestia and Luna before my…change." He looked away for a moment in recalling that the only pony friends were the Royal Sister Rulers, but that was in the past when he was still…good. "I can see why you are the suitable subject of the Element Kindness? I wonder how life would be…if 'they' were like you." Lorcan whispers to himself, feeling that if anything, Celestia and Luna might have hard feelings in re-accepting the Dragon as their friend, Fluttershy is different from them, so it's not like they can forgive and forget, right?…Or can they?

"Every pony can be, if they just understand one another." Fluttershy then patted Lorcan on his shoulder to ease up his tension a bit.

"Huuuagh, alright then…you win." Lorcan sighs a bit in feeling defeated here, and without much conflict of physical issues, but of words. "I'll go and pick up the fillies from school." The Dragon stated in accepting to go get the CMC from school, by the Mane Six, but mostly Fluttershy's request.

"That's the spirit! You'll do fine, and others will start thinking differently when they see your actions." Fluttershy smiled to nod in being proud of what Lorcan is going to do now.

"Well, guess I got nothing else to lose." Lorcan shrug off his shoulders while his face was hidden behind his cloak's hood, feeling now's about a good a chance to find out the truth of the matter himself.

"Click!" Then what Lorcan did next was quite simply a snap of his right fingers. "Prusfruvhmm…." Suddenly before his opposite side to Fluttershy, an emerald portal of flames appeared, giving the Dragon a magical spell trip to save time. "Frusvhm-Wruspvhmm…" Then the next moment afterwards, the flaming portal vanished when Lorcan walked through it. And of course, the action was seen by the others that saw how Lorcan made his leave of the scene, by the magic route.

"Well, as Phobos once said, say what you will, but Lorcan knows how to make an entrance as well as an exit." Spike shrug off his shoulders in seeing that the way Lorcan leaves a scene was always something to be surprising to see.

"Huuuagh, I really am hoping things will not fall apart in what we've just done." Twilight Sparkle sighed from a heavy take of her breath, she really hopes nothing will go wrong from this picture of letting Lorcan pick up foals from school.

"You mean sending a former pony killer out to pick up foals that when no one's lookin, will drop them dead as payback and say there was an accident to cover his tracks?" Pinkie Pie spoke out a really random thing to say which really got a lot of eyes looking at her with such puzzled expressions. "What? What I say?" The pink pony asked off in seeing and feeling a strange sense that she did something without really knowing about it, it figures really.

Yep, this was diffidently going to be one of those cases you never know what will happen in the end as the Mane Six sigh and rolled their eyes after trying to forget what their pink friend just said before going back to work.

---------------

The End of Equestria is recovering quite nicely since the Demon Lords' ejection from there as well as Twilight's group's last stay there. Tao and his group are there, looking for something as per their mission.

"Uncle, I'm having doubts about letting Lorcan staying at Ponyville. She could kill him." Dragon Kick said seriously, expressing his concern about Lorcan staying with Twilight. She may end up killing him than helping Lorcan.

"Not with the Dragon West Army keeping their watchful eyes on them. Don't worry, Dragon Kick; Twilight will learn to forgive him." Tao said to his nephew calmly and in confident. "While she was in the process, we'd better make haste. We can't let Grimmore guess what we were doing."

"Seeker! Are you sure we're going the right way?!"

Seeker huffed as if his abilities were insulted, "Of course, I'm sure! They don't call me 'Seeker the Seeking Mystic Weapon' for nothing. I'm sure it's in this area. We're heading north!"

"That's Po Kong’s Lair!" Dragon Kick gasps. He recognizes this area too well, since Po Kong used to live here.

"That's where we're going! Let's go!" Tao exclaims as the group heads on their way. The mission continues onward!

Author's Note:

Well, things are shaping up, aren't they? In the next chapter, Lorcan finds out that Diamond Tiara did a sneaky act on the CMC, causing him to head to the Everfree Forest to rescue the CMC. Will he save them in time? Read, review and suggest!