Different kind of Tom
It had been sitting there for three months now. When Rarity had brought it home from Canterlot she had thought it was a priceless diamond, but after the effects of Discord's clouded mind spell had worn off, she saw it only as a worthless rock so she rolled it into her garden and tried to forget that she had ever adored it so much. When Discord had been forced back into stone sleep and his magic purged from the Ponyville the boulder remained, shrunk to half of it size. When Rarity got back to her house she took a closer look at the rock. It was a more manageable size now and it did have a firm feeling to it, the rock was very strong and gave off a nice granite aura, rather than returning it back to the Canterlot garden, she decided to keep it and find a better place for it. Rarity tried to it but for some reason it would not let go of the ground. Being unable to move it to a more desirable location, even with the help of her friends, Rarity planted some climbing flowers around it. They worked well with the rock and made for a pretty garden. The vines wrapped themselves around the rock the bottom half of the rock nice and tight and gave it an enchanting blue and white colour.
Sweetie Belle was tired it had been a long day of crusading, first cutie mark sword jugglers failed because they couldn't get any swords, then cutie mark flower sniffers which ended with Apple Bloom getting a bee in her nose. Cutie mark editors, cutie mark spider catchers, cutie mark knife sharpeners, cutie mark squid wrestlers were all tried and none of them gave them their cutie marks. When they got to cutie mark proctologists, Sweetie Belle knew it was time to quit so she slipped away while the rest of the crusaders were distracted. While she was walking back to her home she stopped by one of her favourite places to stop for the last little while, Rarity's rock garden. Sitting there was always so peaceful to just sit here and think about things. The flowers smelt good and the rock was just big enough to make a good seat. She could sit on it for all the time she had and just listen to bird that flew by. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo just didn't understand how peaceful it was to sit there.
While Sweetie Belle sat on her rock, something unusual happened. The rock began to get warmer and shake a little. Sweetie Belle looked around to see if Big Macintosh was pulling a heavy load and shaking the ground but nopony was near her. She was about to get back to thinking, something poked her in the flank.
“EEP!” squeaked Sweetie Belle as she jumped off the rock.
Sweetie Belle turned around to see the rock she had been sitting on quivering and start to form small cracks on it. Sweetie Belle gasped as a gentle thudding noise came from the rock and new cracks began to sprout out of the rock. It started to shake more and more violently and the cracks began to widen and let off a wet marble smell. Pieces began to flake off of the rock and fall on to the ground. When the rock began to bounce on the ground Sweetie Belle turned around and hid behind one of the baskets Rarity kept near her clothesline. There was a loud banging noise and the rock exploded.
Sweetie Belle peeked out from behind the basket to see a light grey thing surrounded by pieces of rock. Sweetie Belle got down low and crept up slowly to the creature which began to stretch when she got closer before letting out a little sneeze. When Sweetie Belle was less than a stride away the creature opened its eyes to reveal large yellow eyes with big iris looking right at Sweetie Belle's.
Sweetie Belle stared at the creature that had seemingly appeared from the rock. When it stretched out Sweetie Belle gasped, the creature looked a lot like Spike did. The creature was the different colour as the rock had been, it was about the same size as Spike was, instead of fur it had rough grey scales that had a stony appearance to them. Right above its eyes were short horns and a tuff of a dark purple hair. When the creature smiled Sweetie Belle took a small step back. In its mouth was a forked tongue and a pair of pointed fangs. The creature stood up and Sweetie Belle could see a small tail swinging behind it. The creature shook itself a little and wings folded out from its back. They were shiny and looked a lot like bat wings except for small digits at the apex of each one. Sweetie Belle was so focused on the creature she did not notice a flash a light coming from right behind her.
The creature leaned forward and wrapped its arms around Sweetie Belle and said in a deep voice “Mama.”
Sweetie Belle shrieked and pulled herself away from the creature before running away into Rarity's house. The creature just fell to knees and looked around in confusion. When Sweetie Belle got through the door she slammed it as hard as she could before pushing Rarity's emergency fainting couch in front of the door.
Rarity was busy sewing an eye on a small purple dragon doll. When it was done it will look just like Spike, after she made a Twilight Sparkle doll, she would have the perfect gift for the two of them.She looked away when she heard a commotion coming from her backdoor.
“Sweeetiee Belle! What are you doing to my house? Why is my couch pressed up against the door?" Shouted Rarity as she ran into the room, a sheet caught on her neck.
“Monster!” cried Sweetie Belle as she ran up to Rarity and wrapped her hooves around Rarity in fear.
“What are you talking about Sweetie Belle?” said Rarity.
“The rock in the garden turned into a monster!” said Sweetie Belle.
“Sweetie Belle! I'm sure somepony is just playing a prank on you.” said Rarity as she looked down at the scared filly.
“But it is really true, it has wings and horns and it tried to grab me!” cried Sweetie Belle as tears fell from her eyes.
Rarity just patted Sweetie Belle's head. “Don't worry dear, you can stay inside I will go check it out.” said Rarity with a small smirk on her face.
“No! Rarity don't go out it will hurt you.” said Rarity pulling on Rarity's tail and try to stop her from leaving.
Rarity levitated her couch out of the way and sauntered into her backyard and made an performance of looking around.
“Hello mister monster are you here?” sang Rarity “Are you underneath my laundry basket?”
Rarity looked up and was surprised to see that the rock in her garden had somehow been moved. She was about to go and investigate when she heard a light breathing come from behind a bush to the left of her. With a smile Rarity quietly crept up to the bush and stood right in front of it
“Whoever you are, I know your there this prank is over.” said Rarity in a no nonsense voice.
Rarity watched as a figure rose from the bush, It was a definitely not a pony, she didn't even know what it was. Instead of hooves it had hands like Spike, each digit ending with a short claw. Both hands were covered in dirt. In its mouth has a chunk of rock it was chewing like it was a marshmallow. Sweetie was right it did have wings and a spiky tail. The tail was thudding on the ground with a steady beat. Rarity stared at the grey skinned creature with a mixture of fear and confusion.
The creature lifted its head towards Rarity “Daddy, where did mommy go?” it said as it reached towards her.
Rarity screamed and ran back to her house leaving the creature once again confused. When she got to her house she slammed the door behind her and threw her couch against the door.
“Sweetie Belle there is a monster in my garden, eating my rocks!” shouted Rarity as she shook Sweetie Belle.
“Did it try to eat you?” asked Sweetie Belle fearfully.
“No it just tried to grab me. We have to do something we have to call somepony! There is a monster stalking my house!” said Rarity is an exasperated voice.
“What are we going to do?” asked Sweetie Belle fearfully.
Before Rarity could answer, there was a knocking on the door “Mommy, Daddy why do you keep shouting?” said a gravelly voice. The creature's head appeared in one of the windows.
Rarity spun around and grabbed Sweetie Belle and forced her on her back before running through her shop knocking over several ponyquins and breaking her door down in her rush to put as much distance between her and the creature.
“Why does it keep calling us mommy and daddy?” asked Sweetie Belle as she looked around to see if the creature was following them.
“I don't know Sweetie Belle but I know somepony who might.” said Rarity as she turned through the middle of town.
Rarity and Sweetie Belle went as fast as they could to the Books and Branches library. If anypony could tell them what the creature was it would be Twilight Sparkle. The town ponies watched curiously at Rarity and Sweetie Belle ran towards the library for no obvious reason. By now the creature had crawled into Rarity's home and started wander around the home.
When Rarity arrived at the library she pounded on the door as hard and as fast as she could.
“Open up! I need your help.” shouted Rarity.
The door slowly opened and a sleepy Spike stood there rubbing one of his eyes.
“What do you....Hello Rarity! How can I serve you?” he said with a note of joy in his voice.
Rarity pushed pass Spike and looked around frantically walking through the stacks and going up the stairs.
Spike turned to Sweetie Belle “Hi Sweetie Belle how are you?”
“Do you know where Twilight is Spike? I need to talk to her.” said Rarity as she came back from the upstairs having not found the purple unicorn.
“She is in Canterlot taking a professional development class in Library benchmarks and trends. I stayed behind to manage the library. Can I possibly help you?” said Spike trying to sound as professional as possible.
“I do not think so Spikey, there is some kind of monster walking around my garden.” said Rarity as she started to fiddle with her hooves.
Spike's face showed a twinge of fear “Wh-What kind of monster?”
Sweetie belle turned “We don't know it was big, and grey and it had wings like a bat, and claws like a manticore and a tail like a dragon! But it wasn't any of those things!”
Spike strutted back and forth for a moment before smiling “Wait I have an idea!” he said before running between the stacks of books “This just came in and not even Twilight has had a chance to read it yet.”
Spike came back holding a musty book with the title 'Mirus creatura itague quo invenio'. Spike stuck out his tongue a little as he flipped through the book.
“What is it Spike?” asked Rarity as she moved to stand beside him.
Spike paused for a moment to relish being so close to Rarity before responding “It's a guide book to the various creatures that inhabit this world. Twilight ordered it for me in the hope I could learn more about dragons, but it has a lot more in it.”
Spike turned back to his page flipping “Let's see, grey skin, bat like wings, scaly tail, anything else you can tell me about it?” said Spike as he turned towards the girls.
“It called us mommy and daddy!” cried out Rarity lifting her hooves to the floor for emphasis.
Spike rose any eyebrow but turned back to his work “So it can talk, that means it would likely be intelligent. Let’s see. No not that, not says that can only live in lava, no Cerberus would have stop this one, hmm this looks promising. Did the creature walk on its hind legs and eat rocks?”
Rarity and Sweetie looks right at Spike “YES! WHAT IS IT?”
Spike turned the books so they could read it “I think you are dealing with a gargoyle.”
Sweetie Belle jumped on Rarity’s back and they peered at the entry, the picture looked a lot like what they had both seen.
The Gargoyle (Unda Volans)
Gargoyles are neither mammals, nor reptiles, nor birds. They are part of a biological class Wyrm alongside Dragons and Quetzals. The gargoyle is believed to originate in the area now known as Prance living in the high mountains near drainage basins. Gargoyles have a greater resistance to the cold than equines or griffins do, likely due to a thicker scaled skin hide. Like Dragons, gargoyle are cold-blooded, but are capable of generating internal heat through magic, this is believed to be the source of their ability to shout scalding water from their mouths. However, unlike dragons there body remain cold to the touch. A gargoyle can theoretically live to close to 300 years old making them the shortest lived of their biological class.
Like most Wyrms, gargoyles lay eggs, however unlike the rest of their class gargoyles only lay one egg during a term. Gargoyles are capable of interbreeding with Dragons and Quetzals. Typically, female gargoyles become fertile in the days that fall around the spring solstice. After a nine month term, the females lay their eggs during the days that fall around the winter equinox, with the eggs hatching an average of ten to twelve years later. Gargoyle mothers will leave their eggs soon after laying them. During this time the egg is vertically indestructible and resembles a common rock. When a gargoyle egg is about to hatch its goes into a receptive phase and bonds with the first creature to touch it during this time. It is theorized that the touching leaves a mental imprint on the developing gargoyle giving it an understanding of the donor language. The gargoyle inside then prepares to hatch which takes an average of four months. Once it breaks through the egg it will imprint on the first creature that it sees. A newborn gargoyle has the mental capacity of a three year old foul; this is beloved to be the reason for the longer gestation time. Gargoyle's are born able to walk as well as a strong desire to find the two creatures that it has imprinted on.
Gargoyles' appearance varies dependent on the circumstances of their birth. A gargoyle will typically resemble its biological parents while inheriting features of the touch donor. Their wings are usually leathery, most commonly bat-like with the digits dividing the wing membrane but have been known to have feathers or fur dependent on how they were formed. Gargoyles are bipedal, although they can easily run on all fours if they need to. Their arms end in hands with two clawed fingers and a fully opposable thumb. Their legs are similar, with hip, knee, and feet joints ending with three clawed toes and a heel claw that points backwards. This digit arrangement is used to allow gargoyles to climb rock faces with ease. Each limb is capable of digging through rock and dirt with ease giving gargoyles respectable digging process, although not as much as a diamond dog. Gargoyles are very strong and are capable of shattering stone and bending metal with ease. Gargoyles are not capable of sustained flight for a long time and rely on up drafts in order to remain aloft. When not flying a gargoyle's wings will natural fold up against their backs, similar to a Pegasus.
Gargoyles are geophaic, obtaining all of their nutrients from consuming soils, metals and rocks. Their bodies are believed to absorb the minerals directly from the aggregates they consume. It is unknown how gargoyles developed this ability but it is theorized they their ancestors were isolated to the highest mountains above the growth line. Gargoyles have remarkable night vision while their day vision is similar to an earth pony. Gargoyle hearing is used in conjunction with their sense of touch to feel vibrations in the ground, allowing them to sense the location of suitable minerals. Gargoyles also seem to have a highly developed sense of smell, and are believed to be able to smell the location of minerals through a meter of compacted soil.
Rarity pushed the book away with a huff “This thing thinks that I am its mother?”
Spike looked at the entry again “Umm actually Rarity according to the author notes the gargoyle will project masculine traits on the touch donor so I think that would make you his father.”
Rarity's face morphed into pure shock “Of all the worst things that could happen, this is the! Worst! Possible! Thing!” before collapsing backwards onto Twilight's couch.
Spike and Sweetie rushed over to check on Rarity and found that she was rubbing her hooves on her head.
Spike turned to talk to Sweetie Belle when he noticed something “By the way Sweetie Belle, congratulations.”
Sweetie took her gaze from Rarity “What do you mean there is a monster in Rarity's house!”
“I mean that.” said Spike pointing at Sweetie Belle flank.
Sweetie turned around and look at her flank, there in a spot that used to be blank was the image of an egg with a crack down the middle.
“That's my cutie mark? Eggs?”
“I guess so.” said Spike turning back to Rarity.
“I'll send a message to Twilight about the gargoyle, but I don't think we are in any real danger.” said Spike as he quickly wrote a note to Twilight and firemailed to her.
By then Sweetie had convinced Rarity to get up of the floor “Do you think we should go home now Rarity. What if the gargoyle gets in the house?”
A look of horror spread across Rarity's face as she dashed out of the door towards her home, Sweetie Belle quickly followed her. Spike thought for a moment before turning back to his work, as much as he would like to follow Rarity, he had a job to do. When Rarity and Sweetie Belle arrived at the boutique they found the door open and something moving inside of the building. Rarity slowly crept toward the building with Sweetie Belle following her. When they got in they saw the gargoyle sweeping up the floor. All of the ponyquins and furniture had been righted and tidied. The gargoyle turned to the two mares.
“Hello Mom and Dad. You made an awful mess but I managed to clean some of it up.” said the gargoyle.
“Why do you keep screaming when you see me?” he asked with a small note of sadness
Rarity and Sweetie Belle was shaking but Rarity managed to say “Where did you come from?”
“Mom hatched me in the garden.” said the gargoyle.
“I did what?” asked Sweetie Belle.
“You hatched me from my egg after dad carried me here.” said the gargoyle.
“Your Tom?” asked Rarity.
“So my name is Tom.” said Tom as he stopped sweeping “I like that name, thanks Dad.”
“Please stop calling me Dad, I am a lady and I wish to be addressed as such. So you may call me "Miss" or "Rarity." said Rarity with a slightly annoyed voice.
“OK Rarity, what do you want me to call you Mom?” asked Tim as he turned to the filly.
“My name is Sweetie Belle/” said Sweetie Belle as she looked from behind Rarity's leg.
Tom smiled “My parents names are Rarity and Sweetie Belle.”
Rarity and Sweetie Belle smiled awkwardly as Tom bobbed up and down with a smile on his face. He started to drum his tail on the floor making a thudding noise.
“Tom!” shouted Rarity “Please refrain from damaging the floors.”
“Sorry Rarity, I was just excited” said Tom sheepishly.
Rarity sighed as she looked around, all of her ponyquins were neatly arranged and the floor looked spotless “what have you been doing here?”
“I got bored waiting for you to come home, so I organized things. I don't know why I just feel right to do.” said Tom.
Rarity moved to her couch and sat down. She looked at the shop and again at Tom. She thought about how hard it was sometimes to fill all of her order while keeping the house clean. How she got lonely sometimes when Sweetie was back home with her parents. It's didn't look like Tom would be leaving anytime soon. She didn't except to have a kid this way but maybe she could handle it. Twilight always raved about how much she loved having Spike around, not for his assistance abilities, but for the loving companionship she received. Maybe she could handle raising a kid. Maybe she could be a mother.