//------------------------------// // 4. Keep calm and flutter on - Day Two // Story: The Guardian // by Alexshy //------------------------------// Second time in the row Fluttershy found herself in her own bed in the morning. With one exception, the night before she simply collapsed due to fatigue. This time she got on the free half of the bed willingly. There was enough space, nothing could happen and she was to look for him anyway. Besides, the bed was way more comfortable than a couch downstairs. Fluttershy climbed in the bed and lied on the coverlet. She checked human’s pulse, it was even, then touched his hand. His skin was soft and smooth without any coat, quite an unusual feeling for a pony. “When he recovers, I need to free another room and get a bed,” she noticed that this thought surprised her only a little. Taking care of somepony, who can stand for himself otherwise, was different from what Fluttershy experienced before helping her animal friends. They mostly couldn’t do themselves, what she did for them. But taking care of someone, who saved her life, gave her unusual satisfaction, feeling of doing right, more confidence and… sympathy. With these warming thoughts, she fell asleep under his quiet breathing. Now Celestia’s sun tickled her nose with its rays. Back in her daily business. She scratched Angel behind the ear, he sneaked on the pillow after her and was sleeping now. Standing under the water streams Fluttershy turned one ear, a quiet moan reached her hearing from the room. She wrapped up in a towel and stormed to the room, leaving wet prints on the floor. She threw back her wet mane and inspected the bedroom. Everything was in its place, but the human seemingly changed his pose a bit. Fluttershy rushed to check the bandages and to her relief the wound was fine, no blood, no progressing swelling. Angel woke up and stared at her in surprise. “Perhaps Lyra was right and stitches worked better indeed,” thought Fluttershy returning to the bathroom. “And the rest must mean that he is recovering and may wake soon.” “Good morning, darling!” Rarity stopped by the fence and leaned on it watching Fluttershy feeding her animal crowd. “Do you have a few minutes for me?” “Hey, hey,” waved Fluttershy blowing a few hair strands off her face. She wiped her hooves and approached the fence from her side. “Of course I do. Just let me check if I have everyone filled.” She smiled and pretended that she had no idea about the possible reasons for that visit. But she was sure she guessed right. Fluttershy decided to let Rarity solve the task of explaining her reasons herself. “Let’s get in the house,” she said instead and led the way. “Want some coffee?” Fluttershy asked over her shoulder, trotting to the kitchen. “…What? Oh, no, thanks, dear,” Rarity took a few moments to stop examining her reflection in the mirror next to the door. “Thank you, I’ve already had it. Too much does no good for my face colour. I start blushing spontaneously when I drink too much coffee at once.” She whispered confidingly. “So what can I help you with, Rarity,” Fluttershy smiled and offered a seat. “Fluttershy, dear, I’m so sorry for bothering you that early,” Rarity chose the armchair, straightened the pillow with her magic and sat in the most elegant pose, she could manage. “But Sweetie Belle got a nasty cut on her leg… and I’ve heard from Twilight you’ve got a new recovering salve from Zecora… Could you give me some, ple-e-ease?” Fluttershy raised an eyebrow, her ears stood up. “Oh, come on, darling, don’t look at me like that,” Rarity’s tone became plaintive. “I always hide the sharp stuff. But I can’t work with all the scissors being locked in the closets… and she always finds them and tries to help me, or mimic me sometimes. And sometimes she is… half-horned. She’s only a filly, dear.” “Okay, okay,” Fluttershy smiled accommodatingly. “Relax Rarity, I’m not saying you’re a bad sister…” “You’ve almost got me believing,” Rarity showed a sheepish smile. “Well, I do have the mentioned salve indeed. And I’ll gladly share,” Fluttershy trotted to the stairs to the upper floor, when she noticed Rarity followed her. “By the way, Lyra visited me yesterday, we took measurements, as she was going to order a new dress,” Rarity chattered happily. “And she mentioned, you had some new “guest”, she said it was a “human”. I’ve always thought, they were mythic rubbish from the books, she spent too much time with…” ‘Aha, now straight to the point,’ Fluttershy tensed inwardly. “Did you really get one? Can I have a look?” continued Rarity. “Get” is a bit exaggerated term,” answered Fluttershy with a sigh. “I’ve… met a human in the Everfree.” She told her the story short, while they were heading upstairs, feeling that soon she learns it by rote. “Now promise me that you’ll play by certain rules I’m going to state,” Fluttershy stopped at the bedroom door and looked seriously into Rarity’s eyes. “This is important. For you especially, since you’re a unicorn.” “Oh, darling, you know, I trust you overly, when it comes to pets,” Rarity rolled her eyes at excessive precautions Fluttershy taking. “We started understanding each other better with Opal after your help and advice. I’ll play nice.” “Rarity! He. Is. Not. A pet,” facehoofed Fluttershy. “And please listen. He is a human, he is sentient, he is strong enough to take down a timberwolf, but now isn’t in the best shape. Wounded and unconscious. And the main thing: he is magic resistant, moreover he can drain your magic if applied to him… even in that condition,” she took a deep breath. “And this reaction is progressing, Twilight felt slight dizziness, Lyra got almost knocked down… Please, DON’T try your magic on him, okay?” “Okay, okay,” Rarity looked overly interested, her eyes opened wide. “Let’s enter then.” “I’ve thought they look like apes. Never saw any pictures, Lyra told me about and Twilight mentioned once if I remember right,” Rarity looked impressed. “I could never understand, why Lyra wanted to become one or at least have… hands.” “Now I see,” Rarity stepped closer with Fluttershy following. “While he can, of course, resemble an ape, he is nothing like it at the same time. He is… handsome I suppose… for a human, of course. Just needs to shave badly,” she giggled. “Do you say, he walks on two legs?” Fluttershy nodded. “Must be a tall guy then, and quite toned,” Rarity stared at the body on the bed. “Without any fur… well, except the head. Is he a lot like us internally?” “Lyra says he is,” Fluttershy checked the bandages and touched his forehead by her lips. “I’m checking his temperature,” she explained, seeing Rarity watched her with wide-opened eyes. “Oh…” breathed out Rarity. She came closer. “The skin must be smooth and different from ours.” “Rarity!” exclaimed Fluttershy, seeing how her friend was nuzzling human’s arm, then shoulder, then… “D-don’t poke him in the eye. I mean, w-what are you even doing?..” “Sorry,” Rarity blushed heavily, understanding that she wasn’t behaving as a lady should do. “I’m… umm…” “So does he react on all the magic being cast around or only this applied to him directly?” she preferred to change the topic. “Only applied to him,” confirmed Fluttershy, but she was ready things could go that way. “Don’t even try to.” “Try what?” Rarity’s sly smile and half-lidded eyes told Fluttershy that she guessed right. “You know,” said Fluttershy pointedly. “Pull off the cover, that’s what!” Rarity sighed with disappointment. “We were to remove old clothes… completely,” explained Fluttershy, feeling that her cheeks started burning unwillingly. “And wash him to prevent the wound from becoming contaminated,” she pointed to the long and wide patch on human’s side. “Fifteen times longer…” muttered Rarity under her breath. But Fluttershy heard and became red as a carrot. “What, excuse me?” she asked again, the strong feeling of déjà vu visited her. “I mean, why I’m always out of most interesting events till the last moment,” answered Rarity looking away to hide colour red on her cheeks. “You’re my friend, but you’ve asked Twilight to help. I could help too, with magic if necessary.” “What exactly with?” Fluttershy felt she started boiling internally. “Sewing his wound shut, giving him medicine through a rubber tube put in the throat, wiping all the blood… you’re afraid of blood, as far as I know. Or stripping him naked and washing him?!” Rarity froze on spot shocked a bit by her friend’s outburst and even more by the mental image of the rubber tube related procedure. Then her ears flattened and she started examining the floor with great attention. “I guess all of that…” she said quietly. “Oh, I-I’m sorry, Rarity,” Fluttershy realized that she sounded a bit harsh. “I-I just couldn’t help noticing that… you moved from thinking he is a pet, an ape, to becoming a little too much fixated… even excited… i-if you don’t mind me… putting it that way.” “I’m sorry too,” Rarity’s ears raised again and Fluttershy noticed that her eyes returned to the bed. “I mean… if you need any help…” “Oh, dear,” she jumped on the place, some idea came to her mind. “I could make new clothes for him. He will need them, right? I heard, humans wore clothes all the time, as they had no coat naturally. This, of course, will need measurements, I want to make it perfect,” Rarity cocked her head. ‘Measurements, of course,’ Fluttershy sighed internally. ‘And Lyra is concerned about getting hands, but mentions “fifteen times” thing too often if you ask me.’ “That sounds reasonable,” she said though. The familiar sound of clarion and some noise from outside made them both check the window. “That’s princess Celestia,” breathed out Fluttershy. “Twilight sent her a letter about all that.” “Are you coming? Although… wait… Stay here, Rarity, but please don’t do anything. Especially anything magical. We couldn’t come in time to catch you if you pass out. Besides, I’ll give you a good Stare, if you dare to…” Rarity nodded and this time Fluttershy noticed, she was serious. With relief, yellow pegasus rushed downstairs. “Your Royal Highness,” Fluttershy opened the door and stepped back bowing. “Good morning!” “Good morning, Fluttershy, my dear!” Celestia rewarded her with a warm smile. “How are you? Twilight wrote that you had an awful experience in the Everfree.” Two guards followed the princess inside and stood by the door. Celestia proceeded to the living room, followed by Fluttershy, and took a seat. “Thank you, Princess,” Fluttershy still felt slightly abashed every time in presence of Celestia, even Luna made her tremble less. “I’m fine now. Thankfully I haven’t managed to get really scared. Things happened very quickly, and then I was too busy to care about my feelings… much.” Celestia batted her long eyelashes, she seemed to make a mental note of that amendment. “And owing to my “guest” I’m here and alive now,” Fluttershy concluded simply. “May I offer you some tea, princess? That’s fresh Zecora’s herbal tea, very good for toning up.” “Oh, no, no, thank you kindly, my dear,” the princess replied. “I’m afraid, I have no time for that, sorry.” “Twilight wrote that you have pacified three timberwolves at once by the Stare,” she continued. “You’re making amazing progress, Fluttershy, as the Element of Kindness and personally.” “You’re too kind, your Highness!” Fluttershy blushed. “At the end of the day that wouldn’t make much difference… if not for my guest… the human, I’d still be dead.” “So, you are positive, it is exactly a human?” “Umm… Twilight said so… and… I-I trust those who read some information on the s-subject… including Lyra… i-if you are OK with that…” “Lyra Heartstrings?” a tiny shadow of disappointment ran over Celestia’s face. But this was Ponyville – one could hardly imagine some information to be completely hidden here. “Humans have evolved from the apes as far as I know,” Celestia preferred to ignore that uneasy fact at the moment. “One must be really brutal to take down a timberwolf like that, with one hit…” “Oh, no, he doesn’t look like an ape by far, neither behaved like this,” Fluttershy started ardently. “I’m sure he had no malicious intent and was genuine in his actions.” Celestia’s smile grew wider when she watched her subject talking about the human. “Well, I want to see him myself…” “Of course, Princess. He’s upstairs, in my room. We were to get him a better placement than a couch.” “I hope your own sleep didn’t suffer then,” Celestia continued, watching her fixedly. “I’m fine, thanks, Princess,” muttered Fluttershy sheepishly. When they stopped at the door, Fluttershy coughed loudly and opened it. She saw Rarity sitting in the armchair with innocent look… but the shape of bed cover told Fluttershy that she just fled from the same place, where Fluttershy spent the last two nights. Celestia apparently didn’t notice anything, yet she was surprised to see Rarity here as well. “Your Highness, Princess Celestia,” Rarity got up and bowed deeply. “Good morning, Rarity!” even if Celestia wasn’t fond of the fact that more and more ponies appeared to be involved in the incident, she didn’t show that. Meanwhile, Fluttershy started explaining quietly but confidently. “Princess, excuse me, but I need to warn you – all Twilight wrote was true. The human is indeed magic resistant; moreover, he somehow is capable to absorb magic directed at him. The reaction becomes stronger over time… or maybe, as I’ve just thought, with each attempt. The caster feels magical force drain. Discord… Squee!” “Discord!!!” exclaimed Celestia, maybe even louder than it was necessary, making both Fluttershy and Rarity crouch a little. “What in Equestria, Discord did here?” She then realized, how it sounded, and hurried to moderate the impression. “It’s OK, girls, I guess it was inevitable,” she said accommodatingly. “Excuse me, p-princess,” Fluttershy was upset. “Was it bad for… anything?” “No, not bad,” Celestia calmed her with a small smile. “That’s just saying, I needed to address that problem a day before. Totally my fault. So what did Discord do?” “W-well, he stopped by and got interested,” Fluttershy wasn’t sure if touching that topic was a good idea. “He sensed the human… or maybe that human,” she added after a short delay. “… from outside. He took a look and said that this one was different from those he had seen before. He said he sensed no evil in the human.” “What else?” “Umm… he confirmed our suspicions about magical resistance… and said that he wouldn’t try any d-destructive magic on the human… as he wasn’t sure about my cottage… g-going to survive possible reaction.” “He asked me to tell you specifically, princess, not to try any magic on that human, especially one which might be interpreted as destructive,” added Fluttershy in half-voice. “I suppose, he was going to say that any negative impact would backfire rather than be absorbed.” “That’s interesting,” Celestia touched her chin with the hoof. “And it renders my plans to take the human to Canterlot useless.” “I can’t transfer him magically, and he can’t survive the long flight at the moment most likely,” she explained her point. “I’m sure that’s true,” the tint of relief in Fluttershy’s voice was thick enough to be noticeable. “I guess I should rely on you and Twilight to look after the human till his recovery,” smiled the princess. “And anypony else you choose to help you,” she looked at Rarity pointedly, who kept herself surprisingly silent till that moment. “Naturally, you six would exchange your information anyway,” chuckled Celestia. Then she turned to the table, where the folded cloth lied. “And that must be the tapestry, he came dressed in…” The unfolded by magic cloth lied on the floor and Celestia started examining it. Fluttershy internally cringed, she became overcautious regarding magic usage even near the human after what happened lately. Time seemed to touch the ancient masterpiece very insignificantly. Silver and gold needlework dimmed slightly of course due to almost a thousand years uncared for, but it still had its’ intended noble look to it. “Royal Tapestry from the Old Castle!” Rarity jumped on the spot. She just noticed it; obviously, all her attention was conquered by the human earlier. “I’m sorry, princess,” she elaborated in a calmer voice. “I’ve always dreamed to try to restore some ancient piece of art. Just like this. Could you probably allow me to try? Please!” Rarity’s eyes shined with such enthusiasm that princess Celestia laughed heartily. “Of course, dear, you may try. But I should ask my sister anyway, as it is her regal attribute and she will decide finally what to do with it.” “Besides your favourite work may distract your attention from other… things,” she thought. Princess couldn’t help noticing Rarity’s excessive interest in their “guest”. “So,” Rarity asked Fluttershy when they followed princess to her carriage and watched her leaving to Canterlot. “Do you need any help… about the house?” She raised an eyebrow. “What am I hearing?” laughed Fluttershy. “My dear friend Rarity is voluntarily interested in boring and not glamorous household chores.” “I thought Sweetie Belle needed your help,” she looked appraisingly on her unicorn mate. “Oh, of course,” Rarity wasn’t embarrassed a bit. “I’m going home to help my sis, then come back… if you need me here.” Her face was almost pleading. “Look, Rarity, if I need your help, I will ask you, no doubt,” Fluttershy assured her in the most peacemaking voice. “I promise!” “Pinky Promise?!” Rarity raised an eyebrow. “Okay, okay,” sighed Fluttershy. “I cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!” She followed each description with the corresponding gesture. ‘And Pinky Promise that I’ll keep an eye on you if you’re helping me with the human,’ she added inwardly. “One more thing, sweetheart,” Fluttershy caught her friend on the tail. “You may surely discuss our guest with the girls, I mean Rainbow, Applejack and Pinky. But that is all, don’t tell others… well, Lyra knows already, but I doubt she will talk about that. She is obsessed with humans and doesn’t want too much competition. Aaaand… tell Pinky twice… scratch that, thrice – it’s not the information for the whole Ponyville.” “My mouth is shut and I forgot where I dropped the key,” Rarity proudly straightened. “Who do you think you are talking to?” Fluttershy giggled. It seemed that Rarity was satisfied with the promise given, as she snorted approvingly and headed home, wishing Fluttershy a good day. * BUMP!!! “Squee!” Twilight transferred herself right into Fluttershy’s living room making the hostess jump on the spot. Fluttershy still couldn’t get used to her friend’s favourite teleporting spells, especially when they were being used unexpectedly. “Woo,” Twilight breathed with relief putting her saddle bag down. “I’ve decided to go on foot not. Someone could notice and become unnecessarily interested, why I visited you several times a day.” “I’ve packed more bandages, a couple of apple juice bottles and a few books,” she explained, when Fluttershy looked at her saddle bag with the question in her eyes. “Now I’m ready to stay for as long as you need to do your business in Ponyville.” “We’ve already organized all the books and I let Spike have free time… I feel sorry for the little guy with all that work I put on him with the latest studies,” Twilight sighed with regret. “Well, I’m now free for the rest of the day, so take your time…” she added in a more joyful voice. “And about that juice… When you get back, we’ll try to make him consume some with the potion. I’m afraid he will starve otherwise. But I couldn’t imagine something else we could drive through the tube…” * The doorbell rang when Fluttershy entered Sugarcube Corner – bakery and confectionery run by the Cake family. She was greeted with a wide smile of a young pink coated mare at the counter. The mane and tail of the latter were also pink and puffy as cotton candy. “Hey, Flutters!” she waved to Fluttershy wildly. “How’s it boiling? When do we throw it?” “Howdy, Pinkie,” Fluttershy waved back, then perked up her ears. “Throw what?” She wasn’t sure, she understood what way the talk directed to. But it was Pinkie Pie, who she was talking to. And Pinkie was known for her… expressiveness and volatility. Which thoughts drift Pinkie’s mind at the moment would be probably a mystery even for Starswirl the Bearded himself. Pinkie waited till the unicorn mare with her foal finished choosing candies, paid and left the shop wishing them a good day before she could answer. “Welcome To Ponyville Human” party, of course,” her enthusiasm could probably compete with the sunshine. “I’m not going to miss that chance.” She jumped over the counter and towered above Fluttershy, who even crouched a little suppressed by her friend’s energy. Pinkie took her by the chin with the hoof and looked directly in the eyes. “Mind that I’ve never seen a human before, so that’s gonna be twice awesome!” She jumped around Fluttershy with cheerful yelps, while the latter tried to find an appropriate answer. “Pinkie,” said Fluttershy in a soft calming voice. “Don’t you think the party is a bit premature? He is still lying unconscious…” “But I don’t say we should have it right away, surely when he recovers, otherwise he could miss his special Welcome To Ponyville Human party!” Pinkie stopped and frowned upon her friend as if Fluttershy suddenly said a very stupid thing. “Nopony comes on their welcoming party unconscious, one can’t probably walk being unconscious, or I’m not Pinkamena Diane Pie anymore!” “Oh, Pinkie,” Fluttershy could have probably laughed at that… under some different conditions. “Besides don’t you want to thank one, saving your life?” Pinkie’s flow of ideas was endless. She made a couple more circles, then suddenly stopped right to face Fluttershy. Her voice became unusually serious and concerned. “Flutters, I know that he is not quite well now, and I’m not going to make any boom right away. But considering what I’ve heard he came from another world or something alike. You know what that means?” “First,” Pinkie sat on her dock and raised one fore hoof. “Who said he can return to his home world?” “And second,” she raised another. “And the main thing – he found himself in the middle of nopony-knows-where, all alone, without his family, his marefriend, his friends. Imagine how he must miss his mother, father, brother, sister, grandma, grandpa, auntie, uncle, few cousins… his cat and his dog Barney…” “Easy, easy, I got it,” protested Fluttershy. “Hey, why Barney?” But she looked on her friend Pinkie Pie with totally different eyes now, like noticing something, she rarely spotted before or never paid much attention to, behind usual Pinkie’s light-minded chatter. “I don’t know,” Pinkie took a deep breath. “Just a figure of speech.” “And you don’t look like his mother,” she scratched her nose. “And Applejack doesn’t look like his sister, and Dash doesn’t look like his… cat,” she pointed at the door. The bell ring noted about more customers coming and Pinkie hopped back behind the counter but continued explaining. “And while I’m not looking like his auntie Pinkie…” she waved to Applejack and Rainbow Dash, who just entered the Sugarcube Corner. “I mean I’m looking like your auntie Pinkie, but not his.” Rainbow Dash fluttered around Applejack so intensively that her rainbow mane and tail almost made Applejack’s stetson fly away. She was probably bragging about some new trick, she mastered to impress Wonderbolts, or retelling her friend the latest Daring Do book. “Pinkie! I got your idea…” Fluttershy tried to stop that chatter. “Besides, “auntie Pinkie”, I’m one year older than you!” “Whatever,” Pinkie wasn’t that interested in little details. “I mean he must feel really lost and miserable when he wakes. We could at least try to show him the brighter side of things, surely this won’t bring him back home, but perhaps it tells him, he is not that alone here. Isn’t it what friends do?” “OK, maybe you have point,” muttered Fluttershy. “But still this sounds a bit farfetched…” “Hey, pals,” Rainbow Dash landed between Fluttershy and Pinkie. “How’s tricks? What are you two whispering here about?” “You know there is new Daring Do book out?” continued she excitedly without any pause. “And it is awesome! Like super awesome! In fact, it is about twenty per cent more awesome than the last one,” she said with a happy grin. “Just as I wanted it to be!” Applejack simply nodded. It seemed that Dash managed to “spoil” the book to her in brief but completely. But she didn’t mind, working on the farm didn’t leave too much time for reading and stuff. This way Applejack at least kept up with the plot. Though she wasn’t nearly that much of a fan as Rainbow. “We were discussing our possible Welcome To Ponyville Human party,” simply explained Pinkie with a smile. “Kind of VIP party, as the whole thing is a secret to Ponyville folks. Celestia’s order. But our team is game obviously,” she gave them a wink. “W-wait, Pinkie,” pleaded Fluttershy. “You’re speaking like it’s already d-decided to throw it… when we don’t yet know when… and whether he is OK with that idea… if you don’t mind…” “Well, it comes to that eventually, it’s better to be prepared,” replied Pinky with a sly smile. “When it comes to parties trust Auntie Pinkie’s experience.” “What’s in Tartarus a human, if Ah may ask,” Applejack raised a hoof. “Must be some new pet-friend, Flutters got lately,” laughed Rainbow Dash. “Tell us is Angel jealous already?” she nudged Fluttershy lightly. “The human is a human,” frowned Fluttershy, this “pet” stuff seemed not entirely appropriate to her. “He’s definitely not a pet. Though a friend part may be real… he saved my life in Everfree.” Rainbow raised an eyebrow, she then looked on Applejack, who apparently forgot to close her mouth. “Isn’t it some sort of mythic creature Lyra is obsessed with?” Applejack woke up in a second. “Excuse me, Ah’m usually not in that kind of business…” “Apparently it’s not that mythic,” intervened Pinkie. “Fluttershy managed to catch one… OK, I kid, I kid,” she added quickly, seeing Fluttershy stared at her. “Look, girls,” Fluttershy sighed and made a decision. “I guess this was inevitable anyway, we can simply go and I’ll show you everything… after we buy what we came for.” “And, pleeeease, keep this in secret as much as possible,” she whispered quickly, while more customers entered the bakery. “I don’t want Princess Celestia to become mad with me and Twilight if somepony spills the beans.” “I can’t go, girls,” there was a bit of disappointment in Pinkie’s voice. “Need to run the business today. But I’ll catch up with you later, Flutters, OK?” she winked. “We could discuss the party stuff then.” Fluttershy facehoofed internally, but that was Pinkie. When she was focused on a party only… another party could distract her… for a while. * Cold rain lashed the rare trees, the grass, the rows of monuments and gathered in a freshly dug grave, mixing with clay in an unpleasant yellowish mud. It looked like if the weather itself here forgot that it was actually spring everywhere else and took the form more suitable for expression of woe and loss. The rain bathed mercilessly the new coffin and four men, who were ready to lower it into the grave. The priest, struggling the wind attacks under his umbrella, looked even more mournfully than the moment demanded. He was about to finish his farewell speech. Three more people – two women and a man clung to each other under a bigger umbrella. Actually, those were the only ones who came to the funeral. The older pair was the parents and the girl supporting the women – supposedly the fiancée or girlfriend. That didn’t matter now, did it? She came here because she couldn’t ignore the last chance to say “thank you” to one who saved her daughter. She didn’t approach others though, as she wasn’t sure in the reaction of this guy’s mother, the latter looked completely ruined and out of her mind. If not the girl supporting her, she would probably fall into the grave, as her legs struggled hard to keep her body shaking from sobbing stand straight. But her motherly loss could turn her in the raging lioness at the slightest reason, even an inadequate one. So the woman stood on a distance trying to remain unnoticed and keeping the flowers under the protection of her umbrella. She decided to bid her farewell when others leave. The priest finished and the four men started lowering the coffin, then they took their spades to build a roof over poor man’s last abode. The older woman was crumpled, she fell on her knees right into the wet mud and tears ran from her eyes. “Alex!” she cried on top of her lungs. The younger woman took her from the ground and hugged trying to calm down and recompose. Both with the man they managed to keep her contained till the gravediggers finished putting the flowers over the fresh mound. After a few minutes, they three left to the car, waiting on the road down the hill. She could now approach. The woman put her flowers on top of the others and stood there for a while, trying to keep her tears inside. “Thank you… Alex!” she said barely audible. “Wherever you are…” * “Mom, is that you?..” She entered her house, closing the door and shaking the water off the umbrella to put it in the stand. She took off her shoes stained with clay and felt, she had no force to wash them right now. She decided to take care of that later, when her daughter entered the hallway, holding her toy pony. “You were there, at the funeral, weren’t you?” “Yes, dear, I was to…” “Come on, mom, I told you that funeral was useless… They don’t bury… angels!” said her daughter with the very determined look on her cute face. “And you know that I’m right… even if you don’t admit it.” “Well, well, what are you talking about again?” her mother started becoming anxious about her fixation on that “angel” fantasy. “He was there when our car crashed. He took me out second before it burned down. And then… he returned to his duties,” the girl explained her point. “I suppose angels can ride the lightning…” she added after a pause. Her mother stood there, having no words to say. “Sorry, mom,” the girl hugged her mother with a little smile. “But I’ve heard accidentally, what uncle Mathew told you that day. He said that no body was found in what remained of the car.” “He works in the police,” she looked into mother’s eyes. “He must be sure about what he is saying. They buried an empty coffin… because… they don’t bury angels!” The woman kneeled to her daughter’s eye level and hugged her, tears flowed down her cheeks and she didn’t hold them anymore… * “Mooom!..” Human’s loud moan made Twilight jump in her armchair. She dropped the book, she was reading and turned the lamp brighter. Angel bunny ran into the room and hopped on the bed to see what was wrong. Twilight noticed that human’s hand moved slightly, it weakly and randomly scratched the covers then calmed. The human obviously was still unconscious, but he definitely was feeling something or perhaps his blackout started turning into a simple dream. Not a very pleasant one, as his tone was anxious and the human was calling to his mother. Twilight checked his pulse and touched his forehead – everything was normal, he didn’t feel worse… maybe his pulse became a bit faster. His eyes trembled slightly under closed eyelids. She decided that was a good sign, a sign of him possibly waking up soon enough. “It’s all right, Angel,” she smiled, when picking up her book. The sound of the opening front door made Angel rush through the door and downstairs. Twilight put the book on the table and stood in the doorframe listening. “Hey-y-y, Angel, did you miss me?” she heard Fluttershy’s sweet voice. “Sorry, little guy, I was to buy some food for us. Look I bought you fresh carrots and salad and…” “Hey, little squirt,” Rainbow’s loud cheerful voice. “Do you get along with the new pe… Okay, Flutters, with the new friend?” Perhaps Angel stuck out his tongue to Rainbow because she then said. “Pfft, what did I say?” “Ah think, it would be smarter to see apples are ripe, before making some juice,” Applejack calmly tried to reason her. “You’re fast judging, Rainbow, too fast, if you ask meh.” “Girls, come upstairs,” called Twilight. “Fluttershy, I need to tell you something.” “Oh, Twilight is babysitting today,” Rainbow Dash broke into a wide smile. “To make sure big bad human didn’t eat Angel. Ouch! AJ, what in…” Applejack said something Twilight couldn’t hear, and Rainbow replied. “Well, didn’t he take down a timberwolf? Last time we… you dealt with timberwolves, the sheer luck and Spike’s well-aimed throw saved our coats.” “Come on, girls, stop behaving like school fillies,” Fluttershy nudged them to hurry up the stairs. “Howdy, Twilight,” both Rainbow and Applejack gave her a hug. “Yeah, tell us, what did Flutters do to make you sit with an alien creature?” smirked Rainbow, flying up to the ceiling to have a better look at the human in the bed. “Well, I don’t see how my help may hurt me,” Twilight answered simply. “Besides it is interesting. He is the first human I met and I don’t know that much about them, unlike Lyra.” “Hmmm, don’t see anything special or awesome enough for that hype,” concluded Rainbow making a wide circle above the bed and examining the human under different angles. “In fact, he looks like a hairless… well almost… ape to me. Surely he is better looking than an average ape, I admit. But that’s about all…” “Are you sure, he didn’t want to eat you and the wolf was just an obstacle?” she turned to Fluttershy. “I am,” nodded Fluttershy. “Remember I told you, he said “No you bucking don’t!..” before he send that dreading wolf’s head flying. I’ll stick to what I was saying earlier – he didn’t want to let the wolf hurt me and Angel.” All three came closer, while Rainbow was still floating above the bed. Applejack didn’t hurry with any judgments, but she looked at the human with wide-open eyes. “OK, even if you’re right and he wasn’t going to eat you himself, thus saving from a wolf,” Rainbow Dash wasn’t going to give up her positions that easily. “You said you met him on the old road to the Sister’s Castle ruins. How do you know he is not some evil abomination or spy… or… Well, there are strange things happening in the Old Castle still!” “Ah thought, that we agreed that that ol’ story ‘bout the Shadow Pony was nonsense,” Applejack said with a smile. “If you remember, sugar cube, we were scaring ourselves running around the castle and making much ado over nothing… Well, except Twilight, Ah mean,” she nodded towards her alicorn friend. “Oh, and you, of course, little guy,” she amended seeing Angel looking up at her and drumming his hind paw impatiently. Applejack was talking about that day when they all managed to come to the Old Castle ruins for their own different reasons. Twilight and Spike looked for some books, well, Twilight did and Spike followed, despite being not quite fond of the idea. Rarity wanted to find some ancient tapestry samples and Fluttershy came with her, but when Angel ran away, she got her reason to search the ruins as well. And they with Rainbow looked for a way to find out, who of them deserved the Most Daring Pony title. And Pinkie simply got bored and followed them, then played the old organ and scared everypony shitless. Besides, there were different secret passages and traps, which made them go on tips of their hooves even more. Rainbow looked confused, she remembered that she was flying in circles, yelling like a foal just like others during their last visit to the Old Castle. But her confusion didn’t last long, she soon got back to her “Huh, try me” usual look. “And the one, who played the scary organ was Pinkie,” Applejack continued meanwhile. “So no Shadow Pony there at all.” “I still think there is too much of Nightmare Moon in those ruins to be that careless,” objected Rainbow Dash. “Besides, look at him,” she continued her accusatory speech. “He looks like nothing and nopony in Equestria.” “Well, he is not a pony,” laughed Twilight. “Oh, Twi, you know I don’t mean that exactly. I mean he can pretty much be a spy, some evil creature right from the Tartarus or whatever else. We don’t know anything about him in certain.” “Come one, Rainbow, how can you say so,” Fluttershy was disappointed by her friend position. “Twilight knows enough to think humans aren’t a threat and Lyra can be considered an expert. Besides humans are indeed from another world.” “Then the fewer reasons to trust them,” sometimes Rainbow was really stubborn if she believed in something. “And you claim he is magic resistant, moreover can… “suck” magic force out of unicorns. Isn’t that a threat on its own? Are you sure he is indeed what you call a human? I mean are all humans magic resistant in your books?” Rainbow took a deep breath and Applejack said thoughtfully. “Ah think perhaps Rainbow’s got a point here.” “Thanks, pal,” when Rainbow was on a roll nothing could stop her, besides she felt that AJ shares her doubts. “You, girls, may wait till he wakes up… and makes trouble… or not, but I’m not going to trust him. Not before I myself am convinced, he could be trusted. Until then don’t even expect me to think he is our friend.” “You’ve said the same about Discord,” said Fluttershy quietly and Twilight nodded confessing she is right. “And it appeared to be wrong at the end of the day.” “Well, OK, I was mistaking about Discord,” forcedly agreed Rainbow. “But we at least were able to understand his motives. This one is another story, this one is a… blank flank for us.” “Besides,” she dashed towards the bed and, before anypony could say anything, she pulled human’s cheek aside with the tip of her wing. “Just look at his carnivore teeth, Fluttershy. What do you say about them?” “I-I say those are omnivore teeth,” protested Fluttershy; in questions of zoology, she was the top authority among them six. “And c-considering that he is evidently sentient, I don’t see a p-problem here… if that is OK with you. I mean h-he can surely eat meat… b-but I suppose he can consciously refuse of that… and s-suffer not… perhaps. I-I mean, there are plenty of other things to eat in our possession,” she finished under her voice. “And what do you think, Applejack,” asked Twilight. “Ah think that one must eat darn much of fruit ‘n vegetables to fill a big guy like ‘im,” grinned Applejack. “Ah mean, Ah hope he won’t be as destructive as a flock of fruit-vampire bats,” she added jokingly, but everypony got the idea that she was deadly serious, concerning about her garden safety. “Whatever rock your boats, pals,” concluded Rainbow Dash landing near her friends. “Sorry, girls, don’t mean to offend anypony, but I’m not going to like him outright just because he exists. He seems suspicious to me and makes my mane stand when I think of being near to him. Please don’t expect me sitting with him.” “OK, Rainbow, we got your point,” Twilight said accommodatingly and Fluttershy nodded with a faint shadow of sorrow. “It’s your choice and we respect it.” “Sorry, girls,” Rainbow’s tone wasn’t overly apologetic though. “I… just… can’t.” “It’s OK,” Fluttershy waved her hoof. She was expecting that everything couldn’t go all smooth and dandy and just accepted the things with minimum stress for herself. * “So, let’s do our usual tube stuff,” Twilight turned to Fluttershy when the front door closed behind Rainbow and Applejack. “And… do you need me to stay?” “Oh, no, no, you’ve already done more than I could ask for,” refused Fluttershy kindly. “I can cope with the night watch.” “Okay, then,” Twilight went to the kitchen to take apple juice bottles out of her saddle bag. “By the way, I want to tell you something,” she said returning and levitating the bottles and the rubber tube, the look of which each time made Fluttershy cringe a little. “Seeing Rainbow’s reaction to him I didn’t tell earlier. Didn’t want to make the girls worry more.” “Something happened?” “Yes and no,” answered Twilight. “Nothing bad happened if you’re talking about that. He was all the time stable and still. But I think, he may wake up soon. He started exiting his blackout and is perhaps even simply sleeping right now.” “He moved his hand a little and he moaned before you came,” Twilight explained, while Fluttershy was listening to her with a surprised look on her face. “I think he called to his mother or something along the lines of that.” “Oh, poor thing,” breathed out Fluttershy. “Are you sure he wasn’t in pain at the moment, Twilight?” “I’m sure he wasn’t,” Twilight hugged Fluttershy shoulders in a soothing manner. “I suppose he just dreamed of something unpleasant. But he was definitely stable. And even Rainbow’s tricks didn’t bother him. But I’m sure, he is now much closer to reality than two days ago.” “That’s amazing,” whispered Fluttershy. “Oh, can I ask you about one thing, Twi?” she remembered something which apparently bothered her for some time. “Can you convince Celestia somehow that she shouldn’t just grab him for her investigations as soon as he wakes up? I mean, can we simply give him a few days to brace himself? I-I feel sorry for what happened with the guy… I-I mean, he’s here because I was so carefree.” “Don’t blame yourself, Fluttershy,” Twilight was confident in her opinion. “He seemed to make his perceived choice then. And I’d say he must be a really nice guy, I think Rainbow is mistaking about him.” “I’ll try to reason with Celestia,” she added reassuringly. “That got easier now, here is the good side of becoming a princess,” smirked Twilight. “Thank you, Twi,” Fluttershy hugged her friend heartily. * The Moon was up obedient to her will and the land of Equestria entered the serene sleep, making Luna look for some occupation for herself not to become bored for the rest of the night. She had her fun this morning, providing Celestia with the helping hoof for the appointment and letting her sister address the human incident. Luna smirked widely at the memory of scolded upper-crust stallions, which were brought to reality by her. Their plans to raise another factory without any real refinery projects were purely greed and stupidity driven. She did right by blowing their cardboard castle away before they could really harm Fillydelphia. But that was in the morning, thus it was history. And now Luna had a whole night ahead to do almost whatever she wanted. But unfortunately, she can’t think about anything, she really wanted now. Except… Speaking of human incident… Celestia told her, what she saw at Fluttershy cottage and what Fluttershy warned her about. Magic resistance and backfiring even while the human being unconscious. So even Celestia, who was first determined to take the human to the castle, finally left that idea… till things become clearer. That was very interesting on its own. Luna decided for herself this morning already. She could try reaching the human in his dreams if he was having any already. She entered her room, leaving the balcony behind and lied on the bed, making herself comfortable on the pillows. Then she closed her eyes and tried to imagine Ponyville, its’ outskirts, Fluttershy’s cottage and the upper room, as her mind travelled through the thin, but so tangible matter of dreams. Luna could find the human with ease – his aura somehow yet weak, was different from those of her pony subjects. She tried to reach his dreams and fears and concerns and found to her surprise that she couldn’t interact with them. She was able to watch like a silent and ghostly observer, which was very unusual and different from her usual dream travels. Normally Luna was able to affect, alter and direct her subject dreams. She could communicate with those who deserved or desperately needed her help, advice, reassurance and she could intimidate and rule those who deserved punishment or correction. She was able to reach them even physically through their dreams. But… apparently, she couldn’t do all that with the human. Perhaps because of him still being unconscious and thus his dreams were really limited and restricted… or perhaps of him resisting even this form of influence. Luna felt she becomes more and more interested in this human. And she felt strange respect. She promised herself to tread lightly, for now at least… All she could do was watch, so she started watching. The first thing she saw, was the human driving some strange metallic carriage, which moved with impossible speed for something having no visible power or propulsion source. Luna found herself as if she was sitting next to him and listened to the strange music, a small device in the carriage produced. The human was seemingly enjoying the ride and the carriage was obedient to his commands, he provided via a wheel he turned and some pedals he pressed with his legs eventually. Then the weather around changed suddenly and Luna saw the sharp turn of the road and a giant tree on the roadside. She noticed another carriage running at them directly, but before Luna even got scared, it flew past them wobbling and hit something. Next thing she saw, was the crashed carriage under a smaller tree and the human saying something to another – a female human. That one, as Luna guessed, drove that crashed carriage and now was in total distress. There was another person inside the carriage – a human foal, small girl. “Luna’s” human tried to open the doors of the carriage to take the girl out, but they were stuck. Like bewitched Luna watched the human got into the carriage through the front door and tried to talk the girl out of her seat. The latter was apparently in shock, clinging to something in her hands. Luna noticed a toy. It was a… pony. A yellow pegasus with pink mane and tail. Luna’s eyes opened wider – Fluttershy, but how? Meanwhile, the human got on the back seat, grabbed the girl and smashed the back glass with his feet. He called the female human and gave her the girl through that opening. Luna swallowed the lump which suddenly formed in her throat. She watched how the female retreated with the girl, crying to the human to get out of the… “car” for god’s sake. A sparkle set the car on fire. Luna’s eyes dilated in terror, when she saw how fast the car turned into the inferno with “her” human still inside. And then thunderbolt speared right into the car, blinding everyone in one unbearable flash. Luna was still shaking as if she was freezing cold when the scene changed. She was now in the wide field with rare trees here and there under the pouring rain. Though she wasn’t there physically, she could feel the cold water falling from the gloomy sky. Stone plates filled the field in rows. There was an empty space near to her without a plate, but with a deep pit instead. Four humans were slowly lowering a finely made wooden long box into that pit. One strangely clothed human stood in the head of the pit. There were 3 more humans on the opposite side of the pit: two females – one young and one older and one male. The older female was crumpled, she fell on her knees right into the wet mud and tears ran from her eyes. “Alex!” she cried on top of her lungs. The younger female raised her from the ground and hugged, trying to calm down and recompose, while Luna felt another lump inevitably appearing in her throat… She realized what type of ceremony that was… and with whom those humans were making farewells. The vision ended suddenly. Luna was in Fluttershy’s bedroom looking down on the bed with the human on one side of it. “Alex…” repeated Luna under her breath. Next to the human, next to Alex lied Fluttershy. Her fore hoof was resting on Alex’s shoulder, while she was gently nuzzling his neck. A sympathetic but sad smile appeared on Luna’s face when she watched Fluttershy moved closer to the human in her sleep. That little girl didn’t waste time. She saw something about that human, something that Luna just managed to notice, and apparently, she was first. But she, Luna, The Princess of the Moon, wanted this human to herself. She felt that her boredom can be cured. That was worth competition. ‘Fine,’ Luna told herself with a small but meaningful smile. ‘I waited for a thousand years to be saved from Nightmare Moon, what I forsooth have learned is waiting. I can wait again, but I won't wait passively. And time will show...’