//------------------------------// // New Friend // Story: Convicted Hearts: The Dragons Stone // by SaphireHoyt //------------------------------// I awoke slowly, curling up a bit and groaning as I slowly sat up, feeling the fear and stress from last night fade into only bothering my physical body. I was still exhausted from the strain and stress from the night before. I stumbled to my feet and looked around. In my tired stupor I recognized that this was different than I remembered. I was a strange room, in a strange house, in a strange place I had never been before. I looked down at my legs and rubbed my eyes. I was wearing shorts still, the same from the night before. My stomach growled, making me realize how hungry I was. I slowly stood up and looked around, eyes darting back and forth. Wherever I was, was amazing at decorating. I saw stained windows depicting two Alicorns. I blinked a bit and saw the way my stone glowed a bit, but not enough to do anything. A feeling of fear sparked through me and I realized... That this was the emotion of the stone. I took a breath and blocked it. I would not let it back in so it could take me over. "I'm hungry... Where do I get food? The kitchen... Where's that??" I was looking a bit confused as I looked around, walking out the door and looking down the halls. It was early morning, and the sun was rising. No one was up yet. The hallway was colossal. It was so tall, I could barely even dream of touching the ceiling without a Pegasus helping me reach it. There were beautiful stone pillars on every corner of the halls, for decoration and support, and a polish so strong one could barely help but look and see their own reflection in the smooth surface. I started walking and looking around as I walked. I stretched a little as I walked, wondering through the giant building aimlessly. I came across a bathroom, and possibly a private dining room that hadn't been used in a few years. I walked around more and found the dining room. I walked in and looked around, seeing servants bustle about trying to prepare breakfast for the royalty. I stopped one by gently touching her flank. "C-can I have an apple?" She looked at me in pure shock, but I just looked back at her sleepily. "O-oh yes... My... My name is Savra... I came in with Princess Twilight and a dragon, named Midnight. Princess Luna- she doesn't know where I am. S-so wh-whats your name?" Her ears were laid flat against her skull. She looked dismayed by the fact that I talked to her. "M-my name is.. Diamond Shine..." She squeaked out as her eyes glanced around for something. Maybe they didn't like being singled out. I smiled and held out my hand, a bit awkward. She slowly took it and shook, to show her manners. I smiled at her as politely as I could. "Can I have an apple Ms. Shine?" She looked absolutely boggled with my choice of words. She was most likely used to having everypony order her around. She looked dazed as she nodded and wondered off to the kitchen. I sat down at the table, either being ignored by everyone around setting the table or not being seen. I was awfully short for the table as I sat in my chair, my head only a little bit above the table itself. Diamond Shine brought me an entire bowl of exotic looking fruits, but among them were bananas, apples, and a bunch of grapes. I slowly took an apple and a banana, slowly peeling it and consuming the fruit inside. I saw some strawberries and blueberries and razzberries and other fruits in the bottom of the bowl. I slowly took a few in my hand, careful not to pop any of the fruits to make a mess. I ate slowly and carefully, trying not to let the juice dribble from my mouth. It almost failed, but I took a napkin that had been levitated to my spot by a servant who was to busy to speak to me. I spotted a fork and a spoon, telling me not to eat to much or else I'd miss out on real food. Diamond Shine stayed near me, looking nervous as I looked at her. "What's wrong? Here- have a strawberry!" I offered her one in a napkin and she looked baffled again, dazedly taking it in her hoof with a small pale look of fright. The business cooled down now, and everyone seemed to relax a little. I could see there were guards around, standing at attention. They were staring straight ahead, silent. Like statues. I sat and listened to the silence, resting my chin on the table. Maybe... Maybe I could just close my eyes for a few minutes. Just until everyone got here to eat. Diamond Shine looked at me, I could tell because I could feel her eyes locked on me. My hands were down at my sides, resting in the chair. I slowly dozed off, calmly into a dreamless sleep. When I woke, it was meal time. Midnight was sitting at the table next to me, with Twilight across from me with an open seat looking a bit relieved after being stressed, and Luna was in much better shape than the other two, smiling as she ate her food. She was eating a stack of pancakes, almost not even acknowledging the situation. Her mane was moving in a strange pattern, almost non existent without a small breeze. Her mane and tail were the same, twinkling like a nights sky. On the other end of the table was another tall and elegant sight. She had an image of a sun on her flank instead of a moon. Her mane and tail were in the same eternal breeze, and her mane and tail were colored in pastel rainbow colors. Diamond Shine looked just as fearful as I did, and she was shaking and sitting next to me in a chair. She was a bit taller than me, in the right position to be able to properly eat. I rubbed my eyes and clenched my fists to wake up my hands. I had a plate with three large pancakes in front of me. "Good morning everyone..." I picked up a fork and sat up on my knees, now level enough to eat my food. I spotted the syrup over near Luna, who was smiling at me and looking a bit happy. I wiped my face of drool with my napkin. "Good morning Savra." Luna was the first to speak, smiling as the others perked up excitedly. Except for Diamond Shine. She was still horrifically shy about being around three princesses and a dragon... And whatever I am. That hit me like a boulder rolling down a mountain. I cut my pancakes a little, without putting syrup on them. I just choked it down with a bit of orange juice. I just ate my pancakes as the tall stranger at the other end of the table was staring at me curiously with a warm gaze. "Sister, I think I may have some introducing to do. This is Savra. Savra, this is my elder sister Celectia." I waved, choking down another pancake. It was so good. I looked at her and smiled. She smiled back, looking at me as she levitated me some syrup, pouring it on my breakfast. My eyes lit up as I stabbed another little piece with my fork. "I've heard great things." She was smiling happily as she looked at me eating my pancakes. "Really??" I was genuinely surprised by that. She nodded and smiled. "Midnight had a lot to say. It was amazing how much she learned from just a few weeks of being there at the Dragons Isle." I smiled happily and looked at her, in the middle of a bite of food. "She says you eat meat too, which is interesting." All movement stopped as soon as the words left her muzzle. I looked tearful. "I-I can yes... B-but not uncooked. And I don't know how to cook." I looked at her wearily and frightened. She shook her head and looked at me with a look of regret. "No- no I didn't mean to be rude." She was looking worried, and I gave her a sigh of relief, smiling at her. She smiled again and giggled, and we both relaxed as soon as she knew that nothing was wrong. "Hey um... I know Diamond Shine is a servant... But can I still hang out with her?" Twilight blinked and looked at the cowering young mare, looking at her. Diamond Shine blinked and smiled at my request, clearly enjoying the thought of getting to be friends, or getting out of work. She tilted her head and made eye contact with Celectia, smiling. Celectia gained a look of realization, looking like she got something that I couldn't possibly understand. "I believe that would be perfectly fine Savra." I smiled even bigger and so did Diamond Shine, eating her food a bit faster instead of just poking at it with her fork. She was smiling as happily as she could, and so was I after I finished my food. Maybe I could get some more time with other ponies in the future to hang out with. Twilight looked over to the door as it seemed to open and close by itself. I blinked a bit, alarmed, but stopped with a bite half way to my mouth as I set my fork down. A small purple dragon with green spikey scales coming out of his back and head sat down across the table next to Twilight looking tired. He had a huge bowl of gems in front of him in seconds, crunching them impressively. "Good morning Spike!" Twilight hugged him with her wing, and Midnight had starry and sparkly eyes at the sudden appearance of another dragon. Especially one so little. Now, here's what really knocked me off balance in a metaphorical sense. "Morning Twi." He could talk.And he sounded my age. Maybe we could hang out too!