//------------------------------// // Chapter 7.10 The Reason // Story: As a Family // by Dashzilla93 //------------------------------// Fluttershy smiled confidently before Rainbow Dash, Tree Hugger and Gilda, voicing her final decision “I’m going to see Drift…” She gazed upstairs towards her daughter’s room and softened a bit “…so we can finally be a true family again.” She wasn’t going to do this just for herself, but for her beloved Scootaloo. “Alright, Flutter—“ Rainbow Dash started to cheer before Fluttershy glared her Stare at her, making her flinch as Fluttershy asserts that both she and Tree Hugger are to stay out of this. “And I’m doing it myself. And if you two even dare try to involve yourselves in somepony else’s business again, you are going to answer to me. Understand?” Her two friends wince and nodded in a mix of sheepishness and a hint of fear, they both cannot deny it, but despite being “the shy one” Fluttershy definitely was assertive and bold. To Rainbow Dash, if Fluttershy never had Scootaloo, she'd never grow a spine thicker than a crocodile's. Fluttershy then smiled as she set Angel down, kneeling down to him and spoke in a soft, motherly tone, “Angel… thanks for always sticking by me.” She had to tell him that she was grateful he and Gilda were on her side, but as her beloved pet, she felt she owed it to him for easing her by reminding her that no matter what she chooses, he and the rest of her animal friends will support and respect her decision. Angel blushed faintly, shuffling a foot and waving a paw. The time was near and Fluttershy had to go prepare. She dipped her head, “Go play for a bit, okay?” She nudges him gently, “Momma’s gotta prepare.” If she was going to see Drift, she had to get ready for this moment, but she noted to herself to reward Angel for his help later. At first, Angel would’ve rejected the idea of playing. Playing with others just wasn't his thing; it was more about him and how he wanted to try other things with Fluttershy. But, an idea came to him. An idea that got him thinking he could use this free time to his advantage, so he nodded to himself and hopped out the back door; although before he could go outside, he paused to see Tank struggling with his propeller. He hit a corner and fell on his back. Shaking his head, he hopped over to the tortoise and helped him up and tied his propeller back on as it spun, letting the tortoise back into the air again. Tank gave him a slow but grateful smile, although he looked curious as the bunny motioned him to follow him outside and gather the rest of the pets, informing him he’s got a little idea. ***Outside, Near Varan’s Den*** “Are you sure this is safe, Angel?” Opal’s Dutch voice mewed at him in worry as the six pets head for Varan’s cave. “What if he’s still upset?” “Well, then he’s gonna have to deal with it, Opal,” His slight tough-but-high-pitched voice responded to the fashionable feline. Winona whimpered though, she felt a bit unsure though, “But what if he doesn’t wanna see anybody, sugarcube?” Her light mix of southern bell and tomboy accent fitted her so well, she would do her owner proud. But Angel remained undettered and repeated, “Once again, he’s just gonna have to deal with it. Now, c’mon!” He motioned them to follow as he was about to step into the cave that was owned by the Komodo Dragon, until he was stopped by a sophisticated voice. “But, Angel, my dearest old chap, my dearest friend… why visit Varan after his little meltdown?” It was Owlowicious and he wondered what Angel was thinking as Tank nodded slowly in agreement, “If anything, I don’t blame him for wanting to be alone since Fluttershy’s mad at him.” Tank slurred out slowly “Yeeeeah.” The bunny paused and sighed. He knew he had to tell them what’s on his mind; he had his reasons to see Varan, even if that large reptile was the last creature he wanted to be near right now, though. And this was rare for him to be like this. “Because I’m worried about him,” The pets look somewhat stunned to hear such words come out of his mouth. “He’s never acted this way before… now, I may not have known him very long since we all recently became his friends, but I’ve never seen him so mad like he was earlier… and I think it has something to do with Harry.” The five pets look at one another, they knew that was true. While they had been friends with Varan for a while, and just like Angel, they too have never seen him as mad as he was earlier before and were worried something was wrong that made Varan act that way, and whatever it was concerned their grizzly comrade. “And I wanna know why.” “After all this time… you’re thinkin’ and carin’ about someone other than yourself.” A soft-spoken, slightly blank but understanding voice came out of none other than Gummy. This comment made Angel blush deeply. “Ah shaddup.” ***Inside the Cave*** Knowing that since Fluttershy sent him to his den in her firm voice, the Pet Six took deep breathes and went inside to go face their reptilian friend. Angel looked around as he leads them, Owlowicious keeping an eye out with his vision to see in the dark. “Varan, we know you’re in here. I can feel the dense atmosphere after Fluttershy confined you to your den,” Angel said. Though the others didn't expect him to use words like that. Quite a surprise, really. At first, it seemed they would not get an answer, but after a few minutes of slight eerie silence, a hissing, rough, tough but gentle voice spoke out, “Since when did you have the carrot-sticks to come in here, Carrots...?” And it was no hint to the others who it was directed to. Angel sighed lightly as they found who they were looking for. There he was; laying there in a comfy spot of his den where the darkness is relaxing but enough lighting can cast in and rouse him from sleep, unless he was too lazy. But at the moment, he wasn’t feeling like sleeping. He was just slouching, curled up and yet he was at least a millimeter amount of surprised to see his friends come inside. “Varan… we need to talk.” “Did Old Master send you?” “No, darling. We came on our own accord,” Opal answered first as she sat near Angel, curling her tail around her legs. “We’re worried about you, dear.” Gummy nodded and hissed lightly, “We never seen you so mad before… and at Harry of all animals.” Varan snarled lightly at the name but cooled down, knowing no good will come of it getting mad around his new friends. New Master always told him that bad behavior like that would sometimes be surefire ways to hurt your friends or even lose your friends. Winona whimpered in worry, “But you look like Scootaloo took away your favorite food or stamped you hard on the tail.” She knew that was untrue, but with how slouchy their large friend was, she had to compare it to something, she even tried to cheer him up a bit as she tapped him, “Hey, Varry!~” He looked in time to see her pull a funny dog face and flap her tongue about, making odd funny noises. As amusing as it was, he didn’t seem to chuckle at her attempt, making the dog sadden a little at her fail “Nothin’, huh?” “Sorry… I’m just… not feeling it.” Was all he could say to try to ease her. Owlowiscious hooted, “Varan, we’re curious… why did you attack Harry like that? From what we gathered from your fight, he seemed to be meeting you for the first time.” Tank nodded as he croaks, chiming in, “He waaassn’t doing annnything wrong.” Gummy hissed lightly, and asked, “Is it because of how he appeared at first? He was just milking his ‘intimidation’ tactic, that’s all. He’s actually really kind and gentle.” Opal added with a light cat-smile, “He’s a sweetheart.” Varan nearly scoffed at that, “Yeah, right…” Angel glared lightly at that response, “He really is, Varan.” He softened a bit “And I should know…because he’s Fluttershy’s, Scootaloo’s and my friend.” He defended Harry because sometimes around the cottage, he and the bear were good friends. And he knew that bear was very close to Shy like he was while being a teddy for Scootaloo if she had a bad day at school. “Just…” He groaned in frustration before thrusts his arms out as he looked to Varan, speaking out the question that’s been biting him, “What happened back there? What got into you so bad when you looked at the big guy? What made you look like you were trying to kill him back there?” As he asks these questions Varan closed his eyes and exhaled softly when he heard that last question of Angel’s. “What could’ve possibly happened to you that made you act that way?!” “You really wanna know why I lost my shit?” The pets, though wincing at his language, nodded in confirmation of wanting to know as Varan sat up slowly, at first his back faced them. “I’ll tell you,” He took a deep breath and exhaled before looking at them over his shoulder as he started telling him his backstory. “A bear-creature killed my family and attacked my kind in cold-blood when I was but a hatchling.” His friends gasp in shock and horror as he starts revealing his past with such a shocker. “A bear? No…!” Gummy whispered in dismay while Opal covered her mouth in shock, Owlowiscious held a wing over his chest and widened his eyes, Tank looked stunned, Winona crouched down and whimpered in shock and sadness, but none looked more stunned and a bit horrified than Angel who couldn’t say a word. Varan looked away and hissed lowly, “Yeah. It all started on a warm afternoon. My mother, father and I were holding a little special meal of carrion of a forest hog as it was my hatchday…” He remembered it well; he, his friends and family were gathered to acknowledge that he was growing into a mature komodo dragon and he had recently developed his little teeth that he could use to defend himself. “Gathered around my family and friends, feeling loved by all of them as they knew I was going to grow into a big, strong lizard as I recently grew in my teeth and started developing my bite technique. Although, it’s weak for the moment when you’re a hatchling.” He sighed lightly after reminiscing before continuing his tale of tragedy, “Anyways, just when it was going well for me, it all changed in a blink of an eye. I heard alarmed hissing and calls, I looked to see my friends running from a gigantic furry beast that rushed into our territory. It looked like a demon out of Tartarus. My parents nudged me up a tree to keep me safe while trying to hold it off. I escaped and survived the attack…” He slowly saddened as he gazed down, craned his head a bit, “but my mother, father, and friends--” he hissed in anger “--they didn’t!” He slapped the ground with his tail out of frustration. The pet six looked horrified to hear such a creature attacked his family in cold blood, “There was nothing I could do. I could only watch that monster ruthlessly attack my family, my friends, my kind. I don't know if other hatchlings survived by climbing, but I remember it tried to attack me. He couldn’t climb.” He gazed out towards the entry of his cave, “All I can remember were those brown evil eyes. He glared up at me and growled at me. But as I looked at this thing, I was scared and angry. It looked like a bear and ever since then I grew to dislike, no, downright hate bears because of him!” He snorted lightly, his eyes glossy as he finished his tale “Next thing I remember, he walked away and disappeared into the forest. I never saw that beast again. Then after that, nothing” Mostly likely he fainted after going through something like that, and Owlowiscious secretly picked that up. Poor Winona was bawling her eyes out, making whining cries as Opal and Owlowicious frantically try to ease her, “No wonder you attacked him.” Angel blinked in shock and astonishment as he looked at Varan, “You’re saying you think that Harry…?” He couldn’t believe it. Varan believes Harry was the one who did it and believes that their large friend was a murderer. “B-But, Varan, that can’t be true!” He snorted lightly, “But it is! That bear attacked my family! He’s got brown eyes and an evil-looking glare. There’s no doubt about it!” He snarled “Your ‘friend’ is a murderer… he killed my family and friends!” Gummy saddened as he exchanged looks with Tank, “But that doesn’t make any sense.” Tank nodded, he had been around the cottage before Dash ever adopted him and he knew Harry, too. He may be a slow tortoise, but he wasn’t stupid. He knew that Harry was too soft and too kind to be bloodthirsty. “Harry wouldn’t hurt a fly!” “Well, that didn’t stop him from attacking today, did it?” Varan gave a snarky comment. Angel frowned, “That’s because you threatened him!” Opal nodded “He’s never met you before, darling! I doubt he even knows you!” Varan sneered “It doesn’t matter. I should’ve done him in when I had the chance--” “You said this ‘bear-creature’ couldn’t climb after you?” Owlowiscious asked, interrupting Varan. Blinking, he stared at ‘Wise One’ and raised a scaly brow, “What are you talking about?” Owlowiscious asked again, “You said that this ‘bear-creature’ couldn’t climb, did you not?” Confused, Varan nodded, “Yes?” The owl thought about that before looking at the lizard as a thought came to him, “Varan, I don’t think that was a bear that attacked your kind.” Varan sneered, “Of course it was! It definitely was! What other monster could--” The owl held up a wing “Please, let me finish.” Varan snorted but allowed him to talk. “I’m starting to think that while it looked like a bear to you as a hatchling, it couldn’t possibly have been one.” He was greeted with a hissing raspberry from the komodo’s tongue. “Oh, yeah? And how would you know?” Owlowiscious blinked before telling him a straight solid fact about bears that everyone knew, “Because bears are excellent climbers and this ‘bear-creature’ of your tragic tale couldn’t climb trees; which means it wasn’t a bear at all!” Though it may be hard to believe, Varan’s eyes widened in shock. He hadn’t considered that fact, at all. If It was true, bears can climb trees. He just hadn't witnessed it himself, or was told. Maybe Young Master or Old Master told him? He might've fallen asleep through those lesson. Yet, the creature he saw couldn’t. He wouldn't be here if that creature was able to climb. Something's missing from this puzzle. Winona sniffled before nodding, “And Harry couldn’t have done it either if this attack happened when you were a hatchling. Harry was a young one himself. And young ones can’t do much damage unless they had a good arm or were trying to defend itself.” Which is true. Despite being young, young ones can defend themselves if threatened. “And could not go anywhere without a parent watching them.” She too had a theory; there was no way their grizzly pal could’ve done enough damage as a young one. Varan blinked in stunned silence. These good points in theory that these two had. Could they be telling the truth? Could he… have been wrong all this time? “But… if this ‘Harry’ truly is innocent as you told me, then who attacked my family?” Tank croaked, “We don’t know what could’ve attacked your kind, but what we do know is that--” Angel finished Tank’s thought “--You may have made a big mistake in blaming the wrong creature.” Varan was silent, this was so much to take in and yet he didn’t crack – he was contemplating if it really was a mistake he made. Had he really blamed their friend for something he didn’t do out of blind anger? The sound of hoofsteps was heard approaching the cave, they sounded light but young, which gave them the hint that Scootaloo was coming. “Think about it, Varan,” Angel looked to him with a neutral but resigned look, he didn’t want to argue or guilt him, but he wanted him to think about this new information and make a right decision should he want to make things right ,“Scootaloo wouldn’t want you to stoop to your killer’s level.” He sighed lightly but gave him a light smile, “But never forget this: you’re not alone anymore. You have us.” He motioned to the others as they all smile reassuringly at him. “And Scootaloo… and Fluttershy… and we’re your family.” Something about those last three words touched that reptile’s heart as he found himself giving a lizard-like smile at the six. Tears slowly ran down his cheeks. He felt a bit more comfortable facing Young Master now that he knows that for the first time in his life, he felt like he truly had a real family, again, in the form of ponies and these courageous little animals. “Guys…” They look up at him returning the smile with his own, he nodded gratefully “…Thanks.” He looked ahead and went to meet with Young Master halfway, knowing she’s wanting answers out of him, too. He knew he’s got a lot to think about, but at least he had friends and family to help him out and to guide him into making the right choices.